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COLD SNAP
written by
Brett Gilwee
He was cleaning fish by the lake shore about five o'clock in
the evening, an hour, that is, before the search party
returned, when he saw this shadow of the guide picking its
way weakly into camp. In advance of him, he declares, came
the faint whiff of a certain singular odour.
That same instant old Punk started for home. He covered the
entire journey of three days as only Indian blood could have
covered it. The terror of a whole race drove him.
Algernon Blackwood - "The Wendigo" (1910)
"COLD SNAP"
BLACK SCREEN:
The sound of HOWLING WINDS slowly build and begin to assault
our ears.
We hear a faint DRAGGING sound under the layers of winds -- a
body slowly dragging itself across the unmistakable earth of
rock, twig, and packed snow.
The DRAGGING stops and we hear the MUFFLED WHIMPERING of a
YOUNG GIRL for the first time. We associate the unique
distress in her crying with only one emotion: absolute
terror.
FADE IN:
INT. CRAWLSPACE UNDER AN OLD CABIN -- NIGHT
We open on an EXTREME CLOSE UP of the YOUNG GIRL'S face --
-- dirty and smeared with blood. The tracks of her tears run
down her cheeks through the mess. Her eyes dart back and
forth like a cornered animal. She is trembling.
Under the filth, we can see that she is of a dark complexion
and has black hair -- features common of Native North
American Peoples. She looks no older than (13).
CRASH. There is a sound of WOOD SPLITTING and a heavy THUD.
The young girl's eyes go wide with fright.
The slivers of light that spill through cracks in the
hardwood floor above her are suddenly blocked by something
entering the front room of the cabin -- something massive.
A guttural GROWL is accompanied by heavy FOOTSTEPS across the
cabin floor. The young girl covers her mouth but can't
prevent the shivering that has possessed her freezing body.
The massive thing above her begins to SNIFF across the
hardwood floors -- searching. It is a strong and desperate
sound, like from the snout of a starving bear.
The SNIFFING gets closer to the young girl's hiding place
under the floor. It builds and builds until we feel it is
directly over us. The girl closes her eyes tight -- the
tension is unbearable.
Finally, it is broken by the sound of clothes RIPPING and a
massive CRUNCH, followed by an awful sound of flesh TEARING
from bone.
Suddenly, steaming warm blood spills through the cracks in
the hardwood floor and pours on to the young girl's face. She
can do nothing but remain perfectly still but inside she is
screaming.
There is a THUD as the thing's "meal" is finally dropped on
to the floor.
It's massive FOOTSTEPS move across the room above the young
girl and fade away into the night. The outside winds continue
to HOWL through the smashed doorway.
The terrified girl wipes away the fresh blood pooling on her
cheeks and slowly drags herself across the snow to the
opposite end of the crawlspace.
She waits a moment and listens -- nothing -- only the HOWLING
WINDS and CREAKING TREES from outside.
Slowly, she begins to push up a trap-door above her.
She raises the door only an inch and looks from left to right
across the cabin's hardwood floor -- suddenly finding herself
face to face with the wide-eyed stare of a fresh corpse.
Her BROTHER'S eyes stare back at her like giant moons. His
neck is twisted at a horrible angle. Blood runs freely from
the corner of his mouth and nose through the floor.
The young girl's whimpering starts again but she manages to
choke back her tears and begins to squeeze herself through
the trap-door opening.
INT. OLD CABIN, FRONT ROOM
It is a scene of horrible carnage. Blood is everywhere.
The girl's brother's twisted body lies next to a rifle and
her FATHER, or what's left of him, lies in pieces around the
room. His abused torso has been disemboweled -- exposed bone
and half-eaten flesh litter the floor.
A dirty rug in the corner of the room rises and the young
girl slips out from the trap-door underneath and crawls
across the floor. We see now, for the first time, that she is
bare-footed and dressed in a long flannel slumber shirt.
Her hands slip in fresh pools of blood as she stands up and
replaces the rug over the entrance to her hiding place.
Frozen shock is all her body is capable of as she surveys the
scene.
Her father's remaining right leg looks half-eaten under his
shredded jeans and a major exposed and torn artery continues
to pump out the last of his fluids.
YOUNG GIRL
Daddy?
No answer. The girl begins to cry again which quickly
intensifies into an uncontrollable sob. Her body shakes.
Suddenly, a GUTTURAL SHRIEK comes out of the woods.
A VOICE
Reeeaaaaaccckkk!
It is a horrible, almost human, cry that sends ice-cold
shivers down the young girl's spine who suddenly realizes she
has given herself away.
The girl covers her mouth and races out the front door of the
cabin into the snow-covered wilderness outside.
EXT. DARK WOODS OUTSIDE CABIN, SOMEWHERE IN THE CANADIAN WILD
The girl races down a pathway where the snow is packed from
heavy foot traffic. She is almost hysterical now with fear --
she pants like a woman possessed.
A VOICE
Reeeeaaccccckkk!
The cry seems closer now -- ECHOING among the trees. The girl
spins around but finds nothing in the dark woods that close
in around her. Her cabin is now only a pin-prick of light
deep in the woods.
The girl spins back around and continues running down the
packed snow path.
A VOICE (CONT'D)
Reeeeaaccckkk!
Closer now. The girl spins around and around.
Is the thing in front of her? Behind? In her hysteria she
becomes disoriented and pushes off the path into the woods --
struggling through a waist-high snowdrift.
The girl begins to slow down considerably as she wades
through the snow and her limbs begin to freeze up.
A GROWLING now seems to grow louder behind her but she keeps
fighting forward -- distraught and terrified.
YOUNG GIRL
(crying)
Why are you doing this?! Why are you
doing this to me?! Just stop!
Her only answer is another guttural GROWL. The limbs of trees
SNAP somewhere in the dark behind her.
YOUNG GIRL (CONT'D)
Stop, please!
The girl takes another step and falls forward in the deep
snowdrift. She looks down at her bare feet -- frozen blue and
unresponsive.
For a moment, it seems she is perfectly safe and hidden. The
snowdrift around her provides a little sanctuary. Only the
treetops and the stars above can be seen from her hole in the
ground.
The girl muffles her crying. Her face is already turning blue
and pasty. Her black hair is now matted with an icicle like
sheen.
The massive FOOTSTEPS of the thing CRUNCHES through the snow
behind her. Her teeth CHATTER and her body TREMBLES as she
pulls her knees to her chest and tries to remain perfectly
still.
Silence. The cold winds HOWL through the trees above.
Suddenly, the girl's body is lifted off-screen. There is a
SCREAM followed by a loud CRUNCH.
Blood splatters across fresh snow like a Jackson Pollock. Her
lifeless body is dropped on to the earth and we see that her
throat has been ripped clean out.
Her head remains attached only by shards of a spinal cord and
a few veins. Her eyes remain frozen in wide terror.
We contemplate this brutal image for a beat and then the
girl's body is dragged away off-screen, leaving a trail of
red smear across the snow.
And just like that, the terror is gone and once again, the
trees are left alone in peace. The wind HOWLS.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ROADHOUSE BAR, UPSTATE NEW YORK -- NIGHT
Behind the good 'ole boy bar is an American flag fastened to
a Harley Davidson mirror. Tanned girls in bikinis stare coyly
back at us in Michelob, Bud Light, and Corona posters.
INSERT TITLE: Two Weeks Later
Mounted from the ceiling below a web of cheap Christmas
lights, a TV set blares the local nightly news in-between
sports scores.
NEWSWOMAN
(on TV set)
Authorities and Park Rangers in Canada
have now officially called off their
search for Emily Ehrstrom...
A photo of the young girl in the previous scene is shown on
screen as two ugly LOCALS, in grimy trucker hats, get up from
their stools and make their way down the length of the bar
toward two TEENAGE GIRLS seated at the elbow.
One of the girls, PORTER (19), watches the newscast with
concern. Her friend, CHRISTINE (also 19), seems distracted
with something else.
NEWSWOMAN (CONT'D)
(on TV set)
...the young girl who went missing after
the brutal Grizzly attack that took the
lives of her older brother and father at
their cabin just northeast of Ottawa.
Their deaths marked the second attack
this winter in what Canadian Park Rangers
speculate is the work of starving bears,
whose food supply has been greatly
diminished due to current climate
changes.
A newsroom graphic that reads: "freezing temperatures",
replaces the photo.
NEWSWOMAN (CONT'D)
(on TV set)
Search and rescue teams and volunteers
abandoned their efforts earlier today
due, in part, to a record breaking cold
front that is now making its way across
the lakes and will, most likely, paralyze
the region for the next few days.
To continue, one Ranger said, "would be
extremely dangerous and an exercise in
futility."
Christine and Porter look out of place here with their
healthy complexions and salon styled hairdos.
Porter is a natural beauty while Christine goes for the smoky
eyes look -- her whole get-up is something of a mega-mall
Jessica Simpson knock-off, in fact.
Both of the girls are not drinking. Porter looks positively
uncomfortable in this dive establishment.
As the newscast continues with a weather report in the
background, we follow Porter's gaze toward her boyfriend,
JARED (22).
A Lance Corporal, Jared sports the typical white-wall haircut
of a U.S. Marine. Porter watches him with concern as he
drinks a beer and plays a sports trivia game in a far corner
of the bar.
The two locals saddle up next to the two girls. One twirls a
toothpick in his teeth. Christine, annoyed, narrows her gaze.
LOCAL #1
Hi'ya doin' ladies? Let me buy you two
starlets a drink. What'd'ya have?
Christine, whose attention is obviously somewhere else, keeps
staring past the two men. She waves them off without even a
look.
CHRISTINE
(southern accent)
Go git, loser.
LOCAL #1
What did you call me?
Christine ignores him.
LOCAL #1 (CONT'D)
Hey, I'm talkin' to you, girly.
Christine finally shifts her eyes toward the angry local and
burns a bitchy look at him while making an "L" with her thumb
and index finger.
The other local pulls his friend by the sleeve and drags him
back down the bar.
LOCAL #2
C'mon, George.
George turns to the BARTENDER who watches the two with
amusement.
LOCAL #1
Since when did your bar go Lesbo, Phil?
We follow Christine's gaze out toward the tables and toward
her own boyfriend, TOMMY (21), who plays pool against a
pretty local woman in a flannel shirt and jeans. We will soon
come to know her as ADELE (27).
Christine's smoky eyes narrow again, she is clearly pissed
off.
CHRISTINE
(southern accent)
Would you look at him, Porter. What a
little shit.
Porter shifts in her bar stool. She appears uncomfortable to
the whole situation.
PORTER
(southern accent)
Christine, we've come all this way. We
had to meet her, ya know.
Christine keeps her eyes focused on her boyfriend like a
hawk.
CHRISTINE
Well, Tommy never said anything about a
"her". Sneaky shit.
ON TOMMY:
Christine looks on in the background as Tommy carefully lines
up a shot into the corner pocket. Tommy looks up from his cue
and gives Adele a playful wink and a coy grin before slamming
the nine ball home.
ON CHRISTINE AND PORTER:
CHRISTINE (CONT'D)
There, you see? He's flirtin', the
bastard.
Now Tommy, indeed, seems engrossed in Adele -- he chats her
up while passing her the pool stick. Both their hands linger
for a moment on the cue -- fingers caress.
Christine fumes. Porter groans.
PORTER
Calm down, Christine, they're only
talkin'.
Tommy glances back at his evil-eyed girlfriend at the bar and
quickly returns to playing the straight man, realizing he's
been caught.
CHRISTINE
(incredulous)
Right.
ON TOMMY AND ADELE:
After a final shot, Tommy steps over to the bar. In the
foreground, Adele counts a handful of bills under the pool
table.
BACK TO THE BAR:
Christine is still stewing as Tommy approaches.
TOMMY
(southern acccent)
What?
Christine folds her arms in disgust.
CHRISTINE
You know what.
Jared approaches Tommy. He has a serious business-like look
on his face, although, he pretty much always does.
JARED
(southern accent)
Well, how'd it go?
Tommy glances back toward Adele who waits by the pool tables.
TOMMY
(to all)
We're on. She's got a car that will take
us the rest of the way.
This news seems to brighten up Christine's mood a bit.
CHRISTINE
Good. I'm not ridin' on any more buses.
It's so trashy.
TOMMY
(to Jared)
Finish up. We meet out back in five.
Jared gulps down the last of his beer and moves off toward
the bathrooms.
JARED
I need to use the head first. I'll meet
y'all outside.
ON ADELE:
Adele watches Jared with interest as he crosses past the pool
tables. He is a bit rigid in his soldier like way, but tall
and handsome, none the less.
The rest of the group move off toward the bar's exit.
Adele racks her pool cue and follows Jared into the Men's
Room.
INT. ROADHOUSE BAR, MEN'S ROOM
Jared is busy relieving himself at the john as Adele sneaks
into the bathroom. They are alone.
She quietly closes the door behind her, tip-toes across the
floor, and "dead-legs" the back of Jared's knee -- making him
nearly piss on himself.
JARED
Hey! What's wrong with you?
Adele laughs and leans coyly up against the bathroom sink.
ADELE
(seductively)
Hi. I'm Adele.
Jared zips up his fly and flushes.
JARED
I know. The French "Canuck". We spoke on
e-mail.
Adele slides across the sink a few inches so that Jared can
wash his hands. Her proximity makes him uncomfortable.
ADELE
So that was you?
Jared nods.
ADELE (CONT'D)
Hmm. I knew it. Those passages couldn't
have been written by your friend Tommy
out there. He's a charmer, but... not a
whole lot going on upstairs, if you know
what I mean.
Jared gives her a look and tries to move off toward the
doorway but Adele jumps up and blocks his path, still being
catty with him. Jared, annoyed, looks her over suspiciously.
JARED
What do you want?
ADELE
I have what I want. But I'm curious...
(suddenly intense)
...how does it feel to abandon your
country when you're at war?
Adele's unexpected shift is like a blade thrust into Jared's
heart. If she wanted to get under his skin -- she just
succeeded. Jared's eyes narrow.
JARED
It's not my war, and I have other people
to think about.
ADELE
(coy again)
Yea, I noticed, she's pretty.
Adele's eyes grow intense once more. They probe over Jared
like a hunter's.
ADELE (CONT'D)
But what about your fellow soldiers?
Won't you be leaving your friends over
there to go on without you?
Jared explodes -- he seizes Adele's shirt collar and pins her
up against the bathroom wall. He seethes at her through
gritted teeth.
JARED
Lady, you have no idea what kind of
discipline and strength of character it
takes to soldier in the Marine Corp. Who
do you think you are judgin' me?
Adele just laughs at him, not the least bit intimidated.
ADELE
Well, I admit to you freely that I flunk
badly in way of character, but...
She grabs Jared's hands, squeezing hard, and slowly removes
them from her shirt with an extraordinary surprising
strength. Jared winces as his hands turn red.
ADELE (CONT'D)
(evil now)
...I am stronger than you can ever
imagine.
Adele pushes Jared away from her in disgust just as a local
hick enters the bathroom. He looks confused as this woman in
the men's room blows past him and out to the bar.
As the man finds himself an empty toilet stall, Jared leans
on to the bathroom wall, remembering...
FLASHBACK TO:
INT. SOLDIER BAR, NORTH CAROLINA -- NIGHT
God and country western music blares from an old jukebox in
the corner. Tommy, Jared, and three other MARINES in civies,
are poured a round of shots of cheap Kentucky whiskey.
The boys are drunk -- it seems to be the end of a long night.
A Marine puts his hand on Tommy's shoulder, swaying back and
forth, and raises his shot glass.
MARINE FRIEND #1
(to Tommy)
To the best fuckin' Hum-Vee driver this
side of... of... oh, fuck it, kill some
hajis for us and don't stop for nuthin'!
MARINE FRIEND #2
(to Tommy and Jared)
Yea, good luck in the sandbox, assholes.
MARINE FRIEND #3
(to Tommy)
Happy twenty-one, old man.
The boys clink glasses and knock back their shots -- all of
them grimacing with that horrible whiskey face.
TOMMY
(to all)
One more. I'm buyin' this time.
Jared sets his glass down and looks over to his brother,
WALLY (28), seated at a table by himself and smoking.
Jared walks over and sits down opposite him. Wally does not
look amused, in fact, he looks down right depressed -- the
weight of the world on his mind.
JARED
You want another drink, Wally?
Wally picks up an empty bottle in front of him, contemplates
it, sets it down and shakes his head. He inhales his
cigarette deeply as he looks over his younger brother.
WALLY
(southern accent)
I don't know what yur doin'.
JARED
What?
WALLY
What do you think yur gonna do over
there? Hmm? Ya think you'll make any
difference at all?
Jared sobers up a bit, playing the tough Marine -- a family
tradition.
JARED
I'm gonna serve my country. Just like you
and Pa did.
WALLY
Serve? Ya serve the interests of a bunch
of arm chair politicians is what ya
serve. I can't believe after everything
I've told you, yur still bearin' ta ship
out. Christ.
Jared watches his brother light another cigarette. He see's a
defeated man before him -- cheated of life.
WALLY (CONT'D)
Gettin' killed? That's not even the worst
of it. You wanna end up like Hank? In a
wheelchair and in operations for the rest
of yur life?
(beat)
The doctors say he'll never have any more
kids, but that don't make no difference
no how, 'cause that boy's face ain't ever
gonna be right.
Jared's armor begins to loosen as his brother's intensity
sinks in -- parting knowledge from a man who knows.
WALLY (CONT'D)
There's nuthin' you or I, or anyone can
do to stop them folks from killin' each
other. Shit. To this day, I don't know
what I was doin' over there. Stop loss?
(shakes his head)
I'd never go back. Never.
(beat)
Maybe you should think about that
girlfriend of yours, 'cause there ain't
nuthin' more important on this earth than
bein' a father. Hank knows that now, but
he had to learn it the hard way.
Wally stubs out the last of his cigarette and gets up from
the table. Jared is almost near tears, he is so conflicted.
WALLY (CONT'D)
Tell Tommy happy birthday for me.
Jared watches Wally exit and turns to Tommy seated on a stool
at the bar. Tommy sips a beer and nods to Jared --
understanding his pain.
INT. MARINE BARRACKS, CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA -- DAY
Jared is alone. Rows of empty and neat bunk-beds surround
him. He finishes packing away a pile of civilian clothes into
an olive green duffel bag. His look is grim.
He straightens the bedding on his own bunk, as every soldier
does, to a perfect tight fit, and then fastens a padlock on
his foot locker for the very last time.
The top of the locker reads: LCpl Hollands
Jared takes in the lonely scene for a moment. MARINES can be
heard beyond the windows conducting DRILL. Finally, he
straightens himself up, picks up his duffel, and walks out.
INT. BARRACKS, HALLWAY
A group of young marines are standing in line waiting for
their turn at a pay-phone.
A frustrated SCRAWNY MARINE is currently on the phone -- he
tries to shield his call from three other BULLY MARINES who
are growing impatient.
SCRAWNY MARINE
(into phone)
No. No, I won't be making it home for
Christmas. It is my job, ma.
BULLY MARINE #1
Hurry up, scum-fuck!
The scrawny kid covers his hand over the receiver and turns
to the others.
SCRAWNY MARINE
Do y'all mind? I'm on the phone with my
ma.
BULLY MARINE #2
Get off the phone, doucher.
The scrawny kid continues with his call as Jared appears in
the hallway.
SCRAWNY MARINE
(into phone)
Yea, I'm here.
The first marine tries to yell into the receiver over the
poor kid's conversation.
BULLY MARINE #1
Your son takes it up the ass, Mrs.
Bergman!
The scrawny kid lets out a long breath, exasperated.
SCRAWNY MARINE
(into phone)
Nah, it's just a few of the guys from my
unit, ma...
The second marine flicks the back of the kid's ear while he
attempts to swat him away. The kid scowls at him.
SCRAWNY MARINE (CONT'D)
(into phone, a double meaning)
...really, there's no one I would rather
go to war with.
The marine picks up on the sly-joke and blows the kid a kiss.
Jared passes the group trying his best to look inconspicuous
but one of them hollers out to him.
BULLY MARINE #2
Hey, Hollands. You goin' to chow with us?
Jared stops and looks back at the young marine. He searches
for the appropriate words for a beat.
JARED
No. I have to take care of some business
with my girl before tomorrow.
BULLY MARINE #2
(juvenile excitement)
I hear that, sir. I have to take care of
a little business of my own, if you know
what I mean.
The marine playfully punches the scrawny kid in the kidney
who flinches.
BULLY MARINE #2 (CONT'D)
If the douche here ever gets off the
phone.
Jared forces a smile for him.
JARED
See y'all tomorrow then.
BULLY MARINE #2
Ooh-rah, sir. We are going to kick some
ass.
JARED
(half-hearted)
Ooh-rah.
Jared turns and continues down the hallway as the marine
playfully punches the kid on the phone again.
EXT. BUS STATION, ON A DESOLATE PART OF HIGHWAY 17 -- DAY
Jared's cute girlfriend, Porter, is seated on a bus bench
next to some luggage at an outdoor station. She appears
anxious as she chews on her nails and pushes a pebble around
in the dirt with her feet.
After a few moments, Porter looks up and spots Jared walking
down the road toward her -- his duffel slung over his
shoulder.
She jumps up from the bench and runs to him, throwing her
arms around his neck. They kiss.
JARED
You came.
Porter hugs him tighter.
PORTER
Of course I did. I love you. Whatever you
decide... I understand.
JARED
What about school?
PORTER
I told you, Bob Jones University isn't
goin' anywhere. I've been thinkin' about
what you said, and you're right. Our
family should come first, always.
(beat)
I've pledged myself to you, Jared, I'm
not gonna leave you.
Tears almost well up in Jared's eyes. He hugs her and kisses
her again. A Greyhound bus approaches their stop. Raleigh is
in its final destination window.
JARED
Come on. We're meetin' Tommy in three
hours. We don't have much time.
Jared walks with Porter back to the bus stop. The bus comes
to a halt and opens its doors. Jared quickly helps load
Porter's bags before they board.
The bus pulls out on to the highway in a cloud of dust.
(END FLASHBACK) BACK TO:
EXT. BACK LOT, ROADHOUSE BAR -- NIGHT
Tommy and the three girls are already waiting at Adele's car,
a 4WD Subaru, when Jared approaches.
It is a cold December night out -- Porter and Christine stamp
their feet on the gravel to keep warm.
Jared helps Tommy pack the last of all their luggage into
Adele's trunk.
ADELE
(to the boys)
All set?
Jared nods and looks over at Adele suspiciously. She seems to
be letting on as if their conversation in the men's room had
never existed. Porter senses something is wrong.
TOMMY
Yea, that's the last of it. Let's get a
move on.
Everyone climbs into the car -- Adele in the driver's seat --
Tommy in the passenger's.
INT. ADELE'S CAR
Adele starts up the engine and cranks up the car's heater.
The girls shiver in back. Adele lights up a cigarette as she
waits for the car to warm up and the windshield to defrost.
TOMMY
(cupping his hands for warmth)
What's your plan?
ADELE
No plan.
Tommy shoots her a confused look.
ADELE (CONT'D)
We're not driving up to North Korea, you
know. This is my car, it's registered in
my name. It's got Canadian tags. They
have no reason to be suspicious.
Adele puts the car into gear and pulls out of the lot and on
to a secondary highway. Tommy doesn't seem so sure about
this.
TOMMY
(incredulous)
Okay.
ADELE
Relax. Canadians drive back and forth
across the border all the time. Most
people come down to fill up their tanks
or buy cigarettes. It's no big deal.
Tommy turns and looks over everyone squeezed into the back
seat. He gives Jared a "whatever" shrug -- Jared does not
look happy.
EXT. CORNWALL BORDER CROSSING, UPSTATE NEW YORK / CANADIAN
BORDER -- NIGHT
Cars up ahead are cleared through the border crossing one by
one by CANADIAN BORDER PATROL OFFICIALS.
INT. ADELE'S CAR
Adele pulls the car forward as she patiently waits for her
turn on the road que -- she can sense everyone is growing
nervous as they near the crossing.
ADELE
(to Tommy)
Just be cool and trust me.
Finally her turn, Adele pulls the car forward to a CANADIAN
BORDER OFFICIAL. She rolls down her window and passes the man
her Canadian driver's license.
CLOSE UP on the I.D. : Adele Laroque / Quebec Province
BORDER OFFICIAL
I need everyone's identification, please.
The passengers all shift in their seats nervously but Adele
turns to the back and offers them a reassuring nod.
As the others produce some form of I.D. and pass it forward,
Jared reaches into his wallet and pulls out his U.S.M.C.
military card. He thinks a moment and then quickly puts the
military I.D. away and hands his North Carolina driver's
license up to Adele.
Adele collects the I.D. cards and hands them through the open
window to the official who begins to validate them to the
faces in the car. Christine bats her eyes at the man
seductively.
BORDER OFFICIAL (CONT'D)
Where you all coming from?
ADELE
New York. We were just in the city for
the weekend.
BORDER OFFICIAL
These your friends?
ADELE
Yea. American friends from school.
BORDER OFFICIAL
Mmm-hmm.
The official flips to Adele's Canadian license.
BORDER OFFICIAL (CONT'D)
Any drugs or firearms in the car, Miss
Laroque?
ADELE
No, sir.
The official nods and moves around the car -- quickly
inspecting it, looking into the windows, etc. He returns to
the driver's side window and hands Adele back the I.D.'s.
BORDER OFFICIAL
Thank you, Miss Laroque. Welcome back.
Adele takes the cards, rolls up her window, and pulls through
the border crossing into Canada.
For a long beat, everyone is absolutely quiet in the car. You
could hear a pin drop as the border station becomes a faint
light in Adele's rearview mirror.
Suddenly, the Americans all burst out into cheers -- Tommy
pumps his fist into the air.
TOMMY
Yea!
Jared and Porter share a kiss in the backseat. Adele smirks
as she lights up another cigarette -- their excitement is
infectious.
EXT. ROADWAY, CANADIAN WOODS -- LATER THAT NIGHT
Adele's car climbs up a winding road that cuts through
massive snowed-in trees which cover the landscape. Her car is
the only one on the highway at this late hour.
INT. ADELE'S CAR
The car's radio plays Top 40 hits at a barely audible volume.
The heater continues to blast in warm air. Adele smokes
another cigarette, ashing through a bit crack in her window.
She checks her rearview mirror and watches as Jared's eyes
grow heavy. Soon, he becomes the last to doze off.
Adele glances at Porter who sleeps peacefully in the back
seat. She smiles an evil knowing smile to herself and
continues to drive further up into the mountains.
EXT. OLD ISOLATED CABIN, DEEP IN THE CANADIAN WILD -- LATER
THAT NIGHT
Adele's car pulls up a snow-packed driveway and comes to a
stop in front of an old dark cabin hidden away in the woods
among the trees and snowdrifts.
The gang step out of the car, stretch their limbs, and begin
to unload their luggage from the trunk. Christine looks over
the old spooky place -- she is not impressed.
CHRISTINE
Wonderful.
(to Adele)
I just love what you've done with the
place.
Adele scowls at her as she unlocks the front door of the
cabin -- the door CREAKS as she pushes it across a hardwood
floor that has seen several weeks build-up of dust and grime.
Tommy throws a massive bag to Christine who stands in the
snow staring at the cabin -- arms akimbo.
CHRISTINE (CONT'D)
Ooomph.
Christine, angry, looks back at the others who continue to
unload the trunk.
TOMMY
(to Christine)
Are you too busy to help out? Most of
this shit is yours.
Christine high-steps it through the snow toward them,
frustrated.
CHRISTINE
Now I git why these losers spend hundreds
of dollars to stay the night in an igloo.
Porter gives Jared a look, annoyed.
INT. CABIN, FRONT ROOM
Everyone brings their things in as Adele checks the rooms and
pulls a dusty sheet from a big coffee table made from local
timber.
ADELE
(to all)
This is Henri's place.
He's in Ottawa City on business tonight
but he should be here by tomorrow
morning. There is an extra bedroom in the
back, the rest of you will have to camp
out on the floor.
JARED
(to Tommy and Christine)
Y'all go ahead and take it, I have my bag
with me.
Tommy nods.
TOMMY
Thanks J., you won't see me argue with
you on that.
Tommy leads Christine into the back bedroom, pinching her ass
on the way. Christine swats him away, still annoyed.
CHRISTINE
No T.V.
TOMMY
No radio. Guess we'll just have to
entertain ourselves, huh?
Jared begins to unroll an air mattress and pull a sleeping
bag from his duffel. Adele yawns and walks toward the
staircase.
ADELE
My room is right upstairs. If you need
extra toilet paper, it's under the sink.
JARED
This guy you know, Henri, how good is he?
ADELE
The best. You'll see. He's bringing in
his photography and printing gear
tomorrow, and by this time tomorrow
night, you all will be legal Canadian
citizens, free to go and work wherever
you want.
Jared nods. Porter looks out the room's window with a
concerned look as Adele heads up the stairs.
PORTER
Adele?
ADELE
(annoyed)
Yes?
PORTER
Should we be concerned about any critters
outside?
ADELE
Critters?
PORTER
You know, bears and such.
ADELE
All you have to be concerned with out
here is the F.B.I.'s. There's a camp not
too far from here.
PORTER
F.B.I.'s?
ADELE
Big Fuckin' Indians. Disgusting horrible
people. They've been poisoning these
parts for centuries. You got niggers,
we've got F.B.I.'s.
Porter and Jared share a look, obviously uncomfortable with
Adele's views and language. Adele grins.
ADELE (CONT'D)
Night.
Adele disappears upstairs. Porter tries to remain upbeat,
forcing a smile for her boyfriend. She helps him prepare
their bedding for the night.
INT. CABIN, DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM -- LATER
Christine and Porter are sharing the sink, brushing their
teeth together. They are both dressed in long-johns and
oversized T-shirts. They speak to one another via the mirror.
PORTER
Have you and Tommy spoken about gettin'
married at all?
CHRISTINE
(spits)
Marriage? I wouldn't marry that two
timing scum-dog to save my life.
This makes Porter uncomfortable. She chooses her words
carefully.
PORTER
Just because... I know, y'all are...
intimate, right?
CHRISTINE
(grins)
You could call it that.
PORTER
I mean, it might be fine with you... but,
it doesn't make it right with the Lord.
As Porter leans over the sink to spit, Christine shoots her
an evil disgusted look in the mirror.
INT. CABIN, BACK BEDROOM
Christine enters the bedroom and immediately notices herself
in an old full-length mirror positioned in the corner of the
room. Tommy, already in bed, groans as Christine stops to
admire her cute round ass.
TOMMY
Baby, you're beautiful. Stop that and
come to bed.
Christine grins -- teasing him.
CHRISTINE
In a minute.
INT. CABIN, DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM -- JUST THEN
Porter locks the bathroom door, listens there a moment, and
then begins to rummage through Christine's make-up bag.
She frowns when she discovers Christine's birth control pills
and some random colored condoms. Finally, she finds what
she's after and pulls out an extra tampon from the bottom of
the bag.
As she crosses to the toilet, Porter catches her reflection
in the mirror and stops -- feeling guilty. She quickly holds
the tampon in her palms and says a silent prayer to herself.
PORTER
Amen.
Porter smiles to herself, sits down on the toilet, and begins
to unwrap the tampon -- feeling better.
INT. CABIN, BACK BEDROOM
Christine is still admiring her figure in the mirror. She
pulls up her T-shirt and slowly pulls her long-john leggings
down to get a better look at her bare butt.
CHRISTINE
That girl is one serious prude. When are
those two just gonna shut up and fuck?
TOMMY
When they get hitched, I guess. I told
you, Porter made one of them celibacy
pledges, so I guess they're gonna wait.
CHRISTINE
Well, it makes them downright depressin'
to be around.
Tommy is getting all hot and bothered as Christine bends over
a bit and sticks out her chest.
TOMMY
They're both bad news. We just have to
put up with them 'til we get our
passports, then we're fixin' for Montreal
for some serious partying, babe.
Christine now has her leggings completely off. Still in her
socks, she admires her smooth tan legs now. Her thighs
shiver.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
C'mon. Do a little show for Tom-Tom.
CHRISTINE
(crosses her arms)
Like hell I will. It's fuckin' freezin'
in here.
She runs across the room and quickly gets under the covers --
snuggling next to her boyfriend. She soon finds a surprise
under the blankets. She reaches down further, under the
covers, grinning.
CHRISTINE (CONT'D)
I think your showgirl has found her
circus tent. I wonder if anyone's inside?
Tommy's head arches back -- his body goes rigid.
Christine soon produces Tommy's boxer shorts above the covers
and tosses them to the floor. Tommy grins as she disappears
under the blankets.
Tommy relaxes, waiting for ecstasy, when Christine suddenly
reappears at his chin with an evil look on her face. She
seizes his jaw, forcing his eyes to meet hers.
CHRISTINE (CONT'D)
If even one thought of that French bitch
enters your mind, I'll bite your little
Tom-Tom off.
Tommy nods, of course.
TOMMY
It's all you, baby. You're my girl.
Christine grins and disappears back under the covers.
INT. CABIN, FRONT ROOM
Porter and Jared are stretched out over Jared's air mattress,
sharing his sleeping bag. Jared has his arms wrapped around
her lovingly.
Porter listens to the sounds of a CREAKING bed and
Christine's MOANS coming from the back bedroom.
CHRISTINE
Do they have to be so noisy about it?
Jared snuggles in closer to her.
JARED
Ignore 'em.
(beat)
After tomorrow they can go their own way.
This seems to brighten Porter's mood a bit. Jared reaches up
and kisses her forehead. They both shut their eyes and fall
off to sleep.
EXT./INT. CABIN -- LATER THAT NIGHT
We look on at the exterior of the dark cabin as if from an
omnipresent POV. A light wind HOWLS through the trees.
Snowflakes blow across snowdrifts. All is deathly quiet.
Our POV lingers for a few moments and then slowly circles
around to the side of the cabin and circles back.
We stare at the cabin's front entrance for a beat and then we
PASS THROUGH the door and find ourselves in the front room
with Jared and Porter, sound asleep and snuggled in their
sleeping bag.
Slowly, our POV quietly moves across the front room, down the
hall, and THROUGH the back bedroom door.
Christine and Tommy are fast asleep. Trees bend in the wind,
ever so slightly, outside the bedroom window. A silent night.
