DON'T RUN

Written by

Malcolm Badewitz

206-458-0278
malkolm789@gmail.com
OVER BLACK:

The mechanical WHIR of a generator. Floodlights illuminate -

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

A makeshift construction site. Deep underground.

CLICK. A headlamp flickers to life, worn by HARRY (45). A

wiry construction worker. Greasy hair. Dirty jumpsuit.

HARRY
I hate the dark.

FRANK (50), Harry's supervisor. Older. Fatter. Dirtier

jumpsuit. He tosses Harry a coil of electrical cable.

FRANK
You picked the wrong gig, my friend.

A freight lift swings over a dark pit. Harry steps aboard.

FRANK (cont'd)
Just get the lights up. We'll let the
next shift do the heavy lifting.

Harry nods. Looks down past his feet at the void stretching
beneath him. His headlamp barely penetrates the dark.

The lift descends with a groan, lowering him into...

INT. PIT

Complete darkness except for Harry's lonely headlamp. The

lift jerks to a stop. Frank's voice echoes from above -

FRANK
(O.S.)
End of the line.

Harry wastes no time. He snaps a metal tripod together.

Screws in the floodlight bulb. Connects a cable running up
the wall of the pit, illuminating -

An ancient, cave-like passage. Putrid water drips from the

ceiling, onto stalagmites rising from the stone floor.

Harry's jaw drops.

(CONTINUED)
 2.
CONTINUED:

FRANK (cont'd)
(O.S.)
Lunchtime, Harry. Move it.

But Harry spots something illuminated in the dark. A STONE

SLAB, etched with a primitive, territorial marking.

HARRY
Hey, Frank!

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

Up above, Frank roots through Harry's lunchbox. Harry's

voice echoes up from the pit -

HARRY
(O.S.)
Frank!

Frank finds a sandwich. Begins to unwrap it, ignoring Harry.

INT. PIT

Harry grips the stone slab. Pulls it, revealing a dark

tunnel. A gust of acrid air rolls out.

Harry gags, covering his mouth. He leans inside...

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

Frank lifts the sandwich to his mouth. Harry's SCREAM stops

him. He drops the sandwich. Runs to the pit. Peers inside -

Below, the floodlight CRASHES to the ground. Bulb pops.

Sparks fly. The pit goes black. Frank jumps to the lift's
control lever, and THROWS it. The lift groans. Its platform
rises through the dark.

FRANK
Come on, Harry. What are you -

The lift rises into view. Empty. Frank kneels over the pit.

FRANK (cont'd)
Harry?

No response.

A pale hand SHOOTS up from the pit. SEIZES Frank's face. And
YANKS him screaming into the dark.
 3.

EXT. SUBURB - MORNING

Jagged pines tower over a young 1970's suburb. Neatly

arranged homes. White picket fences. Station wagons complete
with wood paneling.

A MOVING TRUCK pulls up to a freshly painted RAMBLER. BEN

(38) at the wheel. Flannel shirt. A blue-collar dad.

BEN
(yawning)
Welcome home!

On the bench seat beside him, his daughter GRETA (10). Short
blonde hair, t-shirt and faded jeans. She rubs the sleep
from her eyes and peeks out the passenger side window. The
woods cast an unwelcoming shadow.

BEN (cont'd)
What do you think?

GRETA
(lying)
Very cool, dad.

Her brother HENRY (13), in wrinkled long sleeve shirt and

corduroys, snaps to attention in the backseat. He peers out
the window -

HENRY
Awesome!

BEN
Glad one of you likes it.

Greta stares at the woods through the window.

A FACE springs up on the other side. A lively boy, JAMES

(9). Polaroid camera bobbing from his neck. His smiling face
pressed grotesquely against the glass.

JAMES
Welcome to the neighborhood!

Greta turns to Ben.

GRETA
We can't live here.

Ben shuts off the ignition.

BEN
Go say hello.

(CONTINUED)
 4.
CONTINUED:

HENRY
(mocking)
Looks like you've already made a
friend.

Ben and Henry exit, leaving Greta alone with James' smiling
face pressed against the window.

Greta forces a smile in return.

EXT. SUBURB - DUSK

A mountain of furniture piled next to -

THE MOVING TRUCK

Henry steps out from the back of the truck, handing a box to
TESS (13), his new tomboy neighbor. An outdoors kid. Short
hair tucked under her baseball cap.

HENRY
What do you do for fun around here?

TESS
Jack shit.

HENRY
Great.

TESS
I'm kidding.

Henry smiles awkwardly.

TESS (cont'd)
You'll get used to how quiet it is,
but I can't wait for school to start
up next week.

HENRY
How long have you lived here?

TESS
Few months. Dad travels a lot for
work. So don't get attached.

Henry laughs. His voice cracks. He goes red. Tess mercifully

breaks the silence.

TESS (cont'd)
How about you?

(CONTINUED)
 5.
CONTINUED:

HENRY
Never been out of New York.

TESS
So what brings y'all to Oregon?

HENRY
Fresh start. It was our dad's idea.

TESS
Your mom still up there?

Henry shakes his head.

TESS (cont'd)
What happened?

HENRY
Accident.

TESS
I shouldn't have asked.

HENRY
It's okay. Everyone does.

Henry smiles, letting her off the hook. Something behind her
catches Henry's eye. Across the street, two boys perched on
bicycles watch them work.

HENRY (cont'd)
Who're they?

Tess turns. Seeing them -

TESS
Those weirdos are Martin and... I
forget the little one's name.

She waves to them.

TESS (cont'd)
(calling out)
We could use a hand!

The large boy punches his cohort's arm signaling it's time
to go. They pedal away into the trees.

HENRY
They seem nice.

Tess laughs.

(CONTINUED)
 6.
CONTINUED: (2)

NEXT TO THE TRUCK

Ben grabs a table from the pile, helped by RICH (40) and
JULIA (40). A portly couple, straight out of a suburban
living catalog.

RICH
I'll get Tessie and James to help us
with this one.

BEN
Come on, we can do it. On three. One.
Two. Three...

They lift the table and carry it toward the house.

RICH
(winded)
You're going to love it out here.

BEN
I'm not the one who needs convincing.

JULIA
The missus isn't sold on it yet, eh?
Well truth be told, neither was I at
first.

BEN
She's not around. That's why we're
here, actually, to get a fresh start.

JULIA
Oh I'm so sorry. Divorce can be so
hard on a family.

BEN
Not divorced.

Rich sets the table down to catch his breath.

BEN (cont'd)
She passed away last month.

JULIA
I'm so sorry for your loss.

BEN
It's okay, really.

RICH
Was she sick?

(CONTINUED)
 7.
CONTINUED: (3)

Julia glares at her husband. Ben nods.

BEN
Kids and I were out. She was home
alone. She had gone into the
basement. We came home, and that was
that.

Rich and Julia are more shaken by the story than Ben.

RICH
Who found her?

Greta passes them without a word, carrying a load of boxes

through the yard. Julia and Rich watch her disappear into
the house.

Julia turns to Ben. He nods.

JULIA
Poor thing. How's she handling it?

INT. HALL - DUSK

Greta turns a corner, entering the Hall. She freezes.

At the end of the Hall, a CELLAR DOOR looms. Greta squares

off with it. The door blows ajar with a creak. Greta jumps.

She collects herself, and walks into...

INT. BEDROOM - DUSK

An empty bedroom. Greta sets her boxes on the floor, sits on

the bed, and takes in her new room. Freshly painted white
walls. New carpet. Stiff, new bed. It's cold, and different
from the one she left behind.

Greta sighs. Hangs her head.

James enters carrying a box. Greta jumps to her feet.

GRETA
Just set that wherever.

Greta wipes her eyes. James notices.

JAMES
You okay?

(CONTINUED)
 8.
CONTINUED:

GRETA
Yeah. Right there's fine.

He sets the box down.

JAMES
Nice room.

GRETA
You want it?

James moves to the window.

JAMES
It's bigger than mine, but who wants
to stay cooped up indoors anyway.

GRETA
You like it out here?

JAMES
We've lived a lot of places, but
never anywhere like this.

GRETA
Me neither.

JAMES
All kinds of famous explorers used to
live out here.

Greta smiles, taken by his childish fascination.

GRETA
Very cool.

JAMES
They lived in the mountains hunting,
trapping, living on the land. There
was Kit Carson, John Adams...

GRETA
Sounds exciting.

JAMES
"Liver Eating Johnson" was the
coolest. I've got a whole book about
him if you want to come over!

GRETA
(grossed out)
Maybe after dinner.

(CONTINUED)
 9.
CONTINUED: (2)

James nods.

GRETA (cont'd)
Thanks again...

JAMES
James.

GRETA
Right. Thanks James.

JAMES
No problem.

He moves for the door, picking up his camera as he goes.

JAMES (cont'd)
I'm going to add a page to my photo
album tonight if you and your brother
want to come along. Safety in
numbers, you know?

Greta looks at the trees outside her window.

JAMES (cont'd)
There's all kinds of cool stuff out
there. But the best stuff comes out
at night.

GRETA
Knock yourself out.

James nods, disappointed. Greta notices.

GRETA (cont'd)
Will you show me your pictures when
you get back?

James perks up.

JAMES
Will do!

TESS
(O.S.)
Come on, squirt. Dad said we can stop
helping now.

Tess stands in the doorway beside Henry.

TESS (cont'd)
(to Greta)
No offense.

(CONTINUED)
 10.
CONTINUED: (3)

GRETA
None taken.

JAMES
Bye, Greta.

GRETA
Bye, James. Be careful out there.

He nods.

TESS
(exiting)
Welcome to the neighborhood.

Tess exits with James in tow.

HENRY
Later.

Henry turns to Greta.

HENRY (cont'd)
They seem cool.

Greta watches from her window as James hops onto his bicycle
and pedals into the distance, disappearing into the trees.

TESS
(outside)
Twenty minutes! Don't make me come
out looking for you!

Ben appears in the doorway. Puts a hand on Henry's shoulder.

BEN
I don't know about you two, but I'm
starving. What's for dinner?

EXT. CLEARING - DUSK

Brown grass blankets a large field. A ravine with a shallow

creek divides the clearing.

James rolls to the ravine's edge. He dismounts. Drops his

bicycle on the grass, and slides down the embankment into -

EXT. CREEK - DUSK

James lands with a splash.

(CONTINUED)
 11.
CONTINUED:

A WATER STRIDER sits on the water's surface. James

approaches the insect silently. Admires it.

He kneels. Lifts his camera. Slides his finger over the

shutter. The strider jumps out of view.

The shutter clicks just a moment too late.

The camera spits a photo. James checks it. Shakes his head.

James rises, freezing at the sight of -

A DEER, drinking peacefully from the creek. James' eyes go

wide. He advances his film.

The deer trots casually down the creek. James follows.

James takes a breath. He kneels. Finds his frame, and -

The deer trots away. James follows. He readies his camera.

Slides his finger over the shutter -

The deer disappears into the trees.

James looks up at the darkening sky. Sighs. And follows...

EXT. DARK WOODS - DUSK

The last rays of daylight penetrate the canopy.

Branches part. James peeks through. Camera raised...

He scans the scenery, finding his subject -

Up ahead, the deer lies on its side, obscured in shadow.

James approaches. Lifts his camera. Kneels, and -

The deer spasms violently.

