Horror Hiatus: I'm Your Boogeyman

A quick note from Stephen Beacham --

This is the first of many short scripts, roughly between 30 and 60 pages long each. "Horror Hiatus" is the name I've given the series much in the tradition of a large collection of horror stories presented with hints of dark humor. The first of the series, so far a trilogy, is entitled "I'm Your Boogeyman" - which follows the life of an up and coming serial killer that mistakingly messes with someone who is far more deranged than he is.

This is one of the first scripts I've ever written and I don't usually follow the recommended formula and I have a bad habit of having dialogue heavy scenes, but that's how I roll.

Give the script a try, it's not as macabre as it sounds - it's a pretty fun ride if you can appreciate horror films integrated with black humor.

This is not the full script which runs at about 75 pages. I like to call this my "teaser" script.

Enjoy!

Stephen Beacham







FADE IN:


EXT. ATLANTIC CITY - NIGHT

The city glooms with an atmospheric calmness - the lights
twinkle and the traffic is tame - the sounds are gentle and
all is well in the slums of Atlantic City.

SUBTITLE APPEARS; "October 27th, 1996"


INT. 3421 CAVALIER AVE. - NIGHT

STACIE LUDMILLA (17) looks into the hallway mirror and
applies the finishing touch to her costume and checks her
hair while conversing on her phone.

STACIE LUDMILLA
(annoyed)
How long does it take to drive
four blocks?
(beat)
Make sure he's coming, I dont want
to give anyone else the wrong idea
about me.
(beat)
I'm wearing, like, the slutiest
costume imaginable but he's got to
know that this supple ass is an
open invite to him and him alone.


Stacie opens the top of her dress a little more - exposing
more cleavage.

STACIE LUDMILLA
(still on phone)
Well it's a subtle invite, but
it's a fairly blatant hint.
(beat)
I'll be watching for you.


She hangs up and tosses the phone on the hallway bench.

STACIE LUDMILLA
(loudly to herself)
Where the fuck is my purse?!


MRS. LUDMILLA (O.S)
What kind of language is that,
Stacie?!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2.


STACIE LUDMILLA
I am much apologetic, mom.


Stacie opens the closet and grabs her purse laying on the
floor.

STACIE LUDMILLA
Found it.


MRS. LUDMILLA walks into the hallway.

MRS. LUDMILLA
What did we discuss?


Stacie rolls her eyes at her mother.

STACIE LUDMILLA
No drugs.


Mrs. Ludmilla nods - "And?"

STACIE LUDMILLA
No alcohol. No sex. No fun.


MRS. LUDMILLA
I'm not ready to be the
grandmother of a newborn with some
kind of cognitive disability,
Stacie.


STACIE LUDMILLA
Dont worry I'll make sure he wears
protection.


MRS. LUDMILLA
That's smart, but not funny.


STACIE LUDMILLA
I'm kidding. Look, I'm not heading
to Marilyn Manson's house for a
quick fling or anything, I'm just
going to a costume party with my
friends. Nothing to worry about.


A car horn is heard outside.

STACIE LUDMILLA
(heading to the
door)
That's Samantha.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3.


MRS. LUDMILLA
Be good, honey, and have fun. Call
us if you're going to be late.



EXT. 3421 CAVALIER AVE. - NIGHT

Stacie shuts her front door and runs to the car occupied by
her friends. They shout out incomprehensibly as Stacie hops
in.


INT. CAR - NIGHT

Stacie sits in the front seat sucking back a joint and hands
it over to EVAN (18) - in the back with DAVID (18).

STACIE LUDMILLA
So?


EVAN
What?


STACIE LUDMILLA
Is he coming or not?


DAVID
Who?


SAMANTHA
Riley.


DAVID
Riley Brown? Why do you care if
he's coming? The guys obviously an
illiterate.


SAMANTHA
He's unique.


EVAN
He's an oddball, but he means
well. I guess he's a good guy to
have on your side if you're in the
habit of pursuing a career in
illegal activities - and yes,
Stacie, he'll be there. I sent him
the invite personally.


