VIRUS-99 (6 page horror short) by Rob Herzog

The quarantine for a deadly virus is over, but the trouble has just started for a man keeping his bizarre family on permanent lockdown.

There was some serious talent on display here on Simply Scripts during its May One Week Challenge. For those visiting and checking out this review, the theme of the One Week Challenge was a pretty relevant topic in today’s world – the COVID crisis. The participating writers had one week to write a 2-6 page screenplay centered around this theme that could realistically be shot during these strange times of social distancing. The results of the challenge saw some very impressive entries across various genres, reflecting our own personal experiences as well as many topics and stories we’ve all seen on the news.

When the writers of the entries were revealed, it was no surprise that Rob Herzog, who has a panache for exploring the deepest, darkest depths of human nature, was the author of one of my personal favorites, the very dark and twisted, VIRUS-99.

What I found really unique about this story in particular was that it didn’t take place DURING the quarantine, but rather POST quarantine, exploring the lingering psychological effects that months of isolation can have on a person.

This twisted tale opens with protective father and husband, William Butler, talking to his sister Erica over the phone. Disheveled and haggard, he looks like a guy who hasn’t left the house in a very, very long time. Though the quarantine has been lifted, William isn’t quite convinced that all is safe, keeping himself and his family on lockdown. Ever the conspiracy theorist (like many during this lockdown), not only does he believe that it’s not safe out there – but he truly believes that there’s something rotten going on. But his sister, Erica, tries to convince him otherwise…

            ERICA (VO)
Go check your window. You’ll see people
outside. The quarantine’s been lifted.

You can’t really blame the guy for being a little paranoid and overprotective. This quarantine is pretty unprecedented, at least in our lifetime. And it can be very difficult to make the distinction between what to believe and what not to believe based on the information we’re given through the news media.

But as we spend more time with William, we find that his paranoia is a little more disturbing than we’re initially made to believe… bordering crazy.

            WILLIAM
Erica, I know that it’s not really you
I’m talking to. You’re a computer-generated
deep fake. You sound like my sister, but
you’re not.

Convinced that his REAL sister is dead, William hangs up on his concerned sister (or sister’s doppelganger), who is determined to come over and talk some sense into her nutso brother.

As if William couldn’t seem any crazier, we really see just how off-the-reservation he might beas he’s cooking up some grilled cheese sandwiches for his wife, Wendy, and his three children. But, rather than actual people sitting at the dinner table, there’s stuffed dummies dressed as his family with facial expressions drawn on pillow cases. Which makes us wonder what happened to his REAL family?

Speaking to them as if they weren’t inanimate, stuffed objects, William prepares them for his “fake” sister’s arrival with a very strange and memorable pep-talk/monologue about the movie, “Apollo 13” – William is 100% certain that an ambush is about to go down.

I won’t reveal TOO much, but just to give you a clue as to how this story may or may not play out, allow me to go back a few sentences in this review where I mentioned – we really see just how off-the-reservation he might be… emphasis on might be.

Very unique and very dark, Rob Herzog’s “VIRUS-99” explores the depths of our paranoia during these strange times, suggesting that some of that paranoia might not sound as insane as others may think.

BUDGET: Shoe string. This would be about as easy as it can get to film with only one location and one on-screen actor.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Rob Herzog is a Chicago screenwriter. He has sold two short scripts and won prize money in two small screenwriting contests. His short horror script Creak and Shriek was produced in 2019 by Mad Dreamer Entertainment and can be viewed on various platforms like Amazon Prime, YouTube and Vimeo. He has a master’s degree in English composition from Northeastern Illinois University. Rob can be reached at: robherzogr (a) hotmail.

Read: VIRUS-99 (6 page horror short)

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*This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.

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About the Reviewer: Michael J. Kospiah is the award-winning screenwriter of critically acclaimed indie-thriller, The Suicide Theory (79% Rotten Tomatoes – available on Amazon Prime, Itunes, Google Play, etc) and 2020’s upcoming Aussie thriller, Rage. His horror feature, They Never Left is currently in development.

Dear Abby by Ashley Hamilton

Haunted by tragedy, a young woman struggles to return to normalcy.

It’s common to take for granted just how easy some of us have it. We pass folks in the store, on the street, or even have brief encounters without knowing what struggles some people may be going through. Every person has a story, and some of those stories are tragic.