James stops. The deer is YANKED into the shadows.

Bones snap. Blood gushes as something feeds on it.

James goes white. He steps back, breaking a twig underfoot.

The deer's twisted body flies. Rolls through the dirt. An

unnaturally long arm rises from the shadows. Clawed fingers
pointing straight at -

James, futilely drawing a breath to scream.

His eyes go wide. He lowers his camera, turns, and RUNS...

 12.

EXT. CREEK - DUSK

James bursts from the trees, kicking water as he runs.

He turns. Dashes up the embankment...

EXT. CLEARING - DUSK

James' hand crests the ledge of the ravine.

He grips a fistful of grass. Pulls himself up. Throws a leg

over, and -

Is YANKED out of sight.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

From the foot of her bed, Greta watches the woods where she
last saw James.

HENRY
(O.S.)
Are you okay?

Henry stands in the doorway. Greta nods, lying.

HENRY (cont'd)
(smiling)
Liar. Something outside?

Henry walks to the window. Slides it open.

HENRY (cont'd)
(mutters)
Please don't be the weird kid with
the camera.

Henry leans out of the window....

HENRY (cont'd)
Looks good to me-

He JERKS headfirst out the window.

Greta recoils in fear.

Henry falls back into the room. Smiles.

HENRY (cont'd)
Thanks a lot. What if something
really tried to grab me?

(CONTINUED)
 13.
CONTINUED:

GRETA
Get out of my room.

HENRY
Sorry.

Henry walks to the door. He stops. Turns to his sister.

HENRY (cont'd)
There's nothing out there.

GRETA
What makes you so sure?

HENRY
We've been here all day, and I
haven't seen anything.

GRETA
A whole day.

A KNOCK startles them. It came from the front door...

Ben appears in the doorway.

BEN
Expecting someone?

They shake their heads.

The knocking grows frantic. Ben exits down the hall.

Greta locks eyes with Henry. Confused.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Greta and Henry creep down the Hall. Staying hidden, they
peek around the corner -

Ben stands at the front door before a flock of parents -

Rich in the forefront, standing beside a SHERIFF'S DEPUTY.

RICH
We could use all the help we can get.

BEN
Yeah, of course. Let me grab my coat.

GRETA
(mutters)
James.

(CONTINUED)
 14.
CONTINUED:

Ben turns, catching Henry and Greta.

BEN
Either of you know where James ran
off to? Did he tell you anything?

They shake their heads.

BEN (cont'd)
Back to bed. I'll be home soon.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Greta climbs into bed, watching the adults convene outside

her window - some armed with flashlights. Some with rifles.

GRETA
You think it's serious?

HENRY
I'm sure it's nothing.

Greta turns to find Henry standing in the doorway, holding

his Daisy Air Rifle.

GRETA
What's that for?

He pumps the lever action.

HENRY
Better safe than sorry. Night.

He flicks off the lights.

GRETA
Leave them on!

He flicks them back on.

HENRY
Sorry. Night, Greta.

Henry exits. Greta watches from her window as the adults

disappear into the woods.

INT. KITCHEN - MORNING

A gas stove hisses. A lit match creeps over the range...

(CONTINUED)
 15.
CONTINUED:

HENRY
Better let me.

GRETA
I've got it.

HENRY
You have the gas turned up too high.

A blue fireball roars to life and settles.

Greta blows out the match.

She slides a cast iron pan over the range.

Henry tears open a package of bacon.

Greta cuts into a stick of butter.

HENRY (cont'd)
We don't need that.

GRETA
Sure we do.

HENRY
For bacon?

GRETA
Dad likes butter.

HENRY
Yeah. On toast.

GRETA
Just worry about what you're doing.

HENRY
You're going to give him a heart
attack.

Henry moves for the knife.

Greta grabs the pad of butter. Throws it into the pan.

GRETA
I've got it under control.

Without thinking, she reaches for the iron pan handle -

HENRY
Whoa!

(CONTINUED)
 16.
CONTINUED: (2)

She grips it. A searing pain shoots through her hand. The
pan clangs to the floor.

Henry grabs a rag. Gets ice cubes from the freezer.

GRETA
It doesn't hurt.

Henry wraps her hand. Greta fights back tears.

GRETA (cont'd)
Get the coffee started.

INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING

Ben sits slumped on the sofa. Eyes bloodshot. Hands shaky.

Greta and Henry watch him wolf down his breakfast.

BEN
(groans)
I'm going to explode.

Henry shoots Greta a condescending grin.

BEN (cont'd)
But if that's my last meal, that's
fine by me.

She shoots one right back.

BEN (cont'd)
Your mother herself couldn't have
done better.
(catching himself)
You know what I mean.

Ben looks to Greta. She moves to the kitchen.

BEN (cont'd)
No reason we can't talk about it.

HENRY
We know, dad.

BEN
I know we haven't had much time, with
the move and all.

HENRY
Wasn't that the point?

(CONTINUED)
 17.
CONTINUED:

This hits Ben hard.

BEN
Henry.

HENRY
Sorry, dad.

Greta pours coffee into a Thermos.

GRETA
Nothing to talk about. She's gone.

BEN
It was an accident.

GRETA
And we weren't there to stop it.

Henry glares at Greta. He changes the subject -

HENRY
Any luck last night?

Ben stops eating.

BEN
Still looking.

HENRY
Need any help?

BEN
That's nice, Henry, but the last
thing I need is you wandering off
too.

Ben pulls on his work boots. Greta hands him the Thermos.

BEN (cont'd)
What would I do without you?

She hugs him.

BEN (cont'd)
I know it's going to be pretty boring
around here until school starts, but
can you two promise me something?
Stick around the house today, just
until I get home.

GRETA
We will, dad.

(CONTINUED)
 18.
CONTINUED: (2)

HENRY
But we just got here. If you keep us
cooped up, the neighbors will think
we're weird creeps that live in the
cellar eating rats.

BEN
You done?

Henry sits on the sofa. Flicks on the t.v.

BEN (cont'd)
There's chicken in the fridge. You
can make sandwiches or something.

He notices Henry and Greta's identical dour expressions.

BEN (cont'd)
Maybe, if I get off work in time, I
can grab a pizza on the way home.

Henry and Greta smile.

BEN (cont'd)
Until then, no junk food, deal?

HENRY
Deal.

GRETA
Deal.

Ben exits.

Henry looks to Greta. Great minds think alike.

INT. KITCHEN - MORNING

Inside the freezer -

Behind ice trays and frozen peas, hides a pint of ICE CREAM.

Henry and Greta work together to free it from its icy tomb.

HENRY
Well done.

Greta opens it. Nearly empty.

GRETA
Tough luck.

(CONTINUED)
 19.
CONTINUED:

HENRY
There's more in the basement.

Henry starts down the HALL. He turns. Greta won't budge.

GRETA
Nope.

HENRY
It's just a basement.

GRETA
So?

HENRY
So it's part of the house. You'll
have to face it eventually.

Greta shakes her head.

HENRY (cont'd)
Alright. I'll scope it out.

Henry shoots her a salute and marches down the hall. He

opens the cellar door and descends the creaky steps. The
hall goes silent. Greta watches the empty doorway.

Henry reappears.

HENRY (cont'd)
All clear.

He extends a hand to Greta. She takes it.

INT. CELLAR - MORNING

A bare light-bulb hangs, illuminating a cellar out of time.

Cracked stone walls. Wood shelves. Dusty furniture. Antiques
forgotten in the dark.

A towering FREEZER opens. Inside, Henry finds a massive TUB

OF ICE CREAM.

HENRY
What did I tell you? Dad's been
holding out on us.

GRETA
Let's just get out of here. It smells
like something died.

Henry leans in. Grips the tub. Pulls... It's stuck.

(CONTINUED)
 20.
CONTINUED:

HENRY
Help me out.

Greta leans in. Together, they pull the tub free with a
stubborn CRACK.

HENRY (cont'd)
Bingo.

Henry reads the label: NEAPOLITAN.

HENRY (cont'd)
Gross.

He hands it to her.

GRETA
What do you mean gross? It's three
different flavors!

HENRY
Not when they melt together.

She turns to leave.

GRETA
Of all the houses we could've moved
to, Dad had to pick the one with the
creepy cellar.

HENRY
They probably all have them out here.

Greta turns. Henry has disappeared.

GRETA
Henry?

She inches forward, winding through the antique labyrinth.

Among worn hides and homemade decorations are yellowed,

hand-written papers. Decades old. Some older.

Daylight peeks through a stained glass window.

GRETA (cont'd)
(mutters)
If it's going to be a creepy
basement, it may as well go all out.

A hand rises behind her. GRABS her shoulder. Greta screams.

Whips around - It's Henry.

(CONTINUED)
 21.
CONTINUED: (2)

HENRY
It's okay! Just me. Sorry.

Greta catches her breath.

HENRY (cont'd)
Check this out.

He takes her hand. Leads her through the clutter. Corroded

pipes twist overheard, stretching to a massive IRON FURNACE.

HENRY (cont'd)
Is this cool or what? I wonder if it
still works.

GRETA
Who knows.

Greta pushes the furnace's heavy IRON GRATE with a creak.

INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING

ON THE T.V. SCREEN

A bulbous-headed MARTIAN corners a group of SOLDIERS.

ON THE COUCH

Henry sits beside Greta. Both captivated by the scene. Ice

cream tub between them. Melting into a pinkish-brown goo.

A shadow passes by the window. Greta's eyes wander from the

t.v. Linger on the window. A knock at the door jars her.

Henry answers. Finds Tess standing on the porch.

HENRY
Hey Tess. Everything cool?

She looks into his eyes. Her silence says it all.

HENRY (cont'd)
I'm sorry.

TESS
I'm going out to find him.

HENRY
Dad told us to stay inside.

TESS
Mine did too.

(CONTINUED)
 22.
CONTINUED:

Henry thinks. He looks at his sister.

HENRY
Be right back.

Henry runs down the Hall. Greta shoots Tess a sympathetic

look. No words are spoken.

Henry rejoins Tess at the door. Pumping the lever action of

his AIR RIFLE. He slings it over his back.

GRETA
Dad's gonna kill us.

HENRY
You don't have to come.

He smiles.

HENRY (cont'd)
Really.

Greta looks to Tess, embarrassed.

GRETA
Good luck.

HENRY
Cover for me if dad calls?

Greta nods. Henry gives her a hug, and exits with Tess.

HENRY (cont'd)
(O.S.)
Be back soon.

Greta closes the door. Turns to face -

The empty living room. Unpacked boxes cast shadows on...

The T.V. Credits silently rolling...

DOWN THE HALL...

The CELLAR DOOR. A draft pushes it open with a creak.

Greta's eyes go wide. She throws open the door and runs out.

EXT. CLEARING - DAY

The grassy field where we last saw James.

(CONTINUED)
 23.
CONTINUED:

TESS
He comes out here to take pictures.

HENRY
Of what?

TESS
Everything.

Greta follows Henry and Tess through the field, reaching

THE CREEK

HENRY
You think he's down there?

TESS
God I hope not.

GRETA
What if he... you know.

Their eyes linger on the creek. A laugh breaks the silence -

MARTIN
(O.S.)
What, drowned? You couldn't drown a
baby in there.

