House on Haunted Hill Page #26

INT. MAIN SALON - CONTINUOUS

Sara and Eddie hear the Voice coming from the Foyer:

PRITCHETT (O.S.)

Anybody still alive? I'm giving you ten

seconds! Two-four-six-eight --

Sara and Eddie dash into the Foyer.

SARA:

-- hey! --

PRITCHETT (O.S.)

(slightly disappointed)

-- ten.

EDDIE:

Pritchett, is that you?

PRITCHETT (O.S.)

Up here --

INT. ATTIC - CONTINUOUS

A metallic POP! and PING! is heard. Pritchett's eyes dart to

the machinery:
a strand of the rusted cable holding the

window open has snapped free, and the rest are in an advanced

state of fray.

PRITCHETT:

-- I think you better hurry -- there's

something of a time issue here.

INT. GRAND FOYER - CONTINUOUS

Sara and Eddie start up the stairs - behind them the hallway

is turning black with decay.

SARA:

Move!!

They race up the stairs --

INT. ATTIC - CONTINUOUS

-- arriving in another part of the attic.

Sara looks around, trying to get her bearings.

EDDIE:

Pritchett!

A DISTANT VOICE:

PRITCHETT (O.S.)

Over here!

The attic is a labyrinth of dangling cables, counterweights

and their often neck-high metal moorings. Sara moves toward

the sound of his voice, Eddie hangs back, sensing something.

SARA slowly wends her way through all the mishigas.

UNSEEN by her, down by her carefully treading feet, the

Shadow Mass is filtering up through the slits in the attic's

floor.

SARA edges her way around a tall iron fly-rail --

-- and something grabs at her hand. She's had enough, she

reaches back to slug it -- then stops:

It's Pritchett.

PRITCHETT:

Please. It's been a bad enough day --

-- and now the SHADOW MASS has re-assembled to its new, full

enormity. It begins to barrel across the attic towards

Pritchett and Sara, who don't have a clue -- Eddie does...

EDDIE:

Get out ot the way!

Sara turns back toward him. Eddie rushes and pushes her to

the side as the Shadow Mass is just about to envelop her.

And EDDIE is STRUCK full-force -- he instantaneously turns to

a blackened mass.

SARA:

Eddie!!

And then the wind from outside kicks up, blowing EDDIE AWAY

like so much powder. And Sara just crumples.

At the other end of the attic, the Shadow Mass is TURNING

back toward them.

Pritchett rushes in -- GRABS SARA -- and pulls her towards

the small dormer window -- the CABLE holding the plate snaps

three of its last four strands --

-- Pritchett pushes Sara through the window -- just as the

CABLE holding the plate finally breaks, trapping Pritchett

inside!

It's now back to near pitch-black again in there. Pritchett

turns to see:

The FACES of all of Vannacutt's VICTIMS taking form in the

immense Shadow Mass -- all with that revenge-on-the-living

look in their empty-socket eyes.

Suddenly from the swirling dark center of the mass... THE

FLAMING HEAD OF DR. RICHARD VANNACUTT appears... BLASTING a

HOT BREATH at Pritchett, who is freaking out.

PRITCHETT:

I'm just the contractor's son! I

had nothing to do with your current

condition!

The words seem to have little impact on the steadily

approaching Mass of Faces.

-- and then suddenly SUNLIGHT POURS in behind him. Sara has

pried the plate up with a LIGHTNING ROD -- one that's in the

process of bending in two under all the weigh

SARA:

I think if you're coming, Mr.

Pritchett, it's now or never.

The Mass of Faces starts to creep up Pritchett's shoe. With a

screech, he flings himself backwards, literally diving

through the open window --

CUT TO:

EXT. HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

-- as the LIGHTNING ROD SNAPS -- and the IRON PLATE comes

guillotine-slamming back down -- right onto Pritchett's foot!

He screams and hysterically yanks at his ankle --

-- his foot emerging safe-and-sound and whole, the shredded

remnants of a white sock blowing in the morning sea-breeze.

Sara and Pritchett exchange looks. They're both missing

shoes. They shrug. The sunliqht warms their faces.

FADE TO BLACK:

And in the darkness, we hear a familiar Voice:

CHRISTOPHER LEE (V.O.)

The Police and Coroner arrived at

the House on Haunted Hill at 7:30

a.m. Pacific Standard Time.

FADE BACK UP ON:

EXT. "HOUSE" - MORNING

A fleet of milling Cops, Paramedics, Fire Officials,

Ambulances, the works. Sara seen getting her legs treated. A

blank-faced Pritchett being grilled by L.A. Sheriffs.

Gurneys toting very full body bags from the house. One gurney

carrying a half dozen vary small bags: Melissa Marr, most

likely.

CHRISTOPHER LEE (V.O.)

Watson Pritchett told the Police

that they need a Sherman tank to

get into the house. But when the

first officer on the scene tried

the front door knob, it opened

without so much as a squeak.

CUT TO:

INT. HOUSE - (NEWSREEL FOOTAGE) - VARIOUS SHOTS

-- Grand Foyer

-- Main Salon

-- Basement

-- Corridors

CHRISTOPHER LEE (V.O.)

And for all the horror that Pritchett

described, the House was found to be

utterly unexceptional and undisturbed

-- even the dust still in place.

We see that what he's saying is true: there's no evidence

that anything ever happened here. Even the basement -- the

Electro-shock and Saturation Chamber -- appear exactly as

when we first saw them. Even the restraints that were cut

have been made whole aqain.

INT. LIMBO SET - NIGHT

SLOW PULL BACK to Christopher Lee on the "Terrifying, But

True!" set, talking to us, as the footage continues to play

on a screen behind him.

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