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FADE IN INT. HOUSE - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - MORNING ALEX (17), in boxer underwear, short, spiked hair, steps out of his bedroom. One hand scratches his head and the other his crotch, as he yawns. O.S. The muffled sound of a man coughing. Alex stretches, makes his way downstairs to the -- KITCHEN Spacious, with a high ceiling and an elegant chandelier hung over a small dining table. GRANT (40's), handsome and distinguished, sits at the table, coughing violently. A newspaper lies folded in front of him. Suzanne (40's) buxom, bleached blonde, heavy make up, leans against a kitchen counter, a cigarette hangs from her lips. She glares at Grant with irritation, each time he coughs. ALEX Hey. Suzanne nods to Alex, snuffs out her cigarette, then turns to the coffee pot and pours herself a cup. Grant waves one hand at Alex, but continues to cough into the other one. Alex goes to the fridge and opens it, peers inside, He closes it without taking anything out. ALEX (to Grant) I could hear hacking you all the way upstairs. SUZANNE He does it just to irritate me - thinks it'll make me quit smoking. Alex waves his hand through the cloud of smoke. ALEX Well, is it working? Damn... we're all gonna die of cancer. Grant takes a deep breath, stops coughing. He clears his throat. SUZANNE This is my house Alex. I'll smoke when and where I want. ALEX At least open a window then... shit. Alex goes to a window near the table, opens it several inches. He fans the smoke out the window, then takes a deep breath of the clean air. Grant offers him a weak smile, looks at his watch. GRANT Thanks. Better get dressed or you're going to be late again. Suzanne tosses Alex a bagel from a tray on the counter. He catches it with one hand. SUZANNE We're leaving in a few hours. You know the rules - no drinking... ALEX Yeah, Suzanne. No drinking, no drugs, no parties, no sex... That pretty much knocks my fun meter down to zero. Suzanne smirks at him. SUZANNE Life isn't all about fun, which you obviously haven't learned yet. You should be more like your brother. ALEX Yeah. Man, I guess I should really look up to him huh? Big job workin' for the city - snow plow man. He scoffs. SUZANNE Do you always have to be so hateful? ALEX I was being sarcastic. And he's not my brother. GRANT Leave him alone Suzanne. He knows how to stay out of trouble. God... I'm so sick of the bickering. Alex grins. GRANT What the hell are you grinning about? Suzanne and Alex stare each other down. Grant sighs. GRANT It's just for the weekend Alex, so try to keep the place in one piece huh? We'll be back Sunday night. Suzanne cocks her head sideways, leers at Alex. SUZANNE But you know, we could always pop in a little earlier. Alex throws the bagel into the sink, missing Suzanne by inches, then turns to Grant and pats him on the shoulder. ALEX I'm going to get dressed. Have a good trip. Alex leaves. SUZANNE Bye! She shakes her head and scoffs. DANIEL, mid twenties, overweight and ugly, steps into the kitchen. His shirt is buttoned wrong. It hangs lopsided over baggy pants. His hair sticks out in all directions. He looks frantic and confused. DANIEL Mom, I can't find it. I can't get my hair fixed. I need my cap. I just need my cap. He looks all over the kitchen, on counters, in cabinets, under the table. Grant watches. Suzanne sets her coffee down and places her hands on Daniel's shoulders, makes him look her in the eye. SUZANNE Daniel... calm down Daniel. What did Mom tell you to do when you first come in the door after work? Daniel smiles, a look of discovery on his face. He bobs his head up an down. DANIEL Put my cap on the hat tree. Suzanne leads Daniel out of the kitchen, through the -- LIVING ROOM A big puffy sofa and ottomans, tables at he ends of the sofa and a large coffee table. A phone and answering machine sits on one of the end tables. Suzanne stops and unbuttons Daniel's shirt. SUZANNE Start at the top and make your way down, one at a time. That way we don't miss any buttons. Daniel watches intently while she re-buttons the shirt. DANIEL I'm gonna put my jacket on anyway - on top of my shirt. SUZANNE That's not the point. Follow through - get it right the first time Daniel. Remember? She straightens his collar and they head toward the -- FOYER There's a bulky entrance door and a hat tree in the corner. Daniel gives Suzanne a quick peck. She holds the door closed with one hand, grabs Daniel's cap from the hat tree. Daniel furrows his brows, grabs the hat from her. Alex enters dressed in jeans and a T shirt, ready for school. Suzanne hustles Daniel out of the door. She pauses as she walks by Alex. SUZANNE Have a good day, Alex. They smirk at each other. Alex heads out the door. INT. KITCHEN Suzanne goes for her cup of coffee and leans against the counter again. Grant eyeballs her for a moment, then grabs the newspaper in front of him. He shakes his head. SUZANNE What? Grant looks away, turns a page of the paper. GRANT Nothing. I didn't say a word. Suzanne stares him down, arms crossed over her chest. GRANT Damn, Suzanne. You know that boy can't keep a job out in the real world. It's too much for him. SUZANNE Well, if people... even his own family would stop beating him down. Suzanne pours her coffee down the sink and rambunctiously tosses the cup in behind it. She pauses, stares out of a window over the sink as a few snowflakes begin to fall. SUZANNE He'll be fine. Grant peers over the paper at her. GRANT Uh huh. Sure honey. SUZANNE Don't patronize me, Grant. GRANT I just hate to see you disappointed again. Suzanne stares out of the window again, a serious look on her face. MONTAGE A windmill spins at mach speed. Trees sway and a light snow falls. Traffic lights sway to and fro in the wind. PEOPLE scurry along cold and windy, city sidewalks. INT. FOYER - AFTERNOON Alex steps in dressed in a thick, hooded coat, with an arm load of school books. A strong gust of wind and a few snow flakes follow him. He drops the books on the floor, shivers and removes his hood. He makes his way through the foyer into the -- LIVING ROOM Alex tosses his jacket across the back of the sofa. The light on the answering machine blinks, so he presses the button. ANSWERING MACHINE You have four messages. Message one... DAVE (ON ANSWERING MACHINE) Hey dude it's me, Dave. Your parents are gone huh? So, I was thinking we could hang out, have a couple of people over, whatever. Call me back. ANSWERING MACHINE Message two... ROCHELLE (ON ANSWERING MACHINE) Hi, it's Shell. Dave called me, said I should give you a shout to see what time we can come over. Talk to you later. Bye. ANSWERING MACHINE Message three... GARRETT (ON ANSWERING MACHINE) Wooo Wooo! Party! This is Garrett, man. Call me back fuck nuts. Alex giggles and shakes his head. ANSWERING MACHINE Message four... GRANT (ON ANSWERING MACHINE) Hi Alex, Daniel, whoever gets this. We're here. The hotel's great - really nice. We're just going to take it easy for a couple of days. Number's on the fridge, if you need to reach us. Talk to you boys soon. ANSWERING MACHINE End of messages. INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER At the fridge, Alex notices a piece of paper with the hotel name, "Windsor" and a phone number. Inside he finds a can of beer, pops the top, takes a big swig. The cordless phone on the counter rings. ALEX Hello. GARRETT (ON PHONE) Hey dude. What's up? ALEX Nothing. Just walked in. GARRETT (ON PHONE) You get my message? ALEX Yeah, I got it fuck nuts. GARRETT (ON PHONE) What? Oh. He giggles. GARRETT (ON PHONE) So we hanging out there tonight or what? ALEX Or what I guess. The moron's gonna be home and he squeals like a stuck pig. GARRETT (ON PHONE) Fuck. All right. My parents are home, but you can come over here, play some video games or something. ALEX Yeah, okay. I'll see you in a couple of hours... Bye. INT. ALEX'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER Typical teenage boy's room. Dirty clothes hang on every available object. The walls are covered with posters of comic heroes and pin up girls. A computer, some books, and various games litter the desk. Alex kicks the door closed behind him, takes another swig of beer. He tosses the book bag on the bed. It hits the edge, slides off to the floor. He heads for the computer. As it boots up, he chug-a-lugs the rest of the beer. OUTSIDE The wind gains speed. Snow falls at a steady pace. LATER Alex is on the bed, leaned back against the head board on a couple of pillows. He wears headphones, music blaring, eyes closed as he thrashes his head around to the song. He reaches over to a table by his bed, feels underneath it and pulls out a key, stuck to the underside by a piece of tape. Inside are rolling papers, marijuana and a small tray to do the deed on. He pauses a second, sets the dope down on the bed and goes to lock his door. Back on the bed, he rolls up the joint, still thrashing his head to the song and mouthing the lyrics. He glances at the window, moves closer. The snow falls heavier. The CD player, blaring so that he can't hear anything else, is in one hand and the joint in the other. The door knob wiggles violently. The locked door shakes back and forth, finally cracks near the top hinge. Silence. Alex grins and rubs his hands together triumphantly, mumbles to himself. ALEX Yes. He