FLASH. Suddenly, a large black shape flies past the window
outside in the snow. Christine instantly BOLTS upright in
bed.
She waits there a moment and cranes her head toward the
window, trying to listen. She wipes the sleep from her eyes --
is she seeing things? Was it real? Tommy continues to snore
lightly beside her.
Uneasy, unable to sleep, she creeps out of bed and goes to
the window.
EXT. CABIN -- JUST THEN
We see Christine peer out into the woods from our omnipresent
POV. She sees nothing of interest out here -- all is still.
INT. CABIN, BACK BEDROOM
Chilled, Christine puts her long-johns back on and slips on
her sneakers. She quietly crosses the bedroom and exits out
into the hallway.
INT. CABIN, FRONT ROOM
Christine tip-toes out into the front room where Jared and
Porter are still quietly sleeping. She stops for a moment,
listening -- nothing but HOWLING winds outside.
She crosses the room and peers out the front window -- again,
nothing unusual. Unsatisfied, she gently unlocks the front
door, slowly opens it a crack, and pokes her head outside.
EXT. CABIN -- JUST THEN
We see Christine at the front door from our omnipresent POV.
Again, there seems to be nothing out of the ordinary outside
-- just woods, snow, and darkness.
INT. CABIN, FRONT ROOM
A slight wind blows cold air into the room from outdoors.
Porter shivers and slowly comes awake -- her eyes groggy.
PORTER
(sleepy)
What's wrong?
Christine gently closes the door, forgetting to lock the
bolt.
CHRISTINE
(whispers)
I thought I heard somethin' outside. I
guess it's nuthin'.
PORTER
(frightened)
Is it a bear?
CHRISTINE
Nah. Probably just raccoons or somethin'.
Porter appears relieved at this and falls back asleep,
disinterested.
As Christine tip-toes across the room, another black shape
FLASHES past the front room window -- unseen by both girls.
Christine continues to tip-toe back down the dark hallway,
searching the walls for the bathroom door.
INT. CABIN, BATHROOM
Pitch black.
The bathroom door opens from the hallway creating a sliver of
grey light. There is a long moment of tension as Christine's
hand searches for the light-switch in the dark. Finally, she
finds it and throws it on.
The bathroom is empty -- still, nothing unusual. Christine
crosses the room, sits down on the toilet, and waits.
EXT. WOODS OUTSIDE CABIN -- JUST THEN
The light from the bathroom window can be seen through the
gaps among dark snow-covered trees beyond -- like a beacon --
drawing in evil.
INT. CABIN, FRONT ROOM
Porter is still asleep. Her eyes dart back and forth under
their lids as she dreams peacefully. Jared remains snuggled
next to her in their sleeping bag.
Suddenly, flickers of warm orange light dance across Porter's
face from a source somewhere outside, beyond the window.
We hear a faint CREAK O.S. A cold air blows into the room,
giving Porter a chill and waking her.
As Porter slowly comes to, she can't believe what stands in
the open doorway in front of her: a six foot tall man dressed
in head-to-toe combat pads -- like a "perpetrator" women
would practice on in a self defense class.
The man's face is blacked out by some kind of burned cork or
charcoal. Behind him, lit torches seem to dance about among
the trees outside, silhouetting the man in an eerie orange
back-light. He hides something behind his back.
Porter quickly rubs her eyes -- is it real?
It is. They stare at one another for what seems like an
eternity until the man reveals what he is hiding behind him:
a giant axe. He rushes toward her.
Porter's throat goes dry. She chokes as she tries to scream --
paralyzed by fear. All she can manage is a small whimper as
the man stands above her and raises his axe.
Porter instinctively puts her arm out to protect herself but
it all happens too fast -- the axe swings through the air,
catching itself into her arm and pinning it on to the
hardwood floor.
Finally, Porter SCREAMS -- a blood-curdling horrible scream.
Jared's eyes pop open. He tries to move but one of his arms
is trapped under his girlfriend and the other is deep inside
the sleeping bag. He struggles as he tries to free himself
from his self-imposed cocoon.
JARED
Porter!
The man SLAMS his boot down on Porter's hand, pinning it to
the floor, and again brings the axe down -- this time,
severing her lower arm.
Porter's eyes go wide -- unbelieving. She continues to SCREAM
as Jared squirms in the sleeping bag, catching the zipper on
the material.
JARED (CONT'D)
Help! Help! Jesus!
Christine rushes out of the bathroom but is stopped cold when
the axe-wielding man looks up at her with an evil gaze that
seems to pierce into her very soul. She SCREAMS.
The man quickly picks up Porter's severed arm and rushes out
the front door -- leaving a blood trail across the floor.
Finally free of the sleeping bag, Jared seizes Porter's upper
arm -- the ripped veins in her stump pump out blood
everywhere.
JARED (CONT'D)
Help! Help, me!
Jared looks around, grabs his discarded T-shirt, and quickly
wraps it on to what's left of Porter's arm.
Tommy races into the front room, half-dressed, struggling to
put his jeans on. The scene is horrible --
-- Christine has collapsed near the stairs, sobbing
uncontrollably. Porter's eyes roll back as she begins to
enter a state of shock. Blood is smeared all over the floors.
TOMMY
Jesus Christ!
JARED
Help me, Tommmy!
Porter begins to mutter incoherently like a drunk -- already
becoming detached.
PORTER
Dear god... oh god, Jesus... why is this
happenin'...?
EXT. CABIN -- JUST THEN
The axe wielder walks down the front path slowly trailing
Porter's severed arm across the snow, creating a blood trail
that leads directly into the cabin.
Satisfied, he drops the arm into a packed tire track --
Adele's car is nowhere to be seen.
Points of orange flickering lights begin to multiply
throughout the woods and surround the front of the cabin. As
they draw in closer, we see that they are torches held by
multiple dark shapes.
These shapes, or SPOOKS, all stop in unison when a blood
curdling shriek cries out from deep in the woods.
A VOICE
Reeeaaaaackkkk!
INT. CABIN, FRONT ROOM -- JUST THEN
Too occupied to hear the warning from outside, Tommy and
Jared race around the room tending to Porter's wound.
Porter's face is already turning deathly pallid as Jared rips
another T-shirt in two and ties a piece off around the artery
in her upper arm.
JARED
Quick, Tommy, get me somethin' to tie
this off! She's bleedin' bad!
Tommy runs into the spartan kitchen -- looking for something,
anything -- his head swimming.
TOMMY
What the fuck?! What the fuck?! Fuuuuuck!
Tommy searches up and down -- cupboards, drawers, closets --
nothing but a cheese grater, frying pan, bottle opener -- all
useless.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
There's nuthin' here! Christine!
Christine!
But Christine is of no help. She remains huddled by the
staircase, arms around the bannister for security, shaking
uncontrollably. Her gaze is fixated out the open front door.
EXT. CABIN -- JUST THEN
We are focused on Porter's severed arm on a pool of bloody/
slushy snow.
A GRUNT is heard from somewhere O.S., followed by the sound
of heavy footsteps in the snowdrift. Something approaches the
arm from the woods -- something massive.
Wet steam clouds over the arm for a brief moment and then the
forearm is suddenly dragged away.
We remain focused on the snow as fresh droplets of blood drip
down O.S. and pool up in the red slush.
Something O.S. begins to CHEW on the arm between GRUNTS --
PIERCING skin, RIPPING away tendons, DEVOURING flesh.
Droplets of red begin to pool up faster and faster in the
snow -- a bloody mess.
INT. CABIN, FRONT ROOM -- JUST THEN
Unnoticed by both boys, Christine's gaze remains fixated out
the front door. She mutters to herself -- to anyone --
paralyzed by fear.
CHRISTINE
(whispering)
C...cl...close the d... door. Close
the... door, Tommy.
Tommy still rummages around in the kitchen as Jared holds on
to Porter's arm, tieing off an impromptu tourniquet.
JARED
Get me a stick, a wooden spoon, anything!
Tommy races into the front room with all he could manage: a
plastic spatula.
Jared gives him a quick confused look and then immediately
applies the spatula into the tourniquet -- using it to twist
his knot around and around -- creating a vice on a major
artery.
Porter's blood loss quickly begins to ease but the color in
her face does not look good.
EXT. CABIN -- JUST THEN
Still focused on the bloody snow, we hear a final GRUNT O.S.
and then the bone of Porter's near devoured arm is dropped on
to the ground.
WE DOLLY up from the arm and FOLLOW the trail of blood up the
pathway to the cabin's front entrance. Massive FOOTSTEPS
begin to pounce toward the door.
INT. CABIN, FRONT ROOM -- JUST THEN
Tommy and Jared prop Porter up on to her side into the
"recovery" position.
TOMMY
Christine!
No answer. She remains huddled by the staircase, watching the
horror outside -- paralyzed.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
Christine! What is goin' on?! Where's
Adele?!
Although in a state of severe shock, Christine manages to
point a weak finger toward the open door.
CHRISTINE
(whispering)
There's something out there, Tommy...
there's something out there...
Tommy looks confused but he follows Christine's outstretched
finger toward the door. Upon seeing the front door wide open,
he immediately races across the room and SLAMS it closed.
TOMMY
(to Christine)
What?!
BANG. The front door SHUDDERS, nearly coming off of its
hinges -- sending Tommy tumbling toward the floor.
Tommy bounces back up and throws himself up against the door.
He locks the bolt and leans all his weight against it as if
his life depended on it.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
(scared, to Jared)
She's right...
BANG. The door SHUDDERS again -- wood CRACKS.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
Shit!
A VOICE
(from outside)
Reeeeaaaccckkk!
Everyone pauses for a beat -- chilled down to the bone.
Christine has even stopped crying.
JARED
(grave)
What was that?
Jared finally notices the activity outside the window --
black shapes, holding their torches, close in from the woods
around them. They are fucked.
The brief silence is shattered when the door SHUDDERS again.
Christine breaks from her reverie and begins to SCREAM once
more.
A VOICE
(from outside)
Reeeeaaccckkk!
CHRISTINE
(sobbing)
What is it?!
Tommy's eyes dart around the room.
TOMMY
(to Jared)
The table!
Jared jumps up and pushes the large heavy coffee table toward
the door. With Tommy's help, they barricade it against the
door which SHUDDERS again, BREAKING the top hinge -- dust
flies.
JARED
What is it?! Is he back?!
Tommy shakes his head, panicking. The boys are both braced
against the door now.
TOMMY
I don't know!
A VOICE
(from outside)
Reeeeeaaaccckkk!
JARED
What the fuck is it?!
TOMMY
Whatever it is, it's big! We need a
weapon! Is there a gun in the house?
Jared shakes his head. The door SHUDDERS again.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
Damn it!
(calling upstairs)
Adele!
(to Jared)
Where is that bitch?!
JARED
I have an idea!
Jared grabs his combat boots from the floor and quickly
begins to lace them up.
Tommy watches, wide-eyed, as Jared moves toward the staircase
and begins STOMPING out the banister -- SPLITTING the wooden
beams.
A VOICE
(from outside)
Reeeeaeaccccck!
Suddenly, we begin to hear a strange CHANTING from outside.
It builds in volume, building to a crescendo, all around the
cabin.
TOMMY
Hurry up, man!
Jared finally pulls two boards free. They are the size of
baseball bats. He hands one with exposed nails on the end to
Tommy and leans back into the door which SHUDDERS again and
SPLITS -- breaking apart.
Tommy and Jared share a look and push off the door, their
"clubs" ready -- waiting for the inevitable fight.
The front door finally begins to come apart as the massive
thing outside TEARS through.
Jared and Tommy share a look and then look at their pitiful
weapons -- no contest.
Jared races across the room and hoists Porter's good arm over
his shoulders as Tommy pulls Christine up from the floor.
Porter is in a horrible state of shock now -- shivering,
pale, her lips blue.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
(to Christine)
Let's go!
The boys lead the girls up the staircase as the thing outside
SMASHES through the front door. Wood and splinters fly --
they don't have a moment to lose.
A VOICE
(from outside)
Reeeeeackkkk!
JARED
(to all)
Come on!
They all climb up the stairs to the second floor.
INT. CABIN, UPSTAIRS
Our group turn down the hallway toward a bedroom door.
TOMMY
Adele! Adele!
Christine holds on to Tommy's hand for dear life. She
continues to blubber a mantra that no one is listening to.
CHRISTINE
It... it ate her arm, Tommy. It ate the
arm...
Jared tries the bedroom door but it's locked from the inside.
JARED
Get back!
Jared takes a step back and kicks the door open -- the lock
SMASHES to bits.
TOMMY
Adele!
INT. CABIN, UPSTAIRS BEDROOM
The group race into the room and find the window wide open
and the bed still made. There is no sign of Adele.
A VOICE
(from downstairs)
Reeeeeaccckkk!
There is a CRASH from downstairs and then the distinctive
sound of the coffee table being shoved across the floor.
CHRISTINE
(trembling)
It's inside...
Jared leads the others toward the open window.
JARED
This way, come on!
EXT. CABIN, WOOD SHED ROOFTOP
Jared climbs out of the window and on to the lower rooftop.
Christine follows.
Tommy hands Porter through the window, guiding her into
Jared's waiting arms -- her head bobs back and forth as if
her neck were made of rubber.
As Tommy drops down on to the snow-covered roof, he notices
fresh tracks that lead off the roof and up into the woods
beyond the cabin -- Adele's tracks.
TOMMY
Fucking, bitch.
EXT. CABIN
Jared has already slid off the end of the roof and into a
deep snowdrift.
JARED
Help me, Tommy.
Tommy and Christine help lower Porter down and then climb
down themselves. The CHANTING near the front of the cabin
grows louder -- coming their way.
CRASH. SMASH. The thing inside the cabin has already found
its way upstairs -- it begins to tear Adele's room apart --
searching for its prey.
A VOICE
Reeeeackkkkk!
Chanting black shapes move like shadows among the trees --
they begin to circle around the cabin toward the back.
Jared throws Porter's good arm over his shoulders while Tommy
struggles through the deep snowdrift ahead -- packing the
snow down and blazing a trail for the rest.
TOMMY
This way, hurry!
EXT. WOODS BEHIND CABIN
It is hard going. The gang is high-stepping through the deep
snowdrift like desperate madmen.
Without his shoes, Tommy's wool socks begin to collect the
snow and freeze -- in fact, everyone is under-dressed and
without jackets. They have all put themselves at the mercy of
the elements in their haste to escape the cabin.
Adele's window SHATTERS O.S. behind them. Black shapes in the
b.g. struggle through the snow after them. Fear induced
adrenaline pushes our heroes on.
Tommy passes over two criss-crossing tracks in the snow as he
makes his way toward the treeline. Are they being surrounded?
Their progress is slow. Everything seems to be moving in slow
motion as they are pursued. Our heroes begin to shiver as the
cold sets in.
CHRISTINE
I'm freezin', Tommy...
Jared, pouring sweat, begins to fall behind. He hoists Porter
back up on his shoulders. She looks horribly woozy, drained
of color, and still slurring her words.
PORTER
Where are we...? ...Jared...? I wanna a
grilled-cheese, Mommy... I want... gr...
TOMMY
(to Jared)
Come on, keep going!
Suddenly, two black-hooded SPOOKS leap out from behind the
trees.
In the darkness, the two faceless shapes look like two monks
-- eerie. They rush toward Tommy -- their arms stretched out
toward him. Christine SCREAMS.
Tommy brandishes his wooden club as the first spook lunges
toward him. Tommy steps aside and uses the spooks momentum to
throw him down. Tommy raises his club above his head...
The second spook wraps his arms around Tommy but not before
Tommy swings the exposed nail end of his "bat" down --
impaling the back of the first spook's skull.
Tommy struggles with the second man. The spook fights dirty --
ripping and scratching at Tommy's face from behind with long
yellow fingernails.
WHACK. Jared's "club" connects with the side of the spook's
head, sending him reeling.
The man bounces back up, dizzy. Jared pursues him with his
club over his head -- SCREAMING like a madman -- nervous
energy boiling over. The man quickly flees into the woods.
Jared doubles-back and pulls Porter back on to his shoulders.
Tommy, adrenaline still pumping, is attempting to pry his
"bat" from the back of the first spook's head -- he pulls
this way and that but cannot seem to get his weapon loose.
The man's skull oozes red puss and brain liquid into the
snow.
JARED
Leave it, c'mon!
Tommy tosses the club and gets under Porter's opposite
shoulder -- sharing the weight with Jared.
Christine, in a state of shock, nearly passes out when she
gets a good look at the spook corpse -- skull matter bubbling
up. Tommy pulls her along with his free hand, into the trees.
TOMMY
C'mon, Christine, let's go! You've got to
keep it together!
The gang disappears into the trees as the torch carrying
"shapes" gather up in the woods behind them -- waiting for
something.
A VOICE
Reeeeeackkkkk!
EXT. WOODED HILL -- MINUTES LATER
Our gang stumbles over a crest in the trees. Vapors from
their breath trail behind them as they suck in the winter
air.
Cold sweat drips down Tommy's and Jared's faces as they
continue to carry Porter. Without jackets, their frozen
bodies begin to shiver violently now.
They pick up the pace as they use the snow and ice on the
slope to slide down through the trees.
Christine follows. She continues to look over her shoulder
nervously.
TOMMY
Are they back there?
No answer. Tommy grunts under Porter's weight.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
Christine! Are they followin' or not?
