sib3x13
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.

[ bottom ]
                                       TEASER

               FADE IN:

         1     EXT. STREETS - NIGHT                                     1

               The scene opens on a dark night, the moon a silvery crescent
               in the sky. We follow it as it casts rays through an open
               window in a building marked "ELYSIUM TOWN MORTUARY."

         2     INT. MORTUARY HOME - MORGUE                              2

               A young dark-haired woman, ELIZA, looks at the moon through
               the window for a moment before turning away.

               Eliza makes her way towards a work station with the metal
               meat lockers filling the wall around her. She picks up a
               file, opens it and flicks through it for a few moments.

                                   ELIZA
                             (flicking over pages)
                         Done... done... done.

               She drops the file and SIGHS, running a hand through her
               hair.

                                   ELIZA (cont'd)
                         I gotta stop being so efficient.

               She leans against the lockers and fishes out her cell phone,
               starting to type a text message.

               ANGLE ON: ELIZA

               However, young Eliza is not alone - she's being watched by
               someone hiding just round the corner.

               The camera approaches her, accompanied by HEAVY BREATHING,
               until a HAND reaches out and clamps down on her shoulder!

                                   ELIZA (cont'd)
                         Jesus!

               Eliza spins round:

               ON SCENE

               The hand belongs to a young man, EDDIE, who grins at her as
               Eliza tries to regain her composure. She glares at him.

                                   EDDIE
                         Did I scare ya?

                                   ELIZA
                         Yeah, sure. This is my 'helpless
                         with fear' face.

               Eddie nudges her shoulder playfully.

                                   EDDIE
                         C'mon, it was a little funny.

                                   ELIZA
                             (shakes head)
                         One of these days, you'll make
                         someone here drop down dead.

                                   EDDIE
                         It'll save on paperwork.

                                   ELIZA
                             (changes topic)
                         Anyway, what are you doing here?
                         Aren't you and Beverley meant to be
                         going out?

                                   EDDIE
                             (hesitates)
                         Actually, we, um, broke up.

                                   ELIZA
                         Oh! Oh. I'm sorry.

               She's not sorry at all.

                                   ELIZA (cont'd)
                         How did you - I mean, um, what made
                         you do it - 

                                   EDDIE
                         Well, when I came back from soccer
                         practice and caught her in bed with
                         Coach O'Dell, it kind of cemented
                         it. That, and I'm pretty sure I'm
                         gonna need some expensive therapy
                         after seeing what the coach was
                         doing with my team flag.

               Eliza gives Eddie a quick hug.

                                   ELIZA
                         Wanna come round Saturday? Me and
                         Chloe are having a Keanu Reeves-a
                         thon and indulging in greasy pizza.
                             (beat; waggles eyebrows)
                         Come on. Two hot chicks, bad movies
                         and muchas greasy…

                                   EDDIE
                             (laughs)
                         Alright, alright. Sounds g-

               Suddenly, there is a CLANG from somewhere off screen. The two
               of them turn, Eliza frowning as she tries to locate the
               sound.

                                   EDDIE (cont'd)
                         Did you hear...?

                                   ELIZA
                         C'mon, might be a hypo. 

                                   EDDIE
                         A what?

                                   ELIZA
                         Hypothermic.
                             (off his blank look)
                         Long story short, came in dead but
                         was just really, really cold. And
                         if we end up having the first case
                         of a hypothermic here, I'll buy you
                         a beer.

                                   EDDIE
                             (grins)
                         And just like that, I'm sold.

               The two set off and round a corner of the workstation.

         3     INT. MORTUARY HOME - MORGUE - CONTINUOUS                 3

               The two youngsters move towards a series of lockers. The
               camera stops in front of one with '013' on it - and the
               locker door is AJAR.

               Eddie grabs a clipboard from the wall and reads it as Eliza
               looks all around for the source of the noise.

                                   EDDIE
                             (reads)
                         Number thirteen. Mary Jane Lewis,
                         unknown causes.

                                   ELIZA
                         Still, let's check it out. She
                         might be a hypo or a shocker.

                                   EDDIE
                         A 'shocker'?
                             (before she replies)
                         Actually, no. I'll just leave the
                         actual work to you for this one.

               Eliza shoots him a look, and then after a beat SWINGS the
               door open, peering inside.

               It's EMPTY.

                                   ELIZA 
                         Where the--?

               She stands up and turns around - and Eddie is gone.

                                   ELIZA (cont'd)
                         Eddie?