puts the dope back in the table drawer, locks it and takes off his headphones before leaving the room for the -- HALLWAY He bellows... ALEX Hey! It's snowin' outside. Don't you need to hop on your little tractor? A moment later O.S. Stomping from one of the rooms down the hall. The door opens. It's Daniel, with boots flopped open where he hasn't tied them. His coat, too short for his arms, is grimy. He glares at Alex. DANIEL I got eyes, just like you. And it's a plow... not a tractor. Alex ignores him and takes the stairs at a trot. Daniel tromps behind him, then makes his way to the front door. ALEX How long you gonna be gone? Daniel turns, narrows his eyes. DANIEL Why you wanna know? ALEX In case your Mommy calls. Why else? Daniel opens the door, pauses. DANIEL I dunno. Few hours, I guess. INT. ALEX'S BEDROOM He goes for the phone on the table and dials. ALEX Hey Dave, it's me. He's out plowing. You guys can come over... All right... cool. Bye. He heads out of his room, pauses. He runs his hand over the crack in the door, wrinkles his brows and shrugs. INT. FAMILY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER A large room located at the far end of the house. There's a fireplace, with a couple of decorative swords hung above it. There's overstuffed furniture, a big screen TV, and an expensive hi-fi. Music blares from the speakers. Alex glances out of a window, smiles, then races to the -- FOYER GARRETT (17), toothpick-thin, bangs that completely cover his eyes, stands at the door. He grins and shivers, holding two large pizzas. The cigarette in his mouth drops ashes onto the pizza box. Alex looks beyond Garrett to see MARK, EDDIE and DAVE, handsome boys, though a bit on the rough side, heading toward them from across the lawn. A car full of cute teen girls, SHELL, CHLOE and PAM pulls into the driveway. SHELL is a beautiful, curvaceous blonde. CHLOE is short but shapely, with dark, goth makeup. Pam is a tomboy, no makeup and a no worries hair style. Pam chomps on a piece of gum, blows a huge bubble. It pops onto her face as she closes the car door. Alex's lips tighten. He glares at Garrett. GARRETT What? Garrett waves to Chloe, grins. She waves back. ALEX When the whale comes back and sees all you guys here... GARRETT Fuck it... we'll stick some pizza in his blow hole and he'll go away. INT. FAMILY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER The teens gather inside. Alex leaves, then returns with some Cokes. Mark and Eddie stare down at the Cokes, disappointed. MARK (to Alex) Hey man, where's the beer? EDDIE Yeah, Garrett said there was beer. Garrett snags a piece of pizza, stuffs half of it in his mouth. He nods his head, mouth bulging. GARRETT Oh there's beer. Trust me, there's always beer. ALEX Yeah... and Dad always knows when some's missing. GARRETT So, we'll replace it before they get back. A piece of pizza flies out of Garrett's mouth, plops onto the coffee table. CHLOE Sick... don't talk with food in your mouth. Man, you're so nasty. GARRETT You love me. You know you do. Chloe rolls her eyes, grabs a soda. FROM THE WINDOW Someone watches the teens, through a slightly parted curtain. Labored breathing fogs the glass. The teens smile and chat. Chloe and Shell dirty dance with each other, while the guys look on. Garrett and Eddie high five. Chloe pushes Shell away teasingly. They both giggle. OUTSIDE The snow falls harder. INT. BASEMENT - MOMENTS LATER Garrett steps inside and feels around for a light switch. The light comes on and flickers. It's partially remodeled. Hammers, nail guns, plaster and hand tools lie about. A hatchet sits in a chopping block at the back wall. Garrett looks around for a moment, then spies a small refrigerator partially hidden under an old blanket. GARRETT Bamm. He opens the fridge, grabs a case of beer. The light flickers off, for several seconds at a time. He stumbles, nearly falls as he makes his way through the darkness. GARRETT Shit. INT. FAMILY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER Garrett returns with the beer and a triumphant grin on his face. The room explodes in whoops of joy as the other kids race forward to grab a can. Dave's eyes boggle. He runs a hand through his hair. He's wearing a large gold class ring with a blue stone in it. DAVE Damn... a case? GARRETT Yeah, you should see how much the old man has stashed down there. The group pops the tops on the beer and chows down on the pizza. There's a lot of laughing, and cross chatter. From the sofa, Alex surveys the goings on. He glances often at the doorway of the family room. O.S. A knock on the door. Repeated doorbell ringing. Shell sits on Mark's lap. SHELL That's gotta be Ashley. She turns to Alex, stares at him, expectant. ALEX What? Your legs broke? Shell purses her lips, cocks her head at him, leering. ALEX Shit. I'll be right back. INT. FOYER - CONTINUOUS The laughing and chatting of the other teens is loud, even as far as the foyer. Alex peeks through a window. A MAN, (50) repeatedly knocks on the door and rings the bell. His black suit is horribly wrinkled. He's in desperate need of a shave and haircut. He turns toward Alex, in the window. The man wears a white collar as a priest or pastor would wear. Alex presses his face to the door, speaks through it. ALEX Who is it? MAN Reverend Phillips. Your mother has some boxes to donate for the church rummage sale. Alex pauses, bites at his lower lip, thinking. ALEX I don't know anything about it. You'll have to come back when she's home. OUTSIDE THE DOOR MAN Afraid I can't do that. The sale starts in the morning. Alex cracks the door, peeks out. Wind and snowflakes fly by. O.S. One of the girls cackles. The man narrows his eyes, leans side to side, trying to see past Alex. ALEX I'm sorry. I don't even know where the stuff is. You'll have to come back later. Alex tries to close the door, but the man pushes against it. MAN We can't procrastinate with the Lord's work, son. Alex pushes harder, raises his voice. ALEX I can't help you, I said! Alex manages to close and lock the door. He steps back staring at the door in awe. ALEX Jesus. Fucking religious freaks. O.S. Pounding on glass. Alex turns to the window to see the man staring inside. The man shakes his fist, pounds on the window and yells. MAN Heathens! God knows what you're doing in there! You'll pay for your sinful ways! Heathens! Alex quickly closes the curtains. The pounding stops. He shakes his head, starts back toward the family room. EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD STREET Daniel sits hunched over the wheel of the snow plow. His face is a grumpy mask. It's quiet, no other traffic. He makes his way methodically across the blankets of thick snow. A few feet behind him the street shines black and clear, but farther down, the thick flakes pile up again. INT. FAMILY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER Alex steps back inside, plops down hard on the sofa. SHELL Well... who was it? ALEX Some fucking freaky, hippie, Bible thumper. Garrett laughs. GARRETT Freaky hippie Bible thumper? EDDIE Shit, you shoulda invited him in. Maybe he had some weed. The teens giggle. DAVE Alex has some. He's just holding out. The doorbell rings. PAM Finally. Pam shoots across the room, followed by Shell. Eddie leans over as far as he can on the sofa, watches Pam's butt wiggle. He nudges Mark with his elbow. EDDIE Ummm... I like 'em like that. MARK Yeah. Nice ass. Too bad you ain't never gonna get any. Eddie scoffs. O.S. The sound of multiple squealing girls. Pam and Shell return from the foyer with two more girls. MIRANDA is a thin, dark haired beauty. ASHLEY is a cute, very feminine girl, bordering on frail. ALEX (to Dave) Man, I said a couple of people. I am so freakin' dead. Dave tips his head sideways, shrugs one shoulder, as if to say "no big deal". SHELL Hey... the gang's all here. Ashley heads straight to Dave and french kisses him. Shell walks over and speaks in Alex's ear. SHELL Surprise. Miranda smiles at Alex, eyeballs him from head to toe. He squirms. MIRANDA We almost didn't make it. It's really comin' down out there. The new arrivals help themselves to pizza. FROM THE WINDOW Someone watches. Again the labored breathing. Lights off. A horror movie plays on the big screen TV. Shell and Mark make out across the room. His hands slip under her shirt, which she promptly pushes back down. INT. FAMILY ROOM - CONTINUOUS Shell and Mark whisper. SHELL Mark, stop. There's other people here. He glances at the other teens. MARK So. They're not worried about us. They're watching the stupid movie. Shell turns to see that indeed no one's paying attention to them. They start kissing, but this time Shell allows Mark's hands to wander as they please, inside her shirt. Miranda is curled up on the sofa. She moves closer to Alex. He scoots away, stands suddenly. Miranda grins. In a few seconds, she follows him to the - KITCHEN Alex pulls a huge bag of chips from the pantry. He turns to find Miranda in front of him, grinning, twirling her hair. MIRANDA I don't think you're happy to see me. Alex fidgets. ALEX Yeah... I wonder why. Miranda rubs his arm. MIRANDA You're not still mad at me. Are you? ALEX I'm too young for you remember... too immature. MIRANDA It's just one year. Maybe I was wrong. ALEX Yeah. Maybe you were. He tries to step around Miranda. She moves in his path, trails a