Post Day 5 Assignment Here

[jaye Blohm]

JAYE’S HORROR SITUATION TRACK

What I learned is that it’s best to brainstorm at least twice as many horror situations in order for the story, in order to choose the best ones. Brainstorming is key to having breakthroughs and this list has proven extremely valuable to get the wheels turning! There is also proper timing on how/when these situations should be revealed.

I wrote my character deaths as well because it helped me keep better organized on my beat sheet.

Characters:

Johnny, Whitney, Josh, Sarah, Marcus, David, Karen, Robert, Olivia

ACT 1 – THE SETUP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil established: 1950s Father and son landscapers to a house to remove a tree. Wind picks up, sky darkens, the tree is ominous, landscaping equipment not working right.
Horror Situation: Father is killed by machinery and son, Johnny, is maimed, loses an arm… at “the hands” of the tree.
Reaction – Escape: A housemaid screams and runs inside. A nun watches from an upstairs window. The son escapes.
Horror Situation: The tree and creek are haunted.
Connect with the characters: Present day. The house and grounds have been abandoned for decades. David tells of the urban legend of the grounds are haunted. He entices his friends to have a party there… in a “ghost-story environment.
Denial of Horror: They stop by a convenience store, and an old one-armed homeless crazy guy (Johnny) tells them not to go. Begs them… they laugh at the crazy old man and assure him they will be fine.
Horror Situation: Josh wants to graffiti the house. Starts on the outside, but a door creaks open. He goes inside….
Reaction: After a while, the kids wonder what’s up with Josh. They investigate. They feel uneasy, but push past it. They see the open door. They go in. Except Olivia She don’t want to go in that creepy old house.
Denial of Horror: Olivia is getting scared. She hears noises, voices. The forest beyond the creek is freaking her out.
Safety taken away: Olivia is nervous, calls out for her friends; no answer. She contemplates going into the house. She tries to occupy herself with music on her phone. It’s not working right. Tries to call David, but there’s no signal.
Reaction: She finally decides to go inside.
Character Death: – The tree grabs her and drowns her in the creek, in a very believable and horrifying way. OLIVIA DOWN

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: The kids in the house haven’t realized they aren’t able to leave.
Horror Situation: No one knows where Josh is, but asshole Marcus thinks it’s fun to scare people in dark corners.
Denial: Still no sign of Josh, the kids continue partying. (Whitney, Marcus, David)
Reaction: Robert has plans. He takes Karen upstairs to investigate and comes on to her. She is less than interested. Sarah comes in. Now Karen is interested.
Horror Situation: Robert smokes a blunt and starts to pleasure himself while watching the girls make out. A disgusting shape appears on the ceiling.
Horror situation: CUT TO – Dead Olivia appears in the back doorway.
Denial: The kids think she’s super high. She goes to a dark room down the hall.
Horror situation: Back in the bedroom. Robert’s own smoke fills his lungs and refuses to let him exhale.
Denial: The girls think he’s messing enjoying himself with his grunts and moans, so they ignore him.
Character Death: Robert dies right in front of them. ROBERT DOWN
Denial: The girls think he passed out.
Reaction: Karen and Sarah leave.
(Pivotal Moment): Whitney and Marcus talk. She tells him she’s pregnant. He is not happy.
Horror Situation: Noises rom the basement. It’s Josh! He calls for Karen and Sarah to come down. He sounds funny. Odd.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Reaction: Karen and Sarah investigate, carefully; cautiously.
Horror Situation: Karen and Sarah see Josh is disfigured and gross. JOSH DOWN
Reaction: They make a run for it.
Horror Situation: Sarah lags behind and Karen throws her down the basement stairs.
Character Death: Sarah gets mauled. SARAH DOWN
Reaction: Karen tries to get out of the basement.
Horror Situation: Karen falls through a stair that breaks.
Character Death: Karen is killed. KAREN DOWN
Horror Situation: David, Whitney, and Marcus hide in a room. It’s an old religious room, alter, candles, creepy statues. They try to come up with the answer.
Character Death: Olivia kills David. Murders him from the inside out. DAVID DOWN
Horror Situation: Johnny appears in the doorway of the religious room, and Marcus freaks out… why is Johnny there? To try and help? Who knows, because Marcus kills him. JOHNNY DOWN
The thrilling escape from Death: The door remains open and Marcus makes a run for it.
Release: We think Marcus is on this way out, but the tree grabs him.
Character Death: The tree mangles the shit out of him. MARCUS DOWN.
Horror Situation: Olivia closes the door to the house.
Resolution: Whitney is inside. A captive. Being kept alive by “Olivia” for the sake of her unborn child, which the house wants.

[Nadia Tholance]

What I learned from this assignment: That a horror story is a bit like playing with lego, building the story block by block. Also, the list of horror situations given was very useful and showed me the necessity to brainstorm the classic horror situation but also to take it a step further. However, not having a clear vision of who my characters are at this stage, I wasn’t sure in most instances who would have to face which horrific situations…

Am going to follow Jaye’s example and also list my main characters, it will be helpful for me as the story develops.

Main characters: MATTHIAS/ ANNA/ MIA/ NAOMI & JAMES/ ANDREW/ JOANNA/ STEPHEN

ACT 1—SET UP THE HORROR:

· Atmosphere of evil established: Press articles with graphic photos on a computer screen showing gruesome young people murdered or vanished; the number 21 comes back again and again on the screen, at the end, a town’s name appears – GRAHAMSTOWN. The computer screen reflects the strained face of a young woman and, in the background, we see the reflection of candles burning on a birthday cake on a table then we see the terror in her wide bulging eyes followed by her shrilling scream as someone keeps knocking, harder and harder, at the door in the background while humming in faint frail and soft voice “happy birthday to you”!

Horror situation: monster trying to get to you – a girl is spending her birthday quietly, all alone and in the dark; in front of her on the table, a cake with 2 candles forming the number 21. A little knock at the door, she is holding her breath and as the knock gets louder we see her eyes widening with fear.

Reaction – she quietly blows the candles and closes her eyes.

Horror situation: lost – a character takes a short cut through the park and gets lost.

Reaction – He starts panicking then is relieved when he sees a sign, not knowing it’s a trap.

· Connect with the characters: A group of new students; we discover each character, their personalities, their struggle, their attempts to fit in, in a college where other students behave strangely and in a town with a secret.

· The characters are warned not to do it: The new students to the college are told to never go out alone after dark and if they must then to stay in pack and never to mix with the friendly old people.

· Denial of horror: The new students will brush off the advice as plain silly and paranoid and mean; they are young and strong, why should they be afraid of some old folks even if they are the only ones walking in the dark streets of the small town!

· Safety taken away: When young people are stranded as cars strangely break down, buses don’t show and taxis don’t stop, being home before dark becomes an impossible mission.

Horror situation: forced into a dangerous environment – when Matthias’ car breaks down and he has to walk back into the rain, he arrives into the town at night and walks into a bar to call a tow car, only to find that the bar is packed with old people only.

Reaction – he is surprised then senses (his journalist instincts!) that something is not quite right in that setting.

· Monster- the nature of the beast: With old people infiltrated in all areas of the small town’s life, knowing who the monster is and whom to trust is a matter of life and death.

Horror situation: not knowing who is possessed – the characters don’t know which ones of the elderly are monsters.

Reaction – they don’t know who to trust and are suspicious of everyone around, feeling even more isolated.

Horror situation: unknown motive – the group hasn’t a clue why some young people vanish or get killed.

Reaction – Some take action and decide to investigate (Matthias, Andrew), while some will go in total denial (Anna, Naomi, James).

Horror situation: menacing stranger – One of the girls will be followed by an old homeless guy, scaring her by shouting that her end is near and to be careful of ‘the smiling ones’!

Reaction – she gets scared, thinks he is just scary why he was trying to warn her, and warns straight into what the arms of the monster, thinking she’ll be safe.

ACT 2—THE POINT OF NO RETURN:

· Isolated/trapped/abducted: Young people are no longer even safe in doors as the monsters try to break in or to lure them outside in desperation to get what they need.

Horror situation: lost – a character takes a short cut through the park and gets lost.

Reaction – He starts panicking then is relieved when he sees a sign, not knowing it’s a trap.

Horror situation: attacked – a character will be attacked by the monster.

Reaction – total disbelief, then shock at the strength of the attacker.

Horror situation: chased – a character will be chased by the monster.

Reaction – fear mixed with disbelief.

Horror situation: mentally tortures – Mia will keep receiving anonymous phone calls before her 21^st, counting down the number of days she has left to live.

Reaction – she’ll go through different stage of emotions as the date of her birthday gets closer and strange deaths occur: from annoyance, to anger to dread and finally hysteria.

Horror situation: environment changing around them – A couple of drinking buddies are at the local bar at night, suddenly one of them shouts “cheers, birthday boy, happy 21^st!”; then the bar goes dead silent for a few seconds, all eyes on them, and the sound resume but the atmosphere has changed.

Reaction – a few young people will discretely leave the bar while some elderly will get closer to the drinking buddies offering to buy a round to the birthday boy.

· One of us killed: Naomi and James – the lovers – will be the first to go. Lust and romance will led them outside after dark and cause their death.

Horror situation: lured into danger – the monster is cunning and lures the lovers into a meeting after dark with the promise of intimacy.

Reaction – When the couple realizes that the message didn’t come from one of them and that they are out at night in an isolated place, they start experiencing an overwhelming fear.

MIDPOINT—THE MONSTER IS WORSE THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT:

· Full pursuit by the killer: They must now do whatever they can to protect themselves at night from the monsters who try to break in and become increasingly aggressive and cunning.

Horror situation: threatened– at the old age home, some elderly start showing signs of increasing strange behaviour and unusual strength.

Reaction – the staff will ignore the signs, not seeing imminent danger.

Horror situation: walking into a trap – at the old age home, a surprise birthday party has been organised for one of the nurses turning 21.

Reaction – she is overwhelmed by the elderly kindness, then starts sensing something are not quite right and as fear start to increase she’ll feel trapped.

· Terrorized: The characters find themselves increasingly isolated, unable to leave town, and terrified as night falls.

ACT 3—FULL OUT HORROR:

· Fight to the death: Some of the characters won’t make it and will be massacred; some will sacrifice themselves to save others. The monsters are now seen for who they are and no longer underestimated: there’s nothing vulnerable, friendly or innocent about them anymore, they are wolves in lambs’ clothing!

