Lesson 15

[Deb Johnson]

Deb’s Horror Outline Version 2

What I learned: This took a lot of time to think through and define all the horror situations with emotions and corresponding actions – but it was worth the trouble. It helped weed out unnecessary scenes and consolidate the story.

Act 1

Open:

1. INT – BASEMENT STAIRWELL – NIGHT

A young man, Jake, and a woman, Sarah, shelter from a raging tornado. Jake yells “None of this is real,” and is sucked up into the frenzy. Sarah opens a piece of paper with the same words typed on it – she screams… the debris from the tornado “attacks” her.

Horror Situation: The man utters the typewritten words before he dies.

• Dread/Anguish: Sarah fears the papers she holds and worries about how to destroy “something.”

• Panic: The tornado is upon them – the exterior door to the basement bursts open.

• Horror: Jake is sucked into the tornado.

• Hysteria: Sarah reads the very last words Jake uttered. She screams and is buried in debris.

2. EXT – TORNADO DEVASTATED SMALL TOWN – DAY

A camera drone buzzes above this small, decimated town. There is a scattering of work crews and emergency vehicles. It’s operated by Tunney, 23.

Gabe, 30, and Aaron, 35, observe main street and are challenged by animals displaced from the storm.

Horror Situation: Aaron is bitten by a Garter snake and Gabe kills it.

• Apprehension – Debris is everywhere and presents dangerous obstacles.

• Anxiety – They are confronted by a coyote – but Aaron deescalates the danger.

• Surprise – Aaron is bitten by a non-poisonous snake and Gabe kills it.

3. EXT – MAMA LEE’S HOUSE – DAY

Horror situation: Gabe and Aaron visit Mama Lee and see a dead body in her backyard.

• Creepy moment: The house is canted and the debris in Mama Lee’s front yard are all children’s items.

• Scare: The porch rail breaks, and Aaron almost falls.

• Release: Mama Lee is friendly and welcoming

• Scare: There’s a dead body in Mama Lee’s backyard

• Release: Mama Lee knows it’s her neighbor and seems unfazed

• Creepy moment: Aaron’s mug choice was the dead neighbor’s favorite mug.

4. EXT – POST OFFICE – DAY

Ella, 16, rides through the debris on her bike. She pauses at the post office and turns up her nose at the smell. She sees a fire truck a few blocks away, but then sees Aaron and Gabe exiting Mama Lee’s. She heads towards them.

5. EXT. – ELECTRIC POLE – DAY

Tunney’s drone gets close to and enrages an electrical work crew. He re-directs the drone and sneaks away.

6. EXT. – CHURCH – DAY

Cassie, 40, and Isa, 30, arrive at what’s left of the church. It emits eerie sounds. Cassie prods Isa to go in and investigate, but Isa, though intrigued, is concerned for her safety.

Horror Situation: Part of the building collapses, narrowly missing Cassie, and Isa.

• Apprehension: They go into what’s left of the annex and the creaking increases.

• Surprise: A turkey vulture descends from a rafter

• Shock: They run out as an interior wall of the building collapses.

• Surprise: They hear a muffled call for help under the debris. They call out for help and work to clear debris.

Gabe, Aaron, Ella, Mama Lee, and Tunney all make their way over to see what’s going on and to help.

INT – CHURCH BASEMENT – DAY

Warning:

They uncover the debris and find Sarah, who is critically injured, at the bottom of a stairway. Cassie recognizes her. Emergency workers arrive with a stretcher. The Seven all move deeper into the basement, looking for more people.

Sarah is conflicted as the workers lift her to safety, but finally, with tears and terror she cries out “Don’t go in there, it’s a trap. You’ll all be killed. There’s no escape.” Then she dies. A piece of paper drops from her hand – typed on it are the exact words she just spoke. They are all confused.

Denial:

Tunney ignores everyone and immediately explores the basement.

Cassie keeps the paper and explains she came here to follow up on a story involving Sarah, but she’s sure it was just a publicity stunt.