finger down his sleeve, past his wrist. Alex watches her finger move in small circles on the back of his hand. He tips his head sideways as if to size her up. ALEX Maybe I could give you another chance. Miranda backs away, hands on her hips. MIRANDA Really? Oh lucky me! Giggling, Alex pulls her to him, tries to kiss her. She pushes away, laughs as she sprints out of the kitchen. INT. FAMILY ROOM - CONTINUOUS Alex follows close behind Miranda. He whistles at Dave, then tosses him the bag of chips. Garrett sits on the sofa, finishing the pizza, with Chloe on the floor near him. They all watch the movie, faces tense with anticipation. Ominous music promises a fright to come... The CHARACTER ON THE TV screams. O.S. A loud bump from inside the house. Ashley gasps and Dave giggles at her. ASHLEY What was that? ALEX Damn. My stepbrother must be back. Garrett stirs, looks down at the empty pizza boxes. GARRETT Shit. He's gonna rat you out. We got no pizza left. ALEX Everybody hide the cans. They all jump to action, scramble to get rid of the evidence. Cans are shoved under the sofa and under its cushions. Garrett takes one last gulp and tosses his can into a large plant. They've barely had time to sit back down when Daniel tromps into the room. He stares at the group, then at Alex, shakes his head. DANIEL Mom's not gonna like this. GARRETT C'mon man. Can't you be cool for once? ALEX Yeah. Aren't you supposed to be out plowing anyway? DANIEL I am. I mean I gotta work late, cause of the snow. I don't have no food in the truck. Alex stands, reaches deep in his pocket, pulls out a ten dollar bill. He holds it out to Daniel. ALEX I was gonna save you some pizza but... He glances at Garrett, who looks at the floor, and scratches the back of his neck. ALEX Here. Why don't you go get a burger? Daniel stares down at the money, shakes his head. DANIEL I don't want a burger. ALEX Well, a taco or something then... whatever. Daniel snatches the money, turns and stares at the TV. A glazed look covers his face. Most of the group stare at Daniel in disgust, occasionally giggle at him. Some make goofy faces behind his back. Eddie and Dave point, break out in uncontrollable laughter. Pam whacks them with a sofa pillow. Alex shifts uncomfortably. Miranda turns to Alex, rolls her eyes and shakes her head. Pam pops a large and rather loud gum bubble. The sound snaps Daniel out of his fugue. He turns to the window to see clumps of snow falling outside. DANIEL Damn snow. The moment he closes the door, the room erupts in laughter. Alex forces a laugh. OUTSIDE THE DOOR Daniel pauses, leans against it listening. IN THE FAMILY ROOM Ashley shivers and twists her face in a grimace. ASHLEY Ewww, Alex. He's creepy. How can you stand living with him? MIRANDA Don't be such a shit. He can't help the way he is. CHLOE I'm with Ashley. He makes my skin crawl. EDDIE Yeah. Goofy fucker. OUTSIDE THE DOOR Daniel's bottom lip quivers, as if he's about to cry. Then his face screws up in anger. He stomps off. LATER IN THE FAMILY ROOM Mark and Shell are still huddled in the corner. The others gather around the sofa, pass a joint between them. The room is filled with smoke and there's rampant coughing. O.S. A loud bump echoes through the house. Several seconds tick by. The kids glance at each other off and on, apprehensively. Victims are randomly slaughtered on the TV movie. Screams and loud breathing erupt from the surround sound speakers. PAM I thought your brother was gone? Alex sighs. ALEX Step brother. PAM Whatever. If he's gone, what the hell was that noise? EDDIE Scared? Bwak... bwak... bwak. Eddie reaches over, grabs Pam's knee to tickle her. Pam squeals, cracks a grin, then pushes his hand away. PAM (to Eddie) Oh shut up. (to Alex) Somebody should go check it out. ALEX Uh huh. Feel free to look around. It's a big house though. Pam glares at Alex, then turns to Eddie with a pleading look on her face. EDDIE I think Pam's a wittle afwaid. He giggles and Pam whacks him in the arm. He grabs his arm feigning pain. O.S. A loud thump CHLOE What the hell is that? GARRETT Probably a branch hitting against the house or something. Chill. Miranda twirls her hair, eyes dart around the room. MIRANDA This is stupid. She stomps over and turns the TV volume all the way down. DAVE Hey... I was watching that. MIRANDA Yeah. You were. Dave huffs. Mark and Shell make their way to the other teens. Mark leans over the back of the sofa, takes the joint from Garrett and takes a deep drag. MARK Mwaahhhh... a bunch of kids... all alone... easy pickings... mwaaahhh... He laughs, takes one more quick drag. Shell grabs her purse from the coffee table, plops down on the floor. She fishes out a compact to freshen her makeup. Mark elbows Alex in the shoulder. His voice is squeaky from trying to hold the smoke in. MARK Hey... why don't you tell 'em the story about this house? The now tiny joint burns Mark's finger so he quickly drops it in the ashtray. ALEX Come on man. It's fucking stupid. Probably ain't even true. O.S. A louder thump. Shell nearly jumps out of her skin. The other girls gasp. Mark and Dave laugh at them. Mark elbows Alex again. MARK (to Alex) Hey. ALEX What? Man, get off me. MARK Come on. (to the other teens) It's a wicked story. Alex sighs. ALEX It's total bull shit, but since Mark won't shut the fuck up... Alex glances at Mark. ALEX After my mom died, we moved into an apartment. Couple of years later, Dad meets the bitch, they get married, I get a retarded step brother... and fuckin' yada yada. Anyway, Suzanne's basically trailer trash - wanted something better for herself. So, they're looking all over the place when they come across this big old piece of shit. Suzanne thinks it's tits, because it doesn't need skirting. Garrett and a few others giggle. ALEX The price was awesome - less than half what it shoulda been. So, Suzanne throws a bitching fit and we move in. A few months later the mail man tells Dad the other owner whacked up his entire family... MIRANDA Oh hell no. ALEX Oh hell yeah. PAM Bull shit. ALEX Rumor says it's haunted. Ashley giggles, but at the same time looks uneasy. SHELL So... is it? Alex scoffs. ALEX I never seen any ghosts. MARK What I don't get is why we never read about it in the papers. Dave listens intently with a serious expression on his face. DAVE Wait a minute. I know this story. Psycho Dad just kinda disappeared huh? ALEX Yep. That's the one. ASHLEY Nice Alex. Lovely story. DAVE Shit... that was like twenty years ago though. ALEX Yeah well... that would explain why it took weeks to clean it up. I guess nobody wanted anything to do with this place. He sighs, leans back with his hands clasped behind his head. ALEX I still think it's bull shit though. O.S. An even louder thump. The girls gasp. The guys look around suspiciously. Ashley pokes Dave with her elbow. ASHLEY Jesus... just go see what the fuck that is, please. DAVE Shit... Why I gotta go? Like he said, it's a big house. ASHLEY Just follow the noise. It's not brain surgery David Eugene. Dave clinches his teeth together, leers at Ashley. DAVE You know I hate it when you call me that. You sound like my mother. Ashley shoves him, trying to urge him off of the sofa. ASHLEY Just go. Stop being such a pussy. DAVE What... by myself? EDDIE Bwok... bwok.. Bwok... DAVE Yeah... Fuck you Eddie. Dave walks off mumbling to himself. He steps into the - HALLWAY O.S. The voices and laughter of the other kids recede. Dave's pace slows, his shoulders slump. At the end of the dark hall he turns, gazes longingly back at the family room. In a few moments, he peers inside a couple of unused bedrooms and bathrooms. He moves down the hall, opens a door and flips on a light. He pokes his head in to see a -- LAUNDRY ROOM With a chute and a large rolling basket. A hollow, metallic sound resonates from the chute. Dave jumps. His eyes grow wide. He pulls the door in close to him, his body half in and half out of the room. He pauses, takes a deep breath, eyes closed. He flings the door open, heads for the chute, then apprehensively peers inside. A noise booms from the chute. A big RAT scurries out and down to the floor near his feet. Dave reels back, stumbles against the rolling laundry cart. He shoves the cart away. DAVE What the fu-- A shadow passes by, in his peripheral line of vision. He twirls around. A nail gun rushes toward his face. His eyes widen. He utters a strangled yelp... A click, a metallic sound and a loud pop... A thick nail buries deep between Dave's eyes. His face contorts briefly in pain. Blood runs from the wound. He falls to a heap on the floor. Arms reach down, grab Dave by the legs. FAMILY ROOM SAME The movie plays silently on the TV screen. Alex and Miranda chat quietly on one side of the sofa. Garrett plays a noisy slap and tickle with Chloe nearby. Ashley lays on the floor, thumbs through a magazine. She looks at her watch. ASHLEY Dave's sure taking his sweet friggin' time. Eddie sits up, leans forward in mock horror. EDDIE Maybe he found out what was making the noise... (he gasps) and it ate him! Ashley throws the magazine at Eddie. He ducks and laughs. Pam stands at a window, watches the snow fall against the backdrop of night. She repeatedly chomps the gum and makes loud popping bubbles. PAM It's really getting thick out there. She turns away from the window. PAM (to Miranda) Maybe we should leave. ALEX