Screenwriting : April content challenge - Let's Write a Horror Script Together by Laurie Ashbourne

I'm always willing to help out.

Jump in, Adam!

Hi, Laurie! So wonderful to have you back. Whatta great idea!

Why not have the carrier be a nurse? Since you said it was a horror, the most chilling person to spread would be one who was meant to be in the situation to help. Maybe it is a traveling nurse who came to help the single mom, in whatever capacity, and thus only meant to continue her spread of infection.

You could also think of a situational comedy for the pandemic. I've seen people joke about situations with kids being home, just being by themselves. The comical element could be one that people embrace to remove negativity from there thoughts.

Like this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5azNpTwVk8

Just some thoughts.

I appreciate all you do.

God Bless,

John German

Love this initiative, Laurie. Way to inspire the writing community and keep them motivated!

Okay, just pondering some plot ideas... not sure what disease or type of pandemic we’re dealing with here, hopefully not anything “zombie.” Lol! Maybe we’re past lockdown? But perhaps the disease kills and the world is mostly dead. So the danger is other survivors, scavengers. The single mom is out wearing a gas mask, gathering what supplies she can find. She’s middle-aged, looks meek, but clean and healthy—a stark difference to the surroundings. She heads back. And some guy sees her and follows her. She must have a hoard of stuff? Food? A decent place to live? A cure, maybe? He’s desperate but hardened. Maybe there’s some other disability? The mom? Or her child? Her daughter is maybe 8-10 years old? Because this is a horror, the setup of this being a sort of “home invasion” and this brutal man is holding them captive already has expectations, so instead subvert that expectation and the “bad guy” here is really the mother, the protag. Maybe she and her daughter have the disease but it has mutated in some way. Making them something else. They are the carrier, either needing new test subjects or maybe they are cannibals. For the majority of the short, it seems he is the one in control. But this whole thing is a ruse, a spider catching a fly.

Guys this is a HUGE opportunity! Laurie Ashbourne is immensely talented as a writer and a development executive. Really exciting stuff. Thanks so much for this Laurie.

My first thought was that the man was a disturbed 'ex' and also father of the child. He has always had access to his son, albeit limited, and the hostage situation arises after he comes to collect* his child during the pandemic and she refuses to let her son leave with him. (*Side note: this is currently allowed in the UK with shared access so it's plausible - not sure about the US, however...)

Hi Laurie,

Fun idea - initial thoughts. Both characters have to be equally competent, as this creates the most conflict and it's a huge plot hole if the story can logically be resolved if the protagonist were just smart, tougher etc.

The disease has to have a serious ticking time bomb element - such as exposure with an hour etc equals symptoms and there has to be more at stake than just a mild cold - death.

Kind Regards,

Eoin

CARRIER (or String19)

Place of action: L.A. research facility.

Synopsis:

When a lab experiment to cure COVID 19 goes horribly wrong, a clumsy scientist (50), his wife (48), and their estranged daughter (19) become the first highly intelligent zombies. Not willing to share their newly found powers with the knowledge-hungry human elite that forcefully tries to get bitten, they barricade themselves in their research facility trying to find a cure for their own uncontrollable hunger and bad looks, before turning on themselves. But cure or no cure – they still have to find a way out and get to a safe haven.

I would say the man is her husband. He goes from being the protector to being the danger. You could flashback to how he was before. The protagonist has to try to appeal to who he was before.

I always like to find a storyform for this before I go into storytelling, and, in the first place define the main character the audience should identify with- his motivation, backstory,values, typical methodology , habits, mannerisms, physical and emotional traits. The story will emerge from this... lets say, he must change to achieve his goal, he has to stop something to survive, he is an active person, and he preferes logic to intuition... first, until he meets something terrible which can´t be explained by his scientific knowledge. Adding a time lock situation, we might have to decide, if he achieves his goal in time, or ... not... tragedy?The roles in this movie might be driven by a situation, concerned with survival, and not knowing, how, and their horrible idea is to allow for human experiments to find out about the behaviour of a mutated virus... well, I guess, this could frighten everyone deep into his armchair.

Keep the thoughts coming, everyone!

Just a reminder, I will steer the process so the ideas that are coming in for plot etc., will be part of that phase. Right now, the first step in the development process is the character work. What type of characters would be best suited to this premise and this genre?

The Man - Maybe has NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) and possible delusional tendencies where he created symptoms to awaken that special treatment feeling. Yearning for such attention from anyone and everyone from a sympathetic standpoint.

The Nurse - As specified if continued or even thought to be a part, could be the personality where she shows on the outside she cares, but on the inside she is as heartless and uncompassionate as anyone. Though so subtle and subconscious that many may not even feel her to be such due to her compassionate outside.

Single mother - No matter the odds, she always seems to continue to show she is unwavering in her foundational strength, though internally she is amidst her own emotional rubble that she tries desperately to never show anyone; even the subtle signs continue to push its way into the atmosphere of her outer self.

I am thankful for your fun and adventurous post that awakens the creativity.

God Bless,

John German

The Woman is a dedicated biologist who works for a big pharmacutical Company in order to make ends meet. She is a single mother with an autistic son, aged 12. She has a passion for bee keeping. The man is her baby sitter when she needs to go to work. He has an uncanny ability of communicating with her son like no one else can. Her boss is a greedy happy bastard who is very attracted to her physical self. Love and Strength to All!

Okay, Laurie. ;) Would you throw us another story bone? Lol! For me, I need a sense of plot to suss out characters. But that’s just me. I can adjust, of course. Or just wait. I was hoping for a female-driven story. Dunno if that’s where this is heading? I guess in my mind, I see the mother as a scientist or medical person who has a child with needs (maybe those needs are a separate issue or are a direct result of the disease, a mutation, or the child is immune). Perhaps her flaw is a willingness to go too far, take risks to protect or get what they need. The guy who takes them captive maybe he has a military background, is very capable, sure of himself, etc, which is also his flaw. As far as any additional psychosis... both would be paranoid or suffering from some sort of post-traumatic stress, maybe, assumedly. Anyhoo, others seem to be thinking more family drama or some sort of family or relationship dynamic, perhaps? Interesting to see where this goes!

Hi Beth (and all)! My hope is that I can help people see my development process from the ground up and understand how coming at a story in this process, makes it come together quickly and much more effectively. I always start with a title and logline and then ask who would be the type of character that would be most rocked by this situation. (either in a good or bad way, depending on genre). This is horror film, more psychological than blood and gore but that's not to say there won't be any.

One thing I see very often is scripts is that the chosen protagonist (and even antagonist) does not really change from beginning to end.

So, one more character tidbit from me for the day before we move on tomorrow with who these people are, just another way to think about what everyone has been posting...

What type of person would have their world turned upside down by being held captive by someone who was carrying a deadly virus? And what type of person would go to such extreme to hold someone and their child captive? What type of child would seem most vulnerable, or maybe the child isn't vulnerable, maybe the mother is? 3 characters who will be much different from when we first meet them to when we fade out.

That's a great process, Laurie. Thanks for sharing and leading the way. ;) Okay, psychological horror, got it.

That's an awesome offer. Thx so much.

CARRIER

MAN - OCD, NPD, needs attention, sure of himself on the outside but insecure on the inside, all which can feed a hypochondriac mindset. He can connect/communicate with the child. Is/was popular, had a following, when the world was right.

He is desperate to hang onto his family even though he doesn’t deserve them.

Deep down he is at her mercy but he makes her feel that she is under his control — which is why she left him.

WOMAN - secure in her job and status, pragmatic mom, surgeon with expertise in pathology — who just before the pandemic became a national emergency, finally filed for divorce.

She is finally free of her controlling husband and ready to move on with her life, so tired of his OCD she goes to nth extreme and is lax in cleaning etc — being married to this guy has made her a survivalist. But she’s also got more important things to do now that the world is in lockdown… she knows how to access certain meds and equipment.

She can placate her ex, but like nurse Ratchet, she is not about to give him any compassionate bedside manner. The man she finally got rid of, she has to share these desperate 2-weeks with in grossly close proximity.

In the end, she will be the carrier.

CHILD - teenage boy, autistic and NOT highly functioning. This boy has developed a way to communicate with mother and father that is different for each — so it’s difficult for one to understand the communication with the other. Like most autistic people, he is actually extremely smart and aware; “normal” people don’t know this — his parents do, but even they are not fully aware of what his brain is capable of understanding.

NEXT STEP:

By doing this character work, you have figured out what’s the worst situation he/she can find themselves in. Now we need focus on the first action they would take as a result of this situation and how might that action backfire.

A succinct way to do this is to plot as a bedtime story (or joke) - meaning we are now focused on the “Once upon a time” set up or the “what if” scenario. Even though this is a short, we will follow a 3-act structure, with the second act having a clear midpoint (which to some is a 4-act structure of equal lengths).

Here’s the framework in 3 sentences. This is the foundation for every story, joke, pitch, logline, whatever you want to call it. It is the key to engaging an audience, engaging interest, and it is universal in structure. To quote the Disney-Pixar process, structure is the answer to what you want the audience to know and when — so the order of information is key. Going back to the first reported quotes on story structure in the 1800s, (long before Walt was born), in the first act get your cat up a tree; in the second act, throw stones at him; in the third, get him down gracefully.

So if you were to sit a child down for a bedtime story or sit around a campfire and tell a story, in 3 or so sentences let’s explore:

1. What gets our female up a tree

2. The stones thrown at her

3. How will she fall/get down; will it be graceful and heroic or bloody and tragic?

In each of these, keep in mind what is the most genre worthy thing that could happen given what we know about this woman and the other two characters.

Another way to look at it is:

1. Once upon a time (our main character with flaw) set out to ______ but her (flaw driven strategy) led to this _______ (screw up) so she decided to______(action).

2. In process of taking this action (strategy) she hits an unfortunate (obstacle) which leads to a (complication) so she adopts a new (strategy) that involves a personal stake (midpoint). Her old/initial want changes to a new want, but she is faced with an even bigger obstacle. Engulfed with emotion she leaps into action only to face a horrible reality (low point - end of act two)

3. Fortunately, she is able to find a solution that leads to a new (strategy/action) and using her new (information/empowerment) she is able to take action overcoming or using the very flaw that got her here in the first place. The end is a changed world/character(s).

Just by completing these three sentences we have a short synopsis and an elevator pitch. More importantly we have our guideposts for our screenplay.

If you want to get more detailed about the pacing, here is a sequential breakdown:

1. Character flaw/trait triggers conflict

2. Conflict triggers problem - end of first act

3. Problem triggers strategy

4. Strategy triggers Emotional Event - midpoint

5. Emotional Event triggers Major Action

6. Major Action triggers Misstep - end of 2nd act

7. Misstep triggers battle

8. Battle triggers Final Challenge

I am keeping track of the previously mentioned plot notes, so there is no need to re-post those. Again, don't feel you need to answer all of the above, this is all here to give a big picture overview but any contribution is welcome.

1. The woman must cook to feed her child but things are not going well. She can't find the right things. Things are burning. Her son is sitting at the table getting more and more agitated. He is hungry but cannot/will not eat what she puts down. Her husband knew what to do. He keeps repeating that "The fish is dead. You Killed it!"

2. She is not a person who loses control easily but as moments pass without success she starts feeding into her child's agitation. Instead of finding humor in the situation she starts trying to force the situation. This triggers all the anger of all the years she kept silent. She takes it out on her child.

Thanks, Laurie!

Okay, broad strokes... so the woman's flaw, or one of her flaws, is her frustration/hatred for her ex. What gets our mom "up the tree" is her refusal to help him or show him any kindness. She's perfectly capable of coming to his aid but hell no, she will not. The teenage son has a different relationship with his father, caught in the middle, and like most teens, he probably does not always do what his mother says—mad at her and wanting to help his dad, he opens the door.

Again, just thinking in broad strokes, I'm not sure how "stones are thrown at her" or how it builds (the sequential pacing) to the final challenge at this point, but in the end, after much conflict, perhaps she ends up not overcoming her flaw(s), her hatred, frustration, anger, stubbornness, and ends up killing him, and by doing so she contracts the disease herself, having to remain. Or they kill each other—hmm... too much like The War of the Roses, maybe? Either way, it ends with the teenage boy as the only survivor. He leaves.

Or... to add to the psychological horror as our protagonist has failed, the autistic teen ends up having to stay alone in lockdown trapped with dead/dying parents. Too dark?

my neighbor is a stay at home single mom. Her entire house is high tech. ALEXA home programmed. She can turn on the heat/AC/lights/TV from an Iphone outside. Drives a Tesla. Without electricity, she's screwed.

Here's a little afternoon inspiration. Given this is low budget, it would have to be contained, maybe with one or two outside scenes to set scope and scale. But "horror" comes from not being able to escape from this psychologically traumatic relationship and this physically threatening disease. Let's think of it as SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY meets PANIC ROOM only in this case the disease is the unseen killer.

We'll want to set up the horror first and fast.

Here's the trailer for PANIC ROOM: https://youtu.be/sp2kKzrCm44

I like the idea that the single mother is a nurse, and the child might be immuno compromised. The man that holds them captive, I'd say is a stranger. I like the military background idea, but perhaps a bit paranoid-schizophrenic.

She goes out, to work or do essential shopping and because of the outfit he know she's his only chance of survival, so he follows her and holds her and her child captive at gunpoint demanding a cure and possibly blaming the pharmaceutical industry for the pandemic in the first place.

Okay, so not horror, then? More a thriller/drama? And the physical danger is only from the disease? If so, what is the disease? Viral? Bacterial? Airbourne? Something else? How is it physically threatening? What happens if/when you contract it? I assume this is very different than COVID-19?—I hope? A fictitious disease?

Psychological Horror is the genre. The disease is the danger, it has the entire globe under threat, (should be very relatable to everyone), let's call it COVID-32 - so it's never been seen before, but the symptoms are faster and easier to see, say 3-days. The psychology of it is pure survival. This is exacerbated by the fact that she thought she was finally free of this paranoid, and controlling man. I gave the PANIC ROOM example to get you all to think about being locked in somewhere with a child.

Okay. ;) Sleeping with the Enemy gave a different vibe. Yup, we all can relate to a lockdown during a pandemic, that’s for sure. Plus I’m a parent. Just trying to understand how close to current reality this is going. I’ve been assuming this short may be more extreme or abstract to give it some distance from current events. I’ve been thinking more violence (physical danger) between characters too, not just the disease—a misunderstanding and/or a different take, I guess?. ;)

All ideas welcome and encouraged, Beth!

And BTW Sleeping with the enemy is pretty horrifying if you've ever known someone like that. :-)

The carrier is running from the virus police who are done trying to cure anyone, the virus is an instant death sentence. The woman is an ex-navy seal who knows how to keep this over hyped death threat less threatening but she knows with crazies calm never lasts and crazy always wins.

A very interesting concept. This story direction brings to mind The Andromeda Strain. But I see it as more resolution based - as in On The Beach. Once tha audience has seen/confronted the horror, resolution is in order - putting an up-tic (hopeful) ending.

The autistic child knows the cause and the cure but he can't communicate it. Or can he?

Okay Everyone -- It's time to put some meat on these story bones.

To recap, we have our characters and we have some great plot and setting suggestions. I took what was offered for plot and put that into a synopsis of the first act.... One thing to keep in mind is that we must set the tone immediately. This is true for any genre. Because this is a short, we have to be even more efficient in our storytelling. We need to get a sense of the premise, tone, and character all in the first scene. Because this is a psychological horror -- we need the mind f*#k and death as soon as possible.

BASED ON THE PLOT NOTES SUPPLIED THIS IS THE FIRST ACT:

1. Mom (surgeon/pathology specialist) enters an abandoned medical clinic, corpses are around, a digital announcement is on loop that give the ‘rules of the disease’ symptoms, 3-days after exposure = death.

Stealth like, in homemade protective gear, she knows what she needs, what she is doing, and tears the place apart — she’s startled by a healthcare worker on his last breath — the dying man reaches for her almost zombie like he’s so bad off — he’s clearly on the third day, she is in pure survival mode and gets as far away as she can, stumbling back she’s cut by falling debris — no time to fret she finishes off the dying man and she quickly douses the cut with something awful — a bunson burner maybe, and goes about stuffing her bag with what she needs …

Outside a Man tracks her on smart device, even more stealth like as he gets in place he sees where she is and runs in the opposite direction.

The woman arrives home — it’s a smart home, very much like a bunker, only windows are high and skylights and solar panels, it’s not as sleek as it once was but there’s evidence she was at one time a successful surgeon. She uses her smart home technology as a sort of rigged decompression process as she stands in the foyer and ‘disinfects’ as she does so, she checks the home’s monitors — specifically “Jake’s room” — immediately concerned something is off from what she doesn’t see on the monitor, she interrupts her ‘disinfection’ process.. calling out… she struggles between getting out of her gear and running to Jake’s room. She’s both relieved and concerned when she finds him, relieved he’s fine, but concerned he’s sitting in a weird place… It’s clear Jake is autistic — far off the spectrum, she communicates in her way telling him she got what she needs — it will be okay. She casually asks why the change of his normal place? Jake does something that makes her think... what could he mean? We see their connection — their way of communicating — she tells him everything, never really expecting a back and forth. She has the smart home turn on music they dance, but she senses something is off — something about the connectivity in his room — it’s sudden — the boy’s eyes go wide and he sees she knows — he starts to hit himself in the head — “he’s sorry” — she struggles to calm him and move to the panel to fix the connectivity problem -- and this is where she is stopped dead in her tracks. For the first time we see her vulnerable and scared — the man who tracked her outside of the clinic is here — in her son’s room…

NEXT UP LETS BUILD THE SECOND ACT:

2. In Act 2 we need to learn a bit more about this man and their relationship and she will need a new strategy. We’ll also need to know what she went to the lab for (is it for her son, is it for her, is it for a cure, is it for a test?) Maybe she also has a health issue? She will need to adopt a new (strategy) that involves a personal stake (midpoint). Her old/initial want that she went to the clinic for changes to a new want, but she is faced with an even bigger obstacle. Engulfed with emotion she leaps into action only to face a horrible reality (low point - end of act two)

Some things to keep in mind: From this point on, the film is contained within this home. Nothing should be as it seems we should always feel on edge, tense and waiting for the shoe to drop. These people have a history. This disease has clear identifiers and a 3-day time frame. This guy is OCD yet controlling and manipulative and strong. She is smart and tough as nails, skilled with surgical tools. The son for all of his disabilities is actually the sanest of the two but there's only so much his mind can process and communicate. The man wants them to be together, to get through this together and he wants her to care for him so he feigns symptoms that aren't real -- he's nuts.

By the end of this act, we need to have a sense of what her plan is to get rid of him.

This is all you guys. I have merely taken your input and framed it in a structure that serves the genre, premise and characters. Because Act two is twice the length of one, let's give this an extra day.

ACT TWO IDEAS BY 12 PM PACIFIC TIME ON THURSDAY.

Overall Genre Tone: Lighting for Interior, Music Choices, Weather, Daytime, Season, and behavioural intensity in acting like mimics and gestures (directing notes). Like Cassavetes did in "Rosemaries Baby"- aim to give even everyday routines a touch of unreal, maliciously lurking threats and abnormality. Choice of setting and props that should have an overall unsettling look and feel.

For the resolution: Finding out how to get rid of the man demands for the knowledge of her typical methodology.... what kind of tactics and strategy is this woman capable of? How agressive is her approach to her goal? Since she is the one who we should sympathsize and identify with, and since her job isn´t to kill preople, we may have her move along her role and rescue her kid in case the crazy husband is going to hurt it, killing him unintentionally, or at least let the authorities take him away for good, or she is going to change her nature, and follows a plan to end him- which is murder. Maybe we should adress female audiences here primarily, who would like to have him behave brutally and therefore have him put away to rescue the family. So, the 2nd Act would show his journey from internally brooding jealousy to agressive madness. Consequently, we would watch the husband become a deadly, sneaking, snakey, crazy threat to the family he once loved, but now aims to humiliate and destroy, and the quarantine situation intensifies this in an escalating 24/7 situation- the midpoint lets us know about something which accelerates her decision, maybe a new timelock or the like, or an external influence which narrows the options to a do or die situation.

The single mother, just got off a plane from China, beating the lockdown by the Communist Government while chaos breaks out, the protagonists a virologist, was contracted by the US Gov’t to work within the international community to ID pandemics early - she did, and she is on her way back with the cure. She’s picked up by her captor, a xenophobic, right wing nut job - her Uber Driver. Ever since the pandemic began, in China, Charlie, the Uber Driver has been picking up anyone that looks Asian, and been killing them. The virologist, a Chinese American, Sirui, which Americans can’t say correctly, goes by Lisa, and has a 10 year old daughter named Eunseo.

If you are new to the thread, I realize it can look quite unruly and bit much to read. Each day (sometime after 12 am PST) I will post a recap that will catch you up. Keep the ideas coming!

Hi. Just came across this and it caught my imagination. So here's what's rolling around my head. The carrier is patient zero. The protagonist is an immunologist. Daughter early teen at odds with her workaholic mom who is seeking to reconnect by taking time off of work. The carrier was recently fired from his laboratory work and he infected himself before being thrown out, infecting anyone he comes into close quarters with. The police are hunting him, the army are enforcing the lock down and the Carrier is hiding in their garage. Daughter finds him becoming infected. Mom realises as patient zero he is also the source of the cure.

A 3 way scuffle happens between Jake, mother, man. The man kills the mother by accident. Jake is overwhelmed. The man can't believe he just did that. The man also realizes that he is sick. Jake has a decision to make on his own. He can save the man who just killed his mother. He finds a way to communicate this to the man. The man must trust him. The man cannot believe some one could be so forgiving. Jake explains to him that he isn't doing it for him. He is doing for the world and the man must help him to help all the others.

Keep the input coming - we will have the bones to ACT TWO tonight by midnight Pacific Time. If we can keep on track, I may set up a second short on some of the other character and plot suggestions that came in later.

Did send an invitation to you.

Good morning from Europe to LA... this is K-Friday, lets see if there are some easter eggs to hide here for the days to come. I´ll try to approach it from the characters throughlines, flaws and traits, and the relationship aspects.

Our woman is a doctor. Lets break this heroic mother a bit, saying that doctors are able to commit a perfect murder, being specialists in saving lives(which means you are able to end them as well, and undetectable)... but this is ultima ratio. She has to suffer a lot, but stays reasonable and well controlled. Seems that she kind of grows when the going gets tough showing a talent for survival.

The husband surely goes into a psychopathic state of mind.He had been overcharged, refused and ridiculed for a long time, from his point of view. The flashbacks shows that he was looking good... then. He had money.... then. Nothing´s left of that, and he showed up with one ugly trait after another, trying to make up.... being a simple mind which has become a dangerous fiend internally, because she did not love him, as his mother did... passionately and unconditionally. ---She gave birth to the "crazy thing"- the autistic kid. He hates the kid.."This is NOT my son".His immature male pride hurt, he retreats to the cellar and the garage as headquarters, brooding over his violent fantasies. Suddenly shows up at night to commit atrocities. He wants "them" to live in fear and humiliation, to satisfy his mad hunger of despotism... Can´t help recalling "Shining"... a bit, with a crazy husband in an isolated situation, driven by growing madness, and some Michael and Hannibal put in. But lets get to it because it is a short: he rapes her, beats her, and tears the family pet apart, and at last, tries to kill the poor kid.--- So far for the mainstream horror entertainment values.

Beyond that, here goes the metaphor: He is the totally non-subtle embodiment of the threat of a deadly disease threating us, something we fear, and cannot escape: devilish, sadistic, heartless, mindless, whichfocuses on horrible pain and suffering, and death. His connection to the virus is symbolical but comes clearly up, when he embraces the situation openly to perform as a tyrant---

Now to her: She suffers a lot, can´t escape, so she embraces her weapons: she manipulates him sexually, drugs him, and prepares to end this horror by ending his miserable existence, maybe using a poison which pushes his already weak mind over the edge, and makes him commit suicide like in very a bad LSD trip- "out of the window" into some stakes of a fence may be a spectacular showdown. She is definitely exhausted, close to breaking down, but relieved. Her metaphor is the remedy, the problem-solving creativity which avoids hysteria and panic, anlyzes the threat and the situation no matter how painful and frightening, finally saving her and the kids life.....

Hope it helps.

Best

Mike

Hi. If I may I'd like to contribute to this, This is my first post so.....

The Mother - we'll call her ROSIE. An exhausted nurse, mentally and physically drained after a punishing double shift in a busy inner-city hospital. Several of her team are badly ill, a couple of close colleagues have passed, her patients are decimated her once strong sense of duty and ethics have been eroded by the horrors she's endured. She's the partner to....

The Boyfriend - DEEK. Her lifelong partner, the absolute rock in her life. A caring, responsible kind of guy. He's a respected high school teacher but has started to show symptoms of this disease....or has he? Rosie begins to suspect that Deek has contracted the disease but from where? And how can she treat him? Does he even want her to?

The Son - TAYLOR - a young man who has just completed a recent tour in the military. He's home on leave and has been effectively trapped in the locked down city. Devoted to his father, with a slightly tense relationship with Rosie, his loyalties will be tested in the days ahead...to say nothing of the orders he received about the step of containment...

Apologies for the delayed milestone post, it's been an incredibly busy 12 hours. As soon as I get off of my next conference I will get this rolling for today/the weekend. My goal is to start on script pages no later than Wednesday of next week.

You write at a minimum 12 features a year! I’m impressed.

Happy Friday if you're keeping track of these things. ;-) Here's where we stand:

To recap, this is a psychological horror short (low budget) I will leave this as the current step until tomorrow at midnight Pacific, so feel free to contribute more until then. We will be writing scenes by early in the week. GREAT JOB!

THIS IS THE FIRST ACT:

1. AVA (surgeon/pathology specialist) enters an abandoned medical clinic, corpses are around, a digital announcement is on loop that give the ‘rules of the disease’ Symptoms: bloodshot eyes, profuse sweating/fever, skin rash, neurological deficiency (delirium, forgetfulness, hallucinations) and 3-days after exposure = death.

Stealth like, in homemade protective gear, she knows what she needs, what she is doing, and tears the place apart — she’s startled by a healthcare worker on his last breath — the dying man reaches for her, almost zombie like he’s so bad off — he’s clearly on the third day, she is in pure survival mode and gets as far away as she can, stumbling back she’s cut by a falling cart of lab instruments — with no time to fret she finishes off the dying man by stabbing him in heart, she leaves the knife in him and she quickly douses the cut on her forearm with something awful — a bunson burner maybe, then goes about stuffing her bag with the lab supplies she needs …

Outside, a Man, JOHNNY, tracks her on smart device, even more stealth like as he gets in place he sees where she is busy inside and runs in the opposite direction away from the clinic.

Ava arrives home — it’s a smart home, very much like a bunker, windows are covered with blackout shades skylights and solar panels, light things from above. It’s not as sleek as it once was but there’s evidence she was at one time a successful surgeon. She uses her smart home technology as a sort of rigged decompression process as she stands in the foyer and ‘disinfects’ as she does so, but first, she has to disarm the alarm and is paused that the panel is closed. She opens it and disarms it, leaves the cover hang open. As she checks the home’s monitors — specifically “Jake’s room” — immediately concerned something is off from what she doesn’t see on the monitor, she interrupts her ‘disinfection’ process.. calling out… she then sees a finger trail along in the dust on the foyer table. Now she’s really concerned… She calls out for Jake again, she struggles between getting out of her gear and running to Jake’s room. She’s both relieved and concerned when she finds him, relieved he’s fine, but concerned he’s sitting in a weird place… It’s clear Jake is autistic — far off the spectrum, she communicates in her way telling him she got what she needed — it will be okay, soon they will be okay. She casually asks why the change of his normal place? Jake does something that makes her think... what could he mean? We see their connection — their way of communicating — she tells him everything, never really expecting a back and forth. She has the smart home turn on music they dance, but she senses something is off — she spots a picture in a small frame it’s of her, a younger Jake and more pleasant looking Johnny — the boy’s eyes go wide and he sees she knows — he starts to hit himself in the head — “he’s sorry” — she struggles to calm him. She scans the room, the hall the windows… she goes into QUIET PLACE mode — and writes: where did this come from? Jake types on custom keypad. ”I’m sorry.” She writes back, “I got rid of all things of his, were you hiding this?” Jake gets upset and starts smacking his head. Finally she asks if it’s okay that she takes it. He nods and pushes it on her. She winces at her cut as he scrapes it. His eyes go wide. She assures him it’s okay, she took care of it. She’s fine, she’s a doctor remember. Jake calms but it’s clear that Ava is on edge. She leaves him in his room, and tells him she’ll make a snack for him. He motions for her to open the blinds. She tells the smart assistant, ‘open blinds’ and a flash of a shadow goes by quickly. She’s not sure if she saw it right, but she’s already on high alert.

She steps outside of Jake’s room and immediately throws the framed photo in the trash. She grabs the backpack from her quest and sees the alarm panel cover is again closed. This gives her pause. She checks that the alarm is engaged and grabs the backpack from the lab, she moves to the kitchen, washes her hands and unpacks the backpack onto the kitchen island which has become a makeshift pathology lab. Here again we are reminded of the symptoms of the deadly virus as displayed with her work. She moves to the sink to wash her hands again and notices the picture she threw away is upright on a nearby table. WTF. She slides a kitchen knife from the block and calmly keeps it by her side as she taps into a tablet to looks at the home monitors. Jake is in his room, in the same spot listening to music, the front door is clear, bathrooms clear, living room, den, hallways — all clear. She looks at the kitchen feed, the camera is behind her, she sees in the feed that there is a man behind her. She grabs the knife and spins around. He grabs her wrist, ready.

With swagger and creepy slime of evil, he winks and says something along the lines, of “miss me?”

SECOND ACT:

2.Ava recovers from her surprise upon finding the man, she has venom in her eyes, the man, JOHNNY shoots her a pleading glance before going into survival mode. He throttles her, like an OCD jealous and mentally abusive and manipulative man.

She’s furious and it’s clear she has to hold a steady front to not allow his idle threats and accusations make her seem weak. After she shoves him away, she takes the upper hand, “How dare he put Jake’s life at risk and barge in here.” He becomes a wimp as if on actor on queue — “I’m sorry, I had no where to go, I’m scared, I just wanted to spend my last three days with my family…”

This perks her ears, “last three days? So, you’re infected, and this is how you show your undying love? To break in and risk all our lives? This is exactly why I divorced you, you selfish prick.”

He begs her like an insecure man on the cusp of insanity and she lets him. It’s Jake that freaks out and puts a stop to it. In his autistic mind, people that don’t love each other will never help each other, it’s impractical. She separates the two, Johnny’s not allowed in the house. It’s a back and forth he uses their son as a ploy, she can’t deny him visitation. She makes it clear there were terms. Clearly that has all changed with the pandemic. He makes himself at home and mocks her for her lack of cleanliness since he’s been gone. We can see his OCD is making him freak out at the place, especially looking at her homemade lab. Their bickering is interrupted by Jake. She leaves to attend to him and we learn how Johnny really feels about him. He blames her for his autism and health and never really could bond or love him. She takes Jake his snack and gets him settled. She writes him a secret message that she is going to lock his door and not to open it.

Once she’s out of Jake’s room she tells Johnny he needs to leave, she has work to do he pleads with her, and gets whiny. He doesn’t feel good, he’s worried, if he’s going to die, he wants to do it with his family. She looks at his eyes they are red. He tosses some back handed compliments, he knows she’s the one who will come up with a cure first, her work was what drove them apart. She doesn’t bother arguing with him, he no longer has that power over her. A plan formulates in her mind, she tells him to go to the guest room but he has to stay quarantined if he thinks he has the virus. He gets really creepy and offers to help her disinfect the place. She does her best to keep her cool and makes him go to the guest room, she tells him she’s close to cure and he can be the first to get it. Once he’s in she locks the door with the smart device and calls up the camera to that room. She wipes down everywhere he was and gets to work at her makeshift lab she prepares a lethal injection.

As she works on her plan to get rid of him, something is bothering her about the HOW he got in, in the first place. She goes to the alarm panel and replays the monitor footage from earlier. Johnny gets in uses the code, it takes him a couple tries but he finally figures it out. He shuts the panel door. She thinks about this because she came in and left the alarm panel door down but it was closed again later… she fast forwards the footage and sees him come back to the panel while she was in Jake’s room. JOHNNY CHANGES THE CODE and she can’t see to what he makes it. She goes into a closet and calls the security company there is just a message, due to covid-32 we are no longer able to respond, if this is an emergency call 911. They are trapped, they can’t unlock the door without the code. She whispers to the smart home assistant to unlock all doors and windows. The assistant replies, please enter your passcode. She wants to cry but keeps it together — she studies the footage trying to make out what he changed it to… it’s no use.

To hell with it, she’ll just inject him and they’ll figure a way out somehow.

Jake calls her, it’s time to work. She checks the guest room monitor and sees Johnny in bed. She let’s Jake out of his room. Ava and Jake finally have a minute to themselves and we see that Ava went to the lab on Jake’s request, he’s studying the contagion and she’s happy to help with lab work. Jake has an innate analytical skillset, that he cannot convey, but he has memorized the bodies pathological processes so he and Ava make a great team in the lab. Jake finally asks what are they going to do about Johnny? Will she test their drug on him? She shows him the lethal injection. He understands she will kill him.

He sees her bandage from her lab cut needs changing. She says she’ll take care of it. She explains they have another problem to solve, once he is gone, they have to figure out how to get out. So his next challenge after they finish with the cure culture, is to try and figure out how to overcome the smart home locks. She steps away from the lab into the kitchen and checks the monitors. Johnny is not in the room. She panics, grabs a knife and runs down the hall. He’s nowhere to be found —every corner is a nail biter.

She makes her way back, and sees that Johnny has Jake — with the lethal injection at his neck.

ACT THREE

3.Hell hath no fury and it’s tough for Ava to contain her urge to leap through the air and bludgeon this asshole.

Jake is remarkably calm however. Ava takes his cue and tries to talk to Johnny. You’re infecting him etc., we’ve got the cure in that needle. Johnny sweats and he’s manic, so it sure looks like he has the virus.

Johnny starts talking but tightens his grip on Jake — he talks about their first date and how she mixed her alcohol and puked on his new shoes. He knew right then she’d be a challenge for him. Give him a reason to live. She offers him a drink, there’s plenty of vintage wine and bourbon in the bar. He nods, a little bourbon will take the edge off. She moves to the bar and talks calmly, why would he inject Jake? Johnny retorts, why not save his son? Jake trembles, he cannot stand being held and he knows the truth of what is in the injection. Ave comes at Johnny with the bourbon, just the way he likes it, she tells him that she needs to keep some of what is his the syringe to replicate it. Johnny pauses and in a split second he lashes out — he knows it’s not the cure, while at the same time she tosses the bourbon in his eyes. Hell breaks loose and Ava pulls Jake free to face Johnny on her own. Jake is freaking out, the syringe rolls across the floor. Ava keeps her eye on it. Lab samples are flying as Johnny wipes the island surface to the floor.

He moves in on Ava, tries to rape her — sloppy disgusting kisses all over her. Jake freaks out, he’ll kill her! Jake bitch slaps him, Johnny knocks him across the room. Ava grabs the first thing with in reach; the picture he took out of the trash and whacks it against his head. Johnny laughs with a bloody gash in his head, he just wanted what’s rightfully his and he forces himself on Ava, she grabs a scalpel from the floor and slices his neck — he cries, he wasn’t infected! At the same time Jake grabs the lethal syringe and jabs it into Johnny’s thigh. His body writhes like it’s being electrocuted until — dead.

Ava and Jake embrace she gets him settled and goes about cleaning the mess into a pile at the very least. Johnny’s vile and bloody disgusting body is covered — she spits on it. She’s worked up a sweat. Her wound is open again, she goes to the kitchen sink to clean it and sees a rash spreading from the wound up her arm. Her face goes ashen. She looks to all of their work — ruined — and she needs a cure immediately.

Jake sits on the floor with the lab equipment and pieces together everything — undeterred — he will fix this. Ava is in the guest room, covered in a rash, eyes beet red and sweating profusely…

Hello Laurie and everyone...I'm intrigued; first, because I'm writing a horror script involving a completely different type of isolation and second, this idea whizzed into my head at the thought of a single mom who works as a cleaning person for a small town church. She is in love with the Rector, who is our "carrier." The Rector has his eyes on her daughter. He begins to understand his power when he learns he doesn't die after contracting a fatal disease. He can spread the disease to whomever he chooses.

Great Job, Laurie. Collaborative work seems to be the writing concept of the future. At this point we used to start to write scenes and simultaneously scribbling thumbnails that result in a preliminary storyboard. If you need some assistance for this, feel free to ask.--- creation@michaelmusal.com

Good work all round - and a very interesting take on how to structure a plot and a beat sheet.

Wow... I came in a bit late. The whole time reading I thought that 'Johnny" (Very plain name btw, anything better?) was a stranger. Now he's the EX. To throw a monkey wrench into the mix, have John be an Ex-convict (reasons to boot him away and not want the son to know him, drug dealer maybe - chemistry-related). John was tested on in prison where he was injected with COVID32 as an experiment on inmates. Then when it got out of control he makes a deal with the scientists to contact his ex-wife who used to be part of their original plan. Ava left him and the job after having Jack and gaining a conscious. He is actually funded by them to break into her fortress before COVID32 gets out of hand to find a cure. Once everything goes south with Ava, Jack is left with the antidote. A bit of additional motivation for all 3 of them. How about Jacque or Jaron instead of Johnny?

Hi Laurie, Your sharing with us Wed was enlightening. Thank you for your powerful insights. In jumping in here to this cool shared story writing for ACT 2, is the man who followed her home her ex-husband or someone else? Is the character description you posted at the start the same for the man, woman, and child or has it changed in your completion of ACT 1?

Hi Everyone!

I want to once again acknowledge the notion that many of you may have seen this thread and responded with a “meh” or “not my cup of tea” or “she didn’t choose my plot and character” yadda yadda.

To be clear, I am trying to fold in most suggestions as they fit to WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS. There have been some late comers with some exciting contributions and I think we will have time to develop those separately. The whole idea of this exercise is for all of you to be a part of a development process. When we get through this, if there is time and we are still in covid mode I will look at doing an alternate version with some of the story and character ideas that came in later.

If you want to have a day job as a screenwriter, this will most likely start off with taking jobs where it is up to you to shape other’s material. I have been in many meetings where a producer or director will print off a 2-page article or story and tell me make something of it. So this is that process — from concept to completion. And it is a short, so there is not a lot of room to explore extensive plot and/or backstory

For me, I’d say, 1 maybe 2 in 5 projects I work on are things that I am passionate about that I would take on as spec work, it’s my job to shape other people’s stories. This is a misconception of a lot of newer screenwriters… “if I write an original script that wins awards, gets me repped even gets produced, then I don’t have to write for other people.” This could not be further from the truth. If you want to be a working screenwriter where you have an agent who puts you up for jobs, you have to learn to work with others’ notes and ideas, these jobs may not be the projects you would tackle if you were just sought out for your original ideas. Which is why I started this thread. To mimic the process of finishing a script based on someone else’s premise and notes.

WHERE WE ARE NOW: WE HAVE THE PLOT, CHARACTERS, LOCATIONS AND STRUCTURE

IF YOU HAVE PLOT IDEAS THAT FIT THIS STRUCTURE, NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER THEM

The next step in the process would normally be to take this synopsis and build a detailed outline where each number in the outline is a scene heading/location. For a feature, I always start with the proportions of 16|32|16. 16 representing the scenes of the first act, 32 representing the scenes of the 2nd act and 16 representing the scenes of the third act. (With the midpoint coming in at 16 scenes into the 2nd act). These numbers can fluctuate and often do, but for the most part they always result in a 90-110 page script and it is proven to be a good foundation. Once I have these 64 or so numbered details, I go ahead and type out those scene headings in my FINAL DRAFT document. Just like that, I’ve already got 3-4 pages written. It’s a great way to overcome that staring at the blank page moment of a first draft.

Because this is a low-budget short, it is essentially 2 main locations, the clinic (1 interior scene) the exterior of the clinic (1 or 2 scenes) and the rest is the interior of the home with some isolated shots in various rooms, although we can get creative with the monitor footage of various locations in the home.

Therefore, I probably wouldn’t do a full outline (and I have found that shorts can stay true to the synopsis), more importantly, I want us to get writing scenes. But I absolutely wanted to share that part of my process as this is to help you all understand how a script can be written quickly and effectively and still take into consideration outside notes.

IF YOU WANT TO WRITE A SCENE PER THIS STRUCTURE, YOU CAN DO SO HERE AND I WILL FORMAT IT INTO A PROPER SCRIPT FORMAT (and show you the most common mistakes as I do).

LET’S MARK MIDNIGHT SUNDAY APRIL 12TH AS CUT OFF FOR ANY MORE PLOT SUGGESTIONS and start thinking about writing those scenes, will start on those Monday.

You are going a long and difficult way here trying to connect rather arbitrary plot fragments...thats hard work under growing time pressure... I would focus much more on the authenticity of the characters first and their intentions to make it easier for you.Thus a story grows a bit more organic ( and easier) from the backstory, purposes and attitudes of well designed, conflicting characters...

Thanks Michael. If you read through you will see the characters are fully developed as well as the plot structure.

This is the proven process that allows me to keep consistently busy as work for hire screenwriter in an extremely fast and productive manner that keeps filmmakers happy and keeps me paid. I'm not saying it's the only way, but it's never steered me wrong.

