A LIFE FOR A LIFE V13. Written by. Peter Etherington

Transcription

1 A LIFE FOR A LIFE V13 Written by Peter Etherington pete_etherington@me.com

2 1 EXT. CAVE MOUTH - DUSK 1 A narrow gorge, too deep for the afternoon sun, comes to an end at a cave. Jagged rocks form a vicious maw, framing the darkness inside. Wind rasps out through the rocks. From inside the cave, we hear a vicious, dark chanting. 2 EXT. STREET - DAY 2 A beat up station wagon drives up the road towards us. RADIO (fading in from chanting)...landslides all over the county have exposed new found cave system right here in the city. Our final story tonight, the pagan butcher has finally been caught. Responsible for the deaths of six people- The radio cuts off as the car stops at the end of the road, outside a weary old house. A cross dangles from the rear view mirror, a photo of a happy couple tucked into the dash. (29), baby bump just showing under workout clothes, has a hand on the radio. Her husband, Luis (28), worn face belying his age puts his hand over hers. What could make a person do that- LUIS He s headed straight to hell now, no coming back from that. Good riddance. You can t trust anyone these days. The car goes silent. He rubs her hand, gives it a kiss, places another one on her belly. LUIS World will get better, you ll see. Come on. He moves to get out, but she pulls him back, and kisses him. I love you.

3 2. He grins, hops out and stretches. looks at him fondly through the windscreen before getting out. She looks up at the sky. It s late afternoon. (CONT D) Will we still make it? LUIS Probably should hurry, we don t have long. A ball runs out into the road in front of them, a small girl, Suzy (3) chasing after it. Laura grabs it, crouches it down and gives it to her. Luis smiles as he watches. A single mom (40s), Alice, runs out, holding a broom, out of breath. She sees Suzy is safe and breathes a sigh of relief. ALICE Thank you, god, Suzy don t do that to Mommy, no going into the street, back inside. Thank you! No worries, she s adorable. Do you know where the trail starts? ALICE (gesturing) Oh, just up there. Enjoy it, the view up there is something special. Be careful coming down in the dark. Thanks, we will. Alice swats Suzy gently with the broom as she passes. Laura watches them go, rubbing her belly. She turns back to Luis who s smiling at her. They share a grin and head off, not seeing the trail head sign warning of snakes. 3 EXT. CLIFF - SUNSET 3 Laura s in front, hurrying forward, up onto a small plateau. Come on, slow poke. Luis snorts, only a few feet behind her. He catches his breath, seeing the sunset. He puts an arm around her, she rests her head on his shoulder. They watch it sink below the horizon. Luis stirs.

4 3. LUIS We should go, before it gets too dark. He turns, and they hear a hiss. Between them and the climb down is a coiled snake. LUIS (CONT D) Babe, get back. What- He pushes her to the side as the snake lunges. She goes down, turning as he yells out. The snake is attached to his leg. He stumbles, and his foot over the edge. They make eye contact. A horrible realization. He tumbles. LUIS- (CONT D) 4 EXT. CAVE MOUTH - DUSK 4 Laura gets to Luis bloody, broken body. He s twitching, dying. She starts shrieking, trying to hold him in a panic. HELP. HELP- I can save him. She whirls. The stands in the entrance to the cave. Sporting a monkish dark robe, you only see a ghoulish face. Shaved, scarred head, shadowed eyes, dark lips and pale skin. Please help me. Call 911- The Cultist remains silent, staring at her, a slight sneer creeping onto his face. He turns and walks back to the cave. (CONT D) What are you doing? Come back. I can save him. Follow. Luis struggles to get out a rasping breath, his body shuddering. Laura looks down, in horror.

5 4. Come back. He disappears into the dark. She looks down, grabs his arms and drags him. His lead lolls to the side and he lets out a strangled scream of pain. She sobs but keeps going. 5 INT. CAVE - NIGHT 5 The Cultist stands at one of two ceremonial stone plinths, dimly lit in flickering light. He gestures to it. She drags Luis onto it, not pausing to look at her surroundings. A giant snake is carved onto the back wall. The snake from above slithers up and into its mouth. The Cultist stands over him. Tearing off the rosary bracelet, he tosses it to the side, the beads scattering everywhere. She flinches. He places clawed hands onto his head, and starts whispering in a long dead language. What are- He cuts her off with a raised finger, not pausing. The blood pouring from Luis head slows, then starts to pool back into the wound. His body straightens, his breathing calms. She gasps and goes to Luis, hugging him. He doesn t move. (CONT D) Thank you. Oh god, thank you. Oh god, you re safe. For now. There is a price. Whatever it is, I ll pay it. You must sacrifice. To the goddess. Wait, what? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life. Another soul, alive. Here, in place of your husband.

