Lesson 5

[Deb Johnson]

Deb’s Horror Situation Track

What I’ve learned… To create a horror emotion in the characters and the audience I need to build into my story at least 15 horror situations. I generated about 60 ideas and then selected 30 from that list, which I added to the plot. I will probably whittle down more – but at least I’ve got a lot to work with.

Act 1

Open:

Two young adults take shelter from a tornado. One utters their last words and is sucked up and away into the frenzy. The other is left behind – she opens a piece of paper with the same words typed on it – she screams.

Horror Situation: Death and screams

Reaction: Hides

Introductions:

A Day Later – the town in the aftermath of the tornado. Most of the town is decimated. Work crews clear debris. Gabe, a journalist was given this assignment because this is where he grew up. He hasn’t been back since he got an important position for a major news network over 10 years ago. He arrives to get the story. He meets up with Aaron who is the local historian and walks Gabe through the town, explaining where things were and what’s going on to help rebuild.

As they walk along, they come to a single home left standing – they talk to Mama Lee, the homeowner. Ella, a curious teen, happens along on her bike – she’s interested in Gabe and his high position at the news outlet. She wants to be a news broadcaster.

Tunney arrives. He’s a storm chaser and wants to document the aftermath.

Cassie, a paranormal blogger, also arrives. She’s especially interested in the old church – because she’s received stories of a strange typewriter that predicts peoples last words. She came to follow up on a lead she lost contact with the day prior when the storm hit.

With Cassie is Isa, a paranormal expert. They are friends. She is an old flame of Gabe. It’s an awkward reunion.

As they all mill about the wreckage of the small downtown the workers manage to uncover the basement of the collapsed church. They find a survivor – barely alive.

Warning:

They all race to her aid and call for help. They are about to go further into the debris, wondering if there are more people. She tries to stop them, she’s conflicted – but finally utters her own last words “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:

They all, in one way or another, shrug off the warning and the typewritten paper. Cassie hangs on to it. Isa is alarmed. They all push further into the basement to see more – some to look for survivors – others out of curiosity.

Safety taken away:

The opening that the workers removed collapses and they are trapped inside. They can communicate with the workers and know they will get them out – but they must wait for another piece of special equipment to arrive. They decide to go through the basement to see if they can find another way out. (Aaron, knowledgeable of the structure, knows about a secret tunnel). They follow Aaron… but his tunnel has collapsed – it’s a dead end.

Encounter with the Monster:

They enter an office where a typewriter sits. Tunney is the first to mess with it. It types his last words. Aaron is intrigued – he too – gets his last words. He mocks it and repeats the words out loud with no recourse. They are all trapped in the room and can’t get out. One by one – they all get words from the typewriter.

Horror Situation: Tunney will repeat the words – and so will Aaron – but nothing will happen (right away)

Reaction: Denial

Act 2

Isolated/Trapped/Abducted:

The room frees them, and they are no longer trapped. They go to the initial opening – and find that the workers are there, and they can get out of the basement. Everyone goes their separate ways… some a little more fearful and apprehensive than others.

Horror Situation: Taunting and Mockery: personal secrets are revealed… we learn of the characters’ misdeeds (Sins)

Reaction: Denial – no one will admit that what they’ve done is wrong.

One of us killed:

Horror Situation: Tunney hears the inexplicable voice of his hit-and-run victim

Reaction: He tries to figure out where it’s coming from – this lures him to a dangerous situation.

Horror Situation: Tunney skis with a friend – following the voice, he triggers an avalanche. He’s buried.

Reaction: He tries to escape

Tunney is killed in this adventure-seeking endeavor. Everyone goes to his funeral. His last words are revealed. Everyone is stunned.

Horror Situation: When Emma learns about Tunney’s last words, she loses control and descends into hysterics.

Reaction: The others vow to solve the mystery

Horror Situation: When Aaron learns of Tunney’s last words, he refuses to take action, claiming it’s all a coincidence.

Reaction: Denial and separation from the group

Midpoint: It seems that the Typewriter is a formidable foe – its prophesies are coming true. Everyone is now frightened. Who will be next?

Horror Situation: Isa has a Haunting Hallucination that terrifies her psyche.

Reaction: She hides

Horror Situation: Cassie has a gruesome nightmare, orchestrated by the monster, which leaves her fearful and distressed.

Reaction: She hides

Horror Situation Gabe tries to partner with Callie to solve the mystery – but Callie is concealing her own dark agenda.

Reaction: He decides to give up (hides)

Horror Situation: Gabe sees someone in a library typing on their computer and notices the words they type are their own “Last words”

Reaction: He is back in – and wants to try to solve the mystery. He convinces Isa to go with him back to the typewriter.

Horror situation: Isa – Possession: The character becomes briefly possessed by the typewriter’s entity, gaining insights into its true identity, but their experiences are unique and isolated.

Reaction: They both try to solve and decide to go to Aaron for help

Horror situation: Isa sees her last words written on a billboard. (foreboding premonition)

Reaction: Escape – Isa tries to run away, but Gabe stops her

Horror Situation: Aaron finds an old journal or diary, which uncovers information about the typewriter’s true identity, but no one else believes the journal’s contents because it contradicts Isa’s vision

Reaction: Try to solve it – the three vow to work together despite their disagreement

Horror Situation: Aaron is confronted by his misdeeds – but refuses to accept responsibility. He is attacked by his accuser.

Reaction: Aaron escapes

Horror Situation: Aaron begins to feed Gabe false information to lead Gabe away from the truth

Reaction: Gabe fights with Aaron

Horror Situation: Isa confides in Cassie about what she saw in her vision – that the typewriter is chastising each of them for their Sins. Cassie pleads innocence and becomes hysterical.

Reaction: Isa assures her she will try to solve the mystery

Horror Situation: Cassie sees their last words on a TV or computer or smartphone. (foreboding premonition)

Reaction: Cassie isolates herself and goes into hiding.

Horror Situation: Isa goes to check in on Ella who has stopped talking all-together

Reaction: Isa tells Ella she will try to solve it. She gives Ella courage.

Horror Situation: Ella receives a mysterious message that lures her away from the group, believing it holds clues to the typewriter’s mystery.

Reaction: Ella is placed in a dangerous situation and escapes.

Full pursuit by the killer:

One by one, each character utters their last word and then dies.

Horror Situation: Mama Lee is convinced that one of the group members has a hidden agenda and is working against their best interests, fueling her paranoia.

Reaction: Mama Lee Hides away in her home.

Horror Situation: Aaron decides to explore the Hidden Tunnels he’s familiar with – as he seeks on his own to solve the mystery. A tunnel caves in, blocking the way out. He is relentlessly pursued by malevolent forces, navigating the claustrophobic passages in an attempt to escape.

Reaction: Tries to escape but can’t. Turns to Fight, but nothing is there.

Horror Situation: Cassie comes out of hiding and is drawn into a seemingly safe space, only to discover it’s a trap set by a malevolent force.

Reaction: Tries to Fight and loses

Horror Situation: Ella, while riding her bike, has an encounter with someone she wronged. That person attacks her.

Reaction: Ella fights – but is killed.

Terrorized:

Gabe, Isa, and Mama Lee are the only ones left. They try to figure out the connection and the mystery behind the typewriter. Finally, they realize the sin that connects them all – that each of them has lied to the detriment of another in order to promote themselves or gain money.

Mama Lee refuses to admit her guilt and she, too, utters her last words and perishes.

Horror Situation: Mama Lee thinks she hears her children’s voices coming from her home. She rushes to them but then the voices turn sinister. She is chased into the attic where she witnesses the abuse of her husband towards her own children. She’s trapped and can’t get out. Significant objects in the attic are thrown at her and then the house begins to collapse.

Reaction: She fights but can’t escape

The thrilling escape from death:

Gabe and Isa go after the typewriter to destroy it. Both must come clean on their lies…

Horror Situation: Gabe & Isa descend into the mysterious basement. They become separated by a strange fog and become isolated.

Reaction: Fight to reunite

Horror situation: Isa touches the typewriter and becomes shackled to it, unable to break free.

Reaction: She screams for Gabe / they escape.

They both admit to each other their SIN.

Gabe admits his Sin and his cowardice – that he hates his job, that 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. They are released from the room and flee.

Death returns to take one more:

Isa has not told the complete truth. She utters her last words.

Horror Situation: Isa’s last words – she thinks she’s safe – she is at a historical site and reads a placard – she doesn’t realize her last words are final words written on the placard. Her doom arrives.

Reaction: Denial

Horror Situation: Gabe witnesses the death of Isa

Reaction: Goes back to destroy the typewriter

Resolution:

Gabe destroys the typewriter, but it reappears as an app (or something similar).