PAPER DOLLS (Excerpt) an original screenplay by Kera Hildebrandt
Kera Hildebrandt kerahildebrandt@yahoo.com
FADE IN: Two quotes appear on a black screen. "The fallen angel becomes the malignant devil. Yet even the enemy of God and man had friends and associates in his desolation; I am alone." -Victor Frankenstein "I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me....This being you must create." -The Monster Both from Mary Shelley Wollencraft's Frankenstein. EXT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT A warehouse, old and seemingly abandoned sitting in some some woods. It's quiet, save for the sounds of the woods in the night. Crickets chirping, wind rustling through the trees.... Suddenly, the roar of a car makes itself known, starting quiet and becoming louder. After a bit, a car pulls up to the warehouse. It's an older model and most likely used; the sort of car that doesn't draw attention to itself. The car parks itself in front of the building and is shut off. Out of the car comes MENSON (52, a man aged by the years and even more so trials and tribulations), dressed in an old trench coat. (Some blood stains are on it, but this is downplayed here.) Menson goes over to the passenger seat, opens it, and takes out a box from a bakery. He starts walking towards the trunk when he stops at the back seat and puts the box on the hood of the car. Menson opens the back seat door. INT. CAR - NIGHT In the back seat is EVA (19, a girl charming enough to break your heart), who is dressed in night clothes; buckled up, and sleeping peacefully against the opposite door. A blanket that is covering her is falling off her, so Menson reaches over and lovingly adjusts it. Eva stirs a bit in her sleep, but doesn't wake. Menson smiles warmly at this sight. This whole scene is reminiscent of a parent tending to a child who fell asleep on the drive home. EXT. CAR - NIGHT Menson starts going for the trunk, looking for a specific key on his key ring.
2. He begins humming to himself, careful not to wake Eva up. He's at the trunk, still looking for the right key. He holds it up towards the moonlight to see if it's the right key. It's not. He goes to another key and holds it up. It's the right one. He goes to the trunks lock and starts unlocking the trunk. Menson unlocks the car's truck. Inside is the bloodied and brutally murdered bodies of EVA'S PARENTS- TIM and JAN (40's, terror still on their faces). INT. EVA'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT A nice, cozy living room. The kind you could find in a nice little home in some nice little neighborhood. This is the home of two parents and their college-bound daughter. Eva's parents are on the couch in front of the TV, barely watching TV as they discuss something and look at pamphlets of restaurants, shops, a large mall, and a bus tour. Their voices are quiet; they do not want to wake someone in the other room. TIM So are we going to the chinese place? JAN I dunno, do you think she'd want chinese two years in a row? TIM I'm pretty sure she could eat it everyday. JAN Yeah, no kidding. TIM Are we gonna have the waiters come out singing? JAN You know she hates that. Tim smiles mischievously. TIM It's our job to embarrass her! JAN I just remember here hiding under the table that one time.
3. TIM (To self) Didn't think she would do that. Tim looks at his wife and notices her slightly-troubled look. TIM (CONT'D) What's wrong? Jan looks up, banishing her troubled expression. shakes her head.
She slowly
JAN Nothing...I feel like we should be getting her something else too. Tim smiles wryly. TIM We're taking her to the biggest mall in the state and giving her a grand to spend however she wishes. That's plenty. Jan smiles and speaks in a friendly, "I know" manner. JAN I know, I know. But I just feel like I should at least give her something small. A creak from someone stepping on a wooden floor is heard from the hallway, immediately getting Jan and Tim's attention. They turn to see Eva sneaking by them. JAN (CONT'D) Eva! Eva stops. Jan quickly covers up the pamphlets. EVA Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Jan is trying to seem like she's not trying to hide a secret, but is barely succeeding. JAN What are you doing up? EVA I was gonna get something to drink. TIM We just want to be sure you get enough rest for tomorrow.
4. Ah, right.
EVA My birthday.
Eva playfully peers over the side of the couch. EVA (CONT'D) Which begs the question- what do you have planned for your grown daughter? Better not be pony rides or something likeJan covers up the pamphlets and gives Eva an assertive look besides her firm smile. JAN Just one last surprise before you head off to State's hallowed halls. Weren't you going to get something to drink? Eva begins going for the kitchen. EVA Fine, fine. JAN And you should be careful sneaking out here when we're alone. We could've been making out for all you knew! Tim shoots Jan a look, not believing what she just said. Jan sees this and playfully nudges her husband on her shoulder. JAN (CONT'D) What? She said it herself. She's a big girl! She knows about that stuff! Eva, at the door, glances at her mother. EVA Doesn't mean I wanna picture it. JAN Nothing with caffeine! be asleep right now!
You should
Eva goes through the door. Just water.
EVA Don't mind me.
Eva shuts the door behind her. Jan turns to her husband, who is still giving her the surprised look. Jan scoffs playfully at this.
5. What?
JAN I give you ideas?
Tim smiles. TIM Maybe. Tim growls playfully and embraces his wife, making her laugh in surprise. There's a knock on the door, instantly killing the moment. TIM (CONT'D) Oh, I'll get it. Tim gets up and starts heading for the door. the clock. JAN It's awfully late.
Jan glances at
Who could it be?
Tim glances through the door's window. TIM Uh, can I help you? Menson is heard on the other side. MENSON (O.S.) I'm sorry to bother you, but my car stalled down the road. My phone's dead and you're the first house I saw with its lights on. INT. EVA'S KITCHEN - NIGHT A nice little kitchen for a nice little family.
Pretty clean.
Eva is getting a glass out of the cupboard when her mother comes in and grabs a cordless phone that's nearby. EVA What's up? JAN Some guy's car stalled down the road. He's asking for the phone. Jan leaves the kitchen. As the conversation continues, Eva pours water in her glass from the kitchen faucet and listens to the conversation as she drinks the water.
6. JAN (O.S.) (CONT'D) I'm sorry about that. The phone in here broke last week. MENSON (O.S.) It's okay. Life is best enjoyed in slow paces. TIM (O.S.) Right. MENSON (O.S.) Uh, so, you folks have someone else living here? I thought I heard someone. TIM (O.S.) That's just our daughter. Menson falls silent.
Nothing is said for a few moments.
TIM (O.S.) (CONT'D) Uh...hey...you alright? A crash is heard in the other room as Tim cries out. startled.
Eva is
JAN (O.S.) Tim! A struggle is heard; crashing of furniture, Tim grunting as he tries to fight Menson, cries of pain from Eva's parents. Eva gets a butcher's knife from the knife rack. Eva!
Run!
JAN (O.S.) (CONT'D) Get out of the house!
Eva reaches for the kitchen phone, but discovers/remembers that her mother took it. By now, the struggling in the other room has stopped. Eva turns around, only to see Menson, trench coat and hat obscuring his identity and blood on his clothes. She stabs Menson in the right arm, causing him to recoil and cry out in pain. Eva runs to the kitchen door and steps out of it, stepping in a pool of blood. The sight of her parents lying dead within the crime scene that was once her living room makes her freeze in her tracks in horror. Menson catches her from behind and puts a chloroform cloth to her mouth. As she passes out, Eva is still trying to put up a fight. She struggles and cries out as best she can; but the struggling becomes more sluggish and her muffled words grow quiet until they stop entirely.
7. In the end, she drops the knife as she goes limp. INT. GIRL'S ROOM - NIGHT A room dressed up like a young woman's bedroom. Everything in here is a older; owned by a college girl who lived around two decades ago. The room is neat, no one being allowed to use it. All is obscured by darkness right now. Eva's eyes snap open. She looks around her room, still coming down from her fear high. It's dark, so she can't tell that she's not in her room. The reality of her lying safely in a bed slowly sinks in and she gradually calms down, thinking everything to be a nightmare. EVA (Quietly) Jesus... Eva reaches over to her nightstand, intent on turning on her lamp. EVA (CONT'D) (Quietly) One helluvaShe's reaching for a pull cord on the lamp, but to her surprise finds none. EVA (CONT'D) Huh? She continues to feel around the lamp, finding a twist switch instead of a cord (also to her surprise). She turns the light on. She looks at the lamp in confusion for a few moments. This isn't her lamp... The big surprise comes when she turns to the bedroom and finds that it's not hers. She looks at the room and soaks in the situation a bit before saying anything, and even then she's too shocked to say much. EVA (CONT'D) This isn't my.... She gets out of bed and starts frantically looking around. She's a terrible mix of confused and scared as she tries to figure out what's happening. Then a terrible thought hits her and she stops moving entirely. The quiet, echoing sounds of the struggle she heard from her kitchen are heard in her mind. Shock and confusion dissolves into horror.
8. Eva looks at her feet, fearful of doing what she's going to do. Slowly, she lifts a foot and looks at the bottom of it, finding some of her parents' dried blood on it. Her eyes go wide. Her legs almost give out, but she catches herself. She staggers to the bed and grabs onto a post like a lifeline. She's not looking at anything with her wide, shocked eyes; nothing aside from space. Slowly, grief sinks in and she begins to quietly cry. After a few moments of crying, the sound of footsteps in the hallway beyond the door are heard; quiet, but slowly getting louder. Reminded of the threat of harm, Eva snaps out of her sorrow and begins to to look for anything in the room she could defend herself with. She catches sight of a heavy statuette on a shelf and grabs it. Eva hides behind the door, listening intently to the footsteps as they grow louder. (She's still sad, but she's still ready to attack whatever comes through the door.) Soon, the footsteps are right outside the door... Then they go past the door, now becoming quieter. When they are almost gone, Eva allows a quiet sigh of relief. Eva looks around the room, thinking about what she could possibly do. She looks around and only finds a vent that's way too small for her. She slowly turns to the door, dread on the brain as that seems to be the only way out. She goes to the door and presses her ear against it, hearing no more footsteps outside. She tightly grasps the statuette and grasps the door knob, though she doesn't twist it at first. She takes a few moments to find courage, then slowly turns the knob (as not to make any noise) and carefully opens the door a little bit (just enough for her to peek through). INT. HALLWAY - DAY A desolate warehouse hallway. Old, metal walls, and only traveled by a few. The metal occasionally groans and the vents sometimes clatter to release air. Eva looks out into the hallway, finding it empty. Eva carefully slips out, being all too careful for anyone out to hurt her, and quietly closes the door behind her. She cautiously walks down the hallway, keeping an eye out for attackers and becoming unnerved by the quiet. Eventually, she happens upon a dead-end hallway with lots of doors. Eva tries to think of where to go next, obviously stressed by her situation.
9. Suddenly, from the hallway behind her, footsteps echo, growing louder by the moment and sending Eva into a panic. For a moment, she looks at the doors, debating on whether or not she should go through one and which she will. She goes for a door, checks it- locked. The footsteps are louder. She goes to another door- locked. The footsteps are louder and Eva is more scared. She goes for a third door- it's unlocked. The person will be around the corner in a few moments. Eva quickly, but carefully, opens the door. INT. CLASSROOM - NIGHT An abandoned/ransacked classroom. It hasn't been used in a while and the furniture is in disrepair, some having collapsed from age. The whole place is dusty; almost stale. This is a classroom for teaching people how to be civilized. There are posters on the walls about things such as recognizing social cues and proper etiquette. Eva slips into the room and carefully shuts the door behind her. After a few seconds of thought, Eva ducks behind the door. She listens to the footsteps as they grow louder, scared and gripping the statuette in a death grip. After a few moments, a door in the hallway opens and closes. The footsteps stop. Eva waits for more footsteps for a few moments, but there is only a quiet. She allows a quiet sigh of relief. Eva turns to the room, a little confused at what she just walked into. She carefully goes through the classroom, slowly getting more and more creeped out than confused at the scenery. An open book on a desk catches her attention. It's a hardcover copy of Great Expectations, albeit it's cover and pages doodled and defaced. Eva looks at the doodles a bit (mostly of disturbing, vague human images). She closes the book and then notices something written on one of the sides of the book in permanent marker- "Menson." EVA (To self) "Menson?" Behind her is the scratch on the chalk board. around and her eyes go wide.
Eva spins
Something has been written on the chalkboard- "I'm telling!" Scared, Eva runs out of the opposite door, dropping the book behind her.
10. INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT Another hallway.
More than one door here.
Eva runs out of one of the doors.
She eyes another door.
INT. GARDEN - NIGHT A make-shift indoor garden. A few rows of potted plants on tables and some paths running to both doors on either side of the room. Sun lamps hang in the air; only a handful working and a few with flickering bulbs that are near the point of burning out. The plants kept here are either withered, knocked over, or growing uncontrollably. All the water pipes here are rusted and some drip water, adding to puddles in the pathways. The whole place just seams moist. Eva peeks into the room and, seeing the coast is clear, slips into the room, carefully closes the door behind her. She leans against the door a bit, coming down from her fear high. Slowly, she becomes more calm. Eva looks up at the room, a little calmed by the sight of the plants. Carefully, she gets up and begins walking through the room, looking at her surroundings while still being on guard. At one point she happens upon a plastic table with smaller, potted sweet pea plants, each with a little sign with a crazed woman's name on it (Duchess, Hollow, Rabbit). Eva allows herself to become distracted by this, as if trying to escape the nightmare for just a little bit. She slows down, eventually to a complete stop. Only a few of the plants are actively cared for. Most are dying or have long since died. Eva notices that Hollow's pot has been smashed, as if by a bully's hand. Eva becomes focused on the plants, or rather the names on them.... Unbeknownst to Eva, RABBIT (a crazed woman here who wears a rabbit mask) peers up from a row next to the one Eva is in, shadows obscuring her appearance. Rabbit darts down the path and towards the door Eva came through. Rabbit goes through a puddle, making Eva jump. Eva turns around, turning to the plants, and ducks down a bit as she's looking for any signs of life. In the process, her arm is cut by a sharp piece of the plastic table that is sticking out. She flinches and clasps her wound, dropping the statue onto the ground and causing it to break. She still focuses her attention to the plants. There are only (running) footsteps going through puddles and towards the other door. Eva looks at the busted statuette on the ground, then around her for anything that could be used as a weapon. She looks over to a nearby table, sees a pair of cutting sheers, and takes them.
11. Rabbit gets to the other door and runs out of it, shutting it behind her. Eva gets a glimpse of the woman as she leaves through the door Eva came in, but doesn't see her face. INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT Another hallway.
More than one door.
Eva runs through the hallway, scared and frantically looking at other doors that she could escape through. She runs to a door and opens it. INT. INFIRMARY - NIGHT A typical, infirmary; the kind you'd find in schools and such. A door on each side of the room. Padded exam table, charts, tables, cabinets, the like. Much more well-kept than the other rooms. The equipment here is dated, at least by ten years. This place actually looks sanitary. Eva runs in and looks around a bit before before seeing a phone on a table. She runs over and picks up the receiver, finding that there isn't even a dial tone. She presses the receiver button- nothing. She's distressed by this. At that moment, Menson comes through the opposite door and is surprised to see Eva. MENSON Oh! Eva freezes, having been caught. She tries to think of what to do- fight or run? Menson, however, is pleasantly surprised. He doesn't really know what to say; he's meeting someone he's been looking for. MENSON (CONT'D) Uh...hello there. Eva grips the sheers, unsure if Menson is a threat. looks at the wound on Eva's arm.
Menson
MENSON (CONT'D) You're hurt... Eva doesn't take her eyes off Menson. Menson notices Eva's tenseness and tries to seem more friendly and assuring. MENSON (CONT'D) I have medical training. I can fix you up. Eva lets down her guard a bit.
12. EVA I...I'm... MENSON It's okay. Take it easy. You look like you've been through a lot. The words mull over in Eva's mind a bit, becoming sour and hurting her more an more. Eva becomes a little more frantic as the confusion festers. EVA I don't...! Where....?! Menson begins carefully approaching her, everything about him assuring. Calm down.
MENSON You're safe.
EVA What's going on?! here?!
How did I end up
Menson is at her side. He looks her in the eye, making it clear that he only wants her to calm down. MENSON You're safe. There's not reason to panic. Eva is still panicked, but Menson's concerned gaze is drawing her attention through her fearful haze. Slowly, Eva calms down, but is still confused as ever. Menson begins cautiously guiding her to the table. MENSON (CONT'D) It'll be okay....Just have a seat. Eva sits, cautiously watching Menson as he goes to a cabinet. She's still panicked, but she's trying to calm herself down (though no matter what, she's still on edge). Menson opens the cabinet and begins looking at its contents, searching for disinfectant and bandages. His back is to Eva. Eva looks at Menson as he works. Her fear slowly fades and she tries to seem friendly, despite still being scared. EVA My name's Eva. Menson is displeased with this and stops working. Still embittered, he goes back to getting the items after a moment.
13. MENSON Eva... Bandages, cotton, and disinfectant in hand, he smiles as he turns to her. MENSON (CONT'D) Lovely name. He brings the medical stuff by Eva and begins working on dressing the wound. He's to the side of her as he does this. It's clear Eva's mind is still buzzing like a hornet's nest. She's desperately trying to grasp onto a calm. Trying to do anything to distract her from her panic. EVA What's your name? Menson looks at her, some disappointment in his expression despite him trying to seem happy. Eva doesn't notice this. He doesn't say anything at first; the charade is hard to keep up. But he does so anyway. MENSON My name's Victor...Victor Menson. The name only goes through Eva's mind for a moment before she recognizes it. Menson?
EVA You're Menson?
Menson looks at her, a little hope in his eyes. MENSON You've heard of me? EVA Well, I saw a book with your name on it in the class... Eva's voice trails off. The strangeness of the situation returns to her mind and throws off what little calm she has. Menson takes note of this and becomes a little concerned. MENSON What's wrong? Eva's trying to use what she's seen to figure out what's going on. No luck, as she's still confused. She looks at Menson, desperate for answers.
14. EVA What's going on? One minute, I was at my house, and...! The death of Tim and Jan Glass soaks back into Eva's mind and sadness gradually takes hold, shaking Eva to her core. Eva's eyes begin to tear and sniffs. Menson immediately goes and kneels in front of her. He's genuinely concerned. MENSON Tell me what's wrong. It takes a moment for Eva to muster the ability to speak, as grief has her voice in a choke hold. EVA My mom and dad are dead. Eva begins crying, taking her eyes off Menson. Eva's too busy crying to notice that Menson is agitated by that last line. He still tries his hardest to seem concerned/shocked. Dead?
MENSON Was there an accident or...?
Eva shakes her head. EVA N-No...They were... After a little crying, horror slowly makes it way into Eva's expression. In her sadness, realizations aren't coming quickly. EVA (CONT'D) There...There was a guy....He came to our house and... Eva recalls her dead parents and, unable to speak of what happened, cries. Menson holds her, now genuinely caring. MENSON It's okay. Eva slowly stops crying, now a little unnerved by Menson being so close. Menson's lost in the moment, though. MENSON (CONT'D) You're safe here. EVA Where am I? MENSON Hm?
15. Eva pulls away, though tries to hide the fact that Menson creeped her out. Menson has snapped out of his daze. EVA Where am I? Don't worry.
MENSON You're safe here.
Eva isn't happy with the answer. EVA That's fine, but I really want to know what "here" is. MENSON My home. EVA Your home? Doesn't look like any house I've ever been in... Menson tries to think up a proper response; even as he starts speaking. MENSON Well...see...this is actually a warehouse...Well, used to be, obviously. Eva realizes something. EVA Wait a minute....How the hell did I end up here? I was at my house before I passed out! Again, Menson's making his story up as he goes, but he's gotten a better hold of the technique. MENSON I was driving down the road when I saw you laying in a ditch. I would have taken you to the hospital, but we were closer to here. Eva thinks about her parents' murderer and becomes scared. EVA What about him? MENSON "Him?"
16. Eva hesitates to speak for a moment. speaking of the killer.
She's scared of even
EVA The guy who broke into my house. Menson shrugs. MENSON I didn't see anyone else. As Eva speaks, she becomes increasingly frantic. EVA We need to call the cops. Get somebody to my house and catch this guy! Christ, he could be running around out there or something! Menson tries to calm her down, his assuring voice and gestures making this clear. MENSON Take it easy. There's nobody else here in the entire building. Eva's voice and expression are noticeably urgent. EVA No, you're wrong! Menson's attention is grabbed. raised.
He looks at Eva, eyebrow
MENSON I'm sorry? EVA There's someone else here! I think. This doesn't sit well with Menson.
A woman,
In fact, it worries him.
MENSON A woman? EVA Yeah! She was running around here! I saw her! Menson is a bit uneasy as he remains silent. He realizes what sort of person Eva saw and he's trying his damnedest to hide his fear.
17. MENSON I see...Did you happen to see what she looks like? EVA Not really. Menson is relieved, but he also tries to hide this. MENSON Okay... EVA But you just said we were alone. MENSON Well, obviously we're not. He gets up and heads for the door Eva came through. Menson puts on an assuring smile, trying to seem as if everything is okay in the world. MENSON (CONT'D) Just stay put and I'll find this other person. Eva shoots up to her feet. EVA What about the police!? Menson turns to her, trying to calm her down. MENSON I'll call them. Don't worry, okay? Eva sits back down, trying to seem calm but still remaining on edge. MENSON (CONT'D) Panicking won't help anything. EVA Okay... Menson goes back to walking to the door. MENSON Besides, life is best enjoyed in slow paces. The phrase makes Eva's eyes go wide and makes her heart sink. Menson turns, which makes Eva try to hide her shock (she mostly succeeds). Menson smiles an assuring smile.
18. MENSON (CONT'D) You stay put, alright? Leave the police to me. Eva smiles back, her smile having a hint of worry she just can't hide. Menson leaves the room and Eva allows her horror to reappear in her expression. Eva immediately gets to her feet, holding the sheers in fear. She can't raise her voice higher than a whisper. EVA Oh my god... Eva runs to the door Menson originally came through. INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT Hallway.
More than one door.
Has a corner.
Eva runs out into the hallway, still shocked that she found her parents' killer. She runs towards the hallway's corner and peers around it, finding no one there but another corner. Eva peers behind her, as if to see if Menson is chasing her, then runs down the hallway. Eva run to the other corner, still distressed. As she runs, the faint, echoing audio from the struggle between Menson and Eva's parents are heard in Eva's mind. Eva gets to the corner, dismayed that it leads to a dead end and more doors. She looks at the doors, trying to decide whether or not to go through one and if so, which one. She looks at one of the doors. INT. CLOTHING ROOM - NIGHT Racks upon racks of used clothing on hangers (meant to be a selection for women). It's like a Goodwill clothing section in someone's basement. But the whole place feels old and a little moist/mildewy. There are also some old, torn-up theater costumes on display; dresses and masks, as opposed to spandex costumes. A lot of the clothes are old/dusty/dirty. There is a laundry area against a wall, but it looks like nobody bothered to repair the broken washing machines or pick up the empty detergent boxes/jugs that are lying about. Eva rushes into the room, carefully closing the door behind her. She looks at the room, then through the space under the dangling clothing to see if there's anyone else in the room. (Like how you look under a bathroom stall door to see if there's anyone inside it). She sees no feet in sight.
19. On the other side of the room, Eva sees a door and starts to go for it... But as she rounds the corner of a clothing rack, DUCHESS and RABBIT enter through the door, causing Eva to retreat back behind the rack. The faces of Rabbit and Duchess are unseen. DUCHESS You're kidding me. RABBIT I'm not! As Eva carefully sneaks behind the racks of clothing, she listens to the conversation. Rabbit is eagerly telling her story, but Duchess is none-to-pleased with what she's got to say. RABBIT (CONT'D) It's her! I'm telling you! DUCHESS Are you sure? RABBIT Yes! She looks just like her! And why else would he bring a girl here?! DUCHESS Maybe for another try. RABBIT But it's been years! DUCHESS That doesn't mean-! At that moment, Eva brushes into some of the clothing, making it fall off the hanger and onto the floor, cutting off the conversation. The silence worries Eva, but she doesn't know whether to move or stay still. For now, she holds still, listening to see is she's still in the clear. A silence hangs in the air, until footsteps are heard coming towards Eva's direction, making Eva tense up in fear. Quickly and carefully, Eva moves along the rows, keeping an ear out for any more footsteps. Suddenly, from the other side of the clothing rack, Rabbit's hand burst out and grab Eva, pulling her to the other side. Eva her But and
puts up a fight. Rabbit (her face still unseen) holds arms around Eva's, preventing her from using her weapons. this doesn't stop Eva. She kicks at Rabbit's legs/feet thrashes, accidentally dropping the gardening sheers.
20. RABBIT I told you! Look at her!
See?!
Duchess approaches Eva and looks at her. Eva looks up and is shocked to see a harlequin-masked woman looking back at her. (From this point on Rabbit's face/mask can be shown.) From behind the mask, Duchess is mad as hell. Anger prevents Duchess from speaking for a few moments. DUCHESS You... Eva is still shocked at the weird turn this whole thing had taken. Duchess turns her eyes at the sheers on the ground, then at Eva. After a still moment, Duchess quickly grabs the sheers and goes to stab Eva. RABBIT No!
Don't!
Eva darts out of the blade's path in time, but Rabbit's shoulder is hit instead. Rabbit cries out in pain and holds her bleeding wound, allowing Eva to slip free and run away from Duchess and towards the door. Duchess, paying no mind to Rabbit, runs after Eva. RABBIT (CONT'D) He'll get mad! He'll...! INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT Hallways outside the room (again). Eva runs out of the door and down the hallway. When Eva is a good distance down the hall, Duchess runs out. Eva runs around the corner and tries doors, finding most to be locked until her third try. She runs into the room. INT. CHAPEL - NIGHT A homemade chapel that has seen better days. It hasn't been used in years, save for someone coming in and sitting for a spell. The furniture is old, but sturdy and still standing. Interesting enough, any woman's face shown in here (in paintings, stain glass windows, the like) are covered up. Eva runs in and immediately looks for a way out, closing the door behind her. To her horror, it's a dead end. In desperation, Eva hides under one of the pews, fearfully keeping an eye in the direction of the door. Duchess is heard running down the hall, checking doors and finding them to be locked. Every time she gets closer, Eva gets more scared.
21. Soon, Duchess is at the door. She throws it open and begins looking for Eva like a wolf on the hunt. Duchess isn't kind to the furniture as she looks for Eva; she brutalizes benches, knocks things over, kicks Bibles lying on the ground. As Duchess draws near, Eva gets more scared. Eventually, she is nearing Eva, who is terrified beyond all reason. This could be it! Eva could be good as dead! Suddenly, Menson comes into the room. moment he sees Duchess.
He's pissed off the
MENSON Duchess! Duchess freezes, scared of the voice as it rips through her mind. Meekly, she turns to the furious Menson. Get.
Over.
MENSON (CONT'D) Here. Now!
Duchess slowly goes over to Menson, fearful like a child walking over to an angry parent. When she's in front of Menson, she stands still and favors looking at the floor instead of at her master's eyes. Menson glares at her in fury, lost for words for a few moments. When he does speak, his voice is sharp with anger. MENSON (CONT'D) Look at me. Duchess only partially does so, prompting Menson to grab her by her hair and force her to look at him. She drops her sheers and whimpers, but Menson is still furious. MENSON (CONT'D) What did I tell you? Duchess struggles for words. DUCHESS I...You said....I.... MENSON I said to stay on the lower floors, didn't I? Duchess whimpers, too scared to say anything. pissed when Duchess doesn't say anything. MENSON (CONT'D) Didn't I?! DUCHESS Yes!
Menson gets
22. Menson only looks at her in anger, not saying anything for a few moments. MENSON Listen carefully...I don't want to see you up here again tonight or so help me... Menson's voice trails off. Duchess is fearful, realizing that Menson could just as well kill her. Menson pulls back his anger a bit, but only enough to just seem steamed, as opposed to full-blown furious. He lets go of her hair, but doesn't take his eyes off her. MENSON (CONT'D) Go back downstairs. Remain there until I say otherwise. Duchess hesitates, much to Menson's anger. MENSON (CONT'D) Go! Duchess, jumping at the shout, starts going to the door. Menson follows her, watching Duchess like a hawk. Halfway there, Menson stops walking and grabs his right arm, a wound making it sore. Eva watches as Menson rolls up his right sleeve, exposing a newly-bandaged/made wound where Eva stabbed him. Eva's eyes go wide. An shot of her stabbing Menson back in her kitchen flashes. Duchess turns and goes over to Menson, as to see if he's okay. Menson glares at her, putting fear into her heart again. MENSON (CONT'D) Keep going. Duchess turns and walks down the hall. Menson rolls his sleeve down and starts following her again. They leave the room. Eva listens as their footsteps get quieter, fading into nothingness. Eva gets out from the pew and positions herself so she's sitting down on the ground. She looks into space, being in a lot of shock. Not only has she found her parents' killer, but she has found that he has crazed minions. Eva could have a nervous breakdown right here. This is a lot to to take and it could very well crush her. She looks at the cross hanging on the wall above her, as if waiting for an angel to come down and rescue her.
23. She ends up going over to the sheers, picking them up, and going to the door. She listens for life on the other side, hearing none. INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT The hallway outside the chapel. Eva peers through the door, finding no one in the halls, and carefully sneaks out and shuts the door behind her. Suddenly, a noise cuts through the air. A bell- the rapid kind attached to machinery. It makes Eva jump at first, but then gives her hope. Could it be a telephone bell? Careful for any attackers, Eva makes her way down the hall and around a corner, following the sound. As she nears a door it's behind (near the middle of the hall), it gets louder. Listening to what's on the other side of the door (the bell giving her a small glimmer of hope), she carefully opens it when she's satisfied. INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT On the other side is a kitchen, the sort found in schools or health facilities; one that can accommodate making lots of food and having more than one people work in it. There is a doorway (covered by a tattered curtain) that leads to another, unseen room (a food storage area). It's not exactly in the best order. Trash (food packages, vegetable/fruit peelings, the like) litters the floor, dirty dishes and cooking messes lie on the counters, and surfaces just look greasy/dirty. Flies are heard buzzing through the air. Eva enters the room, immediately disgusted by her surroundings. The bell rings in the other room, getting her attention. Eva carefully sneaks across the room, getting increasingly grossed out by the rotting food around her. When Eva nears the curtain, the excited laugh of a crazed woman is heard beyond it, making Eva tense up. From beyond the curtain, a crazed woman is heard hitting a bound HOLLOW as other crazed women cheer on. Slowly, Eva grabs the curtain and pulls it just enough to peak into the other room. INT. FOOD STORAGE AREA - NIGHT A large room with crates/boxes of food and shelves with sacks and can of food. Basically a giant pantry. There are a few poles in the room as well. Three doors, including the one to the kitchen. Tied to a pole is HOLLOW (20, a quiet girl with a burlap sack- with eyeholes- on her head), who is shirking into herself to lessen the blows of the crazed woman hitting her
24. with a wooden rod. Other crazed women, holding sticks (broom sticks, small planks), look on in anticipation to have a go at poor Hollow. The bell Eva heard is revealed to be from a timer, which goes off. The woman hitting Hollow trades with one that was watching. This new woman proceeds to hit Hollow with her stick and kick her. INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT Eva looks on, flinching at every hit Hollow takes. INT. FOOD STORAGE AREA - NIGHT Suddenly, Rabbit runs into room through one of the other two doore. Urgency in her voice. RABBIT We need to head downstairs!
Now!
Hollow's beating stops and the women looks at Rabbit. RABBIT (CONT'D) He's really mad! Duchess is still shaking! The women now become scared too and begin to flee towards the kitchen. INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT Seeing this, Eva hides out of sight behind a counter. The women run past her. One of the women, CAT (cat mask), stops JOY (thespian comedy mask). Cat points back to the food storage room. CAT What about her? JOY Who cares? The women leave.
A silence hangs in the air.
After a few moments, Eva cautiously peeks from over the counter, seeing that all is clear. Eva looks at the door, considering going through it. Dread clouds her eyes when she still hears the women running down the hall beyond it. She takes a look at the curtain and takes a deep breath. Eva walks to the curtain and peaks through it, seeing that Hollow is limp, unmoving, but still tied to the pole.
25. INT. FOOD STORAGE AREA - NIGHT Eva sneaks into the room, keeping an eye on Hollow as she goes for some crates. Suddenly, Hollow groans and twitches. Eva, alarmed, hides behind a crate. Hollow slowly raises her head and sees that everyone is gone, then lowers her head. Eva creeps behind the crates, looking at a door on the side of the room ahead of her. Hollow begins to silently cry to herself. Eva first tries to disregard these, but the sheer pitifulness of them strikes a (heart) cord with Eva. Hollow's whimpers chip away at Eva's heart, making her gradually slow down and stop in her tracks. Her expression says that she's hating herself for what she's going to do next. Cautiously, Eva makes it towards Hollow's back, the tied-up woman's head is still hanging down. As Eva draws near, Hollow hears a footstep and snaps her head up, yelping because she thinks the women are back for more. Eva's voice is quiet, but urgent. It's okay! of them!
EVA It's okay!
I'm not one
Eva walks over into Hollow's area of vision. EVA (CONT'D) See? Hollow is shocked by Eva's appearance, this helpful girl being an important figure in Hollow's life. Eva doesn't quite process Hollow's reacting, her voice and stare all business. EVA (CONT'D) Okay...I'm willing to let you go. Eva raises the sheers to show Hollow. EVA (CONT'D) I'm armed and you're not. So I wouldn't try attacking me...Okay? Hollow nods after a few still moments. EVA (CONT'D) So...if I let you go, you won't try to hurt me? Hollow shakes her head.
Her voice is meek, world-weary.
26. HOLLOW I won't hurt you. Eva looks at Hollow a bit, almost trying to look at the soul beyond the bound girl's eyes. After a few moments, Eva speaks. EVA Okay... Eva goes behind Hollow and starts working at the knots at her feet, using the sheers to try to cut the knot open. After some struggling, Eva opens the knot. EVA (CONT'D) First one's off. Suddenly, Menson is heard in the kitchen. the best of moods.
He's still not in
MENSON (O.S.) Anyone else in here? Alarmed, Eva runs back to the cover of the crates. HOLLOW Hey! EVA Shhh! Eva hides behind the crates. curtain.
An irate Menson is nearing the
MENSON I told the others, I'll tellMenson comes through the curtain. When he sees it's Hollow that's in here, his anger immediately pacifies. MENSON (CONT'D) Hollow. He register's Hollow's predicament and goes to her side, sympathetic like a parent to a hurt child. MENSON (CONT'D) Those mean girls have been hurting you again, haven't they? Hollow nods. MENSON (CONT'D) Oh...poor baby...
27. Menson begins untying her hands. MENSON (CONT'D) This shouldn't keep happening to you. Menson's voice is bitter as he recalls the women who beat Hollow up. MENSON (CONT'D) I swear, those little.... Menson finishes untying Hollow and starts guiding her out of the room, pleasant assurance in his voice. As this happens, Hollow glances over her shoulder to where Eva is hiding, but Menson doesn't notice. MENSON (CONT'D) Let's go. Just going to check you for bruises and stuff. Menson guides Hollow through the curtain. After a few moments, the door to the kitchen is heard opening and closing. Eva slowly peeks out from behind the crates and listens to the silence, as to see if it's really safe to come out. Satisfied after a few moments, she creeps out from behind her cover and looks at the door. INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT A large dining room with a long dinner table; enough for around ten people. The chairs are in disarray; a few broken. The table cloth is heavily-stained and cut into at some parts. Sets of dirty dishes are on the table, as if someone just ate their meal and walked away. The room is a little dark, thanks to burned-out bulbs in the room's lights above. There are doors on either side of the room- one to the food storage area, another to a room with a light coming out from under the door's crack. Eva carefully enters the room and carefully shuts the door behind her. Eva further checks the room for anyone else in there, finding no one. Satisfied, Eva carefully crosses the room, being a little grosses out at the table's sanitation issues. Halfway across the room, she notices the light under the other door and freezes. She becomes worried. After all, light on the other side of a door could mean that Menson or a crazed woman is in there... Cautiously, she makes her way to the door and presses her ear against it, making sure that no one's in there...
28. There is- two muffled voices of crazed women; SNOW (who wears a white mask with snowflakes on it) and STAR (who wears a mask with stars on it). SNOW (O.S.) We shouldn't be in here! Okay fine!
STAR (O.S.) Let's leave then!
They are heard walking towards the door, sending Eva into a panic. She looks to the table and immediately hides herself under it. Just moments after Eva hides herself, Snow and Star come through the door. Star is mocking towards Snow. STAR (CONT'D) If scared little Snow wants to leave. SNOW You know what he's like when he's angry! STAR We were just looking! SNOW He won't care! He'll say it's for her and do something to us! Star's voice and eyes reflect contempt. listen.
Eva continues to
STAR Let's not talk about her... Eva, feeling something on her hand, looks down to see that a few cockroaches has settled itself on her hand. She immediately gasps and shakes the bugs of her. The gasps gets the attention of Snow and Star, making them halt in their tracks. SNOW Did you-?! STAR Shh! Eva senses that she's in danger and watches Star's feet creeping over to the table's side. Eva's trapped! Star slowly grabs the table cloth... Star peaks quickly in, finding no one under the table.
29. SNOW Well? Star gets out from under the table. Eva is revealed to have crawled out from under the table and to the side that Snow and Star aren't on. STAR Nothing. Snow recalls Menson and becomes worried. SNOW Let's go back downstairs, Star. Before he sees us. STAR Okay, okay. Let's just get something to eat first. Eva gets back under the table as the women start leaving the room. Eva waits a few moments before quietly sighing in relief. She looks at the door the women came through. INT. BIRTHDAY ROOM - NIGHT A small room set up for a birthday party. A table is in the middle of the room with the box from the bakery on it, its lid barely closed. There are two chairs by the table- across from each other- and a handful of wrapped presents by one of the chairs. The room isn't heavy decorated, but things like streamers hang on the ceiling. Eva enters the room and carefully shuts the door behind her. She creeps across the room, slowing to a stop when she passes by the table, curiosity getting the best of her. Though she hesitates at first, she cautiously reaches over and opens the bakery box, finding a birthday cake inside. This unnerves Eva a bit. next morning.
After all, it's her birthday the
Through the POV of Hollow, who is in one of the vents, Eva closes the cake box. INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT Not as many doors.
There's a corner.
Eva is sneaking down the hallway and towards a corner in the hallway.
30. As she is about to round the corner, a door down that hallway opens and some women are heard chattering. Eva jerks to a stop and goes back around the corner. As the voices get louder, she goes to a door, opens it a little to see if the coast is clear, then goes in. INT. LIBRARY - NIGHT A homemade library in a large room. All of the books here are used, picked up by a man who wanted to civilize a large group of people, and have been rarely picked up by anyone. All the bookcases and tables here are second hand. A dead stillness lingers in the air. There are two doors here- one where Eva came through and one on the opposite side. Eva runs into the room, closes the door and promptly takes cover behind a bookcase, standing out of view from the door she came through. The voices get louder, making Eva increasingly tense as they do. The door starts opening. DOLLY (O.S.) Hey! The woman opening the door stops doing so. DOLLY (CONT'D) Duchess is looking for us! The woman shuts the door. The voices outside get increasingly quiet until a door opening/closing down the hall silences them entirely. Eva waits for a minute, becoming satisfied (and relieved) with the situation after a few moments. She gets up and starts walking towards the other door. Hollow's POV from the vents again. other door.
Eva walks towards the
Eva carefully treads down a row of book until a metallic squeak (the vent opening) is heard, making her abruptly freeze. She's immediately on guard; scanning the area and ready to use the sheers to stab anything that charges her. Nothing seems to be moving... Eva slowly begins walking for the door. As she walks, she begins to hear Hollow's footsteps as well. Eva walks faster. She looks over her shoulder.
All is still.
31. She's continues for the door.
She's almost there.
She looks over her shoulder. A shadowy Hollow is seen following Eva from behind another book case. Panicked, Eva quickly runs for the door and opens it. INT. ART ROOM - NIGHT A homemade art studio; sort of like one you would find in a community center. A few easels, some empty and some featuring sketches of still lifes or abstract, disturbing subjects. In some part of the room, there is a table with a malformed, half-finished clay figure with a knife in it. There are boxes of whatever painting/drawing supplies Menson could get his hands on. This place hasn't been touched by many of late; only a few places of work here have seen some action. Two doors opposite from each other in this room. Eva rushes in and shuts the door behind her. She puts a chair against the handle in an attempt to keep someone from entering. She also blocks it with some heavy boxes she finds. Eva steps back, eyes still on the door. are getting louder beyond it. Eva turns to knife in the footsteps in to the other
Hollow's footsteps
the room, looking for a weapon. She sees the clay sculpture, runs over, and takes it. The the library are still getting louder. Eva goes door and peeks into the other room.
The knob of the door Eva came through turns, making Eva freak out and run into the next room. INT. MUSIC ROOM - NIGHT A music room you would find in a high school or rec center. Some of the instruments here have been damaged and thrown about (some even stuffed into the room's piano). Sheet music has been thrown about; some torn up before being tossed around. Again, two doors that are opposite of each other. Eva runs into the room and, like in the art room, blocks the door with things she finds. The door she blocked in the art room is heard being banged on off screen as Eva blocks the door. But eventually, the banging stops, which get's Eva's attention. Eva leans against the door, listening to what is happening in the art room. Nobody seems to be walking around in it. quiet...
It all seems
32. That's when a new noise gets Eva's attention- the sound of someone crawling through the vents and towards the art room. Eva, now alarmed, goes to the other door in the room, checks to see if the next room is clear, then goes into that room. INT. OLD PLAYROOM - NIGHT This used to be a playroom, but everything has been more or less stowed away in boxes. Dolls and stuffed animals have been tucked away in crates, closets, and such, left to stare into space for all eternity. Doll houses sit in a corner, untouched and uninhabited for quite some time. It's all very dusty here; like an attic. Two doors again. Eva runs into the room. Initially creeped out by her surroundings, Eva repeats the process of blocking the door and (this time, the vent). At one point, she's pushing a large box of dolls and stuffed animals in front of the vent. This is difficult for her, in that the large box is unusually heavy for one that contains only toys. Eva looks into the box to see what's making it so heavy. After a moment, a crazed woman- DOLLY (who wears a dollface mask)- jumps out from the box and grabs Eva. The women struggle before Eva cuts into Dolly's side with the knife, allowing her to get away as Dolly reels from her wound. Eva runs for the door she hasn't gone through and runs through it. INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT Another random hallway. Eva runs into the hallway, but is shocked to find a group of women- Rabbit, Duchess, DAISY (flowery mask), and SCARLET (red theater mask)- standing in it. A startled Eva runs down the hall with the women chasing her. Eva turns a corner.
She's slowly outrunning the girls.
She's here!
DUCHESS She's here!
Get her!
Eva continues to run... Suddenly, out of a door she runs past, Cat runs out and grabs Eva. The two struggle before Eva knees her in the stomach and, while Cat is struggling to catch her breath, flees. The women are still tailing her.
33. Eva turns a corner.
She's losing the woman even more.
Another corner. The women have lost Eva. They turn the last corner she was in, but find only a dead end hallway with doors. DUCHESS (CONT'D) Split up. Duchess immediately goes to a door. Daisy stops and looks at her.
The others follow suit.
DAISY We leave her alive, right? Duchess stops, hesitating before answering and her voice having a grudge-laden tone. DUCHESS Yes....Alive. Duchess grabs the door's handle. INT. BATHROOM AREA - NIGHT A large, public bathroom-like area that's split into two areas. In the first area- sinks with mirrors line the side walls. (A few of the mirrors have been broken.) In the second area ahead- bathroom stalls. Beyond the stalls, two double doors that lead to the showers. Filthy tile floors. Puddles by some of the sinks and toilets. This place is dirty. Grungy. Not cared for at all. Duchess sneaks down past the sinks like a hunter on the prowl, careful so that she won't alert Eva to her presence and make her flee. Duchess stops at the threshold of the toilets, seeing if there are any signs of Eva. Unbeknownst to Duchess, Eva is hiding in one of the stalls; sitting on the toilet, feet off the ground, and scared. Duchess looks over to a nearby sink with a broken window. There's a big shard of the mirror in the sink, which Duchess takes as a weapon before walking down the toilet area. Eva hears Duchess walking close to her and becomes more scared as the footsteps get louder. Duchess opens stalls as she walks by them. (Eva is in one in the far end, closer to the showers.) Duchess becomes a little more angered with every empty stall.
34. Eva is getting ready for the inevitable confrontation as Duchess draws closer. Eva hears a squeak by her feet, looks down, and sees a rat skitter past her and towards the outside of the stall. Duchess continues to look through the stalls, getting quite angry. The rat is by her foot, but Duchess doesn't notice it. Duchess steps on its tail. The rat cries out and begins biting Duchess's foot. Duchess cries out and, royally pissed, and begins mercilessly stomping on it. Eva listens on in horror as the rat shrieks in pain and terror. Eventually the squeaks die out, but Duchess is still stomping on it. The rat now a sticky pulp, Duchess kicks it away. She goes back to searching the stalls, now kicking the doors open. She's getting close to Eva's stall. The bathroom door opens and Rabbit peeks in. RABBIT Duchess! Duchess spins over to Rabbit, still angry as hell. DUCHESS What?! Rabbit is scared at the sight of an angry Duchess. RABBIT J-Joy thinks she knows where she ran off to! Duchess follows Rabbit out of the bathroom. Eva listens to the quiet, making absolutely sure that the coast is clear. After a few moments, Eva opens the door, peaks through to find it empty, and gets out of the stall. Still shaken by the experience, Eva sneaks to the double door. She glances at the rat's remains, but looks away when it unnerves her. INT. SHOWER AREA - NIGHT A large shower area; like one you would find in a public gym. Some leaky pipes and facets. Puddles by said leaks. Grimy tiles everywhere. A dead end, but there is a vent in this room. Eva makes her way into the room, but is dismayed to find that it's a dead end.
35. EVA Great... Suddenly, the vent in the room creaks, putting Eva on guard. The vents slowly opens, making Eva more tense. Does she fight or run? But to her surprise, Hollow comes out of the vent. It takes a moment, but Eva recognizes her. EVA (CONT'D) It's you...From the pantry... Hollow nods and gets out of the vent. Eva's still guard; she doesn't know if Hollow can be trusted... Hollow senses this and holds out her palms, showing that she's not armed. HOLLOW I'm not going to hurt you. Eva's a little convinced, but not entirely. HOLLOW (CONT'D) I was going to take you to safety. The words ease Eva a little more, but still not entirely. Hollow can sense this. HOLLOW (CONT'D) I'm not with the others...You saw how they treat me...I don't want them hurting you, too. Eva's a little more convinced. Only a shred of doubt remains. Eva looks at Hollow, as if trying to find anything that would suggest Hollow will betray her. After a few moments, Eva speaks. EVA Well....you're the only one here who didn't try to rip my throat out... Eva holds up the sheers and knife. EVA (CONT'D) But if you try anything... HOLLOW I won't. I'll get you to safety. Eva looks at Hollow, as if waiting for her to say "Actually, I will try to kill you."
36. When that doesn't come, Eva's last bit of unease leaves her. EVA Okay. Eva walks to the vent and looks into it. HOLLOW Hollow. EVA Uh, yeah, looks like it. HOLLOW No, me. Eva turns to Hollow, confused.
Hollow points to herself.
HOLLOW (CONT'D) My name. Eva realizes what she means. Oh! Hollow nods. but.
EVA You're name is... Eva throws the unusual name around her mind a
EVA (CONT'D) Hollow...that's different... Eva smiles to Hollow and offers her hand. EVA (CONT'D) I'm Eva. Hollow's eyes twinkle with happiness and she shakes Eva's hand. HOLLOW Hi, Eva.