STACIE LUDMILLA
(smiles at Evan)
Much appreciated, Evan! Thank you!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4.


Stacie looks back at David who is wearing a terrible looking
wolfman costume and a yellow basketball jersey.

STACIE LUDMILLA
(smiling)
What the fuck is this, David?


DAVID
Clearly you haven't seen Teen
Wolf?


Stacie looks bored.

DAVID
Michael J. Fox?


STACIE LUDMILLA
Sorry.


DAVID
Don't apologize to me for your
shortcomings, sweetie.


Evan passes the joint to the driver, SAMANTHA (17).

SAMANTHA
You really need to get out of
Harrison's class.


STACIE LUDMILLA
It's not that bad.


SAMANTHA
Girl, I've seen who you're sitting
beside - looks to be as exciting
as rye bread. It's all about whose
in your class that'll determine
your success. I got Miller and
Kim, inside out that class is
absolutely beautiful. We could
have a mardi gras in that
classroom and still get a passing
grade. Plus, I got these two
clowns behind us to keep me
entertained.


DAVID
I love you, Samantha.


SAMANTHA
Fuck your mother, David.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5.


EVAN
Did you guys hear about Tyler
Mitchell's little jailtime last
year?


STACIE LUDMILLA
Is that why he's not in school?


EVAN
Crazy son of a bitch tossed Billy
Parkens through his back
windshield after last years
homecoming game.


SAMANTHA
Tyler Mitchell was born a jail
bird.


It becomes increasingly more dark outside as the teenagers
drive down a perimeter highway - the city lights still
visible in the distance.

DAVID
Two words. BILLY CLUB. You got a
drunk giving you problems? Billy
Club. You got a ninja acting up?
Billy Club. You got a drunk ass
trying to be a ninja speaking
jiberish and trying to give you
shit? BILLY CLUB. Just club his
drunk ass, and give him a nice fat
lump on his forehead to think
about the way he was behaving.


EVAN
Dude, you tried talking tough like
that last year and you got rocked
so bad you started whimpering like
a puppy.


SAMANTHA
You know you two could learn a
thing or two from Tyler Mitchell.
The guys got a pretty impressive
resume.


EVAN
How so?


SAMANTHA
Ask around at school, try to find
one girl he hasnt slept with.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6.


DAVID
Have you two slept with him?


STACIE LUDMILLA
She has, I havent!


DAVID
(laughs)
You slut!


SAMANTHA
I'm not denying the fact that
Tyler Mitchell is a muscle-bound
ant eater with a knack for
violence - but he was a legend for
at least one year at our school.


DAVID
When he kidnapped Gnome Chomsky?


SAMANTHA
That's such small potatoes. Think
bigger.


EVAN
The fact of the matter is he's
borderline psychotic.


STACIE LUDMILLA
But he's gorgeous.


SAMANTHA
In the right light he looks
exactly like Jason Ritter.


Evan nods his head approvably.

DAVID
I just want a girl who can get
down and dirty.


EVAN
Fuck man, who doesnt?


DAVID
But heres the thing about Tyler
Mitchell, ladies. The guy grew up
raising chickens on daddy's farm,
he has no preference when it comes
to females. She can be missing an
eye, have three teeth, have breath
like she's been sucking on an old
gym sock filled with dog shit and
have a flaky crusty disease ridden
(MORE)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7.


DAVID (cont'd)
vagina and a bush that starts at
her bellybutton and ends somewhere
in the middle of her back and ole
Ty Mitchell would still rock that
shit. But then again take a closer
look at this "legend" as you call
him - The last
time he got a piece of ass was
when his finger broke through the
toilet paper. In jail.


Everyone laughs.

The car comes to a stop at a red light.

Stacie looks out her window and sees a white 1989 Ford F150
stopped beside them - she looks at the occupant dressed in a
Michael Myers Halloween costume.

STACIE LUDMILLA
(to Samantha)
Check this guy out.