The group turns to face two boys perched on bicycles. Henry

recognizes them from the day before- MARTIN (14), though
only a year the eldest, he towers over them. At his side,
his sidekick GLEN (12). Short and frail.

MARTIN (cont'd)
What? That's a good thing.

GLEN
We heard about your brother.

Martin cuts him off, gesturing to the air rifle.

MARTIN
(to Henry)
What are you supposed to be, Davy
Crockett?

HENRY
Name's Henry. We just moved here.

MARTIN
Martin.

(CONTINUED)
 24.
CONTINUED: (2)

GLEN
I'm G-

MARTIN
(steps on him)
This here's Glen.

Glen waves timidly.

GRETA
Greta.

GLEN
Cool name.

TESS
So you haven't seen anything?

MARTIN
Haven't looked.

HENRY
We could use your help.

MARTIN
After that search and rescue mission
last night? If we get caught out
here, we're screwed.

GLEN
I can lend a hand.

Martin silences Glen with a glance. Glen shrinks.

GLEN (cont'd)
We shouldn't get caught outside.

Martin pedals away. Glen follows obediently, looking back at

Greta as he goes.

GRETA
He has a point.

HENRY
Let's make this quick then.

TESS
I'm not going back without James.

Henry nods.

(CONTINUED)
 25.
CONTINUED: (3)

HENRY
Stay close, and shout if you find
anything.

He turns to Greta -

HENRY (cont'd)
Don't go far.

GRETA
I'll be fine.

HENRY
I mean it.

She nods, and makes her way down the embankment into...

EXT. CREEK - DUSK

Greta lands with a splash in the ankle-deep water.

Behind her, the creek runs its course, winding through the
trees, disappearing into dark woods.

Up ahead, something flickers, caught in the current.

She reaches under the water, finding a tattered PHOTOGRAPH.

She holds it to the light, straining to make it out - a

silhouette. Obscured in shadow.

GRETA
Henry! Tess!

In the treeline, something stirs. Greta turns. The woods go

still.

She makes her way forward, finally reaching the treeline.

GRETA (cont'd)
James?

She peeks through the trees. Nothing. She turns -

GRETA (cont'd)
HEN -

And chokes. A figure has appeared, blocking her path.

Not animal. Not human. A pelt of loose, matted hair draped

over a naked, emaciated frame -

(CONTINUED)
 26.
CONTINUED:

The CREATURE rises over her.

Its mud-caked hair bristles... Its pale snout twitches...

Elongated arms rise... Clawed fingers point straight at her.

With no time to think, Greta RUNS into the trees.

EXT. DARK WOODS - DAY

The thick canopy chokes out daylight, as Greta throws one

panicked foot in front of the other.

She COLLIDES with a chain link fence, rattling her body.

Greta throws herself onto it, and climbs.

EXT. CLEARING - DAY

Henry calls into the CREEK -

HENRY
GRETA!

No response. Below, he watches the trees where Greta fled

into the woods.

Henry runs down the embankment. Tess calls out -

TESS
Find anything?

HENRY
Through there!

Tess follows him.

EXT. DARK WOODS - DAY

Greta leaps off the top of the fence. She hits the dirt,
scrambles to her feet, and flees deeper into the woods.

Two figures watch, hidden in shadows. Glen and Martin.

GLEN
Hey!

But Greta's long gone. Martin stomps a cigarette.

MARTIN
Where's she off to?

(CONTINUED)
 27.
CONTINUED:

GLEN
She looks like she saw a ghost.

MARTIN
Or that dead kid.

GLEN
We should follow her.

Martin sizes up the fence.

MARTIN
No way I'm climbing that.

Glen looks to either side - the fence stretches farther than

he can see...

MARTIN (cont'd)
You want to go after her?

Martin playfully punches his arm. Glen grips it painfully.

MARTIN (cont'd)
Alright, Romeo. Maybe there's a way
around.

Martin picks up his bicycle and pedals after Greta. Glen

picks up his bicycle and follows.

EXT. DRAIN - DUSK

Greta slows. The woods grow dark. Silent.

She slips. Falls. Tumbles face-first into the dirt.

Greta lifts her head. Finds something towering over her...

A dark, imposing structure...

The concrete maw of an open STORM DRAIN.

Underfoot, the murky creek stretches into the mouth of the

drain - disappearing into darkness.

A gust of acrid air rolls out. Greta covers her mouth,

recognizing the unmistakable smell of something dead.

Greta is grabbed from behind. She screams.

GLEN
You okay?

(CONTINUED)
 28.
CONTINUED:

MARTIN
God damn you're fast.

Glen helps her up. Greta brushes the mud from her jacket.

GRETA
I'm fine.

GLEN
You were really hauling.

GRETA
There's something back there.

GLEN
Like what?

GRETA
I don't know...

Their moment is cut short when Martin coasts past them,

letting his bicycle fall to the ground.

MARTIN
Glen, quit playing with your
girlfriend and check this out.

Glen winces. He obediently joins Martin at the mouth of the

drain towering above them. Martin's jaw drops.

MARTIN (cont'd)
You've lived here longest. You ever
seen this before?

Glen shakes his head.

Another figure emerges from the trees -

Henry. Greta wraps her arms around him.

HENRY
(whispering)
You alright?

She nods. Tess emerges from the trees.

HENRY (cont'd)
What happened back there? Is this
your idea of staying close?

GRETA
There was something in the creek.

(CONTINUED)
 29.
CONTINUED: (2)

HENRY
What?

GRETA
It came out of the trees. It was
hairy, and...

HENRY
A person?

TESS
James?

Greta shakes her head.

HENRY
Where did it go?

Greta collects herself.

GRETA
I don't know. It was big. It had long
arms, and...

MARTIN
And great big teeth, all the better
to eat you with.

Martin approaches the group, speaking in a whisper...

MARTIN (cont'd)
(mockingly)
Beware...

HENRY
Cut it out.

MARTIN
The big... bad... CREEP!

HENRY
I mean it.

Henry stares Martin down.

MARTIN
Lighten up. I'm only kidding.

Martin pokes the rifle on Henry's back.

MARTIN (cont'd)
Let me see that. I'm going in.

(CONTINUED)
 30.
CONTINUED: (3)

HENRY
What for?

MARTIN
I don't know what's in there. What if
it's the big bad creep?

Martin smiles at Greta. Greta glares back.

MARTIN (cont'd)
(to Henry)
Come on. I'll give it right back.

Henry stares him down.

MARTIN (cont'd)
(under his breath)
Fine.

Martin snaps his fingers. Glen hops to attention, and hands

him a ZIPPO. Martin flicks it to life and approaches the
drain. Glen follows.

MARTIN (cont'd)
Bet you can't get farther than ten
feet in.

GLEN
Try me.

Henry takes Greta's hand.

HENRY
(to Greta)
What's this?

She uncurls her fist, revealing the tattered photograph she

found in the creek.

Henry reaches for it. Tess grabs it first.

TESS
James.

HENRY
Greta found that in the creek.

GLEN
(O.S.)
Guys...

They turn. Martin and Glen have disappeared into the drain.

(CONTINUED)
 31.
CONTINUED: (4)

Glen's voice echoes through the dark...

GLEN (cont'd)
(O.S.)
There's something in here.

Tess runs into the drain. Henry follows. Greta stays back.
Henry stops, and turns to her. He extends a hand -

HENRY
You want to stay out here?

Greta takes his hand.

INT. DRAIN

Tess finds Glen and Martin standing before a heavy wrought

iron GRATE. Beyond it, something shimmers in the dark.

MARTIN
Over there.

Tess removes a flashlight from her back pocket. Clicks it to

life. She raises it, illuminating -

JAMES' BICYCLE. Upended. Tires frayed. Spokes caked in mud.

HENRY
Is that...

TESS
James!

Tess throws her flashlight to Greta and grabs the iron

grate. Her knuckles go white as she strains to pry it open.
It won't budge.

TESS (cont'd)
JAMES! JAMES ARE YOU IN THERE?!

MARTIN
How could he have gotten through?

Tess's call echoes back, unanswered. Henry grabs the grate.

He yanks on it. Nothing.

HENRY
Give us a hand.

Martin and Glen join in.

(CONTINUED)
 32.
CONTINUED:

Greta scans the perimeter of the tunnel with the flashlight.

She spots a derelict pipe in the muck.

HENRY (cont'd)
All together. One. Two. Three...

The grate screams - finally giving way.

MARTIN
Christ this thing's heavy.

Greta slips through them with the pipe. Fits it snugly under
the grate. Propping it open.

GRETA
You can let go.

They do. The grate hangs open.

TESS
Good thinking.

The group ducks under the grate, approaching the bicycle.

They take another step forward. And another. The drain goes
silent...

MARTIN
AAAAH!

They spin.

MARTIN (cont'd)
Couldn't resist.

Martin looks to Glen for a laugh. But Glen just looks at

Greta, embarrassed. Martin notices.

His scream echoes back down the corridor. The walls shake.
The pipe holding the grate open SLIPS free. The grate SLAMS
shut behind them.

HENRY
Good going.

Martin and Glen run back to the grate and wrap their hands
around it. They pull with all their might. But it won't
budge. Henry and Greta join in.

HENRY (cont'd)
All together now. One. Two. Three...

The group pulls. The grate won't move. They're trapped.

(CONTINUED)
 33.
CONTINUED: (2)

Greta goes pale. Henry takes her hand.

HENRY (cont'd)
Don't panic. There are probably a
hundred ways out of here.

Tess continues down the corridor alone. She reaches the

bike. Feels the handle bars.

TESS
(mutters)
James.

Tess throws the bicycle aside, revealing a metal DOOR -

"PERSONNEL ONLY."

Henry approaches Tess, still holding Greta's hand.

Tess grips the door handle. Turns it. Pulls the door open
with a long, metallic groan.

HENRY
He got in here somehow. Maybe he
knows another way out.

He turns to Greta. She nods, apprehensively. Together, they

step through the door.

Martin continues pulling on the grate. But it's no use. Glen

watches the group disappear through the doorway ahead.

MARTIN
Not going back through here. Looks
like we're following your girlfriend.

Glen looks at his feet. Martin smiles.

INT. FLOOD CONTROL

An abandoned control station. Only traces of daylight peek

through cracks in the cement ceiling.

Tess observes the dusty machinery. Corroded panels lined

with destroyed buttons, knobs and dials.

HENRY
Reminds me of the subway.

GRETA
I hated the subway.

(CONTINUED)
 34.
CONTINUED:

TESS
What's it like?

HENRY
Dirty. Claustrophobic. Dark. Right up
Greta's alley.

Greta feigns laughter.

TESS
(to Greta)
Afraid of the dark?

GRETA
Not the dark. What you find in it.

Tess gestures to the flashlight.

TESS
Why don't you hold onto that.
Consider it a gift.

GRETA
Thanks.

Tess wanders off to inspect the room. Greta glares at Henry.

He goes to her -

GRETA (cont'd)
I can't wait to tell her what you're
scared of.

HENRY
(chuckling)
What's that?

Greta smiles, gesturing to Tess.

GRETA
Girls.

Henry goes pale.

TESS
(O.S.)
Henry! Greta!

They run to find Tess standing at the edge of a chasm - an

overflow reservoir - brimming with murky water.

A destroyed catwalk hangs overhead.

(CONTINUED)
 35.
CONTINUED: (2)

HENRY
How deep do you think it goes?

GRETA
Deep.

Tess picks up a length of pipe - about 10 feet long.

She hauls it to the lip of the reservoir. Greta and Henry

join in. They dip the pipe into the reservoir. It falls
down... deeper, and deeper, finally disappearing without a
trace.

GRETA (cont'd)
Maybe he fell in.

Tess goes pale.

GRETA (cont'd)
Can he swim?

TESS
Yeah.

HENRY
Then maybe he got across somehow.

Greta pulls him aside.

GRETA
You want to go further?

HENRY
He could be hurt.

GRETA
Then let's get dad.

HENRY
He might need our help now.

Greta looks at Tess, seeing her mind is already made up.

HENRY (cont'd)
I'll be right there with you.

Greta nods. Tess and Henry upend a wooden pallet. Greta

holds her flashlight while they work.

Tess drags another pallet over. Using some old wire, she
lashes them together with some old plastic drums, forming a
makeshift RAFT.

(CONTINUED)
 36.
CONTINUED: (3)

Henry and Tess push the raft over the lip of the chasm - the
heavy wood bounces easily along the water.

Tess extends a hand to Henry. He takes it, stepping aboard.

The raft shifts gently under his weight.

He extends a hand to Greta.

HENRY (cont'd)
All aboard.

She climbs on.

MARTIN
(O.S.)
Ahoy!

They turn to face Martin standing with Glen.

Glen smiles, embarrassed.

GLEN
Room for two more?

INT. FLOODED CANAL

The RAFT floats over the flooded reservoir.

Tess looks over the edge - streaks of black twist under

them, illuminated by Greta's flashlight.

MARTIN
Thirsty?

Tess glares at Martin.

MARTIN (cont'd)
Looks deep. I'll bet anything could
live down there.

Her eyes go wide.

MARTIN (cont'd)
I used to be scared of the water. We
had this big lake out behind our
house. One day, my dad picked me up.
Threw me right in.

TESS
Cut it out.

(CONTINUED)
 37.
CONTINUED:

MARTIN
No joke.

GRETA
Could you swim?

MARTIN
Of course. But it wasn't drowning
that I was scared of. I was worried
something would pull me down.

The group goes quiet.

MARTIN (cont'd)
Now the lake's my favorite place in
the world. All it took was a little
push.

HENRY
Give it a rest.

MARTIN
Aye aye, captain.

The raft bumps against the lip of the reservoir.

Tess jumps ashore, and turns to help the rest.

Henry pulls the raft onto the concrete.

HENRY
It's our only way back, so whatever
happens, we go back together.

MARTIN
If that kid really did wander all
this way by himself, I'd be
impressed. Still have to slug him for
putting us through all this trouble.

TESS
No one asked you to come along.

MARTIN
I'm kidding. Lighten up.

Across the water - the metallic groan of an opening door.

Greta grabs her brother.

GRETA
Henry?

(CONTINUED)
 38.
CONTINUED: (2)

GLEN
Someone followed us.

MARTIN
Hey!

TESS
James?!

GRETA
Stop.

MARTIN
You're right. What if it's the big
bad -

GRETA
Don't say it.

Greta grips Henry's hand.

HENRY
Probably just a rat.

She shakes her head. Martin chuckles.

TESS
Great.

MARTIN
What's the matter?

TESS
Nothing.

MARTIN
Scared of rats?

Martin PINCHES Tess. She screams.

Henry shoves Martin. Martin stares him down.

MARTIN (cont'd)
(threatening)
Lighten up.

Something splashes in the distance.

HENRY
Let's keep moving.
 39.

INT. CORRIDOR

Henry leads the way - air rifle in one hand, Greta's hand in
the other, followed closely by Tess, Martin, and Glen.

Martin inspects the debris lining the corridor.

MARTIN
No hard feelings.

TESS
Let's just find James and get out of
here.

MARTIN
You know, I used to be scared of rats
too.

TESS
First the lake. Now rats. You used to
be scared of lots of things.

MARTIN
Used to.

TESS
Then what happened? Your dad throw
you into a pit full of them?

MARTIN
No. My cousin got one for a pet. Bit
the hell out of me. I thought I was
gonna die of rabies.

TESS
(smiling)
Maybe they're not so bad.

Greta spots something caught on the debris - a patch of

matted hair. She stops. Her eyes go wide.

HENRY
What's that?

Henry reaches for it. Greta stops him.

GRETA
Don't.

TESS
Maybe there's a lost dog down here.

(CONTINUED)
 40.
CONTINUED:

GLEN
Then there's another way out!

TESS
Poor thing. Maybe it's hurt.

Martin picks up a piece of re-bar, clutching it like a club.

TESS (cont'd)
What's that for?

MARTIN
Better be friendly. For its own sake.

Tess gives a disgusted laugh.

MARTIN (cont'd)
(sarcastically)
Did you want to adopt it?

TESS
You had a rough childhood, didn't
you?

MARTIN
Not really. Rough as anyone else.

TESS
I take it your parents never taught
you to live and let live.

MARTIN
I'd be more than happy to let it
live. I'm more worried about us.

HENRY
He's not wrong.

Tess turns to face Henry.

HENRY (cont'd)
If there is something down here, we
should be prepared.

MARTIN
(mocking)
Thanks, captain.

Martin pats Henry on the shoulder, taking the lead. Glen

walks with Greta -

GLEN
Just so you know, this isn't normal.

(CONTINUED)
 41.
CONTINUED: (2)

GRETA
(smiling)
Oh no?

GLEN
I mean, this isn't what we typically
do for fun.

GRETA
Got it.

GLEN
You're new here, right?

GRETA
Yeah.

GLEN
How do you like it?

She chuckles at the absurdity of his question. Tess stops.

TESS
What was that?

The group listens. Martin clutches his club.

The corridor is silent.

GLEN
I didn't hear anything.

A howl rings out from behind them...

They turn, staring into the dark.

MARTIN
Found your dog.

The howl twists into a demonic scream. The group goes white.

TESS
What should we-

Martin runs - disappearing into the dark. The group follows.

Barreling down the corridor faster than they can see. The
inhuman screams growing louder behind them.

Greta's light probes the dark, landing on a heavy iron door.

MARTIN
There!

(CONTINUED)
 42.
CONTINUED: (3)

Martin crashes against the door. He grips the handle. It

won't move. Greta joins. Followed by Tess and Henry.

Henry turns. Lifts his air rifle. He lines up the sight,

desperately trying to trace the shrieking, unsure where to
aim...

Together, the group heaves. A slight gap opens. Greta eyes

Martin's re-bar club.

GRETA
Give it here!

Martin looks down the corridor. Rays of sunlight illuminate

only a glimpse of the SHAPE closing in on them.

He shakes his head. Clutches his makeshift club.

Greta pulls it from his hands. She wedges it between the

door and its frame, creating a makeshift lever. She throws
her weight into it. Still no use.

MARTIN
(sarcastically)
Good thinking.

Glen joins in, throwing his weight into the makeshift lever.

A crack forms between the door and its frame -

Greta tries to push Glen inside - but Martin forces his way
between them, awkwardly throwing himself through first.

Tess throws Greta through then grabs Henry's elbow, yanking

them both into -

INT. LADDER ROOM

Greta jumps to her feet, throwing her back against the door.

A coil of emaciated, pale fingers curl around the edge of

the door. It pushes. Widening the gap inch by inch.

Glen, Greta, Henry, and Tess shove back against the door.

Glen's sneakers slip on wet concrete. The pale, clawed hand

SEIZES his face. Glen desperately extends a hand to Martin -

GLEN
Get it off me!

Martin backs away. His jaw dropped.

(CONTINUED)
 43.
CONTINUED:

Suddenly, the butt of Henry's rifle cracks the monster's

wrist. It shrieks, retreating just long enough for -

The steel door to SLAM shut. Henry PUSHES the re-bar through
the door. A makeshift dead bolt.

Muted screams ring out from behind the door as the monster
thrashes against it.

The group backs away from the quaking door. The dead bolt
groans. The scream on the other side twists into a pained
cry. Then, finally... Silence. The group huddles together,
petrified.

MARTIN
(to Tess)
Still want to adopt it?

Glen feels the cut across his face. He glares at Martin.

MARTIN (cont'd)
What?

HENRY
Guess we're not going back that way.

Martin scans the perimeter of the room.

TESS
We need to get out of here before
whatever is out there finds a way in.

Martin stumbles upon a LADDER, affixed to the platform they

stand on. It runs down into the darkness below, disappearing
into a chasm.

Martin's jaw drops. Greta approaches with her flashlight.

GRETA
Nice find, Martin.

She grabs the HANDRAIL. Gives it a light tug. SNAPPING it

off. She traces the structure with the beam of her light -

Something glimmers in the dark, dangling around the ladder.

HENRY
Hold the light there.

She does.

Henry plants one foot on the ladder's top rung and leans
forward, testing it...

(CONTINUED)
 44.
CONTINUED: (2)

MARTIN
You're going to break your neck. This
place could be a hundred years old.

Henry reaches for the object dangling from the ladder.

MARTIN (cont'd)
There has to be another way out.

GLEN
Won't know until we look.

MARTIN
We wouldn't even be here if you
didn't want to impress your
girlfriend.

Glen goes quiet. Greta winces.

Henry approaches them. In his hands, he holds the twisted,

water-logged remains of James' Polaroid camera.

HENRY
He's down here, alright.

GLEN
If that's his, then how'd it get all
the way down here?

HENRY
He must've left it for us.

GRETA
What's the plan?

MARTIN
If that's all that's left of him,
then the plan ought to be we get out
while we can.

HENRY
Agreed.

Henry moves for the ladder.

MARTIN
That's the plan? Venture deeper into
the literal shit-hole.

HENRY
You want to take your chance with
that thing back there?

(CONTINUED)
 45.
CONTINUED: (3)

MARTIN
Rather that than die at the bottom of
some pit.

GLEN
We can't leave him down here.

MARTIN
(mocking)
Well look at you.

Glen backs down.

MARTIN (cont'd)
Even if we do find him, we'll be no
use to anyone if we're lost.

Henry puts a hand on Greta's shoulder.

HENRY
What do you say?

Henry forces a smile.

HENRY (cont'd)
I'll be right there with you.

Greta nods.

MARTIN
(to Glen)
What about you, Mr. Brave Knight?

Glen looks at his feet.

TESS
No time like the present.

HENRY
We should go one at a time. There's
no telling how old this thing is.

Tess nods and begins to descend the ladder.

Henry slings his air rifle over his back, and descends.

Glen moves for the ladder. Martin stops him.

MARTIN
Let them go.

GLEN
You just want to sit around?

(CONTINUED)
 46.
CONTINUED: (4)

Martin recognizes defiance in Glen's eyes. Martin smiles.

Considers knocking the look right off his face.

MARTIN
I say we stand guard.

Glen looks to Greta. He turns to Martin. Nods obediently.

Greta moves for the ladder. Glen stops her. Turns around so
Martin can't see him putting the lighter in her hand -

GLEN
Just in case.

GRETA
I've got a flashlight.

GLEN
You never know. Just don't lose it.
It's my dad's.

She nods. Glen watches her disappear down the ladder.

MARTIN
You want to get lost in a hundred-
year old jungle gym, be my guest, but
I'm not breaking my neck on that
thing.

Glen turns.

