Episode 11
INT. BANDYBOO'S JUNK SHOP. DAY
Fade in on VALENTINE looking up, terrified. Zoom out to reveal a cluttered antique shop.
A tall man in brown robes stands behind a troll in a wide-brimmed hat with a white plume feather sticking out. The man is GRENT. The troll is CORTHD.
Exit DAHOOTY. Doorbell jingles.
CORTHD nods. Exit GRENT. CORTHD stares at VALENTINE and CHLOE a few seconds before they summon the courage to browse hurriedly through the smaller shelves.
INT: BANDYBOO’S JUNK SHOP, BARN.
Low Lights.
Shelves, trunks, chairs, and tables have been shoved into every corner, building inward, leaving only narrow walkways for customers to peruse the lines and lines of knicknacks, keepsakes, sacred memories, and rusted farm tools that have been neatly arranged on every flat surface. Longer tools, hoes, pitchforks, machetes, axes, scythes, sickles, and shovels, all with their blades turned to a mottled, crusty red are leaned up against the shelves on the ground.
CHLOE wanders off. VALENTINE ambles down the lines, stepping in each area, scanning its contents, picking up a few that looked like they may or may not have been magical. He covers the front wall, down the side, picking through a couple stacks of headboards long enough to look interested and enjoying himself. He reaches the back and stops.
Lights are brighter here, casting a yellow pool on the ground around the black wooden coat rack. Only a couple items on the rack: a hat with no brim, a grey shirt, and a frayed, tattered, deep maroon velvet jacket with gold trim on every hem, pocket, and sleeve.
Enter CHLOE.
To their left, an unseen door creaks open and closes.
VALENTINE grabs the coat off the rack and lunging back, turning as he goes, slow-motion to show the reaction on his face as he slams directly into GRENT’s chest and crumbles into a heap, dropping the coat.
CORTHD steps out from behind a wall with his scimitar drawn.
Closeup of GRENT. Doorbell jingles. Heavy footsteps OS. GRENT is motionless, save for his eyes following the sound of the footsteps as they come through the shop into the barn. Zoom out to reveal TEPPINS and LOKIA standing behind Grent.
GRENT turns to face TEPPINS.
GRENT points, and TEPPINS and LOKIA are hurled backward off their feet. LOKIA crashes through the barn door and out into the yard while TEPPINS lands in a pile of chairs face-down. CORTHD deftly steps between VALENTINE and CHLOE to GRENT’s side.
TEPPINS stands, drawing his sword. GRENT waves, knocking a ten-foot tall shelf on top of TEPPINS, who covers his head and shrugs off the attack, knocking the shelf behind him, spilling its contents out around his ankles. TEPPINS throws his sword at GRENT, who sidesteps. The sword loops between CHLOE and VALENTINE, up through the rafters, and returns to hover above TEPPINS’S head. GRENT points to a scythe beside him and it lifts in the air, hanging suspended before him a moment before it spins at TEPPINS, whose sword arcs down and cuts the scythe in half at the same time TEPPINS whips his finger at GRENT, the wave hitting GRENT in the chest and sending him flying back so hard that CHLOE and VALENTINE have to sidestep. CORTHD steps forward and bares his scimitar defensively.
GRENT gets into a kneeling position and grabs a rusty shovel leaned against a shelf beside him, pulling himself to his feet and throwing the shovel overhand like spear at TEPPINS. The shovel is cut down by Teppins's hovering sword, but GRENT has already lifted a machete a few feet from Teppins, and the machete nearly pierces Teppins’s heart before his own sword can bat the machete away. A pitchfork flies from the other direction, and Teppin’s sword catches it between the tines and flips it over Teppins’s head, immediately crossing with a spinning hoe that comes from the left. GRENT continues hurling tools as TEPPINS advances, cutting down each one with his hovering sword. CORTHD puts his scimitar in its scabbard and grabs for the shoulders of CHLOE and VALENTINE, pushing them to the hidden door from which he entered.
LOKIA pushes his way through the debris of the barn door.
GRENT raises his other hand and slams it down, crushing the support beam over LOKIA’s head, burying Lokia under the wooden chairs hung across the rafters. GRENT brings both hands together, hitting TEPPINS unexpectedly, grabbing him, and slamming him into LOKIA, who has not yet recovered fro the chairs. TEPPINS’s sword clatters to the ground. TEPPINS and LOKIA are knocked off their feet. GRENT raises his hands over his head, fingers splayed wide, lifting all the shelves, cases, and trunks in front of him and slamming back down to scatter their contents and send them shaking of their own accord, so that when he whips his arm across the room, the wave topples most of the shelves, burying TEPPINS and LOKIA under them.
EXT: BANDYBOO’S JUNK SHOP, BACK. MID-AFTERNOON
CORTHD enters from the back door, scimitar drawn, followed by CHLOE and VALENTINE. The banging and slamming of the fight inside can still be heard clearly within.
VALENTINE grabs CHLOE’s wrist.
Enter DAHOOTY
CORTHD raises his scimitar.
CORTHD steps to attack.
CORTHD leads them into the trees. Lighting filtered leaf-print over the characters.
Fade to...