Horror situation: wounded – one of the characters is wounded by a blow on the head with a walking stick.

Reaction – he is stunned, shocked and looks in total dismay at the blood pouring profusely from his forehead while the monster looks at him with a sweet smile.

Horror situation: face to face with the monster –the monster shows his true face to Anna by killing someone in front of her own eyes.

Reaction – she unsettled the monster by calmly getting down on her knees and starting to pray.

· Hysteria: It’s now a war between the young terrified desperate to survive characters against the old determined to get what they need (blood & flesh) to regain their youth.

Horror situation: see another killed – Naomi will see watch her boyfriend, James, get tortured and killed before her eyes.

Reaction – she freezes and watch in horror then throws up.

Horror situation: another character loses it – Mia will get hysterical when she finds out the nature of the meals the monsters are sharing.

Reaction – she’ll scream and finally pass out.

· The thrilling escape from death: Some will manage to escape, to find momentary safety in one of the many churches… only to realize they have stepped in the belly of the beast!

Horror situation: trapped – some characters seek refuge in a church at night, only to realize this may not be a safe place after all.

Reaction – they start panicking, looking for somewhere to hide or an escape route.

Horror situation: dilemma- who to save – Andrew (the strong as an ox guy) finds out that a group of students are trapped in the church and surrounded by the monster(s); he can either create a diversion and risk being captured and killed or watch them being taken and killed.

Reaction – he takes a deep breath and makes a choice.

Horror situation: a character becomes a liability – Andrew will be seriously injured by the monster and, when trying to escape through the woods, will slow down his friends’ escape and jeopardize their only chance of making it through the woods to reach the edge of the town limits.

Reaction – he will pretend to take a rest break, letting his friends get a bit ahead, then will take off in the opposite direction shouting at the monsters to create a diversion and save his friends, sacrificing his own life.

· Death returns to take one or more: More will need to die before they can unify and overcome the monsters.

Horror situation: escape route cut off – the only road out of town is blocked by the monster(s), preventing the car with a group of characters to escape.

Reaction – one of the characters urges the driver to step on the gas and run over the monster(s) but the driver is not willing to do so, as she still can’t face the idea that the harmless looking creatures on the road are monster(s).

Horror situation: character refuses to take action – Anna will refuse to run over the monster when she has to make a choice.

Reaction – her refusal will put others in harm’s way.

· Resolution: When Anna’s faith and innocence (despite being an old soul) breaks through some of the elderly and that the monsters within the group them find themselves isolated, the killing is reversed and the elderly monsters are in turn massacred.

[Bob Kiely]

BOB KIELY’S HORROR SITUATION TRACK

What I learned doing this assignment is a repertoire of dozens of established horror situations to spice up and flesh out the plot..

Atmosphere of Evil established:

Cold Open with old witch as only attendee to a funeral in a creepy “potters field” cemetery. Cheap tombstone marker dates the burial as 1860.

Horror Situation: Foggy, creepy graveyard situation.

Reaction: Witch in black shroud with red eyes.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR

Current time. Zoning board meeting where approval is given to a developer to build upon the site of the cemetery with some restrictions. Developer takes shortcuts including the bulldozing of six gravesites that were scheduled to be relocated. The operator of the bulldozer shuts off the vehicle and urinates on what was a gravesite. He is pulled down into the marshy ground as the first victim and portent of things to come.

Horror Situation: Bulldozer operator gets pulled down not the grave.

Reaction: Total fear on his face as his head submerges into the quicksand-like muck.

Connect with the characters:

Open house at the new condo. Developer gives his pitch to the assembled buyers.

The characters are warned not to do it:

The same witch who is now sitting in the back of the room warns the buyers that “nothing good will come of this.” The developer dismisses her to the buying prospects as a crazy old fool.

Horror Situation: Deception. Innocent buyers being lured into shoddy cursed project.

Reaction: Denial of warning. Condescension.

Denial of Horror:

Six of the new buyers on the same floor have a housewarming party where they toast to the ridiculousness of the witch’s warning.

Horror Situation: Subconscious impending doom.

Reaction: Buyers still in denial, but one is taking the warning more seriously.

Safety taken away:

Scary, unexplained phenomena happen throughout the building. The building inspector, who got paid off by the developer comes in response to some of the physical building complaints.

Horror Situation: Spooky situation as building inspector goes into the inner rooms in the basement.

Reaction: Try to solve building issues in shoddy construction.

Monster: The nature of the beast.

He examines the faulty foundations and is killed. But we don’t see the actual killing yet, just the evidence.

Horror Situation: Monster approaching.

Reaction: Tries to escape.

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN

Isolated / Trapped / Abducted:

The inspector does not return from his inspection in the basement. Two of the men go down to investigate his disappearance. They see the head of the bulldozer operator’s head on a pike, and a trail of blood leading down a tunnel.

Horror Situation: Pursued. Forced into life threatening situation.

Reaction: Try to solve by investigation absence of inspector.

One of us killed:

One of the men foolishly investigates and is killed by the witch.

Horror Situation: Isolation.

Reaction: Other man gets lost getting out.

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

Full pursuit by killer:

Through witchcraft and powerful evil forces, she basically encapsulates the building making it impenetrable from the outside and sealed on the inside.

Terrorized –

Monster takes 2 more lives, leaving only first couple with cat left. But she needs one more victim to make up for the six desecrated graves.

Horror Situation: Isolated in condo as witch encapsulates it.

Reaction: Couple try to escape. Don’t make it out.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

Fight to the death:

Couple have plan of escape but the cat runs down to the basement and wife won’t leave without the cat, so she and hubby go down into the bowels of the building. Cats directs them to the portal to the killing fields under the building and its yards.

Horror Situation: Isolation and tortured mentally as the remaining couple can’t get out.

Reaction: Escape. They try to find way out in the tunnels.

Hysteria:

Husband goes into tunnel to retrieve the cat. While he is gone, the wife is petrified, is grabbed from behind. It turns out to be a homeless squatter who lives, unknowingly to the witch, in her domain, and knows the way out. The husband returns with the cat with the witch in pursuit.

Horror Situation: Isolation. Wife left alone after husband goes looking for runaway cat.

Reaction: Fight. Wife grabbed from behind. Struggles with attacker.

The thrilling escape from death:

The homeless man guides them to an escape hatch.

Horror Situation: Pursued by witch.

Reaction: Escape as witch gets closer.

Death returns to take one or more.

The homeless man lets the couple go first and pays the price with his life.

Horror Situation: Tormented. Homeless squatter can’t make it out.

Reaction: Sees there is no escape. Smiles at couple as they manage to get out.

Resolution:

Now out of the grounds, the couple with their cats stand on a hill with the townspeople looking at an emergency response team leading others from the building before it spectacularly goes up in flames and collapses into the ground.

Horror Situation: Tormented at seeing their friends and home destroyed. Figure of witch in inferno not burning.

Reaction: Fear of her return.

[Rob Bertrand]

ROB’S HORROR SITUATION TRACK

What I learned: I learned that I have a problem with overwriting. I’m also happy to see a story taking shape. I found creating more horror situations than I really needed to be a helpful exercise. I’ll be stockpiling horror situations going forward.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil established:
A Hospice Nurse attends to Mr. Scheckla, who is dying of a terminal illness in his beachfront home. The Nurse has a paranormal experience that shakes the very foundations of her beliefs.

Horror Situation: Old Man Scheckla sees his dead wife
Reaction – Denial – The old man doesn’t believe it.
Horror Situation: The wife crawls into bed.
Reaction – Hide – The old man hides under the blankets and rings his bell for help, screaming.

Horror Situation: Phantom Voices – Crying
Reaction – Try to solve it – The Hospice Nurse slowly opens the closet. Nothing is there.
Horror Situation: Scratching noises.
Reaction – Try to solve it. – The hospice nurse check under the bed. All clear.
Horror Situation: The dead wife’s hand caresses the old man.
Reaction – Escape. – The Hospice Nurse abandons the old man.

Connect with the characters:
We meet Abby and the Paranormal Team as they investigate a single mother’s home for paranormal activity. The activity is debunked using their scientific method.

Horror Situation: Banging sounds
Reaction – Try to solve it: Tommy investigates the plumbing and finds an issue.
Horror Situation: Feeling of being watched.
Reaction – Try to solve it: Noelle detects a high level of EMF (electromagnetic field)
Horror Situation: Strange Odor
Reaction – Try to solve it – Abby discovers the source of the smell.

Al Scheckla arrives to his childhood home, with his wife and teenage daughter. They find the hospice nurse has abandoned the old man.

Horror Situation: Abandoned Old Man
<b style=”background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Reaction – Fight – Al finds his dying father, abandoned and loses his temper.

Horror Situation: Shaking/Moving Objects
Reaction – Denial – The room shakes, an object flies across the room and shatters. Blamed on an earthquake.

Horror Situation: Body horror with the Old Man
Reaction – Try to solve it – The Old Man soiled himself. Al must give his father a bath.

The characters are warned not to do it:
While the Old Man takes a bath, Al fights with hospice care on the phone. Al is warned not to take care of the old man alone. He should be in a care facility. The Old Man won’t leave. Daughter explores the house.

Horror Situation: Frozen Bathtub Scare
Reaction – Escape – The old man is pulled under the warm bath water. He tries to escape, but is frozen in place as the water turns to ice. Al must break the ice to pull him out.
Reaction – Denial – Al’s never seen anything like it.

Horror Situation: Mirror/Ceiling Game – Luminous Balls of Light
Reaction – Try to solve it – Ellie plays a game and follows mysterious balls of light using a hand mirror. It leads her to father’s old View Master Collection

Horror Situation: Objects Moving
Reaction – Denial – Barbara looks at old family album. When she looks up, several pieces of furniture have been moved.

Denial of Horror:
After the family experiences paranormal activity, Al assures his wife and daughter that the house is safe. He grew up there.

Horror Situation: Bird slams window
Reaction – Denial – Al insists that the place is safe.

Safety taken away:
After receiving notification that the University Parapsychology Lab has lost its funding and must close, Professor Tillman decides that it’s time to retire. The Professor tells Abby that it’s time to stop chasing ghosts, or she’ll end up like him, “Unpublished and a laughing stock in the scientific community.”

The family witnesses the old man beaten by an invisible presence and thrown around the room. The teenage daughter records it on her cell phone. They are powerless to stop it.

Horror Situation: View Master Slide Show Scare.
Reaction – Curious – Ellie helps her grandfather use the View Master.
Horror Situation: Murder victim slide show.
Reaction – Escape – The old man panics after seeing ghostly image on view master
Horror Situation: Attack by unseen force
Reaction – Escape – The Old Man is beaten by an unseen force and thrown around the room.

Monster: The nature of the beast:
Abby receives some astonishing footage from the Scheckla house and tries to convince her grandfather to investigate. The Professor declines. Abby and The Paranormal Team “borrows” the Mobile Lab (RV) from the University and heads to the Coast, without the Professor’s approval. One last chance to prove ghosts are real.

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted:
On the first night of the investigation, the house loses power and communication to the outside world, due to a storm. (Thunder, lightning, fog.) Day 1: Interviews, Walkthrough, Equipment/Cameras setup, Research on house, Investigation

Horror Situation: House Tour
Reaction – The team takes EMF and Temperature readings

Horror Situation: 2 Person Team: EVP Session and Photo Session.
Reaction – Try to solve it – Abby conducts an EVP session while Noelle takes polaroid photos.

Horror Situation: Electrical attack
Reaction – Stunned Disbelief – The investigators document an electrical phenomenon above Old Man Scheckla. Power is knocked out

Horror Situation: Evidence Review
Reaction – Try to solve it – Abby and the team review the recorded evidence in the Mobile Lab. EVP and Photo evidence is revealed.

One of us killed:
Noelle (Monster Bait) is lured away and viciously attacked by an unseen presence. It’s a distraction.

Horror Situation: Phantom voices
Reaction – Try to solve it – Noelle is lured through the house by phantom voices.
Horror Situation: Banging Noises
Reaction – Try to Solve it – Noelle investigates the puzzle room.
Horror Situation: Jigsaw Puzzle
Reaction – Try to Solve it – Noelle witnesses puzzle pieces moving, forming words.
Horror Situation: Jigsaw Lady Attack
Reaction – Escape – Noelle attempts to flee, but she’s forcibly dragged back. She’s levitated and chocked by the Jigsaw Lady. The group saves Noelle. Barbara is nowhere to be seen.

Barbara Scheckla disappears, along with her luggage and car.

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

Full pursuit by the killer:
The next morning the Professor arrives unannounced, sensing his team is in danger. (He’s psychic.) After reviewing the recorded evidence, the Professor reveals his theory about Poltergeists and Recurrent Spontaneous Psychokinesis. He’s seen it before. Abby’s childhood trauma is revealed. Abby: I did not kill my parents with psychokinesis! The attacks on the old man are determined to happen at low tide. The Investigators prepare for an experiment at low tide. The Wife attacks Old Man Scheckla.

Horror Situation: Energy Drain on Equipment
Reaction – Awe – The Wife draws energy from the investigators equipment to manifest herself. Battery powered lights die, batteries on equipment drain. Camera’s cut out. Pitch darkness.
Horror Situation: Corpuscular balls of light
Reaction – Try to solve it – Green balls of energy shoot across the room, from the back door to the wall above the Old Man.

Horror Situation: The Wife Attacks
Reaction – Escape – The Old Man is levitated out of bed and slapped and punched in midair. The house rumbles and objects begin pelting the old man from all directions. The worst beating yet.
Horror Situation: Full Torso Apparition
Reaction – Pure Fright – The Wife’s full appearance is revealed.

Terrorized:
Al tucks Ellie into bed. They are at odds because they think Barbara has abandoned them. Barbara is not answering. Abby and the Professor are at odds because they disagree on theory.

The Professor suggests a radical experiment using the God Helmet to stimulate Abby’s pineal gland. Some believe the pineal gland to be the 3rd eye. Reveals Abby’s repressed psychic ability. The experiment gives Abby of a vision of the wife’s murder, a hint of where’s she’s buried and a secret door.

The Old Man Reveals to Al and the group the story of his missing wife and her lover. A man, he thinks was a serial killer.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Fight to the death:
The group is lured in separate directions and trapped.

Horror Situation: Banging from the attic
Reaction – Try to solve it – Professor and Abby hear noises in the attic. Could it be Barbara?
Horror Situation: Creepy Attic
Reaction – Try to Solve it – Abby and the Professor discover tons of luggage in the attic.
Horror Situation: Luggage reveal
Reaction: Confusion – The luggage is full of woman’s clothes. The Professor finds Barbara’s luggage.
Horror Situation: Half body in a suitcase
Reaction – Escape – Abby discovers the body of the dragging man.
Horror Situation: Door Slam
Reaction – Escape – The attic door slams shut. It won’t open. They’re trapped.
Horror Situation: The Dragging Man attacks
Reaction – Escape – The Dragging Man crawls towards Abby.

Horror Situation: Creepy garage
Reaction – Try to solve it – Tommy searches the garage for more batteries.
Horror Situation: Grandpa’s stash
Reaction – Tempted – Tommy finds the old man’s marijuana and bong.
Horror Situation: Tommy breaks his sobriety
Reaction – Guilt – Tommy places the bong to his lips and sparks a lighter.
Horror Situation: Bong/Gun Scare
Reaction – Shock – Noelle walks in and sees the gun in Tommy’s mouth.
Horror Situation: The Headless Woman attacks
Reaction – Escape – The Headless Woman yanks Tommy’s head back and averts the gun just as it goes off. The Headless Woman emerges from the shadows.
Horror Situation: Door Slam
Reaction – Terror – The garage door slams shut. Noelle and Tommy are trapped.

Horror Situation: Porcelain Doll Bedroom Attack
Reaction – Denial – Ellie hears the pitter patter of tiny feet. Nothing appears to have moved
Horror Situation: Porcelain dolls move
Reaction – Fear – More sounds of movement. Ellie shines her phone light. Dolls have moved. She hides under her blanket
Horror Situation – Dolls disappear
Reaction – Escape – Ellie peeks. The dolls have vanished! She runs towards the door.
Horror Situation: The Dolls attack
Reaction – Escape – Ellie is attacked by porcelain dolls. They start to drag her under the bed.
Horror Situation – Al to the rescue
Reaction – Escape – Al pulls Ellie free and ushers her out the bedroom door.
Horror Situation: Door Slam
Reaction – Terror – The Bedroom door slams. Al is trapped.
Horror Situation: The Porcelain Woman attacks
Reaction – Terror – The Porcelain Woman emerges from the darkness, behind Al.

Hysteria:
Ellie follows the sound of the old man’s bell. Ellie and her grandpa are all alone. The Old Man leads her to a secret door to a hidden room below the house. The Old man is revealed to be a serial killer. The investigators are freed. The ghosts have actually trying help and protect them all along. Abby must talk the Old Man out of murder.

Horror Situation: Full Poltergeist Tantrum
Reaction – Escape – The entire house is a storm of paranormal activity.
Horror Situation: Secret Safe Space
Reaction – Hope – Grandpa knows of a safe place to hide.

The thrilling escape from death:
Ellie must help her grandfather to the office. The ghosts stalk their escape.

Horror Situation: The Secret Door
Reaction – Escape – The Old Man reveals a secret door to a staircase leading to a panic room .

Horror Situation: The Stairlift
Reaction – Maximum Terror – The stairlift descends slowly as the ghosts follow them down.

Horror Situation: The Panic Room Door
Reaction – Relief – Ellie slams the panic room door shut.

Horror Situation: The Kill Room
Reaction – Escape – Abby confronts the Old Man, who’s taken Ellie hostage.

Horror Situation: Grandpa is a Serial Killer
Reaction – Escape – Abby must convince the Old Man to let Ellie go.

Death returns to take one or more:
Old Man Scheckla has been returned to his bed. He’s in bad shape and no longer has the energy to manifest paranormal energy. The Investigators pack their equipment. Finally dying, Old Man Scheckla watches the sun set on Haystack Rock one last time and confesses his crimes. Al reminisces about the time he helped his dad hide a Time Capsule inside a cave on Hay Stack Rock. Al and his father both see the ghost of Al’s mother. Al realizes it wasn’t a time capsule. It was his mother’s body. Al mercy kills his father. The last thing Old Man Scheckla see’s is his dead wife holding the pillow, surrounded by all his victims.

Resolution:
The mom’s body is recovered from Haystack Rock. The Professor and Abby reconcile and agree that they were both right. The entities were a psychic manifestation of the Old Man’s rage and guilt. But the mom could have been legitimate incarnate spirit. The Scheckla’s hold three funerals. Due to the publicity, the Investigators receive a call for a new case.

[Deborah Daughetee]

Deborah’s Horror Plot Track

I learned from this assignment that I have a lot of scenes that I haven’t put in here yet, but which I probably will find a place for. It was great fun just brainstorming scenes. I figured out who died when and how.

ACT ONE – SET UP FOR HORROR

Atmosphere of Evil established:

Horror Situation: A woman is running through a forest with something big chasing him. We don’t see what it is, but the woman is terrorized.

Reaction Escape: She hides in the hollow of a tree, pulling branches in front of the opening. She tries to quiet her breathing, listening as hard as she can for the monster.

Horror Situation: Suddenly the tree is sheared off and she is taken and blood and limbs fly.

Connect with Characters

Our characters are on a space bus headed for a hollow asteroid, where a handful of scientists and military men are already stationed. We get to know each character and why they are headed to the asteroid.

The military men are concerned because there is no response from the asteroid.

Denial of Horror

The pilot says communications have been funky and that it’s nothing to be worried about. The military isn’t convinced, but the pilot takes them closer in all confidence.

Safety Taken Away

Horror Situation: Suddenly something hits them and they are sucked inside.

Reaction-Escape: our hero pilots the ship to a crash landing, preventing it from being taken wherever it was supposed to be.

Horror Situation: They find the remains of some kind of alien beast.

Reaction-Denial: With the robot leading, they hiked through the forest to the base camp where they will find help.

Monster: The nature of the beast

Horror Situation: The group finds the base. There is obvious evidence of horrors that took place here. Some blood. Barricaded rooms that have been broken into, etc. There are no bodies.

Reaction: The military set watches, the rest try to sleep, but are haunted by what went down here and what it means to them.

