chobit92

[chobit92]

So I made a thing…☺️

[chobit92]

From

So I am still writing my From fanfic. I finally got an account on AO3 and I have been posting it on there. I have titled it Taking Over Me. For anyone that wants to read it I will share the link here.

Enjoy! :)

[chobit92]

From: Part Seven

(Erica is staring at the grinning face of the redhead as he starts to walk towards her.).

Erica: I don’t mean to be rude but I gotta be somewhere.

(She suddenly darts to her left and moves as fast as her aching legs can carry her. Panting hard she runs down the side of the building before running along the back. She sees a man dressed as a milkman smile at her as she passes. She doesn’t dare glance back to see if any of them have followed her. She rounds the other side of the building and emerges onto the street again. She looks towards the door of the station and heads towards it. The smiling creep is nowhere to be seen. She reaches the steps and just as she wonders where he’s gone she hears a voice from behind her.).

Creature: Where are you going Erica?

(She turns to see the smiling creep grinning at her. She leaps up the steps and slams herself into the door trying to open it. It’s locked. Of course it is. She lets out a frustrated yell.).

Erica: Oi Sheriff!

(She hammers on the door hard hurting her hand in the process and glances back to see the smiling creep on the steps.).

Erica: What do you want?

Creature: To play.

Erica: Play, the hell you talking about? Ah I’m too tired for this shit.

(She hammers on the door again and just as she thinks this is it, this is how it ends, she was so close, the door flies open and a hand yanks her inside. She hears the door slam shut again and she stumbles into the station. Kenny stands there staring at her as does Father Khatri. Boyd walks in behind her, he looks stunned.).

Boyd: Where the hell have you been? What the-

(She leans against the wall and sinks to the floor. Boyd kneels down and looks her over. Her eyes drift closed and she struggles to open them again, she is so tired.).

Boyd: Water, get some water.

(Kenny comes over seconds later with a canteen filled with water. He brings it to Erica’s lips and tips some of the contents down her throat. She gulps greedily until the canteen is almost empty. She then sits there gasping.).

Erica: I...

(She can’t seem to speak. She doesn’t even know where to start.).

Boyd: Let’s get you cleaned up.

(He helps her to her feet and leads her into one of the cells. She sinks onto the bed and he leaves the room. He returns moments later with some black jeans, a belt and a white t-shirt.).

Boyd: You can wash up just there, change into these. They’ll be a little big but...They’ll have to do for now.

Erica: Do you have any food?

Boyd: No. Sorry. Have to wait until tomorrow I’m afraid.

Erica: Hm.

(Her eyes close again and she nearly falls sideways. She rights herself and sits there staring at the floor.).

Boyd: I’ll let you get cleaned up.

(He closes the door and leaves her alone. She slowly stands up and walks over to the sink. She puts her knife back in its sheath then removes it from her leg. She then removes her clothes and tosses them into the corner. She grabs the cloth and runs the water before picking up the soap. She washes herself as best as she can before using the grubby looking towel to dry herself over. She then pulls the jeans on which are too big so she loops the belt through them and tightens it up. She then pulls the t-shirt over her head. She looks at the mirror and realises you can see her breasts through it. She sighs and picks up her bra looking it over. It’s a little dirty and she dusts it off before removing the t-shirt and putting the bra on. She pulls the t-shirt back on then stands there scrubbing her nails, they still have dirt under them and she still feels filthy. She could use a nice hot bath and a cup of tea. Her hair is matted and full of dirt and she takes out her hair bands trying to wash it in the sink as best she can. It’s not great but it’ll have to do. The floor is cold without shoes and socks so she puts her dirty socks back on. She leaves her boots on the floor, her feet are killing her. She sinks onto the bed. There is a knock at the door.).

Boyd: You decent?

Erica: Yeah.

(The door opens and Boyd fills the doorway. She looks up at him. He hands her a cup and she takes it in shaking hands. It looks like tea and she sits there cradling it.).

Boyd: The hell were you doing out there?

Erica: I just...

(She takes a sip of tea, she feels dizzy, she just wants to sleep. Father Khatri appears next to Boyd.).

Khatri: Are you alright?

Erica: I’ve been better.

Khatri: You’ve been very lucky.

Erica: I don’t think it’s luck.

Khatri: Well what would you call it?

Erica: How long have I been gone?

Boyd: Since yesterday morning.

Erica: Um.

Khatri: It’s a miracle you made it back here.

Erica: No. It wasn’t. Those things could have had me. They should have. But...I don’t know. It’s like...They wanna fuck with you, you know?

Boyd: Yeah. They do that.

(She thinks of the grinning red head who likes to refer to himself by her husband’s name. The more she thinks about it the more it makes sense. Why else would they let her make it inside? Because she is still sure that if they had really wanted to they could have killed her tonight. She shouldn’t be alive right now.).

Erica: I think they wanted me alive, because they aren’t done fucking with me yet.

Khatri: Try not to think about it too much. Just get some rest. We can talk in the morning.

Boyd: Hm.

Erica: Thanks for opening the door. And for the tea.

Boyd: You’re welcome.

(Boyd leaves the room and Father Khatri follows him closing the door. She finishes the tea and puts the cup on the floor. She goes dizzy again and lies down on the bed closing her eyes. It takes her less than a minute to fall asleep.).

(Erica is sat on a hard wooden chair opposite Boyd at his desk. The sun is up and she can see people milling about outside through the blinds. Kenny bought her a tray of food which she wolfed down along with another cup of tea. Kenny is now stood with Father Khatri.).

Boyd: You feeling okay?

Erica: Better.

Boyd: Hm. Time to talk then.

Erica: About what?

Boyd: What do you mean about what? Where you’ve been! You had us out at nightfall looking for your ass!

Erica: I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have risked your lives like that. Not for me.

Boyd: No we shouldn’t. But we did.

Khatri: Boyd.

Boyd: No! Don’t Boyd me! I thought you were dead! I thought we were never gonna see you again.

Erica: I’m sorry.

Khatri: So what happened? Did you get lost?

Erica: No. Not exactly.

Boyd: What’s that mean, not exactly?

(Erica takes a deep breath then tells them everything. Finding the tunnels and going inside. Seeing those things sleeping down there. Being caught by one of them and dashing back outside. Finding the tree and stepping inside it only to find herself somewhere else. Stuck inside the wall of the tunnel network. How it took ages for her to dig her way out and finally emerging from the tunnels only to find that it was dark out. Making her way back to town and thinking that she’d never find it again. Seeing those things outside. How they seemed to taunt her.).

Erica: Then you opened the door.

(They stare at her in silence.).

Erica: I know it sounds crazy. How can a tree transport you somewhere else? It’s nuts but that’s what happened.

(Boyd is staring at her.).

Erica: I know I shouldn’t have...I was just looking for answers. There has to be-

Boyd: Are you out of your Goddamn fucking mind?!

Khatri: Boyd.

(Erica stares at Boyd. He looks furious.).

Erica: I...

Boyd: You go off into the woods alone and you come across a cave, tunnels, and you go down there? Do you have any idea how lucky you are to be alive right now?

Erica: Yes. Actually I do. I was stuck inside a wall for God knows how long so yeah...I get it.

Boyd: You can’t just go off looking for answers! You keep poking your head around this place something’s gonna come out and chop it off!

Erica: I get it. I do.

Boyd: No! No you don’t get it! I’m Sheriff, me! The safety of everybody here is my responsibility! Mine! We lose someone that’s on me! It’s my job to keep everyone safe! I thought you were smarter than this I thought you knew the score. But you go running off into the woods and damn near get yourself killed! The hell were you thinking?

Erica: I was thinking that unless I try to find answers I’m just gonna be stuck here forever wondering what the fuck is going on.

Boyd: I’ve tried to find answers. I have. I nearly didn’t make it. I got lucky. Like you. But luck runs out. You can’t just go off like that you understand? You don’t go into those woods again do I make myself clear?

Erica: Believe me I don’t want a rerun of the last two days.

Boyd: Well good. Good. Now I’m gonna make my rounds and let everyone know that you’re alive. Then we’re gonna have the choosing ceremony. You’re gonna decide where you wanna live. Wherever that is you are not to go wandering off again and you are gonna follow the rules. Okay?

Erica: Okay.

Boyd: Good.

(He gets up.).

Boyd: Kenny tells me that you are being difficult with sharing your stuff.

Erica: What stuff? I’ve hardly got anything.

Boyd: Everyone that comes here has their stuff inventoried. So we can share out our resources.

Erica: So you wanna take all my stuff. What the fuck am I supposed to wear?

Boyd: We have clothes. Don’t worry about that.

Erica: Well I want my clothes.

(She stands up.).

Erica: And nobody is taking my husband’s things.

Boyd: I understand how you’re feeling.

Erica: No you don’t.

(She goes into the cell and straps her hunting knife to her leg before donning Alex’s jacket. She walks back out into the room.).

Boyd: Where are you going?

(She takes the keys to the truck out of the pocket of her jacket.).

Erica: To my truck. Don’t worry. I’m not gonna take off. Promise.

Boyd: Kenny will go with you. Help you sort through your stuff.

(Erica sighs and storms out of the station. Kenny follows her over to the truck.).

Kenny: Hey. Hey.

Erica: What?

(She reaches the truck and looks at the smashed in back window. She sighs. She peers into the back and to her surprise she sees that her stuff is all still there. She unlocks the truck and climbs in the back sitting down cross legged. She opens her handbag and takes out her notebook and pen. She sits there writing all about her foray into the woods.).

Kenny: What are you doing?

Erica: Writing down what happened to me in the woods.

Kenny: Why?

Erica: Because it might be useful.

Kenny: How?

Erica: I don’t know. Isn’t it useful to take notes?

Kenny: I don’t know. I guess.

(He sits down with his legs dangling and eyes the knife strapped to her leg.).

Kenny: Why are you carrying that knife around?

Erica: It was my husband’s. He always had it on him when we went camping or hiking. It was a present he got from his dad before he passed away.

Kenny: You need to leave it with Boyd. He can keep it safe.

Erica: It’s safe with me.

Kenny: We can’t have people carrying knives around.

Erica: Don’t they have knives in the diner? What about in the houses?

Kenny: You know what I mean.

Erica: No. I don’t. Every kitchen has a knife in it. Anyone can carry one outside here. What difference does it make?

Kenny: Stop being difficult.

Erica: I’m not the one being difficult. You are.

(She goes back to writing. Kenny sighs.).

Erica: Just leave me alone.

Kenny: Can’t do that.

Erica: Ah so that’s it. Boyd sent you to spy on me.

Kenny: No. Not exactly.  

(They sit in silence for several minutes. She finally finishes writing and closes the notebook.).

Erica: Alright look, this is all I have okay?

(She opens her handbag and her holdall and shows him the contents. She then takes out a box and opens it. Inside is a man’s necklace with a ring hanging from it.).

Erica: I bought Alex this as a present. Along with this bracelet.

(She holds up a silver bracelet with the name Alex etched into the metal.).

Erica: He didn’t wear the bracelet much. I don’t think he liked wearing bracelets. The ring though, he always wore this chain, except the day he disappeared. For some reason he didn’t put it on that morning. He left it on the bedside table. I’ve told myself that he simply forgot it in his rush to get to work, we’d slept in that day, but I wonder...If he left it deliberately. Because he simply left me. I bought him the ring for his 21st. By the time he turned 30 it didn’t fit him anymore so he got a chain to wear it on. He kept saying he was going to get it resized but...

(She shrugs.).

Kenny: I’m sorry. How long were you married?

Erica: Thirteen years. We still are married.

Kenny: Right. Yeah. Sorry I didn’t mean.

Erica: Yeah.

(She shoves her notebook in her handbag and does her bags back up. She then gets out of the truck and looks up the street.).

Kenny: Come on then. We can take your bags to my mom. She keeps things inventoried over at the diner.

Erica: I’m not handing my husband’s things over to be sorted out and given to total strangers okay? And I need clothes to wear and something to wash with unless you want me to walk around grossing everyone else out coz I stink and I only have two sets of clothes with me now that my others are ruined so...Why am I giving up my stuff again? Bad enough I’m stuck in a strange place with like monsters coming out of the woods but you want to take away the few things I have? I don’t understand why you want me to give up my stuff and leave me with nothing. Is this about me taking off into the woods? Some sort of punishment?

Kenny: No. It’s just how we do things here.

Erica: So I’m stuck in some crazy place like fucking Narnia or something, I don’t know anyone, I almost died and now you want to take away my things? The stuff that is familiar to me? All I have left of my husband? I don’t get it.

Kenny: I’ve already told you it’s how we do things here.

Erica: So I refuse then what?

(Kenny sighs.).

Kenny: Stop being difficult.

Erica: Nope. Life’s hard get used to it.

(She slings her handbag over her shoulder then grabs her holdall. She goes round to the passenger door and opens it looking around. She bends down and feels around. She finds the bottle of vodka under the seat. She shoves it in her bag and closes the door back up.).

Erica: You can have the truck and all the camping gear. Think there’s some fuel cans in there too and a camping stove with some gas. Might come in handy.

(She tosses him the keys then walks off. Kenny sighs.).

(Kenny and Boyd are walking over to the patch of green where everyone is gathered. Boyd is relieved to see Erica standing there staring at the floor. All eyes are on her and she looks awkward.).

Boyd: Glad to see she hasn’t wandered off again.

Kenny: She’s still keeping hold of her bags.

Boyd: Hm. But she let you have the truck, fuel and all the camping gear?

Kenny: Yeah. There was some pretty decent stuff. Could come in useful especially the truck, got almost a full tank and there’s three jerry cans in the back all full of fuel.

Boyd: Good. Good. Gives us an extra vehicle and some more fuel. What stuff has she even got?

Kenny: Just a few clothes and a few things that belonged to her husband. She won’t part with them.

Boyd: Well...Understandable I guess. She still carrying the knife?

Kenny: Yeah. Said it was her husband’s. She doesn’t seem to wanna part with that either.

Boyd: I’ll talk to her. Maybe we can get her to compromise. Let’s see where she chooses to live first.

(They walk past the townspeople and stop in front of Erica.).

Boyd: Okay well today we welcome someone else to our family.

(He looks at Erica then indicates to a rock. Lying on top of the rock is a small stone and a flower.).

Boyd: So you need to decide where you’re gonna be staying. If you want to stay in the town you choose the stone. If you want to stay up at Colony house you pick the flower.

(There is a pause.).

Boyd: Time to choose.

(Erica is aware of everyone’s eyes on her. She stares down at the stone and the flower and thinks. Where does she want to live? Which would be better? She doesn’t know who she’s going to be living with either way and it’s unlikely that whichever she chooses she would be alone. She would prefer to be alone. She wonders where she would live and who with if she chose the town. Knowing her luck Boyd would have her move into the station with him so he could keep an eye on her. She isn’t sure she would like it up at Colony house. The smell of weed for one. She can’t stand it. And living with all those people all crammed in wherever they can fit. However it could be beneficial. She could continue to try and work out what is going on here. She would have plenty of people who she could ask questions, people who have been here longer than her. Fatima and Ellis seem nice too. She stands there staring at the flower thinking.).

Dale: Come on just pick already.

Donna: Shut up Dale.

(Erica steps forwards and after a final debate with herself she picks up the flower.).

Boyd: Alright. Colony house it is.

(Donna walks over.).

Donna: Welcome aboard.

Erica: Thanks.

Boyd: Alright the ceremony is over, we’ve not got much daylight left, time for the last few tasks of the day before we turn in.

(Everyone starts to leave and walk off in different directions.).