EXT. COUNTRY. DAY
Fade in on HOOK walking across a vast field of smooth, rolling hills. The landscape doesn’t look nearly as ominous as before. The sun is shining, and there are cows grazing in the fields. Pan to HOOK's face. His lips are straight, and he exhales through his nose, closing his eyes gently and shaking his head. The camera arcs around him as his head moves, stopping abruptly when an OLD MAN steps out from behind Hook. HOOK jumps and cries out in fear.
There is a medium shot of the old man, and we can see him in detail for the first time. He is haggard and dirty, with wisps of long, white hair circling his bald, smooth and shiny dome. The old man is dressed in a ripped blue flannel shirt, and a pair of well-worn overalls. He is holding a rusted pitchfork in one of his clawlike hands. Many of the old man’s teeth are missing, and the lines in his face are accentuated with filth.
Tight on the old man. He scowls at HOOK.
Med shot of the old man, zoom to a closeup of his face as he talks.
Arc around to HOOK, still confused.
The old man glares hatefully, and hesitates before speaking.
Closeup of the old man’s leathery, cracked lips as he exaggerates his word.
Tight on HOOK.
Angle up, wide shot of the two of them. The old man laughs wickedly, turning away from HOOK to reveal his hunchback. Med shot of the old man, with HOOK behind him as he starts to shamble back toward his mobile home. When he walks off-camera, zoom in to a Med shot of HOOK, watching after the old man, his lips slightly agape.
EXT. BRIDGE. LATE MORNING
CORTHD is crouched in the center, scimitar in scabbard, laid out before him. CHLOE and VALENTINE take two more steps and stop walking. CORTHD is motionless. DAHOOTY lands before CORTHD. CORTHD draws his sword.
Exit CORTHD.
CORTHD enters with GRENT behind him.
GRENT looks them over a few seconds. Closeup of Grent’s face. GRENT smiles.
Cut to...
EXT. DOWNTOWN. AFTERNOON
We are now in a decaying downtown street. The buildings are red-brick and crumbling with arched windows. Many are covered with plywood, or broken, but others seem to have dark eyes peering out of them with malignant intent. More surprising still, are what appear to be open storefronts with shadows of what might be people moving about within. HOOK walks into shot. Even though we can clearly see the sun shining above us, the whole scene looks dark and shadowed.
HOOK comes to a huge, maroon mansion with great spires and huge windows all over. The steepled roofs are all trimmed in white, and the shingles are missing here and there. There is a white front porch with the gold letters, reading “PUBLIC LIBRARY” on the overhang. Dark shapes flit past dark windows. Two twisted oak trees stand in the front yard, guarding the well-kept, concrete walkway leading to the front steps.
Cut to an angle up of the side of the library’s maroon walls, from the ground in a parking space. Pan up to HOOK’s face. He gives the library a long, hard look, his eyes unsure. He walks up the path.
Cut to darkness. The outline of a door pierces the black, and the door is pushed open to reveal HOOK’s silhouette. He sticks his head in cautiously and looks around. As soon as he steps inside, two torches on either side of the door ignite, illuminating the scene. HOOK jumps.
The inside of the library is dark, dry, and old. The dust is so thick we can almost smell the must. Books are scattered everywhere, some open, with yellowed, cracked and dirty pages. Massive leather bound tomes are stretched in great heaps on the floor. We can hear indistinct echoes of what might be people laughing, screaming, or crying. We can see there are the other torches lining up on the walls, and as HOOK advances, one on either side of the room ignites on its own accord as the last torches simultaneously extinguish themselves. HOOK steps out of the hallway into a reception room with a great, oak desk in the center with a scuffed chair behind it. The room is illuminated when every torch in this room ignites at once. More books are stacked on every surface, with only a few square feet left open for reading. Behind the desk is an expansive card catalogue. HOOK peers around the room, his jaw hanging open. Insert shots of some of the books. The ink on the covers is too faded to read, and the leather covers are chipped and cracked. The edge of the pages are all rough-cut and irregular, with only a few bearing even, gilded pages.
Wide shot of HOOK entering the room. On the right side of the screen, unseen by HOOK, there is a fast motion of what might be a tentacle darting through an ajar door behind him. HOOK walks around the desk to the card catalogue. He studies it for a moment, and there is a close-up shot of his hand taking hold of the handle for the “SA-SE” drawer and pulls it open.
Looking over the top of the card catalogue, we watch as HOOK flips through the cards. Behind him, out of focus, we can see the door behind him moving. HOOK tears a card out of the drawer.
He studies the card.
He flips through more cards, nodding.
Profile shot of HOOK as he brings card within a few inches of his eyes. In the extremely out-of-focus background, we can see shapes skittering around the walls. HOOK appears to be oblivious to this. Arc around HOOK, and rack focus, bringing the door behind him into focus, revealing it to now be securely closed and motionless.
He walks toward the door. Closeup of his hand taking hold of the door handle. He pulls. We watch the edge of the door as it opens, revealing the darkness within. When the screen is completely covered with black, there is a blinding flash as at least 100 torches, all affixed to the walls, all come to life at the same time. Angle down on HOOK as he jumps back and covers his eyes. Before his sight returns, we see a massive shadow fall over him. He uncovers his eyes...
