They Page #18

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Julia

has almost reached the platform opening for the train.

BEHIND:

HER, A CHORUS OF PURSUING MONSTROUS SCREAMS RISE UP WITHIN THE TUNNEL.

INT. SUBWAY STATION - PLATFORM - NIGHT

Julia

runs directly parallel to the subway platform. The lights alongside of her

start flickering and go out, one by one, as she advances.

THE:

HISSING AND SCREAMING CONTINUES TO RISE.

She

reaches the opposite tunnel and grabs hold of the platform, pulling herself up.

The platform goes dark.

Appearing

out of the far tunnel are a DOZEN DARK SHAPES, scampering along the walls and

running on all fours across the tracks. Their characteristics barely visible.

Julia

kicks back as the shrieking things bear down on her, yellow eyes flaring in the

dark, metal teeth flashing.

Julia

tries to run for the escalator, but the things cover the walls behind the

tracks. Ready to spring.

Finally,

one of the monsters does leap towards her ...

AND:

IS SMASHED TO BITS BY AN APPROACHING BART TRAIN.

Reducing

the monster to a few vestiges of scattered metal. The other creatures on the

tracks are also run down.

Julia

watches as the train RUMBLES past. And then, silence.

Nothing

is left except for a few swirling newspapers. The lights flicker and come back

to life.

Rising

up to her feet, rescued from death by chance, Julia starts backing towards the

escalator. Her eyes locked upon the darkened tunnel before she turns and races

up.

EXT. SUBWAY STATION ENTRANCE - STAIRS - NIGHT

Rain

has started falling again. Pelting the stairs.

Julia

dashes up the stairwell and sprints into the street. She doesn't look back.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. SAN FRANCISCO - STREET - NIGHT

The

rain falls so heavily that it creates a dense, blue FOG which shrouds the

entire street.

Julia

appears through the storm, running towards a telephone booth on the street

corner. She rips open the door, steps inside, and slams the door shut.

INT. PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT

She

drops a few quarters into the phone. Dials. And waits.

INT. LEVIN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Dark

and still. Lightning frames the windows. The picture of Julia and her mother

rests near a phone as the line RINGS.

Guy

comes downstairs and answers the portable.

GUY:

Hello?

Static.

GUY:

(cont'd)

(bewildered)

Is

anyone there?

INT. PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT

A:

flash of LIGHTNING outside.

JULIA:

Daddy?

... It's Julia ...

(beat)

They

might still be around ... feeding on power from the phone lines. Can you hear

me?

(beat)

...

Dad?

GUY:

(over phone)

I:

can't hear you. Hello?

Beat.

JULIA:

Daddy,

help me ... help me, please ...

INT. LEVIN RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

More

STATIC resounds over the phone. Guy hesitates a moment, then returns the

portable to the cradle.

INT. PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT

CLICK.

The line is abruptly cut off.

Julia

begins to cry. She covers her face with her hands. The tears roll through her

fingers.

INT. LEVIN RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Guy

stares at the phone for a moment. A

strange feeling. Something isn't right. He thinks a moment. Then shakes it off

and heads upstairs, moving directly past the picture next to the phone.

JULIA:

IS GONE. VANISHED FROM THE PICTURE WITHOUT A TRACE. ONLY HER MOTHER REMAINS.

Lightning

flashes across the picture's glass frame.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. SAN FRANCISCO - SUBWAY STATION - DAY

The

afternoon rush of people trying to get home.

A:

GROUP OF THREE COLLEGE STUDENTS come down the escalator into the station.

CONNOR is among them, now eighteen and wearing a Berkeley sweatshirt. His

friends are BARRY and MIKE.

BARRY:

Why

the hell didn't we bring the car?

CONNOR:

You

wanna pay for gas?

BARRY:

Better

than this sh*t. I hate BART.

MIKE:

He

has a point. I made the mistake of trying to use the bathroom. What do these

people do? Stand with their ass hanging over the toilet and aim?

Connor

checks his watch.

CONNOR:

We're

late. Party started an hour ago.

MIKE:

We'll

make it.

BARRY:

(trace of sarcasm)

Yeah

Connor. Relax. We might get there right after the kegs dry out.

CONNOR:

(resigned)

I:

should study anyway.

A:

FEMALE VOICE calls out from across the platform.

FEMALE:

VOICE (O.S.)

Connor?

He

turns around and scans the crowd, locating a ragged figure that moves quickly

towards him. With her dirty clothing and sunken eyes, it takes a moment to

register. This is Julia. Her skin is pale. Her hair is stringy and knotted.

JULIA:

I've

been looking for you.

CONNOR:

What?

BARRY:

(hushed)

Great.

MIKE:

Just

ignore her.

JULIA:

They

tried to get me. Several times.� But I

managed to get away. I've always managed to get away.

A:

train rushes into the station. Connor is speechless.

CONNOR:

I'm

... sorry ..

JULIA:

But

you'll help me. You will help me.

Connor

raises his hands and backs towards the train as the doors slide open. His

friends are already aboard.

CONNOR:

I'm

sorry.

JULIA:

No,

wait ... it's Julia ... don't you remember?

He

gets into the train. His friends are laughing. Connor turns to his friends with

a look of smirking disbelief.

CONNOR:

How

the f*** did she know my name?

BARRY:

She

heard me say it.

CONNOR:

Jesus

Christ.

JULIA:

(overlapping)

It's

Julia! I'm your sister!

The

doors slide closed in her face.

INT. SUBWAY TRAIN - DAY

Julia

begins beating on the doors to be heard. Connor and his friends are a little

freaked but they're still laughing at her.

JULIA:

PLEASE!

CONNOR! I'M YOUR SISTER!

The

train starts to move. People inside move in front of the doors and block

Julia's view of her brother.

JULIA:

(cont'd)

PLEASE:

DON'T LEAVE ME! CONNOR!

Julia runs alongside the train. Still beating on the doors.

Her face awash with tears.

JULIA:

(cont'd)

THEY'RE

GOING TO KILL ME!!!

(shrieks)

THEY:

...!!!!

The train picks up speed. Julia is left behind.

The grinding of the wheels is heard as the train moves into the subway tunnel.

The sound of machines drowns out every other sound and consumes all.

BLACKOUT.

THE END:

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