CHRISTINE
(coming to)
I... I don't know..., maybe.
It's obvious Jared's energy is draining -- every new step
becomes more difficult than the last -- the cold sapping his
strength.
JARED
We gotta get her to a hospital, Tommy.
The tourniquet is helpin', but, she's
lost a lot of blood.
Tommy struggles ahead, frustrated.
TOMMY
I know. I know! I'm movin' as fast as I
can.
(beat)
Fuck! We're in the middle of fuckin'
nowhere!
(an afterthought)
In Canada! Who were them twisted fuckers,
and what was that fuckin' thing!
JARED
It was a set-up. Adele set us up.
Tommy registers this for a beat.
TOMMY
That fuckin' cunt!
Another afterthought -- shouted to the trees -- to no one.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
And I want my money back, ya hear?!
JARED
Calm down, this ain't helpin'.
(an idea)
Christine, where's your cell phone?
CHRISTINE
I... I left it at the cabin.
This makes Christine start crying even harder.
JARED
Tommy?
Tommy shakes his head.
TOMMY
No. But for some reason, I seem to
remember runnin' for my life at the time.
JARED
Alright. Okay. Just don't come apart on
me. We're Marines.
Tommy's teeth CHATTER. Ice cold sweat runs down the back of
his neck. He SHIVERS uncontrollably. They are all slowing
freezing.
TOMMY
I'm a Kentucky boy. I'm not cut out for
this kind of shit, man. We've got to get
indoors.
CHRISTINE
Look!
The boys follow Christine's outstretched finger to a small
pin-prick of light deep in the woods -- another cabin.
JARED
Thank the Lord. C'mon.
The gang quicken their pace through the trees. As they get
closer, they can see that the chimney atop the lonely place
billows forth smoke from a fireplace within -- warmth.
INT. DAVE'S CABIN -- NIGHT
DAVE (38) is seated on an old dirty couch between his
fireplace and a rusty radiator that runs on full blast,
making an uncomfortable CLANKING noise.
He is naked save for a pair of boxer shorts, a sweat-stained
trucker hat, and a pair of unlaced boots. Beer cans and
snacks litter his coffee table.
ON THE TV in front of him, a bad pornography film plays out
via a VCR.
Dave is a typical back-woods Canadian -- an avid hunter of
all sorts -- gets work where he can.
ON THE TV: A sexy naked couple (we see them from the waist
up) caress. The MAN ON PORN FILM picks up a can of whipped
cream.
As we PAN AWAY back to Dave, watching intently from his
couch, we hear the SHRHHHT of the whipped cream being
discharged.
MAN ON PORN FILM (O.S.)
There's no leaving the table until you
finish your dessert.
WOMAN ON PORN FILM (O.S.)
Ha-ha-ha..., ooh, yummy...
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. There is a loud desperate knock on Dave's
front door, followed by...
JARED
(from outside)
Hello!?
Dave remains seated on his moldy couch, stunned and confused.
DAVE
Hello?
Jared and the others, trembling horribly, burst through the
front door and into the front room. Dave jumps up and reaches
for his rifle propped in the corner.
DAVE (CONT'D)
Whoh!
Jared and Tommy blow past Dave and carry Porter to the couch.
They lay her down on top of some discarded Hustler and Barely
Legal magazines.
DAVE (CONT'D)
Hey! What do you think you're doin'?!
Dave is a sight: confused, scared, his rifle out in front of
him -- half-naked. Tommy keeps his distance from him with his
hands up.
TOMMY
Easy there. We just need to use your
phone.
Christine turns toward the TV. Suddenly, everyone pauses as
they realize that there are two people fucking in the corner
of the room. The radiator CLANKS away.
MAN ON PORN FILM (O.S.)
Do you like my cooking? Tell me I'm the
best.
WOMAN ON PORN FILM (O.S.)
Oooh, god, you are the best, Mr. Charles.
(through gritted teeth)
You're the fucking best.
The dialogue is followed by the O.S. sound of wet SKIN
SLAPPING and MOANS and GROANS.
Dave's face turns bright red. He continues to point the rifle
at Tommy, warily.
DAVE
Look, uh, you kind of caught me at a bad
time here, eh.
Tommy looks over at Porter -- she is not doing well -- still
sweaty and extremely pale. Jared wipes her face with his
shirt sleeve, trying to console her.
TOMMY
(to Dave)
Yea? Well it's about to get worse.
Dave now notices Tommy's southern American accent.
DAVE
What're you, from down south? Jesus
Murphy.
(motions toward Porter)
What's with her? Is she overdosing or
somethin'?
Jared gently rolls Porter over on her side -- her bandage is
a bloody mess.
Dave nearly jumps out of his boots when he see's her stump
for the first time. He cocks the rifle and backs away into a
corner.
DAVE (CONT'D)
(to Jared and Tommy,
accusingly)
What the hell happened to her?!
Jared ignores him and begins to loosen Porter's tourniquet.
Christine continues to repeat her mantra...
CHRISTINE
(to no one)
It ate it... it ate the arm...
DAVE
What?
(to Tommy)
What the hell did you feed these girls?
You boys are dosin'!
Dave looks especially frightened now. He raises the rifle
again.
TOMMY
(calm, even voice)
Sir, we're not on any drugs. I promise.
We just need to call an ambulance right
away.
Dave darts across the room and grabs the phone from the wall
-- he holds the receiver to his chest as he waves his rifle
about.
DAVE
You all better first tell me which one of
you hosers is responsible for this!
Jared finally turns to him.
JARED
(calm)
It wasn't us. We were attacked.
CHRISTINE
(still a nutcase)
It ate the arm...
Tommy's expression makes it clear that he finally seems to
acknowledge this -- the unthinkable.
DAVE
This is nonsense! I'm callin' the police.
Suddenly...
A VOICE
(from the woods outside)
Reeeeeacckkk!
Everyone freezes. The cry seems far away but it is still
enough to chill everyone down to the bone. Christine begins
to tremble.
CHRISTINE
Ohmygod... ohmygod... ohmygod...
A VOICE
Reeeeaacccckkkk!
Christine cracks. In a state of paranoid confusion, she races
across the room and through the back door of the cabin.
DAVE
Not that way!
Tommy runs after her. Suddenly, we hear a CRASH and Christine
SCREAM O.S.
EXT. BACK OF DAVE'S CABIN
Jared races out the back door after Tommy but Dave seizes him
by the back of the collar and SHOVES him against the cabin
wall -- we quickly see why:
Immediately under the back door is a giant pit-trap.
Christine struggles as she attempts to free herself from a
sharpened wooden pungy stake that has impaled three inches
into her ass.
We see she has slipped into the freshly covered pit feet
first. She dangles there and CRIES -- her outstretched toes
barely touching the frozen muddy ground below.
Tommy stands nearby, above the pit, his hands on his head --
this is too much. Dave releases Jared and looks on.
DAVE
Christ!
Dave disappears back into the cabin while Jared and Tommy
climb down into the pit.
Christine keeps struggling but she is really stuck -- she
GROWLS/CRIES through the pain. The boys get under her arms.
TOMMY
Okay, on three. One... two... thr...
They attempt to lift her above the spike, but it's useless --
Christine just CRIES louder. Dave reappears with a shovel --
he throws it to Jared.
DAVE
Here. You can dig her out with this.
Jared quickly goes to work -- breaking up the frozen ground,
while Tommy consoles his girlfriend.
TOMMY
It's okay, baby. It's okay. We'll get you
offa' this.
Christine GROWLS at him. Tears roll down her cheeks.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
(losing it)
What the fuck!
(to Dave)
What is a fuckin'...
(pauses to find the words)
...Vietcong, fuckin', bear trap doin' in
front of yur god damn door?!
A VOICE
(out in the woods)
Reeeeeeeeaaaaack!
The cry is definitely closer now, somewhere out there -- in
the dark.
Dave thinks to himself a moment -- looks behind him where
Porter is on his couch...
DAVE
(low, to himself)
It's tracking...
Dave suddenly looks genuinely frightened. He narrows his gaze
and points his rifle down at the boys, shaking his head.
DAVE (CONT'D)
Don't be bringin' that into my house.
Tommy is beside himself but has his hands up.
TOMMY
What?! What is that thing?
Dave keeps the rifle trained on them -- he is deadly serious.
DAVE
You better dig her out of there within
two minutes or I'll kill you both where
you stand.
Jared begins shoveling faster. Tommy kneels down and starts
digging into the earth with his hands. The tension rises as
we CUT BETWEEN -- the rifle -- their hands -- the rifle...
A VOICE
(closer now)
Reeeeaaackk!
DAVE
(to Tommy)
Hurry up, boy. I'll kill you all. I mean
it.
The boys keep digging -- throwing dirt -- breaking
fingernails clean off.
Finally, they reach the bottom of the stake and gently lower
Christine down.
There is no time to lose. Tommy places the handle of the
shovel into Christine's mouth. She looks on at him, wide
eyed, confused and choking, tears running, until... Tommy
gives Jared a nod.
Jared pulls the stake from Christine's ass with all his
strength. Christine bites into the wood of the shovel handle
with a MUFFLED SCREAM.
Jared and Tommy scramble out of the pit and then pull
Christine up on to the snow.
Dave backs away and motions for them to get back inside the
cabin with his rifle. He nods over toward Porter.
DAVE (CONT'D)
(to Jared)
Now get the other one and get out.
INT. DAVE'S CABIN
Jared gathers Porter up from the couch. Suddenly, he notices
her eyes are closed and she is unresponsive.
JARED
Porter!
Jared SLAPS her cheeks... once... twice...
JARED (CONT'D)
Baby!
Porter's eyelids flutter. She moans and passes out again.
Jared relaxes and pulls her up, hoisting her good arm back
around his shoulders.
Tommy is now carrying Christine in much the same way -- she
hobbles along badly.
Dave keeps his rifle trained on them -- he pushes them toward
the front door.
TOMMY
Where are we supposed to go?
DAVE
There's a "critter cop" station about
three kilometers south of here.
TOMMY
A... a what?
DAVE
A Ranger station, gorby.
They are all near the door now. Tommy hesitates.
TOMMY
At least let us use your ph...
DAVE
(interrupting)
No phones. I don't want no trouble here.
You're on your own.
Tommy's face drops.
Dave glances down and notices Christine and Tommy's frozen
socks. Feeling guilty, he quickly begins to pass them all
some mismatched sweaters and extra jackets from the coat
closet and kicks over a pair of old Sorrels and two pairs of
sneakers.
DAVE (CONT'D)
Here. Put these on.
They all quickly put on the oversized jackets and shoes --
Jared assists Porter.
DAVE (CONT'D)
Now go!
Jared drags Porter along outside -- back into the cold.
JARED
(to Tommy)
C'mon, Marine. Let's move!
EXT. DAVE'S CABIN, FRONT
Our heroes hobble past Dave's 4WD truck and down his snow
packed driveway. Christine limps/clods along in Dave's
oversized sneakers.
TOMMY
Son of a bitch has a truck.
JARED
C'mon, forget 'im. He won't help us.
DAVE
(calling out)
Stay on the road!
Dave SLAMS his front door behind them -- bolts LATCH, drapes
CLOSE, the cabin's lights are extinguished.
Our gang suddenly find themselves all alone again as they
push on past the snowdrifts and out to a cleared road. Cold
winds HOWL.
EXT. FORK AT ACCESS ROAD THROUGH THE FORREST -- MINUTES LATER
Tommy and Jared hike down Dave's road. Christine limps along,
held up by her boyfriend. Jared has to nearly drag Porter
now.
The gang reaches a main access road. They stop for a moment
as they decide on the direction.
Jared looks up to the night sky -- clear and black -- and
navigates by the stars. He turns south down the road.
JARED
(to Tommy)
C'mon. This way.
INT. DAVE'S CABIN -- JUST THEN
Dave puts some warm clothes on, laces up his boots, shuts off
the TV, and extinguishes the fire.
He goes to the back door, double-checks the locked bolt, and
checks the ammunition in his rifle -- locked and loaded.
The cabin is dark -- all the drapes are closed. He sits there
silently, listening nervously. Winds HOWL outside. The room's
radiator CLANKS away. CLUNK. CLUNK. CLUNK.
EXT. ACCESS ROAD -- MINUTES LATER
The access road is cleared of snow but their wounded make it
tough going. Vapor clouds trail around them as the boys pant
heavily.
TOMMY
You know, I never thought I would say
this, but I am really startin' to think
we would have been better off just goin'
to fuckin' Ir...
Jared stops.
JARED
(interrupting)
Shh. Keep quiet.
Ahead of them, beyond a crest in the road, a strange orange
light grows in intensity -- it moves toward them.
Christine points ahead, overjoyed. She has nearly reached the
point of delirious exhaustion.
CHRISTINE
A car. It's a car...
Jared strains his ears to listen -- he is not so sure.
JARED
(nervous)
No. Stop. I don't hear a motor.
Jared has to make a decision, and fast. He quickly drags
Porter over to the side of the road and over the snowdrift.
JARED (CONT'D)
Off the road. Get off the road, now!
Tommy pulls Christine to the side of the road. She is dragged
along reluctantly -- her arm still stretched out to the
growing light ahead.
CHRISTINE
(confused, pleading)
But... they can help us, Tommy.
Tommy ignores her and pushes her up over the snowdrift. The
gang quickly hike over a small hill.
EXT. WOODS NEAR ACCESS ROAD -- JUST THEN
Tommy and Christine slide down a short slope in the snow.
Tommy leaves Christine to look after Porter and then crawls
back up the slope with Jared. They hide behind the trees and
watch the road below.
EXT. ACCESS ROAD
The growing light now appears to be multiple lights. They
dance about the trees as they are reflected in the snow
scape. They quietly close in toward Jared and Tommy.
EXT. WOODS NEAR ACCESS ROAD
Struggling with her injury, Christine tries to wiggle her way
back up the slope. Tommy pushes her back.
CHRISTINE
What is it? Let me see, Tommy.
TOMMY
(whispers)
Get back. Stay with Porter.
CHRISTINE
But...
Tommy shushes her. He and Jared remain perfectly still --
tension builds.
INT. DAVE'S CABIN -- JUST THEN
Dave is seated in the dark with his back up against the
cabin's rear door. He yawns -- feeling safer. The radiator
continues to heat the room. CLUNK. CLUNK. CLUNK.
Suddenly, the sound of HEAVY FOOTSTEPS approach the back of
the cabin from outside. Dave's body goes rigid -- he squeezes
his grip around the rifle.
The FOOTSTEPS stop. Dave's eyes dart back and forth -- his
ears strain to listen. CLUNK. CLUNK. CLUNK.
Suddenly, a powerful SNIFFING begins to examine the back
door. The thing is just outside, only inches away from him,
as it SNIFFS through the crack in the door, near its hinges,
the doorknob, underneath.
Dave slowly backs away and points his rifle at the door. He
gently releases the rifle's safety. CLICK. Dave waits --
pouring sweat. CLUNK. CLUNK. CLUNK.
EXT. WOODS NEAR ACCESS ROAD
Jared and Tommy continue to watch the roadway from their
hiding place.
EXT. ACCESS ROAD
The growing orange lights move over the crest in the road,
revealing their source: half a dozen torches bobbing up and
down.
They are held by six SPOOKS in black monk-like robes -- large
hoods cover their heads.
As they approach, we can see that they all wear black
baklavas over their noses and mouths, the rest of their faces
are blacked out by some kind burnt cork or charcoal --
creepy.
EXT. WOODS NEAR ACCESS ROAD
Tommy and Jared keep perfectly still as the spooks silently
search the roadway and trees beyond.
CHRISTINE
(frightened, to Tommy)
What is it?
The group is nearly on top of them. The boys are sitting
ducks.
Christine remains oblivious to the approaching danger. She
nosily attempts to wiggle her way up the slope again for a
better view.
CHRISTINE (CONT'D)
(whispers)
What is it, Tommy? I want to see.
INT. DAVE'S CABIN -- JUST THEN
Dave remains kneeled -- his rifle aimed at the back door.
The SNIFFING there grows louder and louder -- it is nearly
unbearable. The room's radiator still CLANKS away. CLUNK.
CLUNK. CLUNK.
Finally, the SNIFFING stops.
Dave follows with his ears as HEAVY FOOTSTEPS circle around
the side of the cabin, past the shade-drawn windows, and
around to the front, then nothing -- silence.
Dave lets out a long breath -- it seems he is in the clear,
when...
CRACK. CRACK. CRACK. The cabin's locked front doorknob jerks
about violently. Dave raises his rifle again -- his blood
pressure going through the roof about now.
Finally, the SHAKING ceases.
Dave waits a long moment and then quietly crawls to his front
window. There, through a slit in the shades, Dave watches as
a hulking grey shape lumbers down his driveway in the
darkness -- SNIFFING -- picking up another scent, and
following it out to the road.
DAVE
(quietly, to himself)
Jesus Murphy.
EXT. WOODS NEAR ACCESS ROAD
Jared and Tommy continue to watch, petrified, as the torch
carrying "spooks" slowly pass by their hiding place in the
trees.
Christine's wound frustrates her as she crawls up the slope.
She appears anxious -- about to call out for help...
CHRISTINE
Hel...
...when... a large rough pair of hands wrap around her head
from behind and cover her mouth.