Don't worry, neither rain nor sleet nor dark of night keeps the 'Plow Man' from behind the wheel... Miranda giggles. Garrett looks up, removes his hands from Chloe's front pants pocket. GARRETT If you're lucky he'll freeze out there. In the morning all they'll find is a giant smelly ice cube. A Danielsicle. He laughs. CHLOE Let up on him already. He can't be that bad. ALEX Sure he can. Eddie turns the sound back up on the movie. They all turn their attention back to the screen. INT. FAMILY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER O.S. Loud, hollow thumping. A few of the teens gasp. Ashley leaps to her feet. ASHLEY What was that? God... this is getting on my nerves. She lunges and clicks the TV off. Garrett lounges on the sofa, his head in Chloe's lap. GARRETT What a bunch of wienies. It's an old house. Old houses make noises. Ashley stares at Garrett for a moment, concern covering her face. ASHLEY I'm going to look for Dave, and then I'm leaving. Alex sighs. ALEX He's screwing with us. Probably hiding somewhere, waiting to jump out so he can have a good laugh. ASHLEY Fine, so he gets a free laugh on us. Alex looks at Miranda. She nods her agreement. He sighs. ALEX (to Ashley) Well shit... c'mon then. He, Miranda and Ashley make a move toward the door. Eddie stands to join them. ALEX (to Garrett) What... you're too busy right? Garrett mumbles but pushes himself to a standing position, grabs Chloe by the hand and drags her up. Pam grabs a sofa pillow and hugs it close to her. PAM I'm stayin' here. She looks at Eddie, her eyes pleading. Eddie glances at her, looks up at Alex and Garrett and shrugs. He plops down on the sofa next to Pam. Shell stands, pulls on Mark's arm. He grumbles but follows. INT. HALL ALEX Let's split up... find his ass and get it over with. ASHLEY I'm going with you and Miranda. ALEX Why? Alex sighs, rolls his eyes. ASHLEY I'm telling you there's nothing to be afraid of. Ashley shakes her head. ASHLEY Whatever, Alex. There's no way we're splitting up. You know what happens when people split up. ALEX What do you mean - "what happens"? ASHLEY I don't know. Fucking creepy old house. I just think... you know... maybe Dave won't be the only one missing. Alex's drops his jaw, stares at her, stupified. ALEX Ughhh... scary movies and a bunch of girls... bad combination. Shit... Garrett, why don't you guys check upstairs. Garrett winks, gives Chloe a squeeze. GARRETT Yeah.. Yeah we'll take a look up there. They all disperse. INT. WORK OUT ROOM - MOMENTS LATER Weight benches, various exercise equipment and a jacuzzi. Shell pulls the doors closed behind her and Mark. Their voices echo in the room. MARK Whew... It's steamy in here. Mark kisses her on the neck and nibbles her earlobe. Shell raises her shoulder to ward him off. MARK Let's get wet. SHELL We're supposed to be looking for Dave, remember? Mark takes a quick look around. MARK Yeah well... he's not here so we did our job. Come on. Let's skinny dip. Shell feigns shock. SHELL I think you wanna get caught. (grins) Pervert. Mark giggles. SHELL I bet there's a suit hanging in there. She points to a small room off to the side. MARK Yeah, but have you seen the size of his step mom's ass? It'll probably fall right off of you. Shell shoots him a sultry grin. SHELL And so... your point is? Mark grins, reaches out to pinch her breast, but Shell wards him off with her arm, and turns quickly. She sprints across to the small room, ducks in, then tosses out a pair of trunks. SHELL Here. Mark snags them in mid-air. INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - SAME Garrett pushes a giggling Chloe inside a bedroom, shuts the door behind them. DOWNSTAIRS SAME Miranda clutches Alex's hand, with Ashley close behind. They check in the -- LAUNDRY ROOM All seems normal but as Mark shuts the door a tiny rivulet of blood runs, unseen, down a corner of the laundry chute. INT. WORK OUT ROOM - CONTINUOUS From a dark corner, someone watches. Mark, now dressed in the trunks, slips into the jacuzzi. INT. BATHROOM Shell removes her clothes... IN THE JACUZZI Mark ducks his head under the water, moves over to the side. He flips his wet hair from in front of his face, and looks up through bleary eyes... A dumbbell slides through the air above him and crashes against his skull. Blood gushes from the wound and mingles with the water. The dumbbell crashes into his skull once more. The sound of splashing and Mark's body is hurriedly dragged away. INT. BATHROOM - SAME Shell holds the untied straps of her swimsuit top, hears the commotion, cocks her ear toward the door. SHELL What are you doing? I swear if I come out there and you're still butt naked... She steps out of the bathroom. INT. WORK OUT ROOM She scans the area - no sign of Mark. She steps forward, smiling. SHELL Come on. Let's have a look stud. She takes a further step toward the jacuzzi. Her gaze sweeps the water. A red swirl of blood mars the surface. The smile dies on her lips. Quick footsteps come up behind her. She whips around, opens her mouth to scream but is cut short as the dumbbell strikes her across the side of her head. Blood runs from a gash at her temple. She's dazed, eyes rolling around, trying to focus. She falls hard to the floor. The killer removes her bikini top. A gloved hand runs roughly across her breasts, winds the bikini straps around her neck. With a fierce yank, the killer lifts her upper body off the floor. A loud snap and her neck is broken. INT. UPSTAIRS BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER Distinctly adult, tidy, with an antique wardrobe closet, a floral bench at the foot of the bed, satin pillows and bedding. Garrett and Chloe make out on the bed. He unbuttons her jeans, slips his hand inside. She moans. The lights flicker and then go out. Chloe gasps. GARRETT Fuck. What now? INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER In total darkness, Alex, Ashley and Miranda feel around, open cabinets, drawers and doors. ALEX I know they're here somewhere. Check over there. ASHLEY Where? What... like I can see you pointing? (mumbles) Stupid. ALEX Just relax okay. I'll find 'em. MIRANDA Well, hurry it up would you? Ashley calls out. ASHLEY David Eugene... this is stupid. Come on. Hide and go seek is over. Alex finds some candles and flashlights in a drawer, makes his way over to the gas stove, lights the candles. He hands one to Ashley. She opens the last unchecked pantry door. She sighs, looks around the room. ALEX Yeah. This is getting really fucking old. Miranda blows out a ragged breath, leans against the counter, near the sink. MIRANDA I say we forget about him. (raises her voice) Let's just leave his ass here... in the dark... alone. Ashley crosses her arms over her chest, makes her way over to Miranda. ASHLEY This is such bull shit. I'm gonna strangle Dave. O.S. - loud, howling wind They all stare out the window. MIRANDA Oh my God you guys... it's a blizzard. INT. UPSTAIRS BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS Chloe feels her way to the window, pulls back the curtain. OUTSIDE A single security light shines, near the end of the driveway. It flickers. The snow is thick on the ground, trees, driveway and their cars. CHLOE Oh shit. Baby, look at this. Garrett stumbles on his way to the window, lets out a low angry growl. He peers outside, throws his hands up. GARRETT Great. Fucking lovely. Chloe heads for the door, but Garrett grabs her arm. A candle sits on the dresser. He lights it with his cigarette lighter, pulls Chloe close, kisses her. She allows the kiss for a moment, then pulls away. CHLOE We should go back downstairs - see what's going on. GARRETT Why? The lights will probably come back on in a minute. Besides, we ain't going anywhere in this shit. He trails kisses down the side of her neck. She pushes him away again. CHLOE Which is exactly why I need to call my mom. I snuck out to begin with. Fuck... she's gonna freak. GARRETT Five minutes. Come on. What difference is it gonna make? He ushers Chloe toward the bed, gently pushing her backwards, kissing her the whole way. They plop down. Chloe giggles. CHLOE Five minutes huh? That's all it takes? Garrett raises his eyebrows, smirks. GARRETT Oh, you think that's funny? He bites her neck. She squeals with delight. He trails kisses down her chest, lifts her shirt over her head. They fondle each other, kissing passionately. O.S. Sound of a door clicking shut. Chloe gasps. CHLOE Who's there? Garrett... She pushes him up and a few inches off of her, points at the door. Garrett glances in that direction, yells. GARRETT Go the fuck away! He stares at the door for a moment, rises and grumbles on his way over. GARRETT Shit, piss and fucking damn. He locks the door, starts back towards Chloe. She pats the bed and giggles. CHLOE Tick tick tick... five minutes. Garrett scoffs. The candle flame whips around then extinguishes. O.S. A loud thud. Silence. Chloe springs upright. Her eyes dart around the darkened room. She rises slowly, starts across the room. CHLOE Garrett? Silence. CHLOE Shit. Garrett? Stop screwing around. Her foot hits something. She stumbles, kneels down, feels around on the floor. Her breathing grows fast and shallow, voice trembling. CHLOE Garrett? A lighter - Garrett's lighter strikes, goes out, strikes, goes out, several times. In the intermittent flashes, Garrett lies with a chisel