Firecracker Cocktail: Part II

[Blood oozes between Kyndra’s fingers and squishes onto her arms.]

         KYNDRA
We need to phone the police, Monica.

         MONICA
There’s no phone.

[Michelle reaches out for McCall’s hand.  Blood drips from her fingers.  McCall takes it in silence.  Their eyes lock in a lover’s final stare, just for a moment, before McCall looks away.]

         CATHY
She’s going to die.  How many do you think are out there?

         MONICA
She’s going to be fine—

[Michelle’s eyes begin to roll back in her head; her hand goes limp in McCall’s grasp.]

         KYNDRA
Michelle.

         MONICA
No!  No, no, no!

[Monica slams her fists on the floor in disgust.  McCall breaks down, crying.  Kyndra backs away.  Emily sits down on the couch next to Cathy, who remains silent and unmoved.

Monica stands and opens the door.]

         KYNDRA
Monica…

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Monica steps out onto the porch in a wave of fury and fear.]

         MONICA
You killed her, you motherfuckers!  You killed her, whoever you are!  She’s dead!

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Shaun’s face is contorting.  His teeth grinding, his limbs shaking, he reaches into the satchel once again.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Leon is smiling, snapping his lighter open and shut, flicking the flint.

Deron is horrified.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Monica steps back in, closing the door behind her.  She marches over to the open window and pulls it shut, fully isolating the sorry scene.  Making her way to the center of the room, she kneels next to McCall and puts an arm around her in comfort.]

         KYNDRA
We need to get out of this house.  We need to run.  They know we’re in here, and we can’t afford to just sit in here and wait with Michelle…  On the floor, like that.

[Monica looks down at Michelle for a moment, her mouth still open, stained red with dried blood, her face outlined by a dark pool.  Her eyes are still open.]

         MONICA
No, we should wait until morning.  We’re safe here.  There’s strength in numbers.  If we go out there we can be divided up, we can be attacked; we can be killed, or worse.

         MCCALL
Monica, don’t talk like that.  We need to get Michelle to a hospital.

         CATHY
She’s dead.  We need to focus on our own predicament.  We have a dead body here.  What are we to say when the police arrive?

         KYNDRA
Why would the police be coming?  Who’s called them?

         MONICA
There’s no one around for miles.

         KYNDRA
Which is why we need to leave this place.

         MONICA
And go where?

         KYNDRA
Hiding here is pointless.

         EMILY
I’m going to be sick.  I need air.

         KYNDRA
I’m going out to the car.

[Kyndra stands and begins to walk towards the door, but is stopped in her tracks by the sound of a gunshot.  Then another, and two quick reports after that.  Everyone in the room lowers themselves defensively.]

         MCCALL
What the hell was that?

         EMILY
They’re shooting at us.  God, they have guns?

[Kyndra peeks out the front window, seeing nothing.]

         KYNDRA
They weren’t firing at us.

         MCCALL
How do you know?

         MONICA
Because, if they were, we would’ve been shot.

[Kyndra walks to the lamp next to the door and flips it off.  Cathy does the same with the lamp on the end-table next to the couch.  McCall holds her stomach.]

         MCCALL
I’m feeling ill.

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE- NIGHT

[Deron and Leon still huddle behind the car.  Deron is frantic.  Leon is enjoying himself, lighting bits of grass and twigs on fire.]

         DERON
Hey!  Hey!  What’s happening here?  Do you know what you just did?

         LEON
Yeah, man, it’s Halloween.  Fuck.

[Leon drops the grass looks over his shoulder, around the back of the car, at the house.]

         DERON
You just killed Emily, brother.  A girl.  Oh, God, you just killed her.

         LEON
Oh, she’s probably not quite dead.

         DERON
Monica didn’t sound like she was kidding.  What did you do?

         LEON
Oh, fuck Monica.  Fuck her.  Either way, this shits for real now.

         DERON
What?

[Another gunshot is heard.  Deron flinches and gathers himself closer to the car.  Leon pulls the backpack over to him and begins digging through the contents.]

         LEON
Oh, yeah.  This shit’s for real, motherfucker.  It’s war.  Nobody survives.  No survivors.

[Deron is more frightened than he’s ever been in his entire life.  Leon enjoys himself.]          

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

[A gunshot in the dark, enveloping forest.  A figure, Aaron, sprints and weaves between the trees, trying to leave the smell of gunpowder behind him.  He leaps over a log, but lands poorly and tumbles, rolling into the brush.  He lies there for a moment, holding his breath, before exhaling.]

         AARON
Shit.

[A voice comes from the darkness.]

         WILL
Aaron?  Is that you?

[Will is hushed by another voice.  A whispered argument ensues.  Aaron glances around in the darkness, looking for silhouettes, trying to pinpoint the noise.]

         AARON
Will?  Will?  Where are you?  I’m okay, it’s okay, I don’t think Shaun could keep up.  Is this…  A joke?

