Predation - Chapter Four

In the clutches of a serial killer, Sara is primed to become his next victim, but a secret she's been holding back boils to the surface, turning the tables on the would-be murderer. 

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NOCTURNUM COLLECTIVE – SEASON TWO

Predation – Chapter Four

Written by Karl White

NARRATOR (OPEN): There are constants that endure in the known world. Space, time, energy, matter. Physical and scientific laws constraining us to this existence. But there's a current below the surface. Contrary to the explainable, it's where the unknown resides, where meaning and form collide with the abstract, where shadows hold dominion…Enter the Nocturnum Collective.

(MUSIC – opening sequence)

NARRATOR: And now, together with Legends of the Night, the Nocturnum Collective presents - Predation, chapter four. Written by Karl White.

(MUSIC – tension drone)

NARRATOR: What terror lurks within our souls? Every piece of vileness and wickedness is born of something. People are not inherently bad or violent. They're made that way. Trauma, fear, pain, our experiences, they all inform who we become. It can be created through years of enduring…By Dr. Keller's own admission, his upbringing, an emotionally distant and violent father, helped to form the clay of his adolescence into a killer…But with Sara, a different force entirely is at work. A single, horrific event, sending shockwaves through her system. An assault that nearly left her dead also left her with a curse that she struggled mightily to understand. The person she was, her affable personality, coupled with her modest temperament, have helped talk her inner voice into suppressing something malevolent that lays dormant inside, but fights to get out.

(SFX – sting)

NARRATOR: It happened that night, down the dead-end dirt road. In the backwoods, the rain, the foggy windows of the station wagon, the sudden howling wind. An attack, and though she relives this event over and over in her dreams, Sara's worked so hard to cloak what happened. The assailant who stalked them and shattered the window forcing their way into the car is always obscured in her thoughts, and for good reason. As through the darkness of her mind, fuzzy details come into sharp focus, and it was no mere man perpetrating the violence for errant, mortal, or carnal reasons.

(SFX – growl)

NARRATOR: It was a WEREWOLF, hunting prey to satisfy whatever primal savagery it needed to fulfill. Sara watched from the back seat as the beast viciously ripped Mark's throat out, then turned its attention to her. Its yellow eyes burned into her psyche, blood dripping from its fur and fangs. She kicked and fought it off, able to slip out of the car. Sara would run for her life, but not far behind, the werewolf pursued. Through the woods, she'd try making it back to the party in the distance, but the beast would catch up, taking Sara to the ground, attacking.

(SFX – werewolf attack)

NARRATOR: But she survived, unsure why or how…But she knew what lay in store, permeating below the surface, and thus began the fight to maintain control. And right now, below Dr. Keller's farmhouse, in the cellar, Sara, bound to a chair, imprisoned by a killer. Her stress pushed well beyond its limit.

(MUSIC – tense)

NARRATOR: The pressure of the secret she's been holding back is too much. Sara breaks. She thrashes wildly, contorting in the chair, using every muscle in her body. Inhuman sounds bellowing from under her gag.

(SFX – growling)

NARRATOR: Unsure what's going on, Dr. Keller stares in bewilderment, shaking his head at the contrast of sound and sight. Sara's arms and legs move and kick in full force. She fights her restraints and shrieks deeply. The sounds coming from her are terrifying. The overhead lights are flickering like crazy…

(SFX – power surge)

NARRATOR: Sara's eyes open. The whites are gone. They're now a deep, sharp yellow…She opens her mouth wide and tight against her gag. Her teeth are growing. The canine's becoming razor sharp…Her hands contort, fingernails sprouting into clawed talons. Dr. Keller recoils but can't take his eyes off Sara.

(SFX – chair moving)

NARRATOR: On the other side of the room, Donald bucks in his chair, wanting nothing more than to get the hell out of the room. He and the chair tip over.

(SFX – crash)

NARRATOR: Scared by the sound, Dr. Keller trips over his camera. It crashes to the floor as he falls on his ass.

(SFX – body thud)

NARRATOR: Sara savagely bites clean through the stretched gag. She growls at Keller.

(SFX – growl)

NARRATOR: He scoots back along the floor in terrified retreat. On the ground, he suddenly notices bugs everywhere. Spiders, beetles, roaches, silverfish, crawling from every crack and crevice in the room…Across from him, with all of her strength, Sara rips one of her arms out of the restraint.