shoved all the way through one temple, jutting out the opposite eye socket. Chloe screams, stumbles back, screams again. A swooshing sound - a loud thud followed by choking and gurgling. INT. KITCHEN SAME O.S. Screams and a loud POP. Miranda and Ashley gasp, glance at Alex. ALEX Fuckin'... probably just Eddie and Pam assing around. Ashley looks toward the kitchen door for a few seconds, glances back at Alex, her brows furrowed, then darts out. Miranda looks at Alex expectantly, twirls her hair again. Alex groans. INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS In the darkness a shadowy figure walks down the hallway, toward the stairs - a silhouette of a hatchet, dripping wet onto the floor, in the shadow's hand. INT. FAMILY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER Ashley, Alex and Miranda find Pam and Eddie on the sofa. A tall, pillar candle burns on the coffee table. The two are in a tickling match and Eddie is winning. Pam screams with each poke and goose. Ashley rolls her eyes. She and Miranda glance at each other, ASHLEY Fuck... you guys. She places her candle on the tray next to the pillar candle. MIRANDA You scared the shit out of us. Eddie crushes a beer can on his knee, belches, looks like a deer caught in headlights. Alex leers at him. EDDIE What? ALEX What... what do you think? The power's out. We hear somebody screaming her head off. Pam shrugs, bobs her head sarcastically from side to side. She pops another gum bubble. PAM Well, sorry. Did you find him? ASHLEY No. But when I do I'm gonna kill him. MIRANDA Have you guys looked outside lately? EDDIE Why? Somebody call the cops? We ain't that rowdy yet. PAM Dumb ass. The closest house is a mile down the road. Eddie pokes Pam again. She squeals. Alex runs a hand through his hair, waits, glaring at Pam and Eddie until they stop the poke and tickle. Eddie glances up, notices Alex's perturbed expression. EDDIE Okay, okay. What is it? ALEX We're snowed in. Eddie furrows his brows, goes to a window, peeks outside. The security light shines on heavy snow and buried cars. EDDIE Fuck... I'm gonna call my Dad. The Bronco can make it through that. He picks the cordless phone, chews on the inside of his cheek. EDDIE It's not working. ALEX Maybe that's because it's a cordless. All the phones are. No power - no phone. Eddie slams the phone down, paces. He glances at Pam, rubs his hands together, eyes darting around the room. EDDIE Oh... man, this sucks. Alex and Miranda shoot each other a "what's his problem" look. Pam grabs Eddie's forearms, looks into his eyes. PAM Just breathe. We're okay Eddie. She turns to the other teens. PAM He doesn't like feeling closed in. Ashley scoffs and adopts a big fake grin. ASHLEY Wonderful! No power, closed up in this creepy fucking house, and now Eddie's gonna trip out on us. Are we having fun yet, because I'm gonna tell ya', I think this is severely messed up. Eddie's eyes dart around even more. His hand rubbing is nearing the point of wearing the skin off. He sprints from the room. Pam follows. INT. FOYER - SECONDS LATER Eddie opens the front door, takes a few deep breaths. The heavy snow piles in, covers his feet. He doesn't notice. Pam ducks behind him when the wind whips through the door. He takes a step -- OUTSIDE It's growing darker by the minute. The snow is thick, blankets everything in sight. Eddie sinks in the snow, up to his knees. He looks down, then up again, stares out at his car, heavily covered in snow. Trees sway violently in the wind. Snow blows by at mach speed. FROM THE DOORWAY Pam reaches out and grabs the back of his shirt, tugs on it. Alex, Ashley and Miranda enter the foyer, stare at Eddie like he's nuts. PAM Come back in Eddie... before you freeze to death. He looks at Pam, eyes wide, shakes his head. EDDIE I'm going to the fucking car, Pam. You know I can't stay in there. PAM Have you looked at the cars? Eddie glances at the cars again. He turns back to Pam, a distressed look on his face. PAM Come on. Come back in before I freeze to death. She crosses her arms in front of her. PAM I'm standing here freezing because you're being a puss. Pam's lips quiver, teeth start to chatter. EDDIE Fuck. He tromps back inside. He shakes and his lips are blue. INT. FOYER - CONTINUOUS Pam brushes the snow off of Eddie. Miranda and Alex struggle against the heavy snow, finally manage to close the door. Alex turns to Eddie, hands him a flashlight. ALEX Dude, what's wrong with you? Eddie shrugs, still shivering. His voice is anxious and hostile. EDDIE Nothing's fucking wrong with me. I just wanna get outta here, that's all. Alex stares him down, places the second of the flashlights on the coffee table. He mumbles under his breath. ALEX Fucking claustrophobic. EDDIE No I ain't. I just don't like being closed in. ALEX Okay man. That is what the word means you know. Alex gives him a "you're weird" look. Miranda's face turns to a look of revelation. MIRANDA Hey... you know Chloe has a cell phone. Eddie's eyes widen, excited. EDDIE Fuckin' 'eh. Go drag her ass down here then. They make their way into the-- FAMILY ROOM Miranda and Ashley plop down on the sofa. Ashley puts her feet up on the coffee table. MIRANDA You two gonna go get her? Ashley grins, stretches her arms out wide. ASHLEY Yeah, there's a whole floor up there to roam around in - nice, big, open space. Pam covers her mouth to stifle a giggle. Eddie curls his lip at them, then grabs Pam by the hand. A moment after Pam and Eddie leave, Ashley holds up a leather purse. ASHLEY Wait! This is Chloe's. Alex looks toward the doorway as if he's going to call the couple back, then changes his mind. ALEX Let 'em go. Eddie needs something to do anyway - keep his mind off of being trapped in here. He turns his attention back to Ashley. ALEX Well... dig it out. Ashley fumbles around inside the purse then pulls out a cell phone, holds it up, grins triumphantly. ASHLEY Yeah baby. She holds the phone in her hand. It beeps to life. The keys glow in the dark. It beeps a couple more times. She dials three numbers. Her face falls. ASHLEY Damn it. I can not believe this stupid shit. MIRANDA What? Ashley holds the phone out. ASHLEY Nothing. Dead air. It must be the fucking storm. There's a collective groan. INT. STAIRCASE Eddie leads Pam up the stairs to the second floor. PAM Your think your Dad can drop me home? EDDIE Yeah, everybody else too. This storm keeps up, we'll be stuck in here for a week. PAM When are his parent's supposed to be back anyway? They reach the top of the staircase. EDDIE I don't know. Couple of days I thi... Eddie spots a thin streak of bright red on the carpet, extending down the length of the -- HALLWAY EDDIE What the fuck? Pam spots it too. Drawing closer, it looks like a cluster of droplets. They glance at each other, follow the streak until it ends at the -- BEDROOM DOOR It's ajar a few inches. Eddie pauses. The knob has more of the red fluid on it. O.S. Gurgling sound He pushes the door open. INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS A few steps inside, the candle illuminates Chloe, lying on the floor, surrounded by a huge puddle of blood. She's not dead yet, still gurgling on her own blood. Pam screams. EDDIE Oh shit! What the fuck! INT. FAMILY ROOM - SAME O.S. Pam's scream Ashley's brows furrow. She rolls her eyes. ASHLEY I swear, she screams like that because she thinks it's cute or something. Miranda scoffs. MIRANDA You'd think he was killing her. Alex kneels at the fireplace, tosses wood inside and lights it. He glances toward the stairs and grins, turns to Miranda. ALEX I guess you're not ticklish, huh? Miranda pauses, stares at him with sultry eyes. She tosses her hair over her shoulder. MIRANDA Maybe. Ashley rolls her eyes, yells. ASHLEY Dave! David Eugene! If you don't come out right now, I swear to God I'm not gonna give you any for a fucking month! She waits a moment. Silence. She lets out a growl sound, plops down hard on the sofa. ASHLEY Mark and Shell have cell phones too you know. Alex looks at her like she's dumb, shakes his head. ALEX (mumbles) Stupid. ASHLEY What did you just say to me? ALEX I said that's stupid. Theirs are gonna pick up a signal when Chloe's doesn't? ASHLEY I don't fucking know, all right Alex! Miranda steps in between them. MIRANDA Stop it okay! This isn't helping anybody. Geez... just shut up if you can't play nice. Alex and Ashley glare at each other. INT. BEDROOM Pam tries to scream again. Eddie grabs her, covers her mouth, shines the light around the room, in all the corners and at the closet door. The light illuminates Garrett's body, lifeless, with the chisel sticking through his head. Pam screams are muffled though Eddie's hand. Tears stream down her face. She pulls away from him, kneels over Chloe's body. Eddie walks backwards. Shock and horror cover his face. The lights flicker and come on for a couple of seconds. The blood sprays on the floor outline the shape of a hatchet, but the hatchet is missing. There are blood stains and spray patterns on the wallpaper and carpet. Chloe's neck has a huge gash. She stares into Pam's eyes, her lips move but are unable to speak. The gurgling grows louder. She spits up blood, all over Pam's clothes. Pam cries, deep racking sobs. She grabs Chloe's hand. The lights flicker off and on. PAM Oh God, Chloe. Chloe's lips move. She gurgles the loudest yet, then her eyes roll back. PAM Chloe? Chloe? Oh God. Pam sobs even harder. The lights go out again. Darkness - no light from Eddie's flashlight. Pam gasps. She turns to look over her shoulder. Eddie is gone. PAM Eddie? IN THE FAMILY ROOM - CONTINUOUS By the light of the fire, Alex and Miranda ogle each other while Ashley huffs on the sofa. ASHLEY I've got to pee. Alex looks up at her with a "who gives a shit" look. ALEX You know where it is. Ashley shakes her head. ASHLEY I'm not goin' alone. Miranda rolls her eyes. MIRANDA Come on Ashley. Honest, there's no boogie man. Alex scoffs and grins. Miranda puts her arms around Alex. He pecks her on the cheek. Ashley lets out a frustrated yelp, flings herself from the sofa, grabs a flashlight from the coffee table and flounces from the room. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY CONTINUOUS Pam whimpers and feels her way out of the bedroom in the dark. Between sobs she whispers... PAM Eddie, where are you? DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER Ashley walks alone. The beam from the flashlight bounces erratically against the walls and floor. O.S. A whisper breaks the silence. Ashley stops. The flashlight beam jiggles toward the sound. She whirls around. KILLER (O.S) (whispering) Help me... Ashley stops, listens. ASHLEY Dave, is that you? She moves toward the sound of the voice - the laundry room. KILLER (O.S.) Ashley, help. Ashley puts a hand on her hips, then moves toward the open door. ASHLEY David Eugene, if this is a joke it is so not funny. She steps inside, shines the light. INT. UPSTAIRS BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS A small beam of light radiates from under a bed. Pam kneels down, spots the flashlight and retrieves it. PAM (between sobs) Eddie, come on. I'm scared. She aims the light at the window. Large clumps of snow fall outside. PAM Eddie. Damn it! She shines it on the bed, around the floor, then on the door of a bathroom. Pam steps inside. BATHROOM Eddie hangs by a belt on the shower curtain rod. His body sways. His eyes are red and protruding. One of his shoes has fallen from his foot onto the floor. Pam's mouth flies open. Her gum falls to the floor. She runs from the room screaming. INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS In the dark shadows, a hand opens a drawer. The sound of silverware being rifled through. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS Pam runs down the hallway. She looks over her shoulder. The flashlight bounces erratically in her hand. She falls with a thump... The sound of tumbling down steps, bones cracking. INT. FAMILY ROOM - SAME O.S. Pam's screams and the repeated thuds from her tumbling down the stairs. Alex and Miranda glance at each other, concern on their faces. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS Pam hits the floor. Her screams are silenced. The flashlight shines on her dead eyes. INT. LAUNDRY ROOM - CONTINUOUS Ashley, alarmed by the screams, turns to leave the room. The door slams shut before she can step out. She lets out a yelp of fear. ASHLEY Al ...but the sound is muffled when a hand snakes out and clamps around her mouth. Her eyes bug out in fear. Strong arms twirl her around, yank the flashlight from her hands, and march her toward the laundry chute. The killer giggles. Ashley struggles, as she is forced closer to the chute. The flashlight shines on the opening of the chute and the stream of blood now dark and drying. Near the chute now, a hand falls, visible in the opening. The flashlight beam glints off a thick gold class ring with a blue stone in it. Ashley's scream is muted against the killer's hand. She fights frantically. A knife glints in the flashlight beam, rushes down into Ashley's body. Her thrashing ceases. She is dragged a few feet. Footsteps retreat. The door closes. INT. FAMILY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER Alex and Miranda sit on the sofa. MIRANDA Jesus... the dark and the noises, Pam's squealing. Your little story didn't help much either. ALEX Yeah. It's my house and I'm even getting a little wigged out. Miranda rubs her arms as if she's cold. She scans the room, glances behind her. She twirls her hair faster than usual. Alex notices her distress, stands and grabs her hand. ALEX Let's go see if anybody found shithead yet. BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS - MOMENTS LATER Alex stops dead still, approaches Pam's twisted body. The flashlight still shines on her face. Miranda shrieks. Alex lets go of her hand, kneels down and grabs Pam's wrist to check for a pulse. Miranda's hand is now formed in a fist, covering her lips. She trembles. Tears mingled with mascara stream down her cheeks. Alex closes his eyes, swallows hard. He looks up at Miranda and shakes his head. MIRANDA Oh my God! Alex grabs Miranda's hand and drags her away. ALEX Shit. Fuck! We gotta find the others. C'mon! INT. DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY Alex yells. ALEX Ashley, hurry the fuck up! Get out here! They get to the bathroom, peer in. It's empty. They both call out... ALEX/MIRANDA Ashley! Quickly they move from room to room searching. They reach the laundry room. Miranda is crying. Alex flings the door open, shines the light in. Miranda screams bloody murder. Alex gasps, in shock. Ashley's hands are positioned to hold the flashlight at her chin. The beam illuminates the dark gash at her throat - sliced ear-to-ear in a macabre, exaggerated smile. They spot Dave's body in the chute as well. The nail is nearly flush with the skin of his forehead. A small stream of blood drains from the wound and down his nose. His eyes stare ahead, as if he's looking at them. Miranda twists away from Alex and runs down the hall, hysterical. After a brief chase Alex catches up, grabs her arm and leads her in another direction. MIRANDA Oh God... somebody's in the house Alex. INT. WORK OUT ROOM - MOMENTS LATER They cautiously step inside. It's dark and eerily quiet. Alex leads the way. Miranda holds back for a second then follows. MIRANDA Damn it Alex, they're not here. Let's go. Alex shines the flashlight toward the jacuzzi. The dumbbell lies nearby. With Miranda close and clinging to his arm he moves toward the bathroom. He reaches for the doorknob. Miranda hangs back, tugs on his arm. They whisper. MIRANDA I'm scared. Let's go. ALEX Go where? We've got no phone, can't drive outta here. It's a white out... we're fucked okay! Alex lifts his hand to silence her, then opens the bathroom door. He shines the light in it's empty. He lets out a relieved sigh. He shines the light around the room once more. His eyes linger on a supply cabinet. A dark trail of liquid seeps through the doors. Alex takes Miranda's hand, cautiously heads toward it. He kneels down. He hands Miranda the flashlight. She stands to one side, holds the light, shaking in her hand, for Alex to see. Her eyes dart to the door of the work out room. The cabinet door is stuck. Alex yanks on it. ALEX I don't have time to fuck with you now, dammit. He gives the door one more hard yank... Shell's face is briefly illuminated in the flashlight beam. Her lips are purple and her tongue protrudes from her mouth. Alex steps back quickly. Shell's body tumbles out, knocks Miranda down and falls across her legs. Miranda screams repeatedly, drops the light. ALEX Fuck... fuck... no. Alex throws Shell's corpse off Miranda and pulls her to her feet. He takes the flashlight, shines it again on Shell's body, then aims the beam back in the cabinet. Mark's body is stuffed inside, his head covered in blood. Miranda sways, almost faints, then drops to her knees. She holds both sides of her head, rocks back and forth. MIRANDA Oh God! Oh God! What's happening! Alex kneels down, covers her mouth. ALEX Shhh... Do you want them to find us too? Miranda's eyes grow wide. She shakes her head emphatically. Alex nods at her. ALEX No. That's right. We don't. So let's just calm down, keep our heads on straight. Miranda pushes his hand away from her mouth. She whispers loud and frantic. MIRANDA Calm down? How the fuck am I gonna do that? Our friends are dead! God... maybe it's just us left! She scurries backward, stares at Alex. Alex crawls over to her, takes her face in his hands, stares into her eyes. ALEX Shh... Listen to me - we're gonna be okay. Miranda throws her arms around Alex, sobs. He holds her for a few moments, his eyes darting all around the room. ALEX Come on. INT. DOWNSTAIRS - MOMENTS LATER Alex holds Miranda's hand. They step around Pam's body and head up the stairs. INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY They open doors, shine the light inside the rooms until they come upon the one Garrett and Chloe are in. Miranda's hair twirling is out of control once again. At the sight of Garrett and Chloe, she screams without restraint. She turns to run from the room. Alex runs after her, grabs her hard and shakes her. MIRANDA Let me go! ALEX Where? You can't walk outta here. It's more than a mile into town. MIRANDA I'll take my chances! ALEX The cars are buried! MIRANDA I don't care! I don't care! I'm not gonna wait here to die with the rest of you! Alex slaps her hard across the face. Miranda gasps, stares at him with wide, confused eyes. She sobs. Alex grabs her, pulls her to him and strokes her hair. ALEX Shh... shhh. I'm sorry. He forces her to look at his