Samantha looks over at him and giggles.

SAMANTHA
(laughs)
Is this guy serious? Maybe he's
going to the same party.



INT. FORD TRUCK - NIGHT

The occupant slowly turns his head at the loud teenagers -
rolling down their windows and holding up beer bottles, and
acting heinous.

EVAN
Killer costume, man!!!


DAVID
Hey!!! I'm your biggest
supporter!!!



EXT. PERIMETER HIGHWAY - NIGHT

The light turns green - the occupant in the truck speeds up
and swirves into their lane and slams on the breaks in front
of them.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8.


INT. CAR - NIGHT

EVAN
Jesus Christ!!!


STACIE LUDMILLA
What's he doing!!!


The four teens watch the occupant in the truck step out of
the truck in a full Michael Myers getup - and swiftly walk
in front of the car.

SAMANTHA
(shouting)
What the fuck's your problem!!!


The occupant moves closer and closer...

SAMANTHA
Are you fucking retarded,
asshole?!!


The occupant aims a gun at Samantha and shoots through the
windshield mercilessly - splattering blood all over Stacie
and the other two. Stacie screams but is shot a few times as
well. Everyone screams in absolute terror as the shooting
continues.

Shock Cut Into - "KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND - I'M YOUR BOOGIE
MAN" blasts onto the soundtrack.


EXT. CAR - NIGHT

The shooting stops as the occupant walks to the side of the
car and forces the door open to continue firing at the two
boys in the back seat.

The Myers copycat closes the door and slicks the hair from
the mask back - looks around and studies the bodies for a
few seconds before quickly pacing to his truck.

The killer very casually drives away - leaving the car and
the teenagers on the road...

FADE OUT TO BLACK SCREEN --

TITLE CARD APPEARS;
H O R R O R H I A T U S PRESENTS:
"I'M YOUR BOOGEYMAN"

WRITTEN BY STEPHEN BEACHAM




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9.


INT. THE PHANTASMAL BOOKS & SUPPLIES - DAY

FRANK BUSKY (65) sits behind the desk of his small, dark and
bizarre looking book store - reading the newspaper and
sipping back a cup of tea.

The bell from the front door jingles as a younger man enters
- this is HAL HARLEN an off but good looking individual,
sporting a pair of jet black reading glasses and a knitted
zip-up sweater.

HAL approaches the front desk.

HAL HARLEN
Whatd'ya say there, Frank?


FRANK BUSKY
Hal, good day?


HAL HARLEN
Oh, just fine. Hows business?


FRANK BUSKY
I sell a few books here and there,
Hal. Not quite making the fortune
I originally sought out.


Hal scans the store briefly.

HAL HARLEN
Funny seeing such youngings here,
what's the attraction do you
think?


FRANK BUSKY
Seem to be attracting a whole
bundle of fiddle-fucks these days.
(beat)
You know I had a kid in here last
week asks me if I've got any of
those old fashioned eroticism
books, you know?


HAL HARLEN
Right.


FRANK BUSKY
When I was that young the worst
we'd ever seen were in those old
science fiction novels with a
mildly detailed description of
sexual interaction. But that was
always enough for us to get our
rocks off. No accounting for taste
(MORE)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10.


FRANK BUSKY (cont'd)
I suppose.


HAL HARLEN
You're entitled to have animosity
towards these people, Frank,


FRANK BUSKY
Just the same, these sick fucks
get their pleasure and - well - I
get money in the cash register.
(beat)
So, what brings you to my little
shop of horrors?


HAL HARLEN
(flipping through
a book)
I'm not looking for anything in
particular, Frank, in fact I have
no real reason to even be in here.


FRANK BUSKY
Are you a religous man, Hal?


HAL HARLEN
Never really gave it much thought.
I suppose if someone could show me
proof of God's existence I'd be
far more inspired to learn about
it.


FRANK BUSKY
I carry a few bibles here. You
know what I always found strange
about the bible is that dogs are
mentioned and lions are mentioned
but domestic cats are never
referred to once.


The front door opens, a very skinny and odd looking man
walks into the store and approaches Frank and Hal.

MAN
I was wondering if you could help
me out?


FRANK BUSKY
Lets hear it, friend.


MAN
Okay, well I'm sort of interested
in necrophilia, right? You know
sex with dead people?
(MORE)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11.


MAN (cont'd)
(beat)
But is there a difference between
fucking a dead person versus
fucking a zombie? Personally, I
feel that fucking a corpse is a
qualitatively different activity
than fucking a zombie. My sister
insists that both are necrophilia
but I strongly disagree. Also,
would this word refer to the
desire to have sex with ALL undead
creatures? I mean, qualitatively,
sex with a zombie is a bit
different from sex with a vampire
isn't it?


Frank and Hal glance at eachother for a second.

FRANK BUSKY
I swear it's like these freaks are
fucking spawning by the hour.



EXT. STREETS - NIGHT

Hal walks down the streets, people pass him immersed in
conversation and the sounds of the city fill the surrounding
area in a cool wave of prevelance.

A lone dog scurries down the sidewalk as the traffic rumbles
beside him as he moves. People walk past him but pay little
attention.

HAL HARLEN (V.O)
This is my picture. I'll often go
here. I live for this image and I
believe in it. But the possibility
of it is as far as it will ever
go.


Up in the sky a beautiful butterfly flutters around a street
light, the glow shining proudly on it's beautiful white
wings.

HAL HARLEN (V.O)
When I close my eyes this is what
I'll see. Such a beautiful place.
So much light. So many of those
rare possibilities we take for
granted exist here.


SHOCK CUT TO:




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12.


EXT. STREETS - DAY

A sea of pedestrians flow down a busy city sidewalk, this
must be a work day.

HAL HARLEN (V.O)
What was it I believed in?
Religion? Not so much, Frank.
Hope? Hope never got me anywhere.
So when the fuck did this happen?
When did things get so bad? I
mean, really, how are things
looking for me? Do I look okay? Do
people see me? Do I see them? Do I
want to...



INT. HAL'S APARTMENT - DAY

Hal stands in front of a mirror wearing nothing but a pair
of boxer shorts and a scary looking mask. He tilts his head
to the side and then continues stairing at himself in the
mirror.

HAL HARLEN (V.O)
I couldn't kill anyone. I always
make sure to wear these masks when
I'm in that mood though, it helps
me. I have a collection of
thirty-eight masks. Some from
prominent scary movies and some
that I made from scratch.


Hal's mask collection are littered in his living room, some
are simply cardboard boxes with cut out eye holes and
childish monster designs all over them.


INT. PLATO'S MARKET - DAY

Hal is busy mopping up the floor in aisle 12 of the local
grocery market "PLATO'S".

HAL HARLEN (V.O)
Where I work is at a monkey farm
of self indulgent and greasy
goomba's. I'm in charge of
stalking the shelves and assisting
customers with the identifying and
locating of items of their
choosing.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

13.


A tubby looking older man wearing a nametag that says
"EUGENIO" approaches Hal.

EUGENIO
Hal, hey, Hal, listen...


Hal stops mopping and turns to Eugenio in annoyance.

EUGENIO
I need you to take a shift the
morning of Monday next week, okay?


HAL HARLEN
I can't, I'm busy that day.


EUGENIO
Look, we're in the shits all week,
I need the backbone.


HAL HARLEN
I can't take it, Eugene, can you
find someone else?


EUGENIO
Look man, I hired you! Just as
easily I could kick you out on
your ass where you'd be the
product of charity work from
people who are fucking employed!


An elderly woman walks past the two and glances over at
Eugenio disapproving his language.

EUGENIO
(acknowledging
woman)
Afternoon.


Hal watches the woman leave then turns back to Eugenio.

HAL HARLEN
...And just as easily I could lay
a bullet in your fucking smirk
head.


EUGENIO
What did you say?