Twenty-five year old, Abby Miles has experienced tragedy. As a result, she suffers from a variety of mental issues, and it’s held her back. But she has worked hard, and is determined to push through it. Abby is a strong female protagonist, who courageously decides to make up for lost time and attend college, even reside in a dorm. Her new roommate, Becky however, makes a snap judgment based on Abby’s age and appearance. She relays her thoughts to a friend:

            BECKY
She’s sooo weird!…. And Old!

            BECKY
She dresses like an Amish man. OMG

When Becky leaves for the night, we watch as Abby’s fears surface and her emotional issues fight to take over. You’ll find yourself wondering, is she just too far gone to have any kind of normal life? Is she delusional? Is she haunted by her past, or is it really coming back to get her? Abby’s strength will make you root for her, her struggle will make you sympathize. She is complex, and troubled…and you’ll find yourself just wanting her to be okay.

Mental illness is a silent struggle, and ABBY portrays that beautifully. This is a short drama that offers an excellent opportunity for a female lead to showcase many sides of herself.

Budget: This can be filmed on a very low budget, in basic locations like a bedroom.

About the Writer: Ashley Hamilton is attached to direct and star in the horror film Gothic Harvest.

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This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.

About the Reviewer: Marnie Mitchell-Lister has creative A.D.D. Some of her writing can be read here: BrainFluffs.com. Some of her photography can be seen here: marnzart.wordpress.com.

INITIATION (14 page suspense short) by P.H. Cook

A young black man, ready to celebrate his promotion and proposal to his girlfriend, runs into a young white girl with sinister intentions.

Though the COVID crisis continues to dominate today’s headlines, there’s one unfortunate news story that came to mind as I was reading Pia Cook’s hard-hitting, racially-charged, white-knuckler, “Initiation”.

Recently in New York City, in an area of Central Park popular amongst birdwatchers called, “The Brambles”, a white woman named Amy Cooper called in a false report to police, claiming she was being assaulted by Christian Cooper (no relation), an avid birdwatcher and member of the board of directors for the New York City chapter of the Audubon Society – he also happens to be African American.

In this area of Central Park, it’s mandatory that dogs must be leashed to preserve the safety of the bird population. This was a rule that Ms. Cooper was neglecting with her own dog despite signs being posted. As I’ve mentioned, Christian is an avid birdwatcher who was merely reminding her of this rule. She, however, decided to escalate matters, threatening to call the police on the “African American man”, as she made it a point to repeat several times. Luckily, Christian, calm as can be, was able to record the whole altercation as Ms. Cooper called the police and, while sounding as distressed as possible, falsely accused this “African American man” of assaulting her and her dog (which she proceeded to choke while on the phone).

Again, luckily, Christian recorded the whole incident and no arrests were made – many would argue that the young woman SHOULD have been arrested for calling in a false report. And luckily, Christian was also a well-known and well-respected pillar of the community. But what would have happened if he hadn’t recorded everything? What if he wasn’t a known figure? Far too often throughout history we’ve seen these false, racially-charged accusations result in innocent black men senselessly being thrown behind bars. And, unfortunately, many times these false accusations have escalated into incidents that have ended in tragedy.

In “Initiation”, Cook’s protagonist, a successful young African American man named Nico is unfortunately faced with the reality that many young black men, such as Christian Cooper, face everyday.

What starts off as a day of celebration, Nico has just been named the new national marketing director of his company. Financially stable enough to afford that wedding ring for his girlfriend and soon-to-be-wife, he plans on finally proposing to her later that night. Getting ready for a night of romance, he stops by the store to pick up some flowers, wine and other necessities that might come in handy on a night like this.

But, as he leaves the store and gets into his car, he’s surprised by a 14-year old white girl named Amara, who invites herself into his vehicle, sitting in the passenger’s seat. What does she want, exactly?

“Just drive,” she tells him. Baffled, Nico does what any ordinary person would do and tells her to get the hell out. Unfortunately for him, he’s a 34-year old black man in a car with a 14-year old white girl. And she uses this as leverage.

            AMARA
You throw me out of your car, I’m
gonna point at you and yell rape.
As loud as I can.

            AMARA
Who do you think they will believe?
Me or you?

Trapped in what seems to be a lose-lose scenario, Nico has no choice but to do as she says. But what exactly does she want? And why is she doing this?