(SFX – slashing)

NARRATOR: She claws, cutting her other wrist from its binding. She leans down and begins slashing at her leg restraints, trying to get free. Keller backpedals on the floor, distracted, the bugs crawling in his direction. He swats and swings at the vermin as they get closer, then hops to his feet.

(SFX – scream through gag)

NARRATOR: But as Donald screams through his gag, Dr. Keller notices a shadow casts over him. Sara, on the other side of the room, is no longer a prisoner. Keller's face turns white.

DR. KELLER: Sara?

NARRATOR: But Sara's not there. She's transformed into an angry werewolf…But it's clear from her still human-like appearance, and given her nature, she's holding back. Behind shiny eyes is a possessed look, void of reason, the definition of savage, her sights fixed on Keller. He hurries to the large metal door, fighting with the slide lock.

(SFX – door unlock)

NARRATOR: Sara lunges towards Dr. Keller. Her movements are fluid, like an apex predator.

(SFX – sliding door)

NARRATOR: With all his strength, Keller pushes the metal door open, slipping out. He gets one last glimpse at Donald, still tied up and helpless on the ground. Sara charges the door. She bears her fangs, claws raised. Without a moment to spare, Dr. Keller slides the door closed, latching it from the outside.

(SFX – door closed/locked)

 
NARRATOR: On the other side, Sara hits the door over and over, a caged animal trying to get out. Dr. Keller stands there stunned, processing through the adrenaline, weed, booze, and coke.

(SFX – metal banging)

NARRATOR: Sounds of Sara destroying the room echo. Then she hits the door again, causing Keller to back up. He sees the door vibrate and the thick metal buckle with each hit.

(SFX – metal banging)

NARRATOR: It's hard to believe, but at this rate, the door might not hold up. Thinking fast, there's a bookcase situated next to the door. Dr. Keller clears it, sweeping books on to the ground. He pushes the bookcase. It crashes against the door, creating a makeshift doorstop.

(SFX – crash)

NARRATOR: Not wasting another second, Dr. Keller hurries up the stairs.

(SFX – climbing stairs)

NARRATOR: He bursts into the living room and begins to tear the place up, barricading the door to the basement with whatever he can grab.

(SFX – furniture moving)

NARRATOR: Once it seems fortified, he leans against the blockage, trying to catch his breath. But he's brought back to reality, as it sounds like Sara is winning her fight with the metal door downstairs.

(SFX – metal crash)

NARRATOR: Dr. Keller's safe little world is closing in. He spots his car keys in the bowl on the console table, and it dawns on him -- He can leave.

(SFX – keys jingle)

NARRATOR: He scoops up the keys, grabbing a dark track jacket off a nearby hook. He slips it on. Time to go.

(SFX – sting)

NARRATOR: Dr. Keller bullrushes the back door. He fumbles with a deadbolt and swings it open.

(SFX – door unlock/open)

NARRATOR: But before he steps out, he hesitates, looking back at a knife block on the kitchen counter.

(SFX – crashing)

NARRATOR: Downstairs, it sounds like Sara's made her way through the metal door, now hurrying up the steps. She hits the barricaded basement door in the living room with all her might. She claws and bangs, trying to tear it down.

(SFX – wood hits)

NARRATOR: Keller hurries, grabs a butcher knife from the block, and he's out the door.

(SFX – nature ambience)

NARRATOR: Dr. Keller zips his jacket, as he sprints to his car. Grabbing the door handle, it's of course locked. Keys in hand, he goes to open it, but a loud chorus of shrill, cawing echoes above.

(SFX – crows caw)

NARRATOR: Keller looks up to see a dozen crows gathered on a power line, strung from the streetlamp to his house. They sinisterly watch him.

(SFX – more cawing)

NARRATOR: Trying his best to ignore the birds, he goes back to his car door, but with everything going on, the stress, the drugs, his shaky hand can't line the key up with the lock…He tries over and over, but can't calm himself enough to stay steady.

(SFX – ransack noises)

NARRATOR: Noises from the house grow louder and louder as Sara becomes angrier at her imprisonment. Back to getting his car door open, Dr. Keller sets the butcher knife on the roof of the car, bracing one hand with the other to muffle the shaking, enough to slide the key into the lock.

(SFX – crashing)

NARRATOR: But in the house, Sara finally busts through the basement door. It's a piercing, violent sound. With his grip as tight as it is on the key, it breaks off in the lock.

(SFX – key snap)

DR. KELLER: Oh, shit!

NARRATOR: To add to his misery, the crows begin swooping, dive bombing him, prompted by some supernatural force. Dr. Keller swats at the birds. He abandons what's left of his keys on the ground, grabs the knife off the top of the car, and takes off for a tree line at the edge of his property.

(SFX – crows screech)

NARRATOR: The crows, almost in unison with the sounds of Sara tearing through the house, swarm Keller as he flees.

DR. KELLER: Get off me!

NARRATOR: He slashes at them with the knife…As he nears the edge of his yard, the birds fly off.

(SFX – wings flapping)

NARRATOR: Dr. Keller hits the tree line, but it's too dark to see what's in front of him as he runs headfirst into a low-hanging branch. The impact knocks him on his ass. The knife hits the ground next to him.

(SFX – wood crash)

NARRATOR: In the distance, Sara bursts through the back door. An angry howl fills the air.

(SFX – distant howl)

NARRATOR: Bouncing to his feet, Keller grabs the knife and tries again to flee. Arms in front of his face, he fights forward, into the thick foliage. But as he treks through the woods, he's making a lot of noise, giving away his position.

(SFX – distant howl)

NARRATOR: Another shrill howl rings out, pointed in his direction. She knows where he is…Petrified, Dr. Keller struggles on as fast as he can.

(MUSIC)

NARRATOR: A bright moon and stars glow above. There's a dark blue tint to everything, as the sky illuminates a large clearing in the woods. Keller comes through the tree line unexpectedly, not ready for it, his legs churning faster than they were meant to.

(SFX – footsteps running)

NARRATOR: He trips and stumbles. His clumsy sprint across the clearing takes some time, but he finally reaches the other side. Coming down off the cocaine, fatigue is setting in.

(SFX – heavy breathing)

NARRATOR: He pants like a dog, struggling to breathe, unzipping his jacket, fanning himself. But the calm silence in the clearing breaks as another shriek erupts from the opposite tree line. The noise of rustling branches grips his attention.

(SFX – sting)

NARRATOR: Sara explodes into the clearing, the blur of her red dress coming for Dr. Keller. He frantically scrambles, darting further into the woods.

(SFX – heavy footsteps)

NARRATOR: Continually looking back over his shoulder, Dr. Keller hurries along, stumbling with every other step. He hears Sara trailing in the distance. Handicapped by the dark, running for his life, Dr. Keller can't see where he's going or what's in front of him. He just knows he has to keep moving. But he trips over an exposed root, loudly tumbling to the ground.

(SFX – trip/fall)

NARRATOR: He hangs on to the knife, but as he tries to stand, a sharp pain shoots up his leg. He's twisted his ankle, injured, too exhausted to run, and with sounds of Sara getting closer, Dr. Keller's only safe choice is to crawl off the beaten path. Curling himself against a tree trunk, staying quiet.

(MUSIC – tense drone)

NARRATOR: Sara slowly enters the tree line from the clearing. Her eyes glow against the moonlight, claws out as she creeps along. She sniffs. The air is fresh with his scent. But inexperienced with her heightened senses, she's having trouble processing as she hunts for her prey. As she reaches out, resting her clawed hand on a tree, something uncanny begins to happen, surprising even her.

(SFX – sting)

NARRATOR: Like a chameleon, Sara becomes one with the tree. The skin on her hand and arm takes on characteristics of the wood with the texture of the bark. Her eyes change from yellow to a deep emerald color. Green veins rise in her neck and arms, and as the change happens to Sara, the forest comes alive, responding to her presence. Still quietly in hiding, vines suddenly reach out, wrapping around Dr. Keller.

DR. KELLER: What the hell?

NARRATOR: With knife in hand, he slashes and cuts at the vegetation.

(SFX – slashing)

NARRATOR: But the rustling of the bushes clues Sara onto his whereabouts. She focuses her concentration on the area where Dr. Keller is, willing more vines and branches to come at him from all directions.

