Soul Searcher: Family Secrets - Page Three
Soul Searcher
Family Secrets
page 3
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MASTER BEDROOM - CONTINUING
Holly shivers as a CHILL passes through her. She turns off the CD and pulls off her headphones.
HOLLY
Althea?
Downstairs, the heavy front door SLAMS!
Holly gasps, and panics.
HOLLY
(continuing; whispering hoarsely)
Althea!
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MAIN FLOOR - CONTINUING
Althea turns off her flashlight. She mumbles to herself.
ALTHEA
Please, God. Don't let this be one of them. Please.
She creeps around the corner and peers out. A heavy bootstep sounds in the entryway. A dark shadow passes in front of a window. It reaches down and pulls something small out, concealing it in its hand.
Althea puts her hand over her mouth to stop any noise, but a small gasp escapes.
The shadow stops, hearing something. It approaches Althea, and reaches out into the darkness toward her.
As the hand gets within a few inches of her face, Althea trembles uncontrollably. She falls backwards and SCREAMS!
The shadow jumps backwards and trips over a bag on the floor.
Althea scoots backwards until she hits a wall.
A VOICE calls out from the floor toward her.
VOICE
Who's there?
ALTHEA
Who are you?
VOICE
That's what I just asked you.
Althea hears THUMPING on the floor in the entryway.
VOICE
Crap. Where's my batteries?
With shaking hands, Althea pulls her flashlight up and turns it on, pointing the beam directly into the entryway.
She sees CASEY COVENTRY (20 yrs) blinking in the bright light. He runs a hand through his shaggy blonde hair. In his other hand is a small camcorder.
CASEY
So you see me, but I still can't see you.
ALTHEA
Keep your hands where I can see them.
CASEY
You know, you scared the piss out of me.
ALTHEA
Sorry. Who are you?
CASEY
Casey Coventry. Who are you?
Althea's hand wavers a little, shaking the light.
ALTHEA
None of your business. What are you doing here?
CASEY
Reporting. I'm a reporter for the Community College Newspaper. They wanted a piece on this house.
ALTHEA
Really?
Casey picks himself up off the floor. Althea's flashlight follows him all the way up. All six feet of him.
CASEY
Give me a minute and I'll think if a better story if you want.
He smiles and holds his hands out innocently.
CASEY
It's just me.
(smiles)
Come on. Here.
He extends his hand to Althea as he walks closer. He stops a few feet away from her. She stares up at him, trapped against the wall.
ALTHEA
You're not dead.
Casey looks down at himself. He raises his arm and sniffs a little.
CASEY
Don't smell real great. But no, I'm not dead.
Althea laughs in relief. She reaches out and takes his hand and stands up.
ALTHEA
You're real.
Althea looks up into his soft brown eyes. He meets her gaze and gets lost in her hazel-green eyes.
CASEY
Um - so are you.
(laughs)
I'm sorry. I shouldn't stare.
ALTHEA
No. It's okay. Stare. I'm Althea.
CASEY
Beautiful name.
ALTHEA
Thanks.
A CRASH from upstairs.
ALTHEA
Holly!
Althea runs up the stairs.
CUT TO:
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MASTER BEDROOM - CONTINUING
Althea throws open the door. Holly stares out from beneath her blanket underneath the bed.
ALTHEA
What happened?
HOLLY
There was this ... this thing. I saw something move. It looked at me. And ... I fell out of bed.
Althea pulls her out.
ALTHEA
This is Casey.
HOLLY
Hi.
CASEY
Hello.
HOLLY
How did you get here?
CASEY
My truck's right outside.
HOLLY
No, I mean ...
Holly turns to Althea questioningly.
HOLLY
I thought no one was going to be here.
ALTHEA
I didn't exactly plan this out.
HOLLY
Great. Now I'm going to get a lousy grade.
CASEY
Wait a minute. You two are staying in a haunted house-
HOLLY
Supposably haunted.
CASEY
Okay, a "supposedly" haunted house, for a grade?
Holly nods yes. Althea shakes her head no.
CASEY
Okay, mixed signals. Who's right?
Althea raises her hand. Holly points to Althea.
ALTHEA
We're doing a report on the truth behind haunted houses. I'm for; she's against.
CASEY
Ahhhhh.
(long pause)
Why?
Holly looks over at Althea, then decides to speak first.
HOLLY
It's easy. Ghosts aren't real.
(confessing)
Plus ... I invited someone over. I didn't mean to, Althea, but I really like him, and I think he likes me, and I couldn't go to the party tonight because you wanted me to come up here with you, and I really want to see him, and I want you to just give me a little privacy ... is that okay?
CASEY
Um ... well. That's a lot more information than I wanted to know.
ALTHEA
You invited someone over?
HOLLY
It's just Seth.
ALTHEA
(angry)
Just Seth? Just Seth is no problem. But who does just Seth hang out with?
Holly wrinkles her nose, thinking.
HOLLY
Ohhhh ... crap.
ALTHEA
(very curt)
Yeah.
CUT TO:
EXT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - NIGHT
SETH OLSEN and TODD HENDRICKS hop out of Seth's tricked-out pickup truck. They pull scary masks over their faces.
TODD HENDRICKS
Gonna scare her right into your arms, huh?
SETH OLSEN
Probably. You know how girls are.
Todd laughs.
Behind them, a DARK SHADOW OF A MAN steps out of the blackness, and follows after them. The MAN pulls his black GLOVES tightly around his hands.
SETH OLSEN
Hey, you hear something?
TODD HENDRICKS
Yeah, you pissing your pants.
SETH OLSEN
Shut up. I'm serious.
TODD HENDRICKS
You want me to hold your hand, or something? Just shut up. It's a surprise, remember?
SETH OLSEN
I'm starting to get a bad feeling.
Todd grabs Seth by the front of the shirt. Todd pulls up his mask and stares right into Seth's eyeholes.
TODD HENDRICKS
Look, Seth, don't pansy out on me. You want Holly. And you don't want her as just another conquest. You WANT her. We can't have her hanging with a freak. What would everybody think?
Todd shoves him a little.
TODD HENDRICKS
I'm doing this for you, man.
He pulls his mask down over his face.
SETH OLSEN
Fine. Whatever. We scare. I score. You leave.
TODD HENDRICKS
You go left. I'll go around back.
They split up. Todd heads around the back of the house. The DARK MAN follows him.
The DARK MAN glances up at the light spilling from the Master Bedroom window. Todd walks right through the light. The Dark Man follows him.
The light casts harsh shadows on his sharp face. GERARD LITKER (40's) smiles coldly. He pulls a long KNIFE from a sheath in his boot. His gloved fingers flex around the hilt.
CUT TO:
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
Althea shifts rapidly from foot to foot.
HOLLY
What's the matter?
Althea looks at Casey before answering.
ALTHEA
I don't want to seem rude, or uncouth, or anything, but I really have to pee.
CASEY
Sure. No problem. Happens to the best of us. We don't want any exploding bladders, now, do we?
HOLLY
I think I saw a bathroom downstairs.
CASEY
You know, my mind is drawn back to a time that I saw this waterfall -
ALTHEA
Stop it!
CASEY
How the water was just spilling over the rocks ...
ALTHEA
Stop!
She glares at Casey, then hurries from the room. Casey just smiles charmingly.
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MAIN FLOOR - CONTINUING
Althea walks down the dark stairway. Suddenly she gets a very real sense of how alone she is. The air turns cold. She stops dead in her tracks, halfway down the stairs.
ALTHEA
Oh no.
Emotions race across her face.
ALTHEA
Oh no, oh no, oh no.
The insistence in her bladder urges her onward. She hurries down the stairs. She peeks around the corner. Darkness ... but nothing else.
Althea feels her way along the wall until she finds a bathroom. She shines her small flashlight in there.
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MAIN FLOOR - BATHROOM - CONTINUING
Althea jiggles the handle on the toilet to flush. Nothing. She looks down in there and wrinkles her nose in disgust.
ALTHEA
Eeew. Wonder how long that's been in there.
She shines her flashlight down into the bowl. A DEAD RAT lies there.
ALTHEA
Gross.
Althea sets her flashlight down on the counter and goes to wash her hands. Nothing comes out of the faucet.
ALTHEA
Eeew, now that's really gross.
She looks in the mirror at the reflection of the bathtub, with the curtain halfway drawn.
She turns around, and a LITTLE JAPANESE GIRL stares at her from behind the curtain!
Althea gasps! She falls backwards onto the toilet. Her arms flail out, and her flashlight gets knocked to the floor, casting spinning lights around the bathroom.
CUT TO:
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MASTER BEDROOM - SAME TIME
Holly leans back and draws with her finger lazily on the dusty bedspread.
HOLLY
So ... whaddya think?
CASEY
About what?
HOLLY
'Bout Althea.
CASEY
She's nice.
HOLLY
Anything else?
Casey wanders over to the stained glass window.
CASEY
Sure.
HOLLY
Well?
CASEY
She's a real nice girl.
Holly gets up off the bed and walks over next to Casey.
HOLLY
Really? How nice is nice?
CASEY
(clears throat)
Uh ... nice.
He steps away from her advances.
HOLLY
You're not giving me much to go on ... Casey.
CASEY
What's there to tell? She's nice.
Casey holds out his hands as he backs up a step.
CASEY
Whoa, there. I don't know what's going in between your ears, but I really hope it doesn't involve me.
HOLLY
I'm just asking you what you think of Althea. Why? Are you thinking something?
Heavy FOOTSTEPS trudge up the stairs. They echo through the halls.
HOLLY
(continuing; softly)
Althea?
CASEY
That's not Althea.
CUT TO:
EXT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - SAME TIME
Todd peers in the dusty windows, looking for anyone inside. He hears movement nearby.
TODD HENDRICKS
(hissing)
Seth! I told you to around the other way!
Todd heads around the back of the house. He walks toward a large picture window. He searches the walls for any doors or openings.
Reflected in the large window, Gerard Litker, dressed completely in black, walks up behind Todd.
Todd glances in the window and sees the reflection of someone approaching.
TODD HENDRICKS
Very funny, Se-
Gerard's hand swings down and chops Todd in the neck. He collapses against the wall.
Gerard grabs Todd by the ankles and drags him out into the grove behind the house.
CUT TO:
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MAIN FLOOR - BATHROOM - SAME TIME
Althea gasps hoarsely and tries to scream, but can't find the breath to do so.
The LITTLE GIRL stares unblinking at her from behind the shower curtain.
Althea tries to choke up words, but nothing comes out. Her mouth moves silently in terror. She scoots back on the floor next to the toilet.
The LITTLE GIRL holds up her hand. A large SLICE crosses her palm. Blood drips out.
Althea closes her eyes, trying to make everything go away.
CUT TO:
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MASTER BEDROOM - SAME TIME
The HEAVY FOOTSTEPS approach down the hall. Casey grabs a CANDLESTICK and hides behind the door.
CASEY
The CHEST!
Holly looks down at her chest.
HOLLY
My chest?
CASEY
No. The CHEST!
Holly looks down at the large WOODEN CHEST at the foot of the bed. She opens it. Only an old blanket covers the bottom.
HOLLY
What?
CASEY
Get in.
Holly climbs into the chest and closes the lid down. Casey takes his place behind the door. He raises the candlestick.
The doorknob TURNS slowly. The door breathes open a crack. Suddenly it FLIES OPEN!
Seth jumps into the doorway.
SETH OLSEN
Aaaaarrgh!
The door smashes Casey into the wall and bounces back at Seth. The doorknob hits Seth in the crotch. He goes down to his knees. Casey hammers Seth over the back of the head with the candlestick.
Casey rubs his head where it slammed into the wall.
CASEY
Serves you right.
He nudges Seth with his toe. Holly pops out of the chest.
HOLLY
What did you do?
Casey looks at the candlestick, then at Holly. He gestures to the weapon in his hand.
CASEY
What do you think I did?
Holly looks down at Seth's wrist. She sees a woven BRACELET.
HOLLY
I know that bracelet.
Holly pushes at the body on the floor, but she can't roll him over.
HOLLY
Help me.
Casey rolls Seth over.
CASEY
All right, Scooby, you want the honors?
Holly takes hold of the mask and pulls.
CASEY
Now let's see who you really are.
Holly recognizes him.
HOLLY
Seth.
She cradles his head, then turns and glares at Casey.
HOLLY
You killed him!
Holly gets to her feet. Seth's head knocks on the floor.
She shoves Casey back against the door.
HOLLY
You killed him. And if he's dead, I'm going to testify to the cops that you killed him, and that I saw you do it.
Seth rolls a little and moans.
HOLLY
Oh Seth. You're not dead.
SETH OLSEN
Oooooh.
HOLLY
Are you hurt?
SETH OLSEN
My boys.
HOLLY
No, it's me, Holly.
Casey looks down at Seth.
CASEY
He means his balls.
HOLLY
I didn't touch 'em.
CASEY
He got hit with the doorknob when he came in.
HOLLY
If he can't ever have kids because of this ...
(scowls at Casey)
oooh.
Casey shakes his head and walks out of the room.
HOLLY
I'm so sorry that happened to you.
SETH OLSEN
Got anything to drink?
Holly grabs a soda from her bag. Seth takes it gratefully.
SETH OLSEN
Still cold.
He rests the can on his crotch.
CUT TO:
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MAIN FLOOR - BATHROOM - SAME TIME
Althea squeezes her eyes shut and whispers to herself.
ALTHEA
God, please don't let this be happening. Please don't let this be happening. This is not happening. Please.
The little girl pulls aside the curtain. Dark blood stains her pajamas.
LITTLE GIRL
My hand hurts.
Althea opens her eyes. The Little Girl looks at her with pleading eyes.
LITTLE GIRL
Please help me.
CUT TO: