They Page #2

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Paul

is talking with Guy on the lawn. Julia SNAPS a picture of them together, winds

her film, and notices ...

A:

LITTLE GIRL ...

Sweet

and innocent. Sitting on a bench. Motionless.

Julia

walks towards her. The little girl is staring across the lawn at a pool shed.

Transfixed. A group of children are playing on the grass in front of it.

The

girl becomes aware of Julia's presence and turns around.

JULIA:

Hi.

GIRL:

(quiet)

Hi.

Silence.

JULIA:

You

sitting here all by yourself?

The

girl slowly nods "Yes."

JULIA:

(cont'd)

Don't

you want to play with the other kids?

The

girls shakes her head "No."

JULIA:

(cont'd)

Want

me to leave you alone?

The

girl shakes her head "No."

More

silence.

JULIA:

(cont'd)

Want

to mix this up and ask me something?

The

little girl notices the camera.

GIRL:

Are

you taking pictures for Sam's family?

JULIA:

No,

I'm just ...

(then)

I'm

a friend of Sam's. But I'm also a photographer. I take pictures.

Beat.

GIRL:

Will you take a picture of me?

JULIA:

Why?

GIRL:

So you won't forget me.

JULIA:

(surprised)

Why would I forget you?

GIRL:

Because they're coming for me.

A long beat. Julia sits next to her.

JULIA:

Who is?

GIRL:

The monsters.

JULIA:

What monsters?

GIRL:

There. Behind the door.

The girl points towards the pool shed. The rusted door of the shed is slightly

open. Just a crack.

JULIA:

Those

other kids don't look too scared.

GIRL:

They

should be.

Beat.

JULIA:

(playing along)

So

how come only you can see them?

THE:

GIRL LEANS FORWARD AND SPEAKS IN A HUSHED WHISPER.

GIRL:

Because

I know they're real. I used to have a little brother, but they came and

got him. Now my parents say I never had a brother before.

(pause)

Soon

... my parents won't remember me either.

Something

about the girl's tone of voice is unnerving. As if she's resigned herself to

this.

A:

slight wind HISSES through the trees. The girl rises.

GIRL:

(cont'd)

I:

gotta go. They know I'm talking about them.

JULIA:

Wait

a second.

Julia

SNAPS a picture of the girl.

JULIA:

(cont'd)

Feel

better?

The

girl stares at her.

GIRL:

Are

you scared of monsters?

JULIA:

No.

Beat.

GIRL:

I:

am.

The

girl turns and runs across the lawn.

Julia

is left sitting on the bench. She glances over at the pool shed again. Raises

her camera and focuses on the door which is still cracked open.

She

snaps the picture.

CLICK!

INT. PAUL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Julia

and Paul are romantically entangled as they enter the apartment. A little

drunk. Kissing and frolicking. She strips off his jacket and tie. Paul abruptly

stops.

PAUL:

Wait

a minute ...

(grabbing both sides of his shirt)

This

is a job for ...

Paul

rips his shirt wide open. Buttons popping everywhere. They both start laughing.

Joining together, he guides her towards the bathroom.

The

wind gently HISSES on the balcony. Windchimes spinning.

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

A:

cloud of hot steam. The soothing rush of warm water running over tanned and

naked skin.

Julia

stands underneath the shower, her body relaxing into Paul's chest, his muscular

arms encircling her body, his lips buried in her neck and shoulders. Her eyes

are shut. Her expression is calm.

INTERCUT:

- BLOND STUDENT

Standing

in the guest bedroom at Sam's house. Young and muscular. Bathed in sunlight.

The tattoo on his shoulder.

BACK:

TO JULIA:

Her

eyes still pressed closed. Smiling a little.

Water

continues rushing from the shower head, creating a HISS that eventually becomes

THE ROAR OF THE OCEAN.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY - DUSK

The

setting sun blushes crimson across the rolling waves of the Pacific. Streaking

along the highway is a RANGE ROVER, packed with luggage, headlights on.

INT. RANGE ROVER - DUSK

Paul

sits behind the wheel. He's bopping and RAPPING with Sam to HIP-HOP that BLARES

from the speakers. Very energized.

Julia

sits on the passenger side, leaning against the window, trying to shut out the

music. Terry looks just as miserable. Finally, Julia turns off the radio.

A:

silent beat. The guys catch their girlfriends' expressions.

PAUL:

Sorry.

SAM:

(overlapping)

Sorry.

Terry

leans forward between the seats.

TERRY:

So

the cabin has electricity, right? And plumbing? Everything we need?

JULIA:

Uh-huh.

TERRY:

So

it has everything.

JULIA:

It

has everything.

SAM:

Wait

a minute. I hear a shoe about to drop.

JULIA:

Except

a phone.

SAM:

BAM!

There it is.

TERRY:

(scandalized)

I:

need a phone. It's like family to me. Mom, Dad, my brother .... phone.

JULIA:

So

you're roughing it.

TERRY:

The

last time I tried to rough it, I was in therapy for a year. Why didn't your

mother have a phone?

JULIA:

I:

guess she wanted to be left alone.

At

least until she got sick.

Paul

looks to her.

PAUL:

This

won't be too hard on you, will it?

Staying

at her place?

JULIA:

It's

okay. I'm enjoying this.

Julia

smiles at him. Paul smiles back.

PAUL:

Good.

He

switches the radio back on and continues RAPPING with Sam. Julia and Terry both

stare straight ahead, ears pounding. This is turning into a LONG trip.

EXT. FOREST ROAD - NIGHT

Paul's

Range Rover makes its way down a long, winding road. The Rover's headlights

illuminate the woods lining the road on both sides.

INT. RANGE ROVER - NIGHT

The

inside of the Range Rover is dark. Only the faint glow from the dashboard

lights provides any ambient illumination. Sam and Terry are snuggled together

in the back seat. Everything is quiet.

Julia

is thinking. Finally, she breaks the silence.

JULIA:

Do

you believe in monsters?

A:

beat. Everyone else in the car trades looks.

PAUL:

We've

been in the car too long.

JULIA:

I'm

just asking.

PAUL:

Like

what? The Boogeyman?

JULIA:

The

Boogeyman. The thing under the bed. The monster hiding in the closet.

TERRY:

What

made you think of that?

JULIA:

A:

little girl at Sam's house. She was convinced there was a monster trying to get

her.

PAUL:

You're

saying you believe her?

Julia

is suddenly on the spot. She backtracks.

JULIA:

Of

course I don't. There are no monsters. Not really.

SAM:

Sure

there are. Ted Bundy. Son of Sam.

Ed

Gein.

TERRY:

Who

was Ed Gein?

SAM:

He

was a mass murderer. This old hermit who'd kill people and take the parts he

wanted. Heads. Livers. Intestines. Sex organs.

TERRY:

Why

did he use the parts for?

SAM:

Everything.

The police found a skull that was used for a soup bowl. Faces were stuffed and

mounted like hunting trophies on the wall. Bones were used for furniture.

PAUL:

He

also wore their skin. Like clothes.

Terry

recoils into her seat. Grossed out.

TERRY:

Sorry

I asked.

SAM:

You

wanted proof. There it is.

JULIA:

But

it's not like he's a monster under the bed.

SAM:

So?

JULIA:

So

why are kids afraid of that?

SAM:

Because

they live in a completely different world than we do.

(then)

Think

about it. Why do kids pick up on things that we can't? ... Bumps in the night?

... footsteps in the hallway? ... A thumping inside their closet?

PAUL:

Overactive

imagination.

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