Act 2 – THE POINT OF NO RETURN

Isolated/Trapped/Abducted:

Horror Situation: Pilot finds a shuttle that could take them all away, but steals it. They watch as the pilot hits a force field and his ship breaks into pieces.

Reaction: They discuss the fact that they have all missed checking in with earth forces and that they will be coming to rescue them. They need to find a way to stay safe from whatever got the others.

Horror Situation: A huge screen appears on the roof of the asteroid, giving our cast a glimpse of the sky. Then suddenly the stars are moving in a blur—the asteroid is leaving orbit, leaving the solar system.

Reaction: Panic. They are trapped with no help coming. Scientist breaks down.

One of us is killed.

Horror Situation: The monster shows up. It is a hybrid alien beast with the head of the woman in the teaser. This is the doctor’s wife and he is so terrorized by this that he can’t run, can’t do anything, and he is killed.

Reaction: The others escape.

ACT THREE – FULL OUT HORROR

Fight to the death

Horror Situation: The monster finds them again. They fight and are able to kill it.

Reaction: They are relieved, the monster is dead.

Horror Situation: But Wait! Another monster appears made out of parts of the pilot they all know! This monster is smarter, more deadly. The scientist is dragged away, wounded but not dead. The pilot always had a thing for the scientist and this comes into play… we can imagine what he will do to her with his alien body. The photojournalist, who has seen victims of war horrors, kills her. The fight to the death of the pilot now happens.

Hysteria

Reaction: The rich man keeps his daughter from breaking down, but the photojournalist has a complete breakdown. The Miner tries to comfort her. The military set up a perimeter. The robot disappears and the military now suspects she is infected or is a turncoat and is otherwise bad. Sabrina fights for it.

The thrilling escape from death:

Horror Situation: Sabrina gets separated from the group and is attacked by a monster. She uses her brain to bring help to kill the monsters. The photojournalist is killed or taken.

Reaction: Robot returns with news she has found the intelligence behind the hybrids. People don’t want to trust her. He talks about experiments humans conduct on animals. That’s going on here except they are the animals. Stop the scientist and you stop the hybrid monsters.

They follow the robot into a part of the asteroid that actually looks like a ship. There are computers, etc. Sabrina helps the robot to jack into the ship and she begins to shut down life support for the reptilian aliens.

Horror Situation: They find where the monsters were created and see pieces of humans still alive. They kill them all. Then there’s a fight for control of the ship.

Death returns to take one more

Horror Situation: The formidable female Reptilian attacks. The Military Man sacrifices himself to save the others. The alien is badly wounded and escapes in the equivalent of an alien shuttle.

Resolution:

Reaction: The Rich Man, Sabrina, and the Miner survive along with the Robot. They are hurtling through space on the way to who knows where. Sabrina and the robot will work on the computers to find a way home. Her father and the Miner will prepare for survival and the chance there are other creatures out there.

Horror Situation: We go out on a snake/human hybrid hiding in the medical wing.

[Robert Smith]

Robert R. Smith’s Horror Situation Track

What I learned doing this assignment is: Being generous with my imagination to concoct horror situations apart from the script that can be integrated into it.

. Build horror situations into your plot by taking the following steps:

STEP 1:
Brainstorm 20 to 50 potential horror situations for your story.

1. Denial of horror by a group except for one person who scares the rest of the group with his insistence of the reality of the horror but can’t get them to change their position.

2. Find an animal that has been mutilated mysteriously.

3. Supernatural power that overwhelms.

4. Being driven insane, or the fear of being driven insane.

5. You think you eliminated one monster but another arises. Or, you eliminated one monster but the monster returns in a different form.

6. Unwittingly causing the death of another member of the group.

7. A friend turns into a monster.

8. A magic spell actually works (or seems to) and the person who was the object of the spell not so coincidentially is hurt.

9. The monster is attractive.

10. You are lost and losing trust in the leader who has led you into a scary situation.

11. The monster can read your mind.

12. The monster that bites you from or in a place where you don’t expect it.

13. In the most comfortable place, the monster attacks.

14. The monster kidnaps a loved one whom you see die by its hands.

15. On their wedding day, the bride and groom are attacked.

16. Or, the Bride and the Groom are the monsters.

17. Your otherwise innocent pet is the monster.

18. You’re settling in for a relaxing night at home, you turn on the television and the monster speaks to you through it.

19. You’re a teenager, your friends dare you to spend the night in a cemetery. You do but what you find is a crazy guy who disguises himself as a vampire, who attacks you.

20. You’re at the University library, it’s after midnight, all the lights are off except in the study room where you are. Your friends try to scare you. Then everybody realizes there’s somebody else in the library who is trying and succeeding to do the same to you and your friends. But who, or what, is he?

21. The monster lusts after you or lusts after your girlfriend.

22. You’re a night watchman in the University, as you pass by the bust of a distinguished past professor, you see the bust sweating blood.

STEP 2:
Determine which of those work best for your plot.

Those written in bold (above) are the situations that I will use for my plot.

They are:

1. Denial of horror by a group except for one person who scares the rest of the group with his insistence of the reality of the horror but can’t get them to change their position.

Find an animal that has been mutilated mysteriously.

Supernatural power that overwhelms.

2. Being driven insane, or the fear of being driven insane.

3. You think you eliminated one monster but another arises. Or, you eliminated one monster but the monster returns in a different form.

4. Unwittingly causing the death of another member of the group.

5. A friend turns into a monster.

6. You are lost and losing trust in the leader who has led you into a scary situation.

7. The monster can read your mind.

8. The group insists that the one person’s fear is irrational and should get over it and join the group.

9. The monster has supernatural powers that overwhelms the group.

STEP 3:
Add a Reaction (denial, solve it, hide, escape, or fight) to the selected
Horror situations.

1. Find an animal that has been mutilated mysteriously.

REACTION: Some try to escape, but others try to solve it.

2. Being driven insane, or the fear of being driven insane.

REACTION: Fight it (talk yourself out of fear that you’re going insane).

3. You think you eliminated one monster but another arises. Or, you eliminated one monster but the monster returns in a different form.

REACTION: Fight it.

4. Unwittingly causing the death of another member of the group.

REACTION: Denial. Regret. Escape.

5. A friend turns into a monster.

REACTION: Denial.

6. You are lost and losing trust in the leader who has led you into a scary situation.

REACTION: Solve it. Escape.

7. The monster can read your mind.

REACTION: Fight it.

8. The group insists that the one person’s fear is irrational and should get over it and join the group.

REACTION: Solve it.

9. The monster has supernatural powers that overwhelms the group.

REACTION: Fight it.

STEP 4: Put
Horror Situations/Reactions in the plot and label them.

Below is my outline based on an earlier lesson. As the plot blurb is short I’ll use the

Outline from an earlier lesson with the situation and reaction labeled by numbers in bold print corresponding the the numbered situation/reaction, above. I hope that is acceptable, as I couldn’t see how to put it in the plot section.

PLOT: An archaeological expedition to the Tel Esh-Shaytaneen, or Hill of the Two Devils discovers a mummified severed skull possessed by the ancient desert demon Azazel.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR

Atmosphere
of Evil established

While on an unrelated archaeological expedition, Dr. Colin Kendrick, head of the Archaeology Dept at Buckridge University in the USA, is approached by two Arab goat-herding brothers, Hassan and Hussein, who, while searching for a lost goat, had discovered, in the sand, an ancient gold nameplate engraved with the demonic name Azazel – a desert demon of Jewish and Arabic lore. Kendrick insists they take him to the place where they found it which they reluctantly do. The place is called the Hill of the Two Devils where they had found their lost goat dead and mutilated mysteriously. REACTION: Hussein wants to escape because he is afraid with the confluence of this place named “two devils” where his goat was mutilated, plus, the demonic nameplate. However, like the academic he is, Kendrick tries to solve the mystery,(1.) citing that in antiquity on the Day of Atonement a scapegoat was sent away into the desert to Azazel – the demonic name on the nameplate. Or a wolf or jackal killed the goat. This only further terrifies Hussein for whom the wolf and the jackal have evil associations ,(1.). Hussein loses all trust of Kendrick and fears for his safety (6) when Kendrick leads him and Hassan to just above where they had found found the Azazel nameplate where there is a cave entrance that was sealed up by the last expedition that explored it – a French expedition led by Prof. Clement Leroux, even left a warning sign in French, English, Arabic and Hebrew: “WARNING, CAVE IN DANGER OF COLLAPSE. Already excavated – nothing within.” When Kendrick removes one brick from the cave entrance, a streak of lightning kills Hussein. Hassan, fearing more evil to come, begs Kendrick to do nothing further (6). Kenrick tries to reassure Hassan, with explanations,, but to no avail (6). Kendrick relents and climbs back down the hill with Hassan. But he vows he will return with an expedition from Buckridge U. the following year to open the cave which he believes is a tomb with Neolithic skulls similar to what Kenyon discovered in the 1950’s a short distance away – a major archaeological discovery. Kendrick believes he will make a major discovery like Kenyon’s. Kendrick takes the Azazel nameplate with him.

Connect
with the characters

We have connected with Dr Colin Kendrick, and Hassan already. We are now introduced to three aspiring archaeologists: Ned Garner, Bob Barton, and Kaitlyn Randolph. Ned is a chess enthusiast that Bob says shows his killer instinct as Ned defeats Bob at Chess with a Royal Fork move. Ned is still shy about joining Kendrick’s dig but Kaitlyn (Ned’s love interest) coaxes him, as she is going on the dig itself.

The
characters are warned not to do it.

Kendrick calls Prof. Clement Leroux in Paris, who was leader of the French expedition to the Hill of the Two Devils. Leroux states that the Azazel nameplate, now in Kendricks possession, he had thrown away because of its supernatural power. He urges Kendrick not to go to the Hill of the Two Devils! Two of his party died, or were murdered and Leroux felt he was responsible for putting them in harms way at Tel Esh-Shaytaneen. (4) He further states that the traumatic experience required him to have psychiatric treatment as he suffered a nervous breakdown and still has PTSD (2). He also tells Kendrick that the Azazel nameplate in his possession he had thrown away as soon as they had sealed the cave because it had “uncanny powers.”

Leroux: You should have left that plate in the sand where I threw it.

I only wish that now I had buried it. Dr. Kendrick! Get rid of that plate at once!

