Black Christmas
Black Christmas
Black Christmas
by
Glen Morgan
"Bfack Christ
1!r!
BILLY'S MOTHER
Hearing the SOUND, she spins the flashlight beam
toward...
BILLY'S EYES - IN THE FLASHLIGHT BEAM
Her son's eyes; watching her. Witnessing.
BILLY'S MOTHER
CAMERA PUSHES IN as she starts toward him...
BILLY
flashlight beam whipping over him, moves back into the
wall...
INT. BENEATH BILLY'S HOUSE - NIGHT
The mother pauses... then races off...
CHRISTMAS TREE
The Step-father ENTERS FRAME, reaching for Agnes.
BILLY'S HAND
THRUSTS the tear shaped ornament outward.
REVERSE - STEP-FATHER
the back of his skull erupts. Dangling at the end of the
impaling ornament, with the consistency of an egg yolk,
the step father's eye; pushed through the skull. He
falls...
THE CHRISTMAS TREE
TOPPLES! CRASHES! covering Agnes and Billy's step-
father...
BILLY'S MOTHER
A string of Christmas tree lights quickly wrap around her
neck. Her hands whip to her throat, clutching the cord...
WIDER - A MANGER
Icy rain streaks past a Magus standing in the snow
amongst animals gazing upon a haloed baby in a straw crib
beneath His mother and an illuminated angel extending
above the tableau.
CHORUS (CONT'D, V.O.)
(CONT'D)
She didn't see me creep down the stairs
to have a peep...
CLOSE - A STRING OF OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Line the rain gutter of a sorority house. Green, red, and
white bulbs shudder and TINK in the storm.
CHORUS (CONT'D, V.O.)
(CONT'D)
She thought that I was tucked up in my
bedroom fast asleep...
Counter to the storm's threat, GIRLS can be heard, O.S.,
INSIDE, having a PARTY; warm, inviting, plenty of
laughter and CLINKING glasses...
EXT. PHI KAPPA SIGMA SORORITY HOUSE - NIGHT
The Nativity and the lights decorate the front yard of
the New England colonial that was once home to the Lenz
family.
ACROSS THE LOWER LEFT OF FRAME, A TITLE CARD INDICATES...
FIFTEEN YEARS LATER
The exterior of the house, including the gabled windows
and Mansard roof, has been significantly restored in the
last twenty-five years, reflecting the money and
privilege of the present day occupants.
Tonight, pools of color glow in the snow and reflect off
the ice from decorative Christmas lights. The interior
pulses with a warm amber glow from a fireplace while long
thick icicles hang like crystalline fangs from the lip of
the roof.
CHORUS (CONT'D, V.O.)
Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa
Claus/Underneath his beard so snowy
white...
A '66 Pontiac Parisienne tuna boat is parked in the
driveway, just before the garage door. Above, gray smoke
floats out the chimney, to be whipped by an angry wind.
16.
ON THE BED
a couple travel bags are packed, but open. CAMERA INCHES
TOWARD her cell phone; red power indicator light
blinking...
IN THE OPEN CLOSET
Hang two dry cleaned outfits, wrapped in clear plastic,
appearing like body bags in the closet shadows...
ON THE FLOOR
behind Clair; plastic shopping bags and a store wrapped
gift.
CLOSE - STORE WRAPPED GIFT
The tag reads "To: Lauren Fr: Secret Santa."
CLOSER - ANOTHER GIFT
Enwrapped with different paper; special. The tag reads...
"To: My big sister, Leigh. Fr: Her baby sister, Clair."
CLOSE - THE WINE BOTTLE
Is set down beside her, alongside a pair of open
scissors. Ominous; a potential tool of murder...
CLOSE - ON THE FLOOR - A FOUNTAIN PEN
The nub, sharp. Ink; blood red. It is picked up...
CLOSE - CLAIR
Considers...
CLOSE - BLANK CHRISTMAS CARD
She writes... "Leigh..."
CLAIR
SIGHS, then takes a long sip of wine...
THE FOUNTAIN PEN
Is returned to the floor...
CLOSE - CLAIR
the dry cleaning plastic RUSTLES. She turns, startles...
19.
OVERLAPPING...
MS. MAC (O.S.)
BILL-Y! BILL-Y!
CUT TO:
20.
MS. MAC
Who's not here?
KELLI
Like... everybody.
MS. MAC
Chelsea?
KELLI
Went home, this morning.
Melissa hangs up her call...
