Dark Was the Night

---

(bird tweets briefly)

-(machinery groans)

-(chainsaw buzzes)

(heavy mechanical

thumping and grinding)

Worker:
Heads up.

You the last ones out?

Driver:
I think Jesse's

crew is still out there.

Worker:
All right, thanks.

- See you guys Monday.

- Driver:
Later.

(men chatter to each other)

- Jesse, come in, over.

-(static)

What, are you guys going

for a record, out there?

(static)

Come on, Jesse,

it's starting to snow.

(static)

Worker:
(radio) Look,

don't think for a second

I won't hesitate to lock

you guys in for the weekend.

Stop screwing around, Jesse,

you guys aren't getting

overtime for this.

garbled static:
Help, help,

help.

Damn it.

(ominous music)

Are you kidding?

Jesse!

Come on, you guys.

This isn't funny.

Guys?

(static)

- Jesse?

-(static)

- Is that you?

-(static)

God!

(blood drips)

-(worker pants)

-(heavy footsteps approach)

-(footsteps approach quickly)

-(worker yells)

-(glass shatters)

-(worker shouts)

-(creature snarls)

-(blood splashes)

(eerie music)

Sheriff:
I don't know.

I'm not seeing any

tire tracks, Ron.

A truck woulda left some.

I had 23 horses

yesterday, I got 22 today.

I'm no sheriff,

but best I figure

that means one's missing.

The gate's kinda

low over here.

Could it've jumped over?

Ron:
Been raising horses

on this land for 35 years.

Never seen one jump loose

without taking a section

of fence with 'em.

Just seems odd to

me that someone would

go through all the trouble

to steal one horse.

Take two men and a trailer.

Gates were closed?

And tied. I'm not an idiot.

So that's it?

I'm just out one

expensive animal?

I wish I could do more

for you, Ron, but...

I'm just not seeing

anything, here.

I'm seeing one missing horse!

Number 88.

Last night all my horses

wore numbered bridles,

like this one, and this

morning I'm missing number 88.

Number 88.

I'll keep an eye out.

Ron:
I lose another horse,

you and I are gonna

have a real problem.

I wouldn't have it

any other way, Ron.

(door slams)

He definitely

left that gate open.

Yep.

(engine starts)

Careful, now.

The old bastard shot at

the last guy she dated.

(Donny laughs)

(Adam plays piano)

-(car horn honks)

- Dad's here!

Hey, Dad.

What's up, buddy? How are ya?

Adam!

Adam, wait.

- Paul.

-(Paul sighs)

He forgot his homework.

Multiplication.

So New York's a

big city, right?

Yeah, it's pretty big.

So Why'd you leave?

It was too big. Too noisy.

Your, urn, your

mom's car's gone?

Yeah, she went to Florida

on one of those

Senior bus trips.

She was excited.

Adam's teacher wants to have

a conference with us next week.

She said they're on break,

so they can plan

around your schedule.

Sure.

Susan:
Paul, I, uh...

I've been talking to someone.

It's really helped me.

If you ever wanted

to go together--

I'm not the one

that left, Susan.

-(car doors slam)

-(engine starts)

-(silverware clanks)

-(food sizzles)

Paul:
Ah, all right.

Whoop.

That's too much.

(chuckles self-consciously)

There we go, I'm just gonna...

Rub that off like that.

There you are.

When can Mom come home?

That's a tough question, bud.

Your mom decided to go stay

with Grandma on her own.

She can come home

whenever she wants.

But she says you

don't want her to.

Well, I think what

she meant was, um...

That we both have

things to figure out.

Is it because of Tim?

No, it's not because of that.

You understand?

Yeah, okay.

Okay.

Are you all right?

Someone's in the back yard.

Where?

In the trees.

- Adam, come on.

- Adam:
Really.

There's no one back here, Adam.

Adam:
I swear!

You want me to go check?

Take your gun.

I don't need my gun.

Look, I'm gonna go back there

and I'm gonna prove to you

that there's nothing

to be scared of, yeah?

You eat up and stay here.

-(branches rustle)

-(eerie clicking)

Anyone out there?

This is Sheriff Shields.

Paul:
You're not in any trouble.

Just show yourself.

(eerie clicking)

(wind blows)

(twig snaps)

-(branches rustle)

-(eerie clicking)

(sighs)

-(knocking at door)

- Donny:
Hello? Can I come in?

Hey, boss.

Hey, boss, you okay?

The door was

unlocked, so I just...

I'm just fixing

breakfast, here.

Paul:
Sorta.

Susan buy him that cereal?

It's got fruit in it.

I don't think it counts if

it's made outta marshmallows.

Is Adam still asleep?

Yeah.

Have you been outside?

Come on.

What is this?

I don't know.

I woke up an hour

ago and saw 'em.

They look like hoof

prints from a horse.

It's hard to tell, but...

- Paul:
Spacing's wrong.

- Donny:
Yeah.

One in front of the other.

Like it's on two legs?

How's that even possible?

They were looking

in our windows.

A lot of houses near my

apartment have the same thing.

They go all the way

to your apartment?

They go all the

way through town.

Come on.

Donny:
Yeah, it turned off.

Going that way.

Probably just some punk

kids playing a prank, huh?

Donny:
Yeah, why would

they come out this far?

Maybe it's an animal?

Could be injured.

Paul:
I don't know.

Whatever it is,

it could still be

out there, come on.

Turned this way.

Donny:
Yeah.

Paul:
It sped up, here.

Donny:
Huh?

The tracks are

getting further apart.

(fallen leaves rustle)

Hey boss.

Donny:
Better take a

look at this.

Donny:
They're gone.

They stop here,

and they just disappear.

Paul:
It looked like hooves.

Some are bigger than

a horse's, but, um...

on two legs like a

person or a bear.

Okay, we're aware of it,

we're taking care of

the situation, okay?

Thank you.

How can I help you?

Yeah,

(sighs)

it does sound like a prank, I...

I'm just trying to be thorough.

Listen, nothing else has

been reported in the area.

Paul:
Yeah.

I agree that it's nuts, yes.

Yes, but I...

I'd appreciate it if you

kept an eye out, as well.

This thing's got

people spooked, and...

A little bit of an explanation

would go a long way.

Paul:
Yeah.

I appreciate it. Thanks.

Well, Forest Department says

that they've never heard

of an animal that could walk

that far on its hind legs.

Guy laughed at me.

You know, the people

are getting panicky.

I don't know how long we

can keep spinning this.

Yeah, whoever did this

has got a lot to answer for.

You still think it's a person?

I mean, those tracks, they

disappeared into thin air.

How is a person gonna

make three miles of tracks

without any other traces?

Donny:
Doesn't make any sense.

Ah, don't let it

get to you, Donny.

That's exactly what

whoever did this wants.

Hopefully this just

all blows over.

Yeah.

You finish up the

paperwork on my desk?

Yeah, you got it, boss.

Paul:
Thanks.

Priest:
Paul! How are

you doing this morning?

I'm good, yourself?

Quite a little mystery we

seem to have woken up to.

Well, nothing mysterious

about a good prank.

Can I do something for you?

Oh, Jonah, my black

lab ran off last night.

And it seems I'm not the

only one missing a pet.

I'll do what I

can to find him.

Priest:
I really

appreciate it.

- Paul:
'Kay.

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