(SFX – slashing)

NARRATOR: Fighting off the foliage, Dr. Keller springs up. As Sara spots him, she lets go of the tree and sprints towards him. Terror washes over his face when he sees her reflective eyes coming in his direction. Keller hobbles away as fast as he can. Sara quickly gains ground with her angle of pursuit. But Keller has more to contend with, as tree limbs jet out in every direction, trying to seize him. He zigzags, avoiding the vegetation. But Sara's right on his tail. Then, behind him…

(SFX – metal snap/yelp)

NARRATOR: Turning his head as he runs, Dr. Keller sees Sara has stepped into a large leg-hold trap, like the ones in his cellar. Her eyes change back to a beastly yellow, and her plant-like attributes are gone. The attacking branches fall back to their natural position. The distraction of her injury disrupting her connection with the forest. As she struggles to free herself, he wastes no time getting the hell out of there. She cries out in anguished anger as he darts away.

(SFX – stream)

NARRATOR: A small stream runs through the middle of the woods, separating the trees. It's only a few feet deep at its lowest point, but the small current moves by quickly. There are rocks and gravel on the banks, giving the appearance that at one time it was a much wider and larger body of water. Dr. Keller comes up to the stream, limping. He still grips the knife at his side. He's dirty, sweaty. Small cuts from the branch attack cover his face and hands. He staggers down to the edge of the stream, wincing as he puts weight on his injured ankle.

(SFX – bushes rattle)

NARRATOR: As the bushes behind him rattle, Dr. Keller turns and backs down the bank towards the stream.

(SFX – footsteps in water)

NARRATOR: He splashes into the cool water. His full attention is on the tree line as he waits for Sara to show herself.

DR. KELLER: Come on.

NARRATOR: Holding the knife out, he's ready to defend himself, and right now, at this very moment, his courage is about as strong as it's gonna get. From beyond the trees, he sees the red dress approaching. Sara moves stealthily out into the moonlight with a limp of her own. Blood runs down her leg. Her appearance is more beast-like, slightly hunched, a thin coat of hair, primitive...but Sara's still holding back. Her hollow eyes are focused on Dr. Keller.

(SFX – growl)

NARRATOR: She bears her razor-sharp teeth as she creeps towards him. Still in his defensive stance, he stares her down.

DR. KELLER: Come on, bitch!

NARRATOR: His adrenaline pumping, heart racing. He gestures.

DR. KELLER: Come and get me!

NARRATOR: She takes a few more small steps towards him and stops about ten feet away. His resolve begins to waver. Keller gives a quick glance behind him at the opposite tree line. He considers making a break for it, but there's an incline he'd have to climb. Putting weight on his ankle, his cringe is enough of an indication he knows he's stuck. It's do or die.

DR. KELLER: This ends here, Sara, or whatever you are.

NARRATOR: She hitches forward, one foot in the water. The move startles Dr. Keller as he stumbles back. Sara takes another deliberate step forward, but now with both feet in the flowing water. She stops, closing her eyes…Keller watches as her feet and legs merge with the shallow water.

(SFX – rumble)

NARRATOR: She becomes one with her environment.

DR. KELLER: The fuck is happening?

NARRATOR: The water in the stream begins to vibrate, forming into drops of vapor. They lift into the air, as if it is raining in reverse. Dr. Keller is assaulted with water. It's rising, surrounding him on all sides. He tries to fight it, slashing at it with his knife, but to no avail. Sara opens her eyes, which are now a deep blue. With fluid movements, mimicking the liquid she's now a part of, Sara thrusts forward…The water enveloping Keller suddenly parts, giving him a chance to get a breath. But she comes at him, swinging with her claws. She knocks the knife from his hand and hits his shoulder, slicing his jacket and skin open.

(SFX – skin slash)

NARRATOR: Before Dr. Keller can scream in pain, the water assaults him again. Blitzed with liquid and no match for her uncanny abilities, Keller knows he's doomed. He turns and runs, splashing down the stream.

(SFX – running through water) 

NARRATOR: Sara lets him get a head start, then pursues. As he looks over his shoulder, she's closing in and strikes him from behind. Using the power of the water, he tumbles, splashing down.

(SFX – splash)

NARRATOR: Sara springs on top of him. Dr. Keller tries to fend her off, but she's too strong with the power she's wielding. The stream turns to water vapor again, rising above his head. Sara holds him down. Dr. Keller's head is underwater. He's drowning.