Gotcha, and considering you have directors and producers (with their eventual gigantic ego´s) in mind, I agree with no pun intended. ;). We all know the rocky road. Maybe my suggestions derive from the fact that I am specialized on characters and serial concepts Anyways, thumbs up...its a good idea, to push remote collaboration across the time zones to the next level. I have a faaaaint feeeling we have to.Streaming is going to be the new cinema. Happy Easter... though.

Ooh, have to place in an exterior shot of her home. She has this crazy high tech fortress so we need a view of what she working with. Maybe a type of concrete futuristic joint, underground, off the grid. Or possibly a duplex or highrise so you have to wonder about neighbors. Maybe drop it on the viewing audience at the end when Jack stumbles out with the antidote.

These are the scenes needed for the first act. You can submit complete scenes, lines of dialogue, action sequences, character introductions, set-piece descriptions — whatever you feel comfortable with. Just type it in the body of the post.

If it is dialogue, please identify it with the character’s name. For example AVA: Jake? I’m home.

Scene headings would be helpful in all caps. For example:

EXT. ABANDONED MEDICAL CLINIC - DAY

I will format it all in Final Draft and discuss some of the more common formatting errors that I see in the scripts that get submitted to me or I get through competitions. You’d be surprised how many writers are making the same mistakes. It’s easy to say formatting isn’t important, it’s the story and writer’s voice that matters, however, it is the one part of screenwriting where EVERYONE can instantly be on the same level playing field, so why wouldn’t you give yourself that benefit?

Ready? Let's go… The full breakdown of the 1st act is repeated below for your convenience. :-)

Exterior of the clinic

Interior of clinic

Exterior of the clinic

Exterior of home

Interior (front entrance) to home

Jake’s room

Front entrance

Kitchen

1. AVA (surgeon/pathology specialist) enters an abandoned medical clinic, corpses are around, a digital announcement is on a loop that gives the ‘rules of the disease’ Symptoms: bloodshot eyes, profuse sweating/fever, skin rash, neurological deficiency (delirium, forgetfulness, hallucinations) and 3-days after exposure = death.

Stealth like, in homemade protective gear, she knows what she needs, what she is doing, and tears the place apart — she’s startled by a healthcare worker on his last breath — the dying man reaches for her, almost zombie-like he’s so bad off — he’s clearly on the third day, she is in pure survival mode and gets as far away as she can, stumbling back she’s cut by a falling cart of lab instruments — with no time to fret she finishes off the dying man by stabbing him in heart, she leaves the knife in him and she quickly douses the cut on her forearm with something awful — a Bunson burner maybe, then goes about stuffing her bag with the lab supplies she needs …

Outside, a Man, JOHNNY, tracks her on a smart device, even more, stealth-like as he gets in place he sees where she is busy inside and runs in the opposite direction away from the clinic.

Ava arrives home — it’s a smart home, very much like a bunker, windows are covered with blackout shades skylights and solar panels, light things from above. It’s not as sleek as it once was but there’s evidence she was at one time a successful surgeon. She uses her smart home technology as a sort of rigged decompression process as she stands in the foyer and ‘disinfects’ as she does so, but first, she has to disarm the alarm and is paused that the panel is closed. She opens it and disarms it, leaves the cover to hang open. As she checks the home’s monitors — specifically “Jake’s room” — immediately concerned something is off from what she doesn’t see on the monitor, she interrupts her ‘disinfection’ process.. calling out… she then sees a finger trail along in the dust on the foyer table. Now she’s really concerned… She calls out for Jake again, she struggles between getting out of her gear and running to Jake’s room. She’s both relieved and concerned when she finds him, relieved he’s fine, but concerned he’s sitting in a weird place… It’s clear Jake is autistic — far off the spectrum, she communicates in her way telling him she got what she needed — it will be okay, soon they will be okay. She casually asks why the change of his normal place? Jake does something that makes her think... what could he mean? We see their connection — their way of communicating — she tells him everything, never really expecting a back and forth. She has the smart home turn on the music they dance, but she senses something is off — she spots a picture in a small frame it’s of her, a younger Jake and more pleasant looking Johnny — the boy’s eyes go wide and he sees she knows — he starts to hit himself in the head — “he’s sorry” — she struggles to calm him. She scans the room, the hall the windows… she goes into QUIET PLACE mode — and writes: where did this come from? Jake types on a custom keypad. ”I’m sorry.” She writes back, “I got rid of all things of his, were you hiding this?” Jake gets upset and starts smacking his head. Finally, she asks if it’s okay that she takes it. He nods and pushes it on her. She winces at her cut as he scrapes it. His eyes go wide. She assures him it’s okay, she took care of it. She’s fine, she’s a doctor remember. Jake calms but it’s clear that Ava is on edge. She leaves him in his room, and tells him she’ll make a snack for him. He motions for her to open the blinds. She tells the smart assistant, ‘open blinds’ and a flash of a shadow goes by quickly. She’s not sure if she saw it right, but she’s already on high alert.

She steps outside of Jake’s room and immediately throws the framed photo in the trash. She grabs the backpack from her quest and sees the alarm panel cover is again closed. This gives her pause. She checks that the alarm is engaged and grabs the backpack from the lab, she moves to the kitchen, washes her hands and unpacks the backpack onto the kitchen island which has become a makeshift pathology lab. Here again, we are reminded of the symptoms of the deadly virus as displayed with her work. She moves to the sink to wash her hands again and notices the picture she threw away is upright on a nearby table. WTF. She slides a kitchen knife from the block and calmly keeps it by her side as she taps into a tablet to looks at the home monitors. Jake is in his room, in the same spot listening to music, the front door is clear, bathrooms clear, living room, den, hallways — all clear. She looks at the kitchen feed, the camera is behind her, she sees in the feed that there is a man behind her. She grabs the knife and spins around. He grabs her wrist, ready.

With swagger and creepy slime of evil, he winks and says something along the lines, of “miss me?”

Hi Laurie, For the dialogue, what's your vision for adding any humor? Do we want to break up the terror with audience laughter a few times or not?

Hi Ricki - This project is created by all of you, so if you want to inject humor in your dialogue, by all means, let's do it. In the end, I will put the whole thing together and we can tweak as necessary if the tone isn't working.

Laurie - how about adding a dog :)

Hey Dan - One of the 1st things I did when I realized I'd be confined at home for months, no travel, no school, was to foster a dog. So, I have no problem with that. How do you see a dog fitting in? Do you have something in mind? Let's hear it...

Preferably, a Rottweiler.

HI Laurie: Here goes with some dialogue and action: for the shared screenplay:

Dialogue in Act 1 (also seeds for a set-up later)

While walking through the clinic, bodies in body bags line the hallway. Ava’s cell phone rings:

Ava’s sister: What happening there? You all right?

Ava: Never thought I’d say this but ‘I see dead people.”

For after this part: “She looks at the kitchen feed, the camera is behind her, she sees in the feed that there is a man behind her. She grabs the knife and spins around. Before she could see who it is, the man grabs her wrist, ready.

With swagger and creepy slime of evil, without seeing who’s behind her, Ava hears:

The man: Miss me?

Add the following dialogue and action here:

Breaking loose, Ava runs to hide in a closet, and opening it, sees the slumped dead body of Jack with a bullet wound to his head, holding a gun. Freaked, she closes the door to run to the kitchen to check.

AVA (to herself) If Jack’s dead in the closet, who’s the man in the kitchen?

Cautiously opening the kitchen swinging door, Jack stands there grinning.

Jack: You never did like going in closets, did you?

Ava passes out.

Next scene:

Wiping her forehead, Jake revives Ava.

Ava: Where is he?

Jake: Who?

Ava: Jack. Where did he go?

Jake: Didn’t see him. What’re you doing with a gun? I thought you hated guns.

Looking down in seeing a gun in her hand, in disgust Ava drops it like it’s diseased.

Ava: What the…

Ava: (cont.) (clutching Jake) Stay by my side. And don’t open any closet—ever.

Next scene:

Carrying a tired Jake to bed, Ava tucks him in, tiptoes out, with gun hidden in her pocket, and goes to her bedroom to call the police. Stepping into her bedroom, Jack is standing there smiling.

Jack: Is that a good idea to call the police? It’s your fingerprints on the murder weapon.

Laurie - hmm, since the MOM is a high tech gadget geek, how about if the dog has a GPS tracker. Maybe Mom doesn't know how to use/set up tracker but the KID knows, shows Mom how to do it.

Then climax, MOM uses the dog tracker on Bad Guy. Maybe she secretly plants tracker on Killer, pinpoints his location via GPS and sets a trap/kills him..

"Skyscraper" did the same foreshadowing/payoff. In the movie, Dwayne The Rock Johnson shows his wife how to reset an IPhone by simply turning it OFF and ON. Wife uses this info to save the day by resetting a FIRE SPRINKLER in a burning Skyscraper.

I've been inspired Laurie, hopefully, is good ya'lll!!

2nd ACT

INT: AVA'S FORTRESS - LIVING ROOM - EVENING

AVA

“Wait, what, how are you here. Wait, never mind get out!

Ava fumbles for her door remote, Jon gives her a pleading glance.

JON

“Really baby? It’s like that? I came all this way to see you and my son and this is how you greet me?”

AVA

“Came all this way to disrupt our lives? Only if there’s something in it for you. Why won’t this thing work? Ugh!”

JON

“Oh my God, last, I remember my life was disrupted with Miss High and mighty Dr. Jameson, advisory to the damn governor, sitting on city boards, heading task forces – doing all this shit! Where was I during all this? Where was our son? You forgot about us!”

AVA

“You don’t have to right to speak about our son! You checked out long ago after his diagnosis! I was on the front lines working hard for treatment and I quit my job just to be here twenty-four-seven! Get over it ol’ Johnny Love, Johnny Fever, go run after your whores on the street, peddling your small-time pharmaceuticals and filth to the meek and vulnerable. I should have never trusted you! Aren’t you supposed to be in prison?!”

JON

“Got Damnit Ava. Ughhh! Hey, hey, remember when we met at that little seedy jazz bar down in Cincinnati with all the cobblestone front huh? What was that called goodness? We were both at that Alchemist Conference and ironically both had to get away and there we were! I think we both had our badges on while dancing crazy and drinking bourbon! You had on those hot pumps and pinkish gold business suit that hugged your hips. Gawd, you were a drink to take in…”

AVA

“Schwartz’s”.

JON

“What?”

AVA

“The name of the Club. It’s in the Over the Rhine neighborhood. You know, you were good, you were promising, all of those developing big accounts at that time. My bosses talked highly of you. What the hell happen? Was the lure of street pharmaceuticals that harm folks versus helping folks really that good? “

JON

“What’s the damn difference Ava? Hell, what’s the big difference between Purdue and Nino Brown huh? Not a damn thing! One thing Purdue has the advantage over all the Nino’s? This, this right here. All around us. Big drug companies can put the big global experiment on all of us peons. Just to rake in all that loot with the so-called antidote! Welcome to the real-world Mrs. Jameson. Aids, Swine Flu, Ebola, Coronavirus! All made up in boardrooms that control the labs! You know it, I know it, now everyone out there knows it. This time it’s Armageddon out there!”

AVA

“It’s LaRue.”

JON

“What the hell.”

AVA

“I got my name back with the divorce decree. You know this, I don’t know why you don’t acknowledge. Look would you just please leave. You saw Jake, you got a sandwich, you freaked me out flipping pictures around, funny. Now go.”

JON

“My God. How careless of me. What the hell. Mrs. Jameson would have known how to keep a clean house. Mrs. Jameson would have not had all this clutter and disinfected everything.”

AVA

“I have an electronic integrated system that does that for me. My clutter is my work. I need to get back to it. Goodbye.”

JON

“Work, work, work. Damn it! All you ever do! Yeah, pictures. Where are any of our wedding pictures huh? Not a single picture of me for Jake nowhere in this damn high-tech fortress. All set to, perfect, robot clean, artificial blah blah, flip-flop, damn! Damn it, Ava! Please just help me! I’m sorry I freaked you out, I had nowhere to go, I’m scared.”

AVA

“It didn’t mean anything. None of it means anything.”

JON

“For God’s sake Ava. I just wanted to spend my last three days with my family…”

AVA

“The last three days? So, you’re infected, and this is how you show your undying love? To break in and risk all of our lives? This is exactly why I divorced you, you selfish prick!”

JON

“Ugh! I need you, Ava! What the hell? Damn it, I can clean better than iRobot! This is bullshit! I am a Got damn man! I matter! I matter! You’re such a stuck up chemo bitch!”

JAKE

“My movie service has stopped. I need everything to stop! I need you to stop!”

AVA

“Ack, Jake, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You know Dad is not allowed in the house but this situation outside has Mommy bending the rules a little okay. Once it’s cleared up then we’ll have um, new arrangements.”

JON

“Yes, sorry Jake. If your Mom would take care of this stuffy hi-tech gizmo house, or me for that matter, like she does that damn lab equipment over there, maybe we wouldn’t be in this impractical situation as it is! Go figure! I would have had this place spotless, with my own two hands, real people work, not A.I. assisted. Get out of here!”

AVA

“Here, let Mommy get your movies back on and get your afternoon snack okay.”

JON

“Yeah, tend to the old ass kid. He has a highly intelligent mind but can’t get a damn snack. Probably another experiment went wrong from Doc Destruction here.”

AVA

“Shut it!” (to Jon)

“I’ll be right their sweetie.” (To Jake)

JON

“Blocking a man from even being a father to his boy, what type of bitch does that? We could never really bond.”

Ava sends Jake to his room and follows behind him with his snack. She writes him a secret message that she is locking his door and for him not to open it.

AVA

“Now look here Johnny come around lately! I never blocked anything for you. Even when you couldn’t step up and be a man with us, I never closed that door between you and Jake. YOU shit for brains. You shut that door. You put that street garbage first which put you right in that correctional facility. I had nothing to do with your poor choices! Now step up and be the bigger person and GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!”

JON

“Aggh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, ay yi ay, listen, listen, babe. I really don’t feel good, I walk out there I’m as good as toast. If I’m going to die, I want to do it with my family. Come on babe.”

AVA

“I’m not your babe. Never, never, again. Jon, I have work to do, as you can see time is running out. You are a dysfunctional distraction. Why we never worked or ever would. Now you need to leave.”

JON

“Babe, even in those jeans you look amazing. I know your sharp mind is whipping up some goods on that table. As disgusting as it looks. I know you have probably that cure right there on your damn kitchen island between Sugar Smacks and Columbian Coffee. So, hey, let me just be right about this discovery. I get myself a few samples, a little taste, get me all clean up and I’ll be out of here. I’ll be out the way, a nice purified man, the envy of the town.”

AVA

“So, you’re Pookie now? Can I get a little taste? Just put it in the palm of your hand? From the pusher to the taker, full circle.”

JON

“Fuck you, Ava. I just need the cure. I get that, I’m ghost.”

AVA

“Okay, okay. I need to think. I need all of this space and for it to be quiet to finish this experiment. You, really need to quarantine, you have this damn disease. So, I need you to go into that guest room, relax, lay down, I don’t know, watch some old sitcoms on television.”

JON

“Sitcoms?”

AVA

“Uh, last century people loved watching half-hour television shows with morons in fake comedic situations or hi-jinx using canned fake laughter.”

JON

“Doesn’t sound interesting. I know great films, adventures, not lame tv. So, listen here doll, I can help while you fiddle with your chemistry set. I can disinfect this room, bleach the floor, use the shop vac on your porch…”

AVA

“Johnny be good! Please go to the room. I find this formula, you’ll be the first cured, anywhere, the USA, the world, okay? Okay!”

Jon reluctantly starts to head down the short hallway.

JON

“Come with? Old times? Maybe the end of civilization as we know it.”

AVA

“Goooo!”

Hi Laurie! Hope everyone is safe and well.

Ava and Jake communicate sometime using Dr. Sues rhymes.

They understand each other through the emotion within the execution.

AVA and JAKE in his room. AVA sees JAKE is upset about something.

AVA: 1 Fish 2 Fish?

JAKE: (agitated) Red Fish Blue Fish Black Fish Blue Fish!

AVA: I got it. (Indicates backpack) Old Fish New Fish. (Pulls things out of backpack) This one has a little star. This one has a little car.

Jake : (looking at the things intently) Say, what a lot of fish there are. Yes, some are red. And some are blue. Some are old. And some are new.

AVA: (Types on computer for him) Is this what you needed?

Jake: (Types back) Yes. But....I am sad today.

AVA: (Types) We have work to do.

Jake: (gets agitated and jumps on his bed then covers himself up with his blanket) Some are sad and some are glad.

AVA: And some are very very bad!! (she knows what's coming)

Jake: Why are they sad and glad and bad? (He pulls out a photo of AVA, JAKE, and JON. He hugs it to his chest.) I don't know. Go ask your DAD!

AVA: (gently pries the photo from him) Please?

Jake: (relents) (Types) Sorry.

Hi Everyone! I hope you are all healthy and introducing yourself here on the site this weekend. We have a completed ACT ONE!! I am uploading the pdf of it on my page to see the script pages. But I'm also pasting here. So sit back, have a read and contribute!

Here is the link to the 1st act pdf. https://www.stage32.com/loglines/31681

And here is the script pasted:

FADE IN:

EXT. ABANDONED MEDICAL CLINIC - DAY

O.S. A CAR ENGINE TURNS OFF

The street surrounding the clinic is silent -- EERIE as if ravaged by disaster. Not a soul or moving vehicle in sight, except for AVA (40).

Her head, covered with a clear plastic bag, tucked into a frayed hazmat suit held together with duct tape. An odd assortment of plastic bags cover her feet and hands.

She hurries cautiously to the clinic. She scans every inch of the area with every quick step. Is it possible she is the only living person? Her paranoia suggests not.

A RUSTLING gives her pause.

Her breath condenses in the bag. She sees nothing and writes it off as a slight breeze clears her fog. She scans to her left and continues.

SWOOSH

A mylar party balloon, half through a slow death, flies into her face.

AVA

Jesus.

Her heavy exhale helps it drift away.

MORE RUSTLING -- The balloon? Her plastic?

She sees no one and proceeds to the clinic.

AVA

Piece of cake.

ALONGSIDE THE BUILDING, a derelict looking thug, JOHNNY (45), watches Ava use her key card to get into the building.

As soon as she’s inside he steps out of hiding and cranes to see her disappear inside.

Satisfied, he takes off running in the opposite direction...

INT. ABANDONED MEDICAL CLINIC - DAY

Ava steps over a decomposing corpse -- she’s focused and terrified -- DEATH AND DESTRUCTION is everywhere.

A DIGITAL DISPLAY plays on a loop in both text and audio.

ANNOUNCEMENT (V.O. ON SCREEN)

Symptoms of covid thirty-two include, bloodshot eyes, profuse sweating, fever, skin rash, and in later stages, a breakdown of neurological functions that could create delirium, forgetfulness, or hallucinations. There is no known cure, death is likely by day three after exposure.

Ava knows what she needs, what she is doing, and tears closets and cabinets apart.

She’s been here before. She pulls an empty duffle bag from a closet -- one of those promotional giveaways, more useless now than ever. This one printed with:

PEOPLE’S HEALTH - EVERY LIFE MATTERS

The irony is not lost on Ava but there’s no time. She fills the duffle with a microscope and bashes a locked glass case to get at vials of drug samples and testing supplies.

She opens a walk-in cooler to find bodies in bags. She bites back vomit and takes the liquid supplies she needs.

A CELLPHONE BLARES. Ava jumps and has to dive for the door as it almost closes on her.

She pulls out her phone to see SIS on facetime.

AVA (INTO PHONE)

Your timing could use some manners.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

What is happening there? You guys all right?

AVA (INTO PHONE)

I never thought I’d have a reason to say this, but I see dead people.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

What?

AVA (INTO PHONE)

I’m at the clinic.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

Jake?

AVA (INTO PHONE)

He’s hermetically sealed at home. I won’t be long.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

You shouldn’t be out at all.

AVA (INTO PHONE)

I know but we’re really close to figuring out a vaccine.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

You know that’s not what I mean.

Ava hears something from across the lab -- a SCRAPE across the tile floor...

AVA (INTO PHONE)

(whispers)

I have to go.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

What is it? Ava!

Ava disconnects the call and steps with stealth out of the cooler.

The video display continues to play ad nauseam. Ava tunes it out looks for the source of the noise.

Ava quickly grabs whatever else is within reach, first aid supplies, gloves, toilet paper... She keeps her eyes peeled and zips it up -- ready to go.

A HAND grabs her ankle.

Ava jumps and kicks it away. Behind the counter A HEALTHCARE WORKER on his last breath, his face covered in a sweaty rash, the whites of his eyes are red -- completely bloody red.

The dying man reaches for her again, zombie like he’s so bad off — he’s clearly on the third day according to the video.

Ava’s primal fear is fully engaged stumbling back, she crashes into wire shelving loaded with lab equipment.

It falls on top of her and scatters -- she continues backwards... her breath running out in the plastic bag. She gets out from under the debris and sees a slash in the arm of her hazmat suit.

The dirty white material has bloom of red blood.

FUCK.

With no time to lose she grabs a box cutter from the debris and plunges it into the man’s heart -- instant death. Ava leaves the knife in him and quickly pulls a bottle of alcohol from her duffle she douses the cut on her forearm -- but it’s not enough.

Ava lights a Bunsen burner, and winces as she cauterizes the cut and wraps her arm. More determined than ever to get out, she steps over the freshly dead man and pulls the plug on the annoying video display.

EXT. MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava hurries along the wall of a sleek, bunker-like structure, a home so modern and secure it has zero character.

She taps a complicated series of numbers into a keypad and the door CLICKS -- unlocked...

INT. FRONT ENTRANCE, MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava steps in and carefully moves to disarm the alarm. Carefully and Quickly she removes her plastic bag mask and gloves and disposes of them into a state of the art steel trash bin.

In fact, everything in here is state of the art and driven by high tech -- not just a smart home, this place is a fucking genius.

She wraps a small cloth over her finger and is paused by the fact the alarm panel cover is closed. As the alarm continues to beep, she quickly opens the panel cover and deactivates it.

She then sets it to activated AT HOME and leaves the panel door open.

As she carefully steps out of her hazmat suit -- minding the wound -- she sprays the suit down and folds it into a plastic bag to stay by the door.

As she continues to shed her homemade PPE she looks at a bank of small screen security monitors. All appears quiet -- too much so, she steps to zoom in on JAKE’S ROOM and it appears EMPTY. Ava, taps the intercom.

AVA

Jake? I’m home.

She quickly finishes her disinfecting process as panic sets in...

AVA

Jake answer me.

Ava throws away what’s left of the disposable portions of her out fit and stops in her tracks when she sees a long finger trail in the dust of the hall table.

As if someone has been inspecting her housecleaning.

Ava darts away from the door, around the corner.

INT. LIVING SPACE, MODERN HOME - DAY

The genius home’s open floor plan is sleek, but clearly could use some cleaning.

Supplies of water and non-perishables are stacked like a bomb shelter.

Boxes from deliveries are piled in a corner.

The windows are covered in a high-tech blackout screen.

There are hints of Ava’s life as a surgeon amongst forgotten decor.

Ava darts through it all to another short hallway, she turns down as fast as humanly possible.

INT. JAKE’S ROOM, MODERN HOME - DAY

JAKE (16) sits wedged in a corner, he reads his favorite DR. SEUSS book. Jake is clearly autistic -- far from highly functioning -- far off the spectrum.

Ava bursts through the door and Jake doesn’t even flinch. She breathes a sigh of relief.

AVA

You could have answered me.

She sees he’s rocking, something has upset him. She pretends to be interested in the book.

AVA

One fish, two fish?

Wrong question.

JAKE

Red Fish, Black Fish, Blue Fish!

AVA

I got the supplies. Old fish, new fish...

JAKE

Some are red. And some are blue. Some are old. And some are new.

Ava pulls out his tablet and types a message:

We have work to do.

Jake types back:

But I am sad today.

Jake gets agitated and jumps on his bed and hides under his blanket.

JAKE

Some are sad and some are glad.

Ava is frustrated but patient.

AVA

Alexa, open shades.

The windows in Jake’s room go from blackout tint to let in the grey daylight.

JAKE

(from under covers)

Sad, glad, bad!

Ava sits beside him on the bed and peeks underneath the cover. Jake has a small framed photo held to his chest.

She pulls the blanket off of him.

AVA

Jake, where did you get this? I though we got rid of all --

JAKE

I don’t know go ask your dad!

The daylight is interrupted by shadow. It could be a cloud passing over the sun -- but the sky is grey -- a man quickly passes the outside of the window.

Ava turns but doesn’t see anything.

She takes the frame and lingers on it for a second, the man “dad” is a more refined Johnny.

AVA

But he’s your dad, not mine. Can I take this? Please?

Jake nods and sits up, Ava stands to leave the room.

AVA

I’ll get your snack.

Jake quickly types on his tablet and hands it to her:

Sorry.

Ava smiles and leaves.

INT. FRONT ENTRANCE, MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava steps on the steel trash bin to open it and throws the framed photo inside.

She picks up the duffle bag and looks to Jake’s security feed, where he sits up in bed and types on his tablet.

Her glance lands on the alarm panel -- the cover is closed.

The gears in her head turn.

AVA

You’re losing your mind, girl, there is no way --

INT. KITCHEN, MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava sets the duffle bag by a galley like table that has been turned into a makeshift pathology lab.

Notebooks, medical journals, vials, pipettes, droppers and microscopes are strewn across the surface as well as a flyer that reminds us of the symptoms of Covid 32.

She moves to the counter and sink area and washes her hands, she scrubs like a surgeon -- some habits are hard to break.

As she scrubs her gaze lands across the living area where the picture frame she just threw away sits upright on a table.

Her face goes ashen, a bead of sweat breaks through her forehead. She remains calm and quiet. She turns off the water and reaches for a block of knives.

Ava slides the sharpest of them to her side and casually checks the security camera feed on the kitchen display.

Jake is in his room, in the same spot, now with headphones on, the front door is clear, bathrooms clear, living room, den, hallways... all clear.

She looks at the KITCHEN FEED, the camera is behind her.

She sees in the feed that there is A MAN BEHIND HER. She grabs the knife and spins around.

Johnny grabs her wrist, ready.

With swagger and creepy slime of evil.

JOHNNY

Miss me?

NEXT UP IS ACT TWO! (Some have already contributed to this). It is repeated below for your convenience. Let's use the rest of the weekend and Monday to get all submissions in by 12 PM Pacific time. Again, follow the basics of the plot structure, any form of submission is welcome, be it dialogue, action or entire scenes.

2.Ava recovers from her surprise upon finding the man, she has venom in her eyes, the man, JOHNNY shoots her a pleading glance before going into survival mode. He throttles her, like an OCD jealous and mentally abusive and manipulative man.

She’s furious and it’s clear she has to hold a steady front to not allow his idle threats and accusations make her seem weak. After she shoves him away, she takes the upper hand, “How dare he put Jake’s life at risk and barge in here.” He becomes a wimp as if on actor on queue — “I’m sorry, I had no where to go, I’m scared, I just wanted to spend my last three days with my family…”

This perks her ears, “last three days? So, you’re infected, and this is how you show your undying love? To break in and risk all our lives? This is exactly why I divorced you, you selfish prick.”

He begs her like an insecure man on the cusp of insanity and she lets him. It’s Jake that freaks out and puts a stop to it. In his autistic mind, people that don’t love each other will never help each other, it’s impractical. She separates the two, Johnny’s not allowed in the house. It’s a back and forth he uses their son as a ploy, she can’t deny him visitation. She makes it clear there were terms. Clearly that has all changed with the pandemic. He makes himself at home and mocks her for her lack of cleanliness since he’s been gone. We can see his OCD is making him freak out at the place, especially looking at her homemade lab. Their bickering is interrupted by Jake. She leaves to attend to him and we learn how Johnny really feels about him. He blames her for his autism and health and never really could bond or love him. She takes Jake his snack and gets him settled. She writes him a secret message that she is going to lock his door and not to open it.

