Lesson 12

[Carole Avila]

ASSIGNMENT

Carole Avila – Level 3 Horror Emotion Scene

What I learned doing this assignment is how specific emotions elevate a scene.

INT – Hallway Upstairs – Night

VICTOR pulls ADLEY by the arm, but she won’t budge. She’s staring at the midway landing, into the eyes of the monster.

VICTOR
C’mon, it’s going to kill us!

ADLEY tears away from him and glowers at the crouched monster, about to catapult itself. She takes a quick breath.

ADLEY
(reciting fast)
I now remove this untrue curse, and its hold on me altogether. It is dissolved into a state of nothingness now and forever!

The MONSTER cries out and convulses, howling as its bones move around its body. It finally stills, its eyes crease into slashes. It looks up at ADLEY, then its eyes widen on VICTOR. ADLEY pulls him half-way in front of her.

ADLEY
Now you have to touch it.

VICTOR
You want me to touch that?

The MONSTER leaps at VICTOR and ADLEY who jump out of the way. It crashes into the wall, breaking into bone fragments, and a tiny piece pierces ADLEY’S shoulder, burning her skin. She quivers. As they start to bolt down the hallway toward her bedroom, ADLEY yanks the splinter from her body and throws it at the other pieces.

VICTOR
No! I need that!

ADLEY
I’m sorry. I should have given that piece—

ADLEY bends her backward as if there’s pain in her back, and VICTOR breaks her fall. She collapses into his arms. He spies a bone fragment just out of reach.

VICTOR
Get up! I need to touch a piece of its bone!

By the time he helps ADLEY to stand, the pieces of bones have amassed together. The MONSTER has changed into a hulking torso and a skull resembling a prehistoric alligator with elongated legs and raptor claws, a thick jaw, and shark-like teeth. It snaps and lumbers toward them.

VICTOR
(pushing ADLEY)
Go! Go!

They race toward the other end of the hall, trapped. VICTOR shields ADLEY. They stare wide-eyed as the MONSTER slowly plods toward them, hissing and snickering, licking the rim above its mouth with dripping acid-like saliva that burns the carpet. Its talons catch on the carpet, easily tearing through the fibers. It screeches.

ADLEY
(tries to wrestle out of Victor’s hold)
It can’t kill me! Let me help get a piece of its bone!

VICTOR
It can still hurt you. You felt how it burned.

ADLEY
(holding onto Victor at her side)
What are we going to do?

The MONSTER shrieks again.

VICTOR
Don’t worry!

ADLEY is shocked by Victor’s comment as the MONSTER advances. VICTOR searches for a way out.

VICTOR
We have only one place to go!
(he shoves ADLEY toward her bedroom door)

ADLEY
No way!
(She grasps the door frame and struggles as he tries to push her inside.)
It lives under my bed! We can’t go in there!

VICTOR pushes her into the room.

VICTOR
It can go anywhere it wants now that the handle is off the door.

ADLEY and VICTOR plunge into the room with everything frosted over. Their breath mists as they gasp. The MONSTER jumps at them and misses. Momentum carries it into the wall at the end of the corridor and it shatters. As VICTOR slams the bedroom door shut, they hear bone fragments breaking against the wall and scattering over the carpet. VICTOR whirls around.

VICTOR
I can pick up a broken piece of bone!

ADLEY
(as Victor yanks the door open)
No, Victor! Wait!

VICTOR stands face to face with the MONSTER. It hisses, jerks its head back, and spits out its deadly tongue. VICTOR slams the door and jumps on ADLEY’s bed where she’s already standing at the broken headboard, shivering. They hear the bones break apart on the door.

VICTOR
I missed another chance to destroy that bloody thing.

They huddled atop the bed as the creature repeatedly rams the door.

ADLEY
(voice thinned by trauma)
You have to touch it.

VICTOR
(mutters while looking about the room)
I know, I know. And I will if it’s the last thing I do.

ADLEY
(stares into his eyes, crying)
Don’t make it the last thing, Victor.

He gives her a sad smile. They gaze at the MONSTER’S shadow moving back and forth under the crack of the door. It’s still pounding, and the hinges are starting to break.

ADLEY
(pointing at the door)
The hinges are starting to loosen!

ADLEY has a white-knuckle hold on VICTOR. There’s a loud scrape on the door. ADLEY notices he’s too quiet, thinking.