(SFX – growl)

NARRATOR: She bares her teeth, ready to sink her fangs into his throat and finish him off. But from out of nowhere, BAM!

(SFX – rock hit)

NARRATOR: Keller hits Sara as hard as he can in the side of the face with a large rock. She's dazed. He swings the rock up again.

(SFX – rock hit)

NARRATOR: The force is enough to knock her off of him. The water falls away.

(SFX – water splashing)

NARRATOR: Keller sits up and takes a big, gasping breath. He climbs on top of Sara, hitting her several more times in the head and face. But as rattled as she is, she's still trying to fight back, swinging her sharp talons…Wanting no more of what Sara is dishing out, Keller gets up, throws down the rock, and sprints downstream.

(SFX – run through water)

NARRATOR: With a new burst of energy, he disappears through another tree line.

(MUSIC)

NARRATOR: Beyond the creek lies a barbed wire fence that separates a pasture from the forest. Beyond that, spread throughout the pasture, a dozen cows. A wet and bloody Dr. Keller fires out from the trees like a bullet from a gun. Not knowing the fence is there, he collides, chest first, with spiked metal. The instant he makes contact, large sparks fire.

(SFX – electric shock)

NARRATOR: He flies backwards several feet, landing on his back. The fence is electrified.

(SFX – sting)

NARRATOR: After a moment, Dr. Keller shakes off the sudden shock and picks himself up. His equilibrium is a bit off as he sways with the first few steps, but he must keep moving.

(SFX – running)

NARRATOR: He runs about 50 yards or so, parallel with the barbed wire, following the fence posts, doing his best not to come in contact again. Passing the last post, he rounds the corner, coming to a sliding stop. There's a large field beyond the pasture. Off in the distance sits a horse barn, and even further away, a large farmhouse.

(MUSIC)

NARRATOR: Dr. Keller runs up to the barn, going straight for a sliding door on the north side of the building. But it's locked.

(SFX – door rattle)

NARRATOR: He moves on, running around the side, looking for a way in. Sneaking around, the top door of one of the horse stalls is open. Quiet, Keller hops the corral fence and moves towards the entry. A large black quarter horse peeks its head out from the stall.

(SFX – horse snorts)

NARRATOR: Keyed up, Keller jumps…But after a moment, realizing he's safe, he laughs it off.

DR. KELLER: You scared me.

NARRATOR: He approaches, holding his bloody hand out. The horse rears back, with the smell of blood and fear on him.

(SFX – horse whinnies)

DR. KELLER: I'm not gonna hurt your big fella.

NARRATOR: Dr. Keller continues forward and lightly strokes the side of the horse's face.

DR. KELLER: That's it. See? I'm friendly.

NARRATOR: Moments later, his untroubled exchange with the horse comes to an abrupt end, as the stillness is broken.

(SFX – loud howl)

NARRATOR: Keller jumps back…His movement upsets the animal even more as it backs up, disappearing into its stall, knowing the beast isn't far behind, and scared again for his life…Dr. Keller hurries to the stall door and climbs in.

(SFX – body fall)

NARRATOR: With a thud, he falls to the hay-covered ground. The horse in the stall with him backs up a bit more. 

(SFX – horse snorts)

NARRATOR: The dozen or so other horses in the barn stir at the commotion. Keller stands up, brushing the hay off…The horse backs in the corner, uneasy. 

DR. KELLER: Shh, shh, shh, shh. I'm not gonna hurt you.

NARRATOR: The horse snorts, bucks, kicks, uncomfortable with his guest. The doc sticks to the wall, keeping his distance.

DR. KELLER: Just looking for a place to hide. That's all.

(SFX – creaky door)

NARRATOR: He lets himself out of the stall door, into the barn. The building is dark, with slivers of light spilling in from a post lamp outside. With a chance to finally breathe, Dr. Keller shakes his head…A crazy series of events. Sara, a werewolf of all things, who has some strange dominion over the trees and water. As the scattered thoughts scurry through his mind, it all seems beyond belief, beyond comprehension. But here he is…And as he walks around, he feels a sudden pain in his shoulder and chest, wincing as he's reminded of the bloody wounds left by Sara and the fence. He hasn't had time to notice how bad they are, but the adrenaline is fading. His attention is suddenly grabbed by...