               She looks up and down, but he's nowhere to be found. A little
               unnerved but trying not to show it, she sticks her hands in
               her pockets and calls out:

                                   ELIZA (cont'd)
                         Eddie, you've got two seconds to
                         get back out here, or the offer of
                         pizza is off the table?

               A door SWINGS in its frame at the other end of the room.
               Eliza looks over, but there's no-one there.

                                   ELIZA (cont'd)
                         Hello?
                             (less sure)
                         Eddie?

               She starts to pace towards the door, glancing round as if
               trying to see where Eddie could be hiding.

                                   ELIZA (cont'd)
                         This isn't funny, Eddie!
                             (beat)
                         Look, I know I work in a morgue,
                         but that doesn't mean I like people
                         creeping me out, so just stop it,
                         okay?

               She hears a muffled GASP from behind the doors up ahead. She
               freezes - and then hears the SCRAPING of slow, heavy
               footsteps.

               Eliza backs up a step, pretty freaked by now, and as she
               reaches for her cell phone again she starts to turn around...

               ... into the face of a SNARLING CREATURE! It HOWLS at her,
               rotten skin hanging from its face, and she manages a SCREAM
               before we:

                                                             BLACK OUT:



                                    END OF TEASER
                                       ACT ONE

               FADE IN:

         4     EXT. ELYSIUM – SERVICE STATION – DAY                     4

               The doors of a service station open and CHRIS enters the
               frame, carrying an armful of food and supplies.

               Glancing around the forecourt as he walks, he starts to head
               towards a rusty old VAN parked by one of the fuel pumps,
               where DIEGO is busy refueling the vehicle.

               He knocks on the side door of the van, and as it SLIDES OPEN
               he quickly clambers into:

         5     INT. VAN - CONTINUOUS                                    5

               Chris hands the supplies to DANYAEL before getting in quickly
               and shutting the door so no sunlight enters.

               The gang is sat around in the van - SYREN, TWIST, JULIE and
               NAOMI. It's not the old van, but it'll do for now.

                                   CHRIS
                         You'd have thought that a town
                         named Elysium would at least have a
                         decent food counter.

                                   TWIST
                         Was that a classical reference?

                                   CHRIS
                         It was.

                                   TWIST
                             (nods)
                         That'd be why I didn't get it.

               She grabs a bag of cookies and tears them open, greedily
               shoving them into her mouth.

                                   DANYAEL
                         God forbid we should die of lack of
                         Oreos.

               Twist nudges him playfully, offering him a cookie. A beat,
               and then he takes one, turning back to Chris.

                                   DANYAEL (cont'd)
                         But seriously, this is it?

                                   CHRIS
                         The clerk said that there'll be
                         plenty more places to stop for
                         supplies once we reach the city
                         itself.

               Chris turns and looks out through the windscreen -
               something's clearly on his mind.

                                   SYREN
                         Can we go soon?

               The gang turns to the previously silent Syren, who looks
               seriously SPOOKED. Naomi puts a comforting arm round her.

                                   NAOMI
                         Hey, what's wrong?

                                   SYREN
                             (cocks head)
                         Can't you feel it?

                                   JULIE
                         Feel what?

                                   CHRIS
                             (sighs)
                         She's right. There's something
                         here.

                                   TWIST
                         Well, we're here...

                                   SYREN
                         Something evil.

               A beat - and Twist shrugs.

                                   TWIST
                         Same diff. So what, now we have our
                         own Tom-Tom for evil?

                                   CHRIS
                         I picked up on something a few
                         miles back. Some kind of energy
                         surrounding this place.

               Julie frowns, reaching for her laptop.

                                   NAOMI
                         So what, does that mean we have to
                         go?

                                   DANYAEL
                         As in 'leave'?
                             (shakes head)
                         We can't. We need water, food,
                         medical supplies...

                                   CHRIS
                             (nods)
                         I agree.
                             (to Syren)
                         I can feel it too... but we have no
                         choice. We need these supplies.

                                   SYREN
                             (quietly)
                         If we all die...

                                   TWIST
                             (interrupts)
                         Already dead, sweetie.

                                   SYREN
                         ... don't say I didn't warn you.

                                   DANYAEL
                             (beat)
                         And on that Stephen King, let's go.
                         The sooner we can get our stuff the
                         sooner we can leave.

               Chris glances at Julie, who looks up from her computer with a
               shake of her head - no intel yet.

               Chris heads for the front seats as Diego climbs into the
               passenger seat, and we cut to:

         6     EXT. ELYSIUM - AFTERNOON                                 6

               Elysium. A nice little city, with plenty of market stalls on
               corners, selling trinkets and fruit, along with a TRAM going
               past. There is a TOWN HALL ahead as the van drives past, but
               our attention is drawn to a YOUNG MAN.

               He walks along the sidewalk, talking into a CELL PHONE as he
               ducks into:

         7     EXT. ELYSIUM - SIDE STREET - NEXT                        7

               Leaning against the alley wall, he continues talking:

                                   YOUNG MAN
                             (into phone)
                         No, I couldn't get them.
                             (beat)
                         Sorry honey, I'm still at the
                         office. I'll be at least an hour,
                         maybe more. It's the Linderman
                         account, and you know what a pain
                         that guy can be.
                             (listens)
                         Love you too, honey.

               The man hangs up - and we PAN ROUND to see a BAR at the other
               end of the side street, named "The Blue Lagoon."

                                   YOUNG MAN (cont'd)
                             (smiles)
                         God bless Mr. Linderman.

               He smiles and starts across the street. 

               ANGLE ON MAN'S FEET:

               He passes over a MANHOLE on his way - but doesn't notice the
               lid start to MOVE!

               ON SCENE:

               The man takes another two steps - and then TRIPS and falls
               flat on his face!

               Stunned, he twists round - and sees a pair of grey, gnarled
               HANDS have grabbed his ankles! 

               The man SHOUTS in fear, trying to kick free, but he's held
               fast - and starts to get DRAGGED towards the open manhole!

               Fighting every inch of the way, he tries to desperately grab
               hold of something, but it's no use.

               A moment later and he disappears into the hole with a final
               YELL. A beat - and then the same pair of hands reach up and
               drag the manhole cover back into place.

         8     EXT. MOTEL - EVENING                                     8

               The brightly lit neon lights of a cheap motel shine out to us
               - there isn't much in the way of bright city lights in the
               surrounding streets. Small town.

         9     INT. MOTEL ROOM - LATER                                  9

               Twist is sat in a room with Syren. Syren has her headphones
               plugged into the MP3 PLAYER and is clearly enjoying what
               she's listening to, nodding and humming along.

               Twist is trying to flick through a magazine, but is clearly
               getting annoyed with Syren's humming. 

               She manages a few more bars of whatever song it is before she
               shoots Syren a dirty look, HUFFS as she gets off the bed and
               then makes her way out of the room.

        10     INT. MOTEL - HALLWAY - NEXT                             10

               Twist shuts the door carefully and then makes her way to
               another room, just as Danyael, heading down the corridor with
               a plastic bag in one hand, BUMPS into Twist.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Oh. Sorry.

                                   TWIST
                         No, no, it's fine. I wasn't
                         looking.

                                   DANYAEL
                         You after some more food? 'Cause,
                         if so, advance warning that the
                         vending machine downstairs is kind
                         of basic by your standards.

                                   TWIST
                         Oh, no, I'm not hungry.
                             (nods towards her room)
                         Nelly Furtado in there was starting
                         to bug me. I should never have
                         shown her how my iPod works.

                                   DANYAEL
                         I dunno, with your taste in music
                         I'd have thought she'd given up by
                         now.

                                   TWIST
                         You'd think that, but I actually
                         think she's taken a shine to my
                         White Zombie back catalogue. Who
                         knew?

               They share a chuckle, but soon both lapse back into silence.
               Twist looks awkward.

                                   TWIST (cont'd)
                         So, uh... how are you and Naomi?

                                   DANYAEL
                             (eyes her)
                         Since when did you care?

                                   TWIST
                         Hey, I care! I'm just...

               The indignant tone drops again, and Twist's eyes fall to the
               floor. Danyael still looks a little puzzled.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Yeah, we're good. Still taking it
                         slow. She's not used to all this,
                         you know. What we do. I'm gonna let
                         her get settled with that before
                         anything else.

                                   TWIST
                         Oh, so you two haven't... you
                         know...

               She starts to mime something with her hands, then stops when
               she realises she's got no idea how to do it.

                                   DANYAEL
                             (perplexed)
                         Taken up sign language? Uh, no, not
                         yet.
                             (beat)
                         Where's Diego?

                                   TWIST
                         Out with Chris, buying some more
                         stuff. You know, the humans among
                         us need some real food, and I ate
                         all the snacks already.

