The Hollow Child

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1

(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)

One, two, three, four, five...

eight, nine, ten...

Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen...

Eighteen, nineteen, twenty...

Ready or not...

Here I come.

(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)

Hello?

Janey!

Janey!

Who's there?

(LOUD THUD)

(SCREAM)

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

WOMAN (V.O.):

Where is Janie?

It was so quiet, why so quiet...

too quiet.

(DISTANT SCREAM)

What goes on behind those eyes?

No!

(GIRL SCREAMING)

(DISTANT SIRENS APPROACHING)

WOMAN (V.O.):

Why wouldn't they see? See?

Why wouldn't they see?

Always seeing.

Something I heard in a dream.

(INDISTINCT)

WOMAN (V.O.):

Janie?

(INDISTINCT)

I couldn't find her.

- (BLADE SHEARING)

- (GROAN)

BOY (V.O.):

What do you mean by that?

WOMAN (V.O.):

Don't look at its face.

She said it was an accident.

(MUSIC CHANGES)

(MUSIC ENDS)

[EMILY]

I need it. I need it!

God, stop...

- Okay, fine.

- Oh! That's horrible, oh, no.

Oh, orange, definitely your

color, I would say.

Oh, hey, no, this is actually

not bad, though.

Hm? Splatter some blood on it,

get some big glasses, bam!

Zombie hipster.

Or... trucker zombie.

Stop.

Sam! Sam, can I get this?

What do you want that for?

For my costume, I'm going

as a fairy queen.

Cool, squirt.

What are you guys' costumes?

- Zombies.

- I don't like zombies.

Well, you know what they like?

Delicious, little, girl brains.

Knock it off.

Cathy said this party is gonna

be so crazy.

Ssh!

What party?

The two of us are gonna

hang out on Halloween.

But I thought we were gonna go

trick-or-treating?

Hey! You said you'd help me

with my costume.

Sam, hey.

Logan, uh...

Yeah, I actually got those notes

that you wanted.

Oh.

So, um, what are you guys doing?

Just looking for Halloween

stuff?

We're actually...

Actually, yeah, we're gonna go

try some stuff on.

Uh, could you watch Olivia?

That'd be great, thanks.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

Hey, Sam... so, um, are you going

to that Halloween thing...

at school, you know, the dance?

Ooh! What's her problem?

What the hell was that?

She is crazy. My mom went

to school with her.

She tried to burn her own house

down... with her family in it.

Jeez.

Why would she do that?

(FAINT WHISPERING)

Yeah, like that, okay.

(GIGGLING)

Oh, nice! Yeah.

[GARRETT]

Thank you, Lord, for this food.

Bless our family and keep us

safe.

Amen.

Your phone stop working?

That's the only reason I can

think that you'd be this late.

Garrett, can we just...

And you let Olivia

walk home alone!

We've talked about this before,

Sam.

Yeah, but she doesn't care.

Right, squirt?

Sam, you can't just pick

and choose...

which of the rules you want

to follow!

Okay.

What? I'm not wrong, am I? She

wants to be part of this family.

(SEWING MACHINE RUNNING)

Dinner?

She's ten, I mean, I walked home

from school when I was ten.

Did a lot of things on my own

when I was ten.

You realize there's

a dresser here.

Mm-hm.

You could put up some posters.

We can get some new paint.

You, me and Olivia could

have a paint party.

It's fine... the way it is.

You know, Garrett and I have

been talking... about you.

How much I suck?

About making you a part

of this family... permanently.

We all want you here.

I made you something.

Is that supposed to be me?

I don't think you drew me

grumpy enough.

You weren't allowed to be grumpy

in this picture, we're flying.

Thanks, squirt.

Your welcome.

(PHONE VIBRATES)

Do you want to get out of here

and blaze?

Hey, squirt, are you okay to

walk the rest of the way home?

Yeah.

Cool... see you there.

(EERIE MUSIC PLAYING)

I went by our old street

the other day.

Your house is still there.

Should tear it down...

or burn it.

Sorry.

At least we met, right?

And what would I do without you?

You'd smoke sloppy-ass joints,

obviously.

Olivia! I'm home!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

Olivia?

Olivia?

(MUSIC FADES UP)

Olivia!

Olivia!

And that was the last time

you saw her?

You think of anything else,

you let me know.

Garrett...

I don't want to hear from you,

you understand me?

[GARRETT] You did this to her.

(ARGUING UNINTELLIGABLE)

Olivia!

Olivia!

Honey, it's Mama and Daddy!

Olivia!

Olivia!

Olivia!

[GARRETT]

I don't understand this.

Why do you keep defending her?

[LIZ] Can we just please focus

on Olivia right now?

I don't wanna talk about Sam,

she's just a messed up kid.

[GARRETT] She is messed up,

but this is about Olivia...

do you understand me?

Just cause she's messed up,

that doesn't excuse Sam...

for what's going on here, you

gotta understand some of this...

you're not going to help her,

you can't help Sam.

[LIZ] Fine! What if my parents

had just given up on me?

[GARRETT]

Liz, Sam is not you.

(BELL RINGS)

You going to stay out here

all night again?

I'd kill for a cigarette

right now.

You smoke?

I gave it up before we

had Olivia.

Gave a lot of things up

around then.

When my parents adopted me,

they were so strong...

for me, when I needed the most.

You go through it,

you do the work...

and you think you're ready

for this life.

That you can be that strong

in the face of whatever...

the world throws at you.

Pray with me, Sam.

Heavenly Father, please bring

Olivia back to us.

Please shield her from harm.

She's my baby.

Why weren't you there for her?

I'm sorry.

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

DEMONIC VOICE (V.O.):

Pray with me, Sam.

Please just send Olivia

back to us.

Shield her from harm.

Why weren't you there for me!

Olivia?

Olivia! Oh my God!

Liz. Liz! Garrett!

Are you okay? I'm so sorry.

I'm really sorry...

Oh my God. Olivia? Olivia.

Oh my God!

Oh, there you are!

Where am I?

Olivia, baby! Oh, baby!

Where am I?

You're home!

No, she's fine, really.

Just a little dehydrated,

the doctor said.

[LIZ]

Yes, I know, we're so relieved.

Hey, Sam, can you take

that out for me?

Don't think things are okay,

just because she's back.

Liz trusts you, but I don't.

But I'm gonna be different...

Give me an excuse.

If it were up to me, you'd be

right back in the group home.

(EERIE MUSIC PLAYING)

[SAM]

Olivia? Is everything okay?

Are you cold?

Did you have a nightmare?

I couldn't sleep, either.

Weird dreams.

I wasn't sleeping.

What happened to you out there,

squirt?

I was lost.

But you don't remember anything?

I mean...

I mean, was there anyone with

you... when you were out there?

I remember the trees

and the wind.

Just now I thought I heard

singing.

Weird, huh?

Let's go to bed, okay?

Look what I made.

It's for your costume.

Glad you're back.

[OLIVIA] Don't!

I like the sound the wind makes.

Night, squirt.

You.

She's not what she seems.

She's dangerous.

Rawr!

Hey!

Let's go.

Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

[OLIVIA] Amen.

Amen. Goodnight, monkey.

Night, Mom.

Garrett's working late tonight,

and I have to do a split shift.

I need you to watch Olivia.

Liz, seriously? C'mon,

it's Halloween! I have plans!

I know, I'm sorry, I promise

I'll make it up to you, okay?

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