(SFX – loud howl)

NARRATOR: Rushing to a ladder leading up to the hayloft, Dr. Keller climbs. Making his way to a small window in the corner, he looks out at the pasture.

(SFX – cows moo)

NARRATOR: Outside, cows scatter like hurting buffalo, moving together as Sara, an angry predator in a more savage state, cuts through their enclosure as she heads towards the barn. She growls at the cattle, chasing them off in the opposite direction…She jumps over the pasture fence with ease and creeps closer to the homestead, stopping in the field…The muscles in her sharpened ears adjust, moving as she listens for any indication of Dr. Keller.

(SFX – horses riled)

NARRATOR: Back in the barn, the horses are riled, sensing an animal of prey is nearby. Keller wants to shush them but knows he shouldn't make a sound…He touches his chest wound again. It's getting more and more painful by the moment. Blood running down his arm from the wound on his shoulder drips to the floor. He notices a pool of it at his feet…Then he peeks out the window again.

(MUSIC)

NARRATOR: In the pasture, Sara's head pivots as she tries to use her senses to locate Keller. She closes her yellow eyes and holds her hands up in front of her. Using her heightened abilities, she calls on nature to locate her prey. Her clawed hands become eerily translucent, transforming into a swirling wind…She pushes the air forward, sending it out in search of Keller.

(SFX – wind whoosh)

NARRATOR: Whispers of wind race towards the barn and the farmhouse. A ghostly mist of air passes through the cracks and crevices of the barn. Like a blind hand, the breeze makes its way through the stalls, touching things, searching. In the hayloft, Dr. Keller watches in awe, not sure what's happening as the phantom wind glides up the ladder towards him.

(SFX – air swirls)

NARRATOR: He backs away as the stirring air passes around him like tendrils and whirls over the blood on the floor, collecting his scent. Having found what it was looking for, the wind retreats, siphoning through the window to return to Sara…Keller follows it with his gaze, looking out the window again, watching.

(SFX – wind gust, sniffing)

NARRATOR: As the churning air returns, Sara inhales. Her nostrils flare with each sniff, taking in the information. Then her eyes open, now a stormy gray color…She peers up towards the window Keller is looking out of. She knows where he is and makes a break for the barn.

(SFX – thunder)

NARRATOR: Thunder crackles in the sky above.

(SFX – sting)

NARRATOR: Dr. Keller backs away from the window. He looks down again, realizing what's going on. It's the blood.

DR. KELLER: Oh, fuck!

NARRATOR: Thinking fast, the doc zips his jacket up, then grabs a pair of hay gloves and leans down, mopping up the puddle of blood at his feet.

(SFX – horses riled)

NARRATOR: The horses, all whinny and snort in fear, as Sara rips and claws at the large sliding door, fighting to get in. Keller tosses the gloves into a stall across the barn, hoping to throw off his scent. Then he awkwardly climbs down the ladder out of the loft.

(SFX – door banging)

NARRATOR: With Sara attempting to make her way in and unable to just saddle a horse and ride off, Dr. Keller's only choice is to leave on foot. He sprints to a side door and quietly unbolts it, exiting.

(SFX – open/close door)

NARRATOR: Sounds of him leaving are cloaked by the upset horses making noise and the sounds of Sara finally clawing her way in. Hearing the angry beast enter the barn only makes Keller move faster.

(SFX – muffled growl, horses riled)

NARRATOR: A mix of her growls and snarls and the cries of horses echo through the air as she storms the barn, following the scent, searching for the doctor. He picks up his pace while trying to remain quiet…Just then, a human voice calls out.

MR. HORN: Freeze!

NARRATOR: Wide-eyed, Dr. Keller stops and looks up to see his neighbor, old Mr. Horn. He's 66, white hair, farm-weathered face. He's dressed in his pajamas, pointing a loaded shotgun.

DR. KELLER: Mr. Horn, don't shoot!

NARRATOR: The old farmer squints, recognizing the voice of his trespasser.

MR. HORN: Who goes there?

DR. KELLER: It's me, Dr. Keller, from down the road.

NARRATOR: Mr. Horn lowers his gun.

MR. HORN: Doc? What the hell are you doing out here?

NARRATOR: He looks Keller up and down.

MR. HORN: Why you got blood on you?

DR. KELLER: I can explain.