The tension throughout this story is very difficult to bear at times. Part of the reason is because it’s sadly, all too real, reflecting issues that are unfortunately still relevant in society today. And though we, as a society, have come a long way in regards to racial equality, this story accurately shows that we still have a very long way to go.

BUDGET: Low. Two main actors and mainly a car (with a few other easily accessible locations).

ABOUT THE WRITER: Born and raised in Sweden, P.H. Cook started writing in 2006. She now has written over 100 shorts scripts and 15 features. Many of those have been produced. She also directs some of her own shorts and hopes to be able to direct a feature some day. She can be reached at gatortales – “AT” – gmail.

Read: INITIATION

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About the Reviewer: Michael J. Kospiah is the award-winning screenwriter of critically acclaimed indie-thriller, The Suicide Theory (79% Rotten Tomatoes – available on Amazon Prime, Itunes, Google Play, etc) and 2020’s upcoming Aussie thriller, Rage. His horror feature, They Never Left is currently in development.

Geek (7 pages in pdf format) by Cindy L Keller

Unable to get help and without hope, a bullied boy is pushed to a morbid end.

Jesse sizes himself up in the mirror while he washes off his blooded knuckles. His face is bruised but not as bad as his soul. His glasses are broken, and this isn’t the first time. Guilt sinks in as he begins blaming himself. Jesse can’t seem to find help from his teachers, his principle…even from his own parents. With no hope, Jesse writes a suicide letter and heads to the garage with a rope cinched into a noose. On his way to end his pain, his arch enemy shows up. Curt, the bully, mouths off and a fight ensues.

What I love about this story.
Oh Irony. When Jesse finally wins, he really still loses. I really care about Jesse and want him to find help. It’s both a sad and strong story that will either make you cry or make your blood boil. Use of voice over is done well over strong images. This was a clever way to tell the story making us FEEL Jesse’s pain.

Why this SHOULD be produced.
It’s a story that needs to be told a zillion times to make people aware. A hard but attractive subject for festivals, this script is also budget friendly with only one location.

Production: Budget – low; Characters – 1 main, 6 extras; Location – 1 location

About the writer: Cindy Kellor is an award-winning screenwriter. She’s been a finalist at Page, finalist at Gimme Credit, Sixth place winner at American Gem, and the winner of Hellfire’s Short Horror Contest. She has had two shorts produced, and has more shorts and features available for production. Cindy can be reached at skyburg (a) hotmail

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This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.

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About the reviewer: Dena McKinnon is an optioned and produced screenwriter who also writes on assignment. Her IMDb credits. She can be reached at: girlbytheshore (a) hotmail.

On the Unproduced Scripts page are the twenty two scripts of the June One Week Challenge.

Theme: Future Shock
Genre: Horror SciFi
Challenge: Stories inspired by a scary future. Micro-horror shorts with a view to being budget-friendly.

Visit the Discussion Board for the details.

– Don

BRIDGES (4 page short drama script) by James Austin McCormick

A suicidal man is comforted by a stranger but soon begins to suspect he might be better off without her help.

Self-preservation isn’t only a natural, human instinct, but it’s also an instinct deeply ingrained in pretty much every species on earth. Just by existing, pretty much every living orgasm on Earth is automatically programmed to sustain that existence – by surviving.

But, the human mind, although the most sophisticated of all species – at least on Earth, that we know of – can be quite fragile due to our unique emotional complexities. I guess it’s a gift and a curse?

Anyway, life is hard. As everyone surely knows, not everything goes our way. And I’m sure that we’ve all hit our own personal versions of rock bottom a time or two in our lives. Life, in itself, is an emotional roller-coaster – the highs can be very high and the lows can be incredibly low. And when those lows are incredibly low, sometimes our emotions can get the best of us. And our fragile, sophisticated psyches can be our own worst enemies – driving some to make a very unfortunate decision that completely goes against our natural, self-preservation instincts.

In James Austin McCormick’s disturbing drama, Bridges, Joe is at a low point in his life. Perhaps going through a mid-life crisis, the 40-year-old man, tired and beaten down, is at such a low point in his life that he’s seriously considering ending it all.

Standing at the edge of a bridge, Joe still isn’t sure if he’s going to go through with it or not. As he smokes a cigarette, weighing his options, perhaps he’s searching deep down for a reason not to do it. Or maybe he’s just waiting for someone to talk him out of it.