[Will and Jesse emerge from the darkness and come to Aaron’s side, helping him sit up, but staying low in the brush.]

         JESSE
What happened, Aaron?  He just started shooting?  Why?  Where’d he get that gun?

         AARON
I don’t know, I don’t know.  I know as much as you do.  He must’ve…  Jesus, did Leon just kill Emily?

         JESSE
I think so.

         AARON
Well, we know where Shaun’s at, hey?  Emotionally?  I feel like this might’ve been coming for a long time.

         WILL
This is super screwed up.

         AARON
You’re absolutely right it is.  But it’s hard to be surprised when you keep the company I keep.  Are either of you hurt?

         JESSE
No.  You?

         AARON
Will, do you remember where we parked the car?  Can you get to it?

         WILL
If I can find my way to the road, yes, of course.  I’m… Pretty fast.

         AARON
Perfect.  You go get the car.  Try to stay out of site though, yeah?  Jesse and I will be at the end of the driveway.  We’re going to have to try to find Deron and Leon.

WILL
But I thought Leon—

         JESSE
Leon’s our friend.

         AARON
He’s right.  It doesn’t matter what we think happened back there, we’ve got to make sure he’s safe.

         WILL
What about that psycho with the gun?

         AARON
Shaun will have to… Stay here for a while.  Hopefully he runs out of bullets before someone gets hurt.

[Aaron reaches into his pocket and pulls out a set of keys, handing it over to Will.]

         AARON
Now go.  Go fast.

[Will takes off, aiming towards the road.] 

         JESSE
What about the girls?  Monica and Emily?

         AARON
I’m not sure how willing they’ll be to listen to reason.  They’re scared, now, in the worst possible way.  This shits gone bad.

         JESSE
Yeah, I guess.

         AARON
We’ll play it by ear, Jess.  Right now Shaun thinks Emily’s dead, and she might be.  And, apparently, he blames us.  Or maybe he doesn’t fucking care and he’s just…  Snapped.  Either way, he’s got a gun and…  We don’t.  So, let’s go.

[Jesse and Aaron rise to a squat and begin shuffling off towards the house, pushing through branches and underbrush, trying to keep their balance in the darkness.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[The girls sit in the dark, waiting.  McCall is staring up at the ceiling, focusing all her attention on some object only she seems to be aware of.  Cathy watches her with growing discomfort.]

         EMILY
I still have to pee.

[Kyndra stands and heads for the door.]

         KYNDRA
Fuck this.  I’m going out to the car if anyone wants to come with.

         EMILY
Hell yes.

[Emily stands to follow Kyndra.]

         MONICA
Wait—

         KYNDRA
No.  You can stay here, watch Call and Cath and sit here with…  But Emily and I are leaving.  We’ll be back with help, it won’t be long.

         CATHY
I’m fine with that.  It’s better than waiting for nothing.

[Kyndra looks to Cathy, expecting her to come along, but Cathy maintains her observation of McCall.  Emily walks past Kyndra and out the front door.  Kyndra turns to follow, but Monica stands and grabs her arm.]

         MONICA
You don’t know what’s out there.

[Kyndra defiantly shakes her arm from Monica’s grasp and adjusts her sleeve.]

         KYNDRA
Neither do you.

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Emily marches to the car, about fifteen feet in front of Kyndra, who jogs to catch up, glancing around the yard.  Emily reaches the car and walks around to the passenger side.  Kyndra notices the flat tires and, in an instant, realizes she’s made a huge mistake.]

         KYNDRA
Emily, wait—

[Behind the car Leon slides a ski-mask on.  He lunges, catching Emily’s throat in the crook of his arm and covering her mouth.  He pulls her quickly and mercilessly into the darkness of the woods, yanking and jerking her around to tire and confuse her.]

         KYNDRA
Emily!

[Kyndra runs forward to help, but stops short when Deron appears from behind the car and also going after Leon.]

         DERON
Wait, what’re you—

[Kyndra swings a log at the back of Deron’s head, dropping him, hard.  She looks down at the body, then toward the screams, which have become muffled and distant.  She almost runs after Emily, but notices the blood flowing from Deron’s head, trickling through the grass.  She turns, running back to the house, her mind racing.]

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

[Leon drops Emily on the forest floor, pressing a knee on the center of her back.  He quickly and efficiently duct-tapes her mouth, letting the tape stick in her hair.  He then grabs one wrist, wrapping one end of a length of rope around it, before wrapping the other end around the other wrist.  He rolls her over onto her back and punches her in the face, stunning and momentarily incapacitating her, more with fear than force.  His hands continue to work rope around her body.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Kyndra bursts through the front door, slamming it behind her, and holding it shut with her body.  Her chest is heaving, not so much from exhaustion as from fear.]

         KYNDRA
Jesus Christ, they’re out there.  There are people out there.  They have Emily.

         MONICA
We saw everything, Kyndra, we saw everything.

         KYNDRA
I got one of them.  I think I killed him. 

