Lesson 16

[Tom Freyer]

“THE WORM”

OUTLINE 1

By Tom Freyer

LOGLINE: When a shapeshifting nematode invades a top-secret Nuclear Submarine and begins snacking on the crew, America’s first female Navy Seal must find and destroy it before it finishes the crew and starts WWIII.

ACT I

EXT. “BUDS” CLASS – NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE TRAINING CENTER, CORONADO, CA. – DAY

It’s “Hell Week.” Fifty SEAL Wanna-bes compete for time and endurance, filling their rubber landing craft with rocks and hauling them through hell and high water while live rounds are fired.

A Female Instructor, CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER ANGEL HERRERA, 27, tough as nails, holds a stopwatch and a clipboard. She calls one guy a pussy, warns him to ignore their pain and fear. Guy’s friend reminds him she was the first female Navy Seal. GUY: “A real ball buster.” FRIEND: “Say that to her face.”

An Officer in dress blues approaches with a phone. It’s CHIEF PETTY OFFICER RAY RAY DELACOURT. He brings good news. Their year-long sub training has paid off. They’ve both been commissioned for the new nuclear submarine USS BARACK OBAMA. She hugs him.

EXT. /INT. SECRET HANGER, USS BARACK OBAMA – DAY

Angel and Ray Ray meet CAPT. VANDERPOOL and Crew.

INT. SUB – DAY

At sea, the Captain opens his top secret orders. Sail to the Sea of Japan and hunt down and gather intelligence about North Korea’s new nuclear submarine under orders of silent running: Absolutely no noise.

SEA OF JAPAN

INT. SUB – DAY

On Monitor, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER PATEL spots a crashed UAP (UFO) embedded in the sea floor. Alien cadavers float by.

ON MONITOR: CU Alien face, minus an eye! Patel screams

INT. MEDICAL OFFICE, SUB – DAY

He contacts the Bridge and asks Captain for permission to use minisub to take an alien specimen.. Captain denies him, but CIA officer XO HARTNETT tells him to go ahead.

INT. DRY DOCK, SUB – DAY

Patel observes how alien is mutilated like Montana cattle. He exits dry dock. When he returns, Alien cadaver is gone! He contacts Hartnett who visits with Chief Engineer DAVE OSMOND, 45.

ON MONITOR SCREEN:

Dr. Patel enters dry-dock. Something locks the door from inside. Hartnett and Osmond can see an object, somewhat camouflaged among the hydraulic pipes, slithering toward Dr. Patel.

Patel can’t hear them scream his name into the intercom.

Hartnett tells Osmond to call the Captain, and then runs for the Dry-Dock.

INT. DRY-DOCK – SUB – SAME

DR. PATEL

AAAAUUUGHHHHH!

A worm-like creature, still camouflaged, attacks him, its spinning saw-blade teeth cuts a hole through his right eye. The worm dives into Dr. Patel’s body just as Hartnett arrives. It eats its way through him to his adrenal glands, and out his side… just as Hartnett arrives. It escapes into a drainpipe and down a series of long plumbing pipes.

INT. BRIDGE, SUB – SAME

Osmond sputters out what he saw on the monitor. Captain, shocked, demands proof. Osmond runs toward his cube, holding his gut.

INT. PASSAGEWAY HEAD (RESTROOM), SUB – SAME

Osmond hurries, pulls down his pants and sits on the toilet.

INT. PLUMBING PIPE – SAME

The worm swims toward a bright opening ahead.

INT. PASSAGEWAY HEAD – SAME

On Osmond’s face as the worm slams into his anus. Blood erupts from his mouth.

INT. DRY DOCK – SAME

Hartnett, horrified, pulls an alarm. Mute red ceiling lights blink throughout the sub.

INT. BRIDGE – DAY

Hartnett replays the monitor footage of the creature for Angel, Ray Ray and the Captain.

Captain wants to keep news about creature from crew until they can find it and kill it. Says it will cause widespread panic and unnecessary noise, which will reveal the sub’s position to the enemy. Angel argues to no avail.

In Act I, Angel argues with the Captain, who says he wants to prevent panic—orders them to keep the cause of Dr. Patel’s and Dave Osmond’s deaths– the worm– secret from the crew until he/they can figure out a way to kill it.)

ACT II

INT. MESS HALL – NUCLEAR SUBMARINE – LATER

First Mate and constant joker CONNOR MCCAFFERY, 32, stands next to Seaman ANDY CHAVEZ, 23 at a table with four CREWMATES, also from the missile section known as the Bomb Squad. Connor produces a small, badly wrapped package.