The unseen attacker quietly rolls Christine over and pins her
to the ground. Her eyes go wide as she tries uselessly to
scream.
ON JARED AND TOMMY
As they watch the spooks finally pass them by without
incident. They both begin to breath again as the strange
search party disappears around a bend in the road.
Tommy turns and notices Christine pinned to the ground by a
large man in heavy clothes and snowshoes. The boys both race
down the slope toward them.
TOMMY
Get offa her!
The man releases Christine, puts down his rifle, and puts up
his hands toward Tommy. This is CHIEF FOX (50's), a First
Nations People -- an Algonquian Indian.
A YOUNG ALGONQUIAN (15) is kneeled over Porter, carefully
inspecting her wound and bandages.
Chief Fox backs away -- peering at Tommy through a mess of
long jet-black hair that hangs over his face.
CHIEF FOX
(whispers)
Stop! We are friends.
Tommy doesn't seem so sure. He helps Christine to her feet,
keeping his distance from the large strange man. Christine
burns a hateful look at him.
Chief Fox turns and whispers something in Algonquian to his
young partner. The boy shakes his head.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
(whispers to Jared and Tommy)
We must take this girl back with us and
see to her wound. She is badly hurt.
TOMMY
(whispers)
No shit. Who the hell are you?
CHIEF FOX
(whispers)
Friends. You will come with us.
Chief Fox and the young Algonquian lift Porter and carefully
load her into a snow-sled.
JARED
Wait a minute. What...?
But Jared is cut off by a familiar CRY, deep in the woods.
A VOICE
Reeeeeeaaaaaakkkk!
Everyone freezes and turns their head to the north. The
Algonquians, it appears, are all too familiar with this evil.
Chief Fox points toward the dense woods northward and motions
to Porter.
CHIEF FOX
(whispers to Jared)
Was it responsible for this?
JARED
(whispers)
Yes.
The young Indian looks toward Jared, suddenly frightened.
YOUNG ALGONQUIAN
(whispers)
You have seen it then?
CHRISTINE
I've seen it.
The young man turns to Christine and nods, trembling.
Chief Fox pulls some dry needles from a tree branch, bunches
them up, and casts them to the winds -- they fall southward,
downwind from the cry in the forrest. The Chief peers north
and sniffs.
CHIEF FOX
We are beyond his reach for now. Come.
Not much time.
Chief Fox begins to pull the snow-sled through the trees as
the rest of our gang follow, somewhat reluctantly.
EXT. ALGONQUIAN CAMP / TRAILER PARK -- LATER
Chief Fox and the young Algonquian pull the snow-sled into a
"camp" which is really nothing more than a few unhitched
trailers parked in a snow covered clearing.
Tommy and Jared continue to assist Christine as they pass by
a dead fire-pit. It is late and the entire "village" is dark
and still.
The group pass by two traditional tee-pees where elders live
and worship, but for the most part, it appears that the camp
enjoys many modern conveniences like refrigeration, satellite
TV, etc. The electricity is powered by multiple generators
that HUM throughout the camp.
An ALGONQUIAN CHILD (8) bounds down the steps of a trailer
and walks alongside Chief Fox, curious.
CHIEF FOX
What are you doing up? You should be
asleep at this hour.
The child looks over the rest of the injured group and to
Porter in the sled.
ALGONQUIAN CHILD
Who is she?
CHIEF FOX
Never mind her.
Chief Fox stops and kneels down to the boy -- grabbing the
child's arms -- looking him in the eyes, stern.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
You're not to be out here. You should be
indoors, especially tonight.
The boy nods, frightened.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
Now go!
The boy runs away, back to his trailer.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
(to the others)
Come.
They follow the Chief further through the camp until they
come upon...
EXT. MOTHER'S TRAILER
Chief Fox pulls the sled up to the oldest trailer in the
village. He knocks on its door, waits, and knocks again.
An old woman finally comes to the door's window and peers out
the dirty shredded screen. Her eyes are wide and yellow. Her
skin looks as old as the trees. This is MOTHER (80's) -- camp
grandmother to all.
MOTHER
(raspy voice)
What is it?
She looks positively spooky from behind the wire mesh -- we
catch glimpses of her creepy wide eyes darting back and forth
over the group at her doorstep.
CHIEF FOX
We need your help, Mother...
MOTHER
Go away! I am watching my Hobbits!
The screen window SLAMS closed and Mother disappears back
inside the trailer.
CHIEF FOX
(calling out)
No, Mother, we need your healing.
After a pause, Mother returns to the window. She inspects the
group with those creepy eyes once more.
MOTHER
What's wrong with this one?
CHRISTINE
I fell into a fu...
MOTHER
Quiet you! Shut your mouth!
Christine does, chilled by that raspy voice. Chief Fox
motions to the sled.
CHIEF FOX
She has lost her arm. Taken by the beast.
Mother's yellow eyes open wide. Her old nostrils flare out.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
We don't have much time.
YOUNG ALGONQUIAN
(scared)
The Wendigo, Mother.
Her interest is piqued. She sniffs at the outside air for a
few moments.
MOTHER
Bring them inside, quickly.
Mother disappears back inside the darkness of the trailer as
Chief Fox and the young Indian carefully unload Porter from
the sled.
CHIEF FOX
(to Jared, re: Christine)
Bring her inside.
INT. MOTHER'S TRAILER
Chief Fox carries Porter in -- it's a horrible mess inside.
Dirty dishes are piled high in the sink -- ashtrays full of
used butts occupy every available counter space.
Mother, always hidden in shadow, motions for the Chief to
bring Porter into a back "bedroom" where LOTR plays, with
French subtitles, on a tiny TV. The movie casts a strange
glow over Mother and the back room.
MOTHER
Here. Bring her in here.
The Chief carefully stretches Porter out on Mother's bed and
then turns on a few random lights throughout the front of the
trailer. Christine limps in, brushing off Tommy and Jared,
frustrated.
CHRISTINE
I can do it.
The boys follow Christine in. Chief Fox motions to a bench
around a breakfast table.
CHIEF FOX
Sit.
Christine continues to hold her ass in pain. She glares at
Chief Fox.
CHRISTINE
(sarcastic)
Yea. I would love to.
The boys take a seat around the table, exhausted. Christine
hobbles into a corner and remains standing.
Christine finally gets a good look at her wound in a mirror.
Her long-johns are now soaked in frozen dried blood and stuck
to her butt -- a pussy mess.
CHRISTINE (CONT'D)
Oooh. Fuck.
The young Indian enters. Chief Fox whispers something in
Algonquian to the boy and he disappears back outside.
Jared, concerned, strains to see past Chief Fox to the back
room where Mother examines Porter, hunched over her and
hidden in shadow.
MOTHER
(to Chief Fox)
This child is near dead.
Jared's expression drops.
MOTHER (CONT'D)
But I can help her.
Jared leans forward, anxious.
JARED
(to Mother)
Will she be okay?
Mother ignores him and continues to work as everyone watches
the strange old woman intently.
Suddenly, Mother sniffs something in the air. She sniffs
closer to Porter, near her wound, and down near her crotch.
With a decrepid bony finger, Mother digs under Porter's
waistline and underneath her panties. Porter squirms and
moans as Mother searches between her legs.
Jared jumps from his seat, angry. Chief Fox holds him back.
CHIEF FOX
It is alright! Mother knows what she is
doing.
TOMMY
(disgusted)
Well, that's good. 'Cause it sure looked
like the old bag just felt her up to me.
Chief Fox eases Jared back into his seat. Everyone recoils as
Mother holds her moist/bloody fingers to her nose and sniffs.
MOTHER
(to Chief Fox)
Her blood is pure. It has had a taste.
Chief Fox suddenly appears extremely worried by this news.
Jared remains confused, angry.
JARED
What?
For a long beat, no one answers. The Chief finally sighs and
begins...
CHIEF FOX
(to Jared)
The beast. The thing that has done this.
(beat)
It is known by many names, but in
Algonquian, it is called... Wendigo.
Tommy lowers his gaze at the big Indian, incredulous.
TOMMY
Wendigo.
The Chief nods.
Mother unties Porter's tourniquet and chucks Jared's spatula
over her shoulder to the front of the trailer. Chief Fox
looks down at it, confused.
As our gang contemplate the new revelation, Chief Fox picks
up the spatula and attempts to place it among Mother's
clutter near the sink. Finally, he settles on a hook on the
wall near a grimy wire-wisk.
CHIEF FOX
(to all)
It is a creature of these woods that my
people have known for centuries.
As the Chief continues, Mother prepares some "witch doctor"
type of concoction in a bowl -- sprinkling in powders,
ointments, etc. She unwraps Porter's bloody bandage and uses
the "stew" to clean her stump.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
It will feed on the moss of the trees to
survive, but, it has a hunger for human
flesh, especially that of a pure blood,
which it craves above all others. Once it
has tasted that kind of power, I promise
you... it will want more...
The Chief stops, almost frightening himself.
JARED
You're sayin'... it's a cannibal?
The Chief nods.
CHRISTINE
(sarcastic)
So no one ever thought to move in these
past millennium?
Mother scoffs loudly from the back room and whips around,
giving Christine a glimpse of a disapproving evil yellow eye.
CHIEF FOX
This is our home. These are my people. We
will never leave.
Mother nods to herself as she begins to apply a clean
dressing on to Porter's stump.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
We have learned to avoid it, or at least,
keep it away on a night like this. You
see, we are a quiet people. We keep to
ourselves, though, some would like to
live beyond this place. Live like you.
This has angered Wendigo. These trees are
his, and he does not share them.
There is a sense of doom in the Chief's voice that gives
everyone pause.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
Every winter people leave here. Some, do
not come back.
(beat)
This year he is hungry, and one night, I
will kill him, if I am strong and without
fear.
(beat)
I wait. But tonight... I find you.
Everyone is quiet. Winds HOWL outside through the trees.
Suddenly, as if on cue, we hear its CRY from deep in the
woods...
A VOICE
Reeeeeeeeaaakkkkk!
CHIEF FOX
(whispers)
Do you hear it?
Everyone nods, completely spooked now. The Chief peers out
the window into the dark gloom outside.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
It searches for the pure blood.
(beat)
I am sorry, but you must leave now.
Tommy shakes his head.
TOMMY
No. Uh-huh. You're not throwin' us back
out there.
CHIEF FOX
There are women and children here.
(nods over to Porter)
He will come for her.
Tommy scoffs and points toward Christine.
TOMMY
There's women here!
Jared thinks to himself a moment, his mind racing.
JARED
We were told there's a Ranger Station
south of here.
CHIEF FOX
(nods)
Yes. You are right. I can take you there.
You can be among your own people.
(crosses to the door)
Come. We must hurry.
EXT. MOTHER'S TRAILER
The Chief opens the trailer door and SMACKS it into the young
Algonquian and his FRIEND (14), who have been eavesdropping
the entire time.
They look up at him with guilty expressions as the Chief
urgently instructs something to them in Algonquian.
INT. MOTHER'S TRAILER
Chief Fox steps back inside the trailer, shutting the door to
the cold outside.
CHIEF FOX
We have to go. We will use the Ski-Doos.
TOMMY
Ski-Doo?
The Chief nods, impatient. Tommy just rolls his eyes and lets
it go. The Chief looks on at Porter who is looking slightly
better -- her wounds cleaned and dressed.
CHIEF FOX
Is she ready, Mother?
Mother nods.
The Chief opens the trailer door and ushers everyone outside.
Christine hobbles across the room, holding her ass.
MOTHER
(to Christine)
Let me see to your wounds first, child.
Christine stops, looks over the woman for a moment, and those
old bony fingers.
CHRISTINE
No fuckin' way.
She and Tommy step outside. The Chief moves to the back of
the trailer to collect Porter but Jared stops him.
JARED
I'll take care of her.
The Chief nods and exits.
Jared slowly approaches the back room. Mother still remains
in the shadows with her back to him as she puts away her
potions and strange instruments.
Jared inspects Porter's bandage -- it is clean and expertly
applied. Porter's moaning has stopped in fact, perhaps due to
an unusual Algonquian sedative.
Jared hoists Porter's good arm around his shoulders and
gently picks her up.
JARED (CONT'D)
(to Mother)
Thank you.
As Jared begins to leave, Mother suddenly starts to sniff at
the air again.
She bursts out from the back room, into the light for the
first time, and seizes Jared's jacket.
We see now that her cracked wrinkled face has been horribly
scarred by deep gashes, as if it was attacked by a bear's
claw many years ago.
One scar runs directly across her yellowed-out right eye
which is now useless and horrifying but seems to gaze into
Jared's soul all the same. She thrusts her disgusting face
into his.
MOTHER
(raspy voice)
I sense much courage in you. You are a
warrior among your people.
Mother motions toward the cabin window that looks out to the
woods beyond.
MOTHER (CONT'D)
Beware of the ones that guide him. They
will betray you.
Jared nods, confused. Mother smiles a sick twisted grin and
releases him.
Jared exits the trailer with Porter as the strange old woman
watches them go.
EXT. MOTHER'S TRAILER
Chief Fox assists Jared down the trailer's step and helps
load Porter next to Christine in his snow-sled.
The sled is being pulled by the Chief's snowmobile, and sure
enough, on its side it is labeled: "Ski-Doo".
The Chief places his rifle in a holster on the snowmobile,
much like one would have on a horse, while Jared takes a seat
behind him. Tommy sits behind the young Algonquian on a
second Ski-Doo.
Both Ski-Doos start up -- the drivers REV the motors.
The Algonquian friend watches as the group pulls out of the
camp. Mother's gaze narrows behind her dirty window screen.
INT. DAVE'S CABIN -- JUST THEN
Dave is back to sitting around in his boxers, drinking cans
of Molson Ice, and eating snacks. The fireplace and radiator
are roaring again.
Another porn film plays on his VCR -- it is a sexy secretary
and boss scene this time around.
SECRETARY ON PORN FILM
Are you lonely working these late hours,
Mr. Stevens?
BOSS ON PORN FILM
You get used to it.
Dave gets up, crosses to the bathroom, and retrieves a
handful of tissues. On his way back to the couch, he stops
near the back door.
He looks to the back and front doors of the cabin. Cold winds
HOWL outside.
A thermometer labeled: "Outside Temperature" is hung near a
window. Instead of numbers, it reads the temperature by cute
little catch phrases. Tonight it reads: "You Better Believe,
It's Cold Out There!"
SECRETARY ON PORN FILM
I just hate the thought of you being all
alone on a night like this.
Dave glances at the thermometer, down to his tissues, and
toward the back door. He looks at himself in a mirror and
toward the ceiling, adjusting his sweat-stained trucker hat
and feeling guilty as hell.
DAVE
(to himself)
Shhheeeiit.
EXT. WOODS -- A SHORT TIME LATER
The two Ski-Doos race over the snowdrifts, cutting a path
through the trees.
Chief Fox's snow-sled, which carries Porter and Christine,
bumps along behind his snowmobile -- pulled by ropes. The
young Algonquian's snowmobile races alongside the Chief's.
The Ski-Doo's make a terrific NOISE, giving away their
position for miles around.
The young Indian is nervous -- he continues to REV his
snowmobile faster and harder while looking over his shoulders
as if he were being pursued. Tommy is seated behind him -- he
shouts over the ROAR of the motor.
TOMMY
Hey! Slow down!
The kid ignores him and REVS the snowmobile even harder as he
searches the trees around them for any sign of the Wendigo.
Suddenly, something PINGS against the engine compartment. The
snowmobile immediately begins to SPUTTER and COUGH.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
(shouts)
What's wrong?
The young Indian gives the Ski-Doo more gas. Until... ZIP.
ZIP. ZIP. The sound of bullets whiz past their heads like
angry hornets.
A bullet suddenly strikes the young Algonquian in the stomach
-- he GROANS and pulls the handles of the snowmobile
violently to the left, hitting a bank in the snow and
flipping the snowmobile.
Tommy is thrown clear but the Ski-Doo topples over on the
young Indian's legs -- bones CRUNCH.
Chief Fox turns around and brakes his own snowmobile. He
jumps off and runs up toward them through the snow.
Tommy gets up, brushing himself off -- unhurt but shaken.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
Fuck! Fuckin' kid's crazy, man! I told
him to slow down!
The young Indian remains trapped under the smoking
snowmobile. He SCREAMS in pain.
CHIEF FOX
(to Tommy)
Come. Help me lift.
Tommy and the Chief lift the snowmobile off and drag the kid
clear of the wreckage -- he continues to SCREAM and MOAN. One
of his legs looks crushed and he bleeds from a wound in his
abdomen, creating a red slush in the snow.
The Chief notes a bullet-sized hole in the Ski-Doo's engine
compartment where fluids spill out. Tommy looks confused.
TOMMY
You know, I think he's been shot.
Chief Fox motions for Tommy to get down behind the wreckage.
CHIEF FOX
Get down! Quiet!
The Chief scans the trees to the northwest -- there appears
to be nothing out there in the dark, but it is obvious that
he "senses" something.
Chief Fox quickly runs back to his own snowmobile to retrieve
his rifle.
JARED
What's goin' on?
The Chief points to a crest in the trees, due south, only a
quarter of a mile away.
CHIEF FOX
You. You must take them the rest of the
way. The Police are just over that hill.
The Chief runs back to the snowmobile wreck and takes up a
position near the wounded young Indian behind the snowbank.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
(to Tommy)
Go!
Tommy runs down to Jared -- both look confused.
JARED
What's goin' on?
TOMMY
I don't know, but I think we just got
shot at.
Tommy jumps in behind Jared on who has moved up to the
driver's position.
TOMMY (CONT'D)
Let's go!
JARED
Wait! We're not leavin' 'im behind!
Jared looks over at Chief Fox who tends to the young Indian
while keeping an eye on the northwestern woods. The Chief
motions for Jared to get away.
CHIEF FOX
Go!
Jared looks over at Porter in the snow-sled, still in bad
shape, and makes his decision: he REVS the snowmobile's
engine and pulls away.
INT. RANGER STATION, JAIL-CELL -- JUST THEN
LAWRENCE (35), a Canadian hunter, trapper, and world class
drinker, is shit-face drunk and laid out on the cell's bed.
He amuses himself by slurring/singing improvised song lyrics
at the top of his lungs.
LAWRENCE
When I'm without choo, baby, I never
realized life could ever be this
waaaaaaay... when I'm without choo, baby,
I miss, your caress, and, tess...ticles,
hairy monster tea-bagin'
baaallllssssaaaaack!
Lawrence roars with laughter, impressed with himself. He
BANGS loudly on the cell's steel bars.
LAWRENCE (CONT'D)
(calling down the hallway)
Hey! You like that one?
No response.
LAWRENCE (CONT'D)
C'mon, Matty, don't you like Meghan
Dayne?
(drunk laugh)
Hellooooo? Ranger Matt?
INT. RANGER MATT'S OFFICE
RANGER MATT (31) is seated at his desk with a cup of coffee
and an Outdoorsmen's magazine. He reads quietly with a foot
up on the desk, totally relaxed.
Matt wears a pair of firing range shooter muffs over his ears
which filter out all manner of drunken jerk-off.
Lawrence continues to BANG away on his cell bars and yell,
almost incoherently, from down the hallway.
LAWRENCE (O.S.)
Hey! I just thought of another one for
ya!
Matt flips a page in his magazine and casually pulls one of
his ear muffs off.
LAWRENCE (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Hey!
RANGER MATT
(calling down the hallway)
Are'n't you dead in there, yet?
LAWRENCE (O.S.)
I just remembered that Avvvverryyil song
for ya...
(drunk singing again)
Since chooo been gooooooone...
Matt suddenly hears the sound of SNOWMOBILES outside.
RANGER MATT
Shut up, Lawrence!
The sound is growing louder and approaching the Ranger
Station. Matt gets up and gathers his keys, walkie, and
revolver, and crosses out to the front of the station.
RANGER MATT (CONT'D)
(to himself)
Now who in sam hell is Ski-Dooing at this
hour?
Matt peers out the front windows that face an empty snow
covered parking lot.
LAWRENCE (O.S.)
Go get 'em, Matty. Go and git those summs
o' beeetches...
Jared soon pulls Chief Fox's snowmobile up to the front of
the station. Ranger Matt grows concerned when he see's that
the snowmobile tows a sled with two injured girls inside.
RANGER MATT
(calling out to Lawrence)
I'll be right back. Stay right here.
LAWRENCE (O.S.)
Ha-fucking-ha..., dick.
EXT. RANGER STATION
Matt hops down a flight of steps and approaches Jared and
Tommy.
RANGER MATT
What's goin' on? You boys alright?
JARED
We're fine. But the girls are hurt. We
need a doctor.
Matt walks over to the snow-sled and checks over Porter. He
nearly jumps when he discovers that she has lost her arm.
RANGER MATT
Christ, kid. How'd this happen?
JARED
We were attacked.
RANGER MATT
By what, a bear?
Jared shakes his head.
RANGER MATT (CONT'D)
Well, quick, get her inside. We can treat
her here until help arrives.
JARED
Our friends are still out there. They
need help.
RANGER MATT
Get her inside first.
Jared nods. He and Tommy carefully unload Porter from the
sled and carry her into the station.
Christine hobbles along behind them. Matt, always a
gentleman, takes her by the arm and assists her up the steps.
RANGER MATT (CONT'D)
Easy, Miss, let me help you.
INT. RANGER STATION
Matt motions over to a couch in front of his office.
RANGER MATT
(to Tommy and Jared)
Put her over there.
The boys gently lay Porter out on an old cracked leather
sofa. Matt helps ease Christine into a desk chair, which she
half sits in, awkwardly and in pain.
LAWRENCE (O.S.)
(calling from down the hallway)
What's goin' on?
RANGER MATT
(to Christine)
Are you gonna be alright for the moment?
Christine nods.
CHRISTINE
(through gritted teeth)
As long as my asshole stops burnin' like
a four alarm fire.
RANGER MATT
We have some pain killers in the med.
supplies I can give you.
Matt disappears into an office, rummages around, and returns
with a bottle of OxyContin and a cup of water. He gives a
pill and the cup to Christine.
RANGER MATT (CONT'D)
Here. Take one of these.
She does and he puts the bottle down on his desk.
LAWRENCE (O.S.)
Ranger Maaaaaatttt?
Matt crosses the room and inspects Porter's arm. With his
back turned, Christine limps over to his desk and swallows
the rest of the pain killer bottle -- dry.
LAWRENCE (O.S.) (CONT'D)
(drunk singing)
When I'm without choo, baby...
TOMMY
Who's that?
RANGER MATT
Ignore him. He's drunk.
Matt gently looks over Porter's bandage.
RANGER MATT (CONT'D)
(to Jared)
Who applied this dressing, you?
Jared shakes his head.
JARED
An Indian woman. There's a camp up in the
woods...
RANGER MATT
Yea, I know.
(beat)
Well, she did an excellent job, but we'll
need to get your friend here to a
hospital and have this looked at by a
professional. It looks like she's lost a
lot of blood as well. She's going to need
some fluids as soon as possible.
LAWRENCE (O.S.)
When I'm without chooo, baby, I never
realized life could ever be this
waaaaaaay...
RANGER MATT
Shut up, Lawrence!
Matt pulls out his walkie-talkie.
RANGER MATT (CONT'D)
(into walkie)
Bill, this is Matt, come on back, over.
Matt waits -- no response.
LAWRENCE (O.S)
Matty, I need the bucket, I think I'm
gonna be sick again...
RANGER MATT
(growing impatient)
Would you shut up! Use the toilet, that's
what it's there for!
LAWRENCE (O.S.)
(whining)
But, Matty, it's all full up!
RANGER MATT
(into walkie)
Bill, this is Matt at station one. I've
got a patient here that needs immediate
medical care. We need your Bronco to take
her down the mountain so come on back to
me, over.
Matt waits again -- no response. Jared looks concerned.
JARED
Sir. Our friends still need help. They're
still out there.
BOOM. Suddenly, a rifle-shot rings out from the woods
outside. Everyone freezes until... BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. More
shots -- followed by what sounds like, return fire -- BANG.
BANG. BANG.
RANGER MATT
(grave, to Jared)
Who did you say was out there?
JARED
Our friends. Indian guy -- big. They were
helpin' us. We had an accident, maybe, I
don't know.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. More rifle shots ECHO throughout the trees.
RANGER MATT
This Indian guy -- he armed?
Jared nods.
RANGER MATT (CONT'D)
What the hell's he shooting at then?
JARED
I don't know.
BANG. BANG. BANG. More return fire.
Matt crosses the room to a locker box, unlocks it, and pulls
out a shotgun. He begins to load it as the firing outside
ceases.
RANGER MATT
You all stay right here.
Matt throws on a heavy jacket, exits the station, and
disappears outside. There is a long moment of silence as
everyone waits.
TOMMY
(whispers)
Fuckin' Wendigo.
JARED
Shh.
Seconds stretch into minutes, which feel like hours. The
winds HOWL outside through the trees.
Matt finally runs back up the station's steps, runs in, and
SLAMS the door behind him. His face is white -- he looks like
he has seen a ghost. He frantically motions to the others.
RANGER MATT
You all get back! Get back down that
hallway!
Jared and Tommy quickly lift Porter and move with Christine
toward Lawrence's cell.
Matt bolts and locks the doors and windows and shuts all the
blinds. He slowly backs away from the front door with his
shotgun aimed at the window.
INT. RANGER STATION, HALLWAY / JAIL CELL
Ranger Matt ushers everyone down the hallway. He unlocks the
cell door and motions for them to get inside.
RANGER MATT
Get in there. Everyone. You'll be safe in
here.
Lawrence tries to stand as everyone files past him to the
back of the cell.
LAWRENCE
Whoh, whoh, whoh... I don't need no
roommates, Matty.
Matt ignores him. Christine suddenly gets a whiff of the
toilet bowl, filled to the brim with vomit. She recoils,
holding her nose.
CHRISTINE
Good Lord! That is fuckin' gross! We are
not stay...
RANGER MATT
(to all)
Stay here.
Matt closes the cell door, locks them in, and then disappears
down the hallway.
CHRISTINE
(calling out)
Hey! It fucking stinks in here!
Lawrence roars with drunken laughter. He mocks Christine's
southern accent.
LAWRENCE
I'm sorry darlin', I wasn't expectin' no
house guests.
(motions to the toilet bowl)
If you're thirsty, there's probably a
mint julip in there for you somewhere.
Lawrence roars with laughter again, impressed with himself.
Tommy pushes him roughly aside as he helps Jared lay Porter
down on the cell bed. Lawrence teeters by the door.
Lawrence's laughter subsides and then ceases all together
when he notices Porter's arm. All at once, he looks stone
cold sober.
LAWRENCE (CONT'D)
(to Tommy)
What happened to her?
Suddenly, Ranger Matt steps gingerly back down the hallway
with his shotgun raised out in front of him -- he keeps it
aimed at a target O.S.
RANGER MATT
(growing nervous)
Now, Bill, come on now. Think this
through. Bill?
(beat)
Bill. Don't do it, man. Don't do...
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. -- deafening shots ring out throughout the
Ranger Station -- they WHIZ inches past Matt and STRIKE the
brick wall behind him.
Matt fires and pumps his shotgun -- fires and pumps -- BOOM.
BOOM.
We hear the sound of windows BREAKING and lamps SHATTERING
O.S. as the gunfight ensues in the hallway.
Matt is cornered -- he pumps and fires desperately. BOOM.
BOOM. More return fire bursts down the hallway at him --
BANG. BANG. BANG.
A round strikes Matt in the chest -- his legs buckle
underneath him and he falls to the floor, GROANING.
With his hands shaking, Matt unclips the cell keys from his
belt and passes them through the bars to Tommy.
RANGER MATT (CONT'D)
Take 'em. Take 'em!
Matt ditches the empty shotgun and pulls out his revolver.
BANG. Another round BURSTS into Matt's shoulder and he drops
the gun to the floor.
Everyone is packed into the back of the jail cell, completely
paranoid now.
They watch, wide-eyed and confused, as RANGER BILL (50's)
slowly steps forward into the hallway, holding a smoking .44.
Bill kicks Matt's shotgun and revolver back down the hallway.
RANGER BILL
You should'a takin' that transfer, Matty.
He lowers the .44 to Matt's forehead and pulls the trigger --
BOOM. Everyone in the cell jumps -- Christine SCREAMS.
LAWRENCE
Christ!
TOMMY
Fuck!
Ranger Bill turns and looks into the cell with an evil glare
-- black -- inhuman.
He tries the cell door -- locked. Everyone keeps away --
piled up in the back. Bill notices that Tommy holds the keys.
RANGER BILL
Give me those keys, boy.
Tommy shakes his head.
Bill sticks his .44 between the cell bars and COCKS the
hammer back.
RANGER BILL (CONT'D)
Do as I say or one of you dies.
Tommy shakes his head again -- refusing. Bill grins.
RANGER BILL (CONT'D)
Five... four...
Bill waves the gun around, playing einie-minie-moe. It's like
a game of Russian roulette or shooting fish in a barrel.
Everyone scrambles around the cell, panicked. Jared leaps on
top of Porter, shielding her. Christine backs away into a
corner. Lawrence dives for the keys -- he fights over them
with Tommy.
LAWRENCE
Give him the keys!
RANGER BILL
Three...
JARED
(to Tommy)
He'll kill us!
The .44 waves around.
RANGER BILL
Two...
TOMMY
Errrrhuhhh! No!
RANGER BILL
One.
BOOM.
Everyone freezes. Suddenly, Tommy's eyes go wide and he
slumps to the floor releasing the keys into Lawrence's grasp.
JARED
Tommy!
Jared rushes to his friend -- a hole in Tommy's back leaks
blood on to the floor.
RANGER BILL
Which one of you is next?
(points the gun at Porter)
Maybe this one?
Jared grabs the keys from Lawrence and slides them through
the bars.
JARED
Here!
Lawrence runs his hands through his hair, losing it.
LAWRENCE
What are you doing, Bill?! Have you gone
mad?!
Christine trembles in a corner in the back of the cell.
CHRISTINE
(weakly)
Tommy?
Tommy is near death -- blood spills from his mouth from the
gunshot wound through his lungs.
Jared kneels down beside him as Ranger Bill opens up the
cell's door and pulls Lawrence out.
TOMMY
(last words)
It was an honor to serve under you, sir.
Jared takes Tommy's hand -- squeezing hard. Tears well up in
his eyes as he watches his friend fade away.
JARED
No. no the honor was all mine.
Tommy laughs/chokes on his own blood -- a big bloody/toothy
grin on his face.
TOMMY
I'm just bullshittin' you, dick... you're
so gung-ho...
Tommy dies.
Jared shuts Tommy's eyelids and silently mouths: "ooh-rah".
Jared's face suddenly looks as if it was cut from stone.
All at once, hands are all over him -- pulling him roughly to
his feet and dragging him into the hallway.
Behind Ranger Bill stands many black cloaked SPOOKS. Their
hoods over their heads -- blacked-out charcoal faces --
creepy as hell.
One spook pulls her hood back -- it is... Adele.
Jared's eyes burn nothing but pure hate for this woman before
him. She nods at him and smirks.
Bill cuffs Jared's hands behind him as two other spooks lift
Porter from the bed.
Three spooks wrestle with Lawrence in the hallway as they
slap handcuffs on his wrists.
LAWRENCE
Get off me! Get off of me!
The spooks drag Porter into the hallway. Jared seethes.
JARED
(to Adele)
If you hurt her... I swear to God...
ADELE
Pity. And you dragged her all this way.
What a gentleman.
Ranger Bill seizes the back of Jared's neck.
RANGER BILL
(to Adele)
What do we do with him?
Adele's eyes narrow -- scheming.
ADELE
We take him with us for now.
RANGER BILL
I don't think that...
ADELE
Shut up, Dad!
(beat)
This one just shot a Ranger.
She presses her nose up toward Jared's face.
ADELE (CONT'D)
Whenever you dumb fucking yanks get
excited, you just shoot first. You and
all your guns. It makes our courts sick.
JARED'S POV:
A hood is placed over Jared's head -- plunging him and us
into... DARKNESS.
ADELE (CONT'D)
(whispers over black screen)
No one likes an American, Jared.
TIME CUT TO:
BLACK SCREEN:
We hear the sound of HEAVY BREATHING and STRUGGLING --
Jared's struggling. Winds HOWL through the trees -- we are
somewhere outside.
Jared's hood is ripped off and suddenly we see...
EXT. WOODS / CLEARING -- LATE NIGHT
Jared's hands are cuffed around a tree trunk. He struggles
and pulls, but it is no use. Lawrence is cuffed around the
tree as well -- passed out in the snow.
A SPOOK GUARD checks up on them from a few feet away. Jared
follows his gaze as the guard turns to a clearing in the
woods below.
There, a small bonfire grows bigger -- wood POPS and SIZZLES
-- flames reach out toward the clear night sky above.
With closer inspection, Jared notices a large object in front
of the fire -- slowly being illuminated. Something like... a
cross.
JARED
Porter?
(beat)
Porter!
Like some horrible nightmare, Jared's girlfriend is in the
middle of the clearing, tied up and hung to a cross.
Spooks in black cloaks and hoods gather around the fire and
light torches. They assemble on the edge of the clearing.
Adele watches from the clearing below as Jared yells down
uselessly. She smirks, enjoying it.
JARED (CONT'D)
Porter!
Lawrence begins to come around. He pushes himself up on a
knee, confused.
LAWRENCE
What...?
Adele walks over toward Porter and, strangely, begins to
sniff at her. She smiles a sick twisted grin and then reaches
up and kisses Porter gently on the lips. Porter doesn't move.
Adele waits a moment and then SLAPS Porter twice across the
face, hard. Porter GROANS, slowly swimming back to
consciousness.
ADELE
That's better. I want you awake.
Jared struggles against the cuffs, ripping into tree bark.
JARED
(through gritted teeth)
Fucking, bitch!
The spook guard walks over and SLAMS Jared's head against the
trunk -- shutting him up for the moment.
Porter's eyes flutter. Her breathing is labored -- it grows
faster and faster as she begins to realize that she is tied
to a cross. Her eyes dart around, confused, panicked.
Eerie men and women with black hoods over their charcoal
black faces, holding torches, look on at her from the edge of
the clearing like a sacrificial lamb.
Porter trembles, sucking in air -- her heart PUMPS.
Adele slowly pulls an antique blade from a sheath on her
belt. It's huge, like a machete, with strange old markings on
the steel -- a ceremonial blade.
Adele raises the blade and moves toward Porter. Porter's
heart is nearly ready to explode.
Jared, woozy, watches helplessly from the woods above.
JARED (CONT'D)
Porter... no...
Adele RIPS open Porter's shirt, exposing her bare chest to
the world. Porter WHIMPERS, heavily panting.
Adele milks the moment, almost tasting Porter's fear --
feeding on it -- and then she slices across Porter's chest,
from the shoulder down to her belly -- blood flows.
Porter looks down at herself and immediately blacks out.
Jared is beside himself with rage. Lawrence remains in a
state of shock.
LAWRENCE
For Christ sake...
Tears of frustration and hate run down Jared's face as Adele
reaches up to Porter's massive wound and licks the blood from
her chest. Adele rolls her eyes back and swallows -- tasting
it like a fine wine.
Adele replaces her blade and looks out into the woods,
scanning the trees in the darkness outside the clearing.
Adele raises her arms and gestures like a witch. As she
speaks, she directs her words to the trees in the darkness
beyond as much as to the cult members that surround her.
ADELE
Come. Come Lord Ween-di-gour.
(beat)
For hundreds of years you have protected
us and have defended our God given right
to this land. Tonight, I offer you this
virgin flesh.
(beat)
Feast, my Lord, and grow powerful, so
that we may share in your awesome
strength and all your spoils -- your
humble servants.
(beat)
Feast. Feast, now!
Adele peers into the woods with a look of nightmarish
ecstasy. For a long beat, there is nothing. Winds HOWL. The
wood in the bonfire CRACKS and POPS.
Finally... a huge lumbering shape slowly steps out of the
darkness and enters the fire-light of the clearing.
The hulking thing stands over eight feet tall when erect.
It's thick coat, once white, is now a dirty grey from months
build-up of mud, grime, and blood.
From the neck down it almost looks like a grizzly or polar
bear on its hind legs -- but this monster is so much worse.
Pieces of flesh rot off its jagged horrible teeth. Its eyes
glow like a demon's. Its razor sharp claws reach out from
massive paws.
Jared and Lawrence watch as The Wendigo lumbers past Adele.
It is a truly horrifying sight in the low orange light of the
fire.
LAWRENCE
(whispers, to Jared)
What. Is. That?
Jared cannot speak.
The great beast sniffs at the air -- leading it straight to
its sacrificial offering.
Adele and the other spooks kneel down to the beast as it
sniffs over Porter. They begin to CHANT.
JARED
(whispers)
No...
Jared turns away as the beast takes a massive BITE into
Porter's neck -- TEARING her flesh out. Blood gushes all over
the back of its horrible looking pelt.
Porter SCREAMS, weakly, and then... silence.
LAWRENCE
God!
Jared keeps his head turned -- he can't stand to look.
Lawrence can't stand to look away.
Bones CRUNCH -- flesh TEARS -- as the Wendigo really digs in
to its meal.
The spook guard is on his knees, chanting along with the
others -- something in tongues -- altogether creepy.
Suddenly, a large rough hand reaches around and covers the
guard's mouth. In a split second, the guard's throat is
opened up by a blade across his neck.
Chief Fox is there, holding a bloody hunting knife. The Chief
looks banged-up and exhausted, but... very much alive.
He lowers the guard quietly to the ground as blood jets from
his neck and stains the snow.
The Chief looks to Jared and holds his finger to his lips.
Lawrence watches him, wide-eyed, as he uses a tomahawk to
break the chains on their cuffs -- freeing them.
A nearby spook is alerted and comes racing up the hill toward
them -- Chief Fox turns and throws... WHOP. WHOP. WHOP.
The tomahawk blade buries itself into the spook's face,
putting him down like a sack of meat.
The Wendigo devours a mouthful of bloody entrails and peers
up toward the Chief and Jared -- it is not pleased.
THE WENDIGO
Reeeeeaaaaaaaacckkkkkkk!
ADELE
Who dares disturb an offering to our
Lord!?
Chief Fox pries his tomahawk free of the dead spook's skull
and quickly gets Lawrence and Jared to their feet.
CHIEF FOX
Come. Hurry!
Jared looks down at Porter -- or what's left of her. The
Chief pulls him away.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
Come on!
The three of them all haul ass into the woods. The Wendigo
turns to Adele, angry.
Adele looks up into the woods after the Chief. Her gaze
lowers -- a maniacal villain with an evil master plan.
ADELE
I always knew you had a soft spot for the
young ones, Chief -- for your daughter we
took from you, but still, you and your
people remain.
Adele grows angry. She turns to the hulking beast.
ADELE (CONT'D)
Kill them! Spread his pieces across the
land so that all may see!
The Wendigo turns, bounds up the hill, and disappears into
the woods. Adele smiles a sick twisted grin -- The Queen.
EXT. WOODS -- MOMENTS LATER
Chief Fox, Jared, and Lawrence run through the trees and
snow.
JARED
Where's Christine?!
LAWRENCE
(panting)
Who?!
JARED
The other girl!
LAWRENCE
I don't know!
They continue on through the snowdrift. The Chief bounds
expertly forward like a galloping caribou.
JARED
(panting, to Chief Fox)
I thought you were dead back there.
CHIEF FOX
(panting)
Nearly. The young one... he was not so
lucky. I tried to hold them off... but,
there were too many. I escaped into the
trees.
The Chief leads the group toward the western woods.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
This way.
Lawrence grabs Jared's arm -- he pulls him the opposite
direction.
LAWRENCE
(coughing/panting)
No. Where are you going old man? The road
is this way.
Tree limbs BREAK somewhere behind them as the Wendigo crashes
through the forrest after them.
THE WENDIGO
Reeeeeaacccckk!
There is no time. The Chief shakes his head.
CHIEF FOX
No. Too dangerous.
LAWRENCE
I'm telling you...
Jared looks at them both -- he must make a gut decision, and
fast. He hikes up toward the Chief.
LAWRENCE (CONT'D)
Well fuck you then! Do what you want, I'm
goin' home.
Jared joins the Chief and they quickly hike up into the
trees. Lawrence runs through the snow to the southeast behind
them.
EXT. ROAD THROUGH THE WOODS -- MOMENTS LATER
Lawrence runs out of the woods, tumbles down a snowbank, and
spills out on to the road.
LAWRENCE
(to himself)
Damn it! Fuckin... crazy... sonofa...
Lawrence picks himself up and looks into the woods -- safe
for now.
LAWRENCE (CONT'D)
(nervous, to himself)
Gonna get my truck and git the fuck off
of this mountain. I've had it...
Suddenly, a pair of bright lights illuminate Lawrence. He
shields his eyes as he makes out the headlights of a truck
parked down the road -- Bill's Ranger Bronco.
LAWRENCE (CONT'D)
(grave)
That you, Bill?
BOOM. A shot rings out and Lawrence's neck explodes -- he
goes down coughing and gagging as blood jets out on to the
roadway.
ON RANGER BILL
Bill lowers his rifle and comes out from behind the Bronco's
open door. He slowly walks up the road looking like a demon
from hell -- backlit by the Bronco's bright headlights.
Lawrence squirms on the ground, struggling to breath.
Bill steps up near him and watches him for a moment with
morbid fascination.
RANGER BILL
You know, Lawrence, in a way, I kind of
always thought of you as family...
Bill COCKS the rifle and lowers it down at his head.
RANGER BILL (CONT'D)
...but you ain't.
BOOM. A round STRIKES Lawrence's head -- his squirming stops.
EXT. CREEK IN THE WOODS -- JUST THEN
Bill's rifle shot ECHOES throughout the mountain as Chief Fox
leads Jared over a snowbank and into a partially frozen
creek. The Chief points downstream.
CHIEF FOX
This way. Use the rocks if you must, but
stay in the water, it will spread our
scent -- give us more time.
They climb over some rocks, wade into the icy cold water, and
make their way down the mountain through the creek.
Somewhere in the woods behind them, trees CRASH and branches
BREAK, as the Wendigo pursues.
Jared stops and turns toward the woods. The water continues
to TRICKLE down over the rocks -- despite everything, it is
almost peaceful.
All at once, Porter's death finally hits him -- he begins to
cry.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
She is in the spirit world now. Safe.
Jared nods, fighting back tears. The Chief looks into the
woods behind them nervously.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
We must keep going. He is faster than you
think.
The Chief pulls Jared along.
EXT. LAKE -- MINUTES LATER
The creek leads them both to a lake, partially frozen near
its banks -- almost completely claimed by the onset of the
Canadian winter.
Further up the mountain, the Wendigo continues to pursue
them.
THE WENDIGO
Reeeeacckkkk!
Chief Fox bounds over to some nearby trees and drags out an
old wooden canoe hidden under the brush. Inside, there is a
tangle of ropes and a set of paddles.
Jared runs over and helps the Chief drag the canoe through
the snow and on to a big patch of ice that has formed over
the inlet near the mouth of the creek.
The December ice holds them but it still CRACKS here and
there under their feet.
The Chief positions the canoe into the middle of the ice
patch and stops. He looks toward the creek and toward the
open water of the lake and gauges the distance.
CHIEF FOX
Here. This is good. This will work.
The Chief quickly pulls the mess of ropes out of the canoe
and begins separating them out.
Jared looks up at him, confused. He motions toward the open
water -- the best escape route they could hope for.
JARED
What are you doin'? We're not stoppin'
here?
The Chief nods, not looking up, as he begins to expertly tie
off knots and loops in the ropes.
Trees CRASH and branches SNAP somewhere in the woods above
the creek. The Chief continues to work feverishly with the
ropes, pressed for time.
CHIEF FOX
(busy)
Tonight, it has taken the girl you loved,
and its masters have taken my nephew.
Every season there seems to be more of
them, and every year we are fewer.
(beat)
No longer do I run.
The Chief takes the other ends of the ropes and begins to
fasten them to the canoe's bench-seat. He ties the ropes off
over and over -- really getting them secure.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
(busy)
Not long ago, it killed only Algonquian.
No one would listen. When we are gone, it
will hunger for all: white man,
Algonquian, children. By then its masters
will be powerless to stop it. They
believe it makes them strong -- like
Gods. But a demon has no Gods, only
thirst, only hunger.
The Chief leans back on the ropes, testing the knots with his
weight.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
It will get worse.
(beat)
I have promised to kill it... and it must
be done now.
(beat)
No more shall it feed.
The Chief stops his work and stares into Jared's eyes, deadly
serious. The CRASHING in the trees above them draws closer.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
Will you help me?
After a brief moment, Jared nods. The Chief hands him a line
of rope.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
Good. Take this.
EXT. LAKE / ICE PATCH -- MINUTES LATER
It is quiet. The Chief's canoe sits in the middle of the ice
patch. Chief Fox and Jared are gone.
For a few long moments... nothing... then finally --
-- we see the Wendigo cautiously emerge from the creek in the
woods and step on to the ice. The massive beast sniffs this
way and that as it approaches the canoe.
The huge thing is coated in blood. Blood drips from its
teeth, along with steaming slobber, creating a trail of red
dots across the ice.
The Wendigo looks into the canoe -- empty.
Suddenly, a rope is wrapped around its neck from behind and
is tightened into a noose. The beast screams --
THE WENDIGO
Reeeeeeacckkkk!
Chief Fox is there on the ice behind the beast, pulling his
"lasso" tight.
CHIEF FOX
Now!
Jared runs out from his hiding place in the trees toward the
canoe. He hits the canoe running and begins to push the boat
across the ice, toward the open water, with all his strength.
The furious Wendigo turns and charges Chief Fox, who releases
its "leash", but the beast is suddenly pulled backward,
slipping on the ice, as the slack in the rope becomes taught
-- the other end tied off to the canoe's seat.
The Wendigo is pulled, like a dog, across the ice -- choking
on its "collar".
But the beast proves to be too heavy for Jared to drag and
the canoe looses its momentum and stops.
Jared pushes the canoe, SCREAMING with all his might, but the
massive Wendigo won't budge any further.
The Wendigo gets to its feet, seizes the line of rope, and
begins to pull Jared and the canoe toward it -- hand over
hand.
Jared tries to dig his toes into the ice, but it's no use, he
is heavily out-matched -- the canoe begins to slip backwards
with him still trying to push behind it.
Jared looses ground as he is pulled closer and closer to the
beast's mighty claws -- he'll be ripped apart for sure.
Chief Fox runs across the ice and secures a second rope
around the Wendigo's ankle and pulls, tightening a second
"noose".
THE WENDIGO
Reeeeeeeaccckkk!
The Wendigo takes a swipe at the Chief with those razor-sharp
claws but the Chief slides across the ice, underneath its
reach, and sprints for Jared and the canoe, still holding his
new "leash" and pulling.
The slack on the rope tightens and suddenly the Wendigo finds
its feet out from under it -- slipping again on the ice which
CRACKS under its massive weight.
The Chief joins Jared at the back of the canoe and digs his
toes into the ice.
CHIEF FOX
Now, PUSH!
The canoe slides across the ice, dragging the Wendigo like a
dog-sled.
As they near the end of the ice patch, the thinning layer
under their feet begins to BREAK and SHATTER.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
Get in!
Jared jumps into the canoe, grabs a paddle, and begins to
paddle with every ounce of strength he can muster.
The Wendigo attempts to right itself, struggling for a
foothold, but the ropes around its ankle and neck pull it far
too off balance.
Within moments, it is dragged across the outer thinning layer
of ice and is plunged into the freezing cold water of the
lake.
THE WENDIGO
Reeeeeacck!
The Chief jumps into the canoe and joins in with the second
paddle.
CHIEF FOX
Keep paddling!
The Wendigo is pulled into the open water. It thrashes about,
panicking, as the ice cold water begins to attack its nervous
system.
The beast throws its big arms about and swims toward the
canoe -- its best hope for survival.
Chief Fox throws his paddle aside and pulls out his tomahawk.
JARED
What are you doing?!
The Chief begins to WHACK at the bottom of the canoe with the
tomahawk blade like a man possessed -- hitting at it over and
over -- SPLITTING and SPLINTERING wood.
CHIEF FOX
No more do I run!
JARED
You'll drown us!
The Chief continues to HACK away -- the canoe begins to take
on a dangerous amount of water as the bottom breaks apart.
CHIEF FOX
No more shall it feed!
The Wendigo reaches the canoe and seizes the back end with
its claw. It pulls and tugs, attempting to capsize them both.
Jared turns around and WHACKS the beast across the face with
his paddle.
THE WENDIGO
Reeeeeeackkkkk!
It all seems in vain, however, as the canoe begins to sink,
going down fast.
The Wendigo reaches back up toward the canoe. Jared winds up
again for another strike, when suddenly, he sees the beast,
truly, for the first time:
Its snout is black with blood, dirt, and grime. Its jagged
teeth protrude from under black festering gums.
Its glowing demon eyes turn from an expression of
cannibalistic rage to one of genuine fear and panic as Jared
WHACKS the canoe paddle on to its grasping claws. The thing
knows all to well -- it is dying.
The Chief finally breaks the blade on his tomahawk and the
canoe sinks further under the icy water.
CHIEF FOX
Go! We must swim!
The Chief pushes Jared into the lake and dives in after him.
They both bob up, panting and breathing hard. The shock of
the freezing water hits them like a jolt of electricity.
The Wendigo finally pulls itself on to the canoe, but its no
use -- the canoe sinks under the water.
The beast thrashes about, in its final attempts, toward
Jared. It desperately GASPS for breath between GUTTURAL
MOANS...
...but the noose around its neck suddenly becomes a
strangling anchor and it pulls the exhausted thing under the
water and down to the bottom of the lake.
The Chief and Jared tread water frantically, breathing hard.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
It's gone... he's gone.
The Chief swims over to Jared who looks like he is already
beginning to black out from the water temperature.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
Swim! Keep moving!
The Chief and Jared swim across the lake painfully slowly as
their limbs begin to freeze up and their nervous systems shut
down.
The ice forming on their clothes begin to pull them under the
water. They both tremble horribly.
CHIEF FOX (CONT'D)
Come..... hurrrrrrryyyy....
Finally, they both manage to BREAK through the outer ice and
reach the side of the lake.
EXT. WOODS NEAR LAKE
The Chief gets out on to land and pulls Jared up on to the
snow. He rolls Jared, who has nearly seized up, in the
snowdrift.
CHIEF FOX
Thisss.... will... heelllp.... collects
the... mmmmmouisture... warm... you...
The Chief and Jared hug each other, massaging each other's
limbs -- getting the blood flowing again. It's a moment.
ADELE (O.S.)
How precious.
Chief Fox and Jared turn to see Adele, dressed in her black
hooded cloak, flanked by two SPOOKS and Ranger Bill.
One of the spooks holds a large hunting knife, while Bill
grips his deadly rifle.
ADELE (CONT'D)
(to Jared)
It sure didn't take you too long to find
another lover. And you call yourself a
Marine? I thought your guys' motto was to
never run from a fight.
Jared and Chief Fox stand before them trembling, exhausted,
and spent, and slowly freezing to death in the cold wind.
Resistance would be impossible.
ADELE (CONT'D)
(to Jared)
Well, you sure left your girl back there
in a hurry. I hope he was worth it.
The spooks walk around and seize both of them, wrestling them
to kneeling positions before Adele. The first spook places
his hunting knife against the Chief's neck.