         CATHY
Did you see more than two?

         MONICA
Kyndra –

         KYNDRA
We need weapons.

[Monica stares at the girl for a long moment, studying her, before turning to pace around the room.]

         MONICA
Okay, okay…  We have to barricade the door, we have to find some weapons, and we have to stick together.  That’s all.  That’s all.

[Monica leaves the room for a moment, leaving the others in silence.] 

         CATHY
What did they look like?

[Kyndra leans against the wall beside the window and stares out.]

         KYNDRA
One had a mask.  A…  Balaclava…  The other almost looked familiar.  He’s out there now, bleeding all over the driveway.

         CATHY
We should bring him in.

         KYNDRA
Maybe.  He didn’t seem to…  He might be dying.

         CATHY
If he isn’t, we might as well finish the job.

[Kyndra turns to looks at Cathy, who returns her stare, before looking back out the window.]

         KYNDRA
I shouldn’t have brought her out there.

[Kyndra sighs as Monica returns with a bundle of weapons and proceeds to hand them out.

Monica hands Cathy a light but deadly butcher knife with a splintered handle.  McCall gets a short rusted crowbar, and Kyndra gets an old, wooden baseball bat as well as a flashlight.  Monica feigns bravado.]

         MONICA
It’s okay Call, everybody, we’re going to get through tonight.  Cathy, can you help Kyndra move the couch in front of the door?  Put anything heavy you can find right on top.  I’ll make sure the windows are locked and covered.  McCall?  Call?

[McCall lowers the crowbar to the ground and edges across the floor, away from some unseen creature.  The others notice, for the first time, something is terribly off.]

         MCCALL
God is calling us.

[Monica leaves the room and returns with a double-barrel shotgun, which she is in the process of loading.]

         CATHY
Where did that come from?

         MONICA
My grandfather used to hunt out of this old shack all winter long.  This place used to be full of rifles and severed heads.

[She drops a small box of shells onto the floor in the center of the room.]

         MONICA
That’s all we’ve got.  But it’s our best protection.  Stay away from the windows, stay away from the doors, and keep an eye on Call.

[McCall is in the corner now, covering her face with her hands, whispering to herself.]

         KYNDRA
Right.

EXT. ROADSIDE – NIGHT

[Will, slightly fatigued, reaches the car, which is parked facing away from him just off of the road near a streetlight, which illuminates the train tracks.  He pulls the keys out of his pocket and slows to a walk as he approaches the vehicle.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Aaron and Jesse come from the woods and bolt for the car, where they find Deron.  Blood is pouring from the back of his head.]

         JESSE
Shit.  Did Shaun get him?

[Aaron rolls him flat on his back and checks to make sure he’s breathing.]

         AARON
No, no.  He’s not shot…

[Aaron picks up the bloody chunk of wood.]

         JESSE
Leon wouldn’t do this.  Not to Deron.

[Aaron tries to wake Deron up unsuccessfully.]

         AARON
I know.  We still need help, here.

EXT. ROADSIDE – NIGHT

[Will, now nearly under the streetlight, stops and crouches at the sound of the car door opening.  Shaun climbs out of the drivers seat and tosses a piece of the ignition onto the dirt road.  Will edges into the ditch beside the road and crouches low as Shaun walkspast him.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

         JESSE
Let’s just go to the house, yeah?  It’s not our fault what happened, is it? And maybe they’re fucking with us, yeah?  Maybe this is all a joke, yeah?

         AARON
No, Jess.  Those girls aren’t well.  With the dosage I gave them, they’d probably think we were the living dead.  They can’t help us any more than we can help them. 

         JESS
Dosage?  What are you talking about?  What did you do?  Aaron, what did you do?

         AARON
It was just a little party favour, I didn’t know this was going to happen.  I only managed to slip it into one bottle, I don’t know how much they drank, maybe they’re not even tripping.  Maybe…  Maybe…  Listen, we need to get Deron out of here.

         JESSE
Why?  Why do you have to make everything so complicated?  This is insane, Aaron.  This is insane.

[Jesse peeks over the hood of the car up at the house.]

         AARON
Jess, I didn’t mean for it to –

[Aaron stares down at the unconscious Deron.]

         JESSE
Right.  I’ll be right back.

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Monica stands, peering through the drapes, the other girls gathered around her.]

         CATHY
There.

[Jesse stands from behind the car and begins to walk up to the house.]

         MONICA
Shit.

[Monica and Kyndra move the couch and associated barricading objects back from the door.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[A light ‘clicks’ on in Aaron’s head, but it’s too late.  He looks up from Deron and turns to Jess.]

         AARON
Jess, wait—

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Monica opens the front door quickly, swinging the shotgun up into her shoulder.  She scowls at the figure and fires.

Aaron stares in terror as Jesse’s body jerks back and falls to the ground.  The front door slams shut.  Jesse lies on the ground holding his stomach.  He lets out a wicked scream.]

EXT. ROAD – NIGHT

[Will stops in his tracks upon hearing the scream.]

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

[Shaun turns toward the direction of the scream and squares his jaw.]

EXT. FOREST. – NIGHT

[Sitting upon the exhaustedly squirming Emily, Leon pauses to listen to the shriek.]

         LEON
Jess?

[Emily squirms once more and Leon gets back to work.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Aaron scrambles to Jesse, who moans as Aaron tugs at his jacket, dragging him slowly to the car.]

         AARON
Oh, Jesus, oh, Jesus, oh, Jesus…

[Another shot is fired at Aaron’s feet.  He leaps back, letting go of Jesse, and runs for the car.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[The girls are still gathered around Monica, who is busy reloading the shotgun.]

         MONICA
Those bastards are still out there.

         MCCALL
I only saw one more.  He ran away.

         CATHY
He’s behind the car.

         MCCALL
You killed that one.  You killed that man, Monica.

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Aaron, his thoughts cluttering and clumping behind his eyes, pushes himself from behind the car, but stumbles, grabbing his ankle.  Blood soaks though the cuff of his pants, dripping onto the grass.  He groans, limping towards the forest as fast as he can.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Monica snaps the shotgun back, locked and loaded.]

         CATHY
There he goes.

         MONICA
I got him.

         KYNDRA
Wait –

[Monica steps to the now un-barricaded front door and throws it open once more.]

         KYNDRA
Monica, wait!

[Monica fires a shot into the woods and shuts the window, locking it.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Jesse is still, blood running from his mouth and nose, his eyes wide.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Deron stirs.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Leon stomps through the forest, knife in hand.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Monica closes the door.  She and Kyndra begin the process of re-barricading it.]

         KYNDRA
Monica, please.  We have to start thinking.

[Kyndra and Monica stop.]

         KYNDRA
This isn’t…  This isn’t right.  What are we doing here?  What’s going on?

         CATHY
We’re protecting ourselves.

         MCCALL
What?  Where are we going?

[The others turn to look at McCall, who sits I the corner, covering in shadow.  As she talks, she begins to gesticulate wildly.  Her eyes drift around the room, never once settling on a face.]

         MCCALL
I don’t want this, I never wanted this.  But you had your plans, you had your everything all planned out, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.  You’re a monster.  You’re all monsters.  Am I a monster?

[Monica passes the gun to Kyndra, who holds it awkwardsly.  Cathy eyes up the weapon as it sits in her hands.  Monica moves down towards the increasingly hostile McCall.]

         MONICA
Sweetie, you need to lower your voice.

[McCall stares at Monica, her eyes growing large with fright.]

         MCCALL
Who the fuck are you?

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Deron slowly struggles into the upright position and, looking rather frightened and confused, runs off into the forest.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[McCall pulls closer to Monica.]

         MCCALL
You don’t have any idea what’s really going on here, do you?  We’re the prisoners, and you’re the guard.  Out there, that’s freedom.

[McCall stands up, smiling.]

         MCCALL
I can’t believe we’ve never thought of this.  Outside, that’s the answer.  They’re all outside.

         KYNDRA
What’s wrong with her?

         MONICA
I don’t know.

         KYNDRA
Is she hallucinating?

         CATHY
She’s delirious.

         MCCALL
I’m going to leave.  Goodb-bye.

[McCall makes a break for the door, colliding with Kyndra and causing her to drop the gun and flashlight.  McCall quickly snatches up the torch before moving scrambling to her feet.]

         MONICA
Stop her!

[McCall is already out the door, and Monica is to frightened to follow her.  Cathy stares at the abandoned gun.]

         MONICA
Shit.

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Running past the car, McCall slows to a jog, then, as the fear returns, she slows further to a walk – almost a gentle stumble.  She talks to some unknown guest as she fiddles with the flashlight.]

         MCCALL
Where did they go?  Are they in the kitchen?  I need help, I can’t do this on my own.

[She looks up at the sky and the fear grows on her face.  The flashlight clicks ‘on’.]

         MCCALL
I can’t do this alone.

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

[Leon lurks on the edge of the forest.  He spies McCall and is initially excited.  Twirling the knife in his hand, he fantasizes her graphic demise. Then he sees Jesse. Poor Jesse.  His face covered in tiny rivers of blood, his stomach an empty crater.  Leon’s breath is taken away for a moment before he looks back to McCall.  His lust for mindless murder is replaced with an insatiable rage.  The knife shakes as he clenches his fist around the wooden handle.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[What’s left of the girls crowd around the window, watching the light McCall’s flashlight bob in the darkness.]

         MONICA
Do you see anything?

         KYNDRA
No.

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[McCall walks slowly down the driveway, holding the small torch with two hands, eyeing the woods for movement.  She reaches an area where the path narrows and the woods come closer.  A twig snaps and she freezes.  She shines the light in both directions, then tries to hone in on the sound.  Backing away, she keeps her eyes fixed on where she thought she heard the sound.]