Kendrick is unfazed. Ned visits Kendrick in his office and is welcomed by him to the expedition with enthusiasm as Ned is a gifted linguist in ancient Near Eastern languages. Kendrick tells Ned everything that happened at Tel Ash-Shaytaneen, the previous year. Kendrick even shows him the Azazel gold nameplate, which on the table, ominously vibrates like a cell phone – a warning that there is a malevolent supernatural presence connected with the Azazel nameplate and the cave on the Hill of the Two Devils. Kendrick wants to share these details only with Ned, but Ned wants to tell the others as they should be told.

Denial
of Horror (8)
Accordingly, Kendrick calls a meeting of the team (Ned,
Bob, and Kaitlyn and tells them also the whole story of Tel
Esh-Shaytaneen. Bob Barton, the
comic relief of the film, betrays some superstitious proclivities (8), but in the end science
prevails especially after Kendrick tells them that the site is not far
from ancient Jericho where Kenyon in the 50’s discovered cultic skulls
from the Neolithic era which assures Kendrick that they will make a
similar discovery, perhaps of Teraphim (skulls used as household gods for
necromancy and divination in Biblical times and quotes the Bible and other
traditions as evidence in support.
He shows them the Azazel nameplate, which he claims was inserted in
the mouths of the skulls so that they could speak to the necromancer. Bottom line: All the team wants to proceed with the
expedition which they believe will yield a major discovery in Near Eastern
Archaeology. Bottom line: The horror is denied. (8)

Safety
taken away

In the cave at Tel Esh-Shaytaneen the team is joined by Hassan who is there to convince Kendrick and his party to abandon the site for their own good. . When the bricks left by the French expedition are removed and they enter the cave tomb, they discover a clay Egyptian style anthropoid sarcophagus marked King Cushan. They realize they have found the tomb of the Biblical villain, Cushan Rishathaim, Cushan the Doubly-Evil. His mummy is headless and a sword is beside him in the sarcophagus. In another chamber they find a mummified skull, a Toreph (singular of Teraphim) – obviously the skull of Cushan the Doubly-Evil. Kendrick inserts the Azazel nameplate into the skull’s mouth. At that instant an invisible barrier descends over the entrance to the cave. They are trapped inside with the Toreph that now begins to speak – according to the traditions about skulls being used for divination. (9)

Monster:
The nature of the beast.

The Toreph speaks and knows each person by name.(8)

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN

Isolated
/ Trapped / Abducted

The Archaeology team is trapped in the cave/tomb. (9)

One
of us killed

The Toreph tells Hassan that his brother is calling him to go join him.

Hassan: In Jinnah?

Toreph: No, not from the Garden of Paradise. From the fire of Hell.

Ned: Don’t listen. He is Azazel, a liar.

The Toreph conjures an apparition of Hussein who beckons Hassan to join him.

Hassan dies on the spot. Before he dies, like his brother before him, Hassan rebukes Kendrick for bringing them into harms way.(4)

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

Full
pursuit by the killer AND terrorized

Bob pulls out a gun and fires, but the bullet ricochets off an immediate invisible barrier that protects the Toreph. The ricocheting bullet mortally wounds Kendrick.

Toreph: I am Azazel, I taught humanity the use of weapons. Of course I would protect myself from weapons first. Serves you right that the evil you intended for me would come to you.

Before Kendrick dies, he expresses regret for putting all of them in harms way(4), and tells Ned, weapons are useless. You must extract the Azazel nameplate from his mouth.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

Fight
to the death

With no weapon, Ned can pass unobstructed through the protective barrier around the Toreph,

Toreph (Azazel): Trying to play Chess with me? This is no Chess game.

Ned: We’ll see about that.

Ned grabs the Toreph and pulls the Azazel nameplate out of his mouth. Azazel no longer possesses the skull, all the invisible barriers he erected are eliminated. Not seen by Bob and Kaitlyn is that Ned pockets the Azazel nameplate. Ned, Bob, and Kaitlyn return the skull to the clay sarcophagus with the headless mummy of King Cushan, whose skull it is.

Hysteria

As they walk away from the sarcophagus, the mummy of Cushan explodes out of the sarcophagus assailing them with his sword. The mummy of Cushan is possessed by Azazel, who speaks: “Now, I have found his entire body in which to dwell”(3).

The
thrilling escape from death

With the invisible barriers gone, Ned, Bob, and Kaitlyn escape. Ned and Kaitlyn exit the cave/tomb. Ned directs Bob and Kaitlyn to join him as they climb up above the cave entrance and push a bolder down on the mummy of Cushan, crushing him.

Ned: You see, it is a chess game. Royal Fork on you Azazel.

Bob and Kaitlyn climb down from above the cave entrance leaving Ned on top.

Death
returns to take one or more.
Azazel through Cushan’s mummy says to Ned: “Fork you!” As Azazel/Cushan point sto Ned, a
seismic event happens, the cave/tomb collapses, taking Ned with it (9). Supposedly, it kills him. Azazel/Cushan crushed as he is beneath a
bolder, dies.
Resolution

Kaitlyn mourns Ned, comforted by Bob. When Ned suddenly pulls himself out of the rubble. He is now possessed by Azazel which Bob and Kaitlyn sense but then they react with denial. Ned shows Bob and Kaitlyn that he has the Azazel nameplate (3) (5).

Kaitlyn: Why did you save that thing? It started all our problems..

Ned: In the name of science, it is the only artefact from this site that

survives.

This is the final horror: That Azazel will still operate from through a friend and lover, possessed by the demon. (3)

It also sets up a sequel.

[PAMELA Raymond]

Pamela’s Horror Situation Track

What I learned doing this assignment is…?

That building in deliberate beats of action and background narrative is like putting a puzzle together. When the pieces fit, it a satisfying outcome. When the pieces don’t, you still have a roadmap to follow based on the pieces that surround the questions that still remain in the plot.

BUILD HORROR SITUATIONS

ACT 1 – SET UP FOR HORROR

Atmosphere of Evil established: Sybil runs for her life in the back swamps of Louisiana

Horror Situation: What she is running from finds her in a desolate rural church. . Closing and locking the door behind her before seeing the herbs, amulets, and roughly stitched sac cloth doll. She had run right directly into Carras, not away.

Reaction – Escape: Sybil is terrified but not surprised at what is coming for her. She passes out as the Care Center surrounds her, their eyes disappearing, and their large muscular hands pull at her arms.

Horror Situation: A loud screech is heard, and the priest stands at the back of the church. The priest saves her but loses his soul.

Connect with the characters: 10 Years Later: Teachers and staff at a Louisiana elementary school are preparing for a hurricane and Sybil is a teacher at the school which is an evacuation center. The main core cast of teachers (Coach Ogilvy, Sybil, Clara, Carmel, Marie, Marcus, and Principal LaPierre) agree to do it. Jacob and Jill watch the news and roll a joint and determine if getting locked in the school could be an economic windfall for them

The characters are warned not to do it: Many of the teachers are not staying to man the evacuation. In this area, folks are known for taking care of their own and waiting out a storm rather than running from it which is what they deem the evacuation center to be.

Denial of Horror: A small group stay at the school for their own various and mysterious reasons.

Safety taken away: The principal is concerned about looters, so he has the doors chained shut. The windows are nailed with thick boards and industrial nails making an easy escape not possible.

Horror Situation: As the storm rages, electricity goes in and out, and several people in the group experience very specific and personal reliving of traumas in their past.

Reaction – The members of the group experiencing the memories start to make them jumpy and agitated in a way that unsettles the rest of the crew.

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN

Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: Without the key to open the chains (the boards used industrial strength nails that secure into brick and concrete) they must think of another way out.

Horror Situation: The key holder if found dead and is the only one with the combination to the safe holding the key. She is found facing a boarded window with bloody scratch marks in the wooden boards, her face contorted, eyes gone (laying at her knees) with an open mouth midscream.

Reaction: It isn’t safe to go outside in the storm but it isn’t safe to stay in the building. The remaining group is scared and panicking.

Horror Situation: Finger pointing and paranoia set in with the remaining people.

Reaction: The heightened fear causes factions to break away for the rest of the group making it easier for the Care Center to target them but more difficult for anyone to know who a danger is and who is going to be helpful.

Horror Situation: the next victims as they try to take advantage of the chaos to pilfer electronics from the 2nd grade classroom. They are found in the cleaning closet, eyes gone, with herbs, amulets, and sac cloth stitched doll held between them

Character Death: The two are found in the cleaning closet, eyes gone, with herbs, amulets, and sac cloth stitched doll held between them. Principal LaPierre is found in the swimming pool filled with blood instead of water.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: Coach Ogilvy suspects Marcus is the killer because he refused to work with the group. The group (Sybil, Carmel, Ogilvy, Potter, Marie, and the children) locks him in a broom closet.

Horror Situation: Carmel begins acting strangely and Sybil remembers the priest who saved her said the word – Ouanga.

Reaction: Carmel becomes herself again. She is able to tell the group about the Care Center and then asks Sybil why she didn’t warn them. The remaining group is divided about how Sybil plays into this. Sybil tries to defend her standing by disclosing who the Care Center is, but she doesn’t tell them they want her because of Carras.

Horror Situation: After the team creates amulets to do the hex, they find Marcus in the closet and use it on him. Nothing happens. Then Terrance starts yelling and his eyes disappear, and his hands become big, and he reveals himself as a member of the Care Center.

Reaction: They make a run for the roof and into the storm. Terrance finds them and sets his sights on the children.

Horror Situation: Terrance finds them and sets his sights on the children. Marie steps in front and sacrifices herself. As it goes for Sybil and Carmel, Ogilvy taunts the monster and with word Ouanga but it doesn’t work this time. Ogilvy is knocked unconscious.

Character Death: Potter makes a last effort to stab him with a crowbar but is tossed from the roof.

Death returns to take one or more – The Care Center monster skewers Ogilvy with a large hand and rips out his intestines. Ogilvy transforms into Carras. The Care Center was there for Carras all along because he broke the rules. The Care Center takes Carras and returns to wherever the Care Center resides.

Resolution – as the sun comes up and military aquatic
vehicles come to take the survivors to safety, Sybil believes it is over.
Carmel has a look in her eyes as her eyes disappear.

[Robert Smith]

Robert R. Smith’s Horror Situation Track

What I learned doing this assignment is: Being generous with my imagination to concoct horror situations apart from the script that can be integrated into it.

. Build horror situations into your plot by taking the following steps:

STEP 1:
Brainstorm 20 to 50 potential horror situations for your story.

1. Denial of horror by a group except for one person who scares the rest of the group with his insistence of the reality of the horror but can’t get them to change their position.

2. Find an animal that has been mutilated mysteriously.

3. Supernatural power that overwhelms.

4. Being driven insane, or the fear of being driven insane.

5. You think you eliminated one monster but another arises. Or, you eliminated one monster but the monster returns in a different form.

6. Unwittingly causing the death of another member of the group.

7. A friend turns into a monster.

8. A magic spell actually works (or seems to) and the person who was the object of the spell not so coincidentially is hurt.

9. The monster is attractive.

10. You are lost and losing trust in the leader who has led you into a scary situation.

11. The monster can read your mind.

12. The monster that bites you from or in a place where you don’t expect it.

13. In the most comfortable place, the monster attacks.

14. The monster kidnaps a loved one whom you see die by its hands.

15. On their wedding day, the bride and groom are attacked.

16. Or, the Bride and the Groom are the monsters.

17. Your otherwise innocent pet is the monster.

18. You’re settling in for a relaxing night at home, you turn on the television and the monster speaks to you through it.

19. You’re a teenager, your friends dare you to spend the night in a cemetery. You do but what you find is a crazy guy who disguises himself as a vampire, who attacks you.

20. You’re at the University library, it’s after midnight, all the lights are off except in the study room where you are. Your friends try to scare you. Then everybody realizes there’s somebody else in the library who is trying and succeeding to do the same to you and your friends. But who, or what, is he?

21. The monster lusts after you or lusts after your girlfriend.

22. You’re a night watchman in the University, as you pass by the bust of a distinguished past professor, you see the bust sweating blood.

STEP 2:
Determine which of those work best for your plot.

Those written in bold (above) are the situations that I will use for my plot.

They are:

1. Denial of horror by a group except for one person who scares the rest of the group with his insistence of the reality of the horror but can’t get them to change their position.

Find an animal that has been mutilated mysteriously.

Supernatural power that overwhelms.

2. Being driven insane, or the fear of being driven insane.

3. You think you eliminated one monster but another arises. Or, you eliminated one monster but the monster returns in a different form.

4. Unwittingly causing the death of another member of the group.

5. A friend turns into a monster.

6. You are lost and losing trust in the leader who has led you into a scary situation.

7. The monster can read your mind.

8. The group insists that the one person’s fear is irrational and should get over it and join the group.

9. The monster has supernatural powers that overwhelms the group.

STEP 3:
Add a Reaction (denial, solve it, hide, escape, or fight) to the selected
Horror situations.

1. Find an animal that has been mutilated mysteriously.

REACTION: Some try to escape, but others try to solve it.

2. Being driven insane, or the fear of being driven insane.

REACTION: Fight it (talk yourself out of fear that you’re going insane).

3. You think you eliminated one monster but another arises. Or, you eliminated one monster but the monster returns in a different form.

REACTION: Fight it.

4. Unwittingly causing the death of another member of the group.

REACTION: Denial. Regret. Escape.

5. A friend turns into a monster.

REACTION: Denial.

6. You are lost and losing trust in the leader who has led you into a scary situation.

REACTION: Solve it. Escape.

7. The monster can read your mind.

REACTION: Fight it.

8. The group insists that the one person’s fear is irrational and should get over it and join the group.

REACTION: Solve it.

9. The monster has supernatural powers that overwhelms the group.

REACTION: Fight it.

STEP 4: Put
Horror Situations/Reactions in the plot and label them.

Below is my script outline based on an earlier lesson. As the plot blurb is short I’ll use the

Outline from an earlier lesson with the situation and reaction labeled by numbers in bold print corresponding the the numbered situation/reaction, above. I hope that is acceptable, as I couldn’t see how to put it in the plot blurb..

PLOT: An archaeological expedition to the Tel Esh-Shaytaneen, or Hill of the Two Devils discovers a mummified severed skull possessed by the ancient desert demon Azazel.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR

Atmosphere
of Evil established

While on an unrelated archaeological expedition, Dr. Colin Kendrick, head of the Archaeology Dept at Buckridge University in the USA, is approached by two Arab goat-herding brothers, Hassan and Hussein, who, while searching for a lost goat, had discovered, in the sand, an ancient gold nameplate engraved with the demonic name Azazel – a desert demon of Jewish and Arabic lore. Kendrick insists they take him to the place where they found it which they reluctantly do. The place is called the Hill of the Two Devils where they had found their lost goat dead and mutilated mysteriously. REACTION: Hussein wants to escape because he is afraid with the confluence of this place named “two devils” where his goat was mutilated, plus, the demonic nameplate. However, like the academic he is, Kendrick tries to solve the mystery,(1.) citing that in antiquity on the Day of Atonement a scapegoat was sent away into the desert to Azazel – the demonic name on the nameplate. Or a wolf or jackal killed the goat. This only further terrifies Hussein for whom the wolf and the jackal have evil associations ,(1.). Hussein loses all trust of Kendrick and fears for his safety (6) when Kendrick leads him and Hassan to just above where they had found found the Azazel nameplate where there is a cave entrance that was sealed up by the last expedition that explored it – a French expedition led by Prof. Clement Leroux, even left a warning sign in French, English, Arabic and Hebrew: “WARNING, CAVE IN DANGER OF COLLAPSE. Already excavated – nothing within.” When Kendrick removes one brick from the cave entrance, a streak of lightning kills Hussein. Hassan, fearing more evil to come, begs Kendrick to do nothing further (6). Kenrick tries to reassure Hassan, with explanations,, but to no avail (6). Kendrick relents and climbs back down the hill with Hassan. But he vows he will return with an expedition from Buckridge U. the following year to open the cave which he believes is a tomb with Neolithic skulls similar to what Kenyon discovered in the 1950’s a short distance away – a major archaeological discovery. Kendrick believes he will make a major discovery like Kenyon’s. Kendrick takes the Azazel nameplate with him.

Connect
with the characters

We have connected with Dr Colin Kendrick, and Hassan already. We are now introduced to three aspiring archaeologists: Ned Garner, Bob Barton, and Kaitlyn Randolph. Ned is a chess enthusiast that Bob says shows his killer instinct as Ned defeats Bob at Chess with a Royal Fork move. Ned is still shy about joining Kendrick’s dig but Kaitlyn (Ned’s love interest) coaxes him, as she is going on the dig itself.

The
characters are warned not to do it.

Kendrick calls Prof. Clement Leroux in Paris, who was leader of the French expedition to the Hill of the Two Devils. Leroux states that the Azazel nameplate, now in Kendricks possession, he had thrown away because of its supernatural power. He urges Kendrick not to go to the Hill of the Two Devils! Two of his party died, or were murdered and Leroux felt he was responsible for putting them in harms way at Tel Esh-Shaytaneen. (4) He further states that the traumatic experience required him to have psychiatric treatment as he suffered a nervous breakdown and still has PTSD (2). He also tells Kendrick that the Azazel nameplate in his possession he had thrown away as soon as they had sealed the cave because it had “uncanny powers.”

Leroux: You should have left that plate in the sand where I threw it.

I only wish that now I had buried it. Dr. Kendrick! Get rid of that plate at once!

Kendrick is unfazed. Ned visits Kendrick in his office and is welcomed by him to the expedition with enthusiasm as Ned is a gifted linguist in ancient Near Eastern languages. Kendrick tells Ned everything that happened at Tel Ash-Shaytaneen, the previous year. Kendrick even shows him the Azazel gold nameplate, which on the table, ominously vibrates like a cell phone – a warning that there is a malevolent supernatural presence connected with the Azazel nameplate and the cave on the Hill of the Two Devils. Kendrick wants to share these details only with Ned, but Ned wants to tell the others as they should be told.

Denial
of Horror (8)
Accordingly, Kendrick calls a meeting of the team (Ned,
Bob, and Kaitlyn and tells them also the whole story of Tel
Esh-Shaytaneen. Bob Barton, the
comic relief of the film, betrays some superstitious proclivities (8), but in the end science
prevails especially after Kendrick tells them that the site is not far
from ancient Jericho where Kenyon in the 50’s discovered cultic skulls
from the Neolithic era which assures Kendrick that they will make a
similar discovery, perhaps of Teraphim (skulls used as household gods for
necromancy and divination in Biblical times and quotes the Bible and other
traditions as evidence in support.
He shows them the Azazel nameplate, which he claims was inserted in
the mouths of the skulls so that they could speak to the necromancer. Bottom line: All the team wants to proceed with the
expedition which they believe will yield a major discovery in Near Eastern
Archaeology. Bottom line: The horror is denied. (8)

Safety
taken away

In the cave at Tel Esh-Shaytaneen the team is joined by Hassan who is there to convince Kendrick and his party to abandon the site for their own good. . When the bricks left by the French expedition are removed and they enter the cave tomb, they discover a clay Egyptian style anthropoid sarcophagus marked King Cushan. They realize they have found the tomb of the Biblical villain, Cushan Rishathaim, Cushan the Doubly-Evil. His mummy is headless and a sword is beside him in the sarcophagus. In another chamber they find a mummified skull, a Toreph (singular of Teraphim) – obviously the skull of Cushan the Doubly-Evil. Kendrick inserts the Azazel nameplate into the skull’s mouth. At that instant an invisible barrier descends over the entrance to the cave. They are trapped inside with the Toreph that now begins to speak – according to the traditions about skulls being used for divination. (9)

Monster:
The nature of the beast.

The Toreph speaks and knows each person by name.(8)

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN

Isolated
/ Trapped / Abducted

The Archaeology team is trapped in the cave/tomb. (9)

One
of us killed

The Toreph tells Hassan that his brother is calling him to go join him.

Hassan: He calls me from Jinnah?

Toreph: No, not from the Garden of Paradise. From the fire of Hell.

Ned: Don’t listen to him, Hassan. He is Azazel, a liar.

The Toreph conjures an apparition of Hussein who beckons Hassan to join him.

Ned: Hassan! That’s not really your brother. Don’t follow him.

Hassan dies on the spot. Before he dies, like his brother before him, Hassan rebukes Kendrick for bringing them into harms way.(4)

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

Full
pursuit by the killer AND terrorized

Bob pulls out a gun and fires, but the bullet ricochets off an immediate invisible barrier that protects the Toreph. The ricocheting bullet mortally wounds Kendrick.

Toreph: I am Azazel, I taught humanity the use of weapons. Of course I would protect myself from weapons first. Serves you right that the evil you intended for me would come back to you.

Before Kendrick dies, he expresses regret for putting all of them in harms way(4), and tells Ned, weapons are useless. You must extract the Azazel nameplate from his mouth.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

Fight
to the death

With no weapon, Ned can pass unobstructed through the protective barrier around the Toreph,

Toreph (Azazel): Trying to play Chess with me? This is no Chess game.

Ned: We’ll see about that.

Ned grabs the Toreph and pulls the Azazel nameplate out of his mouth. Azazel no longer possesses the skull, all the invisible barriers he erected are eliminated. Not seen by Bob and Kaitlyn is that Ned pockets the Azazel nameplate. Ned, Bob, and Kaitlyn return the skull to the clay sarcophagus with the headless mummy of King Cushan, whose skull it is.

Hysteria

As they walk away from the sarcophagus, the mummy of Cushan explodes out of the sarcophagus assailing them with his sword. The mummy of Cushan is possessed by Azazel, who speaks: “Now, I have found his entire body in which to dwell”(3).

The
thrilling escape from death

With the invisible barriers gone, Ned, Bob, and Kaitlyn escape. Ned and Kaitlyn exit the cave/tomb. Ned directs Bob and Kaitlyn to join him as they climb up above the cave entrance and push a bolder down on the mummy of Cushan, crushing him.

Ned: You see, it is a chess game. Royal Fork on you Azazel.

Bob and Kaitlyn climb down from above the cave entrance leaving Ned on top.

<div>Death
returns to take one or more.
Azazel through Cushan’s mummy says to Ned: “Fork you!” As Azazel/Cushan points to Ned, a
seismic event happens, the cave/tomb collapses, taking Ned with it (9). Supposedly, the cave-in it kills Ned as
it also further crushes Azazel/Cushan who dies..
</div><div>

Resolution Kaitlyn mourns Ned, comforted by Bob. When Ned suddenly pulls himself out of the rubble. Ned is now possessed by Azazel which Bob and Kaitlyn sense but then they react with denial. Ned shows Bob and Kaitlyn that he has the Azazel nameplate (3) (5).

</div>

Kaitlyn: Why did you save that thing? It started all our problems..

Ned: In the name of science, it is the only artefact from this site that

survives.

This is the final horror: That Azazel will still operate from through a friend and lover, possessed by the demon. (3)

It also sets up a sequel.

[Patrick Malone]

Patrick Malone Horror Situation Track

What I learned was several ways to create horror situations and that the horror should escalate with each act.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR

Atmosphere of Evil established:
1862: The aftermath of the Union
ambush of the Confederates: wounded Confederate Sergeant Johnson struggles to haul wagon
filled with gold away from battle scene.

Horror Situation: Sergeant Johnson sees creature snatch and devour soldier.

Reaction: terrified, he struggles to haul gold into the forest.

Connect with the characters: Clark
and Bill try to convince friend and outdoorsman Ollie to lead them on
their trek into the wilderness in search of the lost gold. Ollie is not
interested.
The characters are warned not to do it. Tammy,
Clark’s girlfriend, is concerned for their safety. due to legends of
missing people and an evil presence at the Dead Lakes.

Horror Situation: Tammy mentions legends of missing people and an evil presence at the Dead Lakes.

Reaction: the men don’t believe, just laugh.

Denial of Horror: Clark
& Bill laugh at the legends. Tammy convinces Ollie to join the
expedition.
Safety taken away: After
boating up river, the group enters the forest to follow clues to the lost
gold.

Horror Situation: one of the men gets stuck in quicksand

Reaction: the others quickly pull him out. Ollie warns that there more dangerous pockets of quicksand ahead.

Monster:
The nature of the beast. They
encounter a strange middle age woman living in the forest. When they talk
to her about the gold, she misdirects them. She looks to the sky and seems
to communicate with a translucent cloud with a vague image of the Amauga.
She then sends her eagle to fly away. <div>

Horror
Situation: The men’s compass spins wildly.

Reaction: Confused, Ollie and Clark argue as to the right direction they should go, Clark prevails.

Horror Situation: A vine wraps around Bill, attempts to strangle him.

Reaction: Men save him, but realize something is not right.

ACT
2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: Nature
turns against the men.

Horror Situation: Strange animalistic sounds follow the men. A wild boar charges them.

Reaction: They scatter. Ollie shoots at it, misses.

Grant Fairfield’s group has followed
Clark’s. They meet the middle age forest woman. She gives them the same
directions.

Horror Situation: The woman enters her shack and immediately transforms into her true self – an ancient hag.

Reaction: Audience shock. Audience realizes she is evil and directed the men into danger.

Grant’s group meets up with Clark’s. There is
a confrontation. Max Sedgwick steals Clark’s map. Grant’s group treks
forward.

Horror Situation: without the map they are more lost and unsure where to go.

Reaction: They have to follow Grant’s group.

Horror Situation: While camping at night the smell of rotting meat is carried on the wind. They see two green orbs glowing through the trees.

Reaction: Uncertainty. Some of the men vomit.

One of us killed:

Horror Situation: Clark’s group comes across the mutilated body of Victor Lennox, a member of Grant’s party.

Reaction: They are terrified and confused. Debate about continuing on.

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

Full pursuit by the killer: Strange, unnatural things happen as Clark’s group treks through the forest and reach the Dead Lakes.

Terrorized: While
camping at night in the swamps, a violent wind destroys the camp. </div><div>

Horror Situation: Clark’s group enjoys the campfire. Once it’s put out the
wind picks up, builds into a twister and tears the tents and site apart.

Reaction: The men are frightened. Clark is totally terrified and weeps. Bill is injured.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

· Tammy sneaks away and finds Grant’s group camping.

Horror Situation: The wind picks up and the twister levels Grant’s camp.

Reaction: Fred Dickson flees into the forest. Horror sounds. Fred’s body part are flung into the camp.

Tammy retrieves the map but is captured by Grant. Clark rushes ahead hoping to find Tammy.

Horror Situation: A mass of poisonous snakes surge through the forest. Clark is bitten, he falls and is covered in snakes.

Reaction: Ollie and Bill see Clark being devoured by the Amaruga.

Fight to the death: Ollie
and Grant fight while being pursued by the Amauga. </div>

Hysteria: Grant beats Ollie unconscious.
The Amaruga is about to pounce on Ollie, but suddenly goes after Grant as
it realizes Grant is about to reach the hidden gold. The Amaruga finds and
tears him apart.

The thrilling escape from death: The
Amaruga now stalks Ollie as he struggles through the Dead Lakes. Ollie
encounters Max who shoots at him.

Death returns to take one or more.
The Amaruga kills Max. As it turns on Ollie, Tammy arrives and attacks it
with fire and repels or kills the Amaruga.

Resolution: Ollie,
Tammy and Bill are back safely in town. They have some gold pieces, proof
there is a gold treasure. Will they risk another venture to retrieve the
gold?

<div></div>

• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by  Patrick Malone.

[Anthony McBride]

Tony McBride’s Horror Situation Track

What I learned doing this assignment is you can create an awesome outline with just a few steps.

ASSIGNMENT

1. Build horror situations into your plot by taking the following steps:

• STEP 1: Brainstorm 20 to 50 potential horror situations for your story.

o Forces of nature

o Murder mystery

o Lost

o Chased

o Forced into Dangerous Environment

o Impending Doom

o No Escape

o Monster Approaching

o Monster Trying to Get you

o I’m watching you when you don’t know

o See another killed

o Physically Tortured

o Mentally Tortured

o Hallucinating

o Friends in Danger

o Internal Conflict in the Group

o Menacing Stranger

o Threatened

o Lured to horror

o Haunted House

• STEP 2: Determine which of those work best for your plot.

o Haunted House

o Lost

o Chased

o Forced into dangerous environment

o Monster Approaching

o See another killed

o Hallucinating

• STEP 3: Add a Reaction (denial, solve it, hide, escape, or fight) to the selected Horror situations.

o Haunted House – Denial

o Lost – Escape

o Chased – Escape/ Fight

o Forced into dangerous environment – Escape

o Monster Approaching – Fight/ Escape

o See Another Killed – Hide/ Try to Solve It

o Hallucinating – Denial

• STEP 4: Put Horror Situations/Reactions in the plot and label them.

Create your plot.

2. Knowing your concept, fill in one or two sentences for each of the plot points.

a. The college friends arrive at the manor.

b. The monster kills the first friend.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR

Horror Situation: Haunted House – Denial

• Atmosphere of Evil established: A haunted mansion is shown.

• Connect with the characters: College friends shown reuniting.

• Denial of Horror: The husband assures the family that this is going to be a fun adventure.

• Safety taken away: The friends experience accidents one-by-one.

• Monster: Annabella.

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN

Horror Situation: Lost – Escape

Horror Situation: Hallucinating – Denial

• Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: The friends are faced with moments from their past then some are killed by accident. Some of the friends go into town to find help and answers.

• One of us killed: The husband is killed by being crushed.

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

Horror Situation: Monster Approaching – Fight/ Escape

Horror Situation: See Another Killed – Hide/ Try to Solve It

• Terrorized

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

Horror Situation: See Another Killed – Hide/ Try to Solve It

Horror Situation: Chased – Escape/ Fight

• Full pursuit by the killer: Annabelle pursues the friends with various weapons but doesn’t manage to kill anyone.

• Fight to the death: The friends gather weapons of their own and fight to the death.

• Hysteria: The friends are running throughout the house trying to avoid all traps and turns.

• The thrilling escape from death: Annabelle corners one of the friends but the other splashes her with oil.

• Death returns to take one or more.: Annabelle takes the life of the hippie.

• Resolution: The friends unite instead of bickering to defeat Annabelle.

[Michael Greco]

MICHAEL GRECO’S HORROR SITUATION TRACK [LESSON 5]

WILDTA is that the process of brainstorming horror situations, as well as the response and overcome, makes the story feel more organic, “lived-in” and “fleshed-out” (literally AND figuratively!).

20-50 Horror Situations

1. Walking into ante-room of boathouse, a spring-gun trap is triggered, shooting a bullet into the chest or neck of the unsuspecting entrant.

