THE HUNGRY ONE Episode 3

Frank Juchniewicz

SCENE 1: THE MONSTER AT THE WINDOW

INT. THERAPY OFFICE - NIGHT

SOUND: METRONOME TICKING.

NARRATOR

The pendulum-weighted arm of the metronome ticks back

and forth in a steady tempo. Dr. Osbourne had

instructed Justine to keep her eyes on it, and so she

did as she was told, following its constant, sweeping

motion from side-to-side. Some practitioners of EMDR,

he had explained, use repetitive hand movements for

patients to track with their eyes, but Dr. Osbourne

preferred the metronome. No matter what, Justine was to

keep her eyes on that weighted mechanical arm while her

mind wandered, directed back to a traumatic memory. The

memory she chose without thinking was not, in fact, the

initial encounter, but the next day...

SOUND: SOFT, RHYTHMIC TICKING OF A METRONOME. (THIS RUNS

THROUGHOUT THE EMDR SCENE.)

JUSTINE

(ALMOST TRANCE-LIKE)

I’m eight years old. It’s the day after we first saw

that thing in the woods. After we all made a pact never

to talk about it again... My last day there visiting

Uncle Jake and Aunt Carolyn. Laura and Danny are on the

swing set and Mikey is running around a little further

out towards the edge of the yard, like he’s not afraid

at all. But I play on the little slide set. I do that

because it’s close to the house and I’m still scared.

DR. OSBOURNE

How do you feel in this moment? Besides being scared.

JUSTINE

Tired. I didn’t sleep last night - not much at all. I

spent the whole night cowering in bed with the covers

pulled up over my head. The window was right above the

bed and it gets so dark out there. It gets so quiet.

All I could imagine at night was that thing lurking

around outside the window. I was terrified that, at any

moment, she’d just reach right in and snatch me up. And

now I’m so exhausted and I’m here playing in the back

yard, but I’m not really enjoying myself. I just keep

glancing over at the field of tall grass beyond their

yard, afraid of what I might see there.

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 2.

DR. OSBOURNE

What do you see?

JUSTINE

Nothing. Just grass. Just tall grass.

SOUND: METRONOME TICKING, FILLING IN THE PAUSE.

JUSTINE

Aunt Carolyn yells out the window. Calls us all in for

dinner. My cousins - they all start to run inside. I’m

at the very top of the ladder for the slide and I

happen to glance over at the field just as I go down

the slide...

(ALARMED)

There’s someone out there!

SOUND: METRONOME TICKING.

DR. OSBOURNE

I want you to remember what we talked about, Justine.

That this is just a memory and you’re safe here.

JUSTINE

I make it to the bottom of the slide and I get to my

feet. Fast. I look and there it is! In the tall

grass... right at the edge of the yard. The Hungry One.

Standing so still. So tall above the grass and I see it

clearly. Long, dark hair and the shape of it’s body...

It resembles a thin woman, but it’s no woman.

SOUND: METRONOME TICKING AS JUSTINE PAUSES.

JUSTINE

Uhhhhh! Oh God, the eyes!... It doesn’t blink. The eyes

are so big and so wide staring right at me, like it’s

insane with hunger. And it doesn’t blink.

DR. OSBOURNE

Justine, I want you to imagine you’re seeing this all

through a window. You’re not really there. You’re

removed from it; you’re here in my office with me and

this memory is just something you’re seeing from the

distance through a window. Do you understand?

JUSTINE

I’m scared.

DR. OSBOURNE

She can’t harm you here. You’re safe with me, seeing

this from a distance, watching it all through a window.

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 3.

JUSTINE

(GASPS)

She sees us!

DR. OSBOURNE

No, you’re safe here with me, Justine.

JUSTINE

No, you don’t understand. You said to watch this all

through a window, so I’m doing that. I’m seeing it

through a window. But she’s not looking at me, the

little girl, anymore. She’s looking up through the

imaginary window. She’s looking right through the

window at us here. Dr. Osbourne, she sees us... she

sees what we’re doing!

SOUND: METRONOME TICKING.

JUSTINE

Oh god, she’s coming! She’s coming right up to the

window... SHE’S COMING!

SOUND: A QUICK AND VIOLENT RATTLING OF THE WINDOWPANE IN THE

THERAPY OFFICE.

JUSTINE

(SHRIEKS)

NARRATOR

They both spring to their feet, wheeling around to face

the therapy office’s window. Had something smacked the

windowpane? The glass remained uncracked and, from

where they stood, there was no indication of anyone or

anything outside. Still, they were leery to turn their

backs to the window or take their eyes off it for more

than a moment.