6 5. You want me to...? No, I won t do it. The Cultist cocks his head. You ll let him die? I m not a killer. Ah. Morals. How quaint. He raises a finger again and Luis back arches in agony, his breathing cut off. She tries to help him. Stop, STOP. (advancing) Brave. Give up the one you love, go through life alone, rather than sacrifice a complete stranger. Luis writhes, drowning on air. Please, STOP, don t do this. Not me. Save him or kill him, you have the power. Decide. He doesn t have long. Luis screams, the final air leaving his body. I ll do it, I ll DO IT, please just stop it. The Cultist smiles and Luis relaxes, shivering. She strokes his head, pressing her own against it. One living sacrifice. You have until midnight. 6 EXT. STREET - NIGHT 6 Laura gets back into her car and sits, shellshocked. Beat.

7 6. BANG. She looks outside, it s Alice, taking out the trash. Laura stares at her. Alice heads back into the house and sits in the living room. Laura watches her through the window. She turns to looks at the photo of her and Luis, her hands shaking. Next to it, the car s clock reads 11pm. Tears run silently down her face. She knows what she has to do. 7 INT. SITTING ROOM - DILAPIDATED HOUSE - NIGHT 7 Alice sits back in a chair, reading a book. Her Suzy is sitting on the couch watching TV. From outside there s a clatter of garden tools falling. She goes back to her book. Moments later, snarling erupts from outside. She sits up and looks outside. Nothing. She hurries to the back door, grabbing a broom. 8 EXT. BACKYARD - NIGHT 8 The barking echoes round the empty yard. Alice walks out, broom in hand as though it was a gun. The door slams behind her, she jumps. Nothing. It s deserted.behind her Suzy appears in the doorway. Mom? SUZY ALICE If anyone s there, I m armed, best you just leave. Silence. To one side, the trash bins are toppled over. ALICE (CONT D) Goddamit... SUZY Mom, what s wrong? ALICE (over her shoulder) It s alright sweetie there s-

8 7. The daughter screams. Laura appears behind her, mascara streaked face distraught. She raises a log. Alice turns, sees her. THWACK. Silence. ALICE (CONT D) SUZY, RUN- Alice lies on the ground, her legs twitching. Laura looks up, sees Suzy staring at her. Suzy screams and darts back inside, terrified. Laura stares at the body. She drops the log and staggers away. 9 EXT. SIDE OF HOUSE - NIGHT 9 Laura vomits into the bushes, shaking, shivering. She collapses down against the house, crying, starting to hyperventilate, the dog s howls ringing in her ears. Slowly, she gets her breath back under control, but the tears still run, running her mascara. She hears a moan, and thump of a body falling against the house. It goes again. She struggles to her feet and goes back to the body. 10 EXT. BACKYARD - NIGHT 10 It s not there. She takes a second, swallowing before looking up at the back door. Alice staggers back inside, propping herself up with the wall and the broom. 11 INT. KITCHEN - DILAPIDATED HOUSE - NIGHT 11 Alice pulls herself into the house, and slams the door closed behind her, but Laura gets a hand and head in. Alice swings her broom and it smashes into Laura s nose. The door finally closes. She gets a hand up and locks it. Laura slams against it again, trying to force it open. SUZY Mommy, what s happening?