Once she’s out of Jake’s room she tells Johnny he needs to leave, she has work to do he pleads with her, and gets whiny. He doesn’t feel good, he’s worried, if he’s going to die, he wants to do it with his family. She looks at his eyes they are red. He tosses some back handed compliments, he knows she’s the one who will come up with a cure first, her work was what drove them apart. She doesn’t bother arguing with him, he no longer has that power over her. A plan formulates in her mind, she tells him to go to the guest room but he has to stay quarantined if he thinks he has the virus. He gets really creepy and offers to help her disinfect the place. She does her best to keep her cool and makes him go to the guest room, she tells him she’s close to cure and he can be the first to get it. Once he’s in she locks the door with the smart device and calls up the camera to that room. She wipes down everywhere he was and gets to work at her makeshift lab she prepares a lethal injection.

As she works on her plan to get rid of him, something is bothering her about the HOW he got in, in the first place. She goes to the alarm panel and replays the monitor footage from earlier. Johnny gets in uses the code, it takes him a couple tries but he finally figures it out. He shuts the panel door. She thinks about this because she came in and left the alarm panel door down but it was closed again later… she fast forwards the footage and sees him come back to the panel while she was in Jake’s room. JOHNNY CHANGES THE CODE and she can’t see to what he makes it. She goes into a closet and calls the security company there is just a message, due to covid-32 we are no longer able to respond, if this is an emergency call 911. They are trapped, they can’t unlock the door without the code. She whispers to the smart home assistant to unlock all doors and windows. The assistant replies, please enter your passcode. She wants to cry but keeps it together — she studies the footage trying to make out what he changed it to… it’s no use.

To hell with it, she’ll just inject him and they’ll figure a way out somehow.

Jake calls her, it’s time to work. She checks the guest room monitor and sees Johnny in bed. She let’s Jake out of his room. Ava and Jake finally have a minute to themselves and we see that Ava went to the lab on Jake’s request, he’s studying the contagion and she’s happy to help with lab work. Jake has an innate analytical skillset, that he cannot convey, but he has memorized the bodies pathological processes so he and Ava make a great team in the lab. Jake finally asks what are they going to do about Johnny? Will she test their drug on him? She shows him the lethal injection. He understands she will kill him.

He sees her bandage from her lab cut needs changing. She says she’ll take care of it. She explains they have another problem to solve, once he is gone, they have to figure out how to get out. So his next challenge after they finish with the cure culture, is to try and figure out how to overcome the smart home locks. She steps away from the lab into the kitchen and checks the monitors. Johnny is not in the room. She panics, grabs a knife and runs down the hall. He’s nowhere to be found —every corner is a nail biter.

She makes her way back, and sees that Johnny has Jake — with the lethal injection at his neck.

I like "FUCK" is in caps, one-word unfilmable emotional sentence :)

Sometimes that's all that's needed, Dan! :-)

Ava calms herself, telling Johnny, " Go ahead, inject him. Waste the only sample for the cure I have. Waste it like everything else you've wasted for your entire pathetic life." She explains, "I was saving it for myself in case I needed it, at least until I can get more of the chemicals at the hospital."

Johnny lowers the needle, hope exuding from his eyes. "I knew it! I knew you had a cure!"

Nice 1st Act, Laurie, congratulations! I am watching this with my students, and here they can see a great example of collaborative writing, as they learn how to write character driven storytelling concepts in my courses....it´s hard work. Thumbs Up.

Scene between Jake and AVA in the lab.

Jake is listening to Beatles music on his headphones. It is I Am the Walrus by the Beatles. AVA removes his headphones. She holds his hands and puts her head against his head. They say the words together.

AVA and Jake: I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.

AVA: He has to go Jake.

Jake: HE...has to go. I know, I know.

Jake lets go of AVA and dances around and around.

Jake: See how they run like pigs from a gun. See how they fly. I'm crying.

AVA: Let's get to work.

JAKE: YES!

Scene when John has the injection to Jake's throat.

John: You were my pearl Ava. We were the brilliant couple. The couple everyone wanted to be. Until this thing happened. I want to go back. Is that so bad? This is the perfect set up. We will be free again. We can try again. No one will ever suspect. He got the virus. There was nothing we could do. I want us to go back to the way we were. I miss you. You were gone as soon as he was born. I wish you had self aborted. You were always so smart why didn't you just....

AVA: There is a little thing you're missing John. You always have. I love my child. I love Jake.

Well, was hoping to see some more posts! Here goes a lil more.

INT: AVA’S FORTRESS – DAY

Ava walks from the guest room.

AVA

He does not have a hold on me. He does not have a hold on me. I got this sucka…

She grabs her tablet and remotely locks the guest room door. She watches him in the surveillance takes off his shirt and rubs the wounds on his body. He attempts to watch the television before lying down. She has a moment watching him, shakes it off.

AVA

Get it together Ava, get it together. For Jake, for Jake. For damn humanity ugh.

She looks at her lab equipment. Similar ingredients to the solution will do the exact opposite. A plan formulates, she knows she needs to get rid of him. She starts to prepare the table, wiping it down in disinfectant. Something is out of place distracts her. A muddy footprint is by her window. It’s a large size eleven.

AVA

What the hell? How did this…

Ava licks her lips and walks over to inspect the print. She pulls back the curtain, outside is nothing but quiet. A deer looks at her, unconcerned. She tries the window, it is sealed. She walks over to her security feed.

AVA

How did this mother get in here??

She replays the footage. She watches herself enter. Nothing. She goes back to when she left. There it is, Johnny descends from above using grappling hooks. She watches as he approaches the alarm, takes off a fake panel from her alarm, gets her information. He runs off to follow her.

AVA

Son of a bitch!

She bangs the counter. She watches as when she returns, he follows afterward, pulling his fishing material off of the panel. His continuous tries to award him access. He then repels to her roof again. Ava nervously looks at all of her glass windows. In the footage she returns, then he does. He successfully changes the code.

AVA

Oh my goodness!

Ava claps her mouth.

AVA

Assistant, unlock all of my doors and windows.

ASSISTANT

Please enter the code.

AVA

Fuck!

ASSISTANT

That does not register.

AVA

Never mind!

Ava panics and takes her phone over to a closet. Her hip hits a plant making noise, she checks the monitor if he moved. Nothing. She goes into the closet.

AVA

Hello? Secure tell? Hello?

SECURE TELL

Hello. Thanks for calling Secure Tell for all of your security needs. We deeply regret due to the current COVID 32 crisis we are unable to respond to your call. If an emergency please contact 911 right away.

AVA

Shit!

AVA

Assistant, this is Ava Larue, 12-20-11, open all doors and windows immediately.

ASSISTANT

Please enter your password. Password has changed 4 hours 30 minutes ago.

Ava bites her lip, studies the system through the footage, watches his feverish pecks. Can’t figure it out. Something bangs in the guest room making her jump. She checks the guest room surveillance. Jon has rolled over, dropped his satchel on the floor. Yet, he is gripping his groin. She groans. She notices the curtains moving in the room, the window is open.

AVA

Damnit. Fuck him. Time is wasting.

JAKE

Mother? Something bang bang.

AVA

Forget about it. Hell, with it all, let’s get to work.

Jake follows her to the table as they both get to work. She goes over her notes, puts together equipment, mixes solutions with Jake.

JAKE

I have my notes, I have studied well, this will work, do you trust me?

AVA

Yes, yes Jake poo, I do.

(Ingrid’s post – would you have to clear with Beatles publishing??)

Scene between Jake and AVA in the lab.

Jake is listening to Beatle's music on his headphones. It is I Am the Walrus by the Beatles.

AVA removes his headphones. She holds his hands and puts her head against his head. They say the words together.

AVA and Jake: I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.

AVA:

He has to go Jake.

Jake: HE...has to go. I know, I know.

Jake lets go of AVA and dances around and around.

Jake: See how they run like pigs from a gun. See how they fly. I'm crying.

AVA: Let's get to work.

JAKE: YES!

Great, Christopher. Everyone, I will shape act 2 with what we have tomorrow, but keep the details coming -- this is by no means a script for me. It is an exercise for us all. That said, we get out of life what we put into it. So think of this as an opportunity to stretch a writing muscle you never knew existed. I know some of the contributors have confided that they don't like horror or what have you and yet they have contribute some great stuff. The point is, working in the industry, there will be projects you take on that aren't your cup of tea, but with some discipline you can still make them quality projects and you will be rewarded for taking your lumps -- trust me, I write many that would not be my first, second or seventh choice. Deadline for the whole shebang is one week from today which marks the end of this month that I loathe so much. Look for an in-depth on act 2 tomorrow.

Hi Laurie, this is great what you are doing. I once took a Masterclass course with Aaron Sorkin and one of the activities he gave us to work on with an online team or "writer's room" was to write a new season of Freaks and Geeks first episode if it ever returned. It was a blast and gave great experience in collaboration to write a TV episode! Gained a lot of experience in collaborating and working on projects that are not our own original. So keep up the great work!

In case you're wondering, yes it's still Friday. Until I go horizontal it's still the same day. Oy, what a day it has been with projects and meetings -- there is no slowdown! If anything it's a ramp up. Now, to our little diddy.

The first 2 acts are here

https://www.stage32.com/loglines/31806

I think it's too much to post in a thread -- but I encourage all of you to click, download, enjoy and submit content for the third act.

We are running long. We don't want this to come in any longer than 20 minutes as a short. But we shall look at streamlining after the first full draft, so it's all good and I really like this script -- contributors should be proud.

** UPDATE: UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, THERE IS NO WAY TO DOWNLOAD UPLOADED SCRIPTS so the full text is copied and pasted in my comment that follows this one.

UP NEXT - 3RD ACT NO LATER THAN MONDAY 12 AM PACIFIC The summary of the 3rd act is below for your convenience.

ACT THREE

3.Hell hath no fury and it’s tough for Ava to contain her urge to leap through the air and bludgeon this asshole.

Jake is remarkably calm however. Ava takes his cue and tries to talk to Johnny. You’re infecting him etc., we’ve got the cure in that needle. Johnny sweats and he’s manic, so it sure looks like he has the virus.

Johnny starts talking but tightens his grip on Jake — he talks about their first date and how she mixed her alcohol and puked on his new shoes. He knew right then she’d be a challenge for him. Give him a reason to live. She offers him a drink, there’s plenty of vintage wine and bourbon in the bar. He nods, a little bourbon will take the edge off. She moves to the bar and talks calmly, why would he inject Jake? Johnny retorts, why not save his son? Jake trembles, he cannot stand being held and he knows the truth of what is in the injection. Ave comes at Johnny with the bourbon, just the way he likes it, she tells him that she needs to keep some of what is his the syringe to replicate it. Johnny pauses and in a split second he lashes out — he knows it’s not the cure, while at the same time she tosses the bourbon in his eyes. Hell breaks loose and Ava pulls Jake free to face Johnny on her own. Jake is freaking out, the syringe rolls across the floor. Ava keeps her eye on it. Lab samples are flying as Johnny wipes the island surface to the floor.

He moves in on Ava, tries to rape her — sloppy disgusting kisses all over her. Jake freaks out, he’ll kill her! Jake bitch slaps him, Johnny knocks him across the room. Ava grabs the first thing with in reach; the picture he took out of the trash and whacks it against his head. Johnny laughs with a bloody gash in his head, he just wanted what’s rightfully his and he forces himself on Ava, she grabs a scalpel from the floor and slices his neck — he cries, he wasn’t infected! At the same time Jake grabs the lethal syringe and jabs it into Johnny’s thigh. His body writhes like it’s being electrocuted until — dead.

Ava and Jake embrace she gets him settled and goes about cleaning the mess into a pile at the very least. Johnny’s vile and bloody disgusting body is covered — she spits on it. She’s worked up a sweat. Her wound is open again, she goes to the kitchen sink to clean it and sees a rash spreading from the wound up her arm. Her face goes ashen. She looks to all of their work — ruined — and she needs a cure immediately.

Jake sits on the floor with the lab equipment and pieces together everything — undeterred — he will fix this. Ava is in the guest room, covered in a rash, eyes beet red and sweating profusely…

Hi! I cannot find where to download. I used the link you posted.

Well that is stupid. Why on earth is there an option to upload a script if it's not downloadable? I will have to take that up with management. :-)

It will also make it difficult to get into the finer points of the proper technical aspects of screenwriting.

Regardless, I shall paste it here, so buckle up.

FADE IN:

EXT. ABANDONED MEDICAL CLINIC - DAY

O.S. A CAR ENGINE TURNS OFF

The street surrounding the clinic is silent -- EERIE as if ravaged by disaster. Not a soul or moving vehicle in sight, except for AVA (40).

Her head, covered with a clear plastic bag, tucked into a frayed hazmat suit held together with duct tape. An odd assortment of plastic bags cover her feet and hands.

She hurries cautiously to the clinic. She scans every inch of the area with every quick step. Is it possible she is the only living person? Her paranoia suggests not.

A RUSTLING gives her pause.

Her breath condenses in the bag. She sees nothing and writes it off as a slight breeze clears her fog. She scans to her left and continues.

SWOOSH

A mylar party balloon, half through a slow death, flies into her face.

AVA

Jesus.

Her heavy exhale helps it drift away.

MORE RUSTLING -- The balloon? Her plastic?

She sees no one and proceeds to the clinic.

AVA

Piece of cake.

ALONGSIDE THE BUILDING, a derelict looking thug, JOHNNY (45), watches Ava use her key card to get into the building.

As soon as she’s inside he steps out of hiding and cranes to see her disappear inside.

Satisfied, he takes off running in the opposite direction...

INT. ABANDONED MEDICAL CLINIC - DAY

Ava steps over a decomposing corpse -- she’s focused and terrified -- DEATH AND DESTRUCTION is everywhere.

A DIGITAL DISPLAY plays on a loop in both text and audio.