Aaron questions Cassie about the story. When she mentions the mysterious typewriter, Aaron laughs at the “old wives’ tale” that’s been circulating since he was a kid.

Isa is alarmed. She senses paranormal danger but doesn’t reveal this to the group.

Gabe is dismissive of the matter and wonders if there are more survivors who need their help.

Mama Lee agrees with Gabe and says they should look for survivors.

They all push further into the basement, but an emergency worker calls them out.

Ella, eager to follow the group, tells the emergency worker about the gas leak at the post office. He leaves.

Safety taken away:

A large tree topples over the basement opening. The Seven are now trapped inside.

Gabe immediately calls for help and tells the emergency worker that they are safe but trapped. They must wait for a truck with a winch/pully to arrive.

Aaron leads them to a secret tunnel but finds it’s collapsed.

7. INT – BASEMENT OFFICE – DAY

The seven hear a typewriter and enter the office. One by one they receive their “last words.”

Note: An electric typewriter, circa 1986, with a one-line LED display and continuous feed paper.

Horror Situation: They are trapped in the room, and each takes a paper that’s typewritten words will be the last words they speak.

• Creepy moment: Tunney touches the typewriter, and it types “Chaos Calls” (his catchphrase)

• Release: He thinks it’s a great prank and wishes he thought of it.

• Apprehension: Isa recognizes the supernatural but says nothing

• Creepy moment: Aaron wants to “try”. He gets his “last words” which he mocks and repeats out loud with no recourse.

He and Cassie discuss the history of the ‘typewriter hoax’ and he mentions he has some historical records back in his office that she’s free to look at.

• Creepy moment: Ella wants to “try” – It types her last words.

• Apprehension: Mama Lee realizes that the door is locked behind her. She thinks it strange but looks around for a key.

• Anxiety: When Mama Lee goes near the typewriter, she touches it, and it types her last words.

• Release: Cassie is mesmerized. She wonders if it’s powered by AI. She touches it and gets her last words.

• Surprise: Isa touches the typewriter and goes into a trance. It types her last words, but she can’t pull away.

• Anxiety: Gabe thinks she’s being electrocuted. He unplugs the typewriter. She is released.

• Release: Sarah is not hurt but can’t (or won’t) explain what happened.

• Creepy moment: The typewriter types Gabe’s last words.

• Shock: Ella freaks out because the plug has been pulled.

• Release: Mama Lee explains that all these old typewriters have battery backups.

• Anxiety: Ella destroys her paper by tearing it up.

• Creepy moment: Tunney reminds them all that there’s no electricity because of the tornado.

• Release: A rescue worker enters the room – the tree has been removed, they are free

TURNING POINT – END OF ACT 1

8. EXT – RUINED CHURCH – DAY

Horror Situation: Ella finds the paper she destroyed in her back pocket.

• Suspense: As everyone goes their separate ways, Ella mounts her bike and feels something in her back pocket.

• Surprise: She pulls out and unfolds a typewritten paper that has her last words printed on it.

• Shock: She screams and faints. Tunney catches her.

ACT 2

9. INT – AARONS OFFICE/LIBRARY – DAY

The Seven convene around old books and newspapers.

Gabe presses Aaron for information on the ‘typewriter’. He shows them a photo from 100 years ago and an old model non-electric Woodstock typewriter is featured. He tells them the story of the typewriter as he knows it.

Aaron insists that there can’t be anything to this because the typewriter in the photo doesn’t match the typewriter from the basement office. Mama Lee agrees with Aaron and tries to comfort Ella – explaining away the second paper (maybe she only thought she tore up the first one).

Isa is fearful but tight-lipped.

Cassie is elated. She starts blogging immediately; dramatically exploiting the situation for sensationalism.

The others are interested in learning more, but Tunney scoffs at the idea of supernatural consequences. He refuses to get involved and leaves for another “adventure”.

Before they all separate, Ella makes them all connect on a group chat so they can keep in touch… just in case.