               Twist shuffles from foot to foot. Danyael eyes her again - is
               there something else to say, or is that it?

                                   TWIST (cont'd)
                         Listen, about Naomi...

                                   DANYAEL
                             (rolls eyes)
                         Oh, God. This isn't an "I-think
                         she's-bad-for-you" speech is it?
                         Cos I've had enough of them. I
                         might even OD.

                                   TWIST
                         No, it's about Kate-

               The door is opened and Naomi, wearing nothing but a cotton
               bathrobe as she towel dries her hair, looks at the pair of
               them before turning her gaze, to Danyael.

                                   NAOMI
                         Everything alright?

                                   DANYAEL
                         We're good.
                             (to Twist)
                         Can we talk about this later?

                                   TWIST
                             (impatient)
                         No, it can't--

                                   DANYAEL
                         Look, I'm sure that Chris can help
                         with whatever it is. I'm tired,
                         we've been on the road the last few
                         days, and I really need to just
                         chill out.

               Danyael shifts on his feet, and the contents of the bag he's
               holding CLINK suspiciously.

                                   DANYAEL (cont'd)
                         So... can I-

                                   TWIST
                             (angry)
                         Do you ever listen to anything I
                         say? It's like talking to a goddamn
                         statue!

               Danyael blinks, taken aback, and Naomi steps forward.

                                   NAOMI
                         Look, Twist, I'm sure whatever it
                         is, you and Danny can talk about it
                         tomorrow.

                                   TWIST
                         Hey, Emos 'R' Us, back off.
                             (to Danyael)
                         Please, just five minutes.

                                   DANYAEL
                             (getting impatient)
                         Look, Twist, I may be nocturnal but
                         I'm still really tired. So could we
                         talk about this tomorrow?

                                   TWIST
                         I-

                                   DANYAEL
                             (not listening)
                         Thanks. Bye.

               He enters the room quickly and shuts the door behind him.
               There's a beat, then a GIGGLE is heard from Naomi.

               Twist sighs in frustration and anger, leaning against a wall.
               And then, after a beat, KICKS the drink dispenser nearby. A
               huge DENT is made and she freezes, looking up and down the
               corridor.

               No-one saw that. Whew. Still tetchy, she turns and stomps
               back towards her room as we cut to:

        11     INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT                                 11

               Julie tosses and turns in bed, clearly having trouble
               sleeping. She turns on her side and we SMASH CUT TO:

               A series of FLASHES illuminate the screen:

               - A destroyed city, completely gutted and flaming, with
               broken bleeding bodies, SCREAMS littering the air.

               - Danyael, his face streaming tears as he's STABBED in the
               chest. His eyes are shocked and desperate.

               - Twist, HOWLING in agony as she's STAKED.

               - A creature, facing away from her.

               - Syren, her throat cut and bleeding out.

               - A YOUNG MOTHER and her CHILD being brutally attacked.

               - Diego being attacked with an AX again and again until the
               mysterious figure picks up his decapitated HEAD.

        12     INT. MOTEL ROOM – SAME TIME                             12

               Julie writhes in seeming AGONY at the visions of death and
               destruction, the familiar and malignant BRIGHT BLUE LIGHT
               hovering above her.

               We suddenly hear a PIERCING SCREAM and off that, we SMASH CUT
               TO:

        13     INT. SKYSCRAPER – STAIRCASE - NIGHT                     13

               A brunette woman, KATHRYN, runs up a stairwell, her high
               heeled feet clattering against the stone steps.

               She glances over her shoulder - SOMETHING is moving up the
               stairwell after her, hidden in the shadows!

               She stumbles and falls, pausing to frantically tear her shoes
               off her feet.

               She turns, ready to throw her shoes back down the stairwell,
               then pauses, looks at the shoes (and their designer label)
               and decides better of it.

               Kathryn gets moving again, pounding back up the stairs as
               whatever's on her trail THUDS its way after her - it's
               something humanoid and well-built, but that's all we get.

               Kathryn steps on a BROKEN BOTTLE and SHOUTS in pain, slowing
               to reach for her injured foot.

               SOMETHING'S P.O.V:

               The creature looks at Kathryn, with a diluted and blurry,
               almost green tint to its vision. It focuses on her as she
               backs away from it, limping on her bad foot.

               ON SCENE:

               Kathryn backs up against the wall, the SHADOW of her pursuer
               falling over her.

                                   KATHRYN
                             (sobs)
                         Oh, God, please, no... Please...

               The creature takes a clumsy SWING at her with its grey
               skinned arms, and with a YELP she drops to the floor.

               Seeing an opening, Kathryn scrambles forward, passing under
               the thing's outstretched arm and back up the staircase.

               The creature's head turns to watch her, and we PUSH IN on
               part of its face visible in the light as one baleful RED EYE
               glares at her.

        14     EXT. SKYSCRAPER - ROOF                                  14

               A FIRE DOOR bursts open as Kathryn rushes through, but her
               running speed's non-existent thanks to the glass in her foot.

               She looks around the rooftop for some way down and spots a
               FIRE ESCAPE, turning and darting towards it.

               As she passes the fire door again, the creature LUNGES from
               within, TACKLING her and knocking her to the floor.

               She SCREAMS, swatting desperately at the creature's pallid
               skin, before spotting a pile of BRICKS sitting by a half
               finished air vent.

               Stretching as far as she can, she manages to grab hold of one
               of the bricks, turning and BASHING her attacker with it.

               The creature GRUNTS in pain and Kathryn attacks again,
               smashing the brick down over and over until it finally
               CRUMBLES in her hands.

               She pushes the creature's dead weight away, dragging herself
               out from beneath it and scrabbling backwards.

               Breathing rapidly, she stares at the body - but whatever it
               was, it's not moving any more.

               She gets to her feet, keeping her eyes on the fallen creature
               as she backs up towards the fire escape.

               She finally breaks and runs, skidding to a halt as she
               reaches for the ladder, leaning over to check the distance to
               the ground.

               And with an inhuman ROAR, another of the creatures LUNGES up
               from below, GRABBING her by the throat!

               Kathryn SHRIEKS again as she's PULLED OVER the roof in one
               quick motion!

               And then, silence.

                                                             BLACK OUT:



                                   END OF ACT ONE
                                       ACT TWO

               FADE IN:

        15     EXT. MOTEL – MORNING                                    15

               Three figures, draped in dark cloaks shielding them from the
               sun, run towards the van and jump in through the open side
               door:

        16     INT. VAN - CONTINUOUS                                   16

               Twist, Danyael and Naomi shrug off their cloaks, a light
               cloud of SMOKE drifting from them. Julie is waiting inside to
               quickly slide the door closed again.

                                   NAOMI
                         There's got to be an easier way of
                         doing that.

                                   DANYAEL
                             (grins)
                         Where's the fun in that?

               Naomi wrinkles her nose, SNIFFING at her arm.

                                   NAOMI
                         The 'fun' would come from not
                         smelling like cooked meat all day!

                                   TWIST
                             (beat)
                         I could kill for a burger.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Is that all you think about, food?

                                   TWIST
                         No. 
                             (beat)
                         Sex, too.

                                   DIEGO (O.S)
                         Guys?

               They turn to see Diego in the passenger's seat. He has a
               NEWSPAPER in his hands and looks mildly shocked at the front
               page. He turns the paper around and we see the headline
               'SERIES OF OVERNIGHT MURDERS.'

                                   TWIST
                             (sighs)
                         I don't suppose there's such a
                         thing as 'a quiet day'?

               Chris is next to Diego, turning round to address the
               vampires.

                                   CHRIS
                         That's three more since we arrived
                         on Tuesday.

               Julie looks up from her laptop, glasses perched on her nose.
               She turns the screen round to show the others - she's in the
               local newspaper archives.

                                   JULIE
                         And that makes seven in the past
                         week and thirteen all together.

                                   NAOMI
                         I don't suppose this could all be a
                         coincidence?

                                   SYREN (O.S.)
                         Too many.

               They turn - Syren is huddled in the corner of the van,
               rubbing her arms as though she was cold.

                                   SYREN (cont'd)
                         I can feel it. So much destruction
                         and so much death. Blood and bones.

               The others exchange puzzled looks as Chris climbs into the
               back of the van, moving over to her.

               He crouches down before her, and as she SHIVERS again he
               reaches out and takes her hands.

                                   CHRIS
                         It's alright. When did this happen,
                         Syren? What can you tell us?

                                   SYREN
                         It hasn't happened yet.

               A beat.

                                   TWIST
                         And off that Nostradamus moment,
                         let's be moving on.

                                   DIEGO
                         Where are we going to start?

                                   JULIE
                         Start at the top and work our way
                         down?

                                   CHRIS
                         Let's go.

               Chris heads back into the drivers' seat as we CUT TO:
[ top | next ]

Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.