BURNING GLASS

BY

JACOB WILLIAMS

FADE IN: 

INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT

We open on a strange apartment, it is dark and we can tell that all the occupants are asleep. This small palace is at peace and Victorian furniture covers the apartment. Suddenly there is a knock at the door…nothing happening. Another knock, nothing. One more knock shakes the house, lights turn on in the living room and an old man dressed in a rope and slippers walk to the door, this is MR. HOLMES. He opens and peaks through the crack. Rain and lightning blare outside as we see the silhouette of a man waiting at the open door.

					MR. HOLMES
				(tired)
				Yes…what is it?

					MAN
				Sorry to bother you sir but I need to 					ask you a couple questions.

					MR. HOLMES
				Who are you?

					MAN
				My name is Jeff Boden, I’m a claims 
				investigator, I need some information
				On Mrs. Thelma Stone. Apparently you
				Were the last one to see her.

There is a beat, Mr. Holmes’ eyes widen and he opens the door wide and Boden comes in, he is dressed in a trench coat and hat, he is soaked from head to toe. 

					BODEN
				Thank you.

Mr. Holmes shuts the door, Boden stand awkwardly.

					MR. HOLMES
				Please have a seat…Boden was it?

					BODEN
				Yes, Jeff Boden.

					MR. HOLMES
				Well Mr. Boden would you like some tea
				To warm you up, must be damn cold out 					there.

					BODEN
				Yes, I almost froze to death, surprised 				its not snowing.

Mr. Holmes lets out a giggle as Boden takes a seat on one of the Victorian resting chairs.

					MR. HOLMES
				We don’t get snow here very often.

					BODEN
				Really? I’ve only been in town for a few
				Hours, seems like a mellow place.

					MR. HOLMES
				Oh we can have our problems, want some
				Tea?

					BODEN 
				On no thank you, I’ll take coffee if you
				Have some.

					MR. HOLMES
				Sorry son, not a big fan of caffeine, 					tea is all I have, caffeine is the 					devil’s brew.

Boden doesn’t know how to react to the last statement.

					BODEN
				I’m fine then.

					MR. HOLMES
				Suit yourself.

Mr. Holmes walks into the kitchen and we here him busying himself, pots and utensils clattering.

					BODEN
				So you live by yourself?

					MR. HOLMES
				(from kitchen)
				Yes, my wife passed away three years 					ago, this was our apartment for eighteen 				long and happy years.

					BODEN
				How did she pass?

					MR. HOLMES
				Pneumonia.

					BODEN
				Really? Because I heard it was murder.

BEAT! There is a sudden silence in the kitchen, Boden knows what he just said was the key to get Mr. Holmes to talk. Mr. Holmes walks out of the kitchen and stares blankly at Boden.

					MR. HOLMES
				(serious)
				Where did you hear that?

					BODEN
				I looked up your file Mr. Holmes, just 					before I came up…I thinks its best you 					take a seat.

					MR. HOLES
				I’m not sitting anywhere until you tell 				me who fed you that pile of horse shit!

Boden holds up a folder.

					BODEN
				The police department, I hear they don’t 				lie.

Beat. Mr. Holmes and Boden stare at each other for what seems like a life time, your could cut the tension in the air with a knife.

					BODEN
				I think its best you tell me what 						happened to Ms. Stone, Mr. Holmes.

Mr. Holmes stays silent, Boden quickly reaches in from his coat pocket and pulls out a revolver. Beat.

					BODEN
				(eerily calm)
				Now.

Mr. Holmes obeys and takes a seat across from Boden, Boden sits back down and keeps the gun tight on Mr. Holmes frail, old body.

					MR. HOLMES
				I can only tell you what I know.

					BODEN
				That’s all I want.

					MR. HOLMES
				(swallowing)
				I met her on Fifth street, two nights 					ago, she claimed she was a prostitute 					and well…
				(beat)
				I didn’t want to I swear I…

					BODEN
					Go on.

					MR. HOLMES
				She…told me that if I paid her fifty 					dollars that I could get the whole 					package.

					BODEN
				What do you mean, the whole package?

					MR. HOLMES
				(shy)
				I mean…intercourse.

					BODEN
				Did you indeed have sex with her Mr. 					Holmes.

					MR. HOLMES
				(weeping)
				I…can’t…remember.

Boden calmly stand up as Mr. Holmes weeps, he lets out a sigh and then strikes Mr. Holmes across the face quickly with his gun. Mr. Holmes lets out a wail.

					BODEN
				What happened you sick fuck! Did you 					fuck her? You fucked her didn’t you and 				then you killed her!

Boden grabs Mr. Holmes buy his hair and points the gun to his forehead. Mr. Holmes’ nose bleeds profusely, tears and blood cover his face. He whimpers.

					BODEN
				You killed her, just like you killed 					your wife, just like you killed your 					sister, your mother. Its all in the file 				Holmes!

He throws the police file on the table.

					BODEN
				You’re the suspect from eight murders, 					but some how you always get away with 					it, always with some fucking alibi.

Mr. Holmes still whimpers with disgrace, he seems shameful and tired. Boden is enraged, completely fueled with anger.

					MR. HOLMES
				(struggling)
				I can’t…

Boden slaps Mr. Holmes before he can finish his sentence, he grabs Mr. Holmes by his robe and lifts him off the chair.

					BODEN
				Your going to talk me to her, you hear 					me! This is one murder your not going to 				squirm your weasley ass out of Holmes.

He releases Mr. Holmes and looks at him, Boden is insane with anger, one more slip and he would blow Mr. Holmes brains out all over the white Victorian apartment. 

					BODEN
				(calmly)
				Where is she?

				MR. HOLMES
				I don’t…

Boden shoves the gun into Mr. Holmes cheek.

					BODEN
				Please tell me “I don’t know again” 					please do so I can blow your brains out 				all over this sparkling apartment of 					yours…

Mr. Holmes stays quiet, as if he is trying to stand up to Boden.

					BODEN
				You think I wont do it.
				(beat)
				Just one less sick fuck in the world 
				that’s all.

Mr. Holmes lets out a very eerie grin and walks into the kitchen, Boden follows him, Mr. Holmes stops at a door.

					MR. HOLMES
				This is my cellar.

					BODEN
				I know what it is.

Boden keeps the gun tight on Mr. Holmes, his finger itches to pull the trigger.

					MR. HOLMES 
				Follow me, if you would please sir.

Mr. Holmes opens the door, inside the cellar it is pitch black, nothing can be seen at all, Mr. Holmes calmly walks down the steps. Boden swallows and begins to follow him. The darkness is cold and damp, Boden follows with caution, this is the first time in his life he really has truly terrified.

FADE INTO: DARKNESS

INT. CELLAR 

Suddenly the light comes on, Mr. Holmes stand next to a light switch. The stench of death fills the air and Boden looks around for any evidence to the murders. Mr. Holmes stands calm and lets Boden looks around.

					BODEN
				(loosing patience)
				I don’t see any body, Holmes.

					MR. HOLMES 
				Oh, its over here, just around this 					corner.

Mr. Holmes begins to walk around a concrete corner, Boden aims the gun and fires, it hits Mr. Holmes in the leg, he collapses to the ground clutching the wound. He cries out in pain.

					MR. HOLMES
				(weeping)
				Why? Why the hell did you do that you 					crooked son-of-a-bitch.

Boden lefts up the gun and aims towards his head.

					BODEN
				Where the hell is the girl?

Mr. Holmes points around the corner, he breaths hard and tires to keep himself from fainting.

					BODEN
				No tricks.

					MR. HOLMES
				Your shot my leg, what do you think I’m
				Going to do.

					BODEN
				You’d be surprised what people have done
				With more life threatening injuries, now
				Stop crying and suck it up, its just a 					flesh wound.

Boden begins to turn to corner, as he gets closer to the wall behind the corner, we hear very deep and irregular breathing, like some sort of animal. 

					BODEN
				What the hell is this?

An object moves around, the thing is wrapped in a blanket and snores loudly as it continues to sleep. Mr. Holmes looks around and finds an empty syringe lying on the ground, in fact there all many empty syringes everywhere. He sticks it into his leg and removes blood, he then pulls the syringe out of his leg and squirts it near the thing under the blanket. The smell of blood awakens it. Boden notices the blood and looks back at Mr. Holmes who smiles.

					BODEN
				What the fuck are you doing? 

Without warning, the thing under the blanket jumps up and we see what it is. It is a horrific thing, like maybe inbred, buts its not inbred, it looks like it has a disease. Maybe once it was a boy but now whatever disease it caught has made it a monster. Its lower jaw extends out like a board, its teeth so jagged and sharp, its eyes as white as the clouds in the sky. It lets out a squeal like a pig, it tries to lunge at him but we realize its chained to the wall. Boden holds up his gun and aims.

					MR. HOLMES
				Don’t move!

Boden turns around, Mr. Holmes stand next to a switch.

					MR. HOLMES
				If I press this switch, those chains 					will unlock and you’ll be Evan’s next 					meal.

					BODEN
				What the hell is wrong with you?

The creature snarls and lets out more squeals.

					MR. HOLMES
				This is my son, Evan, will not really 					Evan anymore, kind of an off shoot of 					the old Evan I once knew.

					BODEN
				What is wrong with him.

					MR. HOLMES
				Nothing, he’s perfectly healthy, he’s 					just not the most strapping young lad, 					but he does his best to appeal to the 					woman.

Boden looks around at the situation, the status has changed, now Mr. Holmes has the upper hand.

					BODEN
				You mean this thing was once human?

Mr. Holmes lets out a laugh and look at Boden as if he is an idiot.   

					MR. HOLMES
				Of course he is human, he’s not some 					kind of monster, just a little confused 				and physically handicapped.

Boden shakes his head with disbelief.

					BODEN
				No disease does this, nobody could live 				past this stage of any kind of disease.

Mr. Holmes lets out another laugh, Boden begins to loose his patience.

					MR. HOLMES
				Only one that is man made.

					BODEN
				(angry)
				Where the fuck is Thelma Stone!?

Mr. Holmes looks at him, he has also lost his patience.

					MR. HOLMES
				Evan has to feed every week, at least 					one body. My wife didn’t believe to keep 				him so I knew I had to raise him, well 					one weeks is up.

					BODEN
				Don’t! Don’t!

The creature snarls and lets out another squeal.

CUT TO:

EXT. APARTMENT - NIGHT

We hear the sound of gunshots and than a squeal, and then one of men lets out a horrible scream. We don’t know which one.

FADE OUT: