Creative Spirit with Screenplay Read online

  Roth opens his eyes, sees himself in the mirror. Lilith's arms turn into SPIDERY LEGS, eight of them, clutching at him. Lilith's face has pincers, she bites his neck. Roth screams as the mirror falls on him.

  Roth's face turns into Korban's face in the mirror. Korban opens his mouth and spiders pour out, just before the mirror shatters onto Roth.

  CUT TO:

  INT. THE ROOT CELLAR—NIGHT

  Open on darkness and the sound of breathing. Metal wheels roll on the barn floor above. From MASON'S P.O.V., dim light falls between the cracks in the flooring. Mason's face is striped by the light.

  He scrambles over a heap of potatoes. He's at the rear of the root cellar. Darkness extends in front of him. A tunnel.

  A light appears far inside, approaching. It's MASON'S MOM carrying a lamp.

  MASON'S MOM (O.S.)

  Dreams are all we got in this world, Mason.

  MASON

  Momma?

  MASON'S MOM (O.S.)

  You said you were going to do me proud.

  MASON

  (covering his ears)

  No. You're back in Sawyer Creek. Not here.

  MASON'S MOM

  Didn't you know, honey? Momma's everywhere.

  Mason's Mom’s face, lit by the lamp she carries. Her eyes are strange from her blindness.

  MASON'S MOM (CONT'D)

  Momma sees everything.

  MASON

  Th-they're after me. It's a ghost—

  MASON'S MOM

  It's a dream, and dreams are all we got in this world.

  She turns, and her face momentarily turns into Korban's as she enters the tunnel. Mason follows. The trap door opens above.

  GEORGE'S GHOST (O.S.)

  You afraid of the dark, Mason?

  RANSOM'S GHOST (O.S.)

  No, Georgie, he's afraid of the rats.

  GEORGE'S GHOST (O.S.)

  Tunnels of the soul, boy. Tunnels of the soul.

  SOUND of skittering feet and rodent squeaks. Mason hurries after his Mom.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. WOODS BEYOND THE MANOR—NIGHT

  Anna and Sylva look at the manor from the edge of the woods. From the widow's walk comes the music of a cello and violin. The Abramovs are playing a duet.

  SYLVA

  We got to go in.

  ANNA

  Why do you keep thinking I'm some kind of savior for the dead? I don't owe anybody anything.

  SYLVA

  It's always easy to lie to yourself. To just push it down in the dark where you hope nobody will see what you're hiding.

  (beat)

  I've hated myself for my sin. I told myself a million times that Korban caused it, he spelled me and tricked me.

  The MUSIC reaches a tense counterpoint. Faint shapes and mist swirl on the widow's walk atop the manor. Rachel's Ghost is among them.

  SYLVA (CONT'D)

  But the truth is, I wanted it. It's a scary thing when your heart gets plumb stole away. Sometimes I think Miss Mamie's love keeps Ephram alive, the same way my hate keeps me alive.

  ANNA

  No, the house keeps him alive.

  SYLVA

  He's burning something mighty strong, that's for sure.

  ANNA

  Fear and dreams.

  SYLVA

  We got to go in. He'll have all them forever, unless you do something about it.

  ANNA

  But I'm already dead, remember? It's not my problem.

  The Girl Ghost shimmers on the edge of the lawn in front of them. She holds out one small hand.

  GIRL GHOST

  Help us, Anna.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. KORBAN MANOR PORCH-NIGHT

  Sylva knocks on the front door. Anna stands beside her. The door opens, Miss Mamie smiles at them.

  MISS MAMIE

  Sylva. It's been awhile.

  SYLVA

  Blue moon in October. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

  MISS MAMIE

  And you brought Anna. Good. Ephram's been expecting you.

  Miss Mamie swings the door wide. Sylva and Anna enter.

  CUT TO:

  INT. MANOR FOYER

  Miss Mamie takes Anna by the arm. Sylva follows. They pause before the painting of Korban above the fireplace.

  SYLVA

  He ain't changed a bit.

  MISS MAMIE

  You may have borne Ephram's child. But I'm the one he loves.

  (to Anna)

  Come, dear.

  Miss Mamie leads Anna to the staircase. Sylva lingers at the painting.

  SYLVA

  (to Korban)

  When you steal a woman's heart, you got to keep it forever.

  CUT TO:

  INT. TUNNEL—NIGHT

  Mason hurries after his mom, followed by the squeaking of the RATS. A light appears at the end of the tunnel.

  MASON'S MOM

  We're almost there.

  Mason's mom exits the tunnel. Mason arrives just in time to see a giant rat tail dragging out of the tunnel where his mom had been.

  MASON

  No—

  MASON'S MOM (O.S.)

  You have work to do. Make us proud.

  CUT TO:

  INT. MANOR BASEMENT—NIGHT

  The lamp reveals that the tunnel has led to the manor basement. The rough statue of Korban stands where Mason left it. The bust sits on the table and Mason's tools are spread out for use.