face. ALEX Just stick close to me. INT. FAMILY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER Alex grabs a sword hung over the fireplace. He shows it to Miranda, looks at her as if to say, "this will do the trick". Her eyes dart around. She shakes her head in agreement. ALEX The basement... thick, hardwood door, from when it was first built. MIRANDA And a big lock... or three, right? INT. BASEMENT STAIRS - MOMENTS LATER They make their way down. The flashlight flickers intermittently. Alex bangs it against the heel of his hand. It grows brighter and then dim. The heavy basement door is ajar a few inches. It creaks when Alex pushes it fully open. A slight gasp escapes Miranda, at the sound of the squeaky door. Alex shines the light inside. INT. BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS It's dark. Alex bolts a large, sliding, barrel type lock on the door. They head for the back wall, sit down on the concrete floor. Alex lies the sword down, pulls Miranda in close and wraps his arm around her shoulder. She leans in, resting her head against his chest. For several moments, all is quiet, except for the sound of their breathing. Alex keeps the flashlight trained on the door. O.S. Shuffling sound Miranda sits up, startled. She whispers. MIRANDA Shit... somebody's out there! Alex stares at the door, eyes wide. ALEX Shhh... maybe they'll go away. There's a soft knock. Alex and Miranda glance at each other. A fearful whisper comes from the other side of the door... DANIEL (O.S.) Alex? You in there? Alex and Miranda share a relieved look. MIRANDA Thank God. Now we can get the hell out of here. Alex rushes to the door, opens it wide. Daniel stands in the doorway wild-eyed and disheveled, a candle in his hand. DANIEL Why you hidin' down here? MIRANDA There's a fucking psycho loose in this house. Daniel snorts. DANIEL There ain't nobody here, 'cept us. Alex glances at Miranda, shakes his head. ALEX Never mind. Let's find Eddie and get outta here. Miranda's voice shakes. The nervous hair twirling starts again. MIRANDA No, Alex. I wanna leave. We can send the police back to look for Eddie. ALEX Go with Daniel, then. I'm not leaving without Eddie. Miranda gazes up at Daniel, a crooked grin on his face. Daniel looks her up and down. She cowers next to Alex. MIRANDA Let's just hurry all right? Alex grabs the sword and they leave the basement. STAIRCASE LEADING UPSTAIRS - MOMENTS LATER Alex and Miranda stop at Pam's body. Behind them, Daniel stares down at the corpse. DANIEL Why is she laying like that? What happened to her? Alex glances back at Daniel. ALEX She fell down the stairs. DANIEL But she's got blood on her. Alex and Miranda glance at each other, apprehensive. ALEX Some of the others are dead too. DANIEL But... I don't understand. Daniel shakes his head back and forth, confused. ALEX I don't either. Some fucking wacko... Alex stops, turns to Miranda, a look of revelation on his face. ALEX Oh my God... that freak that was here earlier. Miranda just stares at him, confused. ALEX Before you got here. Some guy, said he was from the church. Something was fucking bad wrong with him. MIRANDA And you're just now telling me? ALEX I really didn't think about it. It doesn't matter anyway, okay. (to Daniel) Daniel, we have to find my friend Eddie. You remember Eddie huh? Daniel keeps his eyes trained on Pam's body, brows furrowed in confusion. He nods his head. Miranda glances down at Pam again. She grimaces. MIRANDA Shouldn't we move her or something? It's not right to just leave her there. Alex grabs her hand, squeezes it. ALEX We'll take care of her... but first let's find Eddie. Alex and Miranda move quietly up the stairs. Daniel stands for several seconds longer, staring at Pam's body. Alex whispers to him from the middle of the staircase. ALEX Come on. Daniel finally tromps loudly up the stairs behind them. Alex turns around and gives him a signal to be quiet. INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY The three of them check the bedrooms, flashlight in hand. They cautiously open one door then another. Daniel goes for the bedroom where Chloe and Garret lie dead. ALEX No Daniel. We already checked that side of the hall. Daniel stops, turns back toward them. On the opposite side of the hallway, Alex opens the last remaining door. A reflection in the bureau mirror someone in the adjoining bathroom. Alex strains to see without entering the room. ALEX Eddie? You in here? Behind Miranda, Daniel giggles, then clamps his hand over his mouth. Miranda turns and stares at him, her eyes incredulous. INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS Alex enters first, with Miranda behind until Daniel gets too close, then she hurries toward Alex. Alex angles toward the bathroom, motions for Miranda to halt. With his back pressed against the wall he takes a deep breath, then turns quickly into the - BATHROOM Alex releases a horrified grunt and stumbles. He drops the sword, falls on his rear and scoots backwards. Daniel calmly walks into the bathroom doorway. He looks at the scene dispassionately, giggles. DANIEL He wasn't much fun. He turns to leer at Alex and then Miranda, who stands a few feet away, in the bedroom. The candle casts eerie shadows across Daniel's face. DANIEL Ashley... now she was fun... squealed like a little piggy. Alex gapes in horror. He crab walks further away from Daniel. FROM THE BEDROOM Miranda stares in disbelief, confusion. Stunned, she stands frozen. Understanding dawns on her. Her face twists in terror. She runs for the door. BATHROOM Alex screams, rushes toward Daniel. He shoves Daniel hard, into the bath tub, past Eddie's body. Eddie's body flops around like a pinata. Alex snags the sword from the bathroom floor, where he'd dropped it. He turns and runs from the room. INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS Alex catches up with Miranda. In an instant footsteps sound behind them Daniel in pursuit. Daniel reaches out, snags Miranda's shirt. She shrieks and pulls away. Alex, with Miranda keeping step hit the landing running. They take the stairs in a rush, two at a time. At the bottom of the stairs Alex trips, stumbles. Miranda falls, straddling Pam's body. She screams. Alex yanks her up and to the-- BASEMENT Alex slams the door closed behind them and latches it. A moment later a knock on the door. Miranda covers her mouth to stifle a whimper of fear. There's another knock and another - growing harder each time. The door begins to shake at the hinges. Suddenly the knocking stops. O.S. Something rubbing against the door, as if the person on the other side is stroking it. Then there's low, hoarse laughter. Alex grips the sword tight, raises it in front of him. Miranda grabs his forearm, a pleading look on her face. She shakes her head at him. He pulls away, steps over to the door and presses his ear against it. Silence. O.S. Footsteps retreating back up the stairs He turns to Miranda and breathes a sigh of relief. He runs a hand through his hair and heads back toward her. He whispers. ALEX Okay... he's gone. All we gotta do is hang out here 'til somebody comes to check on us. Miranda scoffs, shakes her head in disbelief. MIRANDA And how long do you think that will be Alex? Everybody else is in the same boat we are - snowed in. She huffs and leans back against the wall. She rubs her eyes hard, pulls her knees into her chest and sits with her head in her hands. MIRANDA Nobody's coming for us. Alex looks deflated, leans back against the wall and thumps his head on it a couple of times. ALEX I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. Alex glances down at the sword in his hand. O.S. A loud chopping noise. DANIEL (O.S.) I hate you, Alex. You and your friends. . . WHACK! DANIEL (O.S.) ...always laughing at me. WHACK! Miranda screams. DANIEL (O.S.) You guys think I'm stupid. WHACK! DANIEL (O.S.) Well I showed you. OUTSIDE THE DOOR Daniel takes a deep breath, grunts. . . The hatchet in his hand hits the door with a powerful thud. INSIDE THE BASEMENT Wood splinters. Alex jumps. Miranda screams and covers her ears. O.S. The chopping noise again and again. The tip of a hatchet peeks though the wood, around the lock. The hole gets bigger, with each blow. Alex runs toward the door, sword ready. He screams and shoves the sword through the hole. O.S. A loud groan. Alex pulls the sword back through the hole. It's covered and dripping with blood. His brows furrow, his breathing labored. He stumbles back, bumps into Miranda. The chopping starts again. Miranda screams repeatedly. Alex clinches his teeth together, screams with rage and fear and lunges for the hole in the door again. Again, the sword is covered in blood. O.S. Something slides down the door and then a thud. Silence. Miranda looks at the blood dripping from the sword. She closes her eyes, cries softly, and slides down to the floor in a heap. Alex waits for several seconds, stares at the hole in the door. He approaches, leans down to peer through the hole - nothing but the empty stairway. He slowly slides the lock, then opens the door. Miranda stands, wobbly and delirious, makes her way next to Alex. They both stare down at Daniel's body, stabbed twice through the lower part of his stomach. His chest is still, no rise and fall from breathing. Alex shakes his head, brows furrowed. He turns to Miranda. ALEX I thought he was