Isolated/Trapped/Abducted:

10. INT/EXT – TUNNEY’S CAR/TREE-LINED ROAD – DAY

Horror Situation: Tunney has a flashback of his hit-and-run accident. He thinks he sees the dead boy in his back seat.

• Fear – the voice of the boy he killed calls to him. Tunney sees his broken body in his back seat.

• Suspense – Tunney pulls the car over; there’s nobody in the back seat

11. INT/EXT – GABE’S TRUCK – DAY

Gabe has Ella’s bike in the back of his truck. He drives through a wooded residential area not affected by the tornado. He is about to pull over, but Ella spots a boy walking down the street and urges him to drive on. She claims he’s a bully that’s been harassing her. Gabe drives on. Ella tells him that she’s probably going to take a vow of silence till they figure out what’s going on.

12. INT/EXT – CASSIE’S CAR – DAY

Isa admits her fears to Cassie about the typewriter – what she saw in her trance – and how she feels that they all may be targets. Cassie is dismissive and excited about how many reads she’s got on her story already.

13. INT/EXT – TUNNEY’S CAR/TREE-LINED ROAD – DAY

Horror Situation: Tunney has a flashback of his hit-and-run experience. Panic-stricken, he bungee jumps to his death.

• FEAR – Tunney hears the inexplicable voice of the hit-and-run victim.

• SHOCK – In a flashback, he remembers the hit. The boy on the bike goes down. Tunney exits his car and sees the boy’s mangled body. He panics. The boy is half-conscious. Tunney looks about and the boy reaches up to him for help. Tunney is distressed and worried. He chokes the life out of the boy.

• DREAD – Tunney, in a panic, races to the bridge.

14. EXT – BRIDGE – DAY

Horror Situation: Panic-stricken, Tunney bungee jumps to his death.

• Suspense – Tunney, frenzied, comes upon his friends at the bridge.

• PANIC – He grabs a bungee rope and attaches it to his leg, saying he needs a “rush” and a “jolt.” “I gotta get out of my head!”

• FEAR – A friend warns him to wait, they haven’t measured the lines yet.

• HORROR – Tunney plunges ahead and yells “Chaos Calls!” as he jumps. The bungee cord breaks and results in a fatal fall.

15. INT – OFFICE/LIBRARY – DAY

The six learn of Tunney’s death. The Six meet up together. Gabe talks to the friend who was with Tunney at the bridge and confirms his last words.

Ella, full of anxiety, wonders how much time they all have. The others comfort her and assure her that they will figure this out.

Gabe lays out all the “last words” next to each other and they look for some sort of pattern.

Isa confesses what she has perceived about the situation so far – and says they need to understand why they may be targeted.

Aaron scoffs and refuses to act, claiming it’s all a coincidence. Mama Lee urges the group to focus on practical solutions rather than supernatural explanations. She suggests maybe the friend killed Tunney.

Cassie, in her blog, has portrayed the typewriter to be benevolent and good-natured.

Ella manages to put the papers in order from shortest words to longest. Gabe surmises that Tunney only had two words. They figured it had been two hours since they left the basement and Tunney went bungee jumping. They guess that the number of words might be the number of hours they have left.

They test their guess with Sarah’s last words – She had 14 words – Cassie confirms that it was 14 hours from the time she lost contact with Sarah till they found her.

Aaron’s paper has only five words on it. If their predictions are correct – he only has an hour to live. They parse out the rest of the group. Each person dying within an hour or two of one another. Gabe has the most words – 12 hours total.

Horror Situation: Aaron has a run-in with the town mayor (whom he betrayed) and escapes to an underground tunnel where he is killed when the tunnel collapses.

• Surprise: The mayor interrupts and brandishes a gun at Aaron – Aaron jokes and tells him he’s an hour early

• Fear: the group is on edge – they try to intervene.

• Suspense: Gabe wrestles with the mayor and takes away the gun. Aaron escapes down a secret tunnel.

