Two Winters Past

EXT. WOODS. DAY.

CHANGO carries CHLOE ISIS over his shoulder down a well-trod bath at the ridge of a steep embankment. Leaves are still young enough that sunlight breaks through the canopy. The sky above is grey. 

Enter VALENTINE, charging. 

VALENTINE dives to take out CHANGO’s legs. 

CHANGO falls and drops CHLOE ISIS. Most of her clothes have been torn away to bind and gag her. 

As VALENTINE and CHANGO fight, CHLOE ISIS struggles against her bonds. 

CHANGO gets the machete away from VALENTINE and they square off.

VALENTINE: I killed those monsters, and I killed Remmy Cooley. I’ll bash your skull in just the same.

CHANGO: I imagine you got Jimmy too.

VALENTINE: Monsters got him, after he saved my life.

CHANGO: Ain’t that sweet.

VALENTINE: No one needs to know you left him to die.

CHANGO: They won’t.

CHANGO throws the machete and VALENTINE sidesteps. 

Monster runs in to grapple with VALENTINE. CHANGO breaks off combat. 

A second monster is running to attack CHLOE ISIS, who is prone on her stomach. CHANGO attacks with his shoulder, flooring the monster. 

CHANGO: Where the fuck are they coming from?

Monster is back up and attacking, but CHANGO is braced, and has drawn a long hunting knife. He avoids the sharp claws and goes for the neck.

Blood fans from the monster's severed veins and arteries. It continues fighting, but it's energy drains quickly. CHANGO holds it back, guiding the monster to the ground, where it is barely able to crawl after him. 

CHLOE ISIS has wormed away, but CHANGO catches her and hefts her over his shoulder. 

VALENTINE uses the machete as a barrier to hold back the monster that attacks him. Its arms and chest are shredded and bleeding as the monster slams against the blade.  The jagged shards of yellow teeth snap for VALENTINE's face. 

VALENTINE falls on his back, and the monster on top of him. They tumble off the path, and over the ridge.

POV as VALENTINE rolls screaming down the hill. We see a spinning, bouncing forest, and the occasional flailing, bloody hand of the monster. We hear a great THUD, but VALENTINE is still shouting. As he reaches the bottom, the roll slows and stops. 

VALENTINE sits up and looks around. He is covered in blood, but we can see no wounds. 

On the hillside, we see the monster broken on a great black boulder jutting from the bank. The monster still lives, but can move only one arm. Still it snaps its teeth. Machete is pressed deep into monster's chest. 

VALENTINE climbs up to reach the monster. He hesitates, defending himself should it rise. 

Hoarse cry emanates from monster's mouth. 

VALENTINE pulls machete free, and leaves the monster where it hung. 

VALENTINE climbs back up the bank to the path. CHANGO is gone. VALENTINE walks in that direction. 

FADE TO:

Edge of the forest, looking in. VALENTINE emerges.

POV as VALENTINE looks over the landscape. 

Rolling hills were cleared for pasture many years ago. Farmhouses dot the landscape. Not far away a metal wall has been erected fifteen feet high with aluminum roofing.

WILLY (OS): STOP!

VALENTINE sees only now the two men pointing shot guns at him. They are DEREK and WILLY. 

WILLY: What do you want?

VALENTINE: I’m a friend of John Chango.

DEREK: John Chango doesn’t have no friends.

WILLY hits VALENTINE in the face with the butt of his rifle.