A bear trap clamps the leg of the entrant into the hull of the boat.

Fish netting with weights suddenly drops over entrant into boathouse.

On walking on a certain board on the pier, a rope suddenly clotheslines around the leg of the person, dragging him into the water and down to river bed where machine cranking the rope has a pulley.

5. Traps in forest spring a rope around a person’s lower leg and hang them from a tree in a second of time.

Life-vest in boat cinches around the person, and keeps squeezing/inflating Boa Constrictor-like until the person’s torso is crushed.

Shadow of a Large Man with face shrouded by hood or mask crunches through woods to get you, bind you & throw you in hull of boat.

Seductive creepy woman appears in boathouse, entices you to backroom boudoir, then shackles you to bed frame, then leaves locking all doors and windows behind her.

Closet/back room floor opens into dark shaft at least 20’ below floor surface – once you fall down it, you are unable to return or climb out of it without help.

10. Quicksand trap in middle of garden behind boathouse, ringed by a dense thicket of poison sumac.

Drugged {rufied} by unwittingly consuming narcotic in a soda or alcoholic beverage, so that you wake up feeling completely immobilized, powerless to escape or defend yourself.

Chased around desolate urban streets at night by a menacing goon or gang of goons, wielding knives or baseball bats.

Thrown in a den of hungry Rottweilers, grizzly bears, lions.

Buried up to neck in sand, forced to watch your friend raped humiliated or executed.

15. Belted down to a bed where an axe swings over you , modulated by a metronome, so you can see axe swinging closer and closer to your genitalia over which the axe apparatus has been mounted.

Cock and balls in a torture winch, as you call out the safe word Elvira ignores it – you realize she will do whatever SHE wants with your genitals.

Chained at the wrists and ankles to a heavy wood plank with a break in the middle, a shrouded Beast cranks the two ends apart with a large cranking apparatus – the stretcher rack.

Dropped into the middle of the top of a full grain silo, you struggle to get to the edge or reach the ceiling for something to hang onto, constantly losing your footing in the ever-shifting and sifting grains, until you sink under.

Strapped naked to a post, with a bonfire at your feet, as Wiccan and Pagan stregas stoke and build the fire, dancing naked around you, insensible to your plight, your pleas, your cries.

20. Locked in a dull wood locker, bolted tight all around, you barely have room to move your hands over your head, and no tools or aplomb to work your way out of it. You are left there overnight.

In a box below the ground, buried alive, supine and unable to push yur way out of it.

Shut in a small shipping crate where you cannot stand up or stretch, your knees are pinned up against your chest, you try to breathe, stretch and push your way out.

Locked neck and shoulders in a stockade. No one is allowed to help you, or even console you.

Stuck in the middle of a dense forest, lost. You cannot find the trail, or even any type of clearing. You hear sounds of people or animals around you, pursuing you.

25. Locked in the trunk of a car, being driven at a high rate of speed, recklessly.

Chased by the old man, wielding an axe – he knows the grounds and you don’t – you must keep ahead of him, yet he is gaining on you. You are unarmed.

Locked up in a cage or cell in the back of the Boathouse.

Locked in a drowning pool/locked secured drowning tank.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR

Atmosphere of Evil established

CELESTE RUNNING THROUGH WOODS PANTING, trips on log on ground, stumbles, gets up keeps running. HIRAM Hotly Pursues, says “Young Child, WHERE ARE YOU GOING – STOP AND TALK TO ME.” CELESTE keeps going KEEPS GOING, CELESTE Stumbles and Trips again, falls to ground.

HIRAM’S Effort at Soothing Words sounds anything BUT Soothing. Really Just Old.

HIRAM mentions CELESTE’S relationship with DAUGHTER CORDELIA. HIRAM makes clear he wants to Fuck CELESTE, but he is really Creepy as he talks about it.

Connect with the characters

CORDELIA Trying To Text CELESTE – NO ANSWER. CELESTE had been working in TALLEY’S Office, so CORDELIA calls HIRAM. He has not been seen all day.

CATHERINE THE MISTRESS calls CORDELIA looking for CELESTE AND HIRAM. Something is Connected With BOTH MISSING.

CATHERINE says it reminds her of Another Girl in town who disappeared 10 Years Ago, NORA WATT. She was vibrant, but sweet, too trusting. HIRAM claimed he was devastated by her disappearance, but would never talk to her FIANCE’ WILSON BERRIOT about it. Seemed resentful, even Jealous, of WILSON’S closeness to NORA, and of her Love for him.

WHITAKER THE ELDEST SON Alerted To HIRAM’S Disappearance, as well as CELESTE’S. WHITAKER calm, thinks through possible scenarios.

BRADEN, THE REBEL AND PROVOCATEUR, insists that all of HIRAM’S Secrets and a good share of his Skeletons are cached in the BOATHOUSE. Seconds could be ticking out on CELESTE’S LIFE while the BROTHERS and SISTERS Wring Their Hands Trying To Figure Out What To Do.

The characters are warned not to do
it.

CORDELIA Resists Exploring The BOATHOUSE, says she’s always felt trouble there – Nothing Good can come of going into the BOATHOUSE.

Denial of Horror

BRADEN, ENDORA THE SECOND MISTRESS and PERSONAL VALET TARRYTON scoff at the idea of Avoiding the BOATHOUSE because of A Bad Feeling. PIT STEWART TO POLITICAL EEL agrees they should visit to find clues [He’s Looking For HIRAM’S Money].

Safety taken away

BRADEN shames NORMAN THE PROPERTY MANAGER into checking out the Boathouse, looking for CELESTE, HIRAM and “ANYTHING ELSE HE CAN FIND.” NORMAN is attacked by a force so ominous he nearly has a heart attack, sneaks away before he enters Boathouse.

Monster:
The nature of the beast.

NORMAN runs away from Boathouse, sees HIRAM’S Boat – Looks around, figures it cannot be that dangerous, boards Boat. Stunned that another person is below deck, “HIRAM IS THAT YOU?” No satisfactory response – NORMAN steps onto Boat, hears a primal yell, turns to see that HIRAM looms above him, collapses into Boat, screams, massive heart attack as HIRAM’S shadow towers over him.

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN

Isolated / Trapped / Abducted

BRADEN entices NEIL to go with him into the Boathouse. They get ENDORA and PIT STEWART THE SLEAZY POLITICIAN to go along. BRADEN remains outside, claiming to serve as “LOOKOUT.” PIT is taken, ENDORA & NEIL manage to get away.

Fish netting with weights suddenly drops over PIT in boathouse.

PIT fights, screams, flails against the fish netting, begs – especially NEIL – to come back for him.

NEIL goes back to boathouse, PIT’s screams ebb, looks in all windows and sees nothing. Hears door slam in and a dark figure moves away from boathouse carrying body in fish netting. NEIL chases it, it disappears into woods, NEIL stomps after it, catches leg in a bear trap. NEIL sticks a stick into jaws of trap to pry it apart, free his leg. The sounds of the figure with PIT’s body are no longer audible.

One of us killed

NORMAN’S AND PIT’S DEAD BODIES ARE FOUND ALONG THE RIVER BANK.

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

Full pursuit by the killer

NEIL and BRADEN argue over whether to engage the townies. BRADEN prevails, insists they set a trap for Hiram, using Strother Wilhelm the fast-food franchisor as bait. HIRAM’s ghost figure catches on, turning their terror to taking down both STROTHER & BRADEN.

NEIL gets away and runs into forest, hears sounds of people or animals around him, pursuing him. NEIL sees he is Stuck in the middle of a dense forest, lost. NEIL cannot find the trail, or even any type of clearing. NEIL pushes and fights through forest away from the sounds grunts and thrashing bushes. NEIL breaks out to riverfront and swims for it, manages to get to a different pier on opposite side of river. Primal scream heard across river from Beast or Shadow.

Terrorized –

STROTHER and BRADEN try to joust and puff and regain their composure – yet it is obvious they are seriously rattled. Celeste returns to town in a disheveled state, barely able to speak coherently, and unable to recount any of the events that she experienced during her disappearance. But she does regularly repeat murmurings to the effect of “No, Mister Talley, please Sir, No…”

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

Fight to the death

NEIL and CORDELIA consult CATHERINE – CATHERINE enlists LIZETTE and some of the Men in town who were not in HIRAM’s stranglehold of influence. The police refuse to help. The group goes to the Boat-House with well-armed.

Hysteria

WHITAKER and VALERIA excoriate the police for not accompanying Neil and Cordelia to the Boat-House when asked – they insist that all will be killed. Angry recriminations salvo back and forth in the local government offices and among the business leaders dependent on Talley’s commerce and resources, as well as among the family and friends.

The thrilling escape from death

TALLEY appears bigger than ever, in a preternatural, monster-like form. He thrashes the people about until someone shoots him in the neck, knocking him to the floor of the dock.

Death returns to take one or more.

[REVISE THIS – CORDELIA MUST TRY TO ESCAPE BY GETTING ON THE BOAT, SEEING A FIGURE ON DECK UNMOORING IT, WEARING A DOCKWORKER WINDBREAKER. SHE CALLS TO HIM AS HE LAUNCHES BOAT, HE GIVES HER THUMBS-UP AS HE GOES DOWN BELOW. AS CORDELIA FOLLOWS HIM THE BOAT IS MOVING BUT BELOW DECK IS QUIET. SHE APPROACHES STAIRCASE, THEN RECOILS AS TALLEY is revealed, coming up at her having been revived. NEIL is waiting at Suicide Bridge, rappels down and jumps onto boat as CORDELIA passes under. NEIL faces TALLEY, using handle end of pitchfork to force TALLEY to bob weave and dance. NEIL flips the pitchfork around and drives it into TALLEY’s heart, striking the definitive blow. Until the sequel….

[orig. climax] CORDELIA, the last person who leaves the Boathouse after going through it looking for all the critical papers, valuables and collectibles, steps onto the dock. CORDELIA ducks and weaves to avoid his flailing at her, and she screams. NEIL hears her, rushes back to her, and drives a pitchfork into TALLEY‘s heart.

Resolution

The family makes allocations for CATHERINE and ENDORA, LIZETTE acknowledging that their philandering with TALLEY made her life easier. NEIL and CORDELIA create a charitable trust out of TALLEY’S inheritances to them. They also transfer TALLEY’S ongoing business empire to employee ownership.