Terrence George Young Possession Logline: Waking to a world standing still, one is left to cope with the reality thrown upon him. The show begins with Shay having a nightmare. A black spire towers over Seattle, shrouded in shadow. Shay is floating high over Seattle, like he would usually dream. But it doesn’t feel right. He feels a presence like a cold finger stabbing his soul. He turns to see a ghostly figure. It looks like an angel, but it flickers now and then, looking like Death. It turns to him, and Shay can see it mouthing something. O ye men who have forsaken me, I will strike thee down to dust I brought you from echoes the specter. He awakes from the dream in a cold sweat. He sees that world has stopped-‐no cars roar, no birds sing.They are there, but petrified, stony and cold. He has all the time in the world-‐and no one to share it with. He’s in what the U.N. calls the Zone, an expanding temporal phenomenon which causes the affected are appear to age rapidly; buildings deteriorate, plants wither, and living beings turn to stone by merely touching it. The event horizon is expanding at a steady rate, and the world community is preparing to build ships to evacuate the planet as it becomes steadily corrupted. The event happened when This drama is about one’s struggle to stay sane as his world crumbles to dust.
Similarities: It has similarities to Lost in that the character is in a new landscape, isolated. The difference is, it is his world-‐ just warped. It also is similar to the video game Shin Megami Tensei, where the protagonist’s world is flipped on its head. The differences are there are none to befriend, and the world is not changing, but dying. It is also similar to The Walking Dead, in which a previous concept used without the input of everyday behavior The trope here is but a combination of two tropes: “No! My beloved peasant village!” and “Doomed Hometown”. In essence, your home is gone, and your world is doomed. Target Audience: The Science Fiction Community; It will appeal to those who found appeal in Lost, Dr.Who, etc.; it will appeal to the sector of society that just loves a good sci-‐fi flick-‐but this one doesn’t end, a speculative horror that keeps the viewer on their toes. It’s supposed to be scary, and like real life. The Science fiction community and any who like a new age scare. Advertising: Using Holograms of the demons in the TV series to spook people in a mall. Having certain buildings made to look as if covered in the same darkness as Seattle slow is enveloped with. Parasite Show: IN the Zone Podcasts: Observations The Observations of the body Horologium 8 Having the first episodes like televised news, having this on video, and played on television and radio, so as to be made to seem as if it were truly happening, similar to the reading of War of the Worlds on radio caused a scare. This would take money, but if all the world governments got in on this, it would truly get some press. The best way to instill terror is to give the illusion that the illusion is truth. Having a sketched guide to the things in the story, with explanations by the character himself, and writings in a journal. Exclusive podcasts that tell the story before the story; in essence, the prelude to Possession to tell the story of his life before it ended.
Recording style would be like that of a frantic individual. One camera, one cameraman-‐Shay’s actor. At some points the camera might be a head cam, or a hand camera, or even placing it down to record. In one case, him throwing a stone at an enveloped building to show its anomalous properties. Paying actors from the supposed area to tell about the horror in everyday life, as if they were part of it. After they figure out the hoax, having a contest to create new demons or possible episodes based on submissions.
Leading Characters: Shay: Josh Hutcherson
Shay is a young college student in Seattle with his friends in Seattle. They are deciding where to go. It’s the eve of Summer Break when the Horologium Asteroid explodes over Seattle, turning his life on its head. As time goes on, he begins to attempt to rationalize what happened, sometimes resulting in violent episodes. Appearance: Athletic, usually wearing such products as sold by Nike. He is generally shaven, not to good, but never too bad. He’s about 5 feet. Chemistry: He still misses his friends and has trouble coping with the fact that his world is dying. As to the Penitent, he feels some hatred for being controlled by him, and feels that he may be the reason this is happening. Rationale: He has played a multitude of roles, including Peeta Mellark in the Hunger Games (2012), in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), and The Kids Are All Right (2010). Antagonist: The Penitent: Actor: Hugh Laurie
The Penitent is a being from another plane of existence that is causing the Earth to rot and die. In actuality his efforts are to punish mankind for committing the crime he did, to punish those who were not punished like he. Appearance: A pale, yet weathered man. His black cloak ragged to the point that the edges are uniformly torn. He has various symbols inscribed upon his form, except his hands. These were binding symbols that once held him chained to the rock, a dark, obsidian like crystal on which he was bound. This rock would become over the years the Horologium 2013 XN Asteroid, with him at its center, and become the Spire from which he watches the world burn. Chemistry: He does not care who Shay is. He thinks of him as a man looks upon a puppet. He never says this directly but it is seen through his refusal to help or aid him in any way. He purposely steers Shay to do his bidding, with little concern for his emotions. Men are but insects to be exterminated. Rationale: Not only does he have a massive following from fans of House, but he also has made records and also appeared on Fry and Laurie. Dr.Egeus: Morgan Freeman
Shay’s wise old English teacher at (INSERT NAME HERE) College. Even when he’s out of school they would still talk. He dies immediately after the asteroid explodes. Appearance: A rather plain teacher wearing thin wired glasses. Chemistry: Acts like a mentor to Shay even though he is gone through flashbacks. Warren Wilkes: Drake Bell
One of Shay’s friends to ‘die’ from the Asteroid’s explosion. Appearance: Chemistry: Shay and Warren have a strange relationship. More of like an obligatory friendship. Rationale: Also has a massive fan base, and fits the part snugly. God of the End:
A strange being who Shay meets in Episode 9. Appearance: Middle aged businessman, in a black tuxedo, the tie to the side, loosened a bit. He always seems to have on hand a suitcase. Rationale: He is great for the role. He fits directly into the character’s appearance and is a competent actor.
Episode Descriptions:
Episode 1: Starfall It’s the first day of Summer Break. Or, rather, it was. Shay wakes on the pavement. He is surrounded by cobalt-‐blue statues, which he rationalizes as one of Warren’s pranks. He inspects the ghoulish figure even more, and is astounded how silent it is. He goes toward the parking lot to get his car and leave. Most of the student cars are gone, but the recognizable older models-‐the cars of most of the instructors-‐are still there. A storm brews. Distraught in the rain, he hurries over to the nearby Liberal Arts building to bunker down for the worst. Seeing no doors are open, he jumps through a broken window into Dr.Egeus’s classroom. Strangely, another statue sits there, looking exactly like Egeus. Just then he hears the warped moaning of the statues as they come to life. He hurriedly rushes up the stairs and locks the staircase door. Episode 2: It’s horrible. All his friends have turned into monsters and are trying to kill him, and he’s locked in the registration office with only a mop. This wasn’t how he planned to spend Day 2 of Summer, or end it. He can hear their warped moans coming closer, almost feel their cold hands tearing him apart. He can’t help but cry. His life is ending. Not over-‐but soon. The barricade he raised is razed by petrified hands and penetrated by woeful moaning. He sees a knife. Looking at it, he thinks of a better way to go than what is trying to greet him outside. Just as he brings it to his neck, a shadowy figure appears in front of him. Shay jumps back. He brandishes the knife ineffectively, his aim and focus stunted by fear. The figure simply waves his hand, and he can feel his energy wane as it leans forward. He blacks out. Episode 3: He awakes in a dilapidated Downtown Seattle. Seattle looks like an ancient ruin, dusty. Wrack and ruin, in a few words. Shay looks around. The silence is chilling. It’s here that he can see the car. His car, sitting there, dusty, broken, and battered. And several statues inside the car, in a screaming pose. Warren and Co. He pulls them out of the car with some effort, and removes some debris from the car. Even though it’s battered, it still looks reasonably drivable. He tries to turn it on, but it would appear that it’s out of gas and the wheels are flat. Something happened here. After exploring to some extent the area, he finds a gas tank and a tool box. Using these he fixes the car and begins to leave when he has a flashback of the day before, and Egeus’s advice. Shay, with a little hope, drives off with the car down the road. Episode 4: He comes to a gas station in the outskirts of Seattle, a shop called Al’s Gas. The place looks empty. The silence still rings as Shay walks into the building. But he’s not alone. A shadowy presence awaits him inside the lone gas station. Shay walks into the front, and goes behind the register, activating Pump 9 with 100 dollars’ worth of gas. That done, he walks through the isles, picks up a bag of peanuts, looks them over, and begins to eat them. It is then the shade lunges to attack. It screeches and warbles, and
cuts him multiple times. It begins to drag him outside, as if to throw him out. After fighting with the evil essence, in bout of luck he lays on the side with the car keys, turning on the car lights. The evil essence quails from the light screeching, burning, and retreats into the Gas Station, its red eyes, though now fearful, bluffing the look of intense hatred. Shay, keeping the car’s lights on, fuels it ups cautiously, he and the demon engaged in a staring game. What he can’t put in the car he puts into a gas canister. Getting into the car, he drives off into the distance. Episode 5: Things take a turn for the worse when he encounters a mob of ghouls on the open road to Northgate. Though they don’t wreck his car, they do cause him to drive into a nearby forest, and break the Jeep. The trees that fall on him knock him out, and the camera zooms out into a flashback. The day he graduated from High School. It all goes as he remembers it until the same dark specter appears him and Shay is forced to fight. After a long fight the Penitent disappears with only a few words. He comes back to his dream world, only to be in a realm similar to heaven. His parents are waiting. As they wave goodbye he is pulled back to the world, and the screen fades to white. Episode 6: Goodtown, Washington The car is crushed under pounds of evergreen, its face immolated. He’s back to square one, but at least he’s alive. He can see a small town in the distance. It looks to be a few miles away from him. As he comes closer-‐people! Someone actually survived whatever happened. As he comes closer to the wood shrouded town, a farmer greets him graciously with unnatural kindness. The townspeople ask him to stay in their house while he’s there, with the same queer nature. During the day, he notices strange things. They smell like hay and smoke; Mr. Avery simply says it’s because of the potluck they had last night. They offer him a feast, but he’s never seen them eat before. And finally, whenever they appear sick, they go to Priest Hailston, and come out looking fine. After asking about anything abnormal, they give a random reason. When he goes to sleep, he can almost feel them watching him. When he wakes up he’s facing the ground, and there’s a roar like a zoo. He looks up. His feet and arms are bound, and all the townspeople seem to be cheering-‐but they sound like demons. They aren’t people. They’re monsters. Episode 7: Goodtown, Washington (Part 2) They gaze hungrily at him as the infernal procession proceeds. He struggles, but to no good. Compared to what he’s seen, they put the Children of the Corn to shame. They stop suddenly, and he can see Hailston standing over him, like a wolf. Before they begin, with relish Hailston explains that they are demons, and that he’s not in Goodtown, but in hell, and how for centuries they played the ruse to trap those foolish to travel lone. They begin to chant in tongues over him and sacrifice one of their own-‐ a little girl. Hailston spreads the blood, painting a pentagram of blood. He adds what Shay would assume to be Latin to the pentagram, and the chanting becomes screaming as a large smoky mass begins to emerge from it. Like a dark mass. After finishing the sign, the demonic priest lifts up the ceremonial dagger with glee and prepares to stab Shay, but before it reaches him Shay bites down hard on
Hailston’s hand, causing him to bleed heavily as he recoils and holds his hand with disgust. Shay falls on the pentagram, breaking its magic, and free from the wood he was tied to-‐which turns out to be a series of leg bones lashed together. The Priest points to Shay, and commands his followers to kill him. Shay runs to the edge of the town. Some force is blocking his exit. Looking back to see the demons coming closer, he pounds hysterically on the barrier, only to be cast aside by a wall of stony ghouls. In disbelief he watches as the ghouls’ assault the demonic mob. At the head he can see a familiar face.Warren.Warren’s stony face turns back to him, with a look of sorrow. The battle is going in the demons’ favor; they cut through the ghouls with their fingernails like they were butter. Taking his newly given chance, he flees. From the other side he sees Warren decapitated by Hailston, who looks to Shay with anger. Maybe there’s still hope. Episode 8: Back to Basics. Shay is now back in Seattle. Goodtown blocks the way to Shoorwood, and, guessing to everything that’s happened, it wouldn’t be wise to try to cross a river. If he could make contact with anyone, he might be able to escape. He walks back into Seattle, and among the debris he finds a cell phone. It has a fairly decent charge. A radio, wheezing and rasping, plays nothing but noise in the background. Warily he enters a nearby pet shop, and begins to dial 911 when he realizes that they might be dead. He looks around for a phonebook, pushing aside piled up notes and paperwork. Grasping a large object, his hand returns with a dusty, but readable phonebook. “If you can hear us, please come to Providence Hospital Center. We have food, water, and electricity. This is the Washington State Governe-‐“spat out the radio in a loop, occasionally coughing. Shay read through the phonebook and found the number for the hospital. He hurriedly dialed the number to call. The phone attempts to connect, then gives off static and displays “No Signal”. He moves outside, and tries again. It doesn’t work. After some thought he remembers the radio station on campus; even during blizzards it reached the masses. The problem is that it’s across town. With the rain pouring down and the threat of more ghouls ever present, Shay bunkers down in an abandoned storm shelter for a long night. Episode 9: Life-‐a stage. Shay emerges from the storm shelter. Instead of the perpetual gloom he’d come accustomed to, Seattle looks pristine. Cars throng along the roads. Men and women going about daily life; typing up reports, eating a sandwich. However, when Shay attempts to interact with them, they don’t respond. It’s almost as if he’s a ghost. This unnerves him even more as he moves through Seattle. After entering a company building, he attempts to rouse an unmoving receptionist. She turns into stone before his eyes and crumbles, for a brief second it was almost as if the world forgot its own existence. Then she came back together, and happily greeted an incoming businessman, who seems to notice Shay, but does nothing. Confused and disconsolate he lunges at the man violently, but his hands pass harmlessly through the man. After a while of this he sinks to his feet, and cries hysterically. Forlorn, he leaves them to their business and goes outside. There’s a different sky awaiting him. It was like the sun was dying, surrounded by a purple haze in a fuchsia sky, and filled with stars. Seattle was gone, save one bench,
and one man. He had his back turned, but it was almost as if he was waiting for Shay. Shay cautiously approaches, his feet crunching broken glass. The man turns suddenly to Shay, and welcomes him to sit. After a strange conversation, the man reveals himself to be the God of the End, the Trumpeter, Death himself. In the distance, there’s a black mushroom cloud. He says that it isn’t Shay’s time, as the shockwave roars to them. As the wave approaches, he touches his finger to Shay’s forehead, and the screen fades to white. Shay comes to in a graveyard, in the arms of a marble statue, as the God of the End’s laughter rings out. He can see the campus. Episode 10: All the King’s Soldiers Outside of the Zone, an emergency meeting of government officials. The Zone is expanding at an ever increasing rate. Within a year it will cover half of North America, and near Russia. The so called “Kings” convene in the International Capitol. They discuss the nature of the phenomenon and the results; roaming mobs of monsters and blackouts, with evident fear. Rushing in, the French Representative rushes in with news. Someone’s still alive in Sector Beta. Episode 11: Touchdown Shay has been in the radio tower, fighting off ghouls using makeshift Molotovs. He’s in a dire strait, as even though DJ Brent was an alcoholic, it’s unlikely he has 100+ bottles of alcohol just lying about. So far he’s kept them from breaking down the door. Shay dials the number to the State Government, but it’s no good. Looking up at the tower, Shay realizes what needs to be done. A crack rings threateningly as the ghouls make progress on their mission to tear Shay asunder. He begins to ascend the tower when the sky over head gives way to an Osprey. Inside are several men who are wearing masks and pins, all of which display a number. They also have the same tattoo across their forehead. After introducing themselves as the Kings and why they came to his aid, a dark creature emerges from a massive void near the center of the city. They beseech him to help them defeat the Penitent.
Episode 12: The beast is emerging from the void. Torn between a promise of death and an oath of salvation. With no other option, he chooses to side with the Kings, earning the Penitent’s wrath. Using airstrikes from 200+ miles in space, the Kings’ Followers manage to subdue the Beast long enough for Shay to escape the radius of the Zone. Seeing the Osprey carrying their quarry, a few of the daemons attempt to subdue him and drag him to the Pit, but missiles pierce the sky and strike them down, and Shay continues on. Just as they near escape, his victory run comes to a halt. He hears the same screaming and roar that he dreaded to hear. They’re nearing the Pit’s event horizon. The Osprey cannot get enough lift. Looking up, Shay sees the Penitent looking down at him with a satisfied grin. He comes to the edge of the Pit, and Shay falls out of the universe.