SOUND: DR. OSBOURNE STILLS THE METRONOME AND IT GROWS

SILENT.

DR. OSBOURNE

Okay, all right. It’s all right.

JUSTINE

Was that supposed to happen?... You heard that, right?

DR. OSBOURNE

I think a bird must have hit the window or something.

(A PAUSE)

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 4.

DR. OSBOURNE

(NERVOUS GIGGLE)

Sorry, it’s not funny, it’s... It just caught me

off-guard. Let’s process, okay? There’s a lot to unpack

here.

JUSTINE

I don’t think I can. Honestly, Dr. Osbourne, I’m afraid

to talk about it anymore.

DR. OSBOURNE

That’s okay. That’s understandable. So, let’s regroup.

Let’s start over next session.

JUSTINE

I don’t want to do that again - the EMDR.

DR. OSBOURNE

We don’t have to do it again yet. We don’t have to.

Let’s start fresh next session and, um... yeah, we’ll

figure out where to go next. I’ve got some ideas, and I

think this was probably helpful (?) -- it might not

feel that way tonight, but I- I think we can work with

this.

JUSTINE

(TENTATIVELY AGREEING)

Okay, if you think so.

DR. OSBOURNE

Yeah.

JUSTINE

Dr. Osbourne? I know it’s just right outside, but could

you walk me to my car?

DR. OSBOURNE

Sure. Of course.

NARRATOR

Dr. Osbourne takes up his position just beneath the

house light and holds vigil as Justine ducks into her

car and reverses down the long drive.

SOUND: CAR ENGINE IDLING, GEAR SHIFTING INTO REVERSE AND THE

CAR SLOWLY BACKING AWAY.

NARRATOR

In her wake, the wind surges, sending dried leaves

skittering across the blacktop.

SOUND: A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND, THEN IT DIES DOWN.

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 5.

NARRATOR

Once she pulls off into the street below, Dr. Osbourne

ventures over to the the window to the therapy office.

He scans the ground near the house in search of a bird

or a bat that may have collided with the glass, but

finds nothing. Could it have been just a strong and

unfortunately-timed gust of wind that rattled the

glass? Or, in the tension of the moment, had they

imagined the sound? He casts an uneasy glance over his

shoulder, scours the edges of his property and,

spotting nothing but the dark shapes of trees and

bushes, hurries back inside. Only when the door is

locked and latched does the good doctor realize the

tension he holds in his arms and shoulders, how his

hands have curled into tight fists.

SCENE 2: VISITORS

EXT. ABBOTT RESIDENCE - NIGHT

SOUND: CAR PULLING UP, INTO THE DRIVEWAY. PARKING.

NARRATOR

Arriving home, Justine discovers an unfamiliar car

parked in drive, taking what would normally be her

spot. That’s when she recalls her mom’s text earlier in

the day to notify her about their dinner guests for the

evening. Justine pulls in next to the other car and

parks.

SOUND: ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN, KEYS JINGLING AS THEY ARE

WITHDRAWN FROM THE STEERING COLUMN.

NARRATOR

From within the safety of the vehicle, she takes a

moment to study her surroundings. From here, the path

to the house is a straight shot and, thankfully, one

that’s well-lit. It’s the lesser-visible areas outside

of the light that concern her. This is the hard part -

relinquishing the safety of the car for that short dash

to the door. The mundane shapes of the yard, the trees,

the bushes, now transformed by the dark, threaten to

birth unseen horrors upon her. This is what it’s like

to live with the fear. But tonight Justine’s fear is

justified by what occurred in session. The Hungry One

is close now, and it’s coming for her; of that much she

is certain.

JUSTINE

(DEEP BREATH AND EXHALE)

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 6.

NARRATOR

As satisfied as she can be that the coast is clear,

Justine launches herself out of the car and half-runs

towards the front door, her key already in hand.

JUSTINE

(PANTING)

SOUND: CAR DOOR OPENING AND QUICKLY SLAMMING SHUT. HURRIED

FOOTSTEPS ON THE WALKWAY TO THE FRONT DOOR.

NARRATOR

It’s that moment of dread when you’re sliding your key

into the lock, fiddling to turn it... that moment when

your back is to the world, that you’re completely

exposed to whatever danger closes in on you from

behind...

SOUND: KEYS JINGLIING AND FRANTICALLY SLIPPING INTO THE

LOCK.