POV shot from HOOK, revealing the only thing in front of him to be bookshelves packed with more books than they should be able to contain. He steps into the room, still looking around in awe, advancing on the rows of shelves. There is a close-up shot of his finger reaching up to touch the faded parchment label on the wood.
We watch over his shoulder as he works his way down the rows.
There is a POV shot from behind him. Something is lurking in the corner of the room, watching him. He starts to turn, and the stalker ducks behind a shelf, still able to see him over the top of a row of books. Angle up on HOOK as he looks around. Did he hear something?
Silence answers his call. He returns to the books, his hand tracing over the spines. Cut back to POV shot. The stalker has moved to the other side of the room, still behind HOOK. It steps out from behind the bookshelf and starts to advance on him. Cut to a front shot of HOOK, angled from his right, so we can’t see the angle the stalker was coming from. HOOK’s face lights up, and he yanks the book off the shelf.
Insert of the book cover. It is bound in black leather with gold letters on the cover. He opens it and flips through the yellowed pages. He stops suddenly and looks around. Was that the sound of something moving? He spins, but nothing is there.
He exits the room, and as he steps out, all the torches go out. HOOK looks around, but won’t let this stop him. He crosses the few feet between the doorway to the last room, back to the open passage to the entry hall. He squints against the darkness, but can still make out the outline of the front door. He takes a step toward the door, and finally, the two torches around the front door go on, revealing a spectacled old man, very small, very thin, dressed in a brown sweater. He has vaguely Asian features, somewhat exotic. He is looking down at the blood-red carpet and when he speaks, his head snaps up.
There is a terrific roar from behind HOOK. He turns to see, but all he can see is the movement of inky shadows seeming to ooze toward him. HOOK rushes past the librarian, running toward the front door, racing down the hallway that seems to twist and stretch, now almost never-ending, when it was only a few yards before. Torches continue to go on as HOOK runs, and we can see behind him that the darkness is advancing with him. We are looking up at him as he runs directly towards us, with the oily black tendrils of chaos rising behind him, out of focus and in the darkness. He does a military roll out the front door as Rosetta Stone’s “Side Effect” starts to play.
POV shot, behind a house across the street. Someone has taken a key interest in Hook. HOOK reaches the middle of the street and turns. Kill music. The chaos is gone, and HOOK is alone. He takes a deep breath and looks around once more. Slow zoom on him as he continues to stare off into space.
Fade to darkness on a closeup of HOOK’s eyes.
INT. BANDYBOO'S JUNK SHOP. DAY
Fade in on VALENTINE looking up, terrified. Zoom out to reveal a cluttered antique shop.
VALENTINE
You’re Bandyboo?
You’re Bandyboo?
A tall man in brown robes stands behind a troll in a wide-brimmed hat with a white plume feather sticking out. The man is GRENT. The troll is CORTHD.
CHLOE ISIS
You’re a human!
GRENT
Can I help you with something young lady, or did you just visit my store to gawk?
VALENTINE
We came looking for something... a present... a Mother’s Day present. We thought we could find something here.
GRENT
Anything in particular?
VALENTINE
Not really.
DAHOOTY
A coat.
GRENT
This isn’t a clothing shop.
VALENTINE
Yes sir, of course. Do you mind if we look around? Maybe we can find something else.
GRENT
(takes a deep breath) Sure. Of course you can. Go ahead.
VALENTINE
Thank you, sir.
CHLOE ISIS
Thank you.
GRENT
The Ibis waits outside.
CHLOE ISIS
Dahooty is our friend, he’s proved it to us.
CORTHD
Ibis prove nothing. Wait outside.
DAHOOTY
Dahooty wait outside.
You’re a human!
GRENT
Can I help you with something young lady, or did you just visit my store to gawk?
VALENTINE
We came looking for something... a present... a Mother’s Day present. We thought we could find something here.
GRENT
Anything in particular?
VALENTINE
Not really.
DAHOOTY
A coat.
GRENT
This isn’t a clothing shop.
VALENTINE
Yes sir, of course. Do you mind if we look around? Maybe we can find something else.
GRENT
(takes a deep breath) Sure. Of course you can. Go ahead.
VALENTINE
Thank you, sir.
CHLOE ISIS
Thank you.
GRENT
The Ibis waits outside.
CHLOE ISIS
Dahooty is our friend, he’s proved it to us.
CORTHD
Ibis prove nothing. Wait outside.
DAHOOTY
Dahooty wait outside.
Exit DAHOOTY. Doorbell jingles.
GRENT
(to CORTHD)
I’ll be in back.
(to CORTHD)
I’ll be in back.
CORTHD nods. Exit GRENT. CORTHD stares at VALENTINE and CHLOE a few seconds before they summon the courage to browse hurriedly through the smaller shelves.
CORTHD
Rough day.
VALENTINE
Sure.
CORTHD
We stressed.
CHLOE ISIS
Yeah.
CORTHD
Had accident. Can’t get around like we used to.
CHLOE ISIS
That’s terrible.
CORTHD
(points to head) Every month they take off the top half of my head and clean up whatever mess they find there.
CHLOE ISIS
I hope that works out for you.
VALENTINE
Chloe, look here, another room.
CORTHD
Furniture.
VALENTINE
Maybe we can find her a new headboard.
CHLOE ISIS
Or a chair!
CORTHD
We have plenty of chairs.
Rough day.
VALENTINE
Sure.
CORTHD
We stressed.
CHLOE ISIS
Yeah.
CORTHD
Had accident. Can’t get around like we used to.
CHLOE ISIS
That’s terrible.
CORTHD
(points to head) Every month they take off the top half of my head and clean up whatever mess they find there.
CHLOE ISIS
I hope that works out for you.
VALENTINE
Chloe, look here, another room.
CORTHD
Furniture.
VALENTINE
Maybe we can find her a new headboard.
CHLOE ISIS
Or a chair!
CORTHD
We have plenty of chairs.
INT: BANDYBOO’S JUNK SHOP, BARN.
Low Lights.
Shelves, trunks, chairs, and tables have been shoved into every corner, building inward, leaving only narrow walkways for customers to peruse the lines and lines of knicknacks, keepsakes, sacred memories, and rusted farm tools that have been neatly arranged on every flat surface. Longer tools, hoes, pitchforks, machetes, axes, scythes, sickles, and shovels, all with their blades turned to a mottled, crusty red are leaned up against the shelves on the ground.
CHLOE ISIS
Have you ever seen anything like this?
VALENTINE
(disgusted) Never.
CHLOE ISIS
You’re such a grinch.
VALENTINE
We gotta figure something out fast. We got them pretty upset when we asked about that coat. (Picks up a machete, looks it over). It’s here.
CHLOE ISIS
(glancing back at CORTHD, who is keeping a close eye on them.) Well, how do we get it? They don’t think too much of us.
VALENTINE
I’m trying! I’m trying! Help me out! Just look around for a couple of minutes.
CHLOE ISIS
Will you buy me something?
VALENTINE
No.
CHLOE ISIS
Just something small. If it’s cute.
VALENTINE
Just get searching.
Have you ever seen anything like this?
VALENTINE
(disgusted) Never.
CHLOE ISIS
You’re such a grinch.
VALENTINE
We gotta figure something out fast. We got them pretty upset when we asked about that coat. (Picks up a machete, looks it over). It’s here.
CHLOE ISIS
(glancing back at CORTHD, who is keeping a close eye on them.) Well, how do we get it? They don’t think too much of us.
VALENTINE
I’m trying! I’m trying! Help me out! Just look around for a couple of minutes.
CHLOE ISIS
Will you buy me something?
VALENTINE
No.
CHLOE ISIS
Just something small. If it’s cute.
VALENTINE
Just get searching.
CHLOE wanders off. VALENTINE ambles down the lines, stepping in each area, scanning its contents, picking up a few that looked like they may or may not have been magical. He covers the front wall, down the side, picking through a couple stacks of headboards long enough to look interested and enjoying himself. He reaches the back and stops.
Lights are brighter here, casting a yellow pool on the ground around the black wooden coat rack. Only a couple items on the rack: a hat with no brim, a grey shirt, and a frayed, tattered, deep maroon velvet jacket with gold trim on every hem, pocket, and sleeve.
NARRATOR
Valentine knew right away this was the coat he was seeking. At one time, it must have looked elegant.
VALENTINE
Chloe! Chloe! Get back here!
Valentine knew right away this was the coat he was seeking. At one time, it must have looked elegant.
VALENTINE
Chloe! Chloe! Get back here!
Enter CHLOE.
CHLOE ISIS
What’s up? What are you yelling about?
VALENTINE
(points) It’s here.
CHLOE ISIS
That’s it? Out in the open? Well what are we waiting for? Stuff it in your shirt.
VALENTINE
Steal it?
CHLOE ISIS
They’re not going to sell it to us. Not for six dollars. Put it under your shirt and let’s go. The troll just went out back, it’s clear.
What’s up? What are you yelling about?
VALENTINE
(points) It’s here.
CHLOE ISIS
That’s it? Out in the open? Well what are we waiting for? Stuff it in your shirt.
VALENTINE
Steal it?
CHLOE ISIS
They’re not going to sell it to us. Not for six dollars. Put it under your shirt and let’s go. The troll just went out back, it’s clear.
To their left, an unseen door creaks open and closes.
VALENTINE
Go!
Go!
VALENTINE grabs the coat off the rack and lunging back, turning as he goes, slow-motion to show the reaction on his face as he slams directly into GRENT’s chest and crumbles into a heap, dropping the coat.
GRENT
Where are you going with that?
Where are you going with that?
CORTHD steps out from behind a wall with his scimitar drawn.
GRENT
I’d appreciate if you hung that back up.
I’d appreciate if you hung that back up.
Closeup of GRENT. Doorbell jingles. Heavy footsteps OS. GRENT is motionless, save for his eyes following the sound of the footsteps as they come through the shop into the barn. Zoom out to reveal TEPPINS and LOKIA standing behind Grent.
TEPPINS
What a pleasant surprise!
What a pleasant surprise!