MS. MAC
Greer?
MELISSA
That was her on the phone. She and Erin
and Taylor are on that ski trip with with
all the A.D.G. guys next door.
MS. MAC
Didn't I see Clair, earlier?
KELLI
Isn't she upstairs writing a card to her
sister?
MELISSA
No, I think that, maybe, Clair's sister
might've already picked her up. Remember,
this is that... "occasion for Clair and
her sister and her mom to bury the
hatchet and rediscover each other."
DANA
I'd like to bury the hatchet with my
sister... right in her head.
CUT TO:
MEGAN (O.S.)
I don't know, Kelli! If I do, I do. Just
start without me.
Kelli looks up, down the hall toward Lauren.
LAUREN
Reacts incredulous and impatient with Megan's behavior...
LAUREN
I realize you're an only child, so let me
explain... Christmas is just Darwin. The
weak get eaten.
Lauren POUNDS on Clair's door. Then, like a Marine Corp
D.I.
LAUREN (CONT'D)
We're opening presents, NOW! If you're
not down there, your gifts will be mine.
Lauren walks away from Clair's door without awaiting a
response. She tosses to Kelli...
AT MEGAN'S DOOR
Kelli sighs with derision at Lauren's method as she
passes enroute to the stairway. Kelli TAPS politely on
Megan's door.
KELLI
Megan... you okay?
MEGAN (O.S.)
Yes... no... just... FUCK
CHRISTMAS! FUCK IT!
Kelli is taken aback. Concerned, she considers knocking
again, however, turns and moves off toward the stairs...
CUT TO:
In the b.g., Lauren moves down the stairs into the living
room, followed by Kelli...
LAUREN
He's gonna be pih-issed, then come back
here and eat us.
Ms. Mac reacts to the residue smell of cigarettes left in
Lauren's wake.
MS. MAC
Not as pissed as I'm gonna be if you've
been smoking in your room.
Lauren shakes her head with feigned innocence as she
swipes someone's full glass of red wine and as she takes
a sip...
LAUREN
Must've been Billy's ghost.
MELISSA
Don't think he's dead. Is he?
HEATHER
Watches, then sighs, confessional...
HEATHER
Okay, look... I drew "that name."
LIVING ROOM
beneath the tree, Ms. Mac looks to Heather. Lauren pauses
mid sip of wine. Dana eyes Melissa, flashes a catty
grimace, and mouths "oops." Heather, sitting upright,
inches up on the edge of the sofa; posture defensive...
HEATHER (CONT'D)
Can I just say... I'm sorry, but, I am
very not okay with any of this. I mean,
buying a Christmas present for a serial
killer?
MELISSA
Serial killers murder repeatedly for
sexual thrill. Billy Lenz was a spree
killer. Dude just fuckin' lost it!
HEATHER
What-ever. I'm just offended by a...
pagan sacrifice... to ward off evil
spirits on Christmas.
Ms. Mac moves toward the fireplace and picks up a foot
and a half long, two pronged barbecue fork. As she sticks
a marshmallow on the end and places it over the fire...
27.
MS. MAC
Come on, Heather, it's just a bit of
fun...
Lauren cuts her off...
LAUREN
Christmas is more about warding off evil
spirits than Halloween.
WIDER - LIVING ROOM
At the top of the staircase, looking through the rails of
the dark wood banister. CAMERA is INCHING FORWARD, as if
the P.O.V. of an unidentified person... watching.
DANA
Let it go, Heather. Just be happy you had
to buy a present for a serial killer
instead of Lauren.
CLOSER - LIVING ROOM
Heather is rattled and not as good at rancorous debate as
Lauren, who knows it...
LAUREN
What Christmas shit in this room reflects
anything Christian? Huh?
The girls pause, then look about the room as Lauren
randomly points at various Christmas decorations...
LAUREN (CONT'D)
It's all neo-pagan magik. Christmas
tree's a magical rite ensuring the return
of the crops. Mistletoe is a conception
charm...
MELISSA
Then, get it away from me.
Kelli smiles. Lauren's momentum picks up...
LAUREN
Fifth century Christians jacked a Roman
winter festival. Twelve days in December
when the nights were long and the earth
was roamed by the demons of chaos.
MELISSA
I saw them, yesterday, at Wal-Mart.
28.
LAUREN
And fuckin' Santa Claus? This voyeur that
watches you all year and determines if
you've behaved to his standards of
decency before breaking into your house
in the middle of the night? And that's
different from what Billy did, how?
Ms. Mac smiles as she pulls a toasted marshmallow off the
fork and into her mouth as she returns to the tree...
MS. MAC
He didn't break in. Billy lived here.
THE HOUSE PHONE
Large in the f.g., RINGS! LOUD! Startling. Kelli knows
she will be called upon and moves toward the phone...
THE RECEIVER
CAMERA RISES with the receiver as Kelli lifts it to her
ear...
KELLI
Phi Kappa.
CAMERA CREEPS TOWARD HER...
KELLI (CONT'D)
Hello?
She listens, then smirks, bemused...
KELLI (CONT'D)
Need to work on it, Kyle.
Then quickly, Kelli grows alarmed. She pulls away from
the phone and turns to the other girls...
KELLI (CONT'D)
I think someone's in trouble...
She quickly presses the "hold" button, sets the receiver
in the cradle and hits the "speaker" button. CAMERA TILTS
DOWN to the PHONE which FILLS THE FRAME...
The SOUND emitting through the speaker is like the low
wailing of a wounded animal, yet with an edge of
unsettling perversity. Although not discernibly obscene,
it is quite sexually chilling.
LIVING ROOM
The SOUND freezes the girls with collective anxiety. They
are absently drawn together; listening...
29.
LAUREN
Yeah, he's in trouble. Dude's whackin'
off with egg nog lube.
Melissa GIGGLES and begins adding to the joke, until...
The PHONE ERUPTS with a nightmarish cacophony of VOICES;
women, men, a crying baby. INSANE and DEMONIC;
intertwined with one another. GROANS, DISTANT SHRIEKS,
CACKLES; it SOUNDS as if a Dore etching of Hell could
speak.
Meanwhile, Bing Crosby's rendition of "I'll Be Home For
Christmas" plays low on the living room C.D. Meant to be
comforting, it subliminally adds to the tension...
CAMERA SLOWLY CIRCLES the stunned Phi Kappa sisters'
FACES listening to the awful SOUNDS emitting from the
phone.
Then, cutting through the STATIC of eerie VOICES... yet
remaining distant... a VOICE... neither male or female,
yet an absolutely crone-like cackle...
CALLER (V.O.)
Bill-ly! What have you done?!
The girls are rattled. A MALE VOICE begs...
CALLER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
What your mother and I must know,
Billy... is what did you do with the
baby?
A COARSE, GRAVELLY male voice, intense, insanely
lascivious, and yet, mischievous, like an pre-pubescent
boy, JUMPS THROUGH the speakers...
CALLER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Where is Agnes?
CALLER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
...She's our family, now.
An eerie, pathetic and sad child asks...
LAUREN
Hey, shouldn't you get goin'? Don't you
have lots of toys to deliver tonight to
good little boys and girls?
While Melissa LAUGHS, Dana and Ms. Mac gesture for Lauren
to hang up. Lauren gestures, as if, "don't worry."
The voice lowers an octave with insane intensity and,
most chilling, extremely matter of fact...
30.
CALLER (V.O.)
I'm going to kill you.
Heather quickly disconnects. The room turns deathly
SILENT. The girls look to one another, rattled...
HEATHER
Call the police.
LAUREN
Puh-lease. Police ain't gonna do shit
about one whack job phone call.
MELISSA
Campus security is down to, like, one guy
'til after Christmas.
LAUREN
Campus security? That's probably who just
called.
KELLI
That couldn't have been one person.
MELISSA
What was the caller I.D.? Was it on
campus?
KELLI
Sorry, didn't even look. My brain was on
Kyle...
DANA
Dial *69.
MELISSA
That just calls him back. Unless there's
something you need him to clarify...
AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS
A figure steps INTO the F.G., remaining at the top of the
darkened stairwell... watching the others.
Melissa taps some buttons on the phone, Heather returns
to the gathered group of girls, remaining angry at
Lauren...
HEATHER
You shouldn't provoke someone like that.
MELISSA
reacts, puzzled, while looking at the phone.
MELISSA (CONT'D)
Call log says Clair's cell.
31.
WIDER
The information goes unregistered as everyone is focused
on the rising confrontation. Lauren glares at Heather...
LAUREN
What would you know about dealing with
anyone other than a NASCAR dad?
Heather's eyes flare with anger. She steps aggressively
toward Lauren. Kelli places a restraining hand on
Heather...
HEATHER
I'm going home.
Disgusted, Heather starts toward the stairs...
LAUREN
Yeah, yeah, run to daddy.
DANA
Is that a problem?
Heather stops, then turns, pointedly, at Lauren...
HEATHER
Least my family wants me to come home.
From Lauren's reaction, Heather has gone straight for the
heart and scored a bull's-eye. The other girls know it...
KELLI
Guys, c'mon... it's, like, Christmas
time.
Desperate to break the increasing tension, Ms. Mac
returns to the idea of Christmas cheer...
MS. MAC
Yeah. Heather, what about your present?
HEATHER
Give it to Billy.
The figure steps directly in front of Heather, who stops
cold.
LOWER ANGLE - EVE
In sorority terms, EVE GUARALDI, 23, is a "mistake." A
quiet girl whom events in her life could have caused her
either to blossom into a social butterfly or a sullen
creepy misfit. The latter is the case.
The lenses of her glasses are thick, suggesting a past
injury rather than merely vision dysfunction. Eve's
physical features could pass for an adult Agnes.
32.
DANA
The Island of Misfit Toys.
MS. MAC
Her mother is a legacy.
DANA
And? Her mother's dead. She'd never know
if we threw her out. Father's...
wherever. No boyfriend. No family. Like,
where does she have to go?
CUT TO:
LAUREN
Oh, hell no!
But Kelli starts up the stairs. Lauren sighs, drunken...
LAUREN (CONT'D)
I'm startin' to see sugar plum fairies, I
don't need to hear the little fuckers,
too.
CUT TO:
MEGAN
not afraid, but quite curious. The crystalline MUSIC
continues. Megan reaches out and grasps a rung on the
wood ladder. She begins climbing...
MEGAN
remaining with only her head and shoulders through the
attic trapdoor, she absently leans closer for a better
look...
MEGAN (CONT'D)
Clair..? What are you doing?
From the darkness, a Hefty trash bag WHIPS over Megan's
head.
The FRAME TURNS BLACK, as if having CUT TO BLACK,
however, MEGAN'S HORRIFIED BREATHS remain amplified and
intensely PRESENT. Then, a sickening THRUST RIPS a hole
in the bag...
A tear erupts in the upper corner of FRAME, exposing the
back of the illuminated plastic Santa. ANOTHER THRUST!
RIP! A second tear slashes ACROSS FRAME...
THRASHING, CAMERA, through the two puncture holes,
CATCHES flashes of the killer's legs... macabre sparkles
of tinsel... the posed dead body of Clair placed in the
rocking chair...
The silhouetted killer reaches out as if holding Megan
still. The other arm cocks backward with a clawed hammer
and slings toward the bag...
THE ILLUMINATED SANTA CLAUS IN THE WINDOW
Is spackled with blood.
CUT TO:
LAUREN
You think we're fuckin' stupid? You were
in Megan's room. The call just came from
from Megan's cell.
Unaware of the recent phone calls, Kyle assumes this is
an accusation of infidelity and tenses, acts innocent...
KYLE
What call?
The girls remain suspicious. With Kyle distracted, Kelli
reaches out, turns the knob, and moves past Kyle. He
tenses, but realizes restraining her would look bad...
KYLE
You mean, after he washed down his
Christmas cookies with a glass of milk?
CUT TO:
LEIGH
She was supposed to call.
LOWER ANGLE - TOP OF THE STAIRS
The girls eye one another, uncertain. Suspicious.
RETURN - LEIGH
CAMERA STOPS as LEIGH is in CLOSE-UP...
LEIGH (CONT'D)
I'm Claire's sister.
(beat)
Where is she?
THE GIRLS AND MS. MAC
Their alarm heightens, as Clair is now officially
"missing."
LEIGH
Never thought I'd be back here.
MS. MAC
You're a legacy? What year?
LEIGH
I don't know. '93? '94? I started
college, late. Quit it, early.
Ms. MacHenry reacts, suspicious...
MS. MAC
Really? 93's the year I started as house
mother, here. I don't remember...
LEIGH
I mean, this was suppose to be such a big
fucking weekend for her and I blew off a
trip to Vale with this Cardiologist and I
drive all the way over here in this
shitty weather? Now, where the fuck is
she?
The sisters look at one another, unable to answer.
LEIGH
You're giving me shit when none of you
can tell me where my sister is?
(beat)
Where's her room?
The girls eye one another until Melissa sighs and
gestures for Leigh to follow...
MELISSA
Upstairs...
As Leigh follows Melissa toward the stairs, Heather picks
up the newspaper that enwrapped Eve's gift to her...
HEATHER
Lookit, same paper as the present she
gave me.
Ms. Mac looks at both papers and immediately tenses as
she looks at the aged paper which wrapped the gift from
Billy.
MS. MAC
This newspaper is dated December 25...
1983.
She passes the paper off to Melissa who examines it...
HEATHER
Eve lives in Billy's room.
DANA
They kept him in the attic.
HEATHER
Before that. Remember? She wanted to move
in there. Maybe she's obsessed with him.
Melissa sighs, skeptical.
DANA
Eve was by the tree before she left. She
could've put it there.
MS. MAC
No, it wasn't there, even a half hour
ago. I'm positive.
Heather starts toward the stairs...
HEATHER
I'm going to see if there's any of that
old newspaper, or anything, in her room.
Heather starts up the stairs...
54.
DANA
The whole thing only freaks us out if we
know the Billy story. And none of us
really cared. Eve couldn't've known Kyle
was going to tell us all about Billy.
LAUREN
But... Kyle did.
Heather holds on the stairway as everyone considers...
CUT TO:
DANA
He's not one of us.
Heather starts up the stairs, again...
HEATHER
Either is Eve.
Suddenly, Lauren VOMITS on the coffee table. As the girls
leap back...
KELLI (O.S.)
GET OUT! GET OUT!
She moves toward Eve's desk, searches the surface, then
opens a drawer. As she rifles through the spiral
notebooks and loose papers...
CUT TO:
104PT1 EXT. FRONT YARD - NIGHT - HIGH ANGLE - LEIGH'S POV 104PT1
Kyle storms out of the house and into the storm, charging
across the front yard.
RETURN - LEIGH
Dana moves to the desk and looks at the laptop. She
closes the lid, disgusted with Kyle.
DANA
How fucked up was that?
Leigh gestures out the window...
LEIGH
How fucked up is it that the only other
house on this street has power... and
this one doesn't?
104PT2 REVERSE - OUT THE WINDOW 104PT2
Outside, the streetlights are on. The frat house down the
road, although for the most part, dark and vacant, indeed
displays functioning exterior Christmas lights.
DANA AND LEIGH
As they look to one another...
CUT TO:
THE EYES
As they watch her...
MELISSA'S FOOT
Stops before the hole. The eye retreats into the
darkness. CAMERA, however, DIVES TOWARD and ENTERS the
hole...
At floor level, the heavily MUTED voices of LEIGH and
DANA can be HEARD...
DANA (O.S.)
I'll go out. I know where it is. Then we
can, at least, turn the alarm on.
LEIGH (O.S.)
I'll go with you.
111 INT. LAUREN'S ROOM - NIGHT - HIGH ANGLE - BILLY'S POV 111
Melissa guides Lauren, dressed in t-shirt and thong
underwear, into her bed. Melissa pulls up the covers...
MELISSA
Dude... there's a trash can, just right
here, 'kay?
Lauren MOANS her understanding, then turns and curls into
a fetal position.
MELISSA (CONT'D)
Merry fucking Christmas.
CUT TO:
112 EXT. PORCH - PHI KAPPA HOUSE - NIGHT - A BUTANE LIGHTER 112
Ignites, but is whipped violently by the wind...
DANA
Sharp icicles cling to the porch overhang. The rain and
snow continue falling. As she raises the lighter to the
tip of her cigarette, beneath her... MOVEMENT. SCUTTLING.
EXTREMELY CLOSE - PORCH CEILING
A drop of water falls...
DANA
It hits her cigarette with a bull's-eye, extinguishing
it...
DANA
Of course.
She sighs then looks down, dropping the extinguished butt
into a knot hole...
118 EXT. FRONT PORCH - NIGHT - ON THE SIDE OF THE PORCH 118
About to abandon the search... Dana holds. CAMERA INCHES
IN on her... squinting...
120 EXT. FRONT PORCH - NIGHT - SIDE OF THE PORCH - DANA 120
moves off toward the rear side of the house...
CUT TO:
MELISSA (CONT'D)
These eyes are aged. They're not from the
same doll.
KELLI (CONT'D)
Shit!
As Kelli tries re-dial, again...
MS. MAC
What is going on?!
Melissa, Heather, and Leigh hesitate, unsure of who
should tell Ms. Mac, as well as how to tell her...
KELLI
FUHHHHHCK!
Everyone turns toward Kelli as she hits re-dial, yet
again...
KELLI (CONT'D)
911 is experiencing heavy caller traffic
because of the storm...
All are rattled and anxious. Leigh looks out the front
window. Heather and Melissa move from window to window,
assuring they are secure.
MS. MAC
Why?! What?!
KELLI
Hello? Yeah... a girl is... dead...
outside. Yes, I know her... Eve
Guaraldi...
Ms. Mac reacts, horrified. She looks to the others...
KELLI (CONT'D)
We're positive she's been murdered...
MRS. MAC
As CAMERA PUSHES IN on her...
MS. MAC
Billy's home for Christmas.
WIDER
The girls shoot each other anxious glances...
MELISSA
No. No, Ms. Mac. Billy is dead.
KELLI
(into phone)
Three other girls...
Kelli looks carefully to Leigh, who, anticipating what
Kelli must report...
77.
LEIGH
Are missing... missing.
KELLI
Are missing... and... what? 566 Oakdale.
There's only two houses on the...
right... Phi Kappa sorority... Kelli
Presley... how long 'til... What?! No!
No...
She hesitates, reluctant to admit...
KELLI (CONT'D)
We think he's still outside... Would you
wait around that long after what I just
told you?
Upon hearing this, Ms. Mac marches across the room and
disappears into a small bedroom off the hallway while
Heather, Melissa, and Leigh tense, reacting with dread...
KELLI (CONT'D)
Please, isn't there any way..?
(beat)
YOU FUCKER!!
Kelli hits the "end" button; more afraid than angry...
KELLI (CONT'D)
The storm. Pile-ups all over 91.
Reservists can't make it in 'cause the
streets are all ice. Trees falling.
Power's out everywhere. They... maybe...
maybe... can be here... in two hours.
Ms. Mac returns wearing her winter coat, carrying her
purse and keys in hand...
MS. MAC
Well, we'll all be out of here in two
minutes. Get your things...
Heather approves of the idea and rushes off for her coat.
MELISSA
I'm not going outside. He's outside.
KELLI
What about Dana?
HEATHER
We'll only go up to the A.D.G. House. Get
help.
MELISSA
They've all gone home or skiing.
78.
KELLI
Whose family lives the closest? Call
them.
MELISSA
Lauren's. Her mother lives in Boston.
MS. MAC
Even if you could reach her on a cell
phone, it'd be at least four or five
hours 'til she got here.
MELISSA
And she's in Bermuda with some guy.
Melissa reacts, frightened as she suddenly recalls...
MELISSA (CONT'D)
Oh, shit! Lauren!
Melissa takes off, running for the stairs in the
darkness...
MS. MAC
Done. Case closed. Let's go!
KELLI
No! We stay together. We lock up the
house, everyone grabs a fireplace poker,
or ski pole, or some shit, and for the
next two hours, not let each other out of
our sights.
MS. MAC
No! We'll drive to the police.
KELLI
In this weather?
MS. MAC
Even if they can't do anything. We'll all
be safe, there.
KELLI
We're not all here. If we were, I'd go.
LEIGH
That's right... Unless I see otherwise...
I am believing Clair is... alive. And
when she comes back... it's not going to
be to an empty house.
As Leigh moves away, ending the discussion...
79.
150 EXT. PHI KAPPA SIGMA SORORITY HOUSE - NIGHT - KELLI'S POV
150
The porch and the front end of the garage obstructs the
view of Ms. Mac's car. Only the rear passenger side is in
view.
MS. MAC
C'mon, you piece-a-shit!
THE GAS PEDAL
THUMP... THUMP... THUMP!
THE IGNITION
key is cranked...
THE DASHBOARD
The RADIO COMES TO LIFE... Judy Garland's haunting "Have
Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
154 EXT. DRIVEWAY - PHI KAPPA SIGMA HOUSE - NIGHT - TAILPIPE 154
The Pontiac STARTS. Exhaust BELCHES...
156 EXT. DRIVEWAY - PHI KAPPA SIGMA HOUSE - NIGHT - HEATHER 156
CAMERA INCHES IN OVER Heather's shoulder as she
desperately tries opening the door. As she turns back...
HEATHER'S POV - EVE'S CAR
The door remains open. Eve's body; in the position it was
discovered...
HEATHER - LOW ANGLE
Reminded of Eve's fate, Heather pulls harder on the door.
At this angle, the attic window looms above. Unbeknownst
to Heather, Clair's body sits at the window in the
rocking chair.
OVER HEATHER'S SHOULDER
As Heather turns back around, CRACK! A pane of ice
SHATTERS! Heather SCREAMS! The door pops open REVEALING
Ms. Mac on her back, having kicked the passenger door
open with her feet.
LEIGH
O.S... FOOTSTEPS approach...
KELLI
looks to her phone...
INSERT - KELLI'S CELL PHONE DISPLAY
The illuminated display reads: U@?!!
THE FIGURE
The light hits the figure REVEALING Kyle as he lurches
back, the fork tearing his jacket sleeve.
LEIGH & KYLE
Not knowing Kyle, Leigh continues her attack. Not knowing
Leigh, he counters, blocking her arm and shoving her
back...
LEIGH
Hits the bed, knocking Lauren whose arm slowly falls from
its position over her eyes.
Leigh looks up just as Lauren's arm clears her face,
REVEALING Lauren is, indeed, dead. Her eye sockets are
dark and empty; eyes having been removed.
KELLI
SCREAMS!
LEIGH
Is up on her feet away from the bed. She turns back
toward Kyle wielding her weapon.
KELLI
Moves toward her...
KELLI
NO! NO!
WIDER
Leigh hesitates, but remains alert and ready to attack.
Likewise, Kyle tenses eyes flashing from Kelli to Leigh.
The three stand triangulated; breathing hard,
frightened...
KYLE
There's two bodies in the driveway.
LEIGH
Maybe you did it.
He points to Lauren...
KYLE
Maybe you did that!
KELLI
No! It's not him!
Leigh's eyes dart to Kelli, as does Kyle's.
91.
LEIGH
How do you know?
Her back to the hole in the ceiling, assuming they are
being watched, Kelli blocks her gesture pointing to the
ceiling...
LEIGH & KYLE
Subtly look up...
LEIGH & KYLE'S POV - KELLI & THE CEILING
CAMERA MOVES PAST KELLI and RISES to the ceiling. The
faint light continues glowing from within the ceiling
pinhole...
KELLI
Her "The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" ringtone SOUNDS.
CAMERA INCHES INTO Kelli as she raises the phone with
dread... and pushes the "send" button...
CALLER (V.O.)
They're my family, now.
Kelli battles tears, but with a strength derived from
anger, she asks in an accusatory whisper...
KELLI
What have you done... Billy?
The call abruptly disconnects. Kelli turns, looks to the
ceiling...
KELLI'S POV - THE CEILING
The light is out.
LEIGH & KYLE
Witness the seeping light go out. They look to Kelli...
KELLI
As CAMERA INCHES TO HER... she whispers.
KELLI (CONT'D)
He's in the attic.
CUT TO:
KYLE
How would you know? You don't even have a
fuckin' sister.
LEIGH
Yeah, she does.
Leigh doesn't even check Kelli's reaction as she moves
past Kyle and Kelli and starts toward the attic trap
door, clutching her weapon. Kelli eyes Kyle...
KELLI
If you don't think you owe me... you
fucking owe Megan... at least, this.
He grabs the two of them and with emphasis...
KYLE
If we go up there... the second we see
they're dead... we turn and run the fuck
out of this house.
Leigh and Kelli consider, then nod. Kyle eyes them for a
beat as he reaches into his pocket and removes a
butterfly knife. As he flips it open...
HIGH ANGLE - FROM THE POSITION OF THE DOOR
FRAME IS EMPTY, seemingly dark, until Leigh steps
cautiously INTO FRAME, back against the farthest wall.
Only a faint rim of reflecting spill light delineates
Leigh, Kelli, and Kyle from the darkness.
ATTIC DOOR
CAMERA INCHES TOWARD the trap door...
HALLWAY
The three reach the area just beneath the attic door.
Leigh nods to Kelli, then takes a step toward the ladder.
Kelli's lifts the flashlight, preparing to turn it on...
Kyle suddenly reaches out and stops Leigh. She looks at
him and without acknowledging her, Kyle moves ahead of
her toward the base of the ladder.
He turns to Kelli, then mouths and gestures...
KYLE (CONT'D)
I open the door, you hit the light.
She nods...
LOW ANGLE - LOOKING DIRECTLY UP
The trap door awaits directly above as Kyle steps on the
first rung of the ladder...
94.
KYLE'S FEET
Move off of the door...
CLOSE - A FORM
A body, a silhouette in the darkness... until the candle
cast an amber glow... REVEALING... Melissa's dead body.
The eye sockets are empty and black. O.S., the HUMMING
continues...
KELLI & LEIGH
frightened. Sickened.
A SECOND CANDLE
Is lit...
LAUREN
The flickering light dances across her dead,
expressionless, face. Her eyes have been removed...
KELLI & LEIGH
CAMERA CONTINUES TOWARD THEM... both frozen and
mortified...
KELLI & LEIGH'S POV - ATTIC
In the corner... a display.
The sincere intent had been a Currier and Ives family at
Christmas print, however, it appears as if sculpted by an
insane Gothik/Punk artist.
The bodies of the murdered sorority sisters, Megan,
Clair, and Melissa are posed, as if exchanging presents,
beneath an Evergleam pink aluminum Christmas tree. Seven
pairs of actual human eyeballs ornament the tree.
A dozen candles illuminate the area. Placed on the floor
are sheets of crumpled wrapping paper, ribbon and bows,
as if presents have jest been opened.
Clair's music box is placed in Megan's hands.
THE KILLER
HUMMING Tchaikovsky, turns toward Kelli and Leigh. The
yellow, unblinking, unmoving eye, catches some spill
light.
Then with a tone heard in the phone calls, one that is
not not evil or crazed, but rather eerily pathetic with a
pleased, happy smile, spoken to Kelli and Leigh... and
quoting Melissa...
KILLER
Everyone should be home for Christmas.
99.
KELLI
Reacts, shocked, confused...
THE FIGURE
A first true look at the face of the figure, albeit in
the eerie flickering amber light, REVEALS an unnerving
androgyny. Although the face is large and, somewhat,
masculine, the lips and nose are feminine. The skin
texture appears shiny, plastic-like and sweaty.
Thick scar tissue encircles the neck.
With no reaction of pain or emotion, the figure reaches
up, grabs the fork handle, and with effort, twists the
fork and head until the prosthetic eye is pulled from the
socket.
CLOSE - THE PROSTHETIC EYE
remains on the tip of the fork. At this image size, it is
clear that the iris has been hand painted or tinted
yellow...
THE FIGURE
The empty socket is black with scar tissue. The head
turns, looking at the eye on the end of the fork and
REVEALING the surviving right eye is a brilliant bright
blue...
KELLI
CAMERA PUSHES IN, repulsed, frozen with fear and shock.
She whispers...
KELLI
They are not your family... Agnes.
AGNES
Indeed, the killer, Agnes Lenz, drops the fork...
KELLI
Although trembling with fear, addresses Agnes...
KELLI (CONT'D)
I am not your family. You're brother is
not here.
AGNES
reacts... doesn't understand. She considers... then, with
an eerie child-like smile...
101.
AGNES
But... my daddy is.
KELLI
Kelli doesn't understand. Then, suddenly... MUTED...
"Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" CHIMES from her back
pocket. Her expression flashes a hope of possibility...
as she hustles toward the attic door while removing her
cellphone from her back pocket. She is SCREAMING,
PLEADING for help before she manages to engage the
phone...
KELLI
HELP! HELP! I'M IN THE ATTIC OF
THE PHI KAPPA SIGMA SORORITY. 566
OAKDALE LANE...
Kelli reaches the door, however...
CLOSE - THE DOOR
A hatch lifting ring is inset and flush against the wood.
Kelli's trembling fingers struggle to lift the ring.
KELLI (CONT'D)
PLEASE! PLEASE! CALL 911! I NEED
HELP! 911!!
AGNES
Approaches...
KELLI
CAMERA SWEEPS IN AS FROM THE PHONE... the chilling, now
familiar voice calmly declares...
CALLER (V.O.)
You're... my family now.
Kelli reacts, stunned and puzzled. Behind her, Agnes
whisks a green Hefty trash bag whips over Kelli's head...
CLOSER - KELLI
GASPS! The plastic vacuums to her face. She stumbles to
the floor.
AGNES
straddles Kelli...
KELLI
Tears the plastic away...
102.
AGNES
Tumbles grotesquely all the way to the basement...
KELLI
Manages to break and stop her fall at some point mid way
between the attic and the basement. She breathes hard...
KELLI
HELP! HELP ME!
BETWEEN THE WALLS - AT THE BASE OF THE WALL
Agnes, from the base of the house begins climbing toward
Kelli...