SCENE 3: ALL GROWN-UP NOW

INT. ABBOTT RESIDENCE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

JUSTINE

(PANTING, GRADUALLY REGAINING HER COMPOSURE)

NARRATOR

The instant the lock clicks and the doorknob turns,

Justine lunges inside and slams the door shut in her

wake. Out of sorts and out of breath, she locks it up

tight once again and peers through the peephole,

reassured to find nothing lingering on the doorstep,

afterall.

MIKE

(FROM THE OTHER ROOM)

I think I heard the door. That must be Justine.

SHERRI

(FROM THE OTHER ROOM)

Oh, is she here?

NARRATOR

Composing herself, Justine follows the voices into the

dining room to find her mother at the head of the oak

table. Seated along with her, turning their heads to

heed Justine’s entrance, are her cousin, Mike and his

wife, Nicole. Judging by the spread, dinner appears to

be an elaborate affair, replete with an array of

serving bowls and plates brimming with food. Filled

wine glasses shimmer with a heady red, but no wine in

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 7.

NARRATOR (cont’d)

front of Nicole, of course. An empty glass and dinner

setting mark what’s intended to be Justine’s place at

the table. The trio, now gazing at her expectantly,

seem to be finishing their meal, by the looks of it.

Justine’s lateness is awkwardly apparent.

SHERRI

Hey, look who it is! Didn’t you get my text about

dinner tonight?

JUSTINE

Yeah, sorry. I-- had some things. Hi, Mike. Hey,

Nicole.

SHERRI

Are you okay?

JUSTINE

Huh? Yeah, I just... Deer ran out in front of my car.

SHERRI

(SMALL GASP)

Did you hit it?!

JUSTINE

I didn’t hit it. I didn’t, I just... slammed on the

brakes. I’m a little shaken up, is all.

NICOLE

Well that’s lucky. I’m glad you’re okay.

SHERRI

I’m glad you didn’t hit it. Oh my god, can you imagine?

MIKE

Hey there cuz, give me a hug. I haven’t seen you since

the wedding.

JUSTINE

I know, it’s been too long. Congratulations on the

promotion.

NICOLE

I’ll take a hug, too.

JUSTINE

Oh my gosh, Nicole, you’re so big now! How far along

are you?

NICOLE

Twenty-one weeks now! Can you believe it?

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 8.

SHERRI

Mikey was just telling me about their new house. You

know those developments behind the Target? It used to

be Renfield Park. They’re right in there... Sorry, I

know it’s Mike now but I still call you Mikey. I just

can’t help it; you’ll always be Mikey to me.

MIKE

(CHUCKLES)

It’s okay, Aunt Sherri.

SHERRI

If I end up moving into one of those condos off of

Cedar Lane, we’d be really close then.

NICOLE

You’re thinking of moving?

SHERRI

Yeah, I actually took the week off to just putz around

here and get everything kind of tidied up and

organized. You know, fix up some minor things here and

there. Justine’s moving into an apartment closer to the

university. Her lease starts-- what is it...?

JUSTINE

December first.

SHERRI

It was such a nice house for the two of us, but it’s

too much for just me once she’s gone.

NICOLE

It is nice.

SHERRI

But I don’t want to hassle with a yard, you know? I

just want to scale down. Something simple at this

point.

(A BEAT)

SHERRI

Justine, why don’t you sit? Food’s still hot if you

want to grab a plate.

JUSTINE

I’m not hungry, Mom. Really.

SHERRI

Are you sure? You’re not getting sick, are you?

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 9.

JUSTINE

Mom. I’m fine.

(A BEAT)

NICOLE

Here. Let me help you clear these dishes, Aunt Sherri.

SHERRI

No, you just sit and relax.

NICOLE

Oh no, no. I insist. I might as well help out while I

can. Once I have the baby, I’ll have my hands full so

then I’ll make Mike do dishes and things.

SHERRI & MIKE

(LAUGH)

SHERRI

You got that? Thank you,dear.

(GROWING DISTANT AS SHE LEADS NICOLE INTO THE KITCHEN)

So you really don’t want to find out until the baby’s

born? How are you going to decorate the nursery?

NICOLE

(DISTANT AND FROM THE NEXT ROOM NOW)

I figure we’ll go with neutral colors, and we can

always add pink or blue accents.

SHERRI

(DISTANT)

Oh yeah, I guess that makes sense.

MIKE

(ONCE THE OTHERS ARE GONE)

So Justine, how’s it going? Your mom tells us you’re

job’s going well at the university. Any new boyfriends

or anything?

JUSTINE

Can I talk to you? Alone?

MIKE

More alone than this?

(A BEAT)

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 10.

MIKE

Yeah, I guess I could use a smoke break.

SCENE 4: SMOKE & LIES

EXT. ABBOTT RESIDENCE, FRONT PORCH - NIGHT

SOUND: A FAINT CHORUS OF CRICKETSONG. A NEIGHBORHOOD DOG

BARKING IN THE DISTANCE.

NARRATOR

As unnerving as it feels to step back outside, Mike’s

company does provide her some degree of comfort, and

out here on the front patio they have the privacy to

speak freely. She keeps a watchful eye on the shadows,

making sure they don’t move.

SOUND: A SHUFFLING AS MIKE REACHES IN HIS POCKET AND FISHES

OUT A PACK OF CIGARETTES, WITHDRAWING ONE.

NARRATOR

Mike fishes in his pocket for a pack of cigarettes,

withdrawing one for himself and extends the pack to

her. She shakes her head and waves off his offer.

MIKE

Yeah, I promised Nicole I’d quit before the baby comes.

I guess I better get a move on that.

SOUND: A LIGHTER STRIKE AND HISS OF FLAME AS MIKE TAKES A

DEEP DRAW AND EXHALES.

MIKE

So, what’s up?

JUSTINE

I know we all agreed. In your parents’ basement. We

agreed never to talk about it again, but I’ve seen it,

Mike. Only a few times since then, but I’ve seen it

around here... I don’t know how this makes any sense,

but I’m afraid it followed me somehow.

MIKE

I’m sorry, what?

JUSTINE

I’m not going to say it’s name. It’s bad enough we’re

even talking about it.

(A BEAT)

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 11.

JUSTINE

When we were kids, in the woods behind your parents’

house. We found the fox and you told me about the woman

who had lived out there...

MIKE

Oooooh, right. I forgot about that.

JUSTINE

So you haven’t seen it since then? Do you know if Laura

and Danny have? I get these spells like the one I’m in

lately where my mind just runs and I get these

obsessive thoughts about it, and I can’t stop them and

then I’m terrified that even just thinking about that

thing is going to lead it right to me again.

MIKE

Wait, are you being serious?... So, here’s the thing--

uh, I never saw her. And I’m pretty sure Laura and

Danny haven’t either... Justine, that whole thing about

that evil cannibal woman in the woods-- I made that up.

JUSTINE

What?! No you didn’t.

MIKE

There was no legend. There was no woman. I was just

screwing with you.

JUSTINE

(ADAMANT)

No! You said... You said not to ever talk about it and

we agreed. Because you saw her, because you knew!

MIKE

I said not to talk about it because I didn’t realize

how much it would scare you, and how you ran off like

that. I knew we’d get into trouble if you said

anything. I made it all up. I’m sorry, Justine. I

thought it was funny at the time, but now that I look

back, it was a horrible thing to do and I feel like a

shit.

(A BEAT)

MIKE

I was a kid. I was just an asshole kid.

JUSTINE

No! How can it...? I’ve seen it with my own eyes!

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 12.

MIKE

You know how kids’ imaginations are, especially when

they get spooked.

JUSTINE

You don’t understand-- I’ve seen it as an adult. I’ve

been real careful not to talk about it. Ever. And most

times, honestly, I forgot about it. But in college I

was telling the story to some friends one night. We

were talking about supernatural shit that happened to

us in our pasts and I told them about what happened. I

told them the story of The Hungry One and how I saw it

in the woods at the edge of your property.

MIKE

Jeezus, is that the name I made up? That IS terrifying.

JUSTINE

After I talked about it... when I left that night to go

back to my dorm, there it was - watching me from

between the buildings... And I saw it again tonight,

just about a half hour ago, just as clear as I can see

you now. And I’m terrified that it’s coming back...

because I’ve been thinking about it. I can’t help it; I

can’t stop my thoughts. And I’ve been talking about it,

too. I know it hears me, that it knows, and that it’s

coming back for me.

MIKE

Justine, listen to me. There is no Hungry One. That was

a cruel story I made up to scare you because I was

pissed off because my mom forced us to play with you. I

had no idea it would haunt you like this all these

years, and I am really, really sorry about that. But

she’s not real. None of it is real. I made it all up, I

swear to you.

JUSTINE

But how could that be? That this is all in my head?

MIKE

I’m sorry. I am so sorry.

JUSTINE

Are you sure?

MIKE

I’m sure.13.

SCENE 5: LETTING GO OF MONSTERS

INT. UNIVERSITY, COMPUTER LAB OFFICE - DAY

NARRATION

After being so guarded, so careful all of these years

not to talk about The Hungry One, it felt surreal to

openly talk about it now without fear of attracting it

to her. And now that the revelation had a chance to

sink in a little more, talk about it is exactly what

she did the following day at work with Allie.

