Nostalgia Den: A Hatter's Hunt(Excerpt)

Nostalgia den

"A Hatter's Hunt"

Teaser

Fade in:

Int. Hunter's maze - night

Red lights flicker as green hedges line the room, crinkling as they change color under the lights. Spinning spirals deck the walls while statues of mushrooms and cardboard cutouts sit next to the hedges. A small empty plywood facade of a house stands near the center of the maze, collecting dust on its roof while it sits shrouded in shade.

BRENMARK(30s, muscular), the scarred and cold animatronic bounty hunter leads a band of heavily armed Nexus soldiers down a pathway.

Brenmark

Cover more ground. We'll surround him near the back.

The soldiers fan out, scattering across the maze.

A second soldier follows Brenmark, shuddering.

Streams of a dark, slime-like substance drape down the walls, neon scribbles flashing on and off them while blacklights flicker overhead.

Brenmark passes them and gulps, a cold sweat dripping down his forehead.

A quick breeze dashes past them.

Brenmark turns to face another soldier.

Brenmark

(whispering)

Stay on your guard. Move quietly.

The sounds of a man fighting for his last breath echo from the far side of the maze, an unsettling chorus of shattering bones following it.

Blood splatters the walls on the far side of the maze, painting the corner a dark shade of red.

Brenmark turns his head and clenches his fist, fighting back the urge to take a breath.

BRENMARK

Keep moving. The moment we stop, we're dead.

The soldier in front of Brenmark keeps sneaking forward while Brenmark paces behind him.

Prowling behind him, a pair of glowing dark blue eyes watches on, pupils glitching into an electric shade of green.

SOLDIER 2(30s, lean) winces at the sound of agonized groans, watching his tracker glitch and lose track of Hunter's location.

Soldier 2

Sir, do you think we should call for backup?

BRENMARK

Negative. We'll end this ourselves.

Brenmark cocks his gun and moves forward, listening for a set of metal footsteps.

SOLDIER 2

But sir, I'm unsure if we can--

BRENMARK

We have to. We're the only ones left who can.

A cold breeze chills the room.

Soldier 2 gulps and holds onto his gun.

Gunfire blazes on the other side of the maze, only to be snuffed out by the sound of bones getting crushed.

HUNTER(ageless(looks to be about 16), animatronic), the red-haired, usually playful and childish Mad Hatter animatronic, lets out a dark chuckle.

Hunter (o.s.)

(softly)

Two down...four to go.

The two soldiers shuffle away from Hunter's voice.

Soldier 2 takes a breath.

Soldier 2

Maybe we can call for reinforcements, or weapons, or anything else that could--

Brenmark

Shut up!

(BEAT)

That's an order. We'll capture this thing if it's the last thing we do.

A loud, agonizing scream rings through the maze.

Brenmark scowls and nods his head, pressing a button on his walkie talkie.

Brenmark

(into his walkie)

We'll book him at the exit. Everyone fall back now.

The two race towards the exit, slipping past Hunter while the substance oozes onto the floor.

Hunter chases after them snickering while he steps over the other soldiers' corpses.

Hunter (o.s.)

(teasing)

I'm coming for you!

Brenmark fires a shot towards Hunter, missing his head by only a few inches.

Hunter grins and runs faster, closing in on Soldier 2 while Brenmark prepares to take another shot.

Soldier 2 trips and falls flat on his face, letting out a scream.

Brenmark freezes, reaching for Soldier 2's hand as Hunter pulls him into a dark part of the maze.

BRENMARK

No!

A loud crunch emerged from that part of the maze, followed by whatever's in it spitting out Soldier 2's head and parts of his spinal cord.

Brenmark breaks into a cold sweat and tries to open the door.

Locked.

He cranks and jerks his hand against the doorknob, watching it fail to budge.

Hunter stalks towards him, eyes crazed like a wild animal's as he tosses the rest of Soldier 2's corpse in front of Brenmark.

Brenmark jumps, shivering at the sight of Hunter.

Hunter

I gotta say, it's been fun chasing you guys. Watching your blood splatter, seeing the fear of death in your faces...