ANNOUNCEMENT (V.O. ON SCREEN)

Symptoms of covid thirty-two include, bloodshot eyes, profuse sweating, fever, skin rash, and in later stages, a breakdown of neurological functions that could create delirium, forgetfulness, or hallucinations. There is no known cure, death is likely by day three after exposure.

Ava knows what she needs, what she is doing, and tears closets and cabinets apart.

She’s been here before. She pulls an empty duffle bag from a closet -- one of those promotional giveaways, more useless now than ever. This one printed with:

PEOPLE’S HEALTH - EVERY LIFE MATTERS

The irony is not lost on Ava but there’s no time. She fills the duffle with a microscope and bashes a locked glass case to get at vials of drug samples and testing supplies.

She opens a walk-in cooler to find bodies in bags. She bites back vomit and takes the liquid supplies she needs.

A CELLPHONE BLARES. Ava jumps and has to dive for the door as it almost closes on her.

She pulls out her phone to see SIS on facetime.

AVA (INTO PHONE)

Your timing could use some manners.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

What is happening there? You guys all right?

AVA (INTO PHONE)

I never thought I’d have a reason to say this, but I see dead people.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

What?

AVA (INTO PHONE)

I’m at the clinic.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

Jake?

AVA (INTO PHONE)

He’s hermetically sealed at home. I won’t be long.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

You shouldn’t be out at all.

AVA (INTO PHONE)

I know but we’re really close to figuring out a vaccine.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

You know that’s not what I mean.

Ava hears something from across the lab -- a SCRAPE across the tile floor...

AVA (INTO PHONE)

(whispers)

I have to go.

SIS (VIDEO OVER PHONE)

What is it? Ava!

Ava disconnects the call and steps with stealth out of the cooler.

The video display continues to play ad nauseam. Ava tunes it out looks for the source of the noise.

Ava quickly grabs whatever else is within reach, first aid supplies, gloves, toilet paper... She keeps her eyes peeled and zips it up -- ready to go.

A HAND grabs her ankle.

Ava jumps and kicks it away. Behind the counter A HEALTHCARE WORKER on his last breath, his face covered in a sweaty rash, the whites of his eyes are red -- completely bloody red.

The dying man reaches for her again, zombie like he’s so bad off — he’s clearly on the third day according to the video.

Ava’s primal fear is fully engaged stumbling back, she crashes into wire shelving loaded with lab equipment.

It falls on top of her and scatters -- she continues backwards... her breath running out in the plastic bag. She gets out from under the debris and sees a slash in the arm of her hazmat suit.

The dirty white material has bloom of red blood.

FUCK.

With no time to lose she grabs a box cutter from the debris and plunges it into the man’s heart -- instant death. Ava leaves the knife in him and quickly pulls a bottle of alcohol from her duffle she douses the cut on her forearm -- but it’s not enough.

Ava lights a Bunsen burner, and winces as she cauterizes the cut and wraps her arm.

More determined than ever to get out, she steps over the freshly dead man and notices a gun in his lab coat, she carefully picks it up -- not comfortable with this at all -- she knows it may come in handy and puts it in her bag.

She continues to the door and pulls the plug on the annoying video display.

EXT. MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava hurries along the wall of a sleek, bunker-like structure, a home so modern and secure it has zero character.

She taps a complicated series of numbers into a keypad and the door CLICKS -- unlocked...

INT. FRONT ENTRANCE, MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava steps in and carefully moves to disarm the alarm. Carefully and Quickly she removes her plastic bag mask and gloves and disposes of them into a state of the art steel trash bin.

In fact, everything in here is state of the art and driven by high tech -- not just a smart home, this place is a fucking genius.

She wraps a small cloth over her finger and is paused by the fact the alarm panel cover is closed. As the alarm continues to beep, she quickly opens the panel cover and deactivates it.

She then sets it to activated AT HOME and leaves the panel door open.

As she carefully steps out of her hazmat suit -- minding the wound -- she sprays the suit down and folds it into a plastic bag to stay by the door.

As she continues to shed her homemade PPE she looks at a bank of small screen security monitors. All appears quiet -- too much so, she steps to zoom in on JAKE’S ROOM and it appears EMPTY. Ava, taps the intercom.

AVA

Jake? I’m home.

She quickly finishes her disinfecting process as panic sets in...

AVA

Jake answer me.

Ava throws away what’s left of the disposable portions of her out fit and stops in her tracks when she sees a long finger trail in the dust of the hall table.

As if someone has been inspecting her housecleaning.

Ava darts away from the door, around the corner.

INT. LIVING SPACE, MODERN HOME - DAY

The genius home’s open floor plan is sleek, but clearly could use some cleaning.

Supplies of water and non-perishables are stacked like a bomb shelter.

Boxes from deliveries are piled in a corner.

The windows are covered in a high-tech blackout screen.

There’s hints of Ava’s life as a surgeon amongst forgotten decor.

Ava darts through it all to another short hallway, she turns down as fast as humanly possible.

INT. JAKE’S ROOM, MODERN HOME - DAY

JAKE (16) sits wedged in a corner, he reads his favorite DR. SEUSS book. Jake is clearly autistic -- far from highly functioning -- far off the spectrum.

Ava bursts through the door and Jake doesn’t even flinch. She breathes a sigh of relief.

AVA

You could have answered me.

She sees he’s rocking, something has upset him. She pretends to be interested in the book.

AVA

One fish, two fish?

Wrong question.

JAKE

Red Fish, Black Fish, Blue Fish!

AVA

I got the supplies. Old fish, new fish...

JAKE

Some are red. And some are blue. Some are old. And some are new.

Ava pulls out his tablet and types a message:

We have work to do.

Jake types back:

But I am sad today.

Jake gets agitated and jumps on his bed and hides under his blanket.

JAKE

Some are sad and some are glad.

Ava is frustrated but patient.

AVA

Alexa, open shades.

The windows in Jake’s room go from blackout tint to let in the grey daylight.

JAKE

(from under covers)

Sad, glad, bad!

Ava sits beside him on the bed and peeks underneath the cover. Jake has a small framed photo held to his chest.

She pulls the blanket off of him.

AVA

Jake, where did you get this? I though we got rid of all --

JAKE

I don’t know go ask your dad!

The daylight is interrupted by shadow. It could be a cloud passing over the sun -- but the sky is grey -- a man quickly passes the outside of the window.

Ava turns but doesn’t see anything.

She takes the frame and lingers on it for a second, the man “dad” is a more refined Johnny.

AVA

But he’s your dad, not mine. Can I take this? Please?

Jake nods and sits up, Ava stands to leave the room.

AVA

I’ll get your snack.

Jake quickly types on his tablet and hands it to her:

Sorry.

Ava smiles and leaves.

INT. FRONT ENTRANCE, MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava steps on the steel trash bin to open it and throws the framed photo inside.

She picks up the duffle bag and looks to Jake’s security feed, where he sits up in bed and types on his tablet.

Her glance lands on the alarm panel -- the cover is closed.

The gears in her head turn.

AVA

You’re losing your mind, girl, there is no way --

INT. KITCHEN, MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava sets the duffle bag by a galley like table that has been turned into a makeshift pathology lab.

Notebooks, medical journals, vials, pipettes, droppers and microscopes are strewn across the surface as well as a flyer that reminds us of the symptoms of Covid 32.

She moves to the counter and sink area, she takes a swig from a half-empty water bottle on the counter, washes her hands, she scrubs like a surgeon -- some habits are hard to break.

As she scrubs her gaze lands across the living area where the picture frame she just threw away sits upright on a table.

Her face goes ashen, a bead of sweat breaks through her forehead. She remains calm -- calls upon a zen of fortitude that can only come from lady balls. She turns off the water and reaches for a block of knives.

Ava slides the sharpest of them to her side and casually checks the security camera feed on the kitchen display.

Jake is in his room, in the same spot, now with headphones on, the front door is clear, bathrooms clear, living room, den, hallways... all clear.

She looks at the KITCHEN FEED, the camera is behind her.

She sees in the feed that there is A MAN BEHIND HER. She grabs the knife and spins around.

Johnny grabs her wrist, ready.

With swagger and creepy slime of evil.

JOHNNY

Miss me?

Johnny offers the pitiful glance of a nadless man but he snaps out of that like a cornered wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Venom in her eyes, Ava lunges at him with the knife, he blocks it only slightly and she gouges his face.

It’s tough to tell what skeeves him out more, the spray of blood on the pure white walls or the pain of the gaping wound in his cheek.

He throttles her -- his true abusive colors on full display.

They STRUGGLE until Johnny gets the upper hand.

Ava grabs a vinegar cruet and splashes some on his face wound -- it’s enough to make her escape.

INT. LIVING SPACE, MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava grabs the duffle bag from the makeshift lab and runs in to the living room area as from Johnny as she can get.

She reaches into the duffel bag and pulls out the gun.

AVA

Get. Out.

Johnny moves in with manipulative charm and blood streaked face and neck.

JOHNNY

Ava, baby. It’s me.

AVA

Oh, I know.

JOHNNY

Really, it’s like that? I risk my life to see my family when the world is going to Hell and I get this?

AVA

What do you want?

JOHNNY

My home, my family, my son.

AVA

Bullshit.

JOHNNY

You know what’s bullshit, Mrs. High and Mighty Doctor Jameson? Mrs. Advisor to the governor, surgical chief of staff and health and human services task force?

As he moves closer, Ava steadies her grip on the gun -- she’s got this -- she knows this bastard.

JOHNNY

What’s bullshit, is that I oversaw the renovation of this place while you worked and worked and worked.

His gaping wound is a horrific sight -- even to her determined stance.

JOHNNY

What’s bullshit is how you abandoned me, us, our son.

AVA

Don’t you dare. You had no problem spending my money on your habits... anything to avoid being a father.

She takes a step towards him with the gun -- he’s surprised he no longer holds any power over her.

AVA

I was on the front lines of this pandemic while you ran away like a coward to your groupie sales girls. If it wasn’t for this virus you’d be in prison and you know it.

Johnny sits on the sofa, he can’t help but straighten the pillows and blanket.

JOHNNY

All this time in quarantine and you can’t even pick up, turn on a vacuum?

AVA

Get. Out.

JOHNNY

Remember that little seedy jazz bar down in Cincinnati with all the cobblestone front huh? What was that called? You had on those hot pumps and that shiny suit that hugged your hips. Gawd... we had some fun.

Ava’s gears turn, this is her opening.

AVA

Schwartz’s

His gruesome eyes alight.

JOHNNY

Yes.

AVA

We were a power couple. My staff thought you were going to buyout Purdue pharma you... oozed charm.

Johnny continues to pick at the various messes around the sofa, a crooked lampshade, dust on the lamp base, sloppy magazines...

JOHNNY

You need me, we need me.

It’s all she can do not to laugh.

AVA

I really have to get to work.

JOHNNY

There it is. Your one true love.

AVA

Johnny, it’s really not the time...

Johnny snaps. He gaping wound pulses it’s so raw.

JOHNNY

Damn you!

She startles.

JAKE (O.S.)

Mom?

AVA

Be right there.

JOHNNY

Sure, run to the mongoloid... your little parenting experiment, I need you to care for me!

AVA

You really need to go now.

Johnny breaks down and cries, he gets up and tries to hug her in all his blood and slime.

JOHNNY

I just want to spend my last three days with my family... please.

Ava’s repulsion turns to rage.

The gun is now on Johnny’s head.

AVA

Three days? You’re infected you fucking piece of shit bring that in here?

Johnny loses his mind.

JOHNNY

Please! I know you are working on a cure, please, I don’t want to die. I love you... I know you loved me once, we had good times --

JAKE

No!

Ava and Johnny are surprised to see Jake at the edge of the room watching their debate.

JAKE

You don’t love each other. You would still be married if you did. People that don’t love each other do not help each other.

JOHNNY

Your momma taught you wrong, son.

JAKE

No!

AVA

Jake, it’s okay. You trust me?

Jake nods. Like this is a secret code word between them he hurries back to his room.

AVA

I’ll bring your snack in minute.

JOHNNY

Fucking kid’s got a mind like a steel trap and can’t get his own snack.

She turns and Johnny is right up on her -- scaring the shit out of her. He moves to take the gun, but she’s sharper than he is and steps away.

JOHNNY

You know, you can’t deny me visitation.

AVA

Supervised.

JOHNNY

So supervise me, you might enjoy it.

AVA

Look. If you’re sick, you need to be isolated... you can have the guest room.

This calms him. He steps to the hall and glances at the makeshift lab.

JOHNNY

How close are you?

AVA

With what I got today, we should have a prototype.

JAKE (O.S.)

Mom.

AVA

Coming.

Ava moves into the kitchen and takes a plate out of the refrigerator. She keeps the gun in one hand.

JOHNNY

You spoil him, it’s your damn fault he’s the way he is.

AVA

It’s called autism, and if anything --

JOHNNY

What?

AVA

Never mind...

INT. JAKE'S ROOM, MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava leaves a partitioned plastic plate on Jake’s desk. It each section is a carefully arranged finger food of equal proportions... Grapes, cheese cubes, carrots, crackers...

Jake quickly observes and counts them. He nods happily.

He writes on his tablet: TRUST YOU

Ava nods and writes back:

I AM GOING TO LOCK YOUR DOOR DO NOT TO OPEN IT.

He nods and eats -- content.

He writes on the tablet before she leaves:

OPEN AT 4:00 PM FOR LAB WORK

Ava looks at the time on the tablet: 3:20 and nods.

INT. GUEST ROOM, MODERN HOME - DAY

Johnny takes off his shirt and stretches out on top of the bed.

He sees Ava at the door, gun by her side.

He pats the bed for her to join him. She ignores it.

AVA

I have to get to work.

She turns to pull the door closed.

JOHNNY

Leave it open?

AVA

That defeats the purpose of isolation.

She pulls the door closed and locks it -- double checking the lock she finally exhales.

AVA

Fucking asshole. Do not let him push your buttons Ava...

She put the gun in a drawer and wipes her brow.

INT. LIVING SPACE, MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava uses the smart home tablet to engage the guest room camera, she sees Johnny in bed and checks his door is locked.