NARRATION

It was hard to accept that all of this time Justine had

been working herself up, convincing herself, causing

herself in a couple of instances of heightened

self-induced panic to see something that wasn’t really

there. This boogeyman that had tormented her for over a

decade, that she had bought into as an absolute truth,

had been nothing more than a wisp of her imagination.

What a relief it was to be released from that constant,

nagging fear. But at the same time resentment boiled up

over the fact that Mikey and the others had done that

to her, had traumatized her with such a cruel prank.

And, to make matters worse, they swore her to secrecy

in order to prevent themselves from getting in trouble,

never letting her off the hook, condemning her to

suffer all of these years in the belief that The Hungry

One really existed.

ALLIE

So wait, what? He admitted it? He made it all up?

JUSTINE

(STILL IN DISBELIEF)

Yeah.

ALLIE

All this time you thought that thing was real... Didn’t

you ever look up the legend on the internet?

JUSTINE

No, I was terrified to go down that rabbit hole. I

guess I thought, what if it knew somehow that I was

searching for it? Maybe she would come looking for me

in return.

ALLIE

"The Hungry One"?

JUSTINE

Uh-huh.

SOUND: FINGERS CLICKING ON THE COMPUTER KEYBOARD.

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 14.

ALLIE

Nothing. Just some children’s book from the 90’s that

doesn’t look anything like what your cousin talked

about. There’s no legend; there’s nothing.

(A BEAT)

ALLIE

He’s right, he made it up.

JUSTINE

So those times that I saw her-- what is that? Am I

going crazy?

ALLIE

You thought you saw her. The mind plays tricks,

Justine. Remember my Santa Claus story?

JUSTINE

Is that what you thought all along? That I had just

convinced myself?

ALLIE

I mean, that’s easier to swallow than this demonic,

wild cannibal-woman who telepathically hones in on you

whenever you talk or think about her.

JUSTINE

Yeah, it sounds pretty implausible when you sum it up

that way.

(SIGHS)

I feel foolish about it, to be honest. I can’t believe

they did that to me.

(A LONG PAUSE)

ALLIE

Hey, this is great news, though, right?! All the

anxiety and the stress over it-- you can let that all

go now. Breathe easy, you know. You’re free.

JUSTINE

Yeah, I guess you’re right.

ALLIE

How did you sleep last night?

JUSTINE

A little better, actually. I mean, it’s a lot to take

in and think about.

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 15.

ALLIE

See? And I’ll bet you sleep ever better tonight.

(A BEAT)

ALLIE

So... now that we solved that problem, let’s tackle the

problem of my anemic dating life.

JUSTINE

Right. Right, I’m going climbing on Thursday night and

Aaron should be there.

ALLIE

You’re gonna give him my info, right?

JUSTINE

If he’s interested, yeah.

ALLIE

Do you think he’ll be interested?

JUSTINE

I mean, he’s interested in me and I’m not even that

nice to him or anything.

ALLIE

And how come you’re not looking to date?

JUSTINE

Eh, I don’t know. I just don’t want the hassle right

now. It’s a lot.

(QUICK SHIFT BACK INTO A POSITIVE TONE)

But do your thing, have fun. I’m pulling for you, so

hopefully he’ll reach out to you.

ALLIE

Aaron and Allie. The A’s. That does have a good ring.

JUSTINE

No. Don’t do that. Just don’t.

SCENE 6: A LOBSTER KIND OF NIGHT

INT. BUSY FINE-DINING RESTAURANT - NIGHT

SOUND: MURMUR OF BACKGROUND VOICES IN A FINE DINING

RESTAURANT. AN OCCASIONAL SOFT TINKS OF SILVERWARE.

NARRATOR

If nothing else, Dr. James Osbourne was always

punctual. And one reliable trait about Dr. Patricia

LeMay is that she is not. With those constants in mind,

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 16.

NARRATOR (cont’d)

Dr. Osbourne told her that dinner reservations were for

quarter-after-seven when, in actuality, he had

scheduled them for seven o’clock. And yet this strategy

still fell short with James seated at the table, most

of the way through a glass of Malbec, before his

counterpart made her grand entrance. He couldn’t be too

mad; she was here to help him, after all. When it came

to years of experience, sheer knowledge amasses and

number of professional publications, Dr. LeMay was

clearly his better. The fact that she was willing to

assist with clinical consults for the cost of a dinner

and drinks was a bargain well-worth making.

DR. OSBOURNE

Patty!

DR. LEMAY

(APPROACHING THE TABLE)

Jim! You look well.