“Are things that bad?” a pale woman passing through asks him randomly.

At this point, Joe’s probably heard all the generic advice he can take. And, despite maybe looking for a reason not to jump, he’s still cynical.

            JOE
Let me guess.

But Joe doesn’t quite get the answer he was expecting… or looking for.

            PALE WOMAN
Not at all. Life’s cruel, unfair. So many
problems, so many pressures. It’s just so
unbearable. And there’s no escape.

Sheesh! Not exactly the person you’d call up for advice when you’re feeling down, is she?

The random stranger continues to give Joe some really terrible advice, doing her best to talk him into taking that life-ending leap. Flabbergasted, Joe has no idea what this strange lady’s agenda really is – perhaps a little reverse psychology? Or is it something much more sinister?

As if her ill-advised persuasiveness wasn’t unexpected enough, it’s at this point that the story moves into an even more unexpected direction. Though the story’s tone is pretty grim, it’s very sharply written with a neat twist.And we really do feel for the Joe character who, unfortunately for a lot of people, is all too relatable.

If you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts or know anyone who is, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.

BUDGET: Shoe-string. 4 actors, 1 outdoor location.

ABOUT THE WRITER: James Austin McCormick is a college lecturer and compulsive writer of speculative fiction with many short stories published in various anthologies along with novellas and novels published with Class Act Books. As a screenwriter, James has consistently placed high in international competitions and, along with a co-author, has had three feature-length horror scripts optioned by K5 films. With a long list of short-length scripts, James also collaborated with talented writer, Annabel Grace, on the produced short, In the Silence. You can find his works on the Internet Speculative Fiction Database. James can be reached at: jimbostories (a) hotmail.

Read: BRIDGES

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*This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.

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About the Reviewer: Michael J. Kospiah is the award-winning screenwriter of critically acclaimed indie-thriller, The Suicide Theory (79% Rotten Tomatoes – available on Amazon Prime, Itunes, Google Play, etc) and 2020’s upcoming Aussie thriller, Rage. His horror feature, They Never Left is currently in development.

Creak and Shriek (8 page short, horror in pdf format) written by Rob Herzog

An eight-year-old boy struggles for answers when his horror sound effects record starts playing on its own in the middle of the night.

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DEAR GOD, I QUIT – LOVE SATAN (9 page short comedy script) by Jay Williams

When Satan hands in his resignation letter, God is forced into an impossible situation

What if God one of us? Just a slob like one of us? Just a stranger on a bus… trying to make his way home?

That’s what singer/songwriter Joan Osborne asks us in her insanely catchy 90’s pop song, “What if God Was One of Us”. If even you didn’t grow up in the 90’s, love it or hate it, I’m sure you’ve heard it before.

For obvious reasons, this song played in my head after just finishing Jay Williams’s sharp-witted comedy short, “Dear God, I Quit – Love Satan”. While Joan Osborne’s song asks us what it would be like if God was, indeed, one of us, Williams explores the scenario further… while also asking the same question about God’s rival, the Prince of Darkness himself, Lucifer.

In “Dear God, I Quit – Love Satan”, God is a slob like one of us (to answer Joan Osborne’s question)… and a drunk… and a gambling addict.

The story opens outside of a storefront on the Vegas strip where we meet Godfrey – God in human form. Unshaven and unwashed, Godfrey looks like an old homeless man, muttering profanities to himself while glugging down a bottle of whiskey. It’s been a rough go in Vegas – not only is he hammered… but he’s also broke.

That’s when his friend, Lou, sharply dressed and doing much better than his counterpart, comes to the rescue like any friend would. If you were wondering, yes, Lou is short for Lucifer. And, yes, on Earth, he and God are friends.

            GODFREY
Oh Lou, is this how it ends?
How did it ever come to this?

We then cut to heaven, long before God became Godfrey and lost everything in the casinos.

This version of heaven doesn’t seem very heavenly – here, we don’t see angels playing harps with halos over their heads while riding on puffy clouds. This version of heaven looks much like an office you’d find your accountant working in. But maybe a lot less organized and a lot more filthy. Apparently, even in heaven, God is a slob like one of us.

A pile of paperwork in front of him, God seems just as stressed as any nine-to-five office worker. I guess we really were created in God’s image…

That’s when Lucifer arrives to conduct their weekly session where they discuss the balance of good and evil.

            GOD
OK, I’ve enabled a couple of
new strains of penicillin.

But, as their session continues, Lucifer breaks some news to his counterpart, handing him a letter of resignation. Bored of his duties, Lucifer has also “seen the light”…

But to truly be relieved of his duties, Lucifer needs God’s forgiveness first. But God isn’t so sure. After giving it some thought, God comes up with a plan – that he and Lucifer head down to Earth in human form. If Lucifer demonstrates good behavior and shows him that he has indeed changed, God will forgive him. But forgiveness comes with some serious consequences…

Packed with pithy dialogue and fantastic chemistry between God and Lucifer, “Dear God, I Quit – Love Satan” will make you do what any good comedy SHOULD do… laugh. And especially with the world where it is right now, God knows we could all use a good laugh.

BUDGET: Low. Two actors, two locations.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Jay Williams is a UK-based writer working in theater and movies. You can read more of his work right here on Simply Scripts. Jay can be reached at: jaywilliams120671 (a) hotmail.co.uk

Read Dear God, I Quit – Love, Satan.

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*This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.

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About the Reviewer: Michael J. Kospiah is the award-winning screenwriter of critically acclaimed indie-thriller, The Suicide Theory (79% Rotten Tomatoes – available on Amazon Prime, Itunes, Google Play, etc) and 2020’s upcoming Aussie thriller, Rage. His horror feature, They Never Left is currently in development.

Skip (3 pages in pdf format) by Gary Howell

A woman finds it difficult to communicate with her mother, but will that change when her great-granddaughter comes for a visit?

Jane drops her daughter, Sophie, off with Anna, her mother, Sophie’s grandmother. Sophia sings an old but memorable jump rope song. Anna recognizes this old song and chimes in. They sing together as Sophie jumps.

And the generations don’t stop there! Anna takes Sophia along to the retirement home to visit Gloria, Anna’s mother, Sophie’s great grandmother. Anna wheels Gloria out into the garden. She tries to talk with Gloria, but we learn Gloria has lost her memory. However, as Gloria takes interest in young Sophia, a smile comes to her face and for that moment, her memory is reawakened by the chant of the old jump rope rhyme, Cinderella dressed in yellow… and just when we think her memory is back, Anna asks Gloria if she recognizes her. But it is a very sad moment when Gloria doesn’t respond.

This is a sad but sweet story that would be super low budget and easy to produce. It’s a strong piece that everyone can relate to. No matter our age, we all know time is something we cannot stop or even turn back without a time machine but it’s part of life.

Things I love about Skip:

I love the way the writer scans over four generations weaving the jump rope rhyme throughout. We see youth in Sophie, the middle aged always-on-the-go in Jane, the gracefully aging Anna and then Gloria who is in a state of waiting for death to come. I super love the way the writer touches our heart at the end when we see that Sophie has left her jump rope in Gloria’s lap. This story makes a reader appreciate each stage of life. It is also chock full of female cast which is hot right now, and it’s a story I think could wow a lot of festivals!

Production: Budget – low; Actors – four and one extra; Locations – 2

About the Writer: Gary Howell is an attorney by trade, but a writer at heart. He has written several shorts, one of which was recently produced, “Country Road 12” that stars Dee Wallace (“E.T.”, “Poltergeist”). He has also co-written with Rick Hansberry a dramedy, “According to Plan”, that was optioned with Josh Monkarsh of Traffic City Productions, and is in development. He has had a manager reach out regarding representation after a drama pilot, “Bounty,” has performed well in a couple of competitions.

Recently Gary and Rick started working on a new script together (“Lake Regret”) and they’re blogging about the process from beginning to end, including the marketing and hopefully eventual sale and production of the script. You can read about their efforts at www.lakeregretmovie.com.

Gary enjoys writing both comedy and drama, and leans towards indie-themed pieces that are character driven. He enjoys reviewing scripts and providing advice and constructive criticism to other writers, and would welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with any producers/directors looking to work with him on any type of project. Gary can be reached at: GaryMHowell (a) gmail.

Read Skip (3 pages in pdf format)

This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.

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About the reviewer: Dena McKinnon is an optioned and produced screenwriter who also writes on assignment. Her IMDb credits. She can be reached at: girlbytheshore (a) hotmail.