harmless. I can't believe this. It doesn't make any sense. He shoves Daniel's body a couple of times with his foot. No response. Miranda turns her head up to the ceiling, closes her eyes and mouths a prayer. Alex hands her the flashlight, grabs her free hand. They step over Daniel's body. Miranda pauses before they head up the stairs, out of the basement. She pulls her hand away from Alex. MIRANDA Wait. I know this sounds crazy... She runs a hand over her face roughly, wiping away tears. MIRANDA Can you stick him a couple more times? Please? ALEX What? MIRANDA You know how it is... you gotta make sure the killer's dead. ALEX This isn't some stupid horror movie Miranda. That's my brother laying there. MIRANDA Step brother. ALEX Whatever. He's not breathing okay. He's dead and I killed him. Alex tosses the sword to the floor, inside the basement. The handle of it breaks off and rolls across the concrete. MIRANDA I'm sorry. Look I'm just saying - my dad was in Vietnam. I've heard his stories a million times... confirm the kill. ALEX So you want me to stab him a few more times... because your Daddy says so? What the fuck Miranda? Miranda huffs, takes a step into the hallway. MIRANDA Never mind okay... we just need to find a phone. There has to be a regular, not fucking cordless one somewhere in this house. Alex's eyes linger on Daniel for a few seconds, then he tromps up the stairs behind Miranda. MONTAGE Alex and Miranda search the house. They dig in dresser drawers. They search in closets. INT. ATTIC - MOMENTS LATER Old toys, furniture and boxes litter the floor. The ceiling and corners are thick with cobwebs. Alex kneels down, shines the light on one of the boxes. The label reads "rummage sale". He scoffs and shakes his head. Miranda rips open a dusty box, while Alex shines the light inside. They dig through it - old clothes, stuffed animals, pots and pans, etc. They do the same with several more boxes. Finally, Alex finds a regular phone. Miranda squeals and kisses him hard on the cheek. MIRANDA I think I love you. They smile and celebrate for a few seconds. INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER Alex plugs the phone in, puts the receiver to his ear. He frowns, looks over his shoulder at Miranda. She holds the flashlight for him to dial. MIRANDA Oh no... no, no, no. Please don't tell me the lines are down. Alex jiggles the phone cord, presses the button a few times. A wide grin spreads across his face. ALEX Got it. Miranda jumps up and down as Alex dials. OPERATOR (ON PHONE) Nine, one, one. What is your emergency? Alex fills the operator in. . . OUTSIDE The snow falls heavy in a torrential wind - trees swaying and snapping. INT. BASEMENT STAIRWAY - CONTINUOUS Daniel lies on the floor motionless. Blood seeps from his stomach wounds, through his clothes, and mingles with the puddle of it he's lying in. Suddenly Daniel's thumb twitches. His hand forms a fist. INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS Alex hangs up the phone, turns to Miranda who stares at him expectantly. ALEX They're sending an ambulance and the police but it may take a while. The roads aren't all clear. MIRANDA Yeah... I guess your step brother was a little too busy tonight. She scoffs, runs a hand roughly through her hair. MIRANDA Maybe you should call your dad. Alex's eyes narrow, his brows furrowed. He sighs. ALEX Oh God... What am I gonna tell Suzanne? Alex, grim, nods and points toward the refrigerator. ALEX Hand me the number. Miranda takes a couple of steps forward. O.S. Feet shuffling. Miranda whirls around, gasps, grabs Alex's arm. Her eyes widen. Alex cocks his head, listening. A dark blur swings through the air. A piece of wood from the basement door crashes against the back of Alex's neck. He falls to the floor, unconscious. Miranda shrieks, looks down at Alex, then at Daniel - the piece of wood clenched in his hand. A maniacal smile stretches across Daniel's face. His clothes are soaked with blood. He holds the piece of wood up over his head, moves toward Miranda. She holds the flashlight tight in her hand. Tears fall down her cheeks. She swings the flashlight at Daniel, walking backwards. He advances slowly, ducks out of the way and giggles. MIRANDA No! God.. What do you want from me? Please... please just leave me alone! Daniel lunges at Miranda teasingly. She jumps and gasps. Her back is now pressed in the corner of the wall and the counter top. He laughs. Miranda screams and sobs. MIRANDA No! What did I do? I never laughed at you.. never! I told them to stop. Daniel stops. He cocks his head sideways, looks confused. MIRANDA Yes. Remember? You were listening. It was me that took up for you. Miranda forces a smile. MIRANDA I would never make fun of you. You didn't deserve that. They were awful to you. Daniel's eyes soften. He takes a step toward her. She raises her trembling hand and touches his face, strokes his cheek. Daniel closes his eyes, enjoying her touch. He sniffs her hand and then licks it. Miranda draws her hand back, horrified, drops the flashlight from her other hand, onto the counter top. It rolls around, casting light on them intermittently Daniel's expression hardens again. He drops the board from his hand, grabs her wrist. He presses himself against her and runs his hand over her breasts. With his other hand he opens and fumbles in a drawer of silverware, grabs a huge butcher knife. He draws it back, ready to strike. Miranda screams and pleads. From behind, Alex silently grabs the piece of wood from the floor, slams it into the back of Daniel's head. Daniel looks stunned. A trickle of blood runs from his ear. He turns around, stumbles a few steps and drops the knife. He grabs his head with both hands, whimpers. Miranda picks up the knife, starts toward Daniel's back, a look of determined hatred on her face. Daniel lunges, grabs Alex around the throat. Alex coughs, struggles for air as Daniel squeezes tighter and tighter. There's a wet, slicing sound. Daniel blinks his eyes several times. Blood drips from the corner of his mouth. He falls to the floor to reveal that Miranda was behind him. The knife juts from his back. Alex coughs, his hand at his throat, stumbles over to the counter to retrieve the flashlight. He shines it on Daniel. Daniel lies face down. His legs twitch violently. He gurgles on his own blood, takes one deep, struggling breath, then lies motionless. Miranda kneels over Daniel, stares at Alex for a second, tears rolling down her cheeks. She plunges the knife into Daniel's back... again and again. She drops the knife, runs to Alex, sobbing. A few moments later, Alex goes to a cabinet, withdraws a table cloth. Miranda twirls her hair vigorously. She pulls her hand away and it's full of hair - fallen out from all the twirling. She stares at the hair in her hand for a moment, horrified. She comes out of her stupor as Alex starts to cover Daniel. MIRANDA Wait. Alex looks at her, confused, glances down at Daniel's body. MIRANDA Is he dead? I mean... are you sure he's dead this time? Alex lays down the flashlight, turns Daniel over with some effort. Miranda steps closer. Alex places a hand above Daniel's nose and mouth. He pauses, staring at all the blood on Daniel's clothes. He leans over, listens for a heart beat. He nods to Miranda, then covers Daniel with the table cloth. The edges of the cloth soak up his blood. EXT. HOUSE - EARLY MORNING The wind and snowfall have ceased. The morning sun has begun to melt the snow on the ground. Police cars and an ambulance sit in the driveway, lights but no sirens on. Alex sits on the front steps of the house, a blanket wrapped around him. He watches, eyes not blinking, as body bag after body bag are loaded into the ambulance by PARAMEDICS. AT THE AMBULANCE Grant and Suzanne stand beside it. The last body bag to roll by holds Daniel. The top of it is still unzipped, revealing his face. Suzanne shrieks, reaches out and grabs the bag. She crumbles to her knees, sobbing. Grant places a gentle hand on her shoulder. He glances over at Alex. O.S. Female mumbling Alex hangs his head for a few moments. When the ambulance doors close, he turns his attention to Miranda. She is too far away for him to hear. Miranda sits on a fallen tree, twirling her hair, a blanket wrapped around her. She's being questioned by a POLICEMAN, not in uniform but in a suit, with a badge on his coat. Alex stares at her for several moments. FEMALE OFFICER (O.C.) Son? Alex, did you hear me? Alex blinks a couple of times, lifts his gaze to the eyes of the FEMALE OFFICER, standing in front of him. ALEX What? FEMALE OFFICER Do you have the phone numbers and addresses of all your friends? He turns his gaze back to Miranda, mumbles. ALEX Yeah. The address book by my computer. FEMALE OFFICER You two got real lucky you know. Alex doesn't look at her. His gaze shifts from Grant and Suzanne at the ambulance, to Miranda. ALEX Yeah... lucky. ON THE FALLEN TREE Miranda stares down at her hands, shaking, covered with blood and her own hair. INT. AMBULANCE Body bags cover the floor, piled three deep. The sound of breathing and the low rumble of the engine fill the vehicle. Daniel's body bag, now closed, rises and falls a few times, at the area over his nose and mouth. EXT. HOUSE - CONTINUOUS The ambulance siren turns on and it pulls away. FADE OUT
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