DR. OSBOURNE

Thanks, you too! It’s been too long.

DR. LEMAY

It has. The last time we were here was... before the

pandemic.

DR. OSBOURNE

That was our last peer consultation? Wow! I guess

you’re right.

(A BEAT)

Please, have a seat.

DR. LEMAY

So you’ve got a doozey for me, then...

DR. OSBOURNE

I do. And I can’t figure this one. I have to admit,

it’s got me stumped.

WAITRESS

Hi, sorry to interrupt. Would you care for a drink?

DR. LEMAY

Uhh, what’s that, Jim? Is that...?

DR. OSBOURNE

Malbec.

DR. LEMAY

I’ll do the same. Please.

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 17.

(A PAUSE)

DR. LEMAY

So back to your case.

DR. OSBOURNE

Twenty-three year old woman who believes she’s being

stalked by an entity she calls... You ready for it?...

"The Hungry One".

DR. LEMAY

Oooh.

DR. OSBOURNE

Yeah...When she was little-- eight years old to be

exact-- she was playing in the woods with her cousins

in Central PA.

DR. LEMAY

Formative age. Is that where she grew up.

DR. OSBOURNE

Just visiting.

DR. LEMAY

Go on.

DR. OSBOURNE

Apparently the cousins told her the legend of this

"Hungry One." From what they described to her, it’s a

woman from a previous century who killed and ate her

own children in the shack in the woods right near their

property. And to this day she still haunts those woods,

more demonic than human now, looking to catch and

devour people.

DR. LEMAY

Oh, that’s not creepy or anything.

DR. OSBOURNE

Yeah, and as soon as they told her about the woman, of

course she spots her there lurking between the trees.

DR. LEMAY

Of course. They set the expectation.

DR. OSBOURNE

Since then, she’s seen this being a few times, usually

years apart. But she feels as if it’s coming for her

again soon. She has a pattern of growing anxiety and

obsessive thoughts forming around it.

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 18.

DR. LEMAY

So delusions and hallucinations. Is she insightful at

all?

DR. OSBOURNE

She’s convinced it’s real.

DR. LEMAY

So, curious: What was her goal for treatment?

DR. OSBOURNE

The obsessive thinking I just mentioned. She believes

that just the mere act of thinking about this being can

summon her to you.

DR. LEMAY

Well I guess we’re in trouble now, aren’t we?

(CHUCKLES AT HER JOKE)

DR. OSBOURNE

(LAUGHS UNCOMFORTABLY)

DR. LEMAY

And yet there is a look you’re giving me...

(A BEAT)

DR. LEMAY

Jim. You’re not entertaining the notion that there’s

validity to her belief system... That what she’s

describing could be really happening, are you?

(A LONG PAUSE)

WAITRESS

(APPROACHING THE TABLE)

Here you are. Are you ready to order or do you need a

few more minutes?

DR. LEMAY

A few more, thank you.

WAITRESS

Sure.

DR. OSBOURNE

(LEANING IN, WAITING UNTIL THE WAITRESS IS OUT OF

EARSHOT)

The first session was the intake. I went right to EMDR

for the second session.

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 19.

DR. LEMAY

To address the obsessive thinking. Okay, that seems a

little soon...

DR. OSBOURNE

And the trauma. She was desperate... I took her back to

the second time she encountered the woman, just a day

after the initial encounter.

DR. LEMAY

So she saw it again. The very next day.

DR. OSBOURNE

Yeah. I thought the second "encounter" would be the

lesser trauma and a better starting point.

DR. LEMAY

But I’m taking it things didn’t go well.

DR. OSBOURNE

She freaked out, Patty. She freaked out, and I couldn’t

redirect her.

DR. LEMAY

Did you use the window technique?

DR. OSBOURNE

Yeah. I did. I tried the window technique.

DR. LEMAY

And...?

DR. OSOURNE

She decompensated. Fast. She said the entity could see

us through the window. She could see us in the therapy

session.

DR. LEMAY

What?!... Schizophrenia, Jim.

DR. OSBOURNE

Ahhh, she’s a bit past a common age of onset. No

history, though. No other indicators. I’m not seeing

psychosis, Patty.

DR. LEMAY

(LIGHTING UP)

Well... now this IS interesting.

(A BEAT)

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 20.

DR. LEMAY

Have you done any research... into this legend? You

know, to get some context. Maybe that could provide

some insight.

DR. OSBOURNE

One step ahead of you. There’s nothing. No local

legend, no historical basis for the story. Nothing.

DR. LEMAY

So it’s made up. The older cousins made it up to scare

her. Is that what you’re thinking? Or someone made the

story up and told the cousins to scare them, and then

they passed it on to her.

DR. OSBOURNE

Right. Either way. And I think it’s possible she

encountered someone in the woods after hearing that

story. You know how the mind works, especially in an

already heightened state of fear. Could have been a

hiker, a homeless person... it could have been a tree

trunk that roughly resembled a humanoid shape. The

imagination fills in the rest, makes it into something

monstrous. And that’s the way she remembers it. That’s

how it became solidified to her.

DR. LEMAY

Yes, yes. A distortion, no doubt. But you said she’s

seen this woman again. As a young adult.

DR. OSBOURNE

Another quick glance, this time at night. She’s got

this already built up in her mind so much...

DR. LEMAY

She mis-perceives. Again. And you’re sure it’s not

psychosis.

DR. OSBOURNE

Pretty sure.

WAITRESS

Sorry to interrupt again. Are you all set to put in

your order?

DR. LEMAY

(SIGHS DEEPLY)

Well, I was initially torn between ordering the chicken

parmesan and the lobster. But, seeing as how you’re

going to really make me work for this one, Jim, I think

that settles it: This is going to be a lobster kind of

night.

(FADE OUT SOUNDS)21.

SCENE 7: SO I HAVE THIS FRIEND...

INT. ROCK GYM - NIGHT

NARRATOR

Two nights later. Justine has been learning

incrementally to let go of her anxiety, her trepidation

around that made-up story that she had, for so long,

accepted as gospel. She was learning to pivot and once

again focus on her life and the things that mattered.

On this particular Friday night after work, that meant

indoor rock climbing. But much to her surprise, only

Aaron showed up and no one else from the rest of the

group. The situation smells fishy and she suspects

Aaron orchestrated this in the aim of getting alone

time with her. When she climbs the wall and he belays,

she can feel his leering eyes on her from below.

Tonight, she fears, Aaron intends to make his move and

ask her out and she’ll be placed in the uncomfortable

situation of turning him down - gently, mind you. But

sometimes it didn’t matter how soft your gloves were

when you handed out rejection; sometimes just a polite

“no” was enough to bruise a delicate ego. And if he

took it badly, that could cause drama and turmoil to

ripple through their small climbing group. She really

had taken to the dynamic of this group and winced at

the thought of having to start over fresh with another

one. Why did Aaron have to go and crush on her? It’s

not as if she did anything to invite his affection. He

wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t as weird and didn’t

ooze desperation - a quality she found to be majorly

off-putting.

JUSTINE

I think that was the last climb for me. I’m running out

of steam and starting to make dumb mistakes.

AARON

Yeah, I saw you get hung up on that one transition but

you finished it. You killed it.

JUSTINE

Thanks. I can belay if you want to climb one more.

AARON

Okay. Yeah, sure. I don’t know, maybe I’ll cool down on

an easy one like that red 8 over there.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS ON THE MATTED FLOOR AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY

TO A DIFFERENT CLIMB.

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 22.

AARON

Ahhh! Did you see trailer yet for the new DeathSweep

movie?

JUSTINE

Nah, that’s not really my kind of movie.

AARON

Oh. Well, what is...? Your kind of movie? I was just

kind of thinking it might be cool to--

JUSTINE

(CUTTING IN)

You know, I have a friend... And she’s really into the

DeathSweep movies, actually. And she’s single, too. Now

that I think about it, you two might really hit it off.

AARON

(SURPRISED AND DISAPPOINTED)

Oh...

JUSTINE

She’s really smart - she works in IT at the university

with me. And she’s pretty.

AARON

Yeah?

JUSTINE

Oh yeah. Here, let me show you a picture.

(A PAUSE)

JUSTINE

What do you think?

AARON

(PERKING UP)

Yeah. Yeah, she’s cute.

JUSTINE

Right?! Her name’s Allie and she’s just awesome.

Easy-going, good sense of humor. No drama. I see her

every day at work, practically and we talk pretty much

over the weekends too, so... You know, I’ll talk to

her. Maybe I can introduce you two on social media.

AARON

Yeah, I guess. Sure. Why not.

(A BEAT)

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 23.

AARON

Let me see her pic again?

(A PAUSE)

AARON

Yeah.

NARRATOR

She belayed for Aaron as he finished off his final

climb of the evening. Pleased with herself at having

artfully shifted Aaron’s interest off of her and onto

Allie, Justine thinks it best to avoid walking to their

cars together. Better not to risk an awkward backslide

in her accomplishment by providing him any more

perceived openings.

AARON

Walk you out?

