Soul Searcher: Family Secrets - Page Four
Soul Searcher
Family Secrets
page 4
EXT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - NIGHT
Gerard drops Todd's mask down in front of Todd's fallen body. The mask is SPLIT the full length of the face. Gerard puts his knife back into his boot.
He turns his attention back to the house. Long strides carry him quickly towards the Manor.
CUT TO:
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MAIN FLOOR - SAME TIME
Casey shines his flashlight around the entryway.
CASEY
Althea?
His voice echoes. No response. He looks over at his bag still on the floor. He shines his flashlight on his camcorder. He puts the camcorder on his bag.
The front door CREAKS slightly in the cool breeze.
Casey walks out the front door.
CASEY
Althea? You out here?
Behind him, the camcorder light flashes. It's recording.
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - WINDING STAIRCASE - SAME TIME
Althea holds the little girl's hand as she follows her up the dark and winding staircase.
ALTHEA
Where are we going?
LITTLE GIRL
Just shhh. I'll tell you when we get there. We're almost there. Just a little bit further.
The Girl opens a wooden door and leads Althea into THE ATTIC.
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - ATTIC - CONTINUING
Althea's small light only illuminates a small portion of the dusty room.
The Girl tiptoes across the room and pulls up a corner of wallpaper. She removes a box and sets it on the floor. Then she goes to the window and looks out.
Althea opens the box. Inside is an old newspaper. She opens it. A CLIPPING falls out. It reads, "JAPANESE FAMILY FOUND MURDERED IN LOCAL MANSION".
ALTHEA
Murdered?
Althea stiffens. The hair on the back of her neck rises. A harshly cruel voice echoes up the stairs.
RANDALL GRAVES (O.S.)
Where are you, you little slant-eyed rat?
LITTLE GIRL
He's coming.
ALTHEA
Who?
LITTLE GIRL
Mr. Graves.
The Little Girl runs and hides under a sheet in the corner. She KNOCKS OVER a lamp in her rush.
The lamp CRASHES to the floor.
RANDALL GRAVES (O.S.)
You can only hide for so long!
His heavy BOOTSTEPS sound on the winding stairway.
ALTHEA
Oh crap.
The footsteps get louder and louder. They're at the door. The door BURSTS OPEN!
Althea screams!
RANDALL GRAVES (50's), dark-haired and stony faced, brandishes a wicked knife. He stops short when he sees Althea.
RANDALL GRAVES
Who in hell's name are you?
Holly rushes up the stairs and into the attic. She races right by Randall, not even seeing him.
HOLLY
Are you all right? I heard a crash up here.
Althea can't say anything. Her eyes fix on Randall. Holly turns and looks straight where Althea's looking.
HOLLY
What? I don't see anything. Althea? Talk to me.
Seth calls from the stairway.
SETH OLSEN (O.S.)
Holly, is she okay? These stairs are murder on my little buddies.
Randall narrows his eyes at Althea. Then he turns and walks down the stairs.
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - WINDING STAIRCASE - CONTINUING
Randall brushes past Seth, who shivers as if a cold breeze just passed through him.
CUT TO:
EXT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - SAME TIME
Casey walks around the outside of the house. He sees the grove of trees a short distance away.
CASEY
Althea?
Something urges him toward the trees. He walks quickly, then runs, toward the grove.
A LEG sticks out from beneath some shrubbery.
CASEY
ALTHEA!
Casey drops to his knees and clears away the shrubbery. It's Todd. His shirt is cut to shreds. On his back, cut into the skin, is the word, "BUTCHER".
Panicked, Casey looks back toward the house.
At the front of the house, the front door clicks shut. The deadbolt slides into place, locking the door.
CASEY
ALTHEA!!!
Todd twitches a little. He moans. He brings his hand up to his head, and leaves a bloody handprint.
CASEY
Oh my -
TODD HENDRICKS
Oooooohhh.
CASEY
Who did this to you?
Casey pulls Todd to a sitting position. Blood pours down Todd's hands.
CASEY
Can you walk? We've got to get you to the hospital.
Casey pulls Todd up to his feet. He supports him as they stagger toward the front gate.
Casey continually glances toward the house.
CASEY
Althea!
CUT TO:
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - ATTIC - SAME TIME
Holly sits on the floor next to Althea. She tries to calm her shaking friend.
HOLLY
What's the matter?
Behind them, the Little Girl stands up from her hiding place and steps into the moonlight.
LITTLE GIRL
She's the only one who can save me.
HOLLY
C'mon, Althea, what's wrong?
LITTLE GIRL
I told you. Why won't you listen to me?
The Little girl storms over to Holly and bends down right in her face.
LITTLE GIRL
Look at me!
ALTHEA
Shut up.
HOLLY
What?
LITTLE GIRL
She's not listening to me.
HOLLY
Althea ...
ALTHEA
Just leave me alone.
Althea shakes Holly away.
ALTHEA
I don't want to hear anything else.
The Little Girl scowls and walks over to the window. She looks out. She sees Casey helping Todd out the front gate. She dimly hears him yelling.
CASEY (O.S.)
(very muffled)
Althea.
HOLLY
Althea, what is going on?
Seth calls up from the stairs.
SETH OLSEN (O.S.)
Hey, Holly. I've had it tonight. I'm going home.
HOLLY
No, wait.
Holly rushes to the stairs, but he's already gone.
HOLLY
Darn it.
Althea turns around to look at the Little Girl.
ALTHEA
I just can't handle any more tonight.
HOLLY
Althea ... I'll be right back.
She hurries down the stairs.
CUT TO:
EXT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - SAME TIME
Casey helps Todd into his beat up pickup truck. He pats himself, searching.
CASEY
Crap. I left my cell phone in my bag.
(to Todd)
You wouldn't happen to have a phone, would you?
Todd lifts his eyes in the direction of his truck.
TODD HENDRICKS
In there.
Casey looks at all the blood, and grabs a rag from behind the seat. He hands it to Todd.
CASEY
Hold on to this.
Todd holds the rag limply in his numb hands.
Casey runs and opens Seth's truck. He searches for the cell phone. Finds it and dials.
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MAIN FLOOR - CONTINUING
Seth rounds the corner and he's GRABBED! Pulled into the darkness by GLOVED HANDS.
HOLLY (O.S.)
Seth?
Holly steps lightly down the stairs. She stops just outside the entryway and listens. Nothing.
HOLLY
Seth? Ohh. Darn it all.
A cell phone RINGS. It keeps ringing. Holly follows the sound to Casey's bag.
She sees the blinking camcorder. She picks it up and looks into it.
HOLLY
Oh, hi.
She puts the camcorder down. It records her digging in Casey's bag and finding the cell phone.
HOLLY
Where are you? Oh, there you are. Um, hello?
CASEY
(on phone)
Althea?
HOLLY
No. Who's this?
CASEY
(on phone)
This is Casey.
HOLLY
Where are you?
Holly walks over to the window.
CASEY
(on phone)
I'm outside. You need to get out.
HOLLY
Yeah, you're telling me.
CASEY
(on phone)
I'm serious. Something's going on, and you need to grab Althea and get out.
HOLLY
What about my grade?
CASEY
(on phone)
Who cares about your grade?
HOLLY
Well, obviously you don't.
Holly hears footsteps on the stairs.
HOLLY
Hey, Althea! Casey says it's time to go!
(to Casey)
She'll be out in a minute. Is there anything else?
CASEY
(on phone)
Get out now! Please!
Holly hears a MOAN from down the hall.
HOLLY
Seth? SETH?
She drops the phone on the bag. She walks down toward the hall. The camcorder records everything.
CASEY
(on phone)
Holly? HOLLY!?
CUT TO:
EXT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - CONTINUING
Casey runs a few steps toward the Manor.
TODD HENDRICKS (O.S.)
Hey.
Casey stops.
TODD HENDRICKS
I'm cold.
CASEY
Aw crap. Aw crap. What do I do?
He takes a step toward the house, then a step back toward the truck. He agonizes between saving Todd and saving Althea.
CASEY
(continuing; screaming)
ALTHEA!!!
Behind him, in the truck, Todd pulls the rag away from his fingers. The rag sticks to his fingers, and he gasps in pain. He holds up his hands, blood pouring down.
TODD HENDRICKS
My fingers!
He flails about, his arms banging against the windshield. Casey tries to restrain him. Todd lashes out, knocking the cell phone out of Casey's hand.
The cell phone hits the ground, and goes dark.
TODD HENDRICKS
My fingers! My fingers!
All Casey can see is blood pouring down Todd's hands. With all of Todd's flailing, Casey's got a lot of blood on him, too.
CASEY
It's okay. It's okay. We're gonna call 911, okay? You're gonna be just fine.
Casey picks up the dropped cell phone. It's broken. Nothing.
CASEY
Crap! This cannot be happening to me!
Todd lurches out of the truck and falls on the ground. He rolls to his back, pale as death.
CASEY
(continuing; at Todd)
Aaaagh! What the hell am I supposed to do now?
A SCREAM from inside the Manor.
CUT TO:
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - STUDY - CONTINUING
Holly screams as she drops to her knees next to Seth. He moans. His shirt is cut in two down the back. Deep cuts on his back start to spell out Butcher - "BUTCH".
HOLLY
Oh no. Oh, Seth. What happened?
Holly touches his back. Her fingers come away wet with his blood.
HOLLY
No. Please. No.
Seth's eyes roll around in his head. They come to a stop on the door.
Holly turns around just in time to see Gerard slip out of the room.
CUT TO:
EXT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - CONTINUING
Casey pounds on the front door.
CASEY
Althea! Open up the door! Holly! Anybody!
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - ATTIC - CONTINUING
Althea takes the box under her arm and heads down the stairs. The Little Girl watches her go.
LITTLE GIRL
No, please. Don't leave.
But Althea can't hear her, she's already gone.
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MASTER BEDROOM - CONTINUING
Althea walks by the door to the Master Bedroom. She peeks in. Holly's bag still lies on the floor. But her clothing is scattered all over the room. Althea smiles to herself.
ALTHEA
Big night, huh, Holly?
She continues down the hallway. She stops just before she rounds the corner by the stairs.
HEAVY BREATHING awaits her.
She peeks around the corner to see Randall Graves looking directly at her.
RANDALL GRAVES
Just where do you think you're going?
ALTHEA
I'm leaving.
RANDALL GRAVES
Not with that, you're not.
POUNDING on the front door downstairs.
CASEY (O.S.)
Althea! Open the door!
RANDALL GRAVES
Oh no, you're not going anywhere. That's mine.
Althea looks down at the box under her arm.
ALTHEA
You killed her?
RANDALL GRAVES
(smiles)
You have no idea.
The Master Bedroom door OPENS behind Althea. Gerard steps out. He looks at Althea, and his eyes narrow menacingly.
ALTHEA
Oh CRAP!
Althea breaks for the stairs. She rushes past Randall and slides/slips down the stairs. The box falls out of her hands. Gerard sees it. Althea picks it up and continues down.
Gerard follows after her. As he passes by Randall, he stops and looks back, feeling something.
RANDALL GRAVES
That's right, boy. Run.
Then Gerard starts down the stairs.
INT SCOTTSDALE MANOR - MAIN FLOOR - CONTINUING
Holly helps Seth out into the entry area. Althea slips down the last few stairs.
HOLLY
Althea!
ALTHEA
We gotta get out of here!
Althea looks back. Gerard rounds the corner. She throws her flashlight at him. It hits him in the face, stunning him.
Althea fumbles with the deadbolts on the door. Casey's insistent pounding continues.
HOLLY
Hurry!
Seth stumbles.
SETH OLSEN
Oooooowwww.
Althea pulls the door open. They hurry out. Casey pulls the door shut just before Gerard gets there.
He holds onto the handle. The doors shudder as Gerard tries to pull them open.
CASEY
Run!
They run toward the truck.
CASEY
Althea!
She stops. Runs back.
ALTHEA
C'mon!
CASEY
Your belt.
ALTHEA
Yeah?
CASEY
I need it.
ALTHEA
Why? What're you gonna do?
Casey strains to keep the doors closed.
CASEY
Tie the handles together with it.
Althea pulls off her belt and slips it around the door handles. She cinches it tightly.
They run toward the truck.
CASEY
I hope that's real leather.
ALTHEA
Vinyl. Clearance.
CASEY
Crap.
The door pulls against the belt. It strains and stretches.
A window SHATTERS!
ALTHEA
Oh no.
They run through the gate. Althea stops.
ALTHEA
Help me close it.
Casey looks over to his truck. Todd still lies on the ground.
CASEY
We've got to get him in.
Althea tugs and pulls. The gate CREAKS as it slides a few inches.
Up at the Manor, Gerard climbs out the window!
Casey struggles to pull Todd into the truck. Holly helps him. They pull him into the back of the truck. Seth crouches back there already.
ALTHEA
Help me!
Casey helps her tug the gate closed. Then he jumps in the truck and guns the engine.
CASEY
Come on!
Althea wraps a chain around the two halves of the gate.
Gerard gets closer and closer. He lunges out toward Althea!
She falls backwards and scoots toward the truck.
Gerard pulls on the gate, but the chain keeps it closed.
ALTHEA
Go! GO!
She jumps into the back of the truck as it races down the road.
CUT TO:
INT HOSPITAL - NIGHT
Casey paces the floor. Althea and Holly sit nearby.
A NURSE asks them questions.
CASEY
No. He was like that when I found him.
HOLLY
Seth, too.
ALTHEA
I just want to go home.
NURSE
I think I'm going to have to call the police.
CASEY
No! I mean ... I need to make a phone call before you do that. Okay?
NURSE
The phone's over there.
Casey picks up the phone and dials. A sleepy voice, belonging to DR. THEODORE SIMONSON, answers.
DR. THEODORE SIMONSON
Hello?
CASEY
Hi, Doc?
DR. THEODORE SIMONSON
Casey?
CASEY
Yeah. I'm in a little bit of trouble.
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