Stephen Metcalfe - Writer & Director

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INT. BROCKTON PLANTATION - CONTINUOUS
Winston enters. The house is silent. And suddenly Winston sniffs. Sniffs again.
WINSTON
Perfume?
Winston enters the living room.
IN THE LIVING ROOM
Winston cautiously approaches the painting. Stops. Fancy smiles innocently down at him.
WINSTON
Okay, listen, Fancy pants. I don't believe in haunted house and I don’t believe in ghosts.
(Exiting)
Which is why I’m talking to a painting... good... real good...
BACK TO - The portrait. It no longer looks amused. THUNDER crashes as -
EXT. BROCKTON PLANTATION- NIGHT
Lightening cracks and rain beats against the windows of the house. The house is dark but for a flickering light in the -
INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
The bottle of champagne is on the kitchen table. Flashlight in his mouth, Winston is fiddling with the open fuse box.
He doesn’t notice that - CLOSE ON - the champagne bottle begins to tremble - it’s as if pressure is building - and building... the foil is melting...
Sparks jump from the fusebox as behind Winston - the cork explodes from the bottle! Warm, frothy champagne sprays across the kitchen. Winston stares. What the hell? The house creaks and moans. Winston looks up. Last night, it didn’t bother him. Tonight... Winston picks up the bottle and takes a healthy gulp. Bottle and flashlight in hand, he exits. MOVING TO - The bouquet of flowers. As if blown by an unseen breath of air, all the petals fall to the floor.
INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
Winston settles back in a bath - the tub is a lion pawed caste iron antique. He’s put the flashlight on the side of the tub and now he sips some more champagne from the bottle. And then, he flails in surprise, knocking the flashlight off the tub, as the bathroom window flies open and wind and rain fill the room. He gets of the tub, moves to the window and closes it. He turns back - and FANCY BROCKTON enters in a frightening rush right through the door.
FANCY
I can abide no more, I - !
And Fancy screams. Because:
FANCY
Sir! You are in the altogether!
She turns away, horrified. Winston just stares. He can see through her, through the diaphanous gown, the hair in ringlets. He tries to make sense of it - and can’t. And so, he faints. Fancy looks back. Curious, she glances down.
FANCY
(not impressed)
Hmm.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Winston opens his eyes, blinks, disoriented. And bolts up - no, it must have been a dream. But then why is he lying on the bed, bathroom rug under him, blanket over him?
FANCY
Well, you have finally decided to rouse yourself.
Winston stifles a yelp. Fancy is sitting in a chair across the room. She seems almost solid now; but not quite. There is an unearthly glow around her. She is crocheting. Hector is lying at her feet.
FANCY
Frankly, I am not used to men having the vapors.
Winston is just numbly staring.
FANCY
You are all right?
Winston barely nods.
FANCY
Good.
(Then:)
Sir, you are again exposing your manhood.
Winston quickly - and protectively - pulls the blanket up.
FANCY
Oh, now, don’t get silly ideas. I can't touch anything living.
Fancy reaches down to pet Hector. Her hand goes right through Hector’s head.
FANCY
But I do have a way with objects. And you were fortunate enough to fall on a rug. Hence, here you are.
With a wave, the crocheting disappears into thin air.
FANCY
Well. You have packing to do. I suggest you get to it immediately. D’accord?
She fades... fades... like the Cheshire cast from Alice in Wonderland, the last thing we see are her glowing eyes. And then they’re gone. Winston's clothes are the floor. Springing up, he grabs them. He trips over his pants as he races out the door.
THE STAIRCASE
Winston comes hurrying down the stairs. Every shadow is now ominous, every noise terrifying. He pulls the door open and runs outside -
OUTSIDE -
Winston races towards the car.
IN THE HOUSE - THE BEDROOM -
Winston has left his clothes, suitcases and possessions. Not to mention Hector - who looks quite content.
FANCY (V.O.)
Oh, for goodness sake.
Hector wags his tail - thump-thump - on the floor.
OUTSIDE -
Winston clambers into the car. He’s about to start it when - with a crash of lightening and a crack of thunder - Fancy appears in the middle of the hood of the car.
FANCY
Sir! You have forgotten your belongings and your canine!
Winston screams! He starts the with a roar. The car does and turning fishtail and roars away down the muddy driveway.
TO:
Winston squints, trying to see through the fogged windshield. Up ahead the lights catch something - no, someone - standing at in the middle of the driveway. Fancy.
FANCY
I insist you remove your things!
Winston realizes he’s going to hit her. Too late to stop. The car goes right through Fancy. Winston turns - but she’s gone.
AT THE END OF THE DRIVE -
The car hits the road going fast, too fast. The car skids as Winston takes the turn. The car roars on.
EXT./INT. THE CAR - CONTINUOUS
Winston is trembling as he speeds over the bridge.
WINSTON
You’re hallucinating. It’s an acid flashback, that’s all. No, you never took acid. There’s something in the water.
He glances right - and screams - Fancy is next to him.
FANCY
I am startin’ to get perturbed.
THE CAR
- fishtails, skidding across the bridge. It would appear no one is steering.
WINSTON (O.C.)
AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhh!
IN THE CAR -
Winston takes his hands off his eyes. And gets control of the car. Fancy is gone. Winston tries to wipe the fogged windshield.
THE CAR
goes around a curve. The wheels barely hold the road. Swamp and marsh grass off to the side.
AT THE HAIRPIN CURVE IN THE ROAD -
The green muck of the pond is revealed in lightening flashes. Alligator eyes gleam in the dark. Through the rain, the lights of the car appear as it approaches fast.
IN THE CAR -
Winston still can't quite see the road through the fogged windshield but isn't thinking clearly enough to slow down.
WINTON
It’s good. It’s all good. Right, Hector? Hector?
And he turns to look in the back seat -
WINSTON
Hector - !!?
- only to see Fancy sitting there.
FANCY
If y’all are not gonna slow down, at least be so kind as to look where you’re going.
Winston turns - and sees the pond ahead - and screaming, hits the brakes - too late -
THE CAR
- crashes through the flimsy guard rail, goes airborne and lands with an enormous splash in the middle of the pond. It begins to sink and settle.