ADLEY
You’re going to say something I don’t want to hear, aren’t you?

VICTOR
(voice firm)
Stay here. I have a plan.

ADLEY
(whimpering)
I was right. I didn’t want to hear that.
(VICTOR pushes ADLEY against the headboard)

ADLEY
(trying to grab him, wrap legs around him, hysterical)
You’re not leaving me!

VICTOR
(teetering on the mattress with ADLEY)
Let go! Don’t worry. I’ve got this.

Victor struggles to stand upright, flinches as Adley shouts in his ear.

ADLEY
You’re not going anywhere, Victor Trumillo!

VICTOR
You’re going to make us fall down!

VICTOR manages to wriggle out of her grasp and shove her away at arm’s length. He digs his hands into her shoulders.

VICTOR
I’ll never leave you, Adley. You’re stuck with me. For life.

She gapes open mouth, and he quickly kisses her, then pries her fingers off. He exhales as he rubs his arms. They fix their eyes on each other as he pulls away from her. Adley gasps as he jumps to the floor and kneels at the foot of her bed. He gazes purposefully at her while the frame of the door starts to come apart.

ADLEY
(holding arms out to VICTOR)
Please! No! Don’t leave me here!

VICTOR
(calm, unemotional)
Trust me, Adley.

VICTOR disappears beneath the bed.

ADLEY
(screaming over pounding on door)
I trust you, Victor!
(swipes her tears)
Stay here! Please!
(ADLEY crawls to the end of the bed but doesn’t see him )
Victor!
(mumbling)
No. Come back, Victor. Please, come back.

A deafening roar blasts from the hallway, and the bedroom door burst open. Adley lurches back at the sight of the bizarre skeleton with an oversized head on a deformed body. It bobs up and down like a puppet on an invisible piece of elastic and bounces toward the bed.

ADLEY stumbles back to the headboard and feels the smooth surface. She skims her fingers over the ivory shapes. She stares at the MONSTER.

ADLEY
(quietly, seriously)
This bed is made of bones.

The MONSTER cackles and inches forward until its at the foot of the bed. It stares at her, and she continues to gape at it. Its eyes grows into large asterisk-shapes, black and hollow. It sneers and tilts its head all the way below its shoulder.

MONSTER
(low, harsh hissing)
Aaadd—

ADLEY
(whimpering)
No! Don’t you dare say my name! You have no right to say it!

MONSTER
(snarling)
Aaad-leee!

ADLEY grows angry with a new resolve. She takes firm hold of the headboard.

ADLEY
I’m going to give you a piece of my mind!

MONSTER
(wicked hissing)
Yesssss! Piece by piece!
(it bounces and cackles)

ADLEY
That’s not what I meant!
(glances at the headboard)
You killed children to make this bed! You hurt people who didn’t deserve it, you…you sorry waste of energy!

MONSTER
(bouncing in wicked delight)
Now you die!
ADLEY
(indignant)
I said the counter-curse. You can’t kill me!

MONSTER
(wicked laughter)
You will wish to die!
(dagger-like fingers wiggle at her, it sneers)
You shall die drop by bloody drop!

ADLEY crouches into a ball, limbs tucked beneath. The MONSTER’s bony arms lengthen and stretch toward her feet, cutting through the blankets. ADLEY is sobbing.

ADLEY
(shouting)
Victor! I need you!

Taloned claws leap out and grab her ankles. ADLEY cries out as the sharp fingernails pierce her jeans and dig into her flesh. Its body slithers under the bed. She hears it snicker. Its hands start to pull on her.

ADLEY
(shouts, holding onto headboard)
Dad! Help! It’s pulling me under.
(a pause, in a near whisper)
Great-uncle Pablo. Victor.

ADLEY loses her hold on the headboard. Her legs are dragged out and she is pulled horizontally on her stomach across the mattress. She uselessly clutches at the comforter and pillows.

ADLEY
(her feet at the end of the mattress; she groans)
No, no.

The MONSTER roars below the bed. One of its claws releases her foot and whips up to her chin. ADLEY screams and kicks, trying to smash the hand on her other ankle as it runs a sharp fingernail down her cheek, creating a bloody line to her chin. It whips back and latches onto her foot. She twists onto back and lurches over the edge of the bed. Her feet hit the floor, and she stands, flapping her arms for balance. Another ferocious tug on her ankles sends her flying forward. Her arms slap the floor and break her fall. While the MONSTER is hissing and cackling, she slowly slides farther under the bed, her fingers scratching against the floor.