HAL HARLEN
(embarassed laugh)
Just fucking with you, man.
(beat)
Um, yeah I'd be happy to take the
shift, any time you need me,
(MORE)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

14.


HAL HARLEN (cont'd)
Eugene.
(pause)
Please...



INT. RIBBINS COFFEE - DAY

Hal sits across from MR. EISENMAN, an older man - he's
sipping on a cup of coffee or tea and scratching the top of
his head in the process. Hal sits back in his chair and
listens to him speak...

MR. EISENMAN
You're still young, young is good.
We learn the most important things
when we're young, Hal. I mean, as
long as I always had new things to
learn my life was crystal. Was it
paradise?
(shakes head)
There were the gas shortages, the
end of the Vietnam war. the
Watergate scandal, the Three Mile
Island nuclear incident, the ever
present threat of nuclear war with
the Russians. But these things
only affected me indirectly.


HAL HARLEN
Yeah.


MR. EISENMAN
Let me tell you something, Hal.
You're looking greater than
anything.


HAL HARLEN
Thanks Mr. Eisenman.


MR. EISENMAN
Why haven't you set yourself up
with some nice lovely nice lady,
huh?


HAL HARLEN
I don't think I'd be able to
subject them to my hobbies.


MR. EISENMAN
I hear you late at night in your
apartment. You're still playing
dress up with yourself?




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

15.


HAL HARLEN
(embarassed)
Well, I mean, it's not dress up,
Mr. Eisenman. I collect masks, you
know that?


MR. EISENMAN
Collecting masks and doing what?
Dancing like a fucking queer?


HAL HARLEN
That's not what I'm doing. I'm
just cool.


MR. EISENMAN
Sometimes I think you're not quite
alright upstairs, Hal. But you're
a cool guy, I'll give you that.


HAL HARLEN
Hey my mind is a steal trap, Mr.
Eisenman, rusty and illegal in
thirty-seven states.


MR. EISENMAN
Lord give me patience.



EXT. RIBBINS COFFEE - DAY

Hal helps Mr. Eisenman with his coat and the two casually
exit the coffee shop.

HAL HARLEN
You alright to make it back to the
building?


MR. EISENMAN
Where are you going?


Hal looks at his watch.

HAL HARLEN
I promised someone I'd drop by and
help him with his furniture.


MR. EISENMAN
Hey, look, Hal, tonight I'm having
a few old timers over for our
weekend scrabble tournies. You
come by and you bring some beer or
something and you join us?




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

16.


HAL HARLEN
Sure, that'd be great.


MR. EISENMAN
Seven on the dial, alright?


HAL HARLEN
You've got yourself a deal.


MR. EISENMAN
(jokingly)
You'll leave the masks at home?


HAL HARLEN
Really? I was thinking I'd bring
just one over and show you
bastards what a Mexican bloodbath
looks like!


Mr. Eisenman doesn't look at all surprised that Hal said
that.

HAL HARLEN
I'm sorry, I didn't mean that.
(beat)
I'll tell you, you know, I'll
bring some graham wafers too,
okay? Or some pretzels?


Mr. Eisenman shakes his head and starts walking down the
sidewalk in the opposite direction - he throws his arm into
the air as though to silence Hal.

HAL HARLEN
What kind of beer do you guys
like?!



INT. 1971 CHEVY NOVA - DAY

Hal sits in his car and looks into the mirror for a few
seconds before glancing into the backseat...
...A dufflebag.
He looks back into the mirror before starting up his car.

HAL HARLEN (V.O)
It was becoming evident that I had
that urge again. That deadly and
horrifying impulse that no matter
what I couldn't shake off.
(beat)
So on that same note I made sure
to grab one of my masks - a gun -
(MORE)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

17.


HAL HARLEN (cont'd)
and a really big knife...



EXT. STREET - DAY

The Nova roars off into the distance like a ghost from the
past ready to shed it's armour and reveal the true beast
within...

TO BE CONTINUED...



FADE OUT.