GRENT turns to face TEPPINS.
TEPPINS
I say, Armon, that is not a face I expected to see. Not for a long, long time.
I say, Armon, that is not a face I expected to see. Not for a long, long time.
LOKIA
No sir.
TEPPINS
How are you, Grent? Are you going to talk to us, or just stand there staring all day?
No sir.
TEPPINS
How are you, Grent? Are you going to talk to us, or just stand there staring all day?
GRENT points, and TEPPINS and LOKIA are hurled backward off their feet. LOKIA crashes through the barn door and out into the yard while TEPPINS lands in a pile of chairs face-down. CORTHD deftly steps between VALENTINE and CHLOE to GRENT’s side.
TEPPINS stands, drawing his sword. GRENT waves, knocking a ten-foot tall shelf on top of TEPPINS, who covers his head and shrugs off the attack, knocking the shelf behind him, spilling its contents out around his ankles. TEPPINS throws his sword at GRENT, who sidesteps. The sword loops between CHLOE and VALENTINE, up through the rafters, and returns to hover above TEPPINS’S head. GRENT points to a scythe beside him and it lifts in the air, hanging suspended before him a moment before it spins at TEPPINS, whose sword arcs down and cuts the scythe in half at the same time TEPPINS whips his finger at GRENT, the wave hitting GRENT in the chest and sending him flying back so hard that CHLOE and VALENTINE have to sidestep. CORTHD steps forward and bares his scimitar defensively.
GRENT
Get them out of here!
Get them out of here!
GRENT gets into a kneeling position and grabs a rusty shovel leaned against a shelf beside him, pulling himself to his feet and throwing the shovel overhand like spear at TEPPINS. The shovel is cut down by Teppins's hovering sword, but GRENT has already lifted a machete a few feet from Teppins, and the machete nearly pierces Teppins’s heart before his own sword can bat the machete away. A pitchfork flies from the other direction, and Teppin’s sword catches it between the tines and flips it over Teppins’s head, immediately crossing with a spinning hoe that comes from the left. GRENT continues hurling tools as TEPPINS advances, cutting down each one with his hovering sword. CORTHD puts his scimitar in its scabbard and grabs for the shoulders of CHLOE and VALENTINE, pushing them to the hidden door from which he entered.
CORTHD
Back door! Move! Move!
Back door! Move! Move!
LOKIA pushes his way through the debris of the barn door.
LOKIA
(shouts) Is that the coat?
TEPPINS
It is. Get them.
(shouts) Is that the coat?
TEPPINS
It is. Get them.
GRENT raises his other hand and slams it down, crushing the support beam over LOKIA’s head, burying Lokia under the wooden chairs hung across the rafters. GRENT brings both hands together, hitting TEPPINS unexpectedly, grabbing him, and slamming him into LOKIA, who has not yet recovered fro the chairs. TEPPINS’s sword clatters to the ground. TEPPINS and LOKIA are knocked off their feet. GRENT raises his hands over his head, fingers splayed wide, lifting all the shelves, cases, and trunks in front of him and slamming back down to scatter their contents and send them shaking of their own accord, so that when he whips his arm across the room, the wave topples most of the shelves, burying TEPPINS and LOKIA under them.
EXT: BANDYBOO’S JUNK SHOP, BACK. MID-AFTERNOON
CORTHD enters from the back door, scimitar drawn, followed by CHLOE and VALENTINE. The banging and slamming of the fight inside can still be heard clearly within.
CHLOE ISIS
Where are you taking us?
CORTHD
Away. Fast. He not hold them long. (Sees CHLOE has Maroon Coat, tries to grab it, but CHLOE resists. CORTHD hands her a messenger bag.) Put coat in there. We move fast, this way.
CHLOE ISIS
Uh uh, I’m not going back in the woods, you have no idea what we did to get here...
Where are you taking us?
CORTHD
Away. Fast. He not hold them long. (Sees CHLOE has Maroon Coat, tries to grab it, but CHLOE resists. CORTHD hands her a messenger bag.) Put coat in there. We move fast, this way.
CHLOE ISIS
Uh uh, I’m not going back in the woods, you have no idea what we did to get here...
VALENTINE grabs CHLOE’s wrist.
VALENTINE
(to CORTHD) Lead the way.
(to CORTHD) Lead the way.
Enter DAHOOTY
DAHOOTY
Dahooty know the way!
CORTHD
Ibis lead them here.
Dahooty know the way!
CORTHD
Ibis lead them here.
CORTHD raises his scimitar.
DAHOOTY
Dahooty do nothing!
VALENTINE
Into the woods, don’t let him follow.
DAHOOTY
Dahooty swear!
Dahooty do nothing!
VALENTINE
Into the woods, don’t let him follow.
DAHOOTY
Dahooty swear!
CORTHD steps to attack.
CHLOE ISIS
No! (steps between CORTHD and DAHOOTY) He’s with us.
VALENTINE
(to DAHOOTY) You make noise, you're done.
DAHOOTY
Quiet as a bird!
No! (steps between CORTHD and DAHOOTY) He’s with us.
VALENTINE
(to DAHOOTY) You make noise, you're done.
