LONG HAIR IN THE ATTIC

Transcription

1 LONG HAIR IN THE ATTIC Written by Eric Cook Based on Junji Ito's Story of the Same Name 9/5/2017

2 ii. A Loving Tribute To John Carpenter & David Lynch The men behind the weird. If you're expecting an elaborate segue, fuck you.

3 EXT. ART DECO STREAMLINE HOUSE - NIGHT A 97 Honda Accord stops in front of the house. INT. 97 HONDA ACCORD - CONTINUOUS JACOB (17) sits behind the wheel with pensive, empty eyes. Something s clearly on his mind. Beside him: KIMMY (16) with hair to her shoulder blades. She s on edge, chattering her teeth. For awhile, the only sound between them is the chattering of Kimmy s teeth, until-- JACOB Kimmy, we re through. Kimmy looks at Jacob. She looks away. JACOB (CONT D) Don t look at me like that. You know we re through. JACOB (CONT D) It s just we ve been taking things, and ourselves, so seriously. Like we re still young. We have our whole lives ahead of us. Why are we dedicating ourselves so early? And Kimmy, I m your first boyfriend. You have a bunch of fish in the sea and I m not even that good for you. Do you know how many women I been with? How many I fucked? A lot and I thought this relationship was going to be just that. And the worst part about it is look at you. He raises a hand toward her. He sighs. JACOB (CONT D) Look at your clothes, your hair. Yeah, it may be all nice but it s sad. It s really fucking sad. It s not you.

4 JACOB (CONT D) Man. I mma make this simple. Get out my car and don t ever call or talk to me again. Got it? With a downcast gaze, Kimmy quietly steps out the car. EXT. ART DECO STREAMLINE HOUSE As soon as Kimmy closes the car door, the car speeds down the street. INT. ART DECO STREAMLINE HOUSE - FEW MINUTES LATER Kimmy somberly enters her home. Her sister (14 and high spirited) races down the stairs. Ariana approaches Kimmy. How did your night go with Jacob? Huh? Kimmy ignores her and treads up the stairs. Ariana follows Kimmy. (CONT D) (oblivious of being ignored) You know there are rats above your room, right? They aren t actually above. They traveled from the attic into your ceiling. Kimmy walks into her room. Ariana opens her mouth to say something else, but Kimmy closes the door on her face. At that moment, it hits Ariana. Kimmy s sad.

5 3. Told you the rats were up there. Kimmy, still sad, looks at Ariana. Seeing Kimmy, Ariana changes her demeanor. (CONT D) (grave) Dad s planning to get rid of them tomorrow, but you know how he is. He doesn t want to work up his heart. Kimmy doesn t respond. It s awkward. And on the awkward note, Ariana quietly leaves her room. INT. KIMMY S ROOM - LATER Kimmy holds a lighter s flame to a polaroid. Holding it, the flame slowly engulfs the polaroid from its edge. ON THE POLAROID: Kimmy and Jacob smiling at a beach, except Kimmy looks different. She dawns a pixie cut, mild eyes, and modest clothing. Kimmy ruminates as she watches the polaroid burn. FLASHBACK TO: EXT. BEACH - DAY [THE DAY OF THE POLAROID] Jacob and Kimmy stare out into the calm waves of the beach. The polaroid s neck strap hangs around Jacob s neck. Jacob shifts his head. Gazes into Kimmy s eyes. She looks gorgeous, as if she always belonged at the beach. An earth angel. She blushes at his stare. KIMMY What are you staring at? You. JACOB She blushes more. Yet, despite her indisputable beauty, he continues with--

6 4. JACOB (CONT D) You know you would look great with long hair? Really? KIMMY JACOB Yeah. You would look... gorgeous. They stare into each other s eyes. BACK TO: INT. KIMMY S ROOM - FEW MINUTES LATER Kimmy lies on her bed, bawling her eyes out. INT. HALLWAY Ariana has an ear to the door. She hears her sister s whimpers and snivels. Ariana frowns, then steps away from the door. INT. KIMMY S ROOM - THE NEXT DAY - MORNING Kimmy s light is still on. Kimmy herself sleeps in bed. She lies in the same position she cried in. Then, something BITES her head. She twitches at bite and sluggishly opens her eyes. KIMMY (groggy) Ah. Shit. She pats the back of her head and feels something. She rummages through her hair and takes it out. IN HER PALM A ROTTING RAT. Its fur slithering with maggots. Kimmy immediately drops it.