MARTIN (cont'd)
We'll guard the exit.

GLEN
You mean we'll sit here.

MARTIN
Yeah.

Martin sits. Glen follows suit.

INT. ANCIENT CORRIDOR

The scenery has taken a new shape. Stone walls outfitted

with wooden support beams. An unfinished tunnel, abandoned
halfway through construction.

A rolling steel shutter, embedded in the rocky wall. It

rises...

(CONTINUED)
 47.
CONTINUED:

Tess, Henry, and Greta pull themselves through the shutter,

spilling into the corridor. Greta notices something clawed
into the steel shutter's face - a primitive marking.

GRETA
What's this?

HENRY
Looks like the brave explorers have
stumbled upon Tut's tomb.

TESS
Not now.

HENRY
Laughter helps me deal with stress.

TESS
Then try being funny.

Henry sinks.

GRETA
This place is starting to make me
miss the subway.

As they make their way forward, the tunnel grows darker. The
group crowds around Greta's light.

HENRY
When you were little you wouldn't go
into the basement alone without Mom
holding your hand.

GRETA
Mom's not here.

HENRY
(softly)
I know.

He holds her hand. The flashlight flickers. Greta lets go of

his hand and smacks the flashlight back to life.

TESS
Get down!

Tess pulls them to the side. Up ahead, a shadow rises,

silhouetted against the tunnel. Greta whispers to Henry -

GRETA
That's it...

(CONTINUED)
 48.
CONTINUED: (2)

HENRY
What?

GRETA
The thing from the creek.

Henry's jaw drops in terrified awe.

HENRY
The Creep.

Tess leans between them -

TESS
(whispering)
It doesn't see us.

Henry raises the air rifle. Draws a bead on it.

Greta leans in -

GRETA
(whispering)
You'll only piss it off.

Henry POPS the lever action. The sound echoes down the
corridor -

The creature jerks toward them, revealing its emaciated,

humanoid frame. A feral thing, twisted by its subterranean
upbringing. Greta recognizes it. A close relative of the
monster from the creek.

HENRY
(mutters)
What the fuck.

The Creep's eyeless face locks on Henry. Its ears perk. Lips
curl over yellow teeth. Pale arms rise - claws pointing.

TESS
I think it heard you...

The Creep ERUPTS toward them, sprinting down the corridor.

Henry white-knuckles the air rifle. Aiming...

Greta fishes in Henry's coat pocket.

The Creep swipes blindly. Claws thrashing. Closing in...

(CONTINUED)
 49.
CONTINUED: (3)

GRETA
(realizing)
It can't see.

Henry shakes, unsure where to aim.

Greta withdraws a handful of pellets from Henry's coat.

Henry's trigger finger tenses...

Greta throws the pellets RATTLING behind them.

The Creep's ears perk. It twists, and runs right past them,
following the rattling pellets down an adjacent corridor.

The sound of its thrashing fades into the distance.

Henry looks to his sister.

HENRY
Not bad.

Tess pulls them along...

TESS
Come on. Quietly.

INT. LADDER ROOM

Martin presses his ear against the door. Glen keeps his eye
fixed on the ladder. Waiting for a sign of their return.

MARTIN
You hear that?

GLEN
What?

MARTIN
Exactly.

Glen doesn't follow. Martin grips the dead bolt.

GLEN
We said we'd wait.

MARTIN
We may not get another chance.

Martin UNBOLTS the door. Glen jumps to his feet.

(CONTINUED)
 50.
CONTINUED:

GLEN
What are you doing?

Martin cracks the door open. He peeks into the hall. No sign
of the monster - no sign of anything.

MARTIN
Coast is clear.

Glen rises, arms folded.

MARTIN (cont'd)
I'm not waiting for that thing to
come back. You're welcome to come
with, or you can stay here.

Glen looks at his feet.

MARTIN (cont'd)
Last chance.

INT. ANCIENT CORRIDOR

Greta, Tess, and Henry run down the corridor.

TESS
What the Hell was that thing?

HENRY
How should I know?

TESS
Was that a person?

HENRY
Maybe it used to be.

TESS
(Greta)
Was that really the thing from the
creek?

GRETA
I don't know. It looked... Smaller.

TESS
Smaller? Like there's more than one?

HENRY
This place could be a thousand years
old, who knows.

(CONTINUED)
 51.
CONTINUED:

GRETA
Whatever it was, it couldn't see, but
it could hear, so maybe we should
keep our voices down.

They come to a three-way intersection.

TESS
What now?

Henry measures up the three identical tunnels -

HENRY
Eenie, meenie, miney...

TESS
You're joking.

He slings the air rifle over his shoulder.

HENRY
You have a better idea?

She shakes her head. They take off down the middle corridor.

INT. INNER CORRIDOR

Martin retraces their steps. Glen reluctantly follows.

MARTIN
Shouldn't be too much farther.

Martin fishes a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

He SNAPS his fingers.

GLEN
What?

Martin snaps again.

MARTIN
Lighter.

Glen digs in his pockets.

MARTIN (cont'd)
Where did it go?

GLEN
(lying)
Must've dropped it.

(CONTINUED)
 52.
CONTINUED:

MARTIN
Way to go.

GLEN
What's the plan when we get back?

Martin pockets the cigarette. Annoyed.

GLEN (cont'd)
Hey, Mom. Dad. I know we weren't
supposed to leave the house today,
but -

MARTIN
You're afraid of getting grounded?

GLEN
If they don't come back, someone's
going to have to answer for it.

MARTIN
I'm not answering for shit. They got
themselves into this.

GLEN
I didn't mean it like that.

Martin fishes the cigarette out again.

MARTIN
Look again.

GLEN
I don't have it.

MARTIN
You've never lost it before.

Glen looks at his feet.

GLEN
I gave it to Greta.

MARTIN
(mockingly)
How romantic.

Martin reads Glen's nervous face.

MARTIN (cont'd)
Your dad's going to be pissed. My old
man can get rough sometimes, but
yours...

(CONTINUED)
 53.
CONTINUED: (2)

Martin WHISTLES, shaking his head.

MARTIN (cont'd)
I'd be more worried about him than
anything we find down here.

Glen nods.

MARTIN (cont'd)
If he ever treated me the way he
treats you, I'd fuck him up.

Martin turns down another corridor. Glen follows.

MARTIN (cont'd)
This looks familiar.

INT. ANCIENT CORRIDOR

Tess, Henry, and Greta run down the corridor.

HENRY
How big can this place be?

A shadow crosses the corridor. The group stops.

GRETA
Keep your voices down.

The shadow disappears around a corner.

TESS
Maybe there's a hundred of them.

HENRY
Over there.

He gestures to Greta. She trains her light on an open vent.

Henry approaches the vent. Kneels beside it. The group

follows cautiously, finding -

Its broken cover hanging from its hinges.

Greta shines her light inside the vent, illuminating a note

scrawled in mud: "H E L P."

TESS
James. He's close.

Tears well in her eyes.

(CONTINUED)
 54.
CONTINUED:

GRETA
What do we do now?

TESS
We get him, and get out of here.

GRETA
Who's stupid enough to go in there?

Tess steps up to the vent. Wedges herself through. But she's

too big. Henry and Greta pull her out.

TESS
We have to get him out.

Tess turns to Greta.

TESS (cont'd)
Greta, can you have a look?

Greta looks to her brother. Terrified. He speaks for her -

HENRY
No way.

Henry calls into the vent -

HENRY (cont'd)
James, you in there?

GRETA
Don't call attention.

HENRY
You sure you can handle it?

He offers her the air rifle.

GRETA
(faking calm)
I got this.

She takes it.

INT. VENT

A claustrophobic passage. Completely dark. If not for the

lonely beam of Greta's flashlight inching forward, lashed to
the barrel of the air rifle by its strap. She looks back -

Henry's face grows smaller as she advances.

(CONTINUED)
 55.
CONTINUED:

GRETA
(mutters)
See. They're right behind you.
Everything's okay... Everything's -

The flashlight flickers...

GRETA (cont'd)
No, please, no.

...and flicks back to life. Greta continues.

GRETA (cont'd)
(whispering)
Anyone there?

Greta advances, falling into -

INT. VENT JUNCTION

Greta rises to her feet, stretching her back.

Something across the space shifts, concealed in darkness.

Greta lifts her flashlight, finding -

A very dirty, very terrified JAMES cowering against the

wall. Eyes shut. Hands covering his face.

GRETA
James.

He shrinks against the wall. Paralyzed with fear.

GRETA (cont'd)
Are you alright?

JAMES
Greta?

James forces an eye open. Peeks at her. He draws in a

breath, and lunges - embracing her. The force nearly knocks
Greta off her feet as James wraps his arms around her,
weeping with joy.

JAMES (cont'd)
You came.

Greta, unsure what to say -

GRETA
Easy. It's alright.

(CONTINUED)
 56.
CONTINUED:

James refuses to budge. Greta comforts him -

GRETA (cont'd)
It's okay.

James steps back.

GRETA (cont'd)
How long have you been in here?

He shushes her. Composes himself. Speaks in a whisper -

JAMES
I don't know. Last I remember I was
in a dark room. I couldn't see
anything.

GRETA
How did you get away?

JAMES
I just kept walking. Stayed quiet. Is
Tessie with you?

Greta nods. James hugs her again.

GRETA
She can't wait to see you. Come on.

James cowers against his familiar far wall.

JAMES
We can't go out there. There's plenty
of room here. If we just keep
quiet...

GRETA
That's not going to work, James.

JAMES
It's safe here.

GRETA
I know you're scared. I am too.
(smiles)
But you promised you'd show me your
pictures when you got back.

Silence.

GRETA (cont'd)
I'll be right behind you.

(CONTINUED)
 57.
CONTINUED: (2)

She extends the butt of the air rifle to him.

James takes it.

INT. FLOOD CONTROL

Martin pushes the raft onto the water.

Glen watches Martin step aboard the raft, balancing as it

rocks underfoot.

MARTIN
All aboard.

Glen doesn't budge. He looks Martin in the eye.

MARTIN (cont'd)
I'm not asking you again.

GLEN
No.

MARTIN
What did you say?

GLEN
We can't leave them in here.

MARTIN
You chickenshit-

A slow wave rolls under the raft. Martin loses his footing.

He glances over the side.

A pale, eyeless face stares back. Suddenly -

A Creep erupts through the water, splintering the raft. A

clawed hand grips Martin's face, dragging him, screaming,
under the murky water.

Glen crumples to the floor.

Debris rains... No trace of the monster. No trace of Martin.

The room goes quiet.

An inhuman hand crests the lip of the reservoir. The thing

pulls itself up from the water- a dripping, inhuman frame.

The Creep rises. In its claws, Martin's lifeless body hangs.

(CONTINUED)
 58.
CONTINUED:

Glen doubles back, grasping for the STEEL DOOR handle.

He throws himself through the door, catching a glimpse at

its eyeless face before pushing the door shut.

INT. ANCIENT CORRIDOR

Henry and Tess sit before the vent.

HENRY
How long has she been in there?

A KNOCK reverberates inside the vent. A beam of light

appears, dancing across their faces. They shield their eyes.
Squinting. Tess recognizes the figure crawling toward her -

TESS
James!

Tess reaches in, pulling James from the vent. He wraps his
arms around her. Buries his face in her shoulder.

TESS (cont'd)
(smiling)
That was longer than 20 minutes,
squirt.

Henry reaches in, and pulls Greta from the vent.

GRETA
Can we go home now?

TESS
I like that idea.

JAMES
Which way?

Greta gestures down the path with her flashlight, and the
group starts walking back the way they came.

HENRY
(to Greta)
Good work.

Greta ignores him.

HENRY (cont'd)
That was brave.

GRETA
I had to.

(CONTINUED)
 59.
CONTINUED:

HENRY
No, you didn't.

GRETA
Now's not the time.

HENRY
Still. Pretty bad-ass.

GRETA
(mocking him)
Pretty bad-ass.

HENRY
Mom would have thought so.

GRETA
Doesn't matter what Mom would think.

The flashlight flickers.

HENRY
I got it.

Henry reaches for the flashlight.

Frenzied FOOTSTEPS echo down the tunnel behind them.

The group turns. Tess grabs James.

Henry takes the rifle. Trains it on the corridor behind

them. The flashlight mounted to its barrel barely penetrates
the darkness...

Henry CRANKS the lever action... Takes aim... Squeezes the

trigger... PFFT! A pellet flies into the dark.

GLEN
(O.S.)
OW! Son of a bitch.

Henry lowers the air rifle. Glen emerges. Panting.

GLEN (cont'd)
Henry? What the Hell?

HENRY
Keep your voice down.

JAMES
Who's that?

(CONTINUED)
 60.
CONTINUED: (2)

GLEN
(to Tess)
You found him?

HENRY
Shut up.

Henry grabs Glen aggressively.

HENRY (cont'd)
You're going to lead it right to us.

Glen goes white. Greta puts a hand on Henry's shoulder.

GRETA
I think he gets the point.

Henry lets him go.

HENRY
Sorry.

Glen brushes himself off.

HENRY (cont'd)
Where's your friend?

GLEN
Martin tried. We tried, to...

Glen draws a painful breath.

GLEN (cont'd)
We can't go back. Unless you want to
try swimming.

JAMES
What?

Glen searches for the words...

GLEN
The raft's gone.

HENRY
How'd that happen?

GLEN
We tried to go back.

TESS
Without us, you mean.

(CONTINUED)
 61.
CONTINUED: (3)

GRETA
"Tried?"

Glen fumbles for the words.

GLEN
Martin...

GRETA
What?

GLEN
He's... dead.

GRETA
Dead?

TESS
What do you mean dead?

Glen looks into her eyes. His silence says it all- dead.

GRETA
(to Henry)
What are we going to tell dad now?

HENRY
Nothing if we don't find a way out of
here.

TESS
So what do we do?

HENRY
We go home.

Henry continues forward. Glen stops him.

GLEN
I just said you can't go that way.

HENRY
What do you mean?

GLEN
Something destroyed the raft.

TESS
So we're screwed.

GRETA
James, you must have gotten away
somehow. Is there another way out?

(CONTINUED)
 62.
CONTINUED: (4)

JAMES
There's a way.

GRETA
It's all we got.

James shakes his head.

JAMES
It's no use.

GRETA
Show us.

He looks to Tess. She nods.

JAMES
Okay.

HENRY
If that's our only shot, I say we
take it. Seeing as how we can't go
back the way we came.

GLEN
I'm sorry.

JAMES
Keep your voices down.

The light flickers. Greta smacks it. To no avail...

GRETA
Please, no...

HENRY
Give it here.

Henry reaches for the light. It DIES. Plunging them into

darkness. James cries -

JAMES
Help!

TESS
James, take my hand.

Feet SCUFFLE in the dark.

TESS (cont'd)
Hold still.

(CONTINUED)
 63.
CONTINUED: (5)

JAMES
I am!

GRETA
Hold on.

A spark. In Greta's hand, the Zippo illuminates -

A CREEP'S EYELESS FACE. Inches from hers. Teeth glistening.

Greta covers her mouth. The lighter's flame licks the

monster's face. It SHRIEKS.

...and retreats into darkness.

Greta is seized from behind. She stifles a scream. Glen

pulls himself close to her.

They're joined by Tess.

TESS
James? I'm here.

James emerges from the dark, joining them.

GRETA
Henry?

Greta waves the lighter - careful not to extinguish it.

She steps forward, whispering -

GRETA (cont'd)
Henry?

She takes another step.

GRETA (cont'd)
Henry?

No response. The group calls out, panicked -

JAMES
Henry?!

GLEN
Henry?!

TESS
Henry, where are you?

Greta spots something on the ground up ahead.

(CONTINUED)
 64.
CONTINUED: (6)

She approaches it. Kneels. Comes up holding -

Henry's destroyed AIR RIFLE. Flashlight shattered. Strap

frayed. Barrel twisted -

A horrific realization dawns on her.

GRETA
Henry!

Greta runs. The group follows her down the corridor.

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

A steel door flies open.

Greta, Glen, Tess and James run through.

Greta stops suddenly. She finds herself standing at the edge

of a bottomless, black pit. Glen pulls her back.

Henry's cries echo up through the dark.

GRETA
Henry!

Tears well in Greta's eyes.

GRETA (cont'd)
Where are they taking him?

TESS
We need to find a way out of here.

Greta, Tess, James and Glen pull a crate in front of the

steel door, creating a makeshift barricade.

Greta feels her brother's destroyed air rifle.

TESS (cont'd)
That should buy us some time to find
a way out of here.

Greta observes the shattered flashlight still attached to

the air rifle. Tears it off. Tosses it aside.

TESS (cont'd)
What are you doing?

GRETA
He's alive.

(CONTINUED)
 65.
CONTINUED:

TESS
Greta.

GRETA
They took James alive. That's why
we're here, isn't it? So why not
Henry?

Tess looks at her feet.

GRETA (cont'd)
(to James)
James. Where did they take you?

JAMES
I don't know. It was too dark.

Greta tears a sleeve from her coat. Wraps it around the bent
barrel of the air rifle.

She flicks the Zippo. Lights the sleeve wrapped around the
barrel, creating a makeshift torch. Its flame illuminates
the area - an abandoned construction site.

In its center - a system of pulleys, secured by massive

wooden beams. Coils of heavy, knotted rope wind from the
ceiling to the platform of an antiquated FREIGHT LIFT.

JAMES (cont'd)
Whoa.

GLEN
They must have brought stuff through
here when they first built the place.

TESS
Who's they?

He shrugs.

GLEN
Whoever built it.

Glen spots an old GENERATOR rusting in the corner.

GLEN (cont'd)
Look!

He runs to the generator. Begins fumbling with it, trying to

revive it. It's long dead.

Greta approaches the lift dangling over the pit.

(CONTINUED)
 66.
CONTINUED: (2)

Tess puts a hand on her shoulder.

TESS
There's no use going any further.

Greta ignores her, uncovering an iron LEVER fastened to the

floor - the lift's primitive control system.

GLEN
Careful.

She pushes, but the crank won't budge. Glen joins her,
throwing his weight into it. The lever gives. Gears turn.
Dust falls from the rafters.

The lift rises.

TESS
If he is down there, they're not
going to just let you walk in and
take him away.

GRETA
Not counting on it.

Greta fastens her torch to the lift.

TESS
When you're ready to come up, just
let us know.

Glen steps up.

GLEN
I'm coming with you.

Glen nervously tests the lift with his foot.

GLEN (cont'd)
If anything happens to that lighter,
my dad will kill me. If anything
happens to you, I need to make sure I
get it back.

Greta smiles.

GRETA
We'll go one at a time.

TESS
Good luck.

Greta climbs aboard the lift. James approaches her.

(CONTINUED)
 67.
CONTINUED: (3)

JAMES
(whispers)
Whatever happens. Stay quiet.

She nods.

Tess throws the lever. Gears turn. The contraption springs

to life, lowering her into...

INT. PIT

The dark chasm. The light of Greta's torch barely pierces

dark as the lift makes its descent...

Suddenly, the lift JERKS. Nearly bucking Greta off.

JAMES
(O.S.)
Sorry!

She white knuckles the support line.

TESS
(O.S.)
That's it! It won't go any farther.

GLEN
(O.S.)
See anything?

Greta waves the butt of her makeshift torch below -

GRETA
Just a little farther.

The faint sound of RUNNING WATER below her.

TESS
(O.S.)
What do you see?

GRETA
It's just a short drop!
(mutters)
I hope.

Greta lowers herself over the side of the lift.

She takes a breath, braces, and lets herself drop...

...six feet down. She sprawls back into a small stream.

(CONTINUED)
 68.
CONTINUED:

Her torch rattles onto gravel.

TESS
You okay?

Greta fumbles for it.

GRETA
I'm fine!

She waves the torch overhead, signaling - Glen's turn.

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE - MOMENTS LATER

Glen climbs aboard the lift.

GLEN
Be back soon.

TESS
Good luck.

JAMES
We won't leave you stranded.

Glen lets this sink in as -

INT. PIT

The lift descends. Glen spots Greta's torch below.

GRETA
Just a little farther.

Glen clings to the lift.

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

BOOM. The door JUMPS behind the makeshift barricade.

Something thrashes on it from the other side. Tess jumps
from the lift's control lever.

INT. PIT

The lift stops. Glen dangles helplessly in the dark.

GLEN
What's going on up there?
 69.

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

The door bends in its frame. Tess calls down into the pit -

TESS
We have to hide!

Tess and James push another crate onto the barricade. Behind
it, the steel door cracks.

INT. PIT

Greta calls up to Glen.

GRETA
You have to jump.

GLEN
It's too far.

GRETA
No time to argue!

Glen eases himself over the edge of the lift. The lift
angles awkwardly under his weight.

GRETA (cont'd)
On three. One...

Glen loosens his grip.

GRETA (cont'd)
Two... Three!

Glen hesitates. The lift's support line SNAPS. The lift

falls, dangling vertically from its remaining support line,
bucking Glen off.

He tumbles through the dark, landing on top of Greta.

His leg SMASHES into a stalagmite. He cries out in pain.

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

The barricade SPLINTERS.

An emaciated Creep thrashes into the room.

 70.

INT. PIT

Greta drags Glen to the wall.

She puts a hand over his mouth, silencing him.

Fifty feet above them - a silhouette looms over the ledge of

the pit. The Creep. Listening.

Greta tightens her grip on Glen's mouth.

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

James. Eyes wide. Held securely by Tess. Mere inches from -

The Creep leaning over the lip of the pit.

INT. PIT

Greta holds Glen close.

GRETA
(whispers)
Don't. Move.

He tenses. Closing his eyes. Greta lifts her head to face -

The eyeless Creep. Its unseeing face staring back at her.

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

Tess shakes. Her eyes fall to her leg -

A fat, red-eyed RAT crawls over her shoe. She draws a sharp
BREATH. The Creep twists. Tess freezes.

INT. PIT

Glen writhes. His foot scrapes gravel.

The Creep twists back toward the pit - baring its teeth.

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

James looks into Tess's eyes.

The rat makes its way over her shoe. And up her calf.

(CONTINUED)
 71.
CONTINUED:

She looks to the Creep. Then back to James.

James draws a breath, and rises to his feet...

...he stretches his arms toward the Creep's hunched back.

...and SHOVES!

INT. PIT

The Creep plummets headfirst into the pit.

It CRASHES against the dangling lift. Turning as it falls.

Finally landing with a lethal CRUNCH. Its torso impaled on a
jagged stalagmite.

It lets out a dying SHRIEK. Then, silence.

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

Tess shakes the rat from her leg and scrambles to her feet.

INT. PIT

Greta keeps a firm grip on Glen. They look up to the lip of

the pit. James leans over. He's joined by Tess.

Greta calls out -

GRETA
That was a stupid plan!

JAMES
(to Tess)
It worked, didn't it?

James shoots a thumbs up. Glen shoots one in return.

The Creep lies face-down, impaled on the stalagmite.

Greta plants her boot on its neck and pushes. It's dead.

Glen clutches his leg. Greta notices.

GRETA
How bad is it?

GLEN
Just a bruise.

(CONTINUED)
 72.
CONTINUED:

Glen hobbles a few feet. Tests his leg.

He crumples with a splash. He wipes his face. His hand comes

back glistening. Glen sniffs it. His eyes go wide.

GLEN (cont'd)
Keep the torch off the ground.

Greta stands to attention. Glen rises, wiping his hands -

GRETA
What is it?

GLEN
Smells like the stuff in my dad's
lighter. If this stuff catches, we're
screwed.

Greta nods.

TESS
(O.S.)
You guys alright down there?

GRETA
We're fine. Keep your voices down.

Greta scans the pit, finding a stone corridor. She starts

toward it. Glen hobbles after her.

GRETA (cont'd)
You okay?

GLEN
Right behind you.

Glen follows her into -

INT. LAIR ENTRANCE

The tunnel grows tight around them.

They come to a door unlike any they've seen - a heavy slab

of stone. Scratched in its face - a primitive, territorial
marking.

GLEN
This place gets weirder by the
minute.

Greta traces her hand over the marking.

(CONTINUED)
 73.
CONTINUED:

GLEN (cont'd)
Think your brother's in there?

GRETA
I'm going to find out.

Together, they lean into the slab. It slides open, releasing

a gust of hot, rotten air.

GLEN
Smells just like the time our fridge
broke.

Greta steps inside. Glen follows her into...

INT. LAIR

The heart of the labyrinth. An ancient place. More temple

than sewer.

Greta feels her way around. Glen follows close behind.

Fossilized remains litter the ground. Rusty, steel-jawed

bear traps. Twisted wire cages. An arsenal of archaic, cruel
hunting tools. A cave once inhabited by wild men.

Greta is visibly grossed out.

GLEN
What's the matter?

GRETA
You think those things were people?

GLEN
Like when?

Greta traces the stone walls with her torch, illuminating

countless tally marks scratched in its face. The tallies
stretch endlessly into the dark.

GLEN (cont'd)
(joking)
Maybe they lost count after a few
hundred years.

Glen picks up a frayed HARD HAT. Observes it.

GRETA
Careful.

(CONTINUED)
 74.
CONTINUED:

GLEN
There's no way this junk still works.

He slips, kicking a bone across the floor. It slides into

the maw of a bear trap. The trap's steel jaw SPRINGS shut,
snapping the bone like a twig. Glen swallows, nervously.
Greta helps him to his feet. He winces.

GRETA
I think you'd better stay back.

GLEN
You want me to stand guard?

GRETA
(smiling)
Sure.

She digs through her pocket. Hands him the Zippo.

GRETA (cont'd)
In case I don't come back. But if I
do, be ready to run.

Greta looks at his bleeding leg. Glen forces a smile.

GLEN
Or at least... crawl.

Greta smiles. Nods. Presses on.

She comes to a set of steps. Ancient slabs of stone,

descending into darkness. She takes a breath. Puts one foot
in front of the other, and descends into...

INT. FEEDING GROUND

A wide open lair. Pitch black.

Greta disembarks from the last step. Her boot lands with a
splash. She holds her torch low, illuminating a puddle of
murky, crimson water. She inches forward...

Just ahead, the pale, eyeless face of a Creep stares back at

her. Completely still. Silent. Greta senses it. Brings her
torch forward. The Creep instinctively backs away from the
flame, clearing her path.

Another Creep steps into view behind her.

Her foot catches something. She kneels, finding -

(CONTINUED)
 75.
CONTINUED:

The foot of a mountain of rotted bones. Frayed rib-cages.

Some animal. Some human. Centuries of forgotten dead.

Greta kneels, searching for any sign of her brother.

A hand rises behind her. GRABS her shoulder. PULLS her flat
against the decaying mountain.

It's HENRY. Battered. Bruised. But alive.

She pulls him close. Bones and viscera slide over their
faces, concealing them.

A Creep slithers forward. Another joins. And another. A

horde convenes, blindly surveying the pile. Their hands run
along picked over bones, inches from Greta's face, finally
settling upon a familiar corpse - Martin. Greta covers her
mouth.

The Creeps drag it from the pile. Pulling it between them as

they retreat into the darkness.

The horde goes still.

A shape cuts through them. Pale as the rest, but twice their
size. Crudely stitched hair on its pelt. Pale snout. Greta
recognizes it. The monster from the creek. The leader of the
pack - the ALPHA.

It stops before the pile. Kneels, sensing the torch

smoldering in Greta's hands.

It leans forward, raises its snout. Inches from Greta.

She draws a breath. Tightens her grip on the torch, and -

Punches the torch upward, catching ALPHA'S pelt. The monster

shrieks in agony, as its pelt bursts into flames.

The horde leaps onto the feeding pile, thrashing.

Greta swings the torch, cutting a path through the grasping

horde. She tows Henry back to the steps. The Creep's
frenzied shrieks echo past as they ascend the stairs.

Alpha rises to its feet. Raises a seared, clawed finger

toward its escaping prey.

INT. LAIR

Glen hums quietly to himself, nudging a rusty old bear trap

with his foot. He spots Greta's torch in the distance -

(CONTINUED)
 76.
CONTINUED:

GLEN
About time!

He sees Henry in tow. He jumps with joy -

GLEN (cont'd)
Henry!

Then he sees the pursuing horde. He goes pale.

GRETA
Move!

She shoves Glen forward into -

INT. LAIR ENTRANCE

Glen dives through first, followed by Henry and Greta. They

back against the door and push with all their might -

Their WAILING pursuers close in...

HENRY
All at once! One...

They're getting closer.

HENRY (cont'd)
Two...

Their thrashing claws mere feet away...

HENRY (cont'd)
Three!

The door rolls shut, muffling the frenzied wailing.

GLEN
That should hold them.

A crack appears in the stone door.

GRETA
Not for long.

Greta grabs Henry and Glen. She pulls them forward into...

INT. PIT

A dead end. The destroyed lift dangles overhead.

(CONTINUED)
 77.
CONTINUED:

GRETA
TESS!

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

Tess clambers to the lip of the pit.

TESS
Greta! Henry! You're alive!

GRETA
Bring us up!

James and Tess jump to the Lever.

INT. PIT

Glen slumps to the ground. He sniffs, feeling the oily sheen

on the water. Greta points at the lift dangling overhead -

GRETA
Up there.

Henry takes a breath. He kneels, pulling Glen to his feet.

Greta takes Glen's hand, steadying him as he plants a foot

on Henry's shoulder.

Henry rises, pushing Glen up. Glen reaches for the lift...

And misses. Falling back into the water.

HENRY
Come on, man.

Glen winces.

GLEN
Greta. You go first.

Greta plants her foot on Henry's shoulders. She steadies

herself, and jumps for the lift - barely catching it.

The lift's support line strains overhead. A mechanical groan

resonates through the pit.

GRETA
Hurry up.

Henry lifts Glen.

(CONTINUED)
 78.
CONTINUED:

HENRY
Alright. Come on, big guy.

Glen clambers atop Henry's shoulder. Balances... and falls.

HENRY (cont'd)
Help me out here.

GLEN
I can't.

HENRY
You have to

GRETA
Come on!

Greta extends a hand. Glen tries to stand, looks up at

her... and falls back into the water.

GLEN
Sorry, guys.

A sharp crack echoes through the corridor.

HENRY
On your feet.

GRETA
You can do it.

Henry lifts Glen onto his shoulders, and pushes him upward
into Greta's arms. She pulls him up the swing. Glen begins
to climb the support line.

Henry plants a foot in the wall, and jumps, barely reaching

Greta's arms. She pulls him up, and he begins to climb.

The lift groans, ready to give.

GRETA (cont'd)
Pull us up!

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

Tess throws the switch. The machine whines. Gears churn.

INT. PIT

The lift ascends through the darkness.

(CONTINUED)
 79.
CONTINUED:

Glen clings to the support line.

Below, the horde's shrieking grows louder.

Glen puts one hand ahead of the other, fighting to muster

the strength to hang on. But he's losing the fight.

The lift shakes. Gears turn. Dust rains as the lift

struggles to pull them from the pit.

GRETA
Keep going! You can do it!

Cacophonous screams ring up from below as they climb.

HENRY
Just a little farther!

Henry turns, finding himself face to face with -

A Creep has scaled the side of the pit. It swipes at Henry.

Henry ducks just in the nick of time. The Creep misses, and
tumbles into the pit.

HENRY (cont'd)
They're following us!

Another Creep slithers up the wall past Henry.

The lift jerks to a stop.

GLEN
We're too heavy.

GRETA
Just keep moving!

A Creep dives for Greta. Barely misses. It falls,

disappearing into the dark pit below.

GLEN
I can't.

On all sides, the walls of the pit teem with Creeps.

Grasping. Diving. Shrieking.

Glen digs in his pocket. He finds his Zippo. Flicks it open.

GRETA
Keep climbing.

Glen sparks the Zippo. A tiny flame dances. Glen lets go of

the support line.

(CONTINUED)
 80.
CONTINUED: (2)

GRETA (cont'd)
Glen. Don't.

Glen falls from the lift. Past Greta. Past Henry.

Disappearing into the pit below.

GRETA (cont'd)
NO!

Its burden lightened, the lift whines. Resumes its ascent

to...

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

The top of the pit. James pulls Greta to safety.

TESS
Where's Glen?

As Tess pulls Henry from the lift, a Creep seizes Henry's

leg. Henry screams.

INT. PIT

Down below - Glen's Zippo falls through the dark, landing

with a rattle against the glistening gravel.

Its flame licks the oily water.

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

The Creep yanks Henry's leg, dragging him back. Inch by

inch, toward the pit. Tess pulls Henry's arms, refusing to
let him go. Greta futilely kicks the Creep's eyeless face.
Tess's grip weakens. Henry cries out.

Overhead, the lift screams one last time. Wires snap. Bolts
pop as the lift breaks from its foundation, and crumbles.

The lift plummets, its support line snagging the Creep's

head, dragging it screaming into the pit.

Tess pulls Henry from the pit. They sprawl onto the floor.

The room goes silent. The seams in the floor glow red. A
light illuminates below, rising, growing, finally -

Erupting into a fiery blaze. The pit spits fire.

Tess piles on top of James, Henry, and Greta.

(CONTINUED)
 81.
CONTINUED:

Flames consume the pit and everything in it - twisting the

horde's screams into a cacophonous death rattle.

Finally, the wailing gives way to silence. Calm.

Henry's eyes wander from the towering inferno, to Tess,

sprawled out over him. She catches him. Henry looks away.

Greta goes to the pit. She looks inside. No sign of the

Creeps. No sign of Glen.

Greta fights back tears, refusing to break down.

HENRY
He's gone.

GRETA
He could've made it.

Henry puts a hand on her shoulder. Shakes his head.

HENRY
There was nothing we could do.

Greta thinks. Looks up to Henry, and nods. He holds her.

Something catches her eye...

From the fiery pit, ALPHA'S seared hand rises. Blackened

claws grip the well of the pit as it pulls itself out.
Clumps of flesh fall from its frame like burning leaves.

James' eyes go wide.

JAMES
(petrified)
You gotta be kidding.

Tess pulls the group forward.

TESS
MOVE IT!

INT. ANCIENT CORRIDOR

Walls bend. Rafters snap. Debris rains as Tess leads James,

Henry, and Greta through the crumbling corridor.

TESS
Through there.

(CONTINUED)
 82.
CONTINUED:

The steel shutter pops in its frame. Tess throws James

through. Greta follows. Henry stops -

HENRY
After you.

Tess shoves him through.

INT. LADDER ROOM

Chunks of ceiling fall past the group as they ascend the

ladder. James puts one shaking hand in front of the other.
Greta calls out from under him.

GRETA
You can do it.

A bolt POPS from the ladder. It falls past Greta. Past

Henry. Past Tess. Bouncing off of ALPHA'S FACE, climbing
through the dark after them.

GRETA (cont'd)
Faster!

James reaches the top of the ladder. Pulls himself onto the
platform. He helps Greta from the ladder. They turn to help
Henry. Finally, as Tess pulls herself up -

A clawed hand SEIZES her ankle. YANKS her back. She screams.
Henry and James run to her. Greta backs against the wall.

Alpha PULLS Tess. Henry and James pull back. A game of tug
o' war. And they're losing. James looks over his shoulder -

JAMES
GRETA! HELP!

But she's gone. James turns back, finding -

Greta. Arms raised over her head. Clutching the severed

HANDRAIL - a makeshift spear. Alpha's eyes dart upward, just
in time to see it COME DOWN. PIERCING its hand. Alpha
thrashes, snapping the LADDER from its platform.

Henry pulls Tess onto the platform. The ladder breaks off,
plunging into the darkness below. Taking Alpha with it.

TESS
I'll thank you later.

JAMES
Is it dead?

(CONTINUED)
 83.
CONTINUED:

HENRY
Who cares!

Greta's eyes linger where Alpha fell.

HENRY (cont'd)
This whole place is coming down!

Greta nods. Together they run into -

INT. CORRIDOR

Greta leads the group through the destroyed corridor,

finally coming to -

A MOUNTAIN OF DEBRIS blocking their path. Chunks of concrete

and twisted chain link stretch higher than the eye can see.

JAMES
End of the line.

TESS
There's another way. There has to be.

Henry spins, searching for a way out. They're cornered.

Greta sizes up the seemingly endless mountain in their path.

GRETA
Through here.

She plants a foot on the rubble.

JAMES
What are you doing?

Greta balances, pushing herself up into -

A beam of moonlight cutting through the darkness above.

GRETA
Follow me.

The group follows her. Climbing up, and into -

EXT. WOODS - NIGHT

The moon shines gently through the trees.

Greta pulls herself from the concrete pit, sprawling onto

the grass. She rolls onto her back - looking up at the sky.

(CONTINUED)
 84.
CONTINUED:

James follows. Tess piles on top of him. Henry crawls out

and joins his sister.

HENRY
Thank you.

She smiles, exhausted, and shakes her head.

GRETA
Shut up.

Her stoic resolve melts away. She buries her face into
Henry's shoulder.

Henry smiles at his sister. He holds her as she finally lets

it all out. Greta wipes the tears from her eyes.

HENRY
How do you feel?

She pulls away from Henry and smiles.

Tess sits down next to Henry, readjusting her baseball cap.

TESS
We're going to have some serious
explaining to do.

HENRY
No one's going to believe us.

Henry and Tess lock eyes as a wisp of hair falls loose from
her cap. Tess smiles. Henry braces, musters the courage and
leans in for a kiss...

James jumps in between them, holding a photo in their faces.

JAMES
I've got all the proof we need right
here.

Tess takes the photo and holds it in the moonlight.

TESS
What is it?

JAMES
I didn't have much light to work
with.

James takes the photograph and collapses in the grass.

(CONTINUED)
 85.
CONTINUED: (2)

Henry looks at his feet, mortified. Tess kisses him quickly

on the cheek, pulling away before their siblings notice. He
smiles. A SHOUT startles them -

BEN
(O.S.)
GRETA! HENRY!

Several flashlights shine on the kids.

Greta turns. Ben scoops her into his arms. Behind him, a
flock of adults convene, a search party armed with
flashlights and rifles.

BEN (cont'd)
Thank God you're okay.

JULIA
(O.S.)
TESSIE!

TESS
Mom!

RICH
(O.S.)
JAMES!

JAMES
Dad!

Julia and Rich embrace their children.

JULIA
I was worried sick. I thought I'd
lost you both.

JAMES
We're fine, mom.

Ben holds his children close.

BEN
You promised you wouldn't leave the
house.

HENRY
Sorry, dad.

Smoke billows from the dark crater.

HENRY (cont'd)
Watch out.

(CONTINUED)
 86.
CONTINUED: (3)

The freshly sprung hole widens. The structure beneath their

feet crumbles. Everyone jumps back as the crater spews one
last plume of smoke before collapsing in on itself.

RICH
What the Hell's down there?

James hands him the photograph. Rich studies it. Julia leans
over his shoulder.

JULIA
What kind of animal is that?

JAMES
I didn't have much light to work
with.

TESS
We'll explain at home.

Together, the group makes their way back home.

Behind them, dirt fills in the crater. The woods go quiet.

The crater pulses...

INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING

The front door opens. Warm sunlight floods the house. Ben
leads Henry to the sofa. Greta enters after them.

Ben moves to the kitchen. Digs through the freezer -

BEN
Ice pack must be downstairs.

GRETA
I got it.

Ben smiles, offering her a flashlight.

BEN
You sure?

She takes it.

GRETA
You should make coffee. Got a long
story ahead of you.

Greta stuffs a box of matches in her pocket.

(CONTINUED)
 87.
CONTINUED:

BEN
What are those for?

GRETA
I don't trust flashlights.

INT. CELLAR - MORNING

Wooden steps creak underfoot as Greta descends.

She touches down on the dusty, earthen floor.

Greta lifts her flashlight, illuminating -

Antique shelves. Unpacked boxes. The bare light-bulb hanging

overhead... shattered.

She treks silently through the dark, finally coming to

THE FREEZER hangs open. Dripping. She digs inside, finds the
ICE PACK. Melted. She sighs. Turns to leave -

Something cracks underfoot. She looks down. Broken glass and

yellowed paper litter the floor. Greta lifts the flashlight,
finding -

The window shattered.

Under it, a primitive, territorial marking has been crudely

etched in the cellar wall.

Greta goes pale.

A white, distended arm rises behind her. She feels it

closing in, draws a silent breath, and -

Slides out of its reach, disappearing behind the freezer.

ALPHA turns, running its claws up the edge of the freezer.

Greta pushes her back against it, planting her feet on the
adjacent stone wall.

Its fingers creep up the door...

Greta closes her eyes. Alpha's seared, bleeding hand inches

closer. A cracked claw grazes her arm.

She PUSHES, sending the freezer CRASHING down -

On top of Alpha. The monster shrieks under the weight of the

freezer. Greta scrambles to her feet.

(CONTINUED)
 88.
CONTINUED:

She winds silently through antique shelves. Alpha's enraged

screams growing louder behind her. She finally comes to -

THE IRON FURNACE

She ducks behind it just as -

ALPHA lumbers forward. Hot on her trail. Listening.

Alpha steps forward. Arms raised. Ready to pounce.

Greta hides behind the furnace, holding her breath.

BEN
(O.S.)
You find the ice pack?

Alpha's ears perk. It turns toward the voice.

Greta goes pale. She thinks fast. Rounds the furnace, and
grabs the wrought iron grate...

She THROWS it open with a resounding CREAK.

Alpha lunges toward her, seizing the furnace grate. It

reaches inside... Long fingers groping...

Greta rises silently behind it. Raises her arms. Steps

forward, and SHOVES Alpha headfirst into the furnace.

The grate slams shut. Trapping the shrieking monster inside.

Greta pulls the BOX OF MATCHES from her coat. Fumbles it.
Matches roll across the floor.

Alpha wails, pounding against the grate. Bolts pop. Iron

cracks. Greta fishes through the dirt with her heel -
searching for a match. Just out of reach.

Greta jumps from the grate for a split second. Grabs a

match. Falls back against the grate. Strikes the match...

The match roars to life. She pushes it through the grate.

Smoke billows. The furnace chokes.

A frenzied cry echoes from inside the furnace, as it flares

to life - INCINERATING Alpha alive.

The grate goes still. A warm glow washes over the cellar.

Greta rises to her feet. Covered in soot. Victorious.

(CONTINUED)
 89.
CONTINUED: (2)

BEN (cont'd)
(O.S.)
Greta...

Greta looks to her side. Ben emerges from the dark. His face
frozen in disbelief -

BEN (cont'd)
What the Hell was that?

Greta smiles. Tosses him the ice pack.

EXT. SUBURB - MORNING

Daylight shines on the sleeping suburb as we find -

THE RAMBLER. A sign protrudes from its lawn: "FOR SALE."

INT. KITCHEN - MORNING

Ben laces up his work boots.

HENRY
(O.S.)
But we just got here.

BEN
I called the moving company last
night. They'll be here tomorrow.

Henry sits on the couch. Crosses his arms.

BEN (cont'd)
Do you realize what you two put me
through?

HENRY
Dad.

BEN
You could have died.

HENRY
I'm sorry.

BEN
We've all been through a lot.

GRETA
And moving again isn't going to fix
that.

(CONTINUED)
 90.
CONTINUED:

Ben hangs his head. Greta hugs him. She gestures to Henry.
He gets up, and joins them.

BEN
We'll talk tonight, okay?

Greta hands him his Thermos.

BEN (cont'd)
What would I do without you?

He opens the front door.

BEN (cont'd)
In the meantime, don't run off
getting lost with...

Reveal: Tess and James in the doorway. Ben forces a smile.

BEN (cont'd)
(to Greta and Henry)
Just stay out of trouble, please?

Henry and Greta nod. Ben exits. Tess enters, followed by

James - a shiny new Polaroid camera bobbing from his neck.

TESS
What's with the sign?

GRETA
Another "fresh start."

TESS
Already?

HENRY
Dad's idea.

TESS
(joking)
What changed his mind?

JAMES
You guys can't leave. There's still
all kinds of stuff to find out there.

Greta stands.

GRETA
Then we better make the most of it.

(CONTINUED)
 91.
CONTINUED: (2)

HENRY
You sure?

She smiles.

GRETA
Safety in numbers.

EXT. SUBURB - MORNING

Warm sunlight washes over the neighborhood.

Greta leads Henry, Tess, and James across the lawn. She
stops. Grabs the "FOR SALE" sign...

HENRY
What are you doing?

Greta YANKS it free, and drops it onto the grass.

She takes Henry's hand and runs across the lawn. Tess and
James follow. Together, they run into the trees.

FADE OUT