JUSTINE

Nah, I’m going to use the ladies room. Don’t wait up

for me.

AARON

You sure? It’s no trouble.

JUSTINE

Yeah. No, you go on.

SCENE 8: "THIS ONE’S OCCUPIED"

INT. ROCK GYM, LADIES’ ROOM - NIGHT

NARRATOR

This close to closing time, most of the climbers have

either gone home already or have headed out to get a

jump on their weekends. It’s little surprise that

Justine finds herself alone in the ladies room. All the

better to kill time in front of the mirror, fussing

with her hair. The plan is to give Aaron enough of a

lead to be gone by the time she makes her way to the

parking lot.

SOUND: SNEAKERED FOOTSTEPS ON THE TILED FLOOR AS SHE PIVOTS

TO ENTER A BATHROOM STALL. SHE CLOSES THE STALL DOOR AND

LATCHES IT. SOFT RUFFLE OF FABRIC AS SHE PULLS DOWN HER YOGA

PANTS AND SITS ON THE TOILET SEAT.

NARRATOR

Content that she’s done so, Justine enters one of the

stalls, intending to empty her bladder before heading

out. When not climbing Justine would keep her cell

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 24.

NARRATOR (cont’d)

phone tucked in the waistband of her yoga pants. Once

she sits and slides down her pants, she places the

phone atop the toilet paper holder mounted on the

stall’s side wall.

SOUND: A STREAM OF URINE HITTING THE WATER IN THE BOWL.

NARRATOR

As luck would have it, as soon as she begins to relieve

herself, the ladies room is plunged into a sudden

darkness.

SOUND: THE STREAM OF URINE TAPERS OF QUICKLY.

NARRATOR

Justine calls out to announce her presence...

JUSTINE

Hey, I’m in here!

NARRATOR

But she didn’t hear anyone enter. Didn’t hear the door

opening and closing. Didn’t hear the click of the light

switch. As far as she knows, she’s still the sole

occupant of the ladies room. Could the power have gone

out? Or could the light be on some kind of internal

timer? Closing time is, afterall, drawing closer.

JUSTINE

Hello...?

NARRATOR

The darkness that’s befallen her feels heavy, like

she’s been immersed in murky water at the bottom of a

deep pool. Her eyes struggle to adjust.

JUSTINE

Hello? Anyone there...?

(SIGHS)

NARRATOR

She retrieves her cell phone from its perch atop the

toilet paper holder.

SOUND: PHONE BEING PICKED UP FROM A HOLLOW, METAL SURFACE.

NARRATOR

The display screen of the phone paints the stall in a

bluish tint. She checks the time: 9:52pm. From the

corner of the ladies room, nearest the door, comes the

unmistakable sound of footsteps.

(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 25.

SOUND: CLICK, CLICK OF BARE FEET WITH LONG TALONS SLOWLY

APPROACHING ON THE TILED FLOOR.

NARRATOR

From the corner of the ladies room, nearest the door,

comes the unmistakable sound of footsteps. Slow,

deliberate, approaching footsteps. Someone light on

their feet, striding towards the stalls, through the

dark, on what sound like cleats... or clawed toes,

clicking-clicking on the tiles with each advancing

step.

SOUND: CLICK, CLICK OF THE FOOTSTEPS STEADILY CLOSING IN.

NARRATOR

Justine activates the flashlight on her phone. From her

seated position, she doubles over, folding herself

towards the floor. From that low vantage point, Justine

angles the phone’s miniature light beneath the gap of

the stall door. She waits, he eyes fixed on the tiles

in front of her stall as the footsteps progress closer

and closer. In deliberate, measured steps, a woman’s

bare feet tiptoe into the light. Their appearance

elicits a gasp from Justine.

JUSTINE

(GASPS QUIETLY)

NARRATOR

The feet filthy, streaked with dried mud, taper into

yellowed toenails so long and hooked that their pointed

tips scratch at the bald floor.

JUSTINE

(BREATHING SHALLOW AND FAST, BUT TRYING TO STAY QUIET)

NARRATOR

“No, no, no,” she thinks. This can’t be. It can’t be...

She jerks the light away, struggling now to control her

breathing, squelching any instinctive sounds of terror.

SOUND: CLICKING FOOTSTEPS MOVING PAST HER.

JUSTINE

The clawed steps clack past her stall door. Justine, in

turn, springs to her feet and yanks up her pants, ready

to flee, her blood pumping furiously. Whatever this

thing is, if it’s moved past her now, she may have a

clear shot to the door. This might be her best chance

to make a dash for the exit. But does she even dare to

move?

(TO BE CONTINUED)