9 8. ALICE Hon, hide, please, go, HIDE. Blood still seeping from her head, Alice does what little she can to brace it. Suzy runs into the next room, getting underneath a dresser. The door shakes, dust raining down on her. Alice looks for her phone - it s on a table in the next room. The banging stops. She hears Laura thump down the steps outside. She looks around, and then sees the front door. It s still open. She tries to stand, but falls, lightheaded. She starts crawling for it, every inch absolute agony. She gets into the room, and hears the front screen door bang shut. Desperate, she starts moving faster, getting closer and closer. She gets to the phone and gets a hand on it. Laura s hand appears on top and pries her off the phone. Alice collapses, turning and looking up woozily. Laura is a vision from hell, blood and mascara streaking down her face. She gets down behind Alice, puts an arm around her neck and tries to choke her out. Alice struggles, hands reaching back, clawing at Laura s face, fingers going for eyes. Laura lets go and backs away for a second, hands going to her face. Alice goes for the phone, and Laura tackles her. Alice s head hits the corner of the dresser. She goes limp on the floor, foot twitching, blood pooling out her head; a mirror of Luis. Laura takes a moment, then stares at Alice. Her chest isn t moving. She crouches down, checks Alice s neck. Nothing. No... She looks down at hands, covered in Alice s blood. The clock on the wall reads 11:30pm, she doesn t have time to go anywhere else. The Cultist s final words ring in her ears. Dying inside, she turns to stare at Suzy, crying under the dresser, inches from her mother s dead body. Suzy starts kicking and screaming as Laura reaches down, and grabs Suzy. She starts dragging her out.

10 9. Suzy tries to bite down on her hand, but it doesn t stop her. Laura back hands her and she falls limp in her mothers blood. Gently Laura picks her up, and walks out. 12 EXT. CAVE MOUTH - NIGHT 12 Laura carries Suzy s body into the cave. 13 INT. CAVE - NIGHT 13 The Cultist bares his stained teeth and gestures to the empty plinth. Her husband lies still on the other, face pale. She places the child on top and the Cultist looks down. He purses his lips. Barely old enough to be human. She starts forward in fear, but he waves it away. (CONT D) It will suffice. A first step. He hands her am elaborate, ceremonial weapon - a brutal claw shaped hammer, a snake imprinted on the end....are you serious? The life is not for me, nor is the request, they are for the goddess. He gestures to the recessed snake. (CONT D) You must offer it to her. She takes it shaking. He stands back, arms raised chanting. (CONT D) Tiamat, our goddess, accept this sacrifice, this soul humbly given in exchange for another and let it usher you towards our reality. The dark god senses the impending sacrifice, whispers rising in the cave. He comes to an end, turns to her and nods. She raises the hammer, swallows, hesitates. Suzy blearily wakes up.

11 10. (CONT D) Is he not worth it? Mommy? SUZY She sees them and screams, thrashing against her bonds. Laura starts to crack, her hands shaking. I m sorry, I... Laura goes silent. The Cultist senses a chink. SUZY HELP. MOM, HELP. Enough. He snaps his fingers and Suzy goes silent, mouth open, no sound coming out. Laura looks from the girl to Luis, heartbroken, weighing them. (CONT D) At least he ll wake up. Laura looks at him. Then turns and brings the hammer down on the girls head - it explodes. She stares down shaking, splattered in gore. The husband s back arches, silently screaming then falls back, breathing deeply, moaning. She runs to him crying. The Cultist stares a the body and smiles. Delicious. He looks up. In the back of the cave the giant snake shimmers, becomes more pronounced. Luis s eyes flutter open, and he starts to focus. Laura? LUIS (clutching him) I m here baby, I ve got you. He swallows, looking around, waking up, trying to make sense of his surroundings. LUIS What...where am...

12 11. His gaze falls on Suzy s body. He blinks. He looks at the Cultist, then to Laura, holding the bloody hammer. LUIS (CONT D) Laura, what have you done? She opens her mouth to speak, but his eyes roll into the back of his head and he collapses. LUIS? (whirling round) What s happening? The Cultist sneers at her. Silence. (CONT D) We had a deal. Nothing was said about stopping him slip away again. What more do you want? Standing there, covered in blood, still holding the hammer she stares at him. She knows the answer. The Cultist smiles. CREDITS. 14 EXT. CAVE MOUTH - NIGHT - EPILOGUE 14 Wind hisses out of the cave, darkness undulating against the walls. We slowly rise up, out of the gorge. (V.O.) Seven souls, one departed, six to come. Tiamat, hallowed be thy name. Hear our pleas, our prayers, their screams, let them draw you to us. One departed, six to come, soon the time of resurrection will be at hand. Tiamat, come to us. As we crest the lip of the gorge, a demonic hell scape is revealed, hillsides afire, lighting striking down. In the distance an enormous serpent, hundreds of feet long, erupts out of the ground, and starts moving towards us.