CONNOR

Andy Chavez, as your First Mate,

It is my honor to present you with this pin

signifying your promotion to Seaman First Class.

Connor sits down to film the moment on his cellphone. The Crewmates smile and applaud quietly. Chavez examines the present and gently tears off the wrapping.

CHAVEZ

Wow! Thanks guys. I don’t know what to say.

He opens the box. A joke “snake” springs out. Chavez emits a high-pitched scream.

When he recovers, he holds up the “snake,”shakes his head, and retrieves the genuine pin. Connor and the Bomb Squad laugh, congratulate him, etc. They huddle together watching the video replay. POV: Something approaches the men’s feet along the floorboards. The mess hall lights go out. Darkness.

CONNOR (O.C.)

Hey, wha—AAUAACK!

Loud screams, bellows, and other tortured noises erupt in the darkness.

INT. PASSAGEWAY – NUCLEAR SUBMARINE – SAME

Angel and Ray Ray, still furious from their meeting with Captain Vanderpool, pass by the noisy, darkened mess hall. They exchange a worried glance.

RAY RAY

Hey, what’s with the noise? Silent running, righ–

He clicks on the light, revealing a grisly tableau.

INT. MESS HALL – SAME

Every sailor is missing an eye and has been ripped open by the worm. Bloody corpses are strewn everywhere, like an explosion at a meat packers.

ANGEL

Fuck! Shut the portal, quick!

Ray Ray quickly slams the portal and turns the wheel.

ANGEL

Let’s go see the Goddam Captain..

Ray Ray nods, then vomits.

Angel comments that its camouflage will make it hard to keep track of.

Ray Ray wonders if it is warm-blooded. Maybe it has a heat signature?

It hits Angel to try Infrared Goggles. Angel locates a worm-like shape slightly squirming amonst some pipes in the reactor room.

INT. NUCLEAR SUBMARINE – DAY

The terrified crew gathers in the assembly area. The Captain, also shaken, whispers to them.

CAPT. VANDERPOOL

Calm down, Calm down… Quiet!

We now know the creature is in the reactor room– and have sealed it off.

We’re looking for two brave volunteers. One to unseal the portal,

and release this tank of liquid oxygen on it. Another to dispose of the frozen caracass.

XO HARTNETT

Any volunteers?

A few, including Angel, tentatively raise their hands.

CAPT. VANDERPOOL

Okay Angel, you’ll freeze it.

First Mate Quantrell Jefferson’s hand remains raised. CU, we can see it shaking.

JEFFERSON

…And I’ll blast the motherfucker outta here.

Applause and nervous laughter from many of the crew.

CAPTAIN VANDERPOOL

Quiet!

Okay, good. Please prepare yourselves. We will keep all comms open.

You are both ordered to report any issues ion the double,

so we can protect the reminder of the crew.

Understood?

ANGEL & JEFFERSON

Aye aye, Skipper.

INT. PORTAL ENTRANCE – REACTOR ROOM – NUCLEAR SUBMARINE – LATER

Angel, armed with the LOX cannister and wearing the IR goggles, approaches the entrance. Behind her a several paces lurks a terrified Jefferson dragging a utility wagon behind him.

Angel turns a stainless steel wheel, unsealing the portal.

INT./ EXT. PORTAL – REACTOR ROOM- NUCLEAR SUBMARINE – SAME

ANGEL

I’m inside. Seal it.

Jefferson turns the wheel the other way. Angel is sealed in. She slinks along a wall of hydraulic pipes.

ANGEL’S POV: through the infrared goggles, we see the creature’s profile nestled among them. It doesn’t seem to see her.

She lunges forward, firing the trigger of the LOX cannister. The creature writhes, opens its hideous mouth full of circular buzzsaw teeth, and utters a high-pitched scream. THUD. The frozen thing falls to the deck.

ANGEL

Unlock the portal.

Jefferson turns the wheel. Angel hurries out of the portal and tosses the empty cannister on the deck. Jefferson stands before the portal, his hand shaking the handle on the utility wagon.

JEFFERSON

Why didn’t it attack you?

ANGEL

I have no idea.

JEFFERSON

What if it thaws?

ANGEL

Better dump it quick in case it does.

Jefferson slowly pushes the hand truck toward the portal.

JEFFERSON

Y-Y-Yeah.

INT REACTOR ROOM- NUCLEAR SUBMARINE – LATER

JEFFERSON

Gotta tell you this thing scare the shit outta me.

ANGEL

It’s natural. The key is to not to let it consume you.

JEFFERSON

Oh no, you didn’t just say “consume.’

ANGEL

Ha ha. Here, put it in this. Borrowed it from medical.

She hands Jefferson a transplant box from surgery with a thermometer on the lid.

ANGEL

This should keep it chill till you get to the waste shoot.

JEFFERSON

How long do it last?

ANGEL

Long enough. They use these for organ transplants.

You good?

JEFFERSON

Y-yeah. I’m good.

He puts the box in the wagon and pulls it through the portal. Angel seals the portal behind him.

INT. PASSAGEWAY – NUCLEAR SUB – LATER

Jefferson puts the frozen worm in the box and hurries down the passageway towards the trash chute. He hears a THUMP! He whips around to look at the box. That’s a WHIR and another THUMPS as the AC kicks in. He breathes a sigh of relief, He shakes his head, continues down the passageway. Temperature needle creeps upward. CHUCK-A CHUCK-A! Jefferson turns his head around. The Worm must be trying to escape! Jefferson unholsters his sidearm, a 1914 Colt 45.

BAM! BAM! Jefferson fires twice into the box. The lid stops moving. Thermometer slowly rises. He hurries along until he reaches a sign, which reads: WASTE CHUTE. He picks up the box. Temperature reaches red zone. He places it on a stainless tray.

EXT. SUB – SAME

With a dull THOOM and a cloud of bubbles, the box is jettisoned out and away from the hull.

INT. PORTAL — PASSAGEWAY – NUCLEAR SUB – SAME

An anxious crowd has formed beyond the portal glass, awaiting some sign of an outcome.

INT. PASSAGEWAY – NUCLEAR SUB – SAME

Jefferson spots Mallory descending the stars, carrying a well-worn bible.. He knocks on the glass, gives a ‘thumbs up’ sign. The crowd heaves a collective sigh of relief and applauds. Mallory sighs with relief and turns the wheel to open the portal.

MALLORY

Oh my gosh! Did you just—

Jefferson nods, smiles.

MALLORY

You are so brave! We are so blessed!

She hugs him. The crowd slaps him on the back fist bumps, etc.

JEFFERSON

Nobody gotta be afraid no more.

MALLORY

Where do you get your strength?

JEFFERSON

I dunno. I just —

Mallory looks down, starts flipping the pages of her bible.

MALLORY

I get mine from my faith. As Jesus tells us—

She looks up and lets out a blood-curdling

SCREAM!

Jefferson has turned into a much larger form of the Worm, its buzz-saw teeth spinning in its salivating mouth. As it lunges toward Mallory, the crowd panics and scatters, screaming hysterically.

The crowd scatters, revealing Angel, a fireaxe in her hand. She gives the axe a mighty swing and chops the worm’s head off! To her horror, the severed body part forms a new head and the two “halves” slither away in opposite directions!

ANGEL

Note to self. No cutting the worm.

ACT III

A series of worm attacks leave only a skeletal crew still alive to man the ship.

Because of the screams caused by the worm’s attacks, the North Korean sub hunter has located the Obama’s position. The pings from the enemy ship’s sonar signature reveals its fast approach.)

INT. BRIDGE – SUB – DAY

Captain Vanderpool, Angel, and Ray Ray stare at a sonar monitor, which emits urgent PINGs. The skipper speaks over secure comms channel.

CAPT. VANDERPOOL

Confirm Yan Joon audio signature. Over.

SONAR (O.C.)

Confirmed. Confirm visual I.D.? Over.

CAPT. VANDERPOOL

Pending. Over. (to Ray Ray) Down periscope.

RAY RAY

Aye aye, sir

ANGEL

Wait!

CAPT. VANDERPOOL

There a problem, Chief Warrant Officer Hidalgo?

ANGEL

Sir, not sure it’s safe, sir.

CAPT. VANDERPOOL

Nonsense. Down periscope.

Angel and Ray exchange a worried glance.

RAY RAY

Aye aye, sir.

Ray presses the hydraulic button. The periscope descends and stops directly in front of the Captain’s face. He rotates the scope, adjust the aperture, and places his chin on the chinrest. CHUNK! The Captain SCREAMS as the right eyepiece shatters and the worm drives itself into his eye!

Instantly Angel leaps at it, grasps the worm as it attempts to burrow into his body! Instantly, Depth charges begin dropping. BOOM!

The sub shudders from the explosion.

BA-BOOM!

Another depth charge.

ANGEL

The fuck? Oh no! It’s got him! Help me!

BOOM! BOOM!

Ray Ray grabs the worm’s slick body also. The captain writhes in pain and shock.

The two pull with everything they’ve got.

RAY RAY

No! Oh Jesus!

Now that it’s bloody, Angel and Ray Ray are losing their battle with the worm. Its slippery body undulates and oozes through their hands.

BA-BOOM! BOOM! BA-BOOM!

As Captain Vanderpool twists and screams, his lower back begins to vibrate and throb.

CAPTAIN VANDERPOOL

AAUUUGHHH!

Ray Ray’s hands slip off the worm. Another close explosion!

BA-BOOM!

RAY RAY

C’mere, mother fu– unh!

His head smashes into the wall of hydraulics. He’s out cold! Angel sobs and growls at the same time.

ANGEL

Ray! Oh fuck! Oh God!

BOOM! BOOM!

A lump forms at Captain Vanderpool’s abdomen and blood spreads over his crisp white shirt. The shirt bursts open and his entrails fly out, followed by the worm’s buzzsaw mouth on its bloody head! The worm screams!

Angel sobs uncontrollably. She pulls at Ray Ray ,shakes him, all the while keeping an eye on the worm, which seems to regard her for the first time. It slowly begins to slither out of the Captain’s abdomen and towards Angel and Ray Ray. The other one, quite a bit smaller, drops from the ceiling and slinks toward them.

ANGEL

Ray Ray! Ray Ray! Wake the fuck up, goddamit!

Oh Jesus. C’mon! Ray Ray!

She reaches a valve and turns it until it reaches “OFF.” The worms seem to undulate, and then drop to the deck, motionless!

Ray Ray wakes up and gasps. Angel has donned an oxygen mask as well as aIR goggles. She places both on him.

ANGEL

We got one last chance— smother these fuckers!

BA-BOOM!

Ray Ray points to a sonar signature of the ship nearly directly overhead.

RAY RAY

First we gotta get these Pyongyang Poontangs off our backs.

Angel peers into the rangefinder.

ANGEL

Ready the torpedoes.

RAY RAY

Aye Aye. Ready.

ANGEL

Three, two, one…

Fire one!

EXT. SUB – DAY

WHOOSH! A torpedo launches upwards from the hull.

Silence.

ANGEL

Fire two!

WHOOSH!

KA-BOOM!

ANGEL

Direct hit!

RAY RAY

Gotcha, ya sonsabitches!

ANGEL

Now we just set the sub to autopilot for the hanger in Annapolis, and hope our oxygen holds out longer than these goddam worms can hold their breath.

22 Hours later, a groggy Ray Ray wakes up, looks at his tank dial.

DIAL: 2.7 hours remaining. He crawls over to Angel, who lies motionless. She’s out cold. Her Dial reads: 13 Minutes remaining

A digital readout reads: Destination 30 minutes away.

He switches masks and tanks with her.

The bigger worm twitches.

Ray Ray closes his fingers around it where he hopes its windpipe is,and settles back.

EXT. ANNAPOLIS – DAY

Naval crew teams race to the USS Barrack Obama as it glides safely into the hanger.

EMTs search the sub for survivors They find Angel , and carry her to safety. Then they begin bringing up those that didn’t make it. Among them is Ray Ray. As his body is carried by her, she removes her SEAL trident, punches it to his chest, and salutes him.

Below decks, along a row of hydraulic tubes, something squirms.

[Brett Born]

Brett Born’s Outline Version 1

INTERMISSION

Logline: A high school student seeks fame by starring in a reality series that documents the reopening of a haunted drive-in but must fight to survive the night when the disturbed ghosts from the past return for cameos.

INT – TICKET BOOTH – NIGHT (FB)

Erik Steele watches a car approach with no headlights. He stops it. Meet Buck trying to sneak himself and his gf into the theater. Erik confronts Buck, who then attacks Erik. Threatens him with a knife. The gf diffuses the situation. Buck pays for tickets and drives in.

INT – LOBBY – NIGHT (FB)

Jade, the assistant manager, and Jim are flirtatious co-workers. Erik comes inside from the booth, still shaken. Jade wants Erik to go back out. Erik refuses. Jim volunteers to take cover the booth.

EXT – DRIVE-IN – NIGHT (FB)

Jim finds Buck’s gf tied to a merry-go-round. He tries to help her. Buck is enraged that Jim is ruining a ceremony. Buck kills Jim on the hood of a car as a fireworks show explodes overhead.

INT – DRIVE-IN – MANAGER’S OFFICE – DAY (Present Day)

Christine’s excited about starring in a reality show following the drive-in’s reopening. But Jade, now in her 40’s, tells Christine that the reality show is cancelled.

EXT – CHRISTINE’S HOUSE – NIGHT

Barbra, the assistant manager, visits Christine and tells her Jade was wrong. Shin’s in charge and the show’s a go.

INT – ERIK’S ZEN ROOM – NIGHT

Erik Steele is Christine’s father. She doesn’t tell him about the reopening.

INT – MURDER HOUSE – NIGHT

Erik is a detective with the Boulder PD. Erik investigates a homicide. He examines the bodies and searches the house.

In the attic, Erik finds a 30-year old yearbook from his high school. Was Erik the victims’ classmate?

INT – DRIVE-IN LOBBY – NIGHT

Shin, the manager, explains the drive-in’s history, including the legend of Muse. Reminds the group to download the workplace URL.

INT – ERIK’S OFFICE – DAY

Erik runs a background check on the murdered mother and learns her real name. She was Buck’s gf.

EXT – DRIVE-IN – ROOFTOP – NIGHT

Group of teens on a double date. Buck confronts them… kills three of them. Sophie jumps from the roof and disappears.

INT / EXT – DRIVE-IN – NIGHT

The group receive same message on their phones… an intermission ad for a fireworks show. The ad features the three teens killed on the roof.

None of the group’s phones have outgoing service because of the workplace URL.

INT – DRIVE-IN LOBBY – NIGHT

Zoe sees a white van. Thinks it’s police surveillance. Wants to confront them. Javier goes with her.

INT – DENVER MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL – NIGHT

Erik learns that Buck was trying to perform a burial ritual for his dad. He was using his gf to act as his father’s “widow.”

INT / EXT – TICKET BOOTH – NIGHT

Marcos returns. Tries to get Christine to leave with him. She won’t go. He has his final good-bye with Christine.

Muse kills Marcos outside the booth. Christine doesn’t see anything.

INT – HOLIDAY THEATER – NIGHT

Muse attacks Shin… catches him and beheads him.

INT LADIES ROOM – NIGHT

Buck traps Christine, Alyxx, Lauren and Hannah. Hannah’s phone works. She calls 9-1-1 but gets transferred. Buck breaks inside and kills Hannah. The others escape.

INT – WHITE VAN – NIGHT

Zoe and Javier discover the white van is full of pyro. They find a body. Javier wants to run and get help.

INT – LOBBY – NIGHT

Christine, Alyxx and Lauren meet up with Zoe and Barbra. They need Hannah’s phone. It’s the only one with service.

EXT / INT – LADIES ROOM – NIGHT

Barbra volunteers to go inside. She emerges bloodied head to toe. She tells the others to run before she collapses.

EXT – HIGHWAY – NIGHT

Marcos’s car chases Javier. Marcos’s car hits and kills Javier.

INT – WHITE VAN – NIGHT

Christine finds road flares. They need somewhere high above to light them… the top of a movie screen.

Buck attacks the van with a sledgehammer. The girls have to fight him. Buck injures Alyxx’s hip.

Muse appears and fights Buck. Muse hits Buck in the head with the sledgehammer. The girls escape.

INT – MOVIE SCREEN – NIGHT

A ladder leads to the top. Jade’s body hangs from a rope. Alyxx can’t make the climb. They hide her.

EXT – HIGHWAY – NIGHT

Erik investigates the scene of Javier’s attack. Just then, a flare, high in the distance…

EXT – MOVIE SCREEN – NIGHT

Marcos’s car parks in Lot 1. From the top of the screen, the girls try to get his attention but he doesn’t get out of the car.

INT – MOVIE SCREEN – NIGHT

Christine descends the ladder. The dead body swings below her… except it’s not Jade. It’s Alyxx.

EXT – DRIVE-IN LOT 1 – NIGHT

Christine runs hysterically to Marcos’s car. She realizes too late that it was a trap.

Moments later, Lauren and Zoe make it to Marcos’s car, but no one’s inside. The key’s in the car. They leave to get help.

Sophie crawls after Marcos’s car. Watches it pull away. A bloodied and beaten Buck takes her to be his dad’s “widow.”

Erik drives past the movie screens. Finds Sophie. Performs CPR. Calls for help. Buck attacks Erik. Erik stabs him.

Erik sees the white van in Lot 1. Someone’s inside the van… it’s Christine.

Muse has a phone… a “FIRE” button displayed on the screen. Muse counts down from five… touches the button.

Fireworks explode from inside the van. A giant fireball shoots into the sky. Erik drops to his knees.

Intermission ads play on the big screen. Christine stands behind the register and watches Erik with a haunted stare.

Erik screams.