NARRATOR: But he's interrupted as an enraged howl emanates from inside the barn, followed by a crackle of thunder from above.

(SFX – growl, thunder)

MR. HORN: What in tarnation?

DR. KELLER: We need to get out of here, now! 

NARRATOR: Stubborn, Mr. Horn pushes past Dr. Keller, heading towards the barn to see about the commotion.

(SFX – wind howling)

NARRATOR: The wind is starting to pick up, the sky rumbling.

(SFX – thunder)

NARRATOR: Without a word, Keller backs further away from the barn. Mr. Horn glances back over his shoulder.

MR. HORN: Doc, where are you going?

NARRATOR: In that very instant, lightning illuminates the sky, as Seth bursts through the barn door. Her appearance is more lupine than before. Her eyes are a crimson red. Her talons sharper, fangs longer…She's wild, savage, a perfect amalgam of woman and wolf.

(SFX – growl/howl)

NARRATOR: Shocked by the sight, Mr. Horn tries to let out a blood-curdling scream, but instead suddenly grabs his chest. He's having some sort of coronary event…Horses stream out of the barn in front of Sara, running off scared into the night. The stampede cuts her off from advancing.

(SFX – staggered steps)

NARRATOR: Mr. Horn tries to turn and flee, but he stumbles forward, only able to take a few steps before he collapses…He looks up at Keller.

MR. HORN: Doc.

NARRATOR: But seeing opportunity in death, Dr. Keller sprints to Mr. Horn's side.

MR. HORN: Help me.

NARRATOR: Ignoring the plea, he wrestles the gun from Mr. Horn's dying hands…Dr. Keller stands, shotgun pointed, ready to end Sara's life…As the last horse flees, leaving his line of sight open, Keller squeezes the trigger.

(SFX – click)

NARRATOR: But nothing happens. Quickly diagnosing, he realizes there's no shell in the chamber.

(SFX – chamber round)

NARRATOR: But before he can re-aim, Sara charges…The best he can do is hold the gun up to defend himself -- She hits him full force, knocking him back. 

(SFX – body thud)

NARRATOR: Keller holds on to the weapon, but when he hits the ground, he accidentally pulls the trigger. The shotgun blasts off to the side, and an unexpected scream.

(SFX – shotgun blast, scream)

NARRATOR: He and Sara both look over to see Mrs. Horn, short, plump, gray hair, standing at the back door of the farmhouse, her floral nightgown, covered in blood from the round of buckshot in her stomach…Mrs. Horn slumps forward, falling into the yard.

(SFX – sting)

NARRATOR: Sara comes at Keller once more. On his back, he re-aims and pumps the gun again.

(SFX – chamber round)

DR. KELLER: Die!

NARRATOR: He pulls the trigger.

(SFX – shotgun blast)

NARRATOR: Another blast, but it only grazes Sara's shoulder. She recoils from the hit…

(SFX – thunder)

NARRATOR: As Sara re-steadies herself, the sky angrily rumbles above…Dr. Keller hops up. He pumps the gun again and pulls the trigger.

(SFX – click)

NARRATOR: But it's empty…Sara howls as the dark sky above is opening.

(SFX – storm brewing)

NARRATOR: A storm is upon them, all due to her mysterious connection to nature and her untamed emotional state. Lightning crashes, hitting Sara. Electricity courses through her.

(SFX – electric current)

NARRATOR: The wind swirls around her, her body trembling.

(SFX – whipping wind)

NARRATOR: Something big is happening…Dr. Keller sees she's in a vulnerable state, using the spent shotgun itself as a weapon. He swings at Sara.

(SFX – crack)

NARRATOR: The hit stuns her, halting whatever was going to happen as the swirling wind dissipates…And before Sara can recover, Keller swings again, this time for the fences.

(SFX – crack)

NARRATOR: He knocks Sara off of her feet. She's disoriented, down for the count. But more angry bursts of lightning and thunder crackle from the sky.

(SFX – thunder)

NARRATOR: Dr. Keller drops the shotgun and hauls ass out of there.

(SFX – footsteps receding)

NARRATOR: To be concluded…

(MUSIC – Outro)

NARRATOR: For more killer content, subscribe or go to www.NocturnumCollective.com. And for more information about Predation and the LOTN universe, go to www.LegendsoftheNight.com