Brenmark points his gun at him, his fear growing ever more evident on his face.

BRENMARK

Please, stay away from me.

Hunter stalks even closer.

HUNTER

But now, it's time for this game to end and move onto another one. But don't worry, I'll make sure this next one is even more fun than this.

Brenmark leans against the door, heart pounding.

BRENMARK

Please, I'll do whatever you want.

Hunter chuckles.

He strokes a hand across Brenmark's cheek.

HunteR

Oh, my little Teacup.

(BEAT)

The only thing I want from you...is your pain.

Hunter digs his fingers into Brenmark's eye sockets and hauls him towards a hidden room in the maze, letting out a dark and maniacal laugh.

Fade to black.

Main titles

End of teaser

Fade in:

Act one

Int. living room - evening

Ceiling lights shine above a brown sofa sitting next to a stone fireplace. Sitting next to the sofa is an armchair covered in throw blankets, absorbing the sun's warmth while a glass coffee table glistens in the center.

CORA(15, Black), the tough, yet responsible leader of Hunter Team 7, sits next to LUCY(15, Asian American), a short, stocky tech/soul-medical genius.

ANTON(15, blonde), the second tech nerd(and Gracie's nephew) sits next to sister MAC(16, tall), Gracie's aggressive and rebellious niece and the muscle of the team as he texts on his phone.

GRACIE(47, scrawny), the old, yet youthful founder of the National Nostalgia Den Agency walks into the living room.

Gracie

Alright. I've got a few announcements to make.

Lucy slants an eyebrow.

Gracie

First, I have to apologize for not being here as often. I've been working on a few things and I have some news. Drumroll please.

The four kids beat their hands on their laps, creating a drumroll.

GRACIE

You're going on your first animatronic mission.

Cora gasps.

Lucy

Wait. What?

Mac

No way.

Anton

Are you sure we're even ready for this?

Gracie

Of course you are. You've shown how ready you are during missions. Plus with Lucy graduating her Soul Mechanics class, I think it's about time to step up.

Anton

So does that mean we're part of the Animatronic Unit now?

Gracie nods.

Anton

No way! That's awesome!

The four celebrate with high fives and hugs.

Gracie

But I have to warn you. It won't be easy rescuing them.

Mac

Look, we know, it's not like salvaging an arcade cabinet and what not, but--

Cora

So, what are the rules?

Gracie

No rules, just keep the animatronics alive and don't die.

Mac

Do we get to keep our weapons?

Gracie nods.

Mac

Sweet!

Cora

But, wait. Why are we getting promoted so fast?

Everyone else pauses.

Cora

Don't you usually have to go through years of training before you get promoted?

GRACIE

Glad you asked, since that brings me to my third announcement.

(BEAT)

You're getting a new team member!

Lucy tilts her head.

Lucy

Wait. What?

Anton

Who?

Gracie

Your cousin. I finally got your Aunt Nicole to let Izzy join us this summer.

Anton and Mac's faces light up.

Anton

That's amazing!

Lucy

Wait a minute. Who is she exactly?

Gracie

One of my other nieces.

She points at Mac and Anton.

Gracie

A bit younger than those two, but still a force of nature like her mother and aunt.

Cora gives her a concerned look.

Gracie

Don't worry, she's been through training already.

(pause)

Kinda gave her a crash course on what to do.

Lucy

Why isn't she here right now?

Gracie

She's still in school. But she'll be here as soon as she gets out.

Cora

Has she been around animatronics before?

GRACIE

Oh, yeah. Lots of them. Not in the way you have, but she's been around them more than the average person.

Cora nods, pursing her lips to the side.

GRACIE

But that brings me to your first animatronic mission.

(BEAT)

Tonight, you'll be rescuing an old bot before Nexus can get their hands on him. Follow that rule, be ready to fight and I'm sure everything will go on swimmingly.

Cora pauses.

Cora

Wait. What do you mean by--

GRACIE

Lucy, I had Doc send you all the things you need to monitor the situation. Everyone suit up. I'll see you in the garage.

Gracie jogs out of the living room.

The four kids race upstairs to their rooms to suit up.