7 KIMMY AHHHHHHHHHHHHH-- SMASH CUT TO: INT. HOSPITAL - CHECKUP ROOM Kimmy sits on the checkup bed in a hospital gown. Her father and mother sit in chairs. Then, DR. DONALD PATEL enters the room with a clipboard. DR. PATEL (to Kimmy s parents) I got the results back, Mrs. and Mr. Schaffer. Your daughter will be fine. No trace of maggots anywhere in her body. Kimmy s parents sigh of relief. DR. PATEL (CONT D) Just make sure she thoro He e Tm-e88 Tc Tc 0.021

8 6. BATHROOM - FEW MINUTES LATER Ariana stands behind Kimmy, baffled. Okay, lemme get this straight. You want me to cut your hair? Yep. KIMMY Why? You look good with it. Kimmy deeply scowls at herself in the mirror. Jacob at the beach saying, Yeah. You would look... gorgeous. CUT TO: BACK TO: BATHROOM Ariana shrugs. KIMMY I just want it cut, kay? Can you just cut my hair, Ariana? Okay. I don t see why you can t do it, but I ll get the scissors. INT. KITCHEN Mrs. Schaffer searches the fridge. Then enters Ariana. Ariana loudly opens drawer to drawer. (searching drawers) Hey Mom. Do you know where I can find scissors? MRS. SCHAFFER Well, not in the kitchen. Why do you even need scissors for? Kimmy wants me to cut her hai--

9 7. KIMMY (O.S.) AHHHHHHHHHHHH! INT. BATHROOM Ariana races into the bathroom. Her feet immediately freeze and her face becomes all eyes. She sees-- Kimmy lying on the floor. Decapitated. The stump of neck SPOUTS jets of blood onto the wall. Tears stream from Ariana s eyes. MOM! DAD! KIMMY S DEAD! CLOSE SHOT On Kimmy s neck spewing rivers of blood, then we FADE TO BLACK. THE NEXT DAY FADE IN: INT. JACOB S BEDROOM - NIGHT Jacob s sound asleep in his bed, until-- On the dresser, his phone RINGS. Jacob wearily picks it up and presses it against his ear. Hello. JACOB Over the phone, Jacob hears the loud chattering of teeth. JACOB (CONT D) Who is this? The teeth chatter louder. Hello? JACOB (CONT D) The teeth chatter even louder now. Jacob gets mad.

10 JACOB (CONT D) Fuck you and your shitty prank call! I hope you die, your family dies, and your kids develop cancer! He ends the call, puts his phone on mute, and places it back on the dresser. He sighs and lies his head on his pillow. Then closes his eyes. But, he hears the chatter of teeth. His eyes shoot wide open. He lifts his head up until-- A long and robust strand of hair wraps around his neck.

11 9. MR. SCHAFFER You don t understand my strategy. I ll lay a trap in the attic and after I m done, I ll get more. (not understanding her dad s strategy ) Okay, Dad. You need any help? I m trying to look out for your hear-- MR. SCHAFFER My heart is fine, girl. I don t need any help. Just stand right here. Mr. Schaffer walks up the attic stairs. CEILING ATTIC Mr. Schaffer skulks into the attic with a flashlight in front of him. He places a mousetrap and gets on his way. Mr. Schaffer walks toward the stairs when-- He hears the chatter of teeth. His feet stiff up and stop. He turns his neck. He sees a SPIDER-LIKE SILHOUETTE in the dark. He puts his flashlight on it and as soon as he does-- PRE-LAP: He SCREAMS. INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS Ariana runs to the attic stairs. (running) What is it, Dad? Mr. Schaffer slowly shuffles down each step, clasping his heart and heavily heaving. He sits at the last step. (CONT D) Dad, what is it? He just huffs and puffs.

12 10. Ariana looks at her panic-stricken father, then snatches the flashlight out of his hand. She hustles up the stairs. MR. SCHAFFER Ariana, wait! CEILING ATTIC Ariana enters the attic and shines the flashlight s lambency on the mousetrap. Nothing. Then, she hears the chatter of teeth. She raises her head and sees the SPIDER LIKE SILHOUETTE from before. She shines the flashlight on it and now we can fully see the figure. It s KIMMY S HEAD. It hangs from the rafters by the hair, resembling an upside down octopus. Ariana takes a couple steps back. But before she can make it to the stairs, an eerily long strand of hair lashes toward Ariana s face. Ariana swats the strand away like a fly. Kimmy s head bursts with an eldritch screech. She worms the strand back into her vines for hair. Ariana sucks wind through her teeth and looks at the back of her hand. A long gash starting from the knuckles and ending at the wrist. Ariana looks back up to see-- Kimmy s hair retracting from the rafters. Her head thuds to the ground. Few seconds after falling, the head s hair begins to writhe. Then, it quickly wriggles past Ariana. And down the stairs.

13 11. THE END FADE OUT.