ADELE (CONT'D)
And here he is, the mighty Chief Fox.
Tell me something, Chief, what the hell
more incentive do you need than a
cannibalistic psychopath fucking monster
to get your grimy pow-wow people the hell
off our land?
CHIEF FOX
(trembling)
My... people... have been here...
hundreds of years. Long before... your
ships ever set sail. Our mark is
everywhere... in these trees.
ADELE
Yea, spare me the history lesson of you
backward primates rooting around in
igloos and caves until we came. The only
mark you ever made on a tree was pissing
against it. You disgusting, monkey.
CHIEF FOX
You speak... with lies,... and you know
it. We are a proud,... strong people. We
will... never leave... We would rather
die.
ADELE
Yea, I'm getting that impression. Guess
with our pal, Pee-Wee gone, were gonna
have to switch over to plan B.
Adele seizes the Chief's jaw, pulling his face toward her.
ADELE (CONT'D)
(evil)
And believe me, B. is sooo much messier.
Adele releases him and unsheathes her long machete.
ADELE (CONT'D)
Any last words, Chief?
The Chief looks up at her with hard, determined eyes --
fearless.
CHIEF FOX
I have nothing to say to you, witch.... I
have killed the Wendigo.... My God is
pleased.
This seems to push a button in Adele and she brings the
machete down over the Chief's neck, severing his head. Jared
turns away as blood spills across his face.
JARED
Christ!
ADELE
(to the Chief's corpse)
Yea? Well my God is a raving bitch right
now.
The spook releases the mighty Chief's body and it slumps to
the ground. Adele kicks the severed head and it rolls down to
the ice -- PLOP.
Jared tries to struggle, but it's useless -- his frozen limbs
don't seem to respond to the commands from his head.
ADELE (CONT'D)
Well I'd love to take you on out of here
with a proper firing squad, soldier, but
that's just not going to happen.
The second spook forces Jared's head down as Adele raises her
machete. She pauses a moment -- toying with him.
ADELE (CONT'D)
Oh, what am I saying? You're not a Marine
anymore. You left. So maybe I'll just cut
your balls off and feed them to my pit
bull. How'd that be?
JARED
(weakly)
Get fucked, bitch...
Adele raises the long blade back above her head, when --
BOOM. A rifle shot rings out from the woods above the lake.
Adele drops the machete as her hand is hit. She SCREAMS,
cursing.
Before anyone can act, another shot rings out -- BOOM -- and
strikes the spook holding Jared. The round pierces the
spook's skull and he is dropped on to the ice.
Everyone scatters. Ranger Bill dives behind a large boulder
and Adele and Jared hit the ground -- searching for cover.
Adele grabs the first spook and pulls him in front of her,
using the man as a human shield.
BOOM. A third shot blows through the brains of Adele's
"shield", leaving her exposed. This time Ranger Bill has
spotted the muzzle flash of a rifle up in the woods above
them.
ADELE
What are you waiting for, Dad?!
Bill takes aim with his own rifle from behind the boulder.
RANGER BILL
I got 'im.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. Bill fires up into the woods at...
DAVE --
-- who takes cover behind a large tree. Dave reloads his
rifle, spins around, and fires another succession of shots
down at Bill -- BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
ON BILL:
As Dave's expertly placed shots SMASH into the boulder just
above Bill's head -- forcing him down for cover.
ON ADELE:
She uses the moment to get up and sprint out of the area and
into the woods. Jared jumps up and goes after her.
ON BILL:
As he tries to get his rifle back up over the boulder and get
a bead on Dave. BOOM. BOOM. Another two shots RICOCHET off
the top of the boulder and pin him back down.
RANGER BILL (CONT'D)
(calling out)
Christ, who's that? That you, Dave?
Bill gets up and fires a well placed shot into Dave's tree --
BOOM.
ON DAVE:
DAVE
(calling down)
You suck, Bill!
Dave spins back around the tree and fires another volley of
shots down at Bill -- BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
ON BILL:
As he crawls back down behind the boulder -- pinned down.
RANGER BILL
(to himself)
Sonofabitch.
EXT. WOODS ABOVE LAKE -- JUST THEN
Jared moves along slowly, his blood slowly circulating back
into his frozen limbs.
He follows Adele through the woods above the lake, but
suddenly, she is gone -- swallowed by the darkness. Jared
stops and listens, spinning around -- there is no trace of
her.
JARED
(whispers to himself)
Fuck!
Jared picks a direction and runs up a slope.
EXT. DAVE'S TRUCK -- A FEW MINUTES LATER
Jared comes upon a hidden access road where Dave's 4WD sits
parked. There is no sign of Adele anywhere. Bill and Dave's
gunfight ECHO throughout the mountain.
Jared is still shivering horribly -- teeth chattering. He
runs around to the truck's driver's side door and tries the
handle -- it's open.
INT. DAVE'S TRUCK
Jared jumps in the truck and rummages around in the back
seat, finding an extra set of thermals, a blanket, and
various hunting gear.
Jared quickly puts on a thermal shirt, a pair of gloves, and
wraps himself up in the blanket, desperately trying to bring
up his body temperature.
Under Dave's mess of things in the back, Jared notices an
expensive compound hunting bow and a set of bolts/arrows.
EXT. WOODS NEAR LAKE -- JUST THEN
Dave and Bill continue to take shots at one another and
reload their rifles. BOOM. BOOM. -- BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Bill squirms around the side of his boulder, aims, and fires
-- BOOM. Bill's round pierces Dave's exposed leg. Dave spins
back around his tree, cursing.
Bill ducks back behind his boulder as Dave fires a few return
shots in anger -- BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
RANGER BILL
(calling out)
Got you there good that time, didn't I?
Although injured badly, Dave plays it up and MOANS like he is
dying -- as he carefully aims his rifle down at Bill's
boulder, just waiting for the Ranger to pop back up into
view.
DAVE
(calling down)
Yea, Bill, you got me... I always knew
you were a good shot. Everybody does, eh.
Kinda' reminds me of that shot you took
on that ten point buck that I put down,
that you took all the credit for.
Dave, aims, steady as a rock.
RANGER BILL
Why, you, sonofa...
Bill takes aim over the boulder when... BOOM. Dave's perfect
shot pierces Bill's eye and blows out the back of his skull.
Bill's lifeless mass slides back behind the boulder -- done.
DAVE
Asshole.
INT. DAVE'S TRUCK -- JUST THEN
Jared is still wrapped up in Dave's blanket. The color begins
to return to his face as he gains his strength back. Jared's
breath fogs up the windshield as he continues to warm himself
up.
EXT. WOODS NEAR LAKE
Dave ties off his wounded leg with a handkerchief around his
upper thigh. The leg bleeds profusely on to the snow.
DAVE
Shit!
Unseen behind him, a figure begins to emerge from the dark
woods -- a female figure. The figure creeps up behind Dave
and jumps out --
DAVE (CONT'D)
Jesus Murphy!
It's Christine.
DAVE (CONT'D)
Christ, you scared me! Where have you
been?
(looks into the woods)
Where's your friend?
Christine shakes her head.
CHRISTINE
Are you gonna be alright?
Dave doesn't notice, but Christine has lost her southern
accent.
DAVE
Yea, yea, but let's get out of here.
Here. Help me up for a minute, honey.
Christine helps him to his feet -- her arm around his waist.
She reaches for something on Dave's belt -- his hunting
knife.
DAVE (CONT'D)
(confused)
What are you doin'?
Christine pulls out the knife and plunges the blade into
Dave's stomach, twisting it over and over in knots -- Dave
GROANS.
CHRISTINE
Payback, you sonofabitch!
Christine drops Dave to the ground. He squirms there a
moment, wide-eyed. She reaches down, grabs his rifle, and
spits into his face. Dave dies.
Still injured, Christine limps up into the woods.
INT. DAVE'S TRUCK
Jared watches out the fogged up windshield closely. Suddenly,
Adele emerges from the trees, creeping around, carefully
exploring the road.
Jared freezes -- she will seem him for sure. He opens up the
truck door a crack, ready to make his escape, when...
Something catches Adele's attention down in the woods. She
stops and turns around as... Christine approaches.
JARED
(whispers to himself)
Christine!
Jared is about to jump out the door when suddenly, Adele and
Christine begin talking to one another like the closest of
friends -- Christine lowers Dave's rifle as Adele gestures at
her about something.
Jared's jaw works over and over, clenching, as he realizes
all at once, he's been deceived.
EXT. DAVE'S TRUCK -- JUST THEN
Adele and Christine whisper to one another frantically.
CHRISTINE
Dad's dead.
Adele takes this in, seething.
ADELE
Did you see the other one?
Christine shakes her head.
CHRISTINE
No.
Adele turns toward Dave's truck and notices the fogged up
windshield. Quietly, she gestures to Christine who raises
Dave's rifle at the truck.
They both slowly creep around to the driver's side door which
remains cracked open.
Christine gets the rifle into position. Adele nods at her and
swings the door open wide -- but the truck is empty.
Adele sticks her head in and looks around -- nothing.
ADELE
Alright, get in.
INT. DAVE'S TRUCK
Adele jumps into the driver's seat while Christine runs
around and gets in the passenger door.
Adele searches the ignition and rummages around the truck,
through the glove-box, the visors -- searching for keys.
Adele gives Christine a scowling look.
CHRISTINE
What?
ADELE
Didn't you get the keys?
Christine shakes her head.
CHRISTINE
I thought you had them.
ADELE
This isn't my fucking truck you dumb,
bitch.
They both give each other a look and exit the truck.
EXT. WOODS NEAR LAKE / NEAR DAVE'S BODY -- A FEW MINUTES
LATER
Adele bounds down the slope in the snow while Christine
covers the woods around them with the rifle.
Adele searches through Dave's coat and shirt pockets --
finally finding a set of keys in his pants.
ADELE
Got 'em. Let's go.
A VOICE IN THE WOODS
Now I understand everythin'.
Adele freezes. Christine pulls the rifle up to her shoulder,
aiming it wildly at the dark woods that surround them. The
voice could have come from anywhere, but the owner is
undeniable --
JARED (O.S.)
Guess we all made for the perfect
victims.
ADELE
That you, Jared? You still alive,
sugarplum?
Christine can't find him in the dark -- the direction of
Jared's voice keeps changing, like he is circling them --
toying with them.
JARED (O.S.)
If we disappeared, who would come lookin'
for us? Especially up here. A neat and
tidy sacrifice, to scare off the locals.
(beat)
Or are you just a thief?
A dark shape seems to move about the trees like a panther.
Christine takes aim, but suddenly, it is gone -- swallowed by
the darkness.
JARED (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Tommy and I had our own reasons for
leavin', but Porter, she only came
because she loved me...
(beat)
...and you massacred her for it.
Sweat drips down Christine's face, nothing but shadows and
trees surround her -- where is he?
JARED (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Love. But I suppose you wouldn't know
anything about that, would you,
"Christine"?
Suddenly, a shadow moves above them, darting across the trees
-- Christine takes aim.
CHRISTINE
Fuck yo...!
ZIIIIP. An arrow bolt pierces Christine's face, through her
cheeks, and pegs her to a tree -- she drops the rifle and
fires wildly -- BOOM.
ADELE
Fucker!
Adele picks up the rifle and fires above them into the trees
-- BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. But Jared has already disappeared.
Christine tries to scream, but it's impossible with her face
"nailed" to the tree. Tears run down her cheeks.
Adele tries to help her pull the arrow free from the tree,
but it's no use, it is dug in too deep -- Christine won't be
going anywhere.
CHRISTINE
(crying)
Aaa....de....help....
Adele reaches down to Dave's body, finds some ammo, and
reloads the rifle. She looks up at Christine and shrugs her
shoulders.
ADELE
Sorry, sis.
Adele runs down through the trees, leaving her sister in a
silent scream.
EXT. WOODS NEAR LAKE
Adele attempts to double back toward Dave's truck, when
suddenly... ZIIIIP. Another arrow sails past her and she is
forced to turn around, back toward the lake.
ON JARED (HIDDEN IN THE DARK):
Jared is dressed in Dave's blanket, which he has fashioned
into a poncho. His face, ears, and skin, have been covered
and camouflaged with mud. He holds on to Dave's compound bow
like a hunter -- stalking -- like John Rambo.
Jared's black-gloved hands pull on the bow, readying another
arrow, as he moves through the trees after Adele.
ON ADELE:
Adele pushes through the snow, waving that rifle about madly.
JARED (O.S.)
I've never met a more ignorant, racist,
kinfolk than yours.
(beat)
So what's your excuse, Adele, or are you
just crazy?
Adele turns, aims the rifle --
ADELE
Fuck you!
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. She fires uselessly into the trees, her
injured hand making it tough, hitting nothing but shadows and
trees -- wasting ammo.
JARED (O.S.)
Hey. You haven't pissed yourself, yet,
have you?
Adele waves that rifle around. She is, in fact, trembling,
truly frightened for the first time in her life -- the hunter
becoming the hunted.
JARED (O.S.) (CONT'D)
You know, I reckon I'll be puttin' down
your whole family tonight. What, with
your Dad dead and gone there, Christine
left to rot, hangin' from a tree...
(beat)
...I wonder where mom is? Or did you feed
her to one of your pets?
A dark shape jumps between the trees and Adele fires -- BOOM.
BOOM. Still, hitting nothing.
ZIIIIP. Another bolt comes sailing down from the trees and
impales Adele's leg. She SCREAMS and fires again -- BOOM.
BOOM.
Adele is losing it -- coming to tears now.
She limps over to a tree and attempts to keep the rifle
steady with her bad leg. Shadows and shapes dance about in
the dark woods above her.
JARED (O.S.) (CONT'D)
You know, my uncle once said to me while
huntin'. He said, "boy, you is like one
of them injuns, nuthin' escapes your
bow."
ON JARED:
As he emerges from the dark, stalking down toward Adele.
JARED (CONT'D)
"It's too bad the English brought their
gunpowder to the New World, 'cause you
would have been one deadly soldier."
Jared pulls the bow back and fires --
ON ADELE:
ZIIIIPPP. Another bolt impales her opposite leg -- she
SCREAMS again, horribly frustrated and frightened.
ADELE
Aaaaaahhhhh!
Adele fires her rifle over and over into the trees -- BOOM.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. -- then, CLICK. CLICK. CLICK. -- out
of ammo.
Adele drops the rifle and runs/hobbles, in pain, down to the
lake. She picks up her machete, raising it over her head,
ready to strike.
For a brief moment, it's quiet. Winds HOWL over the lake.
Adele pants and trembles. When suddenly --
-- Jared leaps out from the darkness and tackles Adele on to
the ice -- the machete goes sliding away.
Adele forces herself up, the bolts in her legs shooting
shards of pain through her. She hobbles over for the machete,
but Jared grabs her ankles and brings her back down on to the
ice.
Jared jumps up, but they are locked in struggle, almost like
two hockey players, fighting for control of the machete.
They tumble to the ice again and Jared SMASHES Adele's chin
down on the ice -- blood blows.
Jared jumps up, grabs the machete, and pins Adele down.
He raises the blade over his head and then brings it down,
over and over, on to Adele's left arm -- she SCREAMS bloody
murder as her arm is severed within a few strokes.
JARED
That was for Porter!
Adele claws and scratches at Jared's face with her other
hand, but Jared pins her arm down to the ice and brings the
machete down again, over and over, severing her right arm.
JARED (CONT'D)
That was for Tommy!
Jared gets up and throws the machete away. Adele is SCREAMING
at the top of her lungs.
She squirms there on the ice -- the stumps of her arms leak
blood everywhere -- her useless injured legs kick and squirm
smearing the mess beneath her.
Jared stands above her for a moment and then grabs her by the
ankles.
JARED (CONT'D)
And this... this is for me!
Jared swings Adele around, her stumps flailing about wildly,
and flings her across the ice toward the open icy water of
the lake.
She slides across the ice like a giant bloody hockey puck and
lands with a splash -- PLUNK.
Jared takes a breath and slowly approaches the open water.
Adele bobs up and down, panting heavily, trying to tread the
icy water with her stump arms and with her arrow impaled
legs.
JARED (CONT'D)
You know, I once read in a Marine
survival manual that the exposed skin of
an average person will freeze inside of
four minutes in water like this. The
consciousness clouds in seven, and death
follows in fifteen to twenty.
Adele continues to fight as her clothes and hair begin to ice
up -- weighing her down.
JARED (CONT'D)
Some paramedics might even tell you that
a person can still be revived a short
while after that...
Jared scans the woods around the lake -- they are completely
alone.
JARED (CONT'D)
...but, I doubt anyone will be comin' for
you.
Adele's limbs, or what's left of them, are nearly frozen, she
makes a noble last effort and then begins to sink.
JARED (CONT'D)
Have a nice swim.
As Jared turns back toward the bank, Adele sinks under the
water.
Jared walks across the ice and sits down on the snow near a
tree. He lets out a breath and runs his fingers through his
hair -- tears stand in his eyes.
Over the mountains, dawn rises, casting a beautiful blue glow
over the lake -- magic hour.
As we DOLLY BACK over the lake, near where our Wendigo beast
drowned, we stop over the water -- where one solitary bubble
rises to the surface and breaks -- BLOOP.
FADE OUT.
THE END -- OR IS IT?
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