EIDOLA -- PILOT -- Written by Robert Herold Robert Herold 7708 34th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98115 rherold2001@gmail.com 206-406-4754
EIDOLA (PILOT) TEASER FADE IN: INT. A CROWDED PARLOR IN 1883 ATLANTA - NIGHT Well-dressed men and women, seated in rows, fill most of a dimly lit room. People in the back crane necks from their seats to view a rotund female MEDIUM facing them. The fat Medium slumps forward in her wooden chair. Behind her, a tall mahogany cupboard stands before a backdrop of dark curtains that stretch across the room. The Medium s head comes up and she stares at the audience, her eyes glowing green. Her hands rise as an electrical charge dances between the palms. She slowly stands and raises her charged hands, then throws her arms wide. The room erupts in a flash of light. The Medium collapses back onto the chair. A green SPECTRAL GIRL materializes out of ectoplasmic mist floating above the Medium s head. The Spectral Girl raises an arm, reaching out for a BEJEWELED WOMAN in black, seated in the front row. SPECTRAL GIRL (crying) Momma? Help me, Momma. It hurts! The Bejeweled Woman stands, tears streaming down her face. BEJEWELED WOMAN It s her! Oh, God, it s her! Her BALD-HEADED HUSBAND puts a protective arm around his sobbing wife. The man looks at the Medium. BALD-HEADED HUSBAND We ll pay whatever you ask. Just give our daughter peace! At that moment, the double doors in the rear burst open and a demonic figure, clad in black rags, storms into the room SCREAMING. FADE OUT END OF TEASER
2. ACT ONE FADE IN: INT. A CROWDED PARLOR IN 1883 ATLANTA - MOMENTS LATER After bursting into the seance, the dark figure stops to regard the audience. It is PICKFORD (39), who weaves slightly and belches. His hair, beard and ragged clothing are matted with filth. He takes a long drink from a whiskey bottle, then snaps to attention. He resumes charging through the crowded room, knocking some of Atlanta s wealthiest denizens from their chairs. During the charge he screams one word: NOOOOO! Nigel bumps into the Medium and she topples over. He shoves the Spectral Girl aside. The Girl SCREAMS and rocks back and forth, arms waving and a shocked look on her face. Reaching through the black scrim-covered opening to the cupboard, Nigel yanks out a SKINNY ASSISTANT (18) who drops a green-lensed lantern. Nigel shoves him toward the audience. Next, Nigel tears down the backdrop, revealing BURLY ASSISTANT #1, who holds a black rope keeping the Spectral Girl aloft, and BURLY ASSISTANT #2, who is working bellows above a small stove cooking mothballs to create the mist. Nigel turns back to the shocked audience and raises his whiskey bottle in triumph. With his other hand he gestures to the hapless girl still suspended in air. (CONT D) (with a southern accent) There s your ghost! They re all frauds, charlatans, cheats! EXT. ALLEY BEHIND THE BRICK HOUSE HOLDING THE SEANCE - NIGHT A muddy alley runs along the back of tightly-packed brick houses. A solitary gas lamp provides the only illumination. Everything is wet and steamy from a summer rain.
3. Nigel stumbles out of the seance house and knocks over a metal trash can. He lurches into the alley and puts a hand on a brick wall to steady himself. In the open doorway appears the Medium s three assistants. The Skinny one jumps out. SKINNY ASSISTANT There he is! BURLY ASSISTANT #1 Let s get im! They race forward to attack. Just as the Skinny Assistant is about to grab him, Nigel whirls around and breaks his whiskey bottle over the young man s head. The guy crumples into the mud. Nigel brandishes the broken bottle at the other two. They spread out to come at Nigel from either side. From the seance house emerge two smartly-dressed attractive women, DOUGLAS(28) and SARAH BRADBURY(18). Annabelle waves a gloved hand and speaks with authority. (with a Boston accent) Stop! Right this instant! The Burly thugs glance at the women and chuckle. They resume pressing in on Nigel from either side. RAPID FOOTFALLS signal the arrival of EDGAR GILPIN (26) from one end of the alley. The faint lamplight reveals he is a slim well-dressed African American man. Edgar throws his jacket and vest to Sarah, rolls up his sleeves, and taps Burly Assistant #2 s shoulder. EDGAR You heard the woman. Edgar blocks a blow from Burly Assistant #2 and punches the thug in the face. The thug shakes his head clear and turns on Edgar. Edgar delivers a series of blows to Burly Assistant #2, neatly avoiding all counter punches. Burly Assistant #1 pulls out a large knife. He lunges at Nigel, who swings the broken bottle clumsily in defense. A gun FIRES.
4. Annabelle levels her pistol at Burly Assistant #1. I suggest you leave before you become a candidate for the next seance. Burly Assistant #1 holds up his free hand and backs away. After a few steps, he turns and runs down the muddy alley. Annabelle swings the pistol at Burly Assistant #2. You too. (CONT D) Burly Assistant #2 s face is swollen and covered in small cuts. He looks grateful for the chance to escape. He helps Skinny Assistant to his feet, and the two hobble away. Edgar looks fresh and unhurt. He retrieves his vest and jacket from Sarah, nodding his thanks. Nigel stares at the three of them. Who the hell are you? Annabelle drops the pistol into her purse and removes a business card. She offers it to Nigel who ignores it. Nigel scoffs. We are Eidola, a group working for the Society for Psychical Research. Claptrap! You re no better that those cretins I just vanquished. Nigel tosses the broken bottle aside. He turns away from Annabelle and moves to go, passing Edgar and Sarah. Edgar grabs Nigel s arm. EDGAR Hey, now... We just risked our lives -- Nigel swings his arm free, grabs Edgar s arm and twists it behind the man s back. Pain flashes across Edgar s face.
5. And for that I m truly grateful. Nigel sticks his face up to Edgar s. (CONT D) But if you ever lay a hand on me again, I ll break it clean off. Nigel turns to go, but Edgar taps him on the shoulder. Nigel freezes. EDGAR Mr. Pickford? How the hell does this nigger know my name? Nigel whirls around, swinging his fist in a roundhouse punch. Edgar ducks the blow, then delivers a powerful punch to Nigel s chin. Nigel stumbles into a brick wall, then slides down to collapse in the mud, unconscious. Annabelle turns to Sarah. You said he would be difficult. SARAH He ll come around. Eventually. Annabelle sighs in resignation. Well, let s get him cleaned up. He smells like an outhouse. INT. WILLIAM JAMES S PSYCHOLOGY LABORATORY, HARVARD - DAY Professor William James (41, bearded, with a receding hairline) and several assistants are in the midst of an arcane experiment with a man suspended in a metal cage. The subject is bound to a chair, blindfolded and his ears plugged with stoppers, oblivious to everything around him.