DAHOOTY
Quiet as a bird!
CORTHD leads them into the trees. Lighting filtered leaf-print over the characters.
CHLOE ISIS
How did he do that? Did you see? He like, hurled those guys through a wall!
VALENTINE
Shh!
CHLOE ISIS
That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!
VALENTINE
(whispers) What’s going on? Why did they attack?
CORTHD
Old friends.
VALENTINE
I can tell.
CORTHD
Trail not far ahead. Leads to little bridge across a stream. Grent meet us there.
DAHOOTY
And what if he doesn’t?
CORTHD
I know what to do.
How did he do that? Did you see? He like, hurled those guys through a wall!
VALENTINE
Shh!
CHLOE ISIS
That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!
VALENTINE
(whispers) What’s going on? Why did they attack?
CORTHD
Old friends.
VALENTINE
I can tell.
CORTHD
Trail not far ahead. Leads to little bridge across a stream. Grent meet us there.
DAHOOTY
And what if he doesn’t?
CORTHD
I know what to do.
Fade to...
EXT. COUNTRY. DAY
Fade in on HOOK walking across a vast field of smooth, rolling hills. The landscape doesn’t look nearly as ominous as before. The sun is shining, and there are cows grazing in the fields. Pan to HOOK's face. His lips are straight, and he exhales through his nose, closing his eyes gently and shaking his head. The camera arcs around him as his head moves, stopping abruptly when an OLD MAN steps out from behind Hook. HOOK jumps and cries out in fear.
OLD MAN
What you doin’ here?
What you doin’ here?
There is a medium shot of the old man, and we can see him in detail for the first time. He is haggard and dirty, with wisps of long, white hair circling his bald, smooth and shiny dome. The old man is dressed in a ripped blue flannel shirt, and a pair of well-worn overalls. He is holding a rusted pitchfork in one of his clawlike hands. Many of the old man’s teeth are missing, and the lines in his face are accentuated with filth.
HOOK
I’m... I’m sorry, I was just stretching my legs. Is... Is this private property?
I’m... I’m sorry, I was just stretching my legs. Is... Is this private property?
Tight on the old man. He scowls at HOOK.
OLD MAN
Why are you here? You ain’t one of them.
Why are you here? You ain’t one of them.
HOOK
One of who?
One of who?
Med shot of the old man, zoom to a closeup of his face as he talks.
OLD MAN
Them that come looking for us.
Them that come looking for us.
Arc around to HOOK, still confused.
HOOK
The creatures from Doom City?
The creatures from Doom City?
The old man glares hatefully, and hesitates before speaking.
OLD MAN
You’ll see soon enough, and you’ll know ‘em when you see ‘em. He is rising soon, very soon.
You’ll see soon enough, and you’ll know ‘em when you see ‘em. He is rising soon, very soon.
HOOK
Who is rising soon?
Who is rising soon?
Closeup of the old man’s leathery, cracked lips as he exaggerates his word.
OLD MAN
Set.
Set.
Tight on HOOK.
HOOK
What is ‘Set?’
What is ‘Set?’
Angle up, wide shot of the two of them. The old man laughs wickedly, turning away from HOOK to reveal his hunchback. Med shot of the old man, with HOOK behind him as he starts to shamble back toward his mobile home. When he walks off-camera, zoom in to a Med shot of HOOK, watching after the old man, his lips slightly agape.
EXT. BRIDGE. LATE MORNING
CORTHD is crouched in the center, scimitar in scabbard, laid out before him. CHLOE and VALENTINE take two more steps and stop walking. CORTHD is motionless. DAHOOTY lands before CORTHD. CORTHD draws his sword.
DAHOOTY
(whisper)Someone is coming.
CORTHD
How many?
DAHOOTY
Couldn’t tell. Dahooty hear armor.
CORTHD
Wait here.
(whisper)Someone is coming.
CORTHD
How many?
DAHOOTY
Couldn’t tell. Dahooty hear armor.
CORTHD
Wait here.
Exit CORTHD.
CHLOE ISIS
Trolls?
DAHOOTY
Dahooty not know. Big men. Stomping along, clanking their armor. Troll went to find them. At least half a dozen.
VALENTINE
They’ve gotten reinforcements!
CHLOE ISIS
We need swords!
DAHOOTY
The troll took his. We’re doomed!
Trolls?
DAHOOTY
Dahooty not know. Big men. Stomping along, clanking their armor. Troll went to find them. At least half a dozen.
VALENTINE
They’ve gotten reinforcements!
CHLOE ISIS
We need swords!
DAHOOTY
The troll took his. We’re doomed!
CORTHD enters with GRENT behind him.
CORTHD
Safe.
GRENT
I drove them off and led them away, so we’ve got a head start. It won’t take long for them to figure out where we’re going though, so we’ve got to move.
CHLOE ISIS
Who were they?
VALENTINE
Who are you?
Safe.
GRENT
I drove them off and led them away, so we’ve got a head start. It won’t take long for them to figure out where we’re going though, so we’ve got to move.
CHLOE ISIS
Who were they?
VALENTINE
Who are you?
GRENT looks them over a few seconds. Closeup of Grent’s face. GRENT smiles.