A rope-like hand whips past her, slams the door closed, and she hears a definitive click of the lock, then whips back under the bed. A wicked screech fills the room as she is slowly towed under the bed, only her torso sticking out.

ADLEY
(the side of her face slides on the floor toward under the bed; whispers)
Victor.

The MONSTER drags her almost all the way under the bed. Only her hands are showing, scratching against the floor.

[Timothy G Winters]

Time’s Level 3 Horror Emotion Scene

What I learned from this assignment is even when I stew, contemplate, and stew some more, I have to sit there, see if I can follow the instructions, and come up with the best thing I can. I am greatly in debt to the phrase, “You can come back later and fix it.”

INT – TRUCK – NIGHT.
In the light of the dashboard, Chaz struggles to stay awake. His eyes close. Ambrose, riding shotgun, punches him in the shoulder. The truck swerves.
CHAZ
Hey!

AMBROSE
We should switch you out, but you made THAT hard . . .

CHAZ
Do you think I did this –

Chaz stops himself; it isn’t worth the effort. The Truck starts hitting bumps in the road.

INT – TRUCK BED – NIGHT.
BUMP as the truck jars, one of the gas cans falls on it’s side. Drops of gas start leaking from the lid.

INT – TRUCK – NIGHT
Ambrose squints ahead through the windshield.

AMBROSE
Try and stay on the concrete. Don’t need to find an IED
right now . . .We don’t have a mechanic anymore…

CHAZ
Or a translator. R.I.P. (Pause) God.
Improvised Explosive Devices. Sounds so civilized,
doesn’t it? Forgot about them . . .

A huge bump. A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL FROM THE BACK. Howard is smoking something.

SIKOWSKI HOWARD
Ouch! Hey . . . Watch the road!

AMBROSE
That’s keep us awake—

Ambrose closes his eyes and rubs them. Long day.

INT – TRUCK (DREAM) – NIGHT.

GRAY(OS)
Long day . . .

Ambrose’s eyes shoot open. He is sitting opposite the man in the white suit, who is now splattered with blood. Ambrose looks toward the back of what should be the truck but can’t see anyone.

GRAY
Your eyelids are heavy. How about some fresh night air?

Ambrose rolls down the passenger side window. Clouds of chemical smoke pour through the opening. Ambrose COUGHS TO RETCHING.

GRAY
Wonderful stuff: spent fuel, chemicals, poisons. Been
burning them for years . . .

Ambrose grabs his throat and tries to roll up the window: it doesn’t roll up. HIS SKIN STARTS BLISTERING, HIS HAIR SMOKING AND FALLING OFF IN EMBERS. . .

INT – TRUCK – NIGHT
Ambrose HACKS HIMSELF AWAKE. Everyone in the vehicle is now awake and staring at Ambrose. Another BUMP IN THE ROAD. Ambrose returns their blank stares. Embarassed, he throws an order at Chaz . . .

AMBROSE
Pay attention to what you’re doing!

Chaz looks away. Ambrose is still puffing like a steam engine. He looks at the other passengers . . .

AMBROSE
You guys—seen an old guy in white?

Sikowski turns away. Chaz double takes but keeps his eyes on the road. Sala kisses her baby. Howard puffs away.

HOWARD
Fuck you. We’re all a little stressed out. By
tomorrow night, t his’ll be a distant memory.

The gasoline has started puddling around someone’s boots. Sikowski looks at Howard.

SIKOWSKI
You gonna share that?

AMBROSE
Fuck sakes, Sikowski. You’re on duty.

Sikowski takes the doobie from Howard.

SIKOWSKI
I know. You want some?

A dirty look from Ambrose, as Howard offers his super Lighter to re-light. She lights up and as the truck bumps, Howard, yeah, drops his lighter. It rolls on the floor as both Sikowski and Howard try to capture it.

Ambrose looks at the clownshow, then extends his hand to Sikowski.

AMBROSE
One puff. . .

She hands over the joint. Ambrose sucks one hit and then holds up the J as an example—

AMBROSE
And that’s it!