         MCCALL
I haven’t got a gun.

[The forest is silent, and the only sound on the path is that of McCall’s breathing, which is steadily turning to sobs.  She takes a few steps backward into the darkness before stopping.  She turns sharply back around – ]

         MCCALL
Ahh!

[She shrieks at the momentary vision of a mangled Michelle, standing naked in the driveway, inches from her face.  She stumbles back, holding the flashlight out as if it were a weapon, as tears tumble down her cheeks.

She edges forward, facing her fears and straightening up.  Then becoming confused.]

         MCCALL
Mother?

[Leon steps from the forest behind her and marches forward to grab her shoulder and throw her around to face him.  He punches her right in the face.  As she stumbles back, he lifts his leg and kicks her in the center of the chest, launching her into the forest on the other side of the driveway.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[The girls watch in horror as McCalls light turns frantically, falls, and fades.]

         MONICA
No…  No…

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

[A gunshot splinters a tree, sending little, silhouetted splinters onto the forest floor.  Deron ducks for cover, running serpentine in between the trees.  He stops behind a girthy trunk, trying to catch his breath.]

         DERON
You don’t need to do this, Shaun!  Whatever this is about, you need to step away from!  Think about this, Shaun!  Think about what you’re doing!

[Shaun walks calmly and quietly through the brush, paying close attention to the movement around him.  He is a hunter, stalking its prey.  He raises his firearm and fires off another round, piercing the edge of Deron’s tree.  Deron runs to find a new hiding spot, behind another tree.]

         SHAUN
I’ve thought of this and nothing else for so long, Deron.

         DERON
Killing me in cold blood!?!

         SHAUN
Just killing…

         DERON
This isn’t how it has to end, Shaun.

[Another gunshot, another shattered tree trunk.  Deron runs into the darkness.]

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

[Aaron and Will sit in the woods, frightened and confused.  Aaron ties a bit of extra clothing around his ankle.]

         WILL
Gunshots again?  What’s going on here?

         AARON
I say we just leave.  We just walk home, we just walk far away from here.  Shaun doesn’t know where we are, he can’t track us.  As long as we’re not here, we’re safe.

         WILL
I don’t think you’ll be able to  walk very far, friend.  And with you bleeding this much, there’s no guarantee he can’t track us.  What about the girls?

         AARON
What about Jesse?

         WILL
That wasn’t Cathy.  She doesn’t have it in her to do something like that.  And what about your friends?  Leon and…

         AARON
Deron.  He could be dead by now, and Leon can’t be trusted.

         WILL
Why?

[Aaron grows silent for a moment, his mind flooded with thoughts and images.]

         AARON
He’s fucking psycho.  He’s not right in the head.

         WILL

What?  What do you –

         AARON

I saw him take McCall.  Call, the little one.  Jesus, he did things… 

         WILL
Then we can’t leave now, can we?  I have to save Cathy.

[Aaron can see what has to be done, despite his reluctance to do it.]

         AARON
We’ll have to sneak into the house, in through the back.  They’ll be watching the windows, and I’m not sure what they’re capable of.

         WILL
Cathy –

         AARON
Cathy might not be Cathy right now.

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Monica paces about the room, shotgun in hand, muttering to herself.  Cathy stands in the corner.  Kyndra, sits in the center the dark room, distraught.]

         KYNDRA
McCall is dead.

         CATHY
Yes.

[Monica continues to pace, then stops.]

         MONICA
There are only three of us.  There has to be at least two of them.  Probably more.  They have guns, but…  They haven’t shot at us.  What is this?

         CATHY
Ridiculous.

         MONICA
So we have to go to the basement.

         KYNDRA
I thought you said –

         MONICA
I don’t care.  There’s only one door down there, and we won’t have to worry about being watched.  Right now it’s safer than this place.  We’ll just sit and watch the door.  And if anyone comes in through here, we’ll hear them on the floorboards.  This place is a piece of shit.

         CATHY
Agreed.

[Monica and Cathy head to the basement.  Kyndra lags behind, loosely carrying her baseball bat.]

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

[A small body twists and writhes on the forest floor, tied at the hands and ankles, clothing torn to shreds, bruised and bleeding.  Emily bites at her duct tape gag, tonguing it to loosen it up.  She rolls to face an exposed tree root and rubs the tape on the coarse surface, tearing it from her lips.  She spits onto the ground and breathes heavily, then rolls onto her back and screams.]

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

[Deron, breathing heavily, slows from his escape, turning his head and holding his breath to hear the scream.  As soon as he determines the direction from which it cam, he begins running towards the sound.]

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

[Raising the cold steel in his right hand, Shaun smiles at the sound of the young girl screaming.]

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

[Leon, blood splattered on his shirt, his hands busy cutting and breaking, lifts his head at the scream.]

         LEON
Damn.  There she goes again.

[He resumes his gruesome work.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Will and Aaron, hiding behind the car, catch there breath.  Aaron’s ankle wound has already bled through his makeshift bandage, the red glistens in the moonlight.]