GRENT
That was Adeal Teppins. Last I heard, he’d been promoted to Marshal of the First Wall of Old City, but that was a few years ago. If he’s out here in the dirt hunting us, I’m going to assume that means he’s made a few powerful rivals already. I’m Grent Ophalius. This is Corthd. I’m going to assume this makes us friends.
CHLOE ISIS
How did you fight like that?
GRENT
(chuckles) I think we should talk about moving right now. If we live, there will be plenty of time to explain the Glithval Song.
VALENTINE
Where do you expect us to go?
GRENT
We’re going to Doom City.
VALENTINE
No we are not.
CHLOE ISIS
Rubin, listen to the man.
VALENTINE
We are on a mission! We came all that way to recover that coat and save the Tree of Life.
GRENT
(furrowing his eyebrows) Tree of Life?
VALENTINE
Chloe saw it in a dream, crying out for us to save it. We need that coat so we can defeat the magic ice that will destroy us all.
CHLOE ISIS
The dream was a little more compelling.
GRENT
(chuckles) I don’t want to interfere with a mission of such extreme importance, but I assure you, the only reason anyone would want this coat is to recover something hidden in Malkooth... Doom City. If Adeal Teppins is the man searching for it, it means we need to travel to Doom City as fast as we can. I’ll be happy to do whatever I can to help you accomplish your quest once this one is done.
VALENTINE
Yessir.
GRENT
Now, I’d like to put at least a few miles between us and Teppins before he gets himself back on track.
NARRATOR
They set to the road with Grent at the lead and Corthd in the rear with Dahooty flying overhead. Grent said not a word, small brown eyes fixed straight ahead, scanning from side to side as he walked, crouched low, hands out, ready to grapple with any creature or monster that may jump from the cover of the trees.
That was Adeal Teppins. Last I heard, he’d been promoted to Marshal of the First Wall of Old City, but that was a few years ago. If he’s out here in the dirt hunting us, I’m going to assume that means he’s made a few powerful rivals already. I’m Grent Ophalius. This is Corthd. I’m going to assume this makes us friends.
CHLOE ISIS
How did you fight like that?
GRENT
(chuckles) I think we should talk about moving right now. If we live, there will be plenty of time to explain the Glithval Song.
VALENTINE
Where do you expect us to go?
GRENT
We’re going to Doom City.
VALENTINE
No we are not.
CHLOE ISIS
Rubin, listen to the man.
VALENTINE
We are on a mission! We came all that way to recover that coat and save the Tree of Life.
GRENT
(furrowing his eyebrows) Tree of Life?
VALENTINE
Chloe saw it in a dream, crying out for us to save it. We need that coat so we can defeat the magic ice that will destroy us all.
CHLOE ISIS
The dream was a little more compelling.
GRENT
(chuckles) I don’t want to interfere with a mission of such extreme importance, but I assure you, the only reason anyone would want this coat is to recover something hidden in Malkooth... Doom City. If Adeal Teppins is the man searching for it, it means we need to travel to Doom City as fast as we can. I’ll be happy to do whatever I can to help you accomplish your quest once this one is done.
VALENTINE
Yessir.
GRENT
Now, I’d like to put at least a few miles between us and Teppins before he gets himself back on track.
NARRATOR
They set to the road with Grent at the lead and Corthd in the rear with Dahooty flying overhead. Grent said not a word, small brown eyes fixed straight ahead, scanning from side to side as he walked, crouched low, hands out, ready to grapple with any creature or monster that may jump from the cover of the trees.
Cut to...
EXT. DOWNTOWN. AFTERNOON
We are now in a decaying downtown street. The buildings are red-brick and crumbling with arched windows. Many are covered with plywood, or broken, but others seem to have dark eyes peering out of them with malignant intent. More surprising still, are what appear to be open storefronts with shadows of what might be people moving about within. HOOK walks into shot. Even though we can clearly see the sun shining above us, the whole scene looks dark and shadowed.
HOOK comes to a huge, maroon mansion with great spires and huge windows all over. The steepled roofs are all trimmed in white, and the shingles are missing here and there. There is a white front porch with the gold letters, reading “PUBLIC LIBRARY” on the overhang. Dark shapes flit past dark windows. Two twisted oak trees stand in the front yard, guarding the well-kept, concrete walkway leading to the front steps.
Cut to an angle up of the side of the library’s maroon walls, from the ground in a parking space. Pan up to HOOK’s face. He gives the library a long, hard look, his eyes unsure. He walks up the path.
Cut to darkness. The outline of a door pierces the black, and the door is pushed open to reveal HOOK’s silhouette. He sticks his head in cautiously and looks around. As soon as he steps inside, two torches on either side of the door ignite, illuminating the scene. HOOK jumps.
