ext. Robertas Place. Day into Night
camera dollies into the bar; MARK DAVIDSON is slumped at his bar stool.... bored.... intoxicated....
dissolve
cut: davidson wiping his face... looking into the camera....
MARK
Slow night, eh bill?
BILL
yeah, mark, it is..... but it'll pick up.
davidson nods in a maybe sort of way.
bill is loyal; he stands there, waiting to see if Davidson is going to say something else.
the cell phone rings, vibrating in a circle about 30 degrees (polanski).... davidson looks at the ID..... "sophie"
BILL (cont'd)
see, told you....
davidson considers the whole thing, then answers it.
MARK
yeah, sophie... how are things going?
uh huh.... yeah? i guess.... hopefully
it'll worth my time, sophie.... i know... yeah, i'll be over in a little bit....(looking
down at his 3/4 full drink) .... i dunno, a little bit. okay. bye.
swigs the drink.....
ok, bill, i'll be back, time to go make a street buy.....
BILL (concerned)
we'll be here mark, we'll be here all night. you know that....
davidson walks out the door and into his car.
drive thru the city real quick a few blocks
EXT. Sophies' House. Night
davidson walks up to the house.... knocks on the door.... waits.... knocks again....
walks around the side of the house.... looks in the window.... springs into action.... goes back to the front door and kicks it in.
sophie is dead; hands tied behind her back and her head wrapped tight in plastic.
MARK
Oh fuck.
He unwraps the plastic from her head-- he doesn't know she's dead until the unwrapping is done......
Davidson made an instinctive visual sweep before entering the small kitchen. Once inside, he checked out the shattered back window that led to the postage stamp size backyard. He looked over to where there used to be a radiator before someone ripped it off to get some crack money down at the local recycling center.
(She's beautiful Mark) cried a sweet female voice from nowhere.
The door leading to the basement had also been removed. Our tired hungover cop looked downward into the dark space and listened to what sounded like a broken pipe dripping into a half flooded basement. Tiny splashes echoed. Let the detectives figure out what was down there, Mark figured to himself after beginning to notice that this place was starting to look and smell like a crime scene.
He turned his attention to the rusty kitchen sink: there was a dead alleycat inside, a small crucifix jammed into into its fanged mouth. Blood trailed downward into the drain, quite a bit of blood. The cat's gritted teeth clued him in that it had died extremely involuntarily; blood on its now stiff claws revealed that the cat had likely put up a fight before succumbing.
A baby's tortured wail emanated from one of the nearby houses, sounding like it was but a few feet away. Davidson wasn't sure if he was hearing his own heart pumping blood like mad or if it was his mind playing tricks.
Mark saw that the dead woman's tiny backyard had been claimed by some sort of thorny bush which managed to wrap around everything including the little picnic bench that sat out there, just a few feet from an old rotting birdbath....
a slight sound from upstairs.
he moves in that direction.....
he finds a completely empty room then he finds the room filled with corpses. some are doing holy things... some are doing unholy things.
he hangs out with the bodies for 30 seconds or so, getting to know them (voyage to italy)..... he takes out his phone... calls his captain....
MARK
Yeah i disturbed the scene.... i didn't know if she
was dead or not.... i'm standing in a room full of
corpses, man....
he opens the closet door that he's been staring at-- there's a well decayed baby corpse hanging by some sort of strong leather cord (umbilical?).....
MARK (CONT'D)
yeah, man, just send the coroner's wagons man-- send a
lot of them.
flashing lights then a dissolve.... (15-25 seconds)
INT. ROBERTAS. NIGHT
MARK
It was the most horrible fucking thing i've ever seen bill....
(pause... drink... silent motion to reload)
I'm quttin, Bill... if that shit wasn't a sign, I don't know what
the fuck would be. That was a sign that I am in the wrong fuckin
business.
BILL
Those folks sure made their way to the wrong house alright.
MARK
ME's got her hands full tonight....
Takes another drink. Motions to Bill for another.
DISSOLVE:
INT. POLICE STATION INTERIOR. NIGHT
ECU of the typewriter paper.
"Resign." montage.... "Stress".... "personal issues".... "sincerely"
"Mark Davidson".... signed... delivered....
EXT. DELAWARE RIVER. NIGHT
Mark is drinking. Looking at the stars. Ocean liner drifts by.
DAVIDSON shoots at the sky.
MARK
One more left! One more... here i come my friends.....
He fires a bullet into his brain. All goes black.
MYSTERIOUS VOICES
Not this time, Mark... this time we ain't lettin you die....
Then the river begins putting Mr. Davidson's head back together.
QUICK DISSOLVE: A HARSH SUNLIT MORNING DOWN by the River.
HOMELESS GUY
They need you up there, Mark.
MARK
What?
HOMELESS GUY
That's what we were talking about last night, whether or not Kurtzville
was gonna work out for you or not; man, we drank some beers.
MARK
Alright, man.. I got some stuff I need to do today.... you take it easy
... nice talkin to you.
HOMELESS GUY
Hey man you want your beers back?
MARK
You enjoy them. plenty more where I'm heading.
INT. ROBERTAS. DAY
BILL
no shit, just like that, eh? a load off
your mind and you luck out with an inheritance too.... quittin was probably a good idea, mark; it's a
different freakin job than it was when your father and
i were on the force. Hell, if I didn't have this cash
cow going on here i would've quit this place for the
country a long time ago....
MARK
I dunno.... this place has been dangerous for a long time--
that junkie killed my old man a long time ago in that alley....
a long fuckin time ago.
PHOTO: GERALD A.
My old man gettin killed changed my equation alright, ha....
BILL (empathetic)
Yeah, it was a sad time....
FROM THE SHADOWS:
DRUNK OLD MAN
Pussies... you kids these days are pussies, hippies, draft
dodging fucks....quitters, dope dealers... ha.... I knew your old man,
I don't know if you knew that or not....your old man would be
ashamed of you-- that much i can tell you.
MARK
Shut up, old man-- or your wife'll be cashing your pension
checks, spitting on your grave, stead of the other way around,
you got that mouth?
DRUNK OLD MAN
You shut up, punk.
MARK field goal kicks with his finger a stilled in its shell peanut right into the guy's forehead.
MARK
Three points!
INT. CAR FLOOR. DAY
Gas pedal being floored by Mark's foot.
EXT. MARK'S PICKUP HEADING OUT OF THE CITY. DUSK
He makes a phone call on the road.
MARK
Hey, hey Lloyd... Mark here... yeah, I'm on my way up to Kurtzville....
is Maureen around? No, okay, cool.... let her know I called.
I guess we're gonna up that tavern again after all. Talk to you
when we get there... what? who's we? me and my pickup truck....
ok, take care, Lloyd.
INT. GAS GAUGE. NIGHT LIT
Reading near empty as he goes by an old gas station sign.
EXT. OLD BUT STILL FUNCTIONING LOOKING GAS STATION. NIGHT
DAVIDSON PULLS INTO AND THEN UP TO THE OLD FASHIONED LOOKING PUMPS WITH DIALS.
DAVIDSON EXITS THE CAR, SURVEYS THE PLACE FOR A SECOND. The GAS STATION KID EXITS THE VERY DARK OFFICE LOCATED NEXT TO THE GARAGE.
GAS STATION KID whistles in appreciation of the vehicle.
GAS STATION KID
Nice car mister.
MARK
Thanks. you guys got a pisser?
GAS STATION KID (pointing)
Sure do.... just back thatta way. fill her up?
MARK (walking toward the bathroom)
You got it. thanks.
QUICK DISSOLVE: MARK FLUSHING THE TOILET.... WASHING HANDS AND FACE. SOME SELF REFLECTION IN THE BATTERED AND SHATTERED MIRROR.
DAVIDSON RETURNS TO THE PUMPS.
KID
She is a nice rig, you takin her up to Jim Thorpe for the races?
MARK
Nah, i'm just heading a few hills over.... over to Kurtzville?
KID
Kurtzville? What in the hell you heading to Kurtzville for?
MARK
I'm reopening an old tavern... the improper, you ever heard of it?
KID
Sure haven't but I can tell you about that Kurtzville though....
ain't nothin good going on over there in kurtzville. You see that
beauty in there?
INT. CAR GARAGE: 1969 NOVA. NIGHT
MARK's Voice: Very nice.
KID
I drive her all over Beck County's roads...
have been since I was 14....I useta roll through
Kurtzville too. Kurtzville's got some nice roads.
Better watch yourself though-- those Kurtzville cops
got their eyes out for strangers.. one or two miles
over the speed limit will get you pulled over back there.
MARK
I guess I'd better do my best to comply, eh?
KID
complying's a good idea but i was
complying when I broke down back there
one night and i had to cross through the
woods that border Kurtz's little village
and let me tell you that patch of woods
couldn'tve been more than 100 yards across
but it was a long 100 yards, alright;
i was just on my way to the payphone....
there wasn't no moon but that was no big deal....
crossing those woods, i heard sounds....horrible
sounds that i never want to hear again. That
ain't no bullshit, Mark.
MARK
Thanks kid, I'll keep your observations in mind.
Davidson goes to his truck; pulls a beer from the cooler in the bed.
MARK
How bout you, you want a six pack?
KID
Sure, I got a friend coming over later. thanks man.
MARK
Late....
MARK pulls the rig out of the station then guns it to life....
HE CROSSES SOME BRIDGES WHICH BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFERENT AND ANCIENT TIL HE GOES THRU THE COVERED BRIDGE AND IS NOW IN KURTZVILLE.
EXT. L AND M MOTEL. NIGHT
THE TRUCK PULLS IN UNEVENTFULLY. HE EXITS THE RIG AND WALKS INTO THE MOTEL OFFICE.
INT. MOTEL. NIGHT
The old lady gets off her chair in the visible living room and walks into the office.
MARK
Hi. I want to check in for the week.... oh, yeah,
what are your rates?
MS. KURTZ
Depends on whether I like the looks of you or not.
first off, I'll tell you-- you look a little like
trouble to me.
A VOICE FROM THE REEL TO REEL:
....AND MY BROTHERS and sisters if we can hold out as
brothers and sisters, we can see our way though this
dark tunnel and back into the light of prosperity....
MARK
You listenin to my uncle's greatest hits? I remember you
from my uncle's church...I'm the reverend kurtz's nephew
and I'm here to inject some life into Kurtzville's
business community.
MS. KURTZ
I like it quiet here, the way it is... but if you're the
reverend kurtz's nephew i guess I'll put up with whatever
you are gonna bring me. I'll rent you the room for
50 bucks a week, can't go cheaper than that.
MARK
Fifty bucks sounds like a deal and a half. Say, is the
toad creek still open? i'm sure that's my only option
to knock a couple back around here for awhile, eh?
MS. KURTZ
Wouldn't know, really. Just don't come back here drunk,
tearing up the place. i don't care if you're a kurtz or not--
you'll be outta here quick.
NT. DAVIDSON'S ROOM. NIGHT
HE tosses some belongings onto the room's bed and then closes the door behind him.
EXT. TRUCK PULLING OUT OF THE L&M LOT. NIGHT
The truck crosses back over the covered bridge out of Kurtzville then makes a right when it had come from the left before.
EXT. DAVIDSON PARKING HIS CAR ON A HILLY SPOT. NIGHT
The hill causes the car to lurch forward a little bit. He walks toward the Toad Creek Inn and enters.
INT. TOAD CREEK INN. NIGHT
It doesn't take long for the BARTENDER to serve MARK in this nearly empty bar. ONE other guy, DENNIS, sits across the bar.
MARK
How bout a tall bourbon presbyterian? Get that guy one too....
DENNIS (objecting)
I already got one thanks.
Silent but demonstrative "have it your way" by DAVIDSON.
DISSOLVE: LS to LS
DENNIS is preparing to depart.
MARK
C'mon.... let me buy you a beer?
DENNIS
Fine thing officer friendly, i'll let you buy me a beer.
You are a cop, right? My instincts are rarely off.
MARK thinks for one second about what he is going to say.
MARK
Man, that's a good call-- i'll give you that. i was a cop
until about 48 hours ago.... how bout i say that i was out on
a call and i saw the light; I spent time up here as a kid, an
opportunity to do something else has presented itself... my uncle
left me a bar that i'm RE-OPENING.
DENNIS
Your part of this clan, eh? Well, I got some news for you--
they're a bunch of racists; they've been throwing me my fair
share of grief these past few days for sure since my visit here started.
MARK
Hey Dennis-- let's be real ok.... look at me-- there
are lots of assholes up here, I'll gladly grant you that.
These people repress their friends and family to death-- imagine what they would do to their enemies? and my Uncle Eugene,
he was the biggest asshole of them all but you know what?
That asshole left me a lot of money and he left me a place where I can hang out and do some drinking and some thinking
and still make a few bucks to get by. you asked-- that's my
life story, man.
How about you Dennis-- what's your story?
DENNIS
I'm here because my wife kicked me out and I came over this way
from Pittsburgh because I thought my brother was here doing some
research. Last I knew he was making a documentary about the
mennonites and their use of the 19th century farming methods.
I get over here and I immediately start running into local
folk so I start asking if anyone's seen my brother back
here. Nope. Can't say I have. Sure haven't. That sort of backwoods ass country bullshit.
MARK
hope you find your bro, i really do.... but while you are
here looking-- are you lookin for a job cause I got some
fairly major renovatin to do and I need an assistant big time-- you interested in helping me out?
DENNIS
I wish I could turn you down but I can't. You got the
money to pay me?
MARK
My uncle left me a lot of money for this project. i'm
not really sure about the terms of the trust-- it's secret.
All I know is that I am supposed to talk to my uncle's lawyer and tell him the money is for the rebuild and they
give me money. I think it sounds like a pretty good f'in deal.
DENNIS
Sounds like the cup runneth over... cheers my man.
MARK
I got a motel room if you need a floor to crash on for
the night. Nah, i'll be alright out in the woods...
maybe I'll live at the construction site soon. Tonight
we get drunk-- tomorrow we begin rebuilding the Improper Bar.
They drink.
INT. MOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
Camera dollies in on Davidson dreaming.
MARK is back at the scene of the car crash where Lenny died... an overturned car sits by the pond; MARK wanders around dazed. LEN is most likely dead-- some sort of pig eats from her face. Some tentacles come snapping out of the water, grabbing the pig and dragging it into the pond. The now almost completely eaten pig carcass is tossed at his feet.
His mother appears half dressed in a ratty bathrobe, she's carrying a shotgun.
MAMMA
Tell Mamma you love her.
SHE LEANS OVER THE SHOTGUN AND BLOWS HER HEAD OFF. HER BODY SLUMPS NEXT TO JEN'S.
A FAT SLOVENLY DRESSED PRIEST HURRIES ACROSS THE "DREAM ROAD", HURRYING TOWARD THE OLD ABANDONED KURTZ CHURCH.
THE TENTACLES GRAB BOTH BODIES AND DRAG THEM INTO THE POND. THE BODIES STAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POND.
SOMEONE IS PLAYING ANCIENT DRUMS IN THE FOREST BEHIND HIM. MARK DRAWS HIS GUN, EMPTYING THE CHAMBER INTO THE POND-- BULLETS RICOCHET EVERYWHERE.
CHANT: COME BACK TO US MARK.... COME BACK TO US... BRING US BACK MARK.
MARK WALKS UP THE STEEP HILL.
AT THE TOP OF THE HILL IS AN ALTAR-- A SMILING INFANT, WRAPPED IN A BLANKET SMILES. A SACRIFICIAL BLADE SITS NEARBY. TESSIE IS GIANT; SHE IS PART OF THE HILL. SHE BREATHES LABORIOUSLY.
MARK
No!
HE RUNS DOWN THE HILL, OUT OF THE DREAM.
INT. MARK'S MOTEL ROOM. JUST AROUND DAWN
He awakes briefly to listen to the rain beat down on the room's roof.
EXT. DUNKEL'S CHURCH.EARLY DAY
THE 13-14 YEAR OLD PAPER GIRL (HER BAG IS LABELED "KRISSY BINDER") HAS STOPPED HER PAPER DELIVERY BICYCLE AT KURTZ CHURCH. SHE GOES INSIDE AND FINDS HER PACK OF CIGS THAT SHE STASHES THERE INSIDE AN OLD COFFEE CAN. SHE TAKES A CIG OUT OF THE PACK, SITS DOWN AND LIGHTS IT.
A MAN DRESSED AS A PRIEST GLIDES DOWN THE STAIRS BEHIND HER WITH AN IRONIC SILENT AGILITY.
THE MAN DRESSED AS A PRIEST STOPS BEHIND HER AS SHE EXHALES.
FATHER M
Do you know what kinds of girls smoke cigarettes, Krissy?
KRISSY
No, Reverend.
(moving the chloroform toward her face/ the camera)
FATHER M
That's father Krissy.
HE GRABS HER THEN THE CAMERA PULLS OUT OF THE CHURCH (HITCHCOCK FRENZY STYLE)
VO: May the power of Christ compel the demon from inside you.
SOUNDS: someone throwing a heavy sack of potatoes around inside the church.
FATHER M
MAY THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPEL THE DEMON FROM INSIDE
OF YOU.... COME OUT... COME OUT SATAN YOU SNEAKY BASTARD!
CUT:
EXT. KURTZ CHURCH. DAYTIME
FATHER M EXITS THE CHURCH VIA THE FRONT DOOR, CARRYING THE DEAD GIRL (FRANKENSTEIN) AND LAYS THE CORPSE DOWN ON A FUNERAL PYRE. HE IS GENTLE LAYING THE CORPSE DOWN. HE LIGHTS THE FIRE THEN WALKS AWAY.
FATHER M
There is but one God.
He takes the last remaining paper from the paper bag and tosses it on the house porch about 1/4 block away. The paper is blood stained. Then he turns AND WALKS BY THE "KURTZVILLE 1/4 MILE" SIGN.
HE LIMPS. VISIONS OF UNNATURAL CRUCIFIXONS DANCE IN HIS HEAD. A LAUGH TRACK GOES OFF.
EXT. HOUSE WHERE PAPER WAS DELIVERED. DAY
AN OLD LADY WATCHES FROM BEHIND THE CURTAINS. THE OLD LADY CHUCKLES AS SHE WATCHED FATHER M WALK TOWARD TOWN.
EXT. DAVIDSON'S CAR. DAY
DAVIDSON HEADS INTO THE WOODS; THE COVERED BRIDGE...
EXT. MAUREENS HOUSE/ OFFICE. DAY
THE TRUCK PULLS UP. HE RINGS BELL.
MAUREEN (IN PA GERMAN)
WELCOME HOME MARK....
SHE KISSES HIM.
MAUREEN
For just a second, I thought you might be my 10 o' clock
coming in early- little local girl in need of some healing;
she has the chickenpox and i got the cure.
Another kiss.
MAUREEN
I am glad you are here. i am definitely glad you are
here-- it's been so long.
MARK
Yeah, I needed a career change in the worst way. A fresh
start. A reboot... whatever it's called these days.
MAUREEN
I hear you, kicking down doors and chasing danger around all
day long would get to one after almost a decade. You got plans
for the rest of the day? I'm free after my 10 o'clock powwow heal....
MARK
I'm not doing much more than accepting my inheritance... then
I guess I'm hanging out at my new bar and getting hammered
with my new buddy-- i hired a guy last night out at the Toad Creek.
MAUREEN
Oh, yeah, a local guy?
MARK
Nah, he seems competent enough... there'll be plenty of
beer over at the Improper if you and Lloyd want to stop by.
MAUREEN
I might be by but Lloyd's pretty busy these days with his
new chief of police job and that's fine with me.... so how
bout you get that paperwork signed and I'll be over in the
afternoon sometime.
MARK
Sounds good. How bout fishing? How is the trout fishing
around here these days?
MAUREEN
It's ok I guess as long as you drive 20 miles upstream-- you
remember all the problems with the battery plant dumping all
those leftovers in the hills back here; we paid a real price
for that. It hasn't gotten any better since you left town.
MARK
That's too bad.
MAUREEN
Big problem around here these days is rabies. Lloyd's shot
a whole bunch of racoons around here the past couple weeks.
If you see any real slow moving racoons ambling around in the
daytime, it might be best to shoot them.
EXT. KURTZVILLE ROADS. DAYTIME
MARK DRIVES AROUND A LITTLE THEN ARRIVES TO THE IMPROPER.
SOUND: "ME LOVE YOU LONG TIME" SAMPLE SONG
EXT. IMPROPER PARKING LOT. DAYTIME
DAVIDSON PULLS UP; BINDER'S ASTROVAN SITS THERE, A GROWLING FROTHING AT THE MOUTH DOG SITS IN THE CAGED BACK SEAT.
DAVIDSON TAKES A COUPLE SECONDS TO BE OPTIMISTIC AND ADMIRE THE VIEW FROM HIS NEW AQUISITION.
HE GOES INSIDE.
MARK
Binderman, are you in here?
BINDERMAN
Yeah, yeah I'm here... I'm on my way door down...
HE DESCENDS THE STEPS, BANDAGING HIS RIGHT HAND.
BINDERMAN
How are you Mark? Good to see you, glad
you decided to take the place.... I was going to talk to you about this place at your uncle's
funeral but I didn't see you.
MARK
That's because I wasn't there-- went on a 3 week
bender in instead. My uncle died a couple months
after I got Jen killed-- just too many funerals
squeezed into too little time so instead I went
into the new hampshire woods and drank some problems
away. When I got back to Philly, the Captain wanted
to fire me. My FOP delegate convinced him to suspend me
for a week and he granted that request which gave me the
chance to finish off that drunk.
BINDERMAN
Don't beat yourself up, Mark; I heard plenty about that
accident-- it wasn't your fault. Nobody was getting out
of that mess... it was a miracle that you walked away
from that wreck-- a fuckin miracle Mark. You made the
right choice, Mark. This county is an excellent location
for a bar; these people out here in the country need a
watering hole this close by. You know, I was going to
give you the grand tour and all i'm afraid it's gonna be
a little abbreviated-- the town seems to be a little busy today so that means work for ol Tommy Binderman... gotta put that dog down too.
MARK (showing off the pistol)
You want me to shoot the dog?
BINDERMAN
Nah, we'll get it later; don't want to chance the dog escaping
into the woods; there's enough rabies round here-- we don't
need anymore.
MARK
Maureen's told me about the rabies... heard some of the locals
talking about crop rot the other night. Are you sure my
uncle isn't playing some sort of nasty joke on me from the grave?
BINDERMAN
Your uncle respected you a great deal, Mark... he was
convinced that a man with your leadership qualities could
help breathe some life back into this town.
MARK (Reaching into the truck bed)
You want a beer?
BINDERMAN
No thanks... the stuff began driving me crazy; makes me
violent as hell... but that was before your uncle and his
church came into my life. Eugene handled his liquor just fine-- no question about that. Did you know he was a real
big shot bootlegger back in the day?
MARK
I remember hearing the stories when I was up here before.
After my father was killed, my mom turned back to the booze--
she told me a lot of stories about my uncle while she
tied her loads on.
BINDERMAN
Eugene loved brewing the stuff.... he liked selling the stuff
and man did he like drinking the stuff. You'll find the
remnants of the bootlegging activity around here in the hills.
I bet most of those stills would still work if man put his mind to it.
THE PITBULL LAYS DOWN, WATCHING THEM AS THEY ENTER THE IMPROPER.
INT. IMPROPER BASEMENT. DAYTIME
MANSON LIVES! IS SPRAYPAINTED ON THE DOOR.
DAVIDSON NOTICES A BRICKED UP/ CEMENTED OVER PASSAGEWAY
MARK
What's behind there? A bootlegging tunnel?
BINDERMAN
Yep. Your uncle used it during his bad old prohibition days....
I heard he based the tunnels on the early christians and
catacombs-- they run for 100s of yards in a bunch of different directions. Eugene had those tunnels bricked
and cemented up back in the 70s, after the hippies showed
up and started doing all sorts of unclean things back there in those tunnels.
MARK
Yeah, the hippies that came to Kurtzville and simply disappeared--
I thought that disappearing story was bullshit when I was 14
and I think it's BS now....
BINDERMAN
I wasn't around for all that but my father was; I know
he did plenty of work for the Reverend Kurtz though
I'm not exactly sure what he did in that case, during
all that FBI investigatin and all... I know my father
billed Eugene a lot of money on that case that was for sure. But it looks like Eugene got his
money worth-- no charges were ever filed.
What I can tell you is that some of those hippy kids
from over at Topton U. were squattin, camping, protesting
wars, gettin back to nature and such offending
everyone in sight-- flipping everyone the bird. Between
one sunrise and one sunset, they disappeared-- all
four of them-- classic disappearance type of case; the
feds couldn't even figure out who'd seen them last, least
not anyone who mattered.
BINDERMAN WINKS HIS EYE.
They'd already dropped out so far that maybe they just
disappeared into thin air. No one really knows.
MARK
The perps know.
BINDERMAN
Yes, Mark; if the perps are still around, they'll know...
not that I care one way or the other about what happened to
some hippies thirty years ago.
THEY WALK UP THE ROTTING STAIRS TOWARD THE MAIN BAR/ RESTAURANT PORTION OF THE IMPROPER.
MARK
Some potential here for sure.
THEY MOVE UPSTAIRS TO THE OLD HOTEL PORTION-- RUSTY OLD IRON BEDS ABOUND.
BINDERMAN
Lots of Kurtzville's children were made here, Mark.
BINDER BURSTS OUT IN SOME SELF CONGRATULATORY LAUGHTER.... THEN QUICKLY CALMS DOWN.
Well, there's the tour-- what do you think?
MARK
I accept. Heartily accept.
DAVIDSON EXTENDS THE HANDSHAKE; BINDERMAN RECIPROCATES.
EXT. KURTZVILLE'S ROADS. DAYTIME
DAVIDSON BECOMES MORE ENTRENCHED INTO KURTZVILLE AS HE DRIVES IN DEEPER INTO THE WOODS.
EXT. MAUREEN'S POWWOW OFFICE. DAY
MARK
Alright, the work day is over.
MAUREEN
Gin and tonic?
MARK
Thought you'd never ask.
MAUREEN hands him a drink.
MARK
Cheers.
MAUREEN
I missed you Mark.
MARK
I missed you too.
THEY KISS.
FADE TO BLACK.
FADE UP
DAVIDSON PULLING INTO THE L&M MOTEL
THE PARKING LOT IS EMPTY; A FAT GUY DRESSED AS PRIEST IS KNOCKING ON MS. KURTZ'S DOOR. SHE ISN'T ANSWERING.
MARK
You having problems with your car, Father?
FATHER M JUST SHAKES HIS HEAD. THEN SPREADS HIS ARMS. THE GUY HAS EYES BLACK AS COAL.
FATHER M
No car, no problems, eh?
MARK
Whatever you say, Father. I'm right down here if you need anything ok?
DAVIDSON GOES TO HIS ROOM AND GOES INSIDE.
INT. MARK'S L&M ROOM. DAY
HE HEARS/ LISTENS TO MS. KURTZ YELLING SOMETHING AT FATHER M....
"YOU LEAVE HERE NOW!" "YOU GO SEE GRENDEN IN TOWN!"
THE PRIEST WALKS AWAY FROM THE MOTEL LOT.
EXT. IMPROPER. LATE AFTERNOON
DAVIDSON PULLS UP TO THE IMPROPER.
DENNIS
My brother was here.
MARK
Man, you're half drunk and that is a dangerous state of mind
for a black man to be in out here in the sticks-- you know
that as well as i do.
DENNIS
Yeah, I got a buzz on; so what? I took a nice little walk in
town an I went to the grocery store.... met my self a new
asshole today; anyway, this new asshole I meet starts into a new line of questioning: he seemed real serious though, like he
really thought I was up to something. How's it going he asks me,
tilting his head like he was looking into my soul.
MARK
The guy's name is Grenden and he is an asshole. He was Beck
County's Sheriff for years, still was when I was up here as a kid.
He's a major league authoritarian.
DENNIS
Authoritarian? The muthafukker is obvious KKK. He wanted
to know the nature of my business here in Kurtzville. Can
you talk to these to these fucking people for me, Mark?
Maybe let them know that I'm copasetic and that I'm not
going anywhere for awhile?
MARK
I'll talk to him but I doubt my opinion carries much weight around
here. I think we'll both be okay as long as we stick close to
the Improper and keep our noses to the grindstone. There are
some people in the world that you might want to be real
careful around. My uncle and Grenden are/ were
those kind of people.
DENNIS
When I pulled out my brother's picure and asked Grenden
if he knew anything about maybe where I could find my
brother he went ashen white and his hands shook.
MARK
Maybe he was nervous, maybe he shook because he has Parkinson's
disease or something... hard to say.
DENNIS
No, it's not hard to say-- my brother still read newspapers,
real papers like the kind made on paper so he'd probably go
to the newsstand. I let him know that I knew that my bro was most likely here and likely to be stopping into
his store. the guy changes his tune a little--
"hard to tell" "can't say for sure" that kind of stuff.
I now know for sure that Ray was here.
MARK silently considers the facts, nodding his head.
MARK
It's possible that a crime has been committed and it's possible
that Eugene and Grenden could be the people who committed it....
ain't gonna be no punishing the Reverend Kurtz that's for sure. I"m heading over to my cousin's in a few, you wanna go?
DENNIS
Maybe... she a good cook?
MARK
Maureen's an excellent cook...
DENNIS
Okay; I'm interested in meeting this girl anyway.
MARK
We'll turn something up. We'll get to work on this dump tomorrow.
EXT. DRIVE TO MAUREEN'S. DUSK
MARK
I'm betting your bro is poking around in some nearby county
somewhere.... I remember my uncle talking about a witch being
executed by her family-- they crushed the women with rocks.
DENNIS
Speaking of witches, my wife called me this morning--
she wants the divorce finalized and that's cool with me....
I also got another call from state college because I'm his emergency contact-- they're gonna replace him soon.
MARK
I mean my Uncle and Grenden were ass kickers in the old days
but what could they really be doing right before my uncle died
besides maybe driving people to the city borders with instructions to not return but murder-- I think
those days are over.
We're here.
THEY PULL INTO MAUREEN'S DRIVEWAY.
DENNIS
Lots of cars here.
MARK
No shit.
THEY EXIT FROM THE CAR, MAUREEN BREAKS FROM THE CROWD AND MEETS MARK & DENNIS
MAUREEN
There's a been a murder Mark.... Tommy Binderman's son has been
found dead and mutilated out at my father's church....
I saw the body before it was taken away. It was the most horrible thing i've ever seen.
SHE LOOKS UP AT MARK.
Grenden steps out of the shadows.
DENNIS
Hey hey my buddy from the newspaper store....
GRENDEN
How bout your friend, Mark? He got himself a place he can
pin himself to this morning?
DENNIS (STARTING TO PACE NERVOUSLY)
Oh, man... what the fuck.... natural, par for the course...
this bullshit around here never ends. Never fucking ends.
MARK (lying)
He was hanging out with me, sleeping off a good drunk til noon.
You guys have any leads?
GRENDEN
We got some leads Mark.
MARK
I'm assuming by now, you guys have heard about the guy who was at
the motel earlier-- the guy dressed as a priest.
GRENDEN
Yes, Mark, we have heard about that man-- thanks to Mrs. Kurtz....
matter of fact, we got that fatboy priest down at the station
right now. If you're interested in helping us out, Mark Lloyd will
deputize you right now. We'll do some interrogatin, you'll do some interrogatin.... we'll do the real dirty work and we'll
have you back here in a couple hours. whadda you think?
MARK
Sorry guys... my job's pouring beers these days.... besides I don't
think there's anything I can do or bring to your table that you
folks can't already do as your team stands here before us.
GRENDEN
No problem, Mark. I expected a response like that but I
figured I'd give it a try anyways.
(GRENDEN turns to his buddies-- Binderman and Lloyd.)
GRENDEN (CONT'D)
Alright gang, let's hit the road we got a lot of work to do
down at the station.
WITH NO FURTHER CEREMONY, GRENDEN LEADS THE WAY AND BINDERMAN & LLOYD FOLLOW; LLOYD DRIVES.
BINDERMAN (ANGUISH CITY)
WHY? OH TESSIE, WHY?!
MAUREEN
I burned the chicken.
THE THREE OF THEM EAT IN SILENCE.
DENNIS
Like Manna from heaven. Haven't had a meal this
good in a month.
MARK
I haven't eaten this good in a year....
THE THREE OF THEM LAUGH
INT. KITCHEN. NIGHT
MARK HELPS MAUREEN WITH THE DISHES.
MARK
Me and Dennis are heading out for some drinks at the Toad Creek
then we'll make our way back over to the Improper-- you game?
You want to hang out in the woods and get drunk with us?
MAUREEN
With all that's going on around here, it's probably best
if I stick close by the homestead.
MARK
Sounds good.... Say, eh... Maureen.. my buddy Dennis is here
looking for his brother.
HE PULLS OUT RAY'S PHOTO.
You ever see this guy around?
MAUREEN
Nope.
MARK
You sure?
MAUREEN
Yep.
MARK
He would've been around here with a video camera.
MAUREEN
I never saw him.
FADE OUT
QUICK FADE IN
EXT. CAR HOOD SHOT. NIGHT
THE DRIVE TO THE TOAD CREEK IS A SILENT MEDITATION.
INT. TOAD CREEK. NIGHT
Three young men stirs a group. An older, farmer looking man wearing suspenders sits by himself drinking heavily. A bartender reads a newspaper while barely tending bar.
QUIET.... THEN A DISSOLVE.
DENNIS FINISHES A BEER THEN COVERS THE GLASS WITH A NAPKIN.
DENNIS
I'm outta here... I'm going back to the campsite and
getting some sleep.
MARK BROODS.
INT. TOAD CREEK BAR. NIGHT
MARK AND THE OLD MAN START BUYING EACH OTHER DRINKS.
A GETTING DRUNK MONTAGE; THE SMALL TOWN CLOWNS GET RESENTFUL.
THE OLD MAN IS PRETTY MUCH DRINKING MARK UNDER THE TABLE.... BUT HIS SHAKING IS GETTING WORSE.
DISSOLVE: QUIET, SITTING THERE....
MARK TIPS HIS GLASS TO AND FRO..... THEN HE TIPS IT FURTHER, MAKING IT CRASH TO THE BAR IN SLO MO.... THE GLASS BREAKS.
THE BARTENDER LOOKS UP FROM HIS PHONE CALL AND LOOKS DAVIDSON IN THE EYES FOR SIGNS OF LIFE.
MARK
You guys got a clock in here?
THE BARTENDER TRIES IGNORING HIM, WIPING UP THE BROKEN GLASS AND THE SPILLED LIQUOR. THE THREE BLUE COLLARS (SMALL TOWN CLOWNS) ARE NOW MORE INTERESTED IN DAVIDSON THAN EVER.
MARK, NOW STAGGERINGLY DRUNK, LOOKS TO THE OLD MAN FOR SOME EMPATHY AND SOLACE.
MARK
Excuse me, buddy-- do you know what time it is?
EVERYONE IN THE BAR BUT THE OLD MAN IS GETTING ANNOYED AT DAVIDSON.
MARK
C'mon, barkeep... I have evil dreams that tell me I am an evil
person. i'm gettin too scared to sleep-- my dreams are
telling me things.... bad things i think.... just let me sit here.... the shit won't get too deep. I promise.
MARK (cont'd)
I'll be good... I gotta do some thinkin; let me stay...
let me stay so i can do some thinkin and drinkin.... I
just wanna sit here.... I promise I'll be no more trouble. One more time: can anyone tell me what time it is?
THE OLD MAN BREAKS INTO A LOUD CELEBRATORY SONG. THE OLD MAN SHOWS OFF HIS WRISTWATCH; THE HANDS ARE BENT, THE GLASS IS SHATTERED.
OLD MAN
This watch stopped the day my sweetheart died... it's just a
piece of junk really. I won it at a movie theater giveaway
in 1940... my wife was beautiful-- a real beauty. she died
when we were young... i never remarried... it's a piece of junk
really, helps me remember the better times. I can't remember
things, I can't remember the beginning of this conversation.
I don't remember picnics with my baby. Age is robbing me of all
my memories. I only have a future and a present-- which I quickly
forget.... you know what I mean?
MARK
Yeah (pause) yeah, i do know what you mean.
A round for the house! Some ambrosia, even for the brutes across
the bar! Barkeep! What we need is some Benedictine
and Brandy...
MARK LEAPS OFF HIS STOOL LIKE A CELEBRATORY MADMAN.
BARTENDER
Sorry, man, I can't serve you-- you've been too fucked up
for awhile now; now you are just too fucked up.
MARK
Okay, yeah (pause) okay.
VOICES IN HIS HEAD WELL UP FROM INSIDE.
MARK
Welcome home, Mark.... welcome home.
MARK TURNS BACK TO THE OLD MAN.
MARK
Hey, man you think i'm too fucked up? They're thinking about
stopping this fight.
MARK leans in TOWARD THE GUY, PUTTING HIS HAND ON THE GUY'S SHOULDER.
MARK
If I'm too fucked up, they'll stop the fight.
BLUE COLLAR ALPHA MALE
Yo, man! Leave him the fuck alone or you are gonna
get your ass kicked. Bigtime.
MARK STAGGERS OFF THE STOOL, BACKWARD.
MARK (brushing his flannel aside to show the revolver)
Oh, yeah? What the fuck are you gonna do about it?
MARK WALKS BEHIND THE BAR AND CALMLY TAKES THE B&B BOTTLE FROM THE SHELF AND STARTS SWIGGING.
THE FOUNDRY GUYS GET UP FROM THEIR STOOLS IN UNISON.
MARK (CONT'D)
Maybe if it WAS 2 on 1, i'd try kicking your asses but
three is too much too handle.
HE PULLS OUT HIS GUN AND WAVES IT IN THEIR GENERAL DIRECTION.
MARK
Don't worry it only goes off when I want it to.
MARK takes a giant swig of B&B. Then another.
MARK
Guess I bought the bottle, eh?
MARK throws two one hundred DOLLAR BILLS ON THE BAR.
MARK
For the liquor and your troubles barkeep.
MARK BACKS OUT THE DOOR, GUN DRAWN.
HE GETS INTO HIS PICKUP, GUNS IT TO LIFE THEN FISHTAILS OUTTA THE LOT-- HEADING INTO THE WOODS.
EXT. GOOD DRUNK 15-20 SECOND JOYRIDE. NIGHT
Too much speed.
Takes curves too hard.
Sparks.
MARK
Let's hit the road, ain't that right guys?!
THE OLD KURTZ CHURCH COME UP ON HIM HARD& QUICK AND TOWERS OVER HIM ABRUPTLY.
EXT. KURTZ CHURCH. LATE NIGHT
the car is starting to take a beating-- tires smoking, steam rising.
MARK RELAXES BACK AGAINST THE TRUCK'S BENCH SEAT, WATCHING THE MOON PASS THROUGH THE CLOUDS.
MARK LIGHTS A SMOKE AND WALKS AROUND THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH WHICH IS WRAPPED IN CRIME SCENE TAPE. HE WALKS INTO THE CHURCH AND SITS IN A ROTTING PEW, SIPPING FROM THE B&B BOTTLE.
ONE OF EUGENE'S SERMONS BEGINS ECHOING & REVERBBING THROUGH DAVIDSON'S HEAD. THE SERMONS MIX WITH THE SOUNDS OF A 70-80 LB BOY BEING TOSSED AROUND THE CHURCH.
EUGENE
We now find ourselves riding wave upon wave of blood infected
with incurable diseases. This is our punishment.
We show repentance by sending back our purest,
our youngest.
But our sacrificial lambs have grown malignant and
they have sickened our lord. Long live our lord who shall
return and our land will breathe once again.
MARK touches the crime scene and receives psychic flashes.
FATHER M (VOICE)
You know what kinds of boys smoke johnny?
KRISSY
No, Reverend.
FATHER M
That's father, KRISSY.
HE SLUMPS MOMENTARILY THEN REENERGIZES. HE STANDS UP AND LOOKS AT THE BROKEN ALTAR; HE OFFERS THE SACRED ONE A TOAST.
MARK
Thank you Uncle Eugene. Thank you for the bar. Thank you for your daughter.
I am with you now.
HE DRINKS FROM THE B&B BOTTLE., enjoys it-- LOOKS OUTSIDE TO THE WOODS.
HE STUMBLES BACKWARD, FALLING INTO THE PEW; IT ALL GOES BLACK AFTER AN EXPLOSION OF BLUE.
STAYS IN BLACK FOR A FEW SECONDS.
FADE UP SOMETIME LATER.
LLOYD
Hey, Mark, are you awake? Are you alive?
MARK
Yeah... yeah, I'm fine--where's my car?
LLOYD
You'll get it back tomorrow, man.... the car will be
okay out there.... no one comes back into these woods
much, if you know what I mean-- you do know what I mean,
eh Mark?
MARK
You taking me back to my room? You taking me back to the L&M?
LLOYD
I'm taking you back to the station where there's a nice cot
waiting for you. You're spending the rest of the night in
the drunk tank. My friend, you pulled a gun on a small crowd-- that's reckless endangerment. Fucking around
with our crime scene-- who knows what kind of trouble
that'll get you around here.
MARK
I had clearance.
INT. SMALL TOWN POLICE STATION. MIDDLE OF NIGHT
3:30 AM
Davidson awakes and stirs when LLOYD approaches the cell.
LLOYD
I forgot something. Maureen called and she told me that you
were prone to suicide attempts and such when you get too drunk.
MARK
Maureen told you that, eh?
LLOYD
She sure did.
She cares about you. I've heard about you since
you left-- sounds to me like you've changed a little, a little for the worse most likely.
Sounds to me like you're an asshole but to each his own I guess.
Blood runs thicker than water crap.... blah. blah. blah.
Throw me the shoes, Mark.
MARK
Believe me Lloyd.... when the time comes, I ain't gonna hang myself.
QUICK DISSOLVE:
MARK STARING AT THE OLD PHOTOS ADORNING THE JAIL'S WALLS
EXT. OLD ROAD AS SEEN THRU THE OLD WINDSHIELD. AFTERNOON/ DUSK
MARK IS DREAMING THAT HE AND MAUREEN ARE DRIVING IN AN OLD CAR TOGETHER. MAUREEN IS WEARING A BLACK LACE DRESS, INCLUDING A VEIL. SHE KNITS A PAIR OF BLACK BABY BOOTIES.
THERE IS A MAJOR THUMP, RED LIQUID SPLASHES ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR CAREENS OUT OF CONTROL. LACK OF GRAVITY TAKES OVER. THE CAR SPINS AND FLIES OFF THE ROAD, THEN SMASHES.
A BABY CRIES IN THE DISTANCE. THEN THE CRY FADES PRETTY FAST.
MARK IS TRAPPED IN THE CAR, SOMETHING BIG HAS CRASHED THROUGH HIS STOMACH AND THEN INTO THE CAR SEAT.
MAUREEN IS NOW A SKELETON CORPSE. STILL WEARING THE BLACK LACE.
MARK SLUMPS HE LOOKS TO HIS GUT AND SEES HIS INSIDES SPILLING OUT-- THE INNARDS AND STEAM.
SOMEONE IS CALLING AN OLD BASEBALL GAME ON THE RADIO.
A SAD LOOKING OLD FARMER TAKES PICTURES WITH A FLASHBULB. THE FARMER'S BREATH TURNS TO STEAM.
MARK LOOKS INTO MAUREEN'S SKELETON'S WOMB. HE GETS A GLIMPSE OF THE DYING TESSIE WHO IS FADING INTO A DARK WHIRLPOOL LIKE OBLIVION.
MARK AWOKE; LLOYD-- HIS FEET COMFORTABLY PROPPED UP ON HIS DESK.
MARK
Cheer up, Johnny-- you are a very important person around here.
INT. KURTZVILLE JAIL. EARLY DAY
MAUREEN ENTERS, IMMEDIATELY WALKING TO THE CELL WHERE MARK SLEPT.
MAUREEN
I didn't want to show up here in the middle of the night. You in the mood for some fishing?
MARK
Sure, same spot as the old days?
MAUREEN
Yep.
MARK
We got beer?
MAUREEN
Yep. got a cooler full in the trunk. How bout we pick up your car afterward?
MARK
Sounds good.
MAUREEN
Destination Toad Creek.
MAUREEN floors the JEEP out of the police lot, toward the mountainous creek.
EXT. TOAD CREEK. MORNING
MAUREEN PARKS THE BRONCO. HIKE UP THE STREAM TOWING THEIR GEAR.
they have a little bit of success....
MARK
Trout fishing in America.
MAUREEN
You still glad you returned?
MARK
Most definitely.
MAUREEN
Me too... maybe one of these days you'll tell me that leaving me
here in kurtzville was the hardest decision you ever made, eh?
MARK
It was difficult leaving you Maureen-- even when I was a
kid I knew the ramifications. Maybe it was even a mistake
but I can tell you this-- I did not enjoy living with your father and the rest of his asshole buddies who were running
the town. I've cared about you since we were little kids, Maureen.
DISSOLVE: 4 FISH ON A STRINGER...SWIMMING....
MARK AND MAUREEN SIT BY THE STREAM.
MAUREEN
What's going on inside that head of yours, Mr. Davidson?
MARK
Been doing a lot of thinking lately actually.
MAUREEN
Yeah... about what?
MARK
Lots of things.... my new buddy and his missing brother...
how many murders do you think your father and Grenden
have gotten away with.... how many dead at this
church's hands?
MAUREEN
Your friend's brother was here. Lloyd asked me not to mention
it to your after I asked him about it. He was the guy making
movies, right? He was dating a friend of mine then he took off-- Mark Davidson style.
MARK
You have any idea the last time your friend saw Ray Macpherson?
MAUREEN
No, but I ran into Jennifer at the Farmer's Market a few weeks back.
She told me the guy was seeing took off.
MARK
You think she'll talk to me and dennis?
MAUREEN
Probably, Jen's a nice girl... I don't know really know if the men
I know are capable of murder or not... but this i'll tell you:
the repression and cruelty that I've endured at the church's hands is enough to convince me that this church
owes me money damages. Things happened to me after you left that
I'm not going to talk about.
MARK
You've had plenty of money sitting in trust since your mother left, why do you stay?
MAUREEN
Kurtzville has what I want-- the money. Grenden is now the church's lone
trustee now that my father is gone. Once Grenden dies, things get
much easier for me; all the money goes into another trust where it is to remain until the church is built again. (smiling) I plan on stealing that money a long time before any church gets rebuilt.
THEY KISS. FADE OUT.
EXT. MAUREEN'S BRONCO PULLING UP TO THE CHURCH. LATE DAY
MARK GETS IN HIS CAR AND STARTS IT... IT'S FADING.
MAUREEN
You in the mood to watch the local kids play some football for a
few minutes? small town pro sports... ha ha.
ext. kurtzville football field. late day, late fall
mark and maureen arrive....
Mark
churchgoing looking crowd....
Maureen
my father's -- our father's former congregation-- some of them haven't
found a new church yet... she stifles a giggle.
Mark
they've lost their religion..... i bet they've grown bitter,
watching their beloved church fall into ruin and all.
Maureen
to say the least.... there's ernie, he's trying to hold up....
Maureen
Hey, ernie...
BINDERMAN
They've agreed to play 5 on 5; it's a special rule.... obviously
the game's in KRISSY's memory.
Mark looks over at the hicks who live in the compound just next to the football field.... they are milling about, preparing to do something.
Mark
Eugene and grenden let that kind of stuff go on?
Maureen
that isn't their county....
the game gets played a bit; halftime.... the crowd is milling about and then a fat armed pa german lady gasps and drops her drink-- she is watching the hicks; the skinny stringy haired man sort of smiles and snarls-- texas chainsaw massacre style..... they cut the lamb's throat.... the hippy is using the knife from Mark's dreams.
Mark
sacrificial lambs.... slaughter....
Maureen
what?
Mark
oh nothing....
Maureen'S VOICE
mysterious ways, eh mark.... things are moving now mark.....
he looks over again; she's said nothing-- it was telepathic.
they look over at the halftime show.... the greasy haired guy is laughing as they hold the lamb's throat over the bucket....
the hands begin to pick up the rocks and soon they are throwing them.... some are being tossed with near superhuman strength; the man and woman struggle to get to their front door as the crowd has anticipated their route..... the guy gets hit pretty square in the forehead but manages to make it inside....
the rocks rain down on the compound's corrugated roofs....
binder goes to the middle of the field: please stop, please.... there's been enough death here. please....
Binder
There's been enough death here, please....
echoed throughout the car as mark pulls away.....
EXT. MAUREEN'S HOUSE. LATE AFTERNOON
MARK FOLLOWS HER HOME. SHE WALKS TO THE DOOR WHERE LLOYD MEETS HER, PULLS HER TOWARD HIM FAIRLY VIOLENTLY, KISSES HER AND THEN SMILES RUDELY AT MARK.
MARK DRIVES AWAY.
EXT. IMPROPER. NIGHT
CRICKETS.... BIRDS.... MARK SITS THERE-- SIPPING A BEER AND LISTENING, WATCHING.
DENNIS RETURNS TO THE SITE.
MARK
Your brother was here.... i got some confirmation on that.
DENNIS
There's a dog bites man story.. no shit Ray was here. I
got a better story-- things have gotten more interesting
in the past or so, that's for sure..... last nite, as i walked back this way-- i saw Lloyd, Grenden and Binderman
pulling some fat looking priest... they dragged him into the
church and up to the tower.... torches ablaze and all. They dragged him screaming to the tower....
I'll never forget those screams.
MARK
What were you doing over by the church-- looking to get
snagged inside of a big frame up? Be careful Dennis--
they don't fuck around up here. They do what they want here.
DENNIS
I can tell you this, Mark, at least some of our answers are
to be found up there in that tower.
MARK
You will note that I am still carrying around my old friend.
You know I spent some time up here as a kid-- I know that
repression and intimidation were the orders of the day but I never got so much of a whiff that they were killing
people up here.
THEY PASS TIME GETTING DRUNK.
DENNIS
The more I see of this place, the more I think I'm gonna like
getting out of it.
MARK
Though I'm sure I probably shouldn't be driving, I'm going
back to my room-- maybe you like this camping out stuff
but I don't. I'll see you later.
DENNIS
See you on the flipside, man... thanks again for
the place to crash.
MARK
Late.
DAVIDSON'S CAR TAKES A FEW TIMES TO START BUT IT RIPS OUTTA THE LOT AFTER IT DOES START.
QUICK DISSOLVE: DAVIDSON STARING AT A BUSTED UP SPIDER WEBBED WALL. DRINKING. 1000 YARD STARE TIME?
QUCK DISSOLVE:
EXT. davidson PULLING BACK INTO THE IMPROPER'S LOT. MORNING ....
HE GETS OUT OF THE CAR AND GRABS THE DAYS' BEERS.... TOSSES ONE TO DENNIS AND THE WORK/ DRINKING MONTAGE BEGINS....
1 MINUTE.... THEN THEY CRACK OPEN MORE BEERS-- THE WORK DAY IS OVER. THEY BOTH ADMIRE THEIR WORK-- IT IS SUBSTANTIAL.
MARK HANDS DENNIS CASH.
MARK
Here: You must've earned this much by now.
DENNIS
Thank you my man mister moneybags.... no shit, man I appreciate the
chance to do some work for you and I can't complain about the pay,
that's for sure. You think we can do one more thing today?
MARK
Spend some time on the missing brother thing?
DENNIS
Yeah, I was hoping we can go talk to that girl Ray was dating.
DISSOLVE:
EXT. CRAPPY RURAL TRAILER PARK. AFTERNOON
A KID ANSWERS THE DOOR AND JEN FOLLOWS JUST BEHIND, OPENING THE SCREEN DOOR.
JEN (TO DENNIS)
You look like your brother.
DISSOLVE:
I don't know where he is.... now I'm hoping that he
just decided to take off and forget about me but I'm
getting a bad feeling-- no one knows where he is.
There's a guy Ray used to hang out with, an indian guy--
he's an artist and he runs a small junkyard too-- he beads skulls and such over in a place just outside
town on route 737.... I bet he has a better idea as to what
Ray was up to than I do. Things are funny that way
sometimes, you know?
DISSOLVE:
EXT. HEAVILY WOODED AND WET ROAD LEADING TO ANGSTADT'S. LATE DAY
SPOOKY LENHARTSVILLE ROAD
BLUE MOUNTAIN WATERFALL
DENNIS
Rain's coming down pretty hard, eh?
THE CAR ENTERS THE JUNKYARD, PAST AN OLD ROTTING SIGN THAT READS:
no scrap taken til spring-- furs being bought now.
A GERMAN SHEPHERD BARKED AT THEM FIERCELY.
THE INDIAN ANGSTADT COMES OUT TO GREET THEM.... THE GUY MOVES THE SHEPHERD OVER TO THE CHICKEN COOP THEN ADDRESSES MARK AND DENNIS.
ANGSTADT
What, are you two looking for parts to put inside
your getaway car?
He laughs heartily.
Then his mood turns serious.
INT. ANGSTADT'S LAIR. LATE DAY
HE BRINGS BEERS TO THE TABLE.
ANGSTADT
I SMELL IT ON YOU and I'm ready to start boozing for the
day. (THEN TO DENNIS) You look like your brother.
DENNIS
You have any idea what happened to Ray?
ANGSTADT
He stopped coming around; I don't know what happened to Ray,
I really don't.
DENNIS
Do you know if he finished his research?
ANGSTADT
I really have no idea but since it's your lucky day in that
I've recently been told I don't have much longer to live--
terminal cancer you know-- so I'm pretty much in a i don't give a fuck mood. What can they do to me now?
A little more torture or pain is all I guess.
The big secret: your uncle's church most likely conspired to
kill, then killed this man's brother-- my friend,
Ray Macpherson; now I have no proof but I did see Grenden and Binderman over near Ray's place about three weeks ago,
bulldozing over a lot of stuff back there by Ray's place.
Ray thought that the Kurtzville Church was some sort of apocalypse
cult that had been practicing in secret for the past three
centuries or so.
Maybe your uncle was correct-- maybe the end is near.
ANGSTADT LAUGHS.
MARK
You know who I am, eh?
ANGSTADT
I remember you from years ago, Mark... the sad young kid
with the fishing pole down at the Toad Creek. Yeah,
Mark, they don't separate church and state around here too much do they, Mark? No, sir... but you and your cousin reject the
church, eh, Mark?
MARK
Yeah, that's about right-- you think that being acquainted with
a god's sorrows is some kind of picnic?
ANGSTADT
Yet, you are a lot like your uncle-- guns, liquor, and the
lust for the flesh of your own blood.
DENNIS (interjecting and smirking)
This is getting biblical all right.
ANGSTADT
Apparently, it all started out for the europeans around
here back in the late 1600s or so when some alley cat
named Jacob Kurtz moved into the county and started a big
farm.... and he started a church.
None of his fellow villagers had seen such magnificent crop
growth as they saw here and apparently they began thinking
some sort of demi god was responsible for the magnificent growth- this crop growth went beyond the fact that the fields
were ultra well rested as compared to the tired old, over
farmed fields of Europe they were used to tending.
in thanks, the settlers apparently began shedding some of
the christian beliefs they brought with them-- they began
worshipping who was really responsible for this growth: mother nature! pagans who kept on masquerading as christians!
keep Molech happy with the flesh of newborns and the crops will
grow... that was the deal for about a century and a half. it
seemed to be working out for everyone. The reality is that
Kurtzville has good dirt is all-- very good dirt; it's all about herkels' loehm actually. It has nothing to do with gods & monsters.
now, the problems in paradise surfaced when Maggie and Jacob
tried having children to no avail. Jacob turned to the
darkness for answers and legend has it he got the answers he was looking for.
Maggie had produced three stillborns-- all 3 buried
under the garden in their front yard. Now, it was
Kurtzville's children's turn to make sure Molech was kept happy.
After a few years, it became apparent that what Molech wanted,
Molech got. The townspeople chose to worship new gods in their
new land and the new gods wanted to taste the flesh of newborns.
Keep molech happy with newborn flesh and the crops grew. That was the deal for about a century and a half--
it seemed to be working out.
Sometime in the 1920s, things changed however. Legend has it that
a sick child was sacrificed to Molech and that made Molech
very sick. A new Molech was born to take the sacrifices but
this new Molech began exhibiting horrible tumors so the
townsfolk hid this child up in the tower. They've been feeding
children to HER once a year since the 1920s...
that's the story anyway.
DENNIS (to Mark)
Do you know anything about any of this?
MARK
It's all news to me-- I've never heard anything remotely
like this before.
ANGSTADT
It's in you my friend and there is no way to get it out.
Go to that cabin Ray was renting-- it's just a couple
miles down this road. Look for the waterfall then you'll see the cabin. It's hard to miss my friends.
EXT. JUNKYARD. LATE DAY
THEY ALL WALK THRU THE YARD; THE DOG BARKS.
MARK
You want to take a ride with us?
ANGSTADT
No way... you two are the last two people in the
world I want to be seen with around here.
MARK
Just one more question, Mr. Angstadt: any
indications that my cousin Maureen is involved with the disappearances?
ANGSTADT
Nah, she's got her own stuff going on but no,
she's not a big player in the church's goings ons. She's basically pure.
MARK
Basically?
ANGSTADT
Basically.
SHAKING ANGSTADT'S HAND
MARK
Thanks for your help.
DENNIS
You know, maybe if you cleaned up the place; keep
the dog out of sight, more people might stop by.
ANGSTADT (waving his hand)
the hell with it. good luck. this is good land
and someday the crop growth will rebalance and I--
in one incarnation or another-- will be here when
it does return. But until then, I'm lying low...
you know what I mean, don't you, Mark?
EXT. KURTZVILLE'S WOODS. DUSK
MARK NOTES THE STEAM COMING FROM THE HOOD. THEY LOOK DOWN AT THE SWOLLEN CREEK.
DENNIS
Right there, see it?
MARK
Where?
DENNIS
Right there, man....
MARK
Yeah....
EXT. THE VEHICLE PULLING OVER. LATER DUSK
We have to walk the rest of the way....
THE PROPERTY LINE IS POSTED WITH NO TRESPASSING SIGNS. SIGNED BY A GUY NAMED BINDERMAN. RAIN FALLS INTO BULLDOZER RUTS.
DENNIS
Looks like monsters have been here-- there've been monsters
at the bottom of the hill.
GREEN FIBERGLASS BLOWS IN THE WIND.
MARK
What a mess... guess we're gonna have to take a look around.....
DENNIS MOVES TOWARD THE FLOODED AREA AND GOES TO THE STEPS LEADING TO THE WATER.
MARK (cont'd)
Hey, man-- those steps aren't real strong.
THE STEPS GIVE WAY AND DENNIS FALLS THROUGH. DENNIS STAYS UNDER FOR A SECOND OR TWO. THEN HE BOBS UPWARD, SPITTING OUT DIRTY WATER.... HE STARTS TO GET HIS BEARINGS.... A VERY DEAD HAND RISES UPWARD, THE FLESH ROTTING OFF THE BONE-- behind dennis' head.
MARK GIVES HIM A HAND UPWARD BUT THEN HE DROPS HIM INTO THE WATER AFTER HE LET'S GO AFTER AN AGONIZING SHOCK GOES THROUGH HIS BODY.
THIS TIME DENNIS SEES THE FLOATING BLOATED HEADLESS CORPSE AND HE FREAKS OUT. THRASHING HIS WAY TO THE SIDE AND UP WHERE THE STAIRS USED TO BE AND GETTING OUT BY HIMSELF. THE CORPSE BOBS.
DENNIS HAS GOTTEN OUT AND NOW HE AND MARK ARE LOOKING INTO THE PIT AT THE DEAD MAN WITH NO HEAD.
MARK GETS A SOPHIE FLASHBACK WHILE HE WATCHES THE BODY FLOAT IN A CIRCLE.
CUT:
CU OF THE WATER INSECTS BURROWING THRU RAY'S CORPSE.
DENNIS WATCHES THE BODY.
DENNIS
That's him.... jesus fucking christ, that's him.
That's my dead brother.
HE SOBS.
MARK
Hey, Dennis, I'm gonna go get some tarps out of the car...
we'll be able to pull him out with the tarps.
DENNIS
Yeah, time to get the show on the road I guess.
CUT:
INT. CABIN REMNANTS. EVENING
DENNIS GETS IN THE WATER AGAIN, GOES UNDER WITH THE TARP AND WRAPS THE BODY.
MARK AND DENNIS HAUL THE CORPSE UPWARD USING THE TARPS.
THE CORPSE SITS AT THEIR FEET. DENNIS NOTICES ONE OF THE WATER INSECTS ON HIS ARM AND HE SHAKES IT OFF.
DENNIS WRAPS THE BODY WHILE MARK STANDS BY.
MARK
Whadda you think?
DENNIS
It's him.
Something tore his head off-- that was not a sword or an axe that
did that to him-- that was not a clean separation at all.
MARK
Whoever did this was interested in causing pain.
DENNIS
Whoever in your family who did this.
MARK
What do you want me to do Dennis? go back down to philly
and look up my FBI contacts? That just isn't happenin my man....
you and I, we are on our own up here, man.
DENNIS
Let's get your brother out of here... let's get back to the
Improper and then we plan our next move. I think it's
best we keep this close to our vests... how bout you, you got any ideas?
DENNIS
I'm gonna look around for a few minutes... Ray was good at
hiding things... let's see what the local KKK missed.
QUICK DISSOLVE: DENNIS FINDING A WRAPPED PACKAGE IN THE HOLLOW OF A TREE ABOUT 10 YARDS FROM THE CABIN'S REMNANTS.
DENNIS OPENS THE PACKAGE TO REVEAL THE REEL TO REEL TAPES.
MARK
I happen to know where there is a player.
EXT. THE 2 OF THEM HAULING THE BODY TO THE TRUNK. EARLY NIGHT.
CAR ZOOMS OFF BUT IT'S MAKING FUNNY NOISES NOW.
EXT. L&M MOTEL. NIGHT
INT. L&M MOTEL OFFICE. NIGHT
MARK TAKES THE REEL TO REEL FROM THE OFFICE.
MARK
I'll bring it back, I promise.
CUT:
INT. IMPROPER. EVENING
MARK AND DENNIS FINISHING UP PLACING RAY'S CORPSE ON A STRONG, STEEL WORKTABLE.
DISSOLVE: THE TWO OF THEM STRINGING UP SOME BULBS.... PLUGGING THEM INTO THE GENERATOR.
MARK GOES TO A NEARBY COOLER AND TAKES OUT A COUPLE BEERS WHILE DENNIS MAKES PREPARATIONS TO LISTEN TO RAY'S STORY.
DENNIS
I guess it's time to kick back, drink a few beers and listen
to how Doctor Ray Macpherson spent his last days in
search of your family's jealously kept and insane secrets.....
THE PLAYER RUNS A LITTLE SLOW... MOOHHHH... OOOHHHH.
LIGHTNING STRIKES OUTSIDE BUT THE GENERATOR CONTINUES.
FRESH ROUND OF BEERS.
THEY WATCH THE POWER TRUCK OUTSIDE RESTORING POWER TO THE GRID. LED LANTERN PROVIDES THE POWER OUT HERE FOR BEER DRINKING.
DENNIS
MAN, that was a good beer.
cut:
INT. IMPROPER. NIGHT
CU OF REEL TO REEL FACE, TAPE TURNING.
RAY
....as best I can tell, the people of this region live under
the delusion that there is some sort of demi-god controlling
the day to day operations of their lives in a direct manner.
This demigod, Tessie, is her name.... this demi-god reads minds...
she according to church beliefs is responsible for the
magnificent crop growth this region is noted for.
I've arrived at a bad time-- a period of massive crop failure
has gripped the Kurtzville area; the fields are filled with
rats and flies.
The region's people are resilient-- they cling to the
belief that their Tessie will again be well and again
be able to provide.
I've been snooping around... Tessie is obviously well
hidden and not a part of their church services which they've gladly allowed me to sit in on.
I suspect that what they think is a higher power is probably
some sort of deformed child they are protecting.... kind
of like some people think the Jersey Devil was.
(pause) (pause) (ROLL of Tape) (thud) (static)
RAY (far more frantic than last time)
How have these people lived on the east coast for nearly 300
years and been getting away with this! How have they hidden
this horrible religion?
My God they slaughter babies in the name of lucifer! (pause static lumpy roll)
Christ almighty, they found my hidden camera now they know what
i'm up to! I told them I was an agricultural anthropologist,
interested in their non machinery farming methods.
Whoever hears this, please I don't care if it's the year 2030,
these things must be dealt with. the devil is truly on earth.
They show no regard for humans and they slaughter them like sheep.
(pause static roll)
RAY
Tonight, I forced my way into the tower and watched those lunatics
tend to the sickly beast. The creature truly exists and
she is horrible. Or am I now suffering from the same sort
of mass hypnotism or psychosis that the townspeople are suffering from?
My life, my sanity ended the minute I stepped into Kurtzville.
Is she human? Or is she a worm or is she a walrus? I can't tell.
the old man Grenden is most definitely onto me. I'm trying to keep
to myself, tend to my chores around the cabin but I know they are
watching me-- daring me to try escaping with the news I've discovered.
The way I see it I have two bad choices: I try to run away or I run straight into that History Society and I destroy that creature!
I'm afraid I've lost what little sanity I had left after
the breakdown.... (static)
I think I did it.... last night I forced my way inside
and got the jump on Binder. I gagged him and tied him
up but Tessie must've been sending out those mind messages of hers. I knew I did not have a lot of time. I ran to the tower.
A voice got it into my head for sure. The voice tried convincing
me to leave Tessie be.... I drove a spear into her. and again
and again. The townspeople's trucks approached. I got out of the building but it's only a matter of time until they find me.
I have no chance in the woods. The infected devil dogs are
everywhere. The roads are of course being watched. I shall make one more assault-- how did I become the avenger
Willy?-- tonight I shall try to burn their vile history society to the ground.
Someone please find this. Oh sweet Jesus tell me before I die-- who am I?
Shoggoth ootooth behemoth.....
Roll of static. Click of tape.
MARK
I'll talk to Maureen about this tomorrow though I'm not