She sets Jake’s door to unlock at 4:00 PM.

She gets out a sprayer of disinfectant and wipes down every surface -- especially those where Johnny was. But now that she’s alone, her fear sets in.

Every shadow from dappled sun that comes through the skylights makes her jump.

AVA

Lexa, tint skylights.

Even the noise of the smart device puts her on alert.

As she cleans, she spots his dirty footprints on the floor. She cleans them up -- perturbed.

She collects the duffle bag and empties her stash onto the lab table -- the gears turning.

AVA

I’m gonna make us all rest a little easier you psychotic prick.

Ava sits at the makeshift lab and prepares a lethal injection.

She sets it on the table and thinks better of it.

She takes the needle to the console where she put the gun in the drawer and opens the drawer.

THE GUN IS GONE.

She quickly calls up the guest room camera -- Johnny is still in bed.

She scans the room in a panic -- what the fuck did she do with the gun?

AVA

(sotto)

I know I put there.

She sets the injection down and pulls out all of the drawers -- no gun. She sweats.

AVA

Lexa, cool two degrees.

She looks around, lands on more of Johnny’s dirty footprints.

AVA

How the fuck did you even get in?

Angry at herself for letting him under her skin.

AVA

You do not control me.

INT. FRONT ENTRANCE, MODERN HOME - DAY

Determined and annoyed as hell, Ava goes to the alarm panel and replays the monitor footage from earlier in the day.

Ava rewinds the monitor footage and watches Johnny at the alarm panel.

ON MONITOR FOOTAGE: It takes Johnny a couple tries but he finally figures it out. He shuts the panel door.

QUICK FLASHBACK

Ava finds the alarm panel closed a second time after coming home.

BACK TO SCENE -

Ava fast forwards the footage and sees Johnny come back to the panel while she was in Jake’s room. JOHNNY CHANGES THE CODE and she can’t see to what he makes it.

AVA

No you fucking did not.

Ava grabs her phone and speed dials ALARM COMPANY

OPERATOR (V.O. OVER PHONE)

Due to Covid-32 we are no longer able to respond, if this is an emergency call 911.

AVA

Shit.

(whispers)

Lexa, unlock doors.

LEXA (V.O.)

Please say or enter your passcode.

Ava quickly looks to the guest room monitor -- Johnny is in the same spot.

AVA

Lexa, turn off announcements in bedrooms.

She hears the PING.

AVA

Lexa, unlock doors.

LEXA (V.O.)

Please say or enter your passcode.

Ava enters her code in the alarm panel.

LEXA (V.O.)

I’m sorry the code you entered is no longer valid.

Ava’s face goes ashen.

AVA

Lexa, cool two degrees.

LEXA (V.O.)

I’m sorry, please speak up.

Ava looks to the guest room monitor and sees Johnny get up. He’s looking at the speaker in the ceiling.

Ava panics and hurries to the closet door.

AVA

(whispers)

Lexa, override security passcode.

LEXA (V.O.)

Please speak up.

Ava yanks open the closet door and is faced with the dead body of Johnny -- a bullet through his head.

Ava screams as the limp, bloody body falls onto her.

INT. CLOSET - DAY

Jake wipes Ava’s forehead and she awakes. She sees Jake and jumps up.

AVA

Where is he?

JAKE

Who?

AVA

Your father, he was shot.

Jake picks up the gun from the closet floor.

JAKE

You hate guns.

AVA

I know, it’s not mine. Jake, listen to me, we are locked in.

JAKE

Lexa.

AVA

Yes but he changed the code.

Jake processes this and nods.

JAKE

Three hundred and ninety seven possibilities.

Ava smiles.

JAKE

It’s time to work. Four o’clock PM.

AVA

Where is he?

JAKE

Quarantine.

INT. LIVING SPACE, MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava and Jake are at the makeshift lab table -- working in perfect synergy.

JAKE

Lexa, music.

The sound system kicks in and Jake become’s a maestro in his mind and mannerisms as sees the function of the disease in medical diagrams and how certain proteins and chemicals can interact -- it’s a CSI medical graphic moment.

Ava hums and works with Jake as she shows him the new vials she collected under the microscope.

AVA

(singing)

I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.

Jake has a flash of inspiration and Ava gives him room.

JAKE

(singing)

Goo goo g'joob.

He shakes his fists in excitement.

Ava takes his vial and does a test drop into a petri dish.

AVA

Your father has to go.

JAKE

I know. Will you test this on him?

AVA

Do you think we should?

JAKE

We have no mice.

Ava looks across the living area to the console where she laid the lethal injection.

AVA

But should he be the one who gets to live?

JAKE

He would be famous and that would be bad.

AVA

I made an injection just for him.

Jake nods and goes about singing.

JAKE

See how they run like pigs from a gun. See how they fly. I'm crying.

AVA

But you are no walrus...

She gives him a hug and kiss on the head. He sees her bandage from her lab cut -- it needs changing.

AVA

I’ll take care of it... Jake, your father reset the door locks, once we take care of him, we have to figure out one of those possibilities.

JAKE

Three hundred and ninety seven.

AVA

Can you duplicate this while I start dinner?

INT. KITCHEN, MODERN HOME - DAY

Ava steps into the kitchen and checks the monitors. Johnny is not in the room. She panics.

AVA

Jake, do you trust me?

She runs out of the kitchen and Jake is not at the lab.

INT. JAKE'S ROOM, MODERN HOME - EVENING

Ava shoves the door open -- no Jake.

INT. LIVING SPACE, MODERN HOME - EVENING

Ava runs down the hall -- bathroom, bedroom, all empty.

She sweats profusely.

INT. GUEST ROOM, MODERN HOME - EVENING

Door open, Ava tiptoes in. She checks the closets and bathroom -- no sign of anyone.

INT. LIVING SPACE, MODERN HOME - EVENING

Ava runs on her toes as quiet as can be.

She enters the living area where Johnny has Jake with the lethal injection at his neck.

It’s all she can do not to go full throttle bad ass on him.

JOHNNY

You were my pearl. We were the couple everyone wanted to be. Until the world changed. We can try again. No one will ever suspect. He got the virus. There was nothing we could do. I miss the you before he was born.

AVA

You’re right. There is a power in love that is undeniable...

I could not shake the notion of you all not being able to read this in a proper setting and style -- so here is a link for the script in pdf form.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14DRNUsW5WQMJT0u2HlHjm7Jdlw5SCVnF/view?u...

End of Act 3. Jake has the injection ready. He kneels beside AVA wavering between action and freaking out. It is the first time we see him actually look into her eyes without counter movements. He kisses her forehead.

JAKE: Do you trust me?

AVA: Jake. My little Jake. I have always trusted you. You have always been my joy. Always! Whatever happens know that. Carry that forever.

Jake injects her.

A loud beeping happens. It is coming from John's discarded phone. A booming voice comes on the computer.

VOICE: Dr. Jamison!

AVA: WHAT?

VOICE: Good. We finally have got communication. We tracked you through John's ap. We have been monitoring the whole thing. We are coming to get you and your son. If we can't break the code we are going to have to force entry.

AVA: What the....you saw the whole thing?

VOICE: Oh yes. And recorded it.

AVA: Why didn't you stop it?

Voice: There was nothing we could do until now. Don't worry we are not here to judge. We are here to get your data. Good luck. You will be seeing us soon. Good work.

Here we go! Got the ugly part done!

ACT THREE

INT: AVA’S FORTRESS –

AVA

Can’t be serious Johnny. That is my son, our son. We’re trying to help you! The cure is in that needle, you’re going to destroy everything!

She looks towards the drawer with the gun. Johnny snickers evilly, sweat pouring down his face.

JOHNNY

Help my ass. Do you think I’m a moron, my dear? I already have it, all tucked away.

AVA

Okay, okay, everything is okay. Jake, it's okay, mommy has this.

JAKE

I can’t breathe.

JOHNNY

You're fine kid, you’re always fine cause dear mommy has this under her control! Don’t you mommy!

AVA

Johnny! Let him…

She moves towards them as Johnny tightens his grip on Jake.

JOHNNY

Shut it! My turn Ava! Damn, I knew you were trouble from that first date! Had my brain so damn distracted, with your body in that pink and gold dress moving like a siren to those jazz grooves! Everybody was captivated. That was so beautiful. You were free. You were not some stuck up lab technician, advisor to stuffy politicians, overprotective mom to this boy who doesn’t even play football with his old man…!

AVA

Johnny, he’s struggling, turning red…

JOHNNY

Don’t come closer!! Damn it! Why couldn’t we be back at that moment! Huh? Before all of this… this! All those crazy lab guru smarts but didn’t even know you can’t mix dark and light liquors! Puked all over my damn new dress shoes. I knew you were a challenge right there and then. Gave me hope. A reason to live.

A moment of silence, they look at each other. A phone ringing disturbs the peace.

AVA

Drink, drink, how about that? I know how to pour something. I have vintage semi-sweet wine, scotch, bourbon…

JOHNNY thinks, knocks his head into his elbows, nods in agreement.

JOHNNY

Ugh, yes, yes. A little bourbon will help. Take this edge off. Don’t try anything stupid.

Ava moves to the bar talking calmly. Johnny loosens his grip on Jake.

AVA

And why would I do that, like I know you wouldn’t inject your own son.

JOHNNY

Why not save my son? Huh? Why not?

Jake trembles, he does not like being held and he knows the truth about what’s in the injection. He watches his mother coming over with the drink.

AVA

Just the way you like it on the rocks. So, drink up. I’m not going to do anything, but I do need to keep some of what is in that syringe to replicate it for this cure to work.

Johnny pauses, looks about the room crazily.

AVA

Johnny?

JOHNNY

You bitch! This isn’t the damn cure!

Johnny jerks towards Ava as Jake squirms out of his grip. At the same time, Ava splashes the bourbon in Johnny’s face.

JOHNNY

Ahhhh my eyes!

Ava pulls Jake away to face Johnny.

AVA

Go, Jake, call 911!

The syringe rolls across the floor as Ava keeps her eye on it.

JAKE

I don’t want to play this game! I don’t want to play this game.

JOHNNY

You little sell-out bitch! All of this is for the man to poison us! They lie and sicken us and profit off of the cure! You’re one and the same!

Johnny lurches towards Jake who backs up quickly. Johnny wipes all of the lab samples off of the kitchen island onto the floor.

AVA

That was my work!

JOHNNY

Always your damn work! What about me!

Within a moment Johnny twists and grabs Ava’s hair, yanking her backward, then shoves her over a chair, face down.

AVA

Johnny! What are you doing!

JOHNNY

Always about your work for them! Always about that damn kid! What about me!!

Johnny is groping her, mounting her, attempting to kiss and nibble on her as she fights back.

JAKE

Mommy!!

Johnny starts to rip her pants, attempts to rape her.

AVA

Jake no!

Jake rushes across the room, scratches Johnny, and bitch slaps his face. Johnny grunts like a Neanderthal and knocks Jake screaming across the room.

JOHNNY

Mommy Daddy time boy!

Ava grabs the first thing in her reach, the picture he had taken out of the trash, and whacks it across Johnny’s head leaving a gash.

JOHNNY (Laughing)

Do you really think that hurts! The hole in my heart is bigger! I just want...What’s. Rightfully. Mine!

He shoves her back over the chair, yanking at her pants and his.

AVA

Noooooo!

Ava spots a scalpel from her lab equipment on the floor. She reaches. Then jerks as a floor lamp crash on the floor. She reaches again for it as Johnny’s pants drop. The phone rings again. A shadow goes across the room.

JOHNNY

Who? Keeps. Calling?!

Ava twists and swings with the scalpel across his neck, blood spurts.

JOHNNY

Aieee!!! I will kill you!

Ava sees he was not infected! Jake comes from the shadows, grabs the lethal syringe, and rushes Johnny. Holding his neck, Johnny's eyes go wide as Jake jabs it deep into Johnny’s exposed thigh. Jake gives him the full dosage as Johnny drops his hands, his body turns colors as he starts to writhes like he’s being electrocuted. Puss oozes out of his mouth. He flops down dead.

AVA

Come here, come here.

Jake leaves the syringe in Johnny’s thigh. Goes to this mother and they embrace each other tightly, weeping.

AVA

My pride and joy, good job Jake. Good job.

Hi Everyone!

We did it! A 23-page short script that is damn good. With a day to spare. To recap we started our April challenge on the 4th or 5th and finished on the 29th. For all intents and purposes it took us 3 weeks to develop and write a 22 page and change script. This is fantastic and shows you just how much quantity you can get out and still focus on quality. And this is slower than my normal process. At this rate, you could have at minimum your first act done, so there really is no reason one or two features cannot be written a year. Once you find your rhythm you could be working on developing characters for one while banging out the outline for another, finishing a first draft on one, while doing a polish on another, and soon you have project stacking that enables those one or two to become four or six.

There are two files here, one is the last version redlined so you can see where I went in and cut for length and added for genre to keep the tone consistent.

The 2nd file is the completed one with the redlining removed, you can see the edits saved a page and half. 22 pages and change is as long as we want to be for a short film, and it feels like this works for this story. From the content submitted for the 3rd act, again it was streamlined for length and tone of the genre.

Enjoy, pat yourselves on the back and thank you for playing along during the April content challenge. Special thanks to those who saw it through to the end, Ingrid Goldberg and Christopher Joseph.

We have a day to go through the creation of CARRIER for any notes or fine tuning so do have a look and comment with your thoughts.

Edit draft

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1crwrTllXXa-wRLm2gYXlBRC2EX0Mv4a7/view?u...

Clean draft

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qmbw4mpUHJVqN9LXoTf7pDLT6DzWm_os/view?u...

Congratulations, Laurie. You did a great job here putting the loose ends together with the script. Whats the next step? Storyboard or Animatic?

You're so welcome Miss Laurie! It was a lot of fun collaborating! Hmmm, interesting twists in the final! So, when do you need us again and when do we shoot?? :D

Thank you Laurie! It was very brave of you to attempt this. I really enjoyed trying to think out of my box.. I learned a lot! Love and Strength to All!