• Dread – they all fear for Aaron’s life and Ella insists on going after him. Gabe refuses to let her go alone.

While they are gone, Isa, Cassie, and Mama Lee uncover documents that reveal the historic victims of the typewriter were specific people who told lies to gain wealth and position. While Aaron’s sins are obvious, they wonder how Tunney could have possibly been a target… how all of them could be targets.

16. EXT – CONGO JUNGLE VILLAGE – DAY

Isa has a flashback. She pays hush money to women who were sexually abused by health workers there to give them aid during an Ebola outbreak.

17. INT – AARON’S OFFICE/LIBRARY – DAY

Mama Lee suggests they just go and destroy the typewriter. The three ladies take off.

18. INT – UNDERGROUND TUNNELL – DAY

Horror Situation: Aaron runs through an underground passage that caves in on him.

• Apprehension – Aaron is confused and not sure which way to go.

• Anxiety – He comes to a blocked tunnel – he must turn around.

• Surprise – He realizes he’s been walking in circles.

• Shock – He hears a rumble behind him. Is it another cave-in?

• FEAR – he senses a malevolent force pursuing him down a claustrophobic passage.

• Panic – He calls out for help, he’s completely confused.

• Horror – He says his last words “I didn’t do anything wrong!” as the tunnel collapses on him.

•

Gabe and Ella search for him. They hear the rumble and race to find him.

19. INT. – BASEMENT OFFICE – DAY

Isa, Mama Lee, and Cassie confront the typewriter.

Horror Situation:

Horror Situation: Isa can see that the typewriter gets its power from the souls it collects.

• FEAR – Isa is again taken into a trance by the typewriter.

• Suspense – she sees Tunney and Aaron and other lost souls connected to the typewriter. They are angry and bitter and don’t understand why they are trapped.

• Apprehension – are they reaching out for Isa? Are they trying to draw her in?

• Surprise – there is a hand on her – but it is Cassie, pulling her away.

• Monster reveal: The typewriter gains power from the souls it collects.

Mama Lee tries to take a bat to the typewriter – but can’t bring herself to strike.

Cassie grabs the bat and is about to smash it.

Isa stops her – tells them both that if they destroy the typewriter – it will somehow become stronger. They don’t believe her. They argue.

20. INT – UNDERGROUND TUNNEL – DAY

Horror Situation: Gabe and Ella find Aaron’s dead body.

• Suspense: Gabe and Ella walk the dark tunnel looking and calling for Aaron

• Dread: They come to a portion of the tunnel that has caved in.

• Shock: Gabe shines the light on a hand sticking out of the rubble

• Anguish: They dig out Aaron’s body

• Creepy moment: They find that Aaron is clutching his “last words” in his other hand.

• Panic: Ella freaks out

• Release: Gabe drags her away and says they should get to safety.

21. INT – LIBRARY/OFFICE – DAY

The Five reconvene in the library.

Monster Reveal: They discover a historic journal that Aaron was hiding. It identifies the malevolent spirit behind the typewriter. They discover that it wasn’t always a typewriter; it has had different iterations over the centuries and is now contained in an electric typewriter. Isa feels vindicated but they wonder why Aaron was hiding this information.

Emergency workers condemn the building and force them to leave.

Mama Lee invites everyone over but Gabe dissuades her from going back to her house.

Cassie decides it’s time to leave town and she and Isa give Ella a ride home.

Isa suggests that maybe the typewriter is chastising them for their sins – maybe they need to confess their misdeeds to escape the wrath. They scoff at her. Ella says she’s going to take a vow of silence.

22. INT – ELLAS BEDROOM – DAY

Ella’s room is covered in posters of a TEEN HEARTTHROB. She lays on her bed and has a flashback of how she harasses a boy at school (the one she claimed was bullying her) and has made his life miserable.

23. EXT – CITY STREET – DAY

Horror Situation: Cassie decides to leave town and gets hit by a truck on the street.

• Apprehension: Cassie decides that by leaving town, she’ll save herself.

• Suspense: Isa tries to persuade her to stay. Insists they can’t ‘escape’. But Cassie thinks Isa just wants to try to get back together with Gabe.

• Surprise: Cassie finds her “last words” in her suitcase.

• Panic: She accuses Isa of trying to scare her and everyone else. She gathers her things quickly and leaves Isa behind.

• Dread: In the elevator, Cassie has a flashback of her misdeed.

• Horror: Cassie races blindly out of the elevator and out into the street. She gets a call on her phone and unwittingly says her “last words.” (she can’t believe she just said that). She’s hit by an armored car.

24. INT. ELLA’S BEDROOM/FRONT DOOR – DAY

Horror situation: Ella is drawn out of her house by an apparition and killed.

• Surprise: Ella has fallen asleep on her bed and wakes to a knock on her front door

• Apprehension: She cautiously goes to the door.

• Shock: She opens the door to her TEEN HEARTTHROB.

• Anxiety: She’s not sure if she’s dreaming or awake.

• Suspense: The TEEN HEARTTHROB invites her to go for a walk. She accepts.

25. EXT – WOODS – DAY – CONTINUOUS

• Panic: As they walk, the boy changes back and forth from the HEARTHTHROB to the boy she wronged.

• Horror: Ella realizes she’s walking with the boy she has wronged. He has a knife, and he kills her. Last words: This is all a misunderstanding – It wasn’t me! (8 hours)

ACT 3

26. INT – GABES TRUCK – DAY

Gabe picks up Isa and Isa explains why she thinks the monster is targeting them (their lies for shameful gain). He agrees to go back to the typewriter with her so they can confess their sins.

They go to get Mama Lee.

27. EXT – MAMA LEE’S PORCH – DAY

Gabe and Isa try to get Mamma Lee to go with them to confess her sins. Mama Lee explains how she can see why this town has suffered so much; that they were all complicit in the cover-up of child abuse that took place at the church. But she assures them that she’s done nothing wrong… that she’s escaped God’s wrath.

28. INT – MAMA LEE’S HOME – DAY

Horror Situation: Mama Lee’s house collapses on her

• Apprehension: Mama Lee thinks she hears her children’s voices coming from her attic.

• Panic: thinking it’s her children, she rushes to them but then the voices turn sinister.

• Fear: In the attic, she has a flashback of the abuse of her husband towards her own children. They ask her why she never helped them she replies, “That’s just the way he loved you kids.”

• Dread: She’s trapped and can’t get out.

• Horror: She utters her last words and the house collapses. “This isn’t fair! Other people get away with murder. Why me?”

29. INT – BASEMENT OFFICE – DAY

Isa touches the typewriter again and sees the other iterations… it started out as a quill pen, then morphed till it became this typewriter. She understands that if the typewriter is destroyed, it could manifest as the next development in word processing and potentially reach more people.

They decide not to destroy it.

They make their confessions:

Gabe admits his cowardice. That he’s a slave to his publisher and slants stories to tell a certain narrative. He also admits that he hates his job; he’s afraid to try to be anything else. The words on his paper disappear. A blinding, unnatural light engulfs him – leaving him blind/disoriented.

Isa admits her culpability in their relationship. That it was her deception that broke them up.

They are released from the room and flee.

30. EXT – STREET – NIGHT

Horror Situation: Isa is shot and killed by a looter. Gabe is pursued by the malevolent spirit. He destroys the typewriter.

• Anguish: They come upon some looters and Isa is shot. Gabe witnesses the death of Isa.

• Panic: Enraged (thought they had escaped) He decides he must destroy the typewriter. He races through the streets as the sinister spirit pursues and various objects try to kill Gabe.

• Horror: He tosses a grenade into the basement. It implodes and tries to pull Gabe in. He barely makes it out alive.

31. INT – GABE’S TRUCK – NIGHT

Gabe leaves town. He opens his phone to get directions. The typewriter appears as a new app on Gabe’s phone.