He snubs the joint on the dash and drops it. The puddle of gas is around Ambrose’s boots. Good thing the silly cig was out, cause it falls right into the puddle of petrol. Nothing.
Then

FLOOOOOOOMMMMMM! Ambrose disappears into a SCREAMING INFERNO. EVERYONE SCREAMING. The passenger door flies open and Ambrose is gone. AMBROSE’S VOICE ECHOES in the night air.

Chaz hits the brake, but the ambulance swerves and the engine dies. Sikowski grabs a blanket, jumps out the back and runs back to aid the downed soldier. She tries beating at the consuming flames, but to little avail. Ambrose screams and rolls about but the flames continue and seem to grow brighter. Sikowski’s blanket ignites. She throws dirt on him but it seems to ignite, too.

SIKOWSKI
Stop, goddammit! Stop!

There’s nothing she can do. She runs back to the truck door and yells—

SIKOWSKI
Gimme his gun!

Chaz stares at the smoldering passenger seat beside him. He looks back at the others and then . . .

CHAZ
Ambrose had it on him.

They turn to the DYING SCREAMS and the still writhing figure in flames.

[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this assignment is adding in the four horror emotions completely elevates the scene to intense terror

INT – KITCHEN – NIGHT

CARRIE is manacled to the wall. On the table, just out of reach is a gun. DYLAN has JAMES at gunpoint and walks him into the room. James is also holding a gun. ALESSANDRA and CHUCK are hiding under the kitchen table, looking at everyone’s ankles.

DYLAN
This is your big scene James. All you have to do is rescue the love of your life. Just act like a hero and this will all be over. But we have to make it a fair fight.

DYLAN gestures towards CARRIE.

DYLAN
Unlock one of her manacles and give her the gun from the table.

ALESSANDRA and CHUCK hold their breath as the feet get closer to them.

JAMES
What do you want me to do? The script says I kill her.

DYLAN
Get into character. She’s evil. She’s been stalking everyone without mercy. If you don’t, your girlfriend is going to kill everyone here. But you love her. You do love her don’t you, James?

JAMES doesn’t respond.

CARRIE (whisper)
Please, James. Please. I love you. I always loved you.

DYLAN
This is your choice. Play your part. Kill your girlfriend or I will fucking end you right now.

JAMES
I’m… I… Carrie. I’m sorry.

JAMES fires the gun. CARRIE’S head droops as a stray bullet fires from her gun. It bounces near ALESSANDRA and she has to cover her mouth to keep from screaming as blood drips from her arm.

DYLAN
That was disappointing. I guess you didn’t understand what being a hero means.

DYLAN shoots JAMES and his body drops to the floor. His dead eyes stare directly at ALESSANDRA.

DYLAN hesitates near the body for a moment and then he walks the other way. CHUCK and ALESSANDRA are still shaking with terror when they finally get the courage to come out from under the table.

[Susannah Farrow]

Susannah’s Level 3 Horror Emotion Scene

3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is, again, the same as last week as this is an exercise that I am building upon.

2. Brainstorm the scene to emphasize the Level 3 emotions and write it.

INT. BOATHOUSE – LATE NIGHT

Bonnie and Magnolia back away from the approaching killer, his mask now gone and revealing his snake-like face.
MAGNOLIA
What do we do? What do we do?

BONNIE
I don’t know.
The killer gets closer.
Suddenly, Waylon appears behind the killer with a shovel in hand.

WAYLON
Hey! Thought you were done with me? You guys get out of here. I’ll deal with this fucker.
Magnolia and Bonnie make their way through the boathouse and enter the swamp.
Waylon battles with the killer.

It looks like Waylon is about to win until the killer spits in his face. They break apart, then the killer drinks something from a flask and strikes a match. He spits the flask’s contents into the match, causing the fire to grow and consume Waylon who burns to death.
Magnolia turned her head to witness Waylon’s death, which spurs her to move faster.

BONNIE
Wait.

MAGNOLIA
What? Why?
Bonnie pins Magnolia to a tree with her hands.

BONNIE
Over here!
The killer hears Bonnie’s call and treads through the swamp water towards them.

MAGNOLIA
What are you doing?
The killer stands beside them and raises his knife.

BONNIE
No. Let me do it.
Bonnie takes the knife from the killer.