Donna: Alright if you’re gonna be living with us you need to lose that damn hunting knife. I ain’t having you wearing that around the house.

Boyd: Um.

(Erica looks down.).

Boyd: I’ll take it. Come on hand it over.

(Erica knew the knife would come up again. She knows she’s seen guys with shotguns up at Colony house. Kenny carries a gun and so does Boyd.).

Erica: You carry guns.

Boyd: Yes. But we can’t have everyone tooled up now can we? That’s how people get hurt. Now come on.

Erica: Alright. Just...Don’t get rid of it. Please.

Boyd: I won’t get rid of it. I’ll just keep it safe over at the station.

(Erica removes the knife from her thigh and looks down at it for a moment before she hands it to Boyd.).

Boyd: Thank you. Now you best get going and get settled into your new home.

Erica: Do I get to keep my things? I just want something normal in all this mess.

Boyd: Fine. But I expect you to share your things with the folks up at the house. Alright?

(Erica supposes it could be worse.).

Erica: Fine. But I really haven’t got much to share.

Donna: Well we share everything up at the house. Clothes, toiletries, food. We make do and we have a laugh. Come on let’s see if we can find you anywhere to sleep.

(Erica smiles.).

Erica: Okay.

(She says goodbye to Boyd and Kenny and follows Donna up the road to the large house on the hill. They walk in silence. Erica notices a few people are still milling about and some are carrying baskets and wheeling wheelbarrows.).

Donna: Nearly time to be getting inside people.

(They walk up the steps and Erica follows Donna inside. Donna looks around.).

Donna: Just about packed out to the rafters. I know it’s not ideal but you’ll get used to it.

(Erica doesn’t think so. Fatima appears and wraps her up in a hug.).

Fatima: So glad you chose to live with us.

Erica: I didn’t really know where to stay to be honest. I’d rather be on my own but...

Fatima: No. It helps to have people here. Trust me. You’ll soon fit in.

(Donna has disappeared. She returns frowning.).

Donna: Think we can squeeze you in upstairs.

Erica: Okay.

(She follows Donna upstairs and into a bedroom. There is a small bed on one side and the floor is taken up by blankets and cushions. There is a mattress in another corner. Fatima has followed them.).

Fatima: This is Stacey, Eliza’s and Max’s room. Trudy sometimes sleeps in here too.

Donna: And Kevin.

Fatima: Kevin’s usually in the corner in the lounge.

Donna: Well I’m sure you can squeeze in somewhere.

(Erica looks around and sighs.).

Fatima: What’s wrong?

Erica: What’s right? Stuck in this place with no answers and monsters and now I’m sharing a room with complete strangers.

Fatima: I know it’s all a lot at first and I also hear you’ve not had the best couple of days but...You’ll get used to it.

Erica: Right.

(She sits down on the bed and stares at the floor.).

Donna: Right well I’ll leave you to get settled in. My rooms just across the hall if you need anything.

Erica: Thanks.

(Donna leaves the room. Erica sits there wondering if she would have been better off staying in town. She sighs again.).

Fatima: You want me to stay?

Erica: No it’s okay. I just want to be left alone.

Fatima: Okay.

(Fatima leaves the room.).

(Erica is sat listening to Eliza and Max making out on the mattress in the corner. Stacey is sat smoking staring at her. Erica gets up and goes to the window. She finds it’s boarded up and sighs smacking the plank of wood hard.).

Stacey: Hey. What gives?

Erica: Can’t even look out the fucking window.

Stacey: Ain’t nothing out there you wanna look at hon.

(Erica sits back down. Just then Fatima walks in.).

Fatima: Hey Erica borrow you for a minute?

Erica: Um, okay.

(Erica gets up.).

Fatima: Bring your stuff.

(Erica grabs her bags and follows Fatima down the hall to the back of the house. Fatima opens the door in the corner and reveals a small bedroom. There is one bed and a dresser. There is also a desk and several lamps. Curtains cover the two windows.).

Fatima: What do you think?

Erica: Well the decor ain’t my style but other than that it’s great. Why?

Fatima: It’s yours.

Erica: What?

Fatima: It’s yours. Just yours.

Erica: I...How?

Fatima: It’s okay. Just moved some people around.

Erica: For me?

Fatima: Well that’s partly the reason. Though to be truthful Whitney doesn’t like staying in here. No boards on the windows, she says it doesn’t feel secure.

Erica: It is though right?

Fatima: Yes. As long as you don’t open any doors or windows and the talisman stays in place.

Erica: Right.

Fatima: So is it okay?

Erica: Yeah it’s great. Thank you. Thank you so much.

(Erica hugs her and Fatima smiles.).

Fatima: I’m glad I was able to help.

Erica: You did. Really.

(Erica puts her bags on the bed and looks around. She goes to the window pulling the curtain back. She can see the woods and not much else. The sun hasn’t quite set yet.).

Fatima: Well I’ll leave you to get settled in.

Erica: Thank you.

(Erica sits in the small bedroom staring at the wall. She sighs. She could do with a book or something. There is a knock at the door.).

Erica: Yeah.

(Fatima walks in holding some folded up clothes. She puts them on the bed.).

Fatima: Kenny dropped off your clothes from the station. We can get them washed for you. In the meantime I wanted to give you these.

Erica: You don’t have to give me your clothes. I’m okay I’ve still got a few items in my bag.

Fatima: That’s okay. We share here. It’s just how we do.

Erica: Well thanks.

(Fatima notices that the window next to the bed has no curtain covering it. It’s dark out now and she hurries over and quickly pulls the curtain.).

Erica: Oh I like looking out the window at the night sky. I usually sleep with the curtains open.

Fatima: Not here. Trust me.

(Erica frowns.).

Fatima: You wanna see those things at your window? Peering in at you?

Erica: They can get up here?

Fatima: Yes.

Erica: Hm. So they can climb.

Fatima: You need to keep the curtains closed of a night okay? Those things will try and trick you into letting them in. They could say all kinds of things. It’s best if you can’t see them. They don’t seem to bother too much if the curtains are closed. They still come around...Occasionally knock the door or a window but you have to just ignore them. Not offer them any response. Okay?

Erica: You’re really afraid of them aren’t you?

Fatima: With good reason. Aren’t you?

Erica: My husband used to say that being afraid of something only gave it more power over you. But I know what you mean. They’re not exactly the social type these things.

Fatima: No.

Erica: It’s okay. I get it. No opening the windows, keep the curtains closed. Thanks for the clothes.

Fatima: You’re welcome.

(Fatima goes to leave but stops in the doorway.).

Fatima: Look...Kenny told me about you talking to one of them. When you stayed overnight in the bar.

Erica: Yeah I did. I thought maybe I could learn something. Think it was a waste of time really.

Fatima: Those things...They have a way of getting into people’s heads.

Erica: So you think they can read minds?

Fatima: I don’t know. But I wouldn’t put it past them. Just use caution. Curtains closed, ignore them, no opening windows.

Erica: Got it.

Fatima: You’ll be fine. Goodnight.

Erica: Night.

(Fatima leaves closing the door behind her. Erica sits there staring around the room. She doesn’t really know what to do with herself. She would give anything to be back at home. The nice lake views, her kitchen, her books, Xbox. Alex making her dinner. Only there isn’t any Alex. Not anymore. He’s just gone. She gets up and looks at the clothes Fatima has given her. There is a jumper that she doesn’t think will fit her, it looks too small. There is also a pair of black jogging bottoms and a nice black top along with a cardigan and some pyjamas. She smiles. At least the people seem nice she guesses. That’s something. She goes to the dresser and opens the drawers. She finds a bible, some pens, two pairs of knickers that look like they are falling apart, some pocket tissues and a lot of dust. She sighs and closes the drawers again. She stuffs the clothes Fatima gave her in her holdall before sliding her bags under the bed. She then goes to the window and takes hold of the curtain. She hesitates a moment before opening the curtain and peering outside. It’s dark out now and she can’t see much. She looks up at the sky. There aren’t any stars and she can’t see the moon either.).

Erica: Full dark no stars.

(She suddenly wonders where she got that from then it comes to her. It’s a novel by Stephen King. She looks out the window again and thinks this is exactly the type of mad horror that he would conjure up. She sighs and goes to close the curtain again when movement catches her eye. She frowns peering into the tree line. She is sure she saw something white move between the trunks. She scans the trees but doesn’t see it again. She closes the curtain again and lies down on the bed staring at the ceiling. Maybe she could go and talk to people. Introduce herself. But she doesn’t really feel like doing that. She could just go to sleep but the house seems so loud. She can hear shoes clicking and tapping on wooden floors and voices. People are talking and laughing. She wonders how people can laugh in a place like this. She could at least try go to sleep but she’s afraid to close her eyes. She had a nightmare last night that she was trapped back in that hole again. She couldn’t breathe and she was choking up dirt. She woke up coughing and shaking. She sighs and gets up. She reaches under the bed and opens her handbag. She takes out the bottle of vodka and hides it under her jacket. She leaves the room closing the door behind her. She walks down the hall peering at the bedroom doors wondering which one belongs to Donna. She stands there looking around. Ellis comes up the stairs.).

Ellis: Hey. Settling in okay?

Erica: Yes. Thank you. Fatima has been very kind.

Ellis: She just likes to help.

Erica: Do you know where Donna is?

Ellis: In her room I think. Why?

Erica: I just wanted to speak to her. Which room is hers?

(He points at a door which is slightly ajar.).

Ellis: That one. Knock first though.

(He gives her a smile before walking off. Erica walks up to the door and knocks on it.).

Donna: Come in.

(She opens the door and closes it behind her. Donna is sat in an armchair.).

Donna: Everything alright?

Erica: Um...I was thinking about what you said. About everyone sharing everything here.

Donna: Yeah.

Erica: I just wondered if you wanted to share some of this.

(She takes out the bottle of vodka. Donna gives her a small smile then gets up. She retrieves two glasses and places them on a small table. She sits back down and indicates to the other chair. Erica moves it closer to the table and sits down opposite her. She pours them both a measure of vodka and Donna picks up her glass taking a sip. She grimaces.).

Donna: Like fucking paint stripper. Better than that piss water Tom brews up though.

(Erica smiles.).

Erica: It could use some lemonade.

Donna: Hm. So you alright?

Erica: I don’t know.

Donna: Boyd told me. About your little foray into the woods.

Erica: Oh.

Donna: Wanna talk about it?

Erica: There isn’t much to tell really. I got trapped, didn’t think I was going to get out, but I did.

Donna: Hm. Not much huh?

(Erica takes a sip of vodka.).

Erica: It was stupid of me to go out there. I wasn’t thinking.

Donna: You were. You were thinking of finding answers. I can’t say I blame yah. I’d give almost anything to know something about what the hell this place is and why we can’t leave. But...I don’t think going into those woods looking for answers is gonna turn anything up. Except maybe trouble. Not saying what you did was wrong.

(Donna shrugs and downs some more vodka.).

Donna: Ballsy I’ll give you that.

Erica: One part brave. Three parts fool.

Donna: Hm. Who told you that?

Erica: It’s from the movie, Eragon. Alex loved it. He’d read the books over and over again.

(She smiles and downs the vodka.).

Donna: I’m so sorry. It must be the hardest thing not knowing.

Erica: Yeah it is.

(Erica suddenly has tears in her eyes. Donna moves her chair closer.).

Donna: Hey.

(She drapes her arm around Erica’s.).

Erica: I just...How much more bad luck can one girl have? My husband disappears. I end up stuck in some crazy town that looks like it’s stuck in like the 50’s. Monsters are real. Fucking Wendigo’s living in the damn woods. I end up trapped inside a wall and almost die.

Donna: Hey, hey come on now. You didn’t. Okay? You didn’t. You got back. And we are gonna get through this together. We’ve got each other okay?

Erica: Thank you.

Donna: You seem like a tough cookie.

Erica: I don’t know about that.

Donna: I don’t know many women who carry hunting knives. Or that go out into the woods searching for answers in a crazy ass place like this. Or race off into the night looking for a missing child and confronting those things face to face. Is it true you shot one of ‘em with a damn flare gun?

Erica: Yeah. It didn’t do anything though. Guess that rules out the Wendigo theory.

Donna: Okay what the fuck is a Wendigo?

Erica: It’s a supernatural creature. It was once human, lives in caves in the woods, sleeps during the day, comes out at night to hunt, mimics human voices to lure hikers so it can feast on them. Can be kept at bay by symbols and likes to screech into the night.

Donna: Sounds like those things out there.

Erica: Yeah. Only in most of the lore it says that fire kills them so...

Donna: Where the fuck do you get all of this?

(Donna pours them out some more vodka.).

Erica: Mostly...Supernatural. It was a TV show.

Donna: Sounds familiar. Was that the one with two brothers hunting monsters?

Erica: Yeah. You ever watch it?

Donna: I caught bits of it occasionally. My sister loved that show.

(Donna looks into the distance for a moment. She takes a sip of vodka.).

Donna: Just a TV show though. This is real.

Erica: Well you know most of the lore and creatures they used on the show were actually taken from real myth and legend. I didn’t believe it all of course. None of it is real. Vampires, werewolves, whatever. But now...You have to wonder don’t you?

Donna: Hm. Last thing we need is a damn werewolf coming out of the trees.

Erica: Least we’d know how to kill it.

Donna: Haha. Silver bullets right?

Erica: Apparently so.

(Donna laughs and shakes her head. Erica downs the vodka and Donna does the same.).

Erica: I think that’s enough for me.

Donna: Hm. Little lightweight huh?

Erica: With straight vodka yeah. Doesn’t take long for it to go to your head.

Donna: That’s the point ain’t it?

Erica: I guess. I’ve been drinking a lot lately. Ever since Alex went missing.

Donna: Hm. No one can blame yah.

Erica: I hate not having any answers.

Donna: I can’t imagine. I know it’s not quite the same but...There are a lot of people here that are missing family. Family they ended up leaving behind out there you know? Family that have no idea their loved ones are alive and stuck in a town they can’t leave. The doc Kristi had a fiancée.

Erica: Oh.

Donna: I’m just saying. You ever want to talk or need support there’s plenty of folks around here that would understand.

(Erica thinks for a moment.).

Erica: Do you think...I know this is gonna sound mad.

Donna: I’ve dealt with mad since I got here. Lay it on me.

(Erica manages to smile.).

Erica: Do you think my husband ended up stuck here?

Donna: I don’t know. I know there isn’t anyone here called Alex. What does he look like?

Erica: Tall, slim, red hair. He liked plaid shirts. I used to joke he dressed like my grandpa.

(Erica is suddenly thinking about that grinning creep from outside. How he wears a plaid shirt, has red hair and kind of resembles her husband. No. He doesn’t look anything like him. It’s just a coincidence.).

Donna: Can’t say I know anyone fits that description.

Erica: Guess I’ll never know what happened to him now.

Donna: Hey.

(Donna rubs her shoulder.).

Donna: Why don’t you go and try and get some rest?

Erica: Yeah. Thank you.

Donna: Yeah.

(Erica gets up. She puts the lid back on the vodka and picks it up.).

Erica: Night.

Donna: Night sweetie.

(Erica leaves the room and goes back down the hall to her own room. She closes the door behind her and sits down on the bed. She opens the vodka and takes another sip. She then goes into her bag and takes out her iPad and headphones. She puts the headphones on and opens her music. She scrolls through songs trying to find something to listen to. She settles on Evanescence. She paces up and down the room swigging the vodka. She listens to seven songs before she removes the headphones and switches off the iPad to save the battery. She puts it back in her bag with the headphones and the vodka. She then rummages in her holdall and takes out clean underwear and her long white nightgown. She removes Boyd’s clothes and her jacket tossing them onto the floor. She changes her underwear and slips her nightgown on. Maybe she can have a proper bath tomorrow. She hopes they have hot water but she doubts it. She pulls back the duvet and peers down at the bedding. She hopes there aren’t any bed bugs. She wonders how clean the sheets are but supposes it will have to do. She then rummages in her bag before she pulls out a bottle of men’s aftershave. It was Alex’s favourite. She sprays some on the pillows then her wrists and the duvet. She returns the bottle to her bag then switches off the lights. She gets into bed and lies down. The house is still abuzz with noise and she wonders how people sleep in this place. She rolls onto her side smelling her husband on the pillow and she reaches out gripping it tight. She lets out a small sob and suddenly she is crying, she buries her face in the pillow inhaling the scent of her husband and wishing he was there next to her. She cries herself to sleep.).

(Erica dreams she is back home in her kitchen. Alex is there cooking for her. He flashes her a grin and walks over asking her if she’s okay. His arms are around her and she is gazing up at him. His face suddenly changes into the smiling creep and she yells at him to leave her alone. Then he is Alex again and he is frowning at her asking her why she’s yelling at him. There is a tapping sound coming from somewhere and Alex is putting plates and cutlery on the table and telling her to sit down as dinner’s almost ready. He tells her he’s got raspberry trifle for dessert because he knows she loves it. The tapping sound is getting louder. More persistent. TAP. TAP. TAP. She looks around the kitchen but doesn’t see anything. She asks Alex what the noise is but his response is simply what noise? She sits down at the table and Alex lights a candle starting to tell her all about a meeting he had at work. TAP. TAP. TAP. Erica looks around again frowning. Alex is dishing up the dinner and she sees he’s cooked spaghetti Bolognese. TAP. TAP. TAP. Alex smiles at her as he sits down still talking animatedly but she suddenly can’t hear what he’s saying because all she can hear is TAP. TAP. TAP. Then Alex has turned into the smiling creep again and he’s reaching across the table grinning at her with blood dripping from his lips and nails like razor blades. TAP. TAP. TAP. TAP.).

(Erica wakes up and lets out a sigh. The room is dark and she sits up rubbing her head. She has a headache. That’ll teach her for the vodka before bed. TAP. TAP. TAP. She turns towards the window. Something is tapping on the glass. She gets out of bed and leaves the room going down the hall to the bathroom. She can’t hear anyone else up and she quickly uses the loo then washes her hands before creeping back down the hall to her room. She closes the door and goes back over to the bed. TAP. TAP. TAP. She turns to the window then feels for the bedside lamp switching it on. She then reaches out and pulls the curtain back. The smiling creep is stood at the window grinning at her. His nose is almost touching the glass. She sighs.).

Erica: I should have known it would be you.

(He stares at her grinning and she is reminded again of Alex. He had such a big smile. Only his was full of warmth.).

Creature: Aren’t you going to let me in?

[chobit92]

What a lovely view

What’s this?

Oh a Niffler! I love him what should I call him?

Where are all these cats coming from?

Any spell books in here? I need to learn more.

Well…Okay. That’s…Yeah.

Where are all these points I keep earning? The hourglass is still empty!

Another round? Well okay but you asked for it. I think I’m getting the hang of this now.

Oooh well let’s have it then.

Ah these two. They are becoming such friends. So cute.

[chobit92]

From: Part Six

(Father Khatri walks over to Boyd’s desk. Boyd is sat there looking deep in thought.).

Khatri: Have you slept?

(Boyd gets up.).

Boyd: The suns coming up. We need to get out there looking again.

Khatri: We will.

Kenny: You think we’ll find her? You actually think we’ll find her?

Khatri: Have faith.

Boyd: Hm. The hell was she thinking, taking off like that?

Khatri: She was just trying to find answers. Trying to find a way out of here. Can you blame her?

Boyd: Yeah. Yeah I can. I thought she knew the stakes. After risking her life to help Megan and being out there with those things I thought she’d be a little more cautious. I thought she had a smart head on her shoulders. Just someone else we gotta bury. That’s if we even find her damn body.

Khatri: She might not even be dead.

Boyd: Oh come on. Out there all night with those things on the prowl. Nobody makes it outside after dark.

Khatri: We don’t know she was outside, not for sure.

Boyd: Well where the hell is she then? Coz she sure as shit ain’t here. She went out into those damn woods again didn’t she? Looking for answers, taking pictures on her damn phone like that’s gonna matter a damn. She got lost and that’s it. She’s gone. Just like that.

(Boyd gets up and shoves his gun into its holster. He heads for the door.).

Kenny: Where are you going?

Boyd: I’m gonna at least try and find her. What’s left of her anyway.

(Boyd leaves slamming the door behind him. Khatri sighs and looks at Kenny.).

Kenny: I’ll go with him.

(Khatri nods. Kenny leaves.).

(Erica wakes up. For a moment she forgets where she is. For a second it could all have just been a bad dream and she’s back at home. The smell is the first thing she notices. Her jeans are soaked and she realises her bladder couldn’t hold her pee any longer. Fresh tears sting her eyes and she cries out in frustration hitting the stone wall. She tries to move but it’s difficult, there’s more dirt in here now and she thinks she can hear more trickling in from somewhere. She feels in the pocket of her jacket for her phone and activates the torch. She’s not got much battery left and she looks around shining the torch as if expecting things to have changed while she was asleep. She still feels exhausted and she wonders how long she was out. Her throat is very dry and she realises again how hungry she is. She turns and looks to her left. Before she could see rocks and stone, now she can see a pile of dirt and as she looks she can see more slowly trickling in from the upper corner of the small alcove. She lets out a frustrated cry and slams her hand against the rocks. She pushes at the dirt again and again but stops as more dirt falls and she moves back as far as she can coughing and spluttering. She rubs dirt out of her eyes and lies there breathing hard. Her eyes feel heavy and just as she thinks she can’t sleep yet, sleep pulls her into its grasp anyway.).

(Donna sees Father Khatri heading into the church. She calls out to him and walks over.).

Khatri: Donna.

Donna: Khatri. I was looking for Boyd.

Khatri: He’s gone into the woods looking for Erica. Kenny’s with him.

Donna: Goddamnit. Still no sign of her then I take it?

Khatri: No. But we must have faith.

Donna: Yeah. Right.

Khatri: It’s all we have left. Without it we have nothing.

Donna: We have each other. That’s something.

Khatri: Yes. It is. Is there anything I can help you with?

Donna: No. That’s alright. Just let me know when he gets back would yah?

Khatri: I will.

Donna: They shouldn’t be out there. It’ll be getting dark soon.

Khatri: I know. But he wanted to at least try to find her.

Donna: Look I get it, I do. We look after each other here, I get why he doesn’t wanna just give up but...She knew those things were out there didn’t she? She went wondering off on her own. I just hope Boyd doesn’t blame himself for this like he does everything else.

Khatri: I hear you. I’ll say a few prayers for them.

Donna: Yeah.

(Donna walks off.).

(Erica is exhausted. She is also thirsty, hungry and cold. She shoves at the rocks with everything she’s got and she thinks she feels something shift. She pushes and pushes as more dirt rushes in, faster now. She thinks she can hear stones clattering over something and suddenly the rock she’s shoving moves, several more tumble down and she cries out.).

Erica: Fuck! Come on. Come on.

(She shoves and fights her way through the dirt pushing against dirt and rocks. She does a sort of military crawl as she desperately tries to shove her way through. She doesn’t even know if there’s a gap for her to shove through, she can’t see for the dirt and rocks. She doesn’t give up and she grunts and groans with the effort digging, shoving and clawing her way through the dirt. She feels a rock give under her hand and she grabs it dragging it backwards out of the way. She does the same with a second one and a third. She then pushes herself forwards with her arms and kicks her legs. She doesn’t know how long she’s there but her arms ache and she feels more exhausted than ever. Finally she thinks she feels an opening, it’s a small gap but she reaches out and curls her arm upwards gripping the sloping stone wall and pulling herself forwards while kicking out at the wall behind her with her legs to give herself some momentum. Her head is suddenly covered with dirt and she scrabbles forwards digging her nails into the ground. After what seems like hours but can only be a matter of minutes her upper body finally bursts forth from the hole. She gasps and sucks in much needed air before collapsing face down in the dirt. She lies there breathing heavily for a few minutes then wills her body to move. She turns and reaches into the pocket of the jacket for her phone turning the torch back on. She shines it down at her legs and sees that they are still inside the hole she’s just crawled out of. She pulls them free then sits up looking around. She’s in a cave with tunnels leading in different directions. She guesses this is where she was when she found those things sleeping. That’s all she needs, to be back down here with them. She looks back at the hole she was stuck in. It’s like an alcove set into the bottom part of the cave wall and as she watches rocks and dirt tumble down covering it from view. She stands up and takes a few steps back then collapses trying to get her breathing under control. The torch on her phone suddenly goes off and she looks down to see the screen displaying the low battery icon.).

Erica: Fuck. No. No. Come on.

(The phone remains dead and she sighs. She pockets it again and feels for the hunting knife strapped to her thigh. She takes it out and grips it tightly in one hand. She then starts to feel her way along the wall hoping she’s going the right way. She listens intently for any sound waiting for one of those things to leap out at her cackling with glee. The only sound however is her heavy breathing. Several times she stops to lean against the wall before she keeps going. She has no idea how long it’s been, how long she’s been gone or even what day it is. She starts to panic again as the realisation she could be stuck down here hits her. She imagines feeling around in the dark trying to find the way out only never finding it. Then she imagines one of those things finding her. No. She’s going to get out. She’s going to get back. She has to. She feels the ground sloping upwards slightly under her feet and her heart leaps. She keeps going and after another minute or two she is crawling out of the tunnel feeling leaves under her hands. She stands up and looks around wondering which way will take her back to town. She’s just taken a few steps when she stops dead.).

Erica: Fuck.

(She’s just realised that she has another problem besides being lost. It’s dark out. She tightens the grip on the knife and starts to head in the direction she thinks the town is praying that she’s right and praying she doesn’t run into any company.).

(Boyd is sat at the desk looking down into the contents of a glass. It’s what passes for whiskey here, it isn’t the same however. He takes another sip and grimaces as he swallows it down. Kenny appears and he looks up.).

Boyd: You should have gone home tonight. Your mother will be worried.

Kenny: She’ll be fine. She knows where I am.

Boyd: Hm.

Khatri: You’ve done all you can Boyd.

Boyd: Have I? Hm.

Kenny: You can’t blame yourself for this. I know it sucks but...She’s the one that wandered off okay? I sound like an awful person saying it like that but...It’s true. You know it is. She knew the score and she still went. This isn’t your fault. Sitting there getting drunk isn’t gonna change anything.

Boyd: Well I wanted a drink alright? If this isn’t my fault then whose is it huh? I’m the Sheriff. I’m meant to have all the answers and keep everyone safe. But I haven’t have I? No. New girl turns up and have I kept her safe? No. I took my eyes off of her and she got lost!

Kenny: It’s not your fault. You can’t blame yourself for everything that happens here.

Khatri: He’s right Boyd. You did all you could to find her.

Boyd: So...We just stop looking? That’s it.

Kenny: Where else is there to look? We can’t search the whole of the woods. There’s no telling how far she went. I know this is shit. But...

(Boyd sighs. Kenny sits down opposite him.).

Kenny: She was kinda difficult but I liked her. She seemed...Hardy.

Boyd: Hm. Too damn hardy.

(He downs the rest of his drink.).

(Erica stops leaning against a tree panting hard. She doesn’t think she can run anymore, her legs are shaking and now she thinks about it her arms are too. As if her limbs are giving up. She feels lightheaded and her vision swims before her. She tightens her grip on the knife and carries on. A man wearing a mechanics overalls appears to her right and she propels herself forwards narrowly missing receiving a swipe from him. She doesn’t look back to see if he is following her she just ploughs on. She’s discovered something however, these things, they never seem to run. None of them seem to have run after her and she is sure that if they wanted they could catch her with ease. So why aren’t they? She suddenly sees a car and then a building. Her heart leaps as the town looms into view. The motel and diner signs are lit up casting an eery red glow over the street. She sees the Sheriff's building and heads towards it bracing herself for a hell of a lecture. He isn’t going to be happy she just knows it. Can she blame him when she took off into the woods like that. She knows she’s been an idiot. All she wants right now is to get inside and sleep. She turns around scanning the street and sees a guy dressed as a cowboy strolling along with a woman. As she watches him he tips his hat to her and smiles. She waves at him then turns back. She’s almost at the station now, but then she sees something that makes her stop dead. A man has walked out from behind the building. He walks into the street and stands there directly in front of her. He has red hair and is wearing a plaid shirt and a black cardigan. It’s the smiling creep again. Because of course it would be him wouldn’t it? His face splits into a massive grin and he stands there staring at her. She glances to her right and sees the cowboy and the woman looking in her direction. Then they start to walk over. She looks back at the grinning creep and steps back as she realises he’s suddenly closer to her than he was before. She didn’t even hear him move.).

Erica: You alright?

(As usual he doesn’t answer her. He just stands there grinning like an idiot. She wonders what he finds so amusing.).

Erica: I asked you if you were alright. Bit rude not to answer.

(She suddenly hears a woman’s voice right behind her.).

Creature: I’d worry more about yourself if I were you hon.

(The smiling creep seems to be grinning even wider now. She didn’t think it possible.).

Erica: Your face will stay like that.

(He still says nothing. She grips the hunting knife and raises it slightly. He glances down at it curiously then looks back up at her still grinning. She stands there, her heart thumping madly in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She isn’t going down without a fight.).

[chobit92]

From: Part Five

(Erica walks through the trees looking around. She thinks this is the way back to town. At least she hopes it is. The sun is getting lower and she would hate to be out here when it gets dark. She sighs and slides her hunting knife back into its sheath. It was probably pointless taking it out anyway. Boyd said guns don’t do a damn thing to those things. She doubts her knife would be any different. Something suddenly catches her eye and she turns frowning. She sees something hanging from a tree and as she walks closer she realises there isn’t just the one. Over a dozen bottles are hanging from a tree and she stands there staring at them. She takes out her phone and takes a picture before trying to reach one of the bottles. They are too high for her and she sighs. She turns her attention instead to a large opening in the trees trunk. This is pretty cool. Erica runs her fingers over the bark and peers into the opening. She suddenly wonders if one of those things is curled up asleep inside but she can’t see anything. She leans forward and moves closer inspecting the opening. She’s never seen a tree with an opening like this. She takes her phone back out and takes a picture before pocketing it again. She wonders if she could fit in there and finds herself thinking how cool it would be to sit inside a tree. She swings a leg in and ducks slightly climbing inside. It’s pitch black and she turns her head to look back at the opening in the tree only it isn’t there. She frowns and looks around reaching out a hand. The surface she touches isn’t bark, it feels like stone.).

Erica: What the...

(She lifts her head and realises she seems to be lying down. She frowns and feels around in the jacket for her phone. She switches the torch on and shines it around.).

Erica: The fuck?

(She seems to be lying in a load of dirt and above her head is grey stone. She runs a hand over it and looks to her left to see more grey stone. She is lying in a small space surrounded by stone. An alcove of some kind. She lies there breathing hard, confused. She stepped into a tree, she knows she did. It was a tree. She suddenly wonders if she has finally gone mad and she really is just sat in a tree and this is happening in her head. She doesn’t feel like she is hallucinating. She runs her hand over the stone surface yet again trying to come up with an explanation as to how one can climb into a tree but end up lying down in a stone alcove. She can’t think of one. She turns to the right and aims the torch letting out a gasp. Staring back at her are the empty eye sockets of a human skull. She swallows hard and starts pushing at the stone walls surrounding her, she lifts her legs and kicks out as if that is going to make a difference. She can’t just be stuck. She just can’t be. This makes no sense. No sense at all.).

(It’s late afternoon and Boyd is walking up the street towards the group of people gathered a boulder. Kenny and Father Khatri walk over to him.).

Boyd: It’ll be dark in a couple of hours, let’s get this done.

Kenny: Slight problem. Can’t find Erica.

Boyd: What?

Kenny: We can’t find her. We’ve checked the diner, the houses, asked around. No one knows where she is.

Boyd: You gotta be fucking kidding me. You haven’t been keeping eyes on her?

(Kenny looks at the floor.).

Khatri: This isn’t his fault Boyd.

Boyd: I know. I know. I should have...I should have been watching her.

Khatri: What for? She was doing okay wasn’t she?

Boyd: I wouldn’t class being missing a couple of hours before sundown as doing okay would you?

Kenny: We’ll keep looking. Try to find her.

Boyd: Yeah. I just hope we do.

Khatri: Have faith. She has to be somewhere.

Boyd: Right.

(Erica lies there with tears escaping the corners of her eyes. She smacks the stone above her head hard but all she does is hurt her hand.).

Erica: Fuck!

(She’s been so stupid. She should have told someone where she was going. But what good would that have done really? If you step inside a tree and end up trapped in some hole surrounded by stone walls. It still doesn’t make sense and she still can’t find a way to explain it. Her stomach rumbles and she’s reminded of how hungry she is. She’s thirsty too and she needs to pee. Great. She reaches out and pushes against the stone. She feels small rocks sliding to the floor and pushes again. She hears a noise like something shifting and a load of dirt suddenly falls behind her. Some of it lands on her face and she brushes it off spitting. She turns onto her side, which is difficult as there isn’t much room, and shoves at the stone again. She sees a large rock jutting out from the wall and grabs it trying to move it. More dirt falls and covers her head. She scrambles backwards frantically scrabbling about with her hands and swiping them across her face. She lets out a gasp followed by a sob. She looks back around at the human skull lying there now partially covered by dirt and sobs again. Whoever it was never made it out of here. It doesn’t look like she’s going to either.).

(Boyd is walking around the woods with Kenny. They are losing light fast and there is still no sign of Erica.).

Boyd: Erica!

Kenny: Erica!

(Some distance away they hear Father Khatri and a few others calling Erica’s name over and over again.).

Boyd: Fuck!

Kenny: Hey. This isn’t your fault okay?

Boyd: Then whose fault is it? She was my responsibility and now she’s missing. I should have handcuffed that girl to me Goddamnit!

(Donna suddenly comes storming through the trees.).

Donna: We gotta wrap this up and soon Boyd. It’s getting dark.

Boyd: I know. I know. But she’s still out there Damnit!

Donna: Then may all the good luck in this world be with her. Right now we’ve gotta get inside.

(The sun is sinking lower and lower. Boyd turns looking deeper into the woods.).

Donna: Boyd we’ve got minutes. We’ve gotta get inside now.

Kenny: Come on. We gotta go.

(Boyd stands there looking around as if waiting one more minute will make a difference. He looks into the trees willing Erica to appear. Any minute he’s going to see her walking out of the trees and he’s going to give her his longest lecture yet. But of course she doesn’t. He has no choice. He has to get everyone inside.).

Donna: Boyd!

Boyd: I know. I know. Come one. Everyone inside!

(He heads back to town with Kenny and Donna. He sees Father Khatri emerging from the trees with two others who volunteered to help look for Erica. Most people are already inside. Donna yells to the two guys with Khatri and they follow her to the van she parked up outside the Sheriff’s station. Boyd watches as they all climb in and drive off towards Colony house. Boyd stands there looking around still willing Erica to appear. Kenny shouts to several people across the street.).

Kenny: Inside now!

(The people turn and hurry into a nearby house.).

Khatri: Boyd there’s nothing more we can do tonight. We need to get inside. Now.

Kenny: Come on.

(The sun has dipped below the horizon and as if on cue a loud piercing shriek rents the air. Boyd follows Kenny and Father Khatri into the Sheriff’s station. As he walks towards the door his eyes fall on the board he mounted there displaying how many nights there’s been without incident. He sighs and heads inside closing the door behind him. He stands there looking out into the night thinking about that board. Thinking that tomorrow it’s going to display a big fat zero.).

[chobit92]

From: Part Four

(Lauren wakes up and grimaces. Her neck and shoulder ache and she realises that she’s fallen asleep at the dining table with her head resting on her arm. She still has hold of Megan’s teddy bear and she smells it breathing deeply. She sighs and looks at the window. She can see light outside, coming through the curtains and she leaps to her feet racing to the window. She flings the curtains open and stares outside.).

Lauren: Frank! Frank! The sun is up!

(Frank groans and fidgets. Boyd is on his feet in a second following Lauren out the front door. Khatri and Frank follow close behind and they race to the edge of town. Lauren reaches the bar first but she stops on the bottom step frozen. The front door is wide open and as Frank scans the building he sees that the windows are all open. Several townsfolk have come out to watch them obviously wondering what is going on.).

Lauren: No. No.

Frank: Lauren let me go and look.

Lauren: No. I have to see!

(She races up the steps and goes inside. Frank and Boyd follow her. They look around but the place is empty.).

Boyd: There’s nobody here.

Lauren: Then where is she?

Frank: You said they were at the bar.

Boyd: They were.

(He is sure that they were. But he was trying to keep himself and Khatri alive at the time. Maybe they didn’t make it into the bar. But no he heard Erica yelling that she had Megan and they were safe. Then a thought occurs to him. Maybe it was one of those things yelling. To mess with him. No that can’t be right.).

Boyd: Come on we’ll take a look around.

(Lauren is crying and Frank leads her out of the bar.).

Boyd: We’ll find her. We will.

(Kenny has appeared and he looks at Boyd questioningly. Boyd shakes his head.).

Megan: Mommy!

(They all turn to see Megan running over to them. Lauren dives forwards and races to her little girl throwing her arms around her.).

Megan: I missed you!

Lauren: I missed you too!

Megan: Erica showed me how to make a daisy chain.

Lauren: Oh wow.

(Erica is smiling as she walks over.).

Frank: Thank God.

(Frank goes to his daughter and gives her a hug. Boyd is smiling giddy with relief.).

Erica: Morning.

Boyd: Morning.

Erica: She’s a good kid.

Frank: Yeah she is.

Lauren: Thank you.

Erica: For what?

Frank: Well you raced off into the night to find our daughter.

Erica: Yeah.

Frank: You look like you haven’t slept either.

Erica: I look that bad do I?

Megan: You didn’t go to sleep? You weren’t up all night talking to that man were you?

Frank: What man honey?

(Everyone stares at Erica.).

Megan: The man at the window. She was talking to him.

Erica: Yes. I was. But we didn’t talk all night. I think he got a bit bored coz he left in the end.

Kenny: Why were you talking to him in the first place?

Erica: I was hoping I could learn something. It was interesting actually some of his responses...

Megan: So did you learn anything about him?

Erica: A little bit I suppose yes.

Megan: You should have gone to sleep. You’re going to be too tired for breakfast now.

Erica: I’ll be okay.

(Another man has appeared and he smiles at them.).

Tom: Morning all. Ah I see someone has already opened up for me.

Erica: That would be me. Had to open all the windows get rid of the smell that bucket made.

(She points to a bucket sitting in the grass.).

Tom: Ah okay.

Kenny: She stayed in the bar with little Megan last night.

Tom: Oh. Right. I see.

(He looks around at them all a little surprised.).

Erica: Don’t use that bucket again.

Tom: I won’t.

Erica: I know there’s a toilet just there but I didn’t want to get caught with my pants down you know?

(He laughs and shakes his head. His laugh seems a bit forced however.).

Tom: No worries.

(He holds out his hand.).

Tom: I’m Tom.

(She shakes his hand.).

Erica: Erica.

Tom: Nice to meet you. So...Not sleeping well huh?

Erica: Do I seriously look that bad?

Tom: Nah just tired.

Erica: I couldn’t sleep. Had to watch Megan.

Tom: Sure.

Erica: Didn’t want any of those tossers getting in. Weren’t really in the mood for round three. She might have gotten up in the night and opened a window or something. Or come out here to use the loo. Didn’t want to take my eyes off her.

Tom: Sure.

Lauren: Thank you.

Frank: Thanks.

Erica: Oh that’s okay. It was an alright sleepover eh?

Megan: Hmmm...I’d give it a five out of ten.

Erica: Only a five?

Megan: Well a six because you told me about the Princess and the pea.

Erica: Uh huh.

(They smile.).

Frank: Say thank you to Erica for looking after you.

Megan: Thank you.

Erica: You’re welcome.

Lauren: Thanks again. And be careful. Talking to them...Just...Be careful.

Erica: I will.

(Lauren and Frank walk off down the street with Megan. Erica lights a cigarette.).

Erica: Oh I hope you don’t mind but I helped myself to a few drinks last night.

Tom: Oh that’s okay. Damn you have smokes?

Erica: A few. Be a bummer when I run out.

Tom: Ummm.

Erica: You smoke?

Tom: Yeah, well I used to ‘til I run out. Now all I got is the weed they grow up at colony house.

Erica: They grow weed?

Tom: Yeah not for me.

Erica: Me neither.

(She takes out another cigarette and hands it to Tom.).

Tom: Thanks.

(She lights it for him and he takes a drag.).

Tom: Ah I’ve missed that.

Erica: I bet. Ah well when I run out least my lungs will be healthier I guess.

Tom: Yeah.

Boyd: You should go and get some breakfast.

Erica: I’m fine.

Boyd: I don’t believe you. You’ve just ended up in a town that you can’t leave, a town where monsters come out of the woods at the night and try and kill you. You’ve had no sleep and-

Erica: Okay, okay I get it. I get it. I’ll go and have something to eat in a bit. Okay?

(Boyd gives her a look then walks off. Erica finishes her cigarette and walks around the town looking at the houses. She then looks up at the motel sign advertising vacancies. She frowns and looks around. She then looks down at the empty swimming pool. It looks like someone has driven a truck into it. She sighs. Kenny walks over.).

Kenny: Hey.

Erica: Hey.

Kenny: You doing okay?

Erica: No. Not at all.

Kenny: Yeah. I know. It’s a lot.

Erica: Where’s the motel?

Kenny: What?

Erica: The motel. The one that supposedly has vacancies?

Kenny: Um...

Erica: There’s a sign for it. A swimming pool. But no motel.

Kenny: Yeah. I know. It’s not the weirdest thing here.

Erica: Oh no? What else is there?

Kenny: You need something else?

Erica: There’s always something else.

(She frowns.).

Kenny: Why don’t you come and get some breakfast?

Erica: Depends what’s on the menu.

Kenny: My mom does the most amazing pancakes. Everyone loves them.

Erica: I don’t like pancakes.

Kenny: What? Well that explains why you didn’t really touch them yesterday.

Erica: So what else is there to eat? How do you even get food? Water? Toilet roll?

Kenny: We grow our food mostly. Then we put together what everyone brings with them. Which reminds me where is all your stuff?

Erica: My stuff?

Kenny: Yeah. We all share here. So...

Erica: What am I meant to share, my fucking knickers?

Kenny: What, no that’s not...

(She walks off. He follows her.).

Kenny: Hey.

Erica: Just leave me be will you?

Kenny: Look we have ways of doing things here.

Erica: Doing nothing by the sounds of it.

Kenny: What?

Erica: Well no one is trying to get out of here are they? No one is bothered about what those things are or why they want to kill us all.

Kenny: Just stop. Stop. I know this is hard okay? I do. It was my first day once too. You just need to settle in.

Erica: I don’t want to settle in! I just want to find my husband and take him home!

Kenny: I’m sorry. About your husband.

Erica: Just leave me alone. I just want to be left alone.

(She walks off and goes into the diner. They are serving breakfast and she grabs a plate lining up with the others. She sighs as Kenny appears behind her again.).

Erica: You don’t fucking give up do you?

Kenny: No. I know you’re tired and this is all crazy but like I said we have a way of doing things here.

Erica: Yeah you said.

Kenny: So we will have a choosing ceremony where you get to decide where you want to live.

Erica: I don’t know. On my own.

Kenny: Um...That might not be possible.

(She sighs.).

Kenny: Everyone shares their stuff. We keep an inventory of things we need. Share it out.

Erica: So you want to take my stuff and give it to everyone else? Is that it?

(She glares at him.).

Erica: It’s my stuff. I haven’t even got much with me. Only a few clothes and some toiletries. Some of my husband’s things. His jacket, his jumper, a few other things. I’ve kept them with me ever since...

Kenny: I’m sorry.

Erica: No one’s taking my husband’s things. Okay? I guess you can have the truck, it was his but...It’s got a full tank and guess I don’t need it. Might come in handy for getting around quick in a jam. It’s a bit dented and smashed up now though. He’d have gone mad if he saw it. His pride and joy that truck. He’s got some camping gear in the back. You know if anyone wants to go camping in these fucking woods.

(Kenny is silent for a moment.).

Kenny: I’ll come and find you later on. For the choosing ceremony.

Erica: Yeah whatever.

(He walks off. She reaches the front of the line and looks at the woman behind the counter. She says something in Cantonese.).

Erica: Um...Do you have toast? Just toast is fine. Thanks.

Tian Chen: Porridge this morning.

Erica: Oh...Well guess I’ll have that then.

(She finds a seat at the back on her own and sits down. She doesn’t eat much she hates porridge. The woman comes over a short while later with a cup of what looks like tea. Erica smiles at her.).

Erica: Thank you.

Tian Chen: You be okay.

(The woman nods and walks off again. Erica sighs. She sits there sipping the tea looking out of the window. She watches the street outside and is surprised to see quite a few people out and about. The street is full of them all walking up and down as if they are all going off to work or have some other place they need to be. She wonders where they are going as there doesn’t seem to be anywhere here to really go and there isn’t anything to do. She sighs and finishes the tea. She goes to the loo then leaves the diner. She stands there for a moment then heads up the road towards her truck. She unlocks it and puts her handbag in the back. She grabs Alex’s leather jacket and shoves it on. She puts her phone and cigarettes in the pocket before she locks the truck back up and pockets the keys. She then walks off heading towards the woods.).

(Boyd is pacing up and down by his desk. He’s had another chat with Frank about staying at the bar late and drinking too much. He needs to be there for his kid. They got lucky last night. All of them. He looks up as Kenny walks in.).

Boyd: Hey.

Kenny: Hey. New girl is being a bit difficult.

Boyd: Oh. How so?

Kenny: She won’t give up her stuff. Says some of it was her husband’s and she hasn’t got much anyway. She did offer up her truck and his camping gear though.

Boyd: Oh right. What kind of gear she got?

Kenny: I don’t know.

Boyd: Hm. You told her about the choosing ceremony?

Kenny: Yeah. She doesn’t seem bothered, said she wants to just be left alone. Wants to live on her own.

Boyd: Right. Well it’s hard to adjust at first. Hell it’s hard if you’ve been here months. Don’t get any easier does it?

Kenny: Guess not.

Boyd: I’m sure she’ll come around. Settle in start making friends.

Kenny: She seems hell bent on figuring this place out.

Boyd: A lot of people do at first. That’ll fade.

Kenny: Has it faded, for you?

(Boyd sighs.).

Boyd: Just bring her to the ceremony later. She’ll come around. I’ll talk to her.

Kenny: Okay. Good luck with that.

Boyd: Hey aren’t I a people person?

(Kenny smiles.).

Boyd: Listen...You just gotta explain things to people calmly and listen to them. Make sure they know the stakes, the rules. She seems to get it. Kept Megan safe in that bar last night. She didn’t even sleep. Had the wherewithal to stay awake, watch Megan, make sure she didn’t open a door or a window. I think she’s doing okay considering she just arrived. Do you think she’s a danger to anyone?

Kenny: Only herself maybe.

Boyd: Alright. I’ll talk to her.

Kenny: Okay.

(Erica doesn’t know how long she’s been walking or how far into the woods she is. She stops and looks around wondering if she should just go back. If she wanders around aimlessly she might lose her way and not be able to find town again. Then she wonders if it’s possible to lose the town. She’ll probably keep walking and end up back in it anyway. Like that scene from Identity when the convict runs away from the motel only to find himself right back in it. She then wonders what would happen if you walked out of town following the road instead of driving. She sighs, she already knows the answer. You’d just walk right back into it. She looks at her phone checking the time. It’s just after lunch. She sighs and keeps walking looking around. She doesn’t know what she’s looking for or what to do if she does see something. She stops again and stands there looking around. She then wonders where those people from last night are. Or rather not people. Are they out here? They must go somewhere. She thinks for a moment then yells into the trees.).

Erica: Whoooooooooooo!

(She stands there hearing nothing. She sighs and carries on walking. She comes to a hill with moss and trees growing out the top of it at odd angles. She frowns then notices a large opening like a tunnel. She stands there staring at it suddenly reminded of that stupid kids show the Teletubbies. She walks closer and takes out her phone. She snaps a quick picture then activates the torch function shining it into the opening. There’s no telling how far it goes, she wonders if an animal made it but the opening is too large for a badger or mole. She debates with herself for a moment. Going in there would be stupid and if she was in any other wood she probably wouldn’t, no way. But this place...A place you can’t leave and where things come out at night to hunt you...If she does nothing then she’s just stuck here forever. A thought suddenly occurs to her, those things are never out when the sun is up, maybe this is their tunnel. She sighs and steels herself before she crouches down and crawls inside. It’s narrow and she’s aware of all the dirt she’s getting covered in. Her hands are filthy in seconds and she wonders if she should just go back. Forget about all of this. But she can’t. There has to be answers somewhere right? There has to be a reason for all of this. What good is sitting in town gonna do. She suddenly finds herself in what looks like a cave. She stands up as the ground levels out and she shines her phone torch around the space. She is in some kind of cave network.).

Erica: The fuck?

(She looks around and walks down the narrow passage in front of her. She sees two other passages and realises it wouldn’t take much to get lost down here. She wonders how far it goes and again thinks about just turning back. For some reason her feet carry her onwards. She frowns as she makes out a shape ahead of her and her heart skips a beat but then she realises it’s just a suitcase. It’s an odd place to find a suitcase though. She bends down and opens it, it’s full of clothes.).

Erica: What the hell?

(Maybe it belonged to other people who have ended up here. But then why would it be down here? She walks on and another thought occurs to her, maybe it belongs to those things. They look like people and wear clothes...Maybe they were people originally and this is their stuff. But then what happened to them? Or maybe they aren’t people at all, maybe they are shapeshifters, they can disguise themselves as people to blend in and catch prey unawares. Her head is spinning and she walks on her mind filled with theories, each as unlikely and disturbing as the next. She doesn’t know how long she’s been down here or how far she’s come in and she glances back wondering if she can find her way out again. She feels for the wall and moves on shining her phone torch around. It doesn’t light up much and it’s so dark down here she can’t make much out. This was stupid she should just go back. She’s about to turn around and head back the way she came when she hears a noise to her left. Like a rasp followed by a soft scrape. She stops standing completely still, her heart is thumping so madly she is sure it’s about to come out of her chest, her pulse is pounding in her ears and her body shakes with adrenaline. She slowly shines the small light of the phone torch in the direction she heard the noise and freezes. She is looking at a pair of shoes, shoes with feet in them, attached to legs. There’s someone lying on the floor a few feet away from her. Her nails dig into the wall behind her as she moves the light upwards. Her mouth drops open as she sees a plaid shirt covered by a dark cardigan. She thinks back to the night she got here. The man standing in the road, the man with the red hair and big grin who she thought was Alex. She suddenly sees his hands, but they don’t look human. The fingers are long and bony with the longest nails she’s ever seen, they look like knives. She swallows hard and steps forwards raising the torch. His face is partially obscured by darkness but she can see that it is deformed. She stands there frozen trying to somehow figure out how something like this can exist. She is reminded of Alex’s favourite TV show Supernatural. This creature would be right at home on that show. She moves the torch again and makes out clumps of red hair. This is definitely the man she saw in the road that night. The man who stood at the window of the bar grinning at her for ages. The man that knew her name. He lets out a small noise and twitches but remains asleep. At least she thinks he’s asleep. Or it. Whatever. She steps back getting ready to leave but something suddenly seems to keep her rooted there staring at the creature sleeping on the floor of the cavern. She wonders again what he is. Why he behaves like he does. Why he hardly speaks. Why they sleep during the day, does the sun hurt them? She wonders why they need sleep at all. She can hear other noises now and she decides that they all must be down here. She is probably surrounded by these things, all sleeping. She needs to get out of here. Now. Before she can move however a voice to her right startles her.).

Creature: What are you doing down here hon?

(She jumps back and her torch flashes over a woman’s grinning face. She turns and runs back the way she thought she came. She can’t hear anything and she waits to feel clawed hands grabbing at her back. But she feels nothing but her heart pounding against her ribs and the rush of adrenaline coursing through her. Just when she thinks she’s gotten lost she sees light ahead of her and dashes towards it. She comes to a slight slope and crawls upwards as fast as she can. She bursts out of the tunnel into daylight and rolls through leaves and dirt. A twig digs into her back and she stands up breathing hard. She yanks her hunting knife out of its sheath and stands there staring at the tunnel entrance waiting to see one of those things leaping out at her. Thankfully the opening remains quiet and empty. The only sound is her breathing.).

Erica: Shit.

(She guesses she found what she was looking for. She now knows where they sleep.).

[chobit92]

From: Part Three

(Lauren is pacing the living room. Frank is sat holding his daughters teddy bear crying.).

Frank: This is all my fault.

Lauren: Yes it is.

(She lets out a sob.).

Lauren: I can’t stand this. I need to do something! I should be out looking!

Frank: No. I can’t lose you too!

Lauren: We haven’t lost Megan! Don’t say that!

Frank: No. Of course we haven’t.

(Lauren sobs.).

(Erica is pacing by the door. She goes to the window again and peers out. She can’t see anything. She looks around then turns to Megan.).

Erica: I want you to go and hide again okay? Where you were before. Don’t come out until I come for you okay?

Megan: Okay.

(Megan gets up and goes back into the storage room closing the door behind her. Erica opens the door and looks up and down the street. Just then a man rounds the corner. It’s the same man that was stood in the road last night. The one she thought was Alex.).

Erica: We meet again.

(The man grins at her. She turns to see an old lady walking towards her from the other side of the building. She steps back into the doorway. The man is now feet from her still grinning. She smiles back.).

Erica: Say something then. Or are you shy?

Creature: Why are you running?

Erica: I’m not running. Why aren’t you running?

(She steps back and shuts the door. She walks over to the bar and picks up a glass. She picks up a bottle and pours some of the yellowy amber liquid into the glass. She takes a sip and grimaces. Shit that’s strong. She wonders what she’s even drinking. She takes another sip and goes back to the window. The man is stood there grinning at her.).

Erica: What’s your name?

(He doesn’t answer.).

Erica: Okay. Like that is it? What are you?

(He tilts his head still grinning.).

Erica: Hmmm, too forward?

(She wonders where Boyd and the priest got to, hopefully they made it back inside.).

(Lauren is sat on the couch. Boyd and Khatri are stood there looking down at her and Frank.).

Lauren: So she’s with the new girl, Erica?

Boyd: At the bar yes. They’re safe. We could try and get them out and bring them here but...

Lauren: It’s too dangerous. They might not make it. She must be so scared. She hasn’t even got her teddy.

Frank: She’s safe. She’s inside. She isn’t alone.

Lauren: I can’t bear not having her here in her own bed.

Boyd: I understand. But...The more we go out there the more risk there is.

Khatri: We also wouldn’t want to risk opening the door and letting those things into the bar.

Frank: No. No.

Lauren: I know.

Frank: You’re welcome to stay here.

Boyd: Thank you.

Lauren: I just hope she’s okay.

(Erica is still pacing the floor in the bar. She goes to the door and looks at the rock hanging on the wall next to it. It’s obviously doing its job as none of those things have come in yet. She goes back to the bar and pours herself another drink. She stops short of taking a sip though. She’s no good to little Megan if she’s drunk. She sighs wondering what to do. She goes to the window and looks out at the truck. The engine is still running and she wonders if that rock keeps them out of vehicles as well. A plan starts to form in her mind and just as she’s wondering if it will work the man from before appears at the window again. He grins at her.).

Erica: Your face will stay like that you know?

(She turns away and reaches into her handbag taking out a cigarette and lighting it. She hears a tapping sound and turns to see the man knocking gently on the window. She wonders for a moment if he is going to just break the glass and come in but he doesn’t. He just stands there staring at her grinning.).

Erica: Can’t get in huh?

(Maybe that rock does work after all. She wonders if she could make it past him with the girl and make it to the truck. She could take the rock with her and drive to the girls house. Hopefully with the rock they couldn’t get in the truck. The man is still staring at her smiling and she wonders why.).

Erica: If you’re trying to scare me it isn’t working.

(He says nothing. She wonders if they are all like this. She wonders why they stand there smiling like that? What are they so happy about? Maybe they don’t even know. She goes to the other window and looks out onto the street. She can’t see anything else moving and she wonders if she should just stay put with the girl until morning. She goes back to the other window where the man is still stood.).

Erica: Do me a favour and piss off somewhere else would you?

(He shakes his head and she wonders if they can read minds. Maybe he knows all about her plan. No that’s crazy. But then this whole situation is crazy. Maybe she’s gone mad. Yeah that’s it. She’s finally succumbed to stress and grief and she’s had a psychotic break. This is all in her head. But then would her mind really think something like this up? She sighs. She finishes her cigarette and stubs it out in the ashtray. She walks back to the window.).

Erica: Gonna stand out there all night aren’t you?

(She wonders what he’s thinking. What he is. How he came to be. He looks human. Perhaps he was at some point. Or perhaps he is a dead body that has been re-animated by something else. That’s a disturbing thought.).

Erica: I don’t get any more impressive the longer you stare at me. Promise.

(He doesn’t reply. It’s started to rain now. She sighs and goes back to the bar. She looks towards the storage room and wonders if Megan is okay. With any luck she’s fallen asleep. She tries to make sense of what is happening here. She knows she fired that flare gun at the face of that woman. It should have blinded her or at the very least left her badly burned. But she seemed to be unscathed. She ran them over too. She ran them over and they got right back up like they’d just tripped and fell. Impossible. This whole situation is impossible. She looks down at the drink she poured. Maybe she will have it after all.).

(Lauren is still pacing and she is clutching Megan’s teddy bear. Tears roll silently down her cheeks.).

Frank: I’m sure she’s fine.

Lauren: Don’t talk to me. This is all your fault.

Frank: You left the door unlocked.

(Lauren looks shocked and she opens her mouth but Khatri beats her to it.).

Khatri: This isn’t helping. Megan is safe. She’s down at the bar with Erica.

Lauren: The new girl? Right.

Frank: I’m sure she’ll look after her just fine Lauren.

Khatri: I saw her take on quite a few of those things to get down to that bar. Girl seemed pretty fearless.

Lauren: That’s only because she doesn’t get it yet! She doesn’t know how dangerous those things are!

Boyd: Listen Lauren, we can risk our lives trying to get down there and then we can risk our lives trying to get back with your little girl. I don’t think we’re gonna make it very far. So best thing we can do is wait until morning then head down there.

Lauren: She must be missing me. She never usually sleeps without her bear either.

Frank: I’m sure she’s fine. Come on you need to get some rest.

Lauren: Like I’m going to be able to sleep tonight. My baby girl is across town and she’s probably scared.

Frank: Hey don’t do this to yourself.

Lauren: How can I not? She hasn’t been out of my sight since we came here.

Khatri: I’m sure she’s fine.

Lauren: She better be. If that Erica girl doesn’t take care of my daughter...If anything happens to my baby..I’ll kill her!

(Erica takes another sip of her drink and digs her notebook out of her handbag. Taking out a pen she sits down in front of the window and moves the table over slightly. She starts writing her hand flying across the page. She then looks out the window again. The man is still stood there. It’s raining hard now and he’s soaking wet. He doesn’t seem bothered though.).

Erica: You’ll catch a cold if you stay out there all night.

(He just grins at her. She writes something else down in her notebook then glances towards the storeroom. She’d checked on Megan a little while ago. The girl was scared and missing her mom and dad. She wanted to go home. Erica told her that they had to wait until the sun came out. It wouldn’t be long and if she went to sleep it would be even quicker. She told her the story about the Princess and the pea, the fairytale she used to read when she was a child. Megan had finally fallen asleep. She’d found a pillow and a dusty old blanket in the storeroom. There was also an old spring mattress propped against the back wall. Erica wonders if somebody usually sleeps in here.).

Erica: You need an umbrella.

(The man doesn’t respond and she makes another note, writing no response, in her notebook.).

Erica: So what do I call you?

(He blinks and smiles again.).

Erica: What’s your name?

(His smile widens.).

Creature: Alex.

(Erica stares at him. Alex. She knows this isn’t Alex but...That’s weird. Why did he say that? Then she suddenly realises something. That’s what she called him last night. When she saw him standing in the road. She writes in her notebook again.).

Erica: So now you’re trying to mess with me? Okay, Alex. Where do you come from?

(He doesn’t answer and she continues to write keeping a written log of their conversation. She finds herself wondering again if he can read minds. She pictures herself in her mind cutting his head off with her hunting knife. If he can read minds and he’s seen this he has no reaction to it. His expression doesn’t change. She then realises something. She called him Alex again. She’s playing his game. He’s trying to reel her in...Like a fish. She finds herself wondering if he’s some sort of Siren. She makes another note. So he wants to play games...She smiles back at him then finds herself picturing the two of them in bed making love. She stares at him trying to gauge what he is thinking and whether or not he has read her mind but he shows no reaction. She then tries asking him a question in her head but again gets no response.).

Erica: This is a waste of time.

(She writes something else then closes the notebook. She stands up and downs the drink.).

Erica: Not even gonna bother talking to me.

(She walks off heading back to the bar.).

Creature: We can talk if you open the door Erica.

(She stops dead. She turns back and stares at him. He is grinning again and his gaze seems to pierce right through her. How does he know her name? She never told him. He hasn’t heard anyone say it has he? Did the sheriff or that priest shout it earlier? She doesn’t think so. She told Megan her name when she came in here but he wouldn’t have heard that would he? He wasn’t even here. Or was he? She walks back over to the window.).

Erica: You know my name?

Creature: Of course I do. It’s me, Alex.

(She doesn’t know how he knows her name but she knows he isn’t Alex. He wants to be let in. He is trying to manipulate her into opening the door. The rock with the carving on it is keeping him out. But he can come in if she opens the door or a window, that’s what the sheriff said. So he needs to be invited in. Like a vampire. What the fuck? Draws you in like a Siren but acts like a vampire. She sits back down and opens her notebook again writing down several more of her thoughts and their conversation.).

Erica: You’re not Alex. You know you don’t even really look like him now that I think about it.

(He doesn’t answer. His gaze suddenly shifts and he seems to be focused on something behind her. She turns and sees Megan peering around the doorframe of the storeroom.).

Erica: Hey.

(She gets up and walks over to her.).

Megan: I woke up and couldn’t find Binky.

Erica: Binky?

Megan: He’s my teddy. I think he’s at home. I always sleep with him.

Erica: Well...I bet he is having a nice little holiday with your mom and dad.

Megan: But I don’t even know where daddy is. He’s usually here but he wasn’t.

Erica: You just missed him. He’s at home with your mom.

Megan: I want to go home.

Erica: We can’t just yet. Soon. I promise. Go back to sleep.

Megan: I need the toilet.

Erica: Okay.

(Erica wonders if there’s a toilet in here. She can’t see one and a sweep of the place reveals that there isn’t. She then looks out the window and sees a small shed with WC written on it in faded lettering. She sighs. Typical. She finds a bucket and brings it into the storeroom. Megan looks down at it.).

Erica: It’s all we’ve got I’m afraid.

Megan: How am I meant to go to the toilet in this?

Erica: Well you’ll have to just squat.

(The girl looks up at her then sighs. Erica leaves the room and glances at the window. The man is still stood there. She sighs.).

Megan: I’m done. Is there any toilet paper?

(Erica goes back into the storeroom and she finds some.).

Erica: Finally some luck at last. Wonder where they got this from.

(She hands a roll to Megan and then moves the bucket to the corner. Megan puts the used toilet paper in the bucket before lying down again.).

Megan: I don’t like it in here.

Erica: It’s not so bad. Anyway we won’t have to stay long. It’ll soon be morning then you can go home.

Megan: Okay.

(Erica looks around the storeroom. There aren’t any windows in here and she sees nothing else of use to them.).

Erica: Night.

Megan: Night.

(She leaves pulling the door shut behind her. She goes back to the window where the man is still stood grinning.).

Erica: Your face must be aching something chronic now.

(He doesn’t respond.).

Erica: You don’t give up do you?

(She sits back down and pours herself another drink. She then lights up another cigarette before it occurs to her that she won’t be able to buy any more and the ones she has with her are all she has. She wonders again where the toilet paper came from if nobody can leave to do any shopping then shakes her head. There are more important questions that need answering. She writes in her notebook then looks back at the man.).

Erica: What time is it? You wearing a watch?

(She looks down at his hands and finds herself looking at his clothes. She frowns as she studies him. It isn’t the kind of clothing you would expect a guy to be wearing these days. They are all about jeans and hoodies and trainers and the like. It’s rare you see a man before the age of 60 wearing anything smart or old fashioned. This guys clothes however consist of a plaid shirt, a black cardigan and black trousers. She gets up and presses her face to the window looking down. He is wearing smart black shoes. His hair seems neatly combed and he is smiling again.).

Erica: I like your shirt. Something’s missing though. Oh yeah, you need a pipe.

(She takes a drag of her cigarette and raises her eyebrows at him before scribbling some more notes in her book.).

(Lauren is sat at the kitchen table clutching Megan’s teddy bear. Frank is asleep on the sofa and Father Khatri is dozing in the armchair. Boyd walks over and sits down opposite her.).

Boyd: You should get some rest.

Lauren: I can’t sleep. I don’t know how he can sleep. Our daughter is out there somewhere. She might even be dead.

Boyd: Don’t say that. She’s at the bar with Erica.

Lauren: Doesn’t make me feel better.

Boyd: Just try and get some sleep. Okay?

Lauren: I’m gonna make a coffee.

Boyd: I’ll do it.

(He gets up and boils the kettle. He gets out two mugs and places a spoonful of what passes as coffee here in each one. He makes the drinks and sets them down on the table before taking his seat again.).

Lauren: This Erica...She knows right? You told her the rules right? You explained about windows and...and the talismans?

Boyd: Yes I did. She knows.

Lauren: Are you sure?

Boyd: Lauren you need to stop worrying okay? Don’t do this to yourself. Get some rest.

Lauren: That isn’t gonna happen.

(She sits there clutching the teddy bear and staring down into the mug. Boyd sighs.).

(Erica is sat on the bar stool looking around the room. The man isn’t at the window anymore. He turned around and walked off. She’s pulled the blanket that was hanging there across the window hiding the outside from view. She checked on Megan a few minutes ago, she’s asleep. Erica is looking at her notebook, at the notes she’s taken. She sighs as she tries to work this shit out. She can’t. She has her hunting knife in her other hand gripping the handle tight. She now has a headache coming on and as she looks around the bar watching the doors and windows and keeping an eye on Megan she realises she isn’t going to get a wink of sleep tonight.).

[chobit92]

From: Part Two

(Erica is sat at the desk in the Sheriff’s office with a cup of coffee. It tastes rank but it’s hot. She is sore and her head is pounding. The Sheriff is sat on the edge of the desk.).

Erica: So...Those people last night weren’t people?

Boyd: Nope.

Erica: So what are they then?

Boyd: We don’t know.

Erica: Hm. Okay. If you had to take a guess.

Boyd: I wouldn’t even know where to start.

Erica: Ghouls? Wendigos? Vampires? Wraiths?

(He sighs.).

Boyd: Look I know you think I’m crazy-

Erica: Crazy? I don’t know. You don’t look like a crazy person. You don’t sound like one either. I don’t know what to think. Maybe I’m dreaming.

Boyd: I wish that was the case.

Erica: I might still be drunk.

Boyd: Nope.

Erica: Hm. So...I’m meant to believe that we are all stuck here and can’t leave town and there’s monsters that come out at night and want to kill us all just because?

Boyd: That’s the truth.

Erica: Hm.

(She finishes the coffee and stands up.).

Erica: So I walk or drive out of town and end up back in it?

Boyd: Yes.

Erica: This has happened to all of you?

Boyd: Yes.

Erica: Everyone sees the tree?

Boyd: Yes.

Erica: Just when I thought my life was messed up enough already.

(She walks to the door and leaves walking down the steps. She sees people milling about in the street and several people going into the diner. She sighs. This is crazy. Maybe she’s crazy. Maybe the stress has finally driven her mad. She takes a cigarette out of her bag and lights it up. She walks down the road. Several people stare at her and she wonders if everyone here is mad and it isn’t her at all. But then she thinks back to what she saw last night. That woman that attacked her, her face. The way she drove out of town but ended up right back in it. She walks up the steps to the diner and stubs out her cigarette before going inside. The chatter stops and everyone turns to stare at her.).

Erica: What?

(She sees the boy from last night.).

Kenny: Hey. How are you doing?

Erica: I could do with a coffee. That Sheriff can’t make one for shit.

(The boy laughs.).

Kenny: Well sit down. We’ll get you some breakfast.

(The woman behind the counter starts speaking Cantonese before bustling off. Erica sits down on a stool aware of eyes on her.).

Erica: Why is everyone gawping at me?

Kenny: You’re new.

Erica: So? Does nobody here have manners? It’s rude to stare you know?

(The woman comes back with a cup of coffee and a plate of pancakes.).

Erica: Thanks. So...If nobody can leave the town how do you go shopping?

Kenny: We don’t.

Erica: Then where does all the food come from?

Kenny: We grow our own food. We have to be self sufficient. We also share whatever people bring in with them.

Erica: Right. Well don’t look at me. I ain’t got a whole lot.

(Erica takes a few nibbles of the pancakes and sits there prodding bits with her fork. A long dark haired woman sits down on the stool next to her.).

Fatima: Hey. I’m Fatima.

Erica: Erica.

Fatima: It’s nice to meet you. You got here last night huh?

Erica: Yeah.

Fatima: You were lucky.

Erica: I doubt that.

Fatima: You were. Not everyone that arrives at night makes it ‘til morning.

Erica: Because the monsters kill them.

Fatima: Yes.

Erica: Hm. How come they didn’t kill me then?

Kenny: Looks like they gave it a pretty good go.

(He indicates her arm.).

Erica: Not good enough. I’m still here.

Fatima: Lucky.

Erica: Hm. If I was lucky I wouldn’t have wound up here in the first place would I?

Fatima: True I suppose. But then you also wouldn’t have met me so...

(Erica raises her eyebrows.).

Fatima: Sorry. I was just trying to make light of things.

Ellis: She does that.

(A young guy has sidled up to them. He grins at Erica and she smiles back.).

Kenny: You not hungry?

Erica: Oh...Hung over I guess. I shouldn’t have been drinking so much.

Ellis: You were drinking last night?

Erica: Yeah.

Ellis: Hey I wasn’t judging you. In your shoes I’d have done the same.

Erica: What?

Ellis: Well turning up here in the middle of the night will drive anyone to have a drink.

Erica: I’d been drinking before I got here.

Ellis: Oh.

Erica: Yeah. I really shouldn’t have been the car. I could have killed someone. I wasn’t thinking straight.

Ellis: Well you didn’t kill anyone. So...No harm no foul right?

Erica: I guess.

(Boyd walks in followed by a blonde woman. They walk over to Erica.).

Boyd: Hey. We didn’t finish our conversation.

Erica: I think we did.

Boyd: Nope. Still gotta show you the ropes. This is Donna.

Donna: Hi. Hear you had a close call last night.

Erica: Apparently so.

Boyd: No apparently about it.

Erica: I got attacked by some woman in the street. Maybe I nicked her parking space.

(Fatima laughs.).

Fatima: I like her.

Boyd: Hm. Come on I’ll show you around. Tell you what’s what.

Erica: I think I can make my own way around. Don’t need a babysitter. I do wish people would stop staring at me though.

Boyd: Ah I’m sure they don’t mean to. Your new that’s all. We all remember what that was like.

Erica: Hm.

(She eats some more then sips the coffee before getting up.).

Erica: So I take it I’m not under arrest for the drink driving?

Boyd: Nope. You got lucky there too. Not a real cop.

Erica: Hm. So you just locked me up for no reason last night then?

Boyd: I had a reason. To keep you safe. Walk with me.

Erica: What for? So you can stare at me and tell me how lucky I am? No thanks.

(She walks out of the diner and lights up another cigarette. She walks up the road and stares at her truck. She stands there staring at the middle of the road. She sees that guy from last night standing there again and she frowns. She wonders why she thought he was Alex. He clearly wasn’t. But for a minute...She hears footsteps behind her.).

Boyd: You okay?

Erica: Yeah. Just...

Boyd: Look I know it’s a lot and this is...Fucked up. But...You gotta trust us okay? It’s the only way we’re gonna get through this. We need to work together here.

Erica: Do we? Work together to do what exactly?

Boyd: Stay alive for one. Those things will be back out hunting tonight and I need to give you the lowdown. We also need to determine where you’ll be staying.

Erica: Staying?

Donna: Like it or not you’re stuck here like the rest of us.

Erica: Hm. So you say.

Boyd: It’s true. Get in your truck and try to drive out of here if you want. Don’t take my work for it.

Erica: That man that was in the road last night...

Boyd: What about him?

Erica: Who is he?

Boyd: We don’t know.

Erica: You don’t know?

Boyd: We don’t know what those things are only that they kill people.

Erica: You’ve been here how long and you haven’t figured out what they are?

Donna: You don’t exactly walk up to ‘em and ask.

Erica: Maybe not but I’m surprised you don’t have some idea.

Boyd: Why don’t we go inside the station and we can talk.

(Erica sighs and walks with them into the station. They sit down and Boyd makes the coffee.).

Boyd: So...You were travelling from Missoula.

Erica: Yeah. I was staying in a motel there.

(Boyd walks over to a map on the wall and puts a pin in it.).

Boyd: Hm. These pins represent a different person from town. All travelling different places, different parts of the country but all ending up here.

Erica: Really?

Donna: Yep.

Erica: Strange.

Boyd: It is.

Erica: So...You have a gun. I assume it doesn’t work on those things. Seeing as they’re still up and about.

Boyd: No it doesn’t.

Erica: Then you don’t carry it for them.

(Donna chuckles.).

Boyd: Who’s Alex?

Erica: Fucking nosy aren’t you?

Boyd: Hey. I was just asking. You called that thing out there Alex.

Erica: I thought he was Alex. It probably won’t make sense to you I...I was drunk. I was an idiot. I shouldn’t have been driving and I shouldn’t have drank so much. I was just...When I drove in here and see him in the middle of the road for a minute I thought it was him. Then I realised it wasn’t. I feel like such an idiot.

Boyd: No. Those things mess with your head. This place messes with your head.

Erica: My heads already messed.

(She smiles.).

Donna: Why would you think this Alex would be here just in the middle of the road?

Boyd: Donna those things...

Donna: I know they can fuck with you Boyd.

Erica: Alex is my husband. Five months ago he left for work and he never came home. I reported him missing but he’s never been found. He just vanished into thin air. The cops have got nothing. I have nothing. I’ve been travelling around to his friends and family, places he liked. I’ve been showing his picture around but nothing. His colleagues said he left work early that day. Which was unlike him. He didn’t come home and nobody knows what happened to him or where he is.

(She has tears in her eyes now and she angrily blinks them away.).

Boyd: I’m sorry to hear that.

Erica: My friends think that he walked out and left me. Maybe he did. You know I kind of hope he did. I know that sounds daft but...

Donna: It’s better than thinking that he’s dead.

(Erica nods.).

Erica: I thought I’d found something yesterday when his friend said he rented a cabin in Missoula a month before he went missing. I was expecting to find him up there with some other woman but...Nothing. The staff said they didn’t even recognise him. So I got drunk and got into my car like an idiot and headed home. Instead I crashed into a tree, my own stupid fault really. Then I drive in here and there’s this guy stood in the middle of the road who, in the dark, looks a bit like my husband and for a minute...For a minute I thought...He left me. He came out here to live with another woman because he got sick of me.

Boyd: Not knowing must be...I can’t imagine.

Erica: I think not knowing is worse. I kept waiting for a knock at the door, for the cops to tell me they’d found a body. But not knowing anything...You can never really move on. You’re just stuck. Wondering.

Boyd: I’m sorry. I really am.

Donna: That’s rough.

Erica: Now I’m in some crazy place where monsters come out at night like an episode of Supernatural. It just gets better. So...These monsters where are they now?

Boyd: Not sure. The woods somewhere I suppose.

Erica: So nobody’s ever gone into the woods looking for where they might lair up during the day?

Boyd: No. They haven’t.

Erica: Seems kind of daft. I mean shouldn’t we be trying to figure out what they are so we can kill them? Are any of you even trying to get out of this place? I mean you say we can’t leave but maybe that’s just coz you believe that we can’t.

Boyd: We can’t.

Donna: You believe what you want sweetie but it don’t change nothing. I also don’t think it’s a good idea to go out into the woods looking for those things.

Erica: Well...You might accept things as they are but I don’t. I’m getting out of here and if I have to figure out how to kill those things first so be it.

Donna: Good luck with that.

Boyd: Alright. So...You need to decide where you’re gonna stay. We have a choosing ceremony for newcomers. You will decide if you want to live in the town or up at colony house. Donna runs things up there.

Erica: Hell I don’t know where I want to stay. Somewhere away from the others staring at me?

Boyd: That’ll pass. We need to discuss the rules. So...Everyone is inside before dark. Windows and doors closed.

(He shows her a rock with a carving on it.).

Boyd: You hang these by the door and it stops those things getting in. Only if you keep the doors and windows closed. You open a window and that’s it those things just come in and rip you apart.

Erica: So...The rock is like warding.

Boyd: I don’t know.

Erica: You don’t know much do you?

(Boyd sighs.).

Boyd: We only know that it works. It’s better than the system we used to have trust me.

Donna: Yeah, we’d spend the night hiding hoping those things wouldn’t find us.

(Erica gets up.).

Boyd: Where are you going?

Erica: Deciding where I’m gonna stay.

(She leaves and gets into her truck. She starts the engine and drives off. Boyd steps out of the station with Donna and sighs.).

Donna: Let her get it out of her system. She’ll figure things out soon enough.

(Erica has ended up back in town twice now. She’s even turned around and tried going the other way. She drives out of town again and looks down at the mile counter on the dash. It moves from two to three and the town comes back into view. Three miles in either direction is as far as she gets before she ends up back here. She resets the counter and sets off again. This time she stops halfway out of town. She looks down at the counter, one and a half miles. She turns the truck around and heads back the other way but again she ends up right back where she started though this time not quite. She is now at the other end of the town opposite to where she started.).

Erica: Hmmm.

(She drives through the town and sees the Sheriff standing with Donna. She stops the truck and he walks over.).

Boyd: You done with this yet?

Erica: Not quite. I’m just gonna test something.

Boyd: Well if you say so.

Erica: Hey I gotta start somewhere if I’m gonna work this out.

(She takes out a notebook and writes something down before ripping out the page and handing it to him.).

Boyd: What’s this?

Erica: Well if by some miracle I make it out of here and don’t come back those are the instructions detailing what I did. You know just in case. Hate to leave you stuck here forever.

Boyd: Much appreciated. But I doubt it’s gonna work.

Erica: Don’t blame a girl for trying. I need to explore all avenues before admitting defeat.

(She drives off and gets halfway out of town again. She turns around and this time ends up where she started. She turns around and leaves the town stopping halfway again and turning around. She ends up on the opposite side of town again even though this is impossible. Unless of course the road is a circle.).

Erica: A complete circle. Going round and round.

(She turns around and leaves the town again. She stops halfway and turns back. She ends up back where she started. She turns around and leaves again but this time keeps driving. She ends up driving into town from the other end. She stops and pulls over switching off the engine.).

Erica: The road is a circle. No other turns, no other roads.

(She takes out her notebook and writes her hand flying over the page as she hastily scribbles notes. Boyd and Donna walk back over.).

Boyd: You done?

Erica: For now. Yes. The road is a circle.

Boyd: I could have told you that.

Erica: Could you? So how would you explain the fact that there are no other turns and we are in a town that has one road that goes round and round in a circle.

Boyd: I’ve already told you I can’t.

Erica: Ah because you haven’t looked for the answer. Well...Don’t worry. I’m just getting started.

(She finishes writing and closes her notebook.).

Erica: Now where am I going to stay seeing as for now I’m still stuck here for the foreseeable?

Boyd: That’s your choice. The town or Colony house.

Erica: So...How do I decide?

Donna: Could give you a tour if you like.

Erica: That would be nice. Thanks.

(To Erica’s surprise Donna gets in the passenger seat.).

Donna: We’ll see you in a bit.

Boyd: Alright.

(Boyd walks off and Erica starts the truck and drives up the road.).

Erica: So where are we going?

Donna: It’s the big house at the top of the hill. You can’t miss it.

(Sure enough the house soon looms into view.).

Erica: It’s nice. Kinda cool actually.

Donna: Yeah we like it.

(Erica parks the truck and gets out. Donna follows her up the front path to the doors. Erica sees several people in the grounds and two guys are sat on the porch smoking. She can smell the weed and she wrinkles her nose She hates that smell it makes her feel sick and gives her a headache. They go inside and Donna leads her to the kitchen.).

Erica: How many people live here?

Donna: There’s forty two of us at the moment.

Erica: That’s a lot.

Donna: Yeah.

Erica: How many bedrooms?

Donna: Not enough.

Erica: So where would I sleep if I stayed here?

Donna: We’d find you somewhere don’t worry. A lot of us sleep down here and not everyone has a bed. Some people take it in turns or toss a coin. We’re a family here, a community. It might not look ideal to you but you get used to it and there’s good people here.

(Donna moves through the house with Erica following. Suddenly Donna claps her hands together.).

Donna: Hey people!

(Everyone stops their conversations to look at Donna and several more people enter the room behind them.).

Donna: So you may have heard that we have a new resident. This is Erica.

(There is a chorus of hello’s and hi’s.).

Donna: She got here last night and I’m sure you’ll all make her feel welcome.

(Erica looks around at everyone staring at her. She walks to one of the windows and looks out. She notices a lot of the windows down here are boarded up or have blankets hanging in them. A lot of them have been tacked up haphazardly.).

Donna: You alright?

Erica: I guess so.

Donna: Well feel free to look around.

Erica: Thanks.

(Erica walks around the house before going back outside. She walks around the grounds and several people stop what they are doing to stare at her. She feels like the new kid at school and it’s starting to annoy her. She sighs and turns looking into the trees. She stands there for a moment before walking over to them. She walks into the trees and looks around frowning. She wonders how big the woods are and if you kept walking whether or not you’d end up back in town just like the road. She wonders where those people went, the ones from last night. She finds herself looking up into trees picturing the man from last night hanging upside down from a branch like some bat. She laughs to herself. Now that’s crazy. This whole situation is crazy. How can they be trapped here? It’s not possible. Unless like she said before they just think that they are. Maybe something here is messing with their perception. They drive down the road out of town but they don’t see the turning that takes them back to the main road. She wonders what those people are and how they came to be here. Maybe they were always here. Thoughts and theories swirl around her head as she walks. She doesn’t know how long she is walking for but all she can see are trees. She looks around and keeps walking scanning the forest for anything out of place or any sign of movement. It’s slightly darker here, the sun blotted out by the tree canopy above. She suddenly sees something up ahead and frowns. She walks towards it and looks down at the ground. She kneels and looks at an odd little structure built out of rocks. Like a rock kern. She’s never seen one like this before however and she takes out her phone opening up the camera. She takes several pictures of it then stares at the phone. No signal. She dials 911 but the phone just makes a bleeping sound and the call disconnects before it’s even started ringing. She sighs. Of course. What would she even tell the cops anyway? That she’s trapped in some town but she doesn’t know where and there’s monsters that come out at night and prowl the streets looking for the unwary resident that happens to be outside? She keeps walking and finds herself wondering again how big the forest is and if she’ll be able to find her way back.).

(It’s early evening and Boyd is walking the streets, he sees Sara and stops her with a wave of his hand.).

Sara: Sheriff.

Boyd: Hey. Have you seen the new girl?

Sara: Not since earlier. She was up at Colony house with Donna but she left.

Boyd: Left? Do you know where she went?

Sara: No. Sorry.

Boyd: Damnit.

(He walks off up the road and sees Donna.).

Boyd: Hey, I thought you were watching her?

Donna: Hey don’t start with me. I left her in the house, she was looking around the place. Next thing I know she’s gone. Trudy said she walked off into the woods.

Boyd: God Damnit! God Damnit!

Donna: I should have stayed with her.

Boyd: Yeah you should.

(Boyd turns and walks off. The town priest Rudra Khatri walks over.).

Khatri: Hey I heard the new girl is missing. Need some help?

Boyd: No it’s too dangerous. If she’s gone into the woods she could be anywhere. It’ll be dark soon. We don’t have much time. We need to start getting people inside.

Khatri: We’re going to leave her out there?

Boyd: I never said that. I just...I can’t lose anyone else. I don’t want to lose anyone else. Alright? So just stay here.

Khatri: So you’re going to go out there alone?

(Kenny comes walking over from the diner.).

Kenny: Hey any sign of her yet?

Boyd: No.

Kenny: Well I’ve asked all around and nobody’s seen her since this morning.

Boyd: I should have stayed with her. I should have handcuffed her to me Fucksake! I thought she knew the score!

Erica: She does.

(They all turn to see Erica walking towards them.).

Boyd: Where the hell have you been?

Erica: Nice to see you too.

Boyd: You don’t wander off like that you got it?

Erica: You are not the boss of me. I will do what I please.

Boyd: No you won’t.

Erica: I don’t like your tone fake Sheriff. I will not be bossed around or imprisoned just because you say so.

Boyd: I am not the one imprisoning you here alright?

Kenny: You need to listen to us.

Erica: I have listened to you.

Kenny: I know you think we’re crazy but you need to believe us. You’re safety depends on it.

Erica: This is crazy yes and I never said I didn’t believe you.

(Boyd runs a hand over his face.).

Boyd: Alright. We’ll have to do the choosing ceremony tomorrow. It’s too late now.

Erica: I’ll sleep in my damn truck if it makes it easier for you.

Boyd: It doesn’t. It wouldn’t be easy for you either. Because you’d be dead.

Erica: You’re really afraid of them aren’t you?

Boyd: You should be too.

Erica: Well...I’ve never really done scared. I often find fear just gives the thing you’re afraid of more power over you.

Kenny: That may be so but there’s a good reason to fear those things out there. I’ve seen what they can do.

Erica: All the more reason to discover what is going on here and get out then. Which is what I’ve been trying to do this afternoon. I found something actually.

(She takes out her phone and shows them the photo of the rock kern. Boyd frowns at it.).

Erica: Have you ever seen anything like that?

Boyd: No.

Kenny: Nope.

Donna: It could be nothing.

Erica: In a place like this? I think everything is something. Could a child have built it? Are there any children here?

Boyd: There’s one. But she doesn’t go into the woods. Nobody does.

Erica: So she couldn’t have built it. Hmmm. Interesting.

Boyd: Look I don’t know what you think you are doing but we need to be getting inside.

Erica: Fine. I’ll go up to the house with Donna.

Boyd: No. You’ll spend the night in the station with me.

Erica: What? Why?

Boyd: Because I don’t trust you not to go running off looking for answers. I can’t have you endangering people.

Erica: Excuse me? How the fuck have I endangered anyone? You know what screw you and your opinion of me.

(She walks off. Boyd follows her.).

Boyd: Where are you going?

Erica: I don’t know. But I know where I’m not wanted.

Boyd: Look you have to understand-

Erica: Oh I understand! You think I’m a freak! A danger to everyone. Well fine. I’ll go somewhere else. Just me then nobody will have to worry about the poor drunk girl who just got here eh?

Boyd: It’s not like that.

Erica: Then why are you locking me up away from others and why do you see fit to keep an eye on me?

(The sky is getting darker by the minute and black clouds are rolling in. It looks like it’s going to rain.).

Khatri: We need to be getting inside. Soon.

Erica: Nobody’s stopping you.

Boyd: I will drag you inside you know that?

Erica: Why? I don’t understand why you are being like this. Because I took a walk into the woods hoping to find something useful? Do you expect me to just sit here and accept that I’m stuck here forever and not try and find out how or why?

Boyd: It’s too dangerous!

Erica: So you’ve never searched this place for answers?

Boyd: I have. I was lucky to make it back here alive.

Erica: That doesn’t mean we just stop. If we work together we can figure this out.

Boyd: I’ve tried believe me. Look we need to be getting inside now we don’t have time for this.

Erica: So you just lock me up away from everyone every night? You know what I’d rather take my chances in my truck than be your prisoner here.

(Boyd sighs.).

Boyd: It’s just for tonight.

(There’s a few people still walking up the road. One of them shouts to Donna.).

Donna: I’m right behind you!

Boyd: Get going Donna we can handle this.

Donna: Just do as he says Erica, please.

(Donna turns and jogs up the road. Boyd turns to Kenny.).

Boyd: You should get going too.

Kenny: You sure?

Boyd: Yes. We’re fine.

(Kenny turns and walks off.).

Erica: I don’t see why I need to be locked up.

Boyd: I’m not gonna lock you up okay? The people in this town they are my responsibility. I can’t lose anyone else. If you’re wandering through the woods and you get lost and then it gets dark you’re dead. I don’t want that to happen.

Erica: Then by all means come with me. But we need to at least try and figure this out. We can’t just be stuck here. We just can’t be.

Boyd: I know it’s a lot to take in and you feel like you’re going crazy. Believe me I’ve been where you are. I know what it’s like. But right now I need you to trust me. I’m not going to lock you up okay? You just have to come inside with me. It’s just for tonight. You can choose where you want to stay tomorrow.

(An argument can suddenly be heard outside the house down the street. A woman is screaming at a man and the man is crying and pleading with her. Boyd turns and walks down the road. Erica follows him along with the priest. It’s almost dark now.).

Boyd: Hey you need to get inside. Now.

Lauren: Megan’s missing!

Boyd: She’s what?

Frank: She was meant to be here!

Lauren: You’re off getting drunk again!

Frank: I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

(The man is sobbing now.).

Boyd: When did you last see her?

(Boyd is trying to remain calm but Erica can hear the panic in his voice.).

Lauren: I fell asleep on the couch. It must have been an hour ago. I just woke up and she was gone!

Boyd: I thought you kept your door locked?

Lauren: I was waiting for Frank to get home, he didn’t have his key.

Frank: You should have just locked the door Lauren.

Erica: This isn’t helpful. Where would she go?

Lauren: I don’t know. She knows not to leave the house but...She was probably looking for you!

(She jabs a finger at Frank.).

Lauren: She gets so upset when you don’t come home from the bar!

Erica: Okay where is the bar?

Boyd: Just up here. Edge of town.

(She follows Boyd at a jog down the road past the diner, they head towards another building right at the edge of town. They go inside but it’s empty. Boyd sighs.).

Boyd: Damnit.

Erica: It’s okay she can’t have gotten far.

Khatri: What if she’s wandered into the woods?

Erica: How old is she?

Boyd: Seven.

Erica: I doubt she’d have gone in there. We should check on other residents. She might have knocked their door and they’ve let her inside.

Khatri: That’s a good point.

Boyd: They’d have said something!

Erica: Hey it’s not over yet.

Boyd: You don’t understand! Those things are coming!

Erica: Then we need to find her. Come on.

(Erica dashes back outside. It’s dark now and she jogs down the road past the diner to the parents house. She sees that the woman has shut her front door and is peering out through the window. Erica runs to the door with Boyd and the priest following.).

Erica: She wasn’t at the bar. Where else would she go?

Lauren: I don’t know! I don’t...

(She lets out a sob. The man is crying in the hall behind her holding a teddy bear.).

Lauren: Please you have to find her.

Boyd: We will find her. Just stay inside alright?

Lauren: I should be out there looking.

Boyd: No. We’ll find her just stay inside.

(Erica turns and sees several people walking down the street. Boyd curses.).

Khatri: They’re here.

(Erica walks onto the street and stands there looking up the road. She looks around and she sees Kenny peering out of a window across the street. The woman from the diner, his mom, is stood next to him. They both look worried. Erica scans the street again wondering where a little girl would go in a town like this.).

Erica: If she left looking for her father and didn’t find him at the bar why didn’t she return home? Because it was getting dark.

Boyd: What?

Erica: So she would have stayed put. She would have hid.

Boyd: I don’t know. Maybe.

(She turns to head back to the bar but she sees that several of those things are stood at the door. Boyd had shut the door back up when they left.).

Khatri: You’re thinking that she’s hiding in the bar?

Erica: I don’t know maybe. I don’t see where else she would have gone. She wouldn’t have wandered off surely? Her parents must have told her something about this place to make sure she knew what to do and what not to do.

Boyd: Damnit. We need to get inside.

Erica: Without finding the kid? Fuck that.

(Erica suddenly turns and races up the street towards her truck. She opens the boot and grabs a box taking out a large hunting knife. She wields it in her hand as she turns to the people strolling towards her. One of them is close enough to grab and she slashes at its throat with the knife. The knife leaves a gash about two inches wide but no blood pours out and the thing just keeps smiling at her. There’s no exit as three of them surround her. She hears Boyd and the priest yelling and several gunshots. She dives back into the trucks large boot and swings the door closed. She feels around and finds her husband’s camping bag, he always left it in the truck. He volunteered as search and rescue when they lived together in the mountains. She opens it and takes out a flare gun. She feels around for some flares and loads the gun up. The back window smashes sending glass everywhere. She takes aim and as soon as the first smiling face comes into view she fires. The flare strikes the thing straight in the eye and it lets out a surprised shriek walking backwards a few steps. She loads the gun again and opens the boot back up swinging the door upwards as hard as she can. The corner strikes another one, a man dressed like a cowboy, in the forehead knocking his hat off. She fires the flare gun again and dives from the boot before running around the side of the truck. She gets in the driver’s seat and starts the engine. She sees Boyd and the priest heading inside the station firing at the things but the bullets much like the flare gun have no effect and they seem to keep coming. She slams her foot down on the gas and careers down the street heading for the bar. There are five or six of them stood outside it and they all turn in unison to stare at the truck as it speeds towards them. They smile at her and one of them even offers a wave. They show no sign of being concerned about the truck hurtling towards them. They don’t even move. She grips the steering wheel tight and clenches her teeth. The truck hits plowing through the people knocking them over like bowling pins. The truck skids and slides to a stop. Erica leaps out and runs up to the bar throwing the door open and ducking inside before slamming it shut behind her. She peers out of the window and sees that the people are getting up and some of them are already on their feet. She sighs. So running them over does nothing either. She looks around the room and walks behind the bar.).

Erica: Megan are you in here?

(She looks around and sees a large cupboard in the corner. She opens it but finds nothing. She sighs. She then hears a small creak and frowns. There is a door at the back that looks like it leads to a storage room. She opens it and stares at the small girl curled into a ball at the back.).

Erica: Hey. Megan?

(The girl looks up at her.).

Erica: I’m Erica. You gave us a scare there.

Megan: I thought daddy was here but he wasn’t. Then it got dark so I hid. Mommy said monsters come out when it gets dark so you have to hide.

Erica: Good girl. You did a good job.

(Megan gets up and Erica takes her hand leading her out into the room. She sighs wondering how they are going to make it back to the girls house. Erica thinks she was lucky enough to make it here. She wonders if the others would hear her if she shouted out the window but that would involve opening the window.).

Erica: Okay. We might have to stay here the night.

Megan: But I want my mom.

Erica: I know. But...It was hard enough getting here. The monsters are outside.

Megan: I’m scared.

Erica: It’s okay. Just let me think for a minute okay?

(The girl nods and sits down at the table. Erica goes to the window and peers out. She can’t see anything outside. There is no one at the truck and she wonders where they all went. She glances left and right then opens the window a crack before yelling as loudly as she can.).

Erica: I’VE GOT MEGAN! WE’RE FINE! I’VE GOT MEGAN! WE’RE OKAY! I’VE GOT MEGAN! WE’RE SAFE! SAFE!

(She quickly shuts the window again before sitting down and sighing. She hopes the others heard her.).

(Boyd is pacing the floor inside the station.).

Boyd: We need to get back out there.

Khatri: We barely made it in here.

Boyd: I know but we can’t just leave them!

Khatri: Do you hear that?

(Khatri goes to the window and presses his ear to the glass. Boyd walks over and peers out.).

Boyd: What?

Khatri: There was a shout.

Boyd: I can’t hear anything.

(They listen intently for any sound.).

Boyd: It sounds like Erica.

Khatri: What’s she saying?

(Boyd goes to the door and peers out before opening it up slowly and stepping outside. He looks around and sees several of those things milling around. Then he hears the shout.).

Erica: I’VE GOT MEGAN! WE’RE SAFE! SAFE!

(Boyd breathes a sigh of relief before ducking back inside and closing the door.).

Khatri: I just heard it again. I couldn’t make out what it was saying though.

Boyd: It was Erica. She says she’s got Megan and that they’re safe.

Khatri: Thank God. Do you think Lauren and Frank heard it?

Boyd: I don’t know. I hope so. Maybe I should run down there and tell them.

Khatri: We shouldn’t go out again. I think we were lucky tonight. Hate to push it.

Boyd: But they could be worrying over there. They might go out looking get hurt.

Khatri: You’re right. We should definitely go.

(Boyd goes back to the door his gun drawn.).

[chobit92]

Reposting for the second image of Boyd swiping the bell off of the side because for some reason that made me laugh so hard even though nothing about this is funny. All the actors on the show are amazing but he is one of the best I’ve seen.

FROM (2022 - present)

S01E03 // S03E02

[chobit92]

From: Part One

(Erica walks into the bedroom and goes to window looking out. Its dark out and she can’t see much. She sighs and changes into a long white nightgown. She then goes to the mirror and brushes her hair before checking her makeup. She can hear laughter drifting up the stairs down the hall. She wonders how they can laugh like that. She hasn’t felt like laughing in a while, even before she ended up living here. She puts the hairbrush on the dresser and opens her notebook flicking through the pages. She sighs. She switches on her iPad and opens her music. The battery is at forty five percent now and she has no way of charging it up. She starts playing Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight and picks up a photograph gazing down at it. A tear drops onto the image and she puts it down again. She turns to the mirror again and wipes her eyes. She sighs and looks at the door. She can hear the others singing happy birthday now. What a place to spend a birthday. She then hears a tapping sound and she looks up into the mirror. There is a man standing at the window behind her. His face splits into a massive grin and she turns around. He stands there staring at her as she walks to the window.).

Erica: I was starting to think I’d never see you again.

(He just stands there grinning at her.).

Erica: Its Emma’s birthday. I didn’t really fancy it.

(He is still grinning at her. She smiles back at him.).

Erica: Guess you haven’t been up to much lately? Yeah neither have I.

(She walks to the dresser and picks up a glass. She takes a sip and grimaces. Not quite the same as vodka or whiskey but its strong stuff. She turns half expecting the man to have disappeared but he is still stood there staring at her.).

Creature: Can I come in?

(She walks back to the window clutching the glass. It’s rare she hears him speak. He usually doesn’t say much of anything and he never really answers her when she talks to him.).

Erica: I don’t know. You’d have to ask Donna. It’s her house.

Creature: I’m asking you.

(He is staring at her then he grins again. She wonders what he is, what he’s thinking. She knows he’s dangerous, that she shouldn’t let her guard down. But she finds she doesn’t really care. She sighs. She places her hand flat on the glass. He lifts his hand and places it in the same position on his side.).

Creature: Why won’t you let me in?

Erica: I can’t.

(He moves his hand placing it back at his side.).

Creature: You don’t trust me.

Erica: No. I don’t. Anyway I can’t have your friends crashing the party can I?

Creature: It’s just me.

Erica: I can meet you. You know the bus down by the diner? I’ll meet you there. Give me one hour.

(She smiles. He grins back.).

Creature: You’ll come outside?

Erica: Of course I will. That’s what I’ve just said isn’t it? I’ll meet you at the bus.

(He grins.).

Erica: I can’t wait to see you.

(She suddenly knows what she wants and what she is going to do. She’s had enough of this.).

Erica: I’ll see you at the bus. Okay?

(He just stands there smiling and she sighs. She goes to her bag and rummages through her clothes. She turns back to the window but the man is gone.).

3 MONTHS EARLIER:

(It’s dark out and the roads are empty save for the Nissan Navara that Erica is driving. It’s her husband’s truck. She glances at the bottle of vodka on the passenger seat and sighs. She shouldn’t even be driving. Tears sting her eyes. What is she doing? She should have stayed at the motel. She shouldn’t have come out here. She doesn’t even know where she’s going. She realises she’s going way too fast and slows down. She sniffs and grips the steering wheel so hard her knuckles turn white. She rounds a bend and slams on the brakes as the car careers towards a fallen tree. The car skids several feet before hitting it. The airbags burst forth and Erica is slammed backwards against the seat. She lets out a small moan and lifts her arm trying to shove the airbag out of the way. Her nose is bleeding and she struggles to get the seatbelt off. She puts the handbrake on and opens the door. She gets out and walks around to the front of the vehicle. She sighs and fresh tears fill her eyes. The truck is now missing a headlight and the front bumper is dented along with the bonnet. She goes back to the driver’s side and rummages in her handbag for her phone. No signal. She gets back in the seat and closes the door. She puts the truck in reverse and backs it up. She stares at the tree for a minute then looks around wondering what made it fall. The tree is completely uprooted yet none of the others appear damaged. Weird. She turns the truck around and drives off. She’ll head back to the motel. She shouldn’t have come out anyway. That’ll teach her to drive after necking vodka all evening. She yawns and frowns as she sees a small shack on the right. She doesn’t remember passing that on the way but then she is a little drunk. That just shows that she isn’t paying attention. She sighs and rounds a slight bend then frowns as a small town comes into view. She certainly doesn’t remember driving through here and she’s pretty sure she would have noticed this. Vodka or no vodka. The engine is making a funny noise and she smacks the steering wheel. Why did she come out here? What exactly did she hope to find? Answers? The thought makes her laugh now she thinks about it. Stupid. The town looks abandoned save for lights in some of the windows. She follows the road back out and keeps driving willing the truck to stay running. That would be just what she needs on top of everything else, to get stuck in the middle of nowhere. She sighs again then frowns as a shack comes into view on the right. Her frown deepens when she finds herself in the same town as before. She looks at the diner as she passes then turns back to the road. She lets out a gasp and slams on the brake. A man is standing in the middle of the road. She stops about a foot from him. He stands there grinning at her and she stares at him.).

Erica: What the...

(She grabs her bag and gets out of the truck. She is aware of someone at the window of the building across the way. She sees several people standing further up the road.).

Erica: Hey I nearly mowed you down.

(The man just stands there grinning, the trucks remaining headlight illuminating his features. She stares at him with her mouth open.).

Erica: Alex?

(Boyd is sat at his desk sipping from a glass. He looks across at Kenny who is leaning back in his chair staring at the ceiling.).

Boyd: Penny for your thoughts?

Kenny: Hm. Not sure they’re worth that.

Boyd: Come on. I know something’s on your mind. Spit it out.

(Kenny opens his mouth to answer but stops and turns to the window. Boyd does the same. They can hear a car outside and both men get up going over to the window. Boyd parts the blinds and peers out. He sees a large truck driving down the road outside. A man is standing in the middle of the road and the truck slams on its brakes.).

Boyd: Shit!

(Drawing his gun he heads to the door.).

(Erica is staring at the man in the middle of the road.).

Erica: Alex?

(A man is suddenly shouting from the doorway of the building across the way.).

Boyd: Get inside! Get in here now!

Erica: What the fuck?

(She looks back at the man stood in the road. He’s now moved closer and is still grinning at her.).

Erica: Alex?

(The man tilts his head staring at her curiously. It can’t be Alex. Shaking she gets back in the truck and pulls over applying the handbrake and switching off the engine. She removes the keys and gets out again heading towards the building where the man is stood. He is still yelling and she now sees he’s waving a gun. She hears a noise to her right and turns to see a woman smiling at her.).

Erica: Hey. Is it okay if I park here?

(The woman suddenly lunges at her and Erica sees a face full of teeth. She stumbles backwards.).

Erica: What the fuck?

(She hears gunshots and turns around heading back up the road. She hears the man shouting again and she can see several more people walking around the side of houses. She frowns, they seem strange. She turns and sees the man that she nearly ran down following her up the road. He is still grinning. She now sees that he isn’t Alex at all. She turns and keeps walking. She suddenly feels a sharp pain in her arm and turns to see a woman dressed as a waitress snarling at her. She looks down and realises that she’s bleeding. The woman lunges at her and she jumps back before running up the road. She runs around the side of one of the houses and peers out. The street is now filled with people and they all seem to be walking slowly in her direction.).

Woman: Where are you going?

(She turns to see a woman with pearls around her neck smiling at her. She steps back and jogs to the next house. She darts off again coming around the side of another building. She is sure this is where the man with the gun was. She doesn’t know if she should be going towards the man with the gun who was yelling but she doesn’t think it wise to stay out here. These people are definitely trying to attack her. She creeps around the side of the building and peers up the street. She can still see the slow walking people; there are over a dozen of them. She makes a break for the steps and tries the door. It’s locked, typical. She knocks. A man appears and opens the door. He grabs her dragging her inside before slamming it shut again.).

Boyd: Goddamn! I thought I’d never see you again.

Erica: What?

(She sees a young boy as she walks in and takes in the room.).

Erica: You the Sheriff?

Boyd: That’s me. Sheriff Boyd.

Erica: Erica. There’s a crazy woman outside by the way. Might want to do something about her before she seriously hurts someone.

Boyd: Wish I could believe me.

(The boy has brought a first aid kit over. He opens it up and points at her arm.).

Kenny: Let me take a look at that.

Erica: Oh pretty sure it’s nothing.

Kenny: I’ll be the judge of that.

Boyd: You’re lucky to be alive.

Erica: You’ve no idea.

(She sits down and the boy takes a look at her arm before grabbing some bandages.).

Kenny: Stay still. I need to stop this bleeding.

Boyd: Where you coming from?

Erica: Um...Montana.

Boyd: Montana? Huh.

Erica: I’ve been staying in a motel near Missoula. I shouldn’t have come out tonight.

Kenny: Yeah you shouldn’t have. Have you been drinking?

Erica: I’m sorry. I could have killed someone.

Kenny: What happened to your head?

Erica: I crashed into a tree.

Boyd: Probably shouldn’t have been driving. Not if you’ve been drinking.

Erica: Arrested for drink driving on top of everything else.

(She sighs.).

Erica: I’ve been an idiot. I nearly ran over that guy outside.

Kenny: We wouldn’t have missed him.

Erica: He the town asshole?

Kenny: Something like that.

Boyd: You called him Alex.

Erica: Did I?

Boyd: I heard you.

(Erica doesn’t answer. The boy finishes bandaging her arm.).

Kenny: I think you’re all good. You were lucky.

Boyd: Alright. I think you need to sleep it off.

Erica: I’m fine.

Boyd: I’m going to have to insist. Come on.

(She gets up and follows him to a small cell.).

Erica: Under arrest huh?

Boyd: I’m afraid so.

(She sighs.).

Erica: Great.

(She walks into the cell and he closes the door locking it.).

Boyd: Have you eaten?

Erica: I’m fine. Thanks.

Boyd: Alright. Get some sleep. We can do the paperwork in the morning.

(He walks back over to the desk and sits down pinching the bridge of his nose. Kenny sighs.).

[chobit92]

[chobit92]

Ah Hogwarts, what a wonderful view.

Where are we? What just happened? I thought we were going to Hogwarts?

What’s this now? What is happening? Professor Fig where are you?

Ah my girl. I can’t believe how accurate that face is. (That would literally be my face on my first day at Hogwarts)

[chobit92]

Ah Tomb Raider…I remember playing this when I was a kid. I don’t remember it being that hard though. 😂 I’ve got old.

[chobit92]

Deputy Doll

[chobit92]

The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter-Scenery Shots

[chobit92]

The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter-Scenery Shots