  Mason closes his eyes. The squeaking grows much louder. The bust speaks.

  KORBAN

  Finish me, or she'll be back.

  Sound of the rats fades, and the tunnel disappears into the dark wall of the basement.

  CUT TO:

  INT. THIRD FLOOR LANDING—NIGHT

  Sylva, Anna, and Miss Mamie on the landing. A small ladder leads up to the roof and the widow's walk. The trap door at the top of the ladder is open.

  MISS MAMIE

  (to Sylva)

  I promised him everything would be perfect. Just like it was—

  SYLVA

  —the night I killed him.

  MISS MAMIE

  Death is a door that swings both ways.

  SYLVA

  And so is love. Don't you forget that.

  ANNA

  They're waiting.

  MISS MAMIE

  (to Sylva)

  Ephram's mine. Now and forever.

  Lilith appears in the trap door.

  MISS MAMIE

  How was the photographer?

  LILITH

  (in fake British accent)

  Bloody tasty.

  Lilith smiles, and a spider falls from her mouth. Miss Mamie motions for Anna and Sylva to climb the ladder.

  CUT TO:

  INT. MANOR BASEMENT—NIGHT

  Mason cuts at the statue. The bust of Korban watches from the table with feverish eyes.

  KORBAN

  More off the shoulder, you fool.

  Mason is sweating. He rams a chisel into the wood.

  KORBAN (CONT'D)

  Hurry. They're waiting.

  Mason picks up a large chisel and his mallet. For a moment, he looks as if he's going to split the bust. Then he turns and sets the chisel against the statue's chest and draws back the mallet.

  A small KNOTHOLE opens in the center of the blocky head of the statue. Korban's spirit is trying to move into the statue.

  STATUE

  Hurrrr-eeeee.

  Mason looks at the painting. On the widow's walk, he sees Anna. She looks ghostly, beautiful but dead.

  Mason drops the hammer and steps back. He grabs the lamp and kicks over the table. The bust falls to the floor.

  Mason runs for the stairs. The statue speaks in Korban's voice.

  STATUE (CONT'D)

  Stop!

  Mason reaches the stairs. The statue's arms quiver and we hear the sound of wood splitting and cracking. The statue is tearing itself free.

  It pulls loose the wires that are holdin
g it in place and kicks free of the support boards.

  STATUE (CONT'D)

  I'm blind, you fool. You haven't finished my eyes.

  Mason quietly climbs one step, then another.

  STATUE (CONT'D)

  Don't betray me. I can give you everything. Fame. Fortune. I know what you want.

  (in the voice of Mason's Mom)

  I know your dreams.

  Mason climbs two more steps and looks back. The statue has found the bust on the floor and holds it up.

  Korban's spirit is now in both the bust and the statue. The bust's eyes flash and the lips curl into a smile.

  KORBAN

  Come finish me, and I'll give you the woman.

  MASON

  The woman?

  KORBAN

  Anna. I've seen you watching her.

  Mason climbs another step.

  KORBAN (CONT'D)

  I'm your masterpiece. How can you just walk away?

  MASON

  I don't know what you are, what any of them are, but one thing I know is that I'm not walking away. I'm—

  (punctuating his footsteps up the stairs)

  —running—like—HOLY—HELL.

  Mason yanks open the door at the top of the stairs and disappears into the hall.

  The statue roars in anger and stiffly gives chase, carrying the bust under one arm.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. WIDOW'S WALK-NIGHT

  Anna, Lilith, Miss Mamie, and Sylva stand in a circle on the widow's walk. The night is windy, the nearby trees brush against the railing.

  Paul and Adam talk near the railing. The Abramovs sit at one end, playing their duet. A maid is setting up a bar.

  Rachel's Ghost materializes against the railing. Only Anna, Miss Mamie, and Sylva see the ghost. The other guests continue as before.

  MISS MAMIE

  (to Rachel)

  You're not supposed to be here yet.

  RACHEL

  I'm always supposed to be here.

  MISS MAMIE

  Ephram hasn't called you.

  RACHEL

  He can't have Anna. He'll have to kill me again first.

  (looks at the full moon)

  A blue moon in October. Just like the first time.

  Miss Mamie rushes at Rachel's Ghost. Rachel's Ghost fades, and Miss Mamie stops herself just before she goes over the rail. She looks to the ground far below.

  MISS MAMIE

  (to Sylva)

  Your spells were supposed to keep Rachel away.

  SYLVA

  She's stronger now that Anna's here. When you've got a dead one with the Second Sight, you need to call up some mighty powerful charms.

  ANNA

  (to Sylva)

  You-you're helping Korban?

  SYLVA

  Blood runs thick, but love runs thicker.

  Lilith waits by a chimney. The smoke swirls around her and thickens.

  MISS MAMIE

  (to Sylva)

  I'm the one who kept Ephram alive. I ran the house and kept the home fires burning. You're nothing to him.

  SYLVA

  We'll see which of us he needs most. 'Cause I'm the only one who can call in the fire and bring him back.

  ANNA

  I won't let him have me.

  Anna runs for the railing. Lilith has merged with the smoke from the chimney. Lilith grabs Anna, covers her, the smoke is so dense that it pushes Anna to the floor and smothers her.

  Anna struggles but is unable to breathe.

  SYLVA

  Don't! Ephram needs her alive.

  MISS MAMIE

  But I need her dead. She's part of your blood.

  CUT TO:

  INT. HALLWAY—NIGHT

  Mason slams the basement door behind him. FOOTSTEPS of statue climbing the stairs, then the statue bangs on the door. Mason flees down the hall.

  The wainscoting swirls, alive with shapes. One takes form and steps out. It is RANSOM'S GHOST, complete with bloody holes in his chest. Ransom's Ghost blocks the hall.

  RANSOM'S GHOST

  It ain't so bad, Mason.

  Mason turns and runs the other way. The cook steps out of a side door, grinning and holding a meat cleaver.

  Mason’s runs past her and ducks as she swings. When he passes the basement door, the statue punches through and reaches out a wooden arm.

  The arm clubs Mason, causing his forehead to bleed. He staggers to his feet as the statue tears at the door.

  Mason reaches the other end of the hall, where Roth is descending the stairs.

  ROTH

  What in the devil?

  MASON

  (frantic)

  Roth! Am I glad to see you. You'll never believe this, but my statue's trying to kill me and my mom's a rat and I'm being chased by ghosts—

  Roth winks, and the motion makes his face BREAK APART where the mirror cut it. His ravaged face breaks into a grin.

  ROTH

  A picture's worth a thousand words, ain't it, mate?

  Mason looks back to see the statue breaking through the door, one arm holding the bust.

  KORBAN

  Sculptor! Come here and finish me.

  Ransom's Ghost has been joined by George's Ghost, the cook, and several other ghosts. They approach silently.

  ROTH

  Korban's army. A shoddy lot, but they can be rather nasty when Korban throws a spook into them.

  Mason tries to decide which way to run.

  MASON

  I don't suppose—

  ROTH

  Korban gave me a nice tunnel. All the spiders I can eat and I never have to dress for dinner. Care to pop in for tea?

  Roth points to a painting of Korban on the wall. The painting becomes completely dark, with the suggestion of spiders crawling inside.

  RANSOM'S GHOST

  Tunnels of the soul, boy. Come on in.

  The statue has broken down the door now. Mason yells and runs at Roth, goes through him and up the stairs.

  Roth laughs. The statue chases Mason. The ghosts follow.

  CUT TO:

  INT. SPENCE'S ROOM—NIGHT

  Spence is manic at the typewriter, teeth clenched. Bridget is dressed in a nice evening gown that displays her splendid figure. Make-up hides her bruised cheek.

  SPENCE

  (to himself)

  The word made flesh the word made dream the word made meat the word made wood—

  BRIDGET

  Time for the party.

  Spence stops typing. He looks at Korban's portrait, sighs, and shakes his head.

  SPENCE

  Lovely, lovely Bridget. Trying to warm me up?

  Spence gestures toward the bed.

  SPENCE (CONT'D)

  Better women than you have failed at that.

  BRIDGET

  Jeff, you've been working too hard.

  SPENCE

  It's "Jefferson" to you, dear. You're just a fan, not an intimate acquaintance.

  Bridget slams her purse against him. A few pages are knocked from his manuscript stack onto the floor.

  BRIDGET

  You bastard. If you're such a genius, then what's another word for "Go to hell"?

  Bridget storms from the room. The door slamming causes a few more pages to blow from the stack.

  SPENCE

  (to the painting)

  She doesn't understand genius.

  KORBAN

  They never do.

  Spence resumes typing.

  CUT TO:

  INT. MANOR STAIRS—NIGHT

  Mason runs up the second floor, sees Cris. He grabs her arm.

  MASON

  Have you seen Anna?

  CRIS

  No. Isn't she at the party?

  MASON

  Party?

  CRIS

  On the roof. The widow's walk. All the guests were invited. What's wrong?

  MASON

  You know those ghosts Anna kept telling us about?

  Cris nod
s. We hear the statue climbing the stairs. Ransom's Ghost and George's Ghost call Mason's name.

  MASON

  I think they got invited, too.

  He grabs Cris's hand and pulls her into the master bedroom.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. WIDOW'S WALK—NIGHT

  Anna struggles against the suffocating smoke. Lilith's face swirls in the smoke. Sylva tries to help Anna, but Miss Mamie easily holds her back.

  ANNA

  (to Lilith)

  I-I didn't know you were dead—

  LILITH

  We're all dead.

  Anna looks at the Abramovs, whose faces are now gaunt and skeletal. The couple continues playing. Adam draws back in shock as the MAID becomes pale. Paul smiles.