MAGNOLIA
Why? What did I do?

BONNIE
Nothing. You did nothing when you should have done something. You’re as bad as the others.
Bonnie stabs Magnolia in the stomach and throws her into the swamp water.
BONNIE (Cont.)
Let’s go. There’s more work to do.
The killer and Bonnie leave.

EXT. TOWN – EARLY MORNING
Bonnie and the killer get into a car and drive away.
Magnolia, still alive, crawls out of the swamp. She watches as they drive away.
She cries. Then she laughs. Then she stands up with hatred burning in her eyes.

[j T]

Jessica Tremblay’s Level 3 Horror Emotion Scene

What I learned doing this assignment is the climax of my story is where hysteria is at its highest.

PANIC: She saves Mrs Larsen, but Mrs Larsen can’t climb over the wall and the monster gets her.
HORROR: The sound of Mrs. Larsen being eaten is disturbing. She puts on noise cancelling headphones.
HYSTERIA: she removes the giant splinter – a piece of wood – embedded in her tie. Sows her wound with thread and needle – the results looks like the handstitched bunny. She laughs.
ANGUISH: the monster breaks in and grabs the doll. The sound of the doll crying Mamma! Awakes her maternal instinct. She’ll do anything to get the doll back.
 

INT. LOCKER
JOANNA
Quick! Take my hand.
MRS LARSEN
I can’t.
Beast is now inside. It grabs Mrs Larsen’s foot. Joanna pulls. Mrs Larsen’s hand slips away.
Joanna falls in the other locker. Beast attacks Mrs Larsen.
Joanna hoist herself up to
SEAMSTRESS LOCKER
She removes a giant piece of wood from her thigh.
Blood spills out.
She grabs needles and threads.
She threads the needle. Her hand shaking.
She squeezes the sides of the wounds – two flaps of skin — together. A painful scream.
The needle pierces the flesh. She sows her flesh together. In X patterns. with quick short Lamaze breaths.
She finishes stitching. The thread is purple. The stitch similar to her bunny. Her laughs turns into a sob.
She dresses the wound with her shirt. Ties it. Winces. Blood seeps thru the fabric. Lays her head against the wall. Shivers. Pulls the fur coat over her.
Joanna closes her eyes. Weak. Sleepy. This might be it.
The sound of beast eating Mrs. Larsen is disturbing. She puts on noise cancelling headphones.
She holds doll against her chest. The clothes are slimy. She removes the doll’s dress – the last layer of clothes. The doll is bare chested. Wearing only a diaper.
Joanna wets her thumb and tries to clean off the “bruises” on the doll's body. They won't go away.
Doll has a hole on her shoulder — it was bitten. A scar just like hers.
She holds doll in her arm motherly. She sniffs. Looking serene. Defeated.
Beast is coming. This might be it. Rests her hand on her belly.
She checks inside the doll’s diaper.
JOANNA
It's a girl.
She sobs. Half crying, half laughing. She wipes her tears.
JOANNA
Your name is Violet.
Sobbing, she hugs the doll. Her fingers feel something on the back of the doll. A latch. She pulls the latch, revealing-
A BATTERY HOLDER.
Empty. Joanna looks for batteries. Inserts three batteries. Drops the fourth battery. It rolls away. She finds it. Inserts the last battery.
Her hands shaking. It’s the moment of truth. The doll – her surrogate baby – is about to speak her first words.
She might never hear her baby talk but she can hear this baby talk.
Her thumb hovers on the belly button, ready to press when –
BAM!
Beast breaks in. Takes the doll.
JOANNA
NO!!
Beast disappears with the doll.
She looks in the hallway. Silence. Then, somewhere in storage–
DOLL (V.O.)
Mamma!
The sound comes from the left.
DOLL
Mamma!
Now from the right. The beast is playing with her.
JOANNA
You bastard!
The sound of doll crying Mamma! awaken her maternal instincts. Her boobs even hurt a little. She massages her breasts.
JOANNA
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
BANG!
Beast rams the DOLL against the door, holds it there. The tiny hand extends between planks towards Joanna.
Joanna goes to grab it, but the beast pulls the doll away. The tiny hand slips out of Joanna's grasp.
JOANNA
NO!

• This reply was modified 11 months, 1 week ago by  j T.
• This reply was modified 11 months, 1 week ago by  j T.