The inside of the library is dark, dry, and old. The dust is so thick we can almost smell the must. Books are scattered everywhere, some open, with yellowed, cracked and dirty pages. Massive leather bound tomes are stretched in great heaps on the floor. We can hear indistinct echoes of what might be people laughing, screaming, or crying. We can see there are the other torches lining up on the walls, and as HOOK advances, one on either side of the room ignites on its own accord as the last torches simultaneously extinguish themselves. HOOK steps out of the hallway into a reception room with a great, oak desk in the center with a scuffed chair behind it. The room is illuminated when every torch in this room ignites at once. More books are stacked on every surface, with only a few square feet left open for reading. Behind the desk is an expansive card catalogue. HOOK peers around the room, his jaw hanging open. Insert shots of some of the books. The ink on the covers is too faded to read, and the leather covers are chipped and cracked. The edge of the pages are all rough-cut and irregular, with only a few bearing even, gilded pages.
Wide shot of HOOK entering the room. On the right side of the screen, unseen by HOOK, there is a fast motion of what might be a tentacle darting through an ajar door behind him. HOOK walks around the desk to the card catalogue. He studies it for a moment, and there is a close-up shot of his hand taking hold of the handle for the “SA-SE” drawer and pulls it open.
Looking over the top of the card catalogue, we watch as HOOK flips through the cards. Behind him, out of focus, we can see the door behind him moving. HOOK tears a card out of the drawer.
HOOK
Here we are, ‘Set.’
Here we are, ‘Set.’
He studies the card.
HOOK (cont)
“See... Lapesc De Malize.” What the...
“See... Lapesc De Malize.” What the...
He flips through more cards, nodding.
HOOK
“The Spirit of Set Consumes Doom City,” by Conrad Barnes. Sounds exactly what I want. Where is it, where is it?
“The Spirit of Set Consumes Doom City,” by Conrad Barnes. Sounds exactly what I want. Where is it, where is it?
Profile shot of HOOK as he brings card within a few inches of his eyes. In the extremely out-of-focus background, we can see shapes skittering around the walls. HOOK appears to be oblivious to this. Arc around HOOK, and rack focus, bringing the door behind him into focus, revealing it to now be securely closed and motionless.
HOOK
In there.
In there.
He walks toward the door. Closeup of his hand taking hold of the door handle. He pulls. We watch the edge of the door as it opens, revealing the darkness within. When the screen is completely covered with black, there is a blinding flash as at least 100 torches, all affixed to the walls, all come to life at the same time. Angle down on HOOK as he jumps back and covers his eyes. Before his sight returns, we see a massive shadow fall over him. He uncovers his eyes...
POV shot from HOOK, revealing the only thing in front of him to be bookshelves packed with more books than they should be able to contain. He steps into the room, still looking around in awe, advancing on the rows of shelves. There is a close-up shot of his finger reaching up to touch the faded parchment label on the wood.
HOOK
This place is old.
This place is old.
We watch over his shoulder as he works his way down the rows.
HOOK
Where is it? Where is it?
Where is it? Where is it?
There is a POV shot from behind him. Something is lurking in the corner of the room, watching him. He starts to turn, and the stalker ducks behind a shelf, still able to see him over the top of a row of books. Angle up on HOOK as he looks around. Did he hear something?
HOOK
Hello? Is anyone there?
Hello? Is anyone there?
Silence answers his call. He returns to the books, his hand tracing over the spines. Cut back to POV shot. The stalker has moved to the other side of the room, still behind HOOK. It steps out from behind the bookshelf and starts to advance on him. Cut to a front shot of HOOK, angled from his right, so we can’t see the angle the stalker was coming from. HOOK’s face lights up, and he yanks the book off the shelf.
HOOK
Aha! Here it is!
Aha! Here it is!
Insert of the book cover. It is bound in black leather with gold letters on the cover. He opens it and flips through the yellowed pages. He stops suddenly and looks around. Was that the sound of something moving? He spins, but nothing is there.
HOOK
All right, I’m out of here.
All right, I’m out of here.
He exits the room, and as he steps out, all the torches go out. HOOK looks around, but won’t let this stop him. He crosses the few feet between the doorway to the last room, back to the open passage to the entry hall. He squints against the darkness, but can still make out the outline of the front door. He takes a step toward the door, and finally, the two torches around the front door go on, revealing a spectacled old man, very small, very thin, dressed in a brown sweater. He has vaguely Asian features, somewhat exotic. He is looking down at the blood-red carpet and when he speaks, his head snaps up.
LIBRARIAN
I’m sorry, Mr. Hook, but that particular book cannot leave the library.
I’m sorry, Mr. Hook, but that particular book cannot leave the library.
There is a terrific roar from behind HOOK. He turns to see, but all he can see is the movement of inky shadows seeming to ooze toward him. HOOK rushes past the librarian, running toward the front door, racing down the hallway that seems to twist and stretch, now almost never-ending, when it was only a few yards before. Torches continue to go on as HOOK runs, and we can see behind him that the darkness is advancing with him. We are looking up at him as he runs directly towards us, with the oily black tendrils of chaos rising behind him, out of focus and in the darkness. He does a military roll out the front door as Rosetta Stone’s “Side Effect” starts to play.
POV shot, behind a house across the street. Someone has taken a key interest in Hook. HOOK reaches the middle of the street and turns. Kill music. The chaos is gone, and HOOK is alone. He takes a deep breath and looks around once more. Slow zoom on him as he continues to stare off into space.
Fade to darkness on a closeup of HOOK’s eyes.
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