         WILL
What was that?

         AARON
I don’t know, but if we heard it, so did Shaun.

         WILL
And Leon.

         AARON
Let’s just get into that house.

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

[Emily squirms and writhes on the ground, crying, bloody.  A twig snaps.  Then another.  Someone is approaching.  Emily tries her hardest to edge backward into the shadows.  Deron steps into the light.]

         DERON
Oh, Jesus, Emily.

         EMILY
Deron?

[Deron moves closer and kneels beside her, rolling her gently to untie her hands.]

         DERON
Shaun’s out there, Em, and he’s got a gun.  He’s coming.  He’s lost it.

         EMILY
Please, just –

[A gunshot.  Deron’s face explodes onto Emily, his body slumping forward onto her legs.  Shaun stands in the moonlight, pistol in hand.  Emily is stricken with an unbelievable terror.  She pushes at Deron’s body, trying to get to her ankles.]

         SHAUN
I fucking loved you, Em.  Just fucking acknowledge that, just once.

         EMILY
Shaun, I know.  I know, but—

         SHAUN
You stupid bitch.  You were fucking perfect.  You didn’t have to try, you just had to stay the same.  But you’ve changed.  Now you’re shit.  You fucking whore.  You whore.

         EMILY
Shaun, please—

         SHAUN
You’re drunk.

[Shaun raises the gun and pulls the trigger.  Emily’s upper chest erupts with blood.  She breathes a few stuttered breaths then lies still.]

         SHAUN
How unattractive.

[Shaun stands for a moment, enjoying the scene, before an arm reaches around Shaun’s neck, pulling him back, and a sizeable blade goes quickly and cleanly into his lower back.  He let’s out a small yelp and tries to twist away.  He lifts the gun over his head, trying to aim at the attacker behind him.  The attacker, leaving the knife in Shaun’s his side, reaches up and grabs the gun, wrenching it from his hand.  Shaun is then pushed to the ground.  He grabs at the knife, pulling it from his side, but before he can use it the gun discharges.

Shaun falls quickly to the ground, caughing, a hole in his throat.]

         LEON
So this is what it’s come to?

[Leon stands over Deron’s body, feeling a small sense of loss.  He checks the ammunition in the clip of Shaun’s gun, then tosses it aside.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE - NIGHT

[Aaron leans on Will for support, and together they move as a single unit, edging around the house, peeking in the windows.  Aaron lets go of Will and pulls himself close to the siding and stops Will.]

         AARON
They’re not in there.  They’re not inside.

         WILL
What?

         AARON
Follow me.

[Aaron, using the wall to steady himself, leads Will to the porch, crouching low.  From there he uses the porch railing to make his way to the from steps, gently laying his uninjured foot on the first plank.  It creeks loudly, stopping them both.  Aaron whispers loudly at the front door, conscious that many dangers might be lurking nearby.]

         AARON
Monica?  It’s me, Aaron.  I’m with Will.  We’re coming inside.  This is all just a misunderstanding.

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE [BASEMENT] – NIGHT

[Monica, Kyndra, and Cathy wait in the corner of the dank, dusty basement, a bare-bulb lamp sitting at their feet.  Monica paces near the steps, shotgun in her hand.  Kyndra sits next to the lamp, preferring the safety of the light.  Cathy sits with her back against the wall further down, barely illuminated.  She seems so calm.]

         KYNDRA
Monica?  I need to…  I need to tell you something.

[Monica stops in the darkness.]

         MONICA
What’s wrong, Kyndra?

         KYNDRA
Nothing.  Nothing truly important, it’s just…  I need someone to know.

         MONICA
What is it?

         CATHY
She’s scared.

         KYNDRA
I’m pregnant.

[Monica is surprised, almost angry.  She walks forward into the light.]

         MONICA
What?

[The floor above them creaks softly, startling Monica.  She raises the shotgun to her chest.]

         MONICA
Someone’s at the door.

[Monica creeps back to the bottom of the staircase, hardening her face, readying her hands.]

         MONICA
Get rid of that light.

[Kyndra, slightly hesitant, reaches down and turns off the lamp.  A dull ‘click’ is heard, and light streams down from beneath the basement door.  Shuffling is heard from above.  Monica begins to ascend the steps, slowly.  Kyndra fearfully watches on.

Monica suddenly stops halfway up.  Her eyes shine in the streaming light.  Whispers faintly rise from the silence.  Footsteps approach the basement door.

Monica races to the top step.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Aaron and Will stand before the basement door, dirty and frightened.  Behind them, the house is completely lit.  In the light Aaron’s pale face makes it obvious that he has lost a fair amount of blood.  They whisper quietly to each other.]

         WILL
They’re not here.

         AARON
Monica?

[The door bursts open, causing Aaron to step back in defense.  Will’s chest explodes.

Monica swings the shotgun over to Aaron, who is already protecting his face with his arms.  He jerks his body to the side, dodging as best he can.  His body is twisted in the blast, his shoulder spraying the walls with thick, crimson blood.  He lets out a moan as he hits the ground.

Monica stands in the doorway, trying her best to quickly reload.  She drops the spent cartridges down the steps and slides a fresh shell into the barrel.  Monica begins to lifts the gun to her shoulder.

Aaron, stiff with intense pain, lifts his good leg and kicks the door closed.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE [BASEMENT] – NIGHT

[The door slams the barrel upwards, knocking Monica back down the stairs.  She tumbles to the basement floor before the shotgun accidentally discharges.]

         KYNDRA
Monica!

[Kyndra turns on the lamp, though the dim light barely reaches the bloody corpse sprawled at the foot of the stairwell.  As the basement door slowly creaks back open, the upstairs light streams down onto the scene.  Cathy stands and walks over to what was Monica.  Her face is now missing.

Cathy bends over, slowly, and picks up the shotgun.  She cracks it open and checks the barrels, then leans over once more and pulls two shells from Monica’s pocket.  She then turns and walks up the stairs, loading the gun on the way.

Kyndra grabs her bat and, holding it close.]

         CATHY
Wait here.

[Kyndra watches Cathy ascend the steps cautiously but confidently, before following her quietly at a distance.]

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – NIGHT

[Kyndra peeks out of the basement from halfway up the steps, her eyes at floor level, watching, speechless.

Aaron stands, leaned, bloodied, against the wall at the end hallway, his back to the basement door.  His eyelids are drooping, his breathing seems labored.  Cathy stands behind him, the shotgun ready at her hip.  She looks down at Will, her face blank.]

         CATHY
Aaron.

[Aaron does not respond at first.  His head barely turns before Cathy lifts the shotgun to her shoulder and blows a shell through the back of his knee.]

         AARON
No!

[He drops to the floor with a scream. Grinding his teeth, he begins to crawl into the living room, Cathy following casually.  He whimpers softly before letting out a small, stunted laugh. He smiles awkwardly and rolls, with much effort, onto his back.  Cathy stands over him.]

         CATHY
You son of a bitch.

         AARON
This was all just a —

[Half of Aaron’s head disappears into mush, squirting and oozing out onto the living room carpet.

Kyndra grips the bat in both hands as she walks slowly down the hall, staring at Cathy.  Cathy lowers the weapon, but doesn’t stop watching Aaron.  Kyndra raises the bat as Cathy turns around.

The wood splinters as it meets Cathy’s skull.  She immediately drops to the floor, nearly unconscious.  Kyndra stands, basking in her catharsis, looking down on the struggling Cathy.  The room is caked in blood.  Kyndra steps back from Cathy, a hint of disgust creeping onto her face.

She then grimaces, lunges forward and drops the bat once more on the back of Cathy’s head.  After delivering a succession of passionately fatal blows to Cathy’s limp body, Kyndra drops the bloody bat, and steps back, smiling a sad, satisfied smile.

She begins to back up, slipping suddenly on the pooling blood.  She catches herself, luckily, and hears something outside.  Holding her breath, she hears the creaking front step.

Kyndra scrambles to the open basement door and crawls down in.

Leon enters, covered in blood, a knife in one hand.  He stops at Michelle’s body, her eyes still wide, then looks around the room, stepping further inside.  Aaron lies in brain and blood.  Cathy’s head is smashed in.  He bends to pick up the dropped shotgun and moves down the hall towards the basement.

Kyndra creeps down the stairs.  Leon kneels beside Will, who’s chest is a sunken bog of liquid and tissue.  He stands and looks down the stairwell at Monica, her face is a mess.  Kyndra waits, frightened, beneath the stairs.

Leon stands looking for more than a moment, then laughs to himself.]

         LEON
Fuckin’ stupid.

[He then turns and walks out the way he came.  As he exits, Kyndra ascends to the stairs.  She also looks around the room, examining the lifeless bodies of her friends.  She is stricken with fear and sorrow and confusion.

Leon laughs once more, loudly, as he walks away from the house.  Kyndra has a moment of realization and anger.  Picking up the bat she hurriedly sneaks out the front door.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – EALY MORNING

[Kyndra steps out of the house, leaps down from the steps, and races for cover behind the car.

Leon turns and looks behind him, then continues down the driveway.

Kyndra thinks for a moment, catching her breath and trying to gather courage, her back resting against her crippled vehicle.  She then peeks around the side, and, seeing Leon gone, bolts into the forest.]

EXT. ROADSIDE – EARLY MORNING

[The sun lights the horizon with a dim orange tinge as morning comes, finally, to the forsaken property.  Leon emerges from the driveway and walks down the road smiling, shaking his head.  He is wearing his backpack once more and is busying himself with the cleaning and re-scabbarding of his bloody knife.]

EXT. FOREST – EARLY MORNING

[Kyndra is racing through the forest, pushing past trunks and loose branches, bat in hand.  She stumbles, trips, and falls into the bloody mess of Shaun, Deron, and Emily.  She whimpers and squirms for a moment before being resolved in her urge for revenge.  She picks herself up and begins running once more.]

EXT. ROADSIDE – EARLY MORNING

[Down in a ditch, Leon is retrieving his hidden bicycle.  He throws it over his shoulder and marches up the incline back to the road.  Dropping it upright, he begins brushing off the leaves and twigs.]

EXT. FOREST – EARLY MORNING

[Kyndra runs.]

EXT. ROADSIDE – EARLY MORNING

[Leon rides smoothly, singing softly to himself.  The words and tones rise as he rides faster; his arms begin to conduct flamboyantly, and he marvels at the blood on his hands and arms. He laughs joyously.]

EXT. FOREST – EARLY MORNING

[Kyndra runs through the forest and into a clearing.  She looks to her right and sees a railroad crossing illuminated by a pair of streetlights.  Just beyond the streetlights is Aarons car parked nearly in the ditch.  Kyndra sprints for the car, looking over her shoulder for Leon.  He is coming.  Kyndra slides up next to the car.]

EXT. ROADSIDE – EARLY MORNING

[Leon raises his hands to the heavens and looks into the night sky as he approaches the railroad crossing.  He then drops to the handlebars, moving into an intense pedaling position.  He pumps as fast as he can, smiling psychotically.

He rumbles over the tracks at high speed and sits upright, releasing the handlebars, and pantomimes two pistols with his hands, shooting in slow motion at Aaron’s car.

Kyndra steps out and swings the bat, catching Leon in the chest.  He falls hard, his backpack opening, it’s deadly contents spilling over the pavement.  Kyndra approaches his body, the bat held in front of her.  He is motionless, except for his chest, which pulsates erratically, aiding his stuttered gasps for breath.

When she is within arms length of Leon, he reaches out and stabs her calf, deep, with his knife.  She screams.  He pulls he blade out and attempts to sever her Achilles tendon, but cuts too high.  Kyndra falls back and throws the bat wildly about.  Leon grabs the bat mid-swing and wrenches it from her hands, throwing it to the side of the road.

She tries to stand, but falls back on a shattered bottle, ruining the palm of her right hand.  She screams once more.  Leon laughs and struggles to his feet.]

         LEON
You stupid bitch.  You sexy, fucking whore.

[He puts his hands on his knees and coughs up a mouthful of blood, spitting it onto the pavement.  He wipes his face with the cuff of his jacket.  Kyndra crawls backwards as Leon walks towards her.]

         LEON
You shallow, mindless cunt.  It’s over.  I’ve reached the point of no return.  Nothing I do matters anymore.  I’ve killed one of you already.  What does it matter if I kill the rest?

[Kyndra is near tears.]

         LEON
God, it’s beautiful.

         KYNDRA
You…  freak…

         LEON
I won’t get away with it.  I can’t, that’s the beauty.  My life is over.  Now I can have fun.  And you’re the only one left, too.  I can torture you all day long.

[Kyndra stops crawling, and takes a few deep breaths, allowing Leon to come closer.]

         LEON
I wish I’d brought my camera.

[Kyndra kicks with her good leg, striking Leon at the knee, twisting it and dropping him to the ground.  She reaches out across the open road, grabbing a small hatchet, which fell from Leon’s backpack.  She brings the blade back, hitting Leon as he tries to rise.  The blade bounces off of Leon’s body and out of her hands, but delivers a bone-shocking blow.  He falls back with a yell.]

         KYNDRA
Fuck you.

[Kyndra throws herself at Leon and, landing on top of him, pushes her glass-studded right palm into his face.  They scream together as she grinds the glass in.  He pushes her off, and she lands beside him.  She looks at the knife lying next to her.]

         LEON
You think I care about my fucking face?

[Kyndra grabs the knife and rolls onto Leon’s torso, straddling him.  She drives into his mouth, catching a large portion of his upper-lip and knocking a few teeth out.  She rotates and twists the knife deeper into his head, turning his screams into gargles and, eventually, into silence.

She stands slowly and painfully, dropping the knife, and steps back from the body.  Wobbling over to the car, she opens the door, and climbs into the drivers seat.  Her hind finds the missing ignition and she leans back in her seat.  For a moment she rests, silent and still, before looking up into the rearview mirror.  Adjusting the reflection, she looks into her own, heartless gaze.  She reaches up and wipes the blood from her face, then looks back at the road. 

Then she looks at Leon.  Then she slouches down in the seat, resting her head on the door.  She stares at herself in the side-view mirror.  She wipes at a bit of blood on her face, smearing it across her cheek.]

EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE – MORNING

[The house burns.]

EXT. ROADSIDE – MORNING

[Kyndra limps through the countryside, smoke rising behind her, Leon’s backpack slung over her shoulder.  She looks down at her hands, marveling at the blood.  A mischievous smile creeps across her lips.]

THE END