THE MORBID SEVEN RISE AGAIN

THE MORBID SEVEN RISE AGAIN

Script

written by

Charles V. Abela

Based on Novel

The Morbid Seven Rise Again

By Charles V. Abela

DRAFT #

© Draft Date 16 08 2023

Name Charles V. Abela

Email tagtag041143@gmail.com

Phone Number +61 438333323

EXT. NEAR BUCHAREST, ROMANIA - CORTEGE (TRAVELING) - DAY

December 20th 2020. A funeral cortege consisting of five black cars grinds its way through a sealed forest road. It is a dry but very dull day. It looks green for winter but with a generous scattering of trees seemingly dead. It is getting close to four in the afternoon and getting dark fast.

A few magpies and blackbirds are perched on the branches. They look attentive. The surroundings look void of life. Some squirrels run around and wild dogs cross the road.

An old house on slightly higher ground appears in the distance. It occupies a lonely place in these parts of the woods with no other abode in sight.

The cortege approaches it at a crawling pace and onto a coarse gravel path. The surface changes as they get nearer to the house and on the driveway. It has a nice cover of brown-looking pebble surfacing. The cars make their way very slowly with the wheels making a very clear crunching noise as they come to a halt.

EXT. OUTSIDE LUTHER ZOMBESCU’S HOUSE - DAY

The ‘van Shorn’ family members step out of the cars. It is absolutely still outside. They all stop and look around. Suddenly, there is a flutter of wings. Two magpies fly out of the trees above them and into the distance.

The strain shows on all the visitors’ faces. The sound of pebble crunching under their feet is clearly heard as they walk the short distance to this creepy-looking house.

They enter and walk through a relatively wide hallway with three brown leather chairs on either side. Then past a full-glass door.

The two little boys have a look of anxiety on their faces and continuously tug at their mom’s coat. The family is shown into the dimly-lit room and all sit around a heavy walnut table. They bow their heads in respect as the lead mortician walks past them. He is followed by six pallbearers carrying the casket. They head straight into the mortuary which is next door.

INT. ZOMBESCU’S HOUSE (RECEPTION) - DAY

Mrs. MARILYN VAN SHORN is almost 50 years old, well-kept, light makeup, dressed in black like all of them. A dark gray veil covers her head. Her two sons are aged six and eight. They sit on either side of her. Marilyn’s sister, Pamela, is of similar age and sits next to her daughter POPPY (5). She is being cuddled by her grandmother.

Their legal representative, Mr. DONALD BRISTOW (75) – sits at the other end of the table. He is dressed in a waistcoat and suit reminiscent of the fashion from a century ago.

LUTHER ZOMBESCU (68) joins them accompanied by his assistant ELENA ADAMESCU (50). He sits at the other end of the table. Elena is on his right.

POPPY:

Mom, will uncle Sam be with us soon.

PAMELA:

Uncle Sam will always be with us.

LUTHER:

Would the kids like to play outside?

The three little faces indicated a definite “No.”

LUTHER:

We have all met earlier in the year. On my right is Elena, my fellow cryogenics scientist, herself an example of a resuscitated human. That happened after a ten-year long journey. Now, a living proof in perfect radiant health.

They all look curiously at Elena.

DONALD BRISTOW:

I know I recommended your services but for the family’s sake can you fill us a bit more?

LUTHER:

Sure, thank you. The Facility has been established for 15 years. My wife Simona is also a scientist.

MARILYN VAN SHORN

How do you choose your patients?

LUTHER:

They all seem to be rich, business people, intellectuals and scientists. Most of them die from some sort of disease. We ensure the pedigree of the family and that of the deceased. And of course, his intellect. The family must be financial.

DONALD BRISTOW:

The procedure, Mr. Zombescu?

LUTHER:

Yes. That is straight-forward. In this case it concerns the corpse of Mr. Sam van Shorn. The body is in perfect condition apart from his unfortunate heart attack. The Cryogenics process will heal that.

At that point, Marilyn van Shorn bursts out in tears. Elena pushes some tissues towards her. Then Poppy follows, except her crying is much louder.

PAMELA:

It’s alright darling, we’ll be finished soon.

LUTHER:

Sorry about this, it always happens.

With the vetting process and due diligence out of the way, the process itself starts. Excuse me, would you care for a glass of water?

Luther helps himself to a glass of water. He pours a second glass. He gently pushes it towards Mrs van Shorn. She reaches out for it with a trembling hand. The gathering looks at each other with trepidation.

LUTHER:

The first thing is the washing, embalming, and then the AI Chip is inserted inside the body, similar to a colonoscopy...

(sips water)

... the corpse is then fully dressed and put in the freezer. His only companion for the next ten years is his mobile... Mrs. van Shorn, are you all right? You’re not looking well.

MARILYN VAN SHORN

I am fine, just a little on edge that’s all. I’ll help myself to a sip of water in a minute.

She takes a sip of water. An unexpected loud chime from the Grandfather clock in the mortuary echoes through. The family is rattled. It is four o’clock. Marilyn knocks the half-filled glass over. The water drips on her clothes and on the floor. Now all the three kids panic and start crying.

Elena promptly gets up and takes the three kids out of the room into the adjoining hall. Things slowly quieten down.

LUTHER:

Apologies. Let me continue. The AI Chip software is updated regularly with new well-tested improvements. The Chip is accessed via signals through his mobile and then directly to the Chip itself. The improvements help the body to heal.

MARILYN VAN SHORN

I’m feeling better now. Mr. Zombescu, the battery can’t last very long, surely.

LUTHER:

Good observation. The mobile will be upgraded with a nuclear charged battery. It lasts two full lifetimes.

MARILYN VAN SHORN

How does the healing happen in a cold tank?

He reaches out to Elena who displays the AI chip resting on the tip of her forefinger.

LUTHER:

The function of the Chip is twofold. First, it heals the body tissues over a period of time. Secondly, it rejuvenates the body during the process over a longer period.

MARILYN VAN SHORN

And then?

LUTHER:

And then, when the body is resuscitated, the person will communicate, feel, move and act exactly as he did at the time of dying but with no symptoms of disease. Elena looks exactly the way she did at the time of her passing.

All heads turn towards Elena with yet another curious look. She is appreciative and acknowledges their curiosity.

MARILYN VAN SHORN

May I ask you what happened?

ELENA:

I was in a car accident ten years ago. Now I feel, act and look as I did ten years ago, even before I was disfigured on the left side of my face.

MARILYN VAN SHORN

(deep breath)

Very reassuring. The money?

LUTHER:

That has already been deposited as Mr. Bristow knows. Two hundred fifty thousand dollars for the first year, with an equal amount that will be put in trust with your bankers, the Bank of America in New York. The same amount will be paid one week before the start of a new year.

MARILYN VAN SHORN

So, when do you think ... that ...?

LUTHER:

Our research indicates that Sam could be back ten years from now in perfect shape. That would be an investment of two million five hundred thousand dollars, American.

DONALD BRISTOW:

Not forgetting inflation.

LUTHER:

That has been allowed for in the said amounts.

Marilyn looks at Mr. Bristow who nods.

MARILYN VAN SHORN

We’re happy to proceed.

LUTHER:

Very well, Elena will witness the signatures and put her own, too.

They complete their signatures, then Luther looks at Elena who promptly presses a push-button remote control. Farewell Scottish bagpipe music breaks the silence. They bow their heads for ten seconds.

They all stand up and start towards the door after bowing politely. Luther sees them out. Mr. Bristow stops and shakes hands with Luther.

INT. ZOMBESCU’S HOUSE (HALLWAY) - NIGHT

Elena walks to Mrs. van Shorn who looks a bunch of nerves. She says some words of comfort to her and holds out her hands. Unintentionally, she stares at her.

ELENA:

I would like to reassure you that everything will be okay.

Marilyn’s mouth and lips are now trembling uncontrollably. She cannot get the words out. The kids look at their mom, panic and cry. Finally ...

MARILYN VAN SHORN

Elena, you mean ... eh ... you were a real corpse.

Elena continues to stare at her and just nods twice. Marilyn freaks out.

MARILYN VAN SHORN

(top of her voice)

Get me out here, can’t take this anymore.

Marilyn starts to faint. Mr. Bristow grabs her and helps her into the car.

The door closes. Luther and Elena get inside the morgue to take a good look at their new lifeless customer - the corpse of Mr. Sam van Shorn.

INT. ZOMBESCU’S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

After meeting with the van Shorn family, Luther Zombescu looks tired in his sofa. His wife Simona is sixty, looks plain and she is partly paralyzed. They sit by the fire in their living room of their large house.

SIMONA:

What is the new customer like?

LUTHER:

Dead.

SIMONA:

I gather that.

LUTHER:

Sam van Shorn. Banker from New York. Heart attack. Quarter of a million. Ten years in the tank.

SIMONA:

My research indicates back to life in five years. You will get your update in a week. Elena made any moves?

LUTHER:

None. Anyway, I like you better even with one leg, the way you are. Ah, the wrong dose of chemicals. I want to kill myself at times. Permanently tormented. Once this research is done...

SIMONA:

... I will go in tank and come out like a fifty-year-old. Anticipating a quicker healing to the body and rejuvenation by up to twenty years. Die at fifty, come to life at thirty.

LUTHER:

Eternal Cryogenics. It’s a good name. Very true to its purpose. Ah who would believe?

SIMONA:

Believe what?

LUTHER:

That all this is happening in Pitesti, Transylvania, one hundred miles from Bucharest, very peaceful in these wooded foothills. Too quiet.

SIMONA:

And scary. Two blackbirds were perched on the ledge looking inside. I hope it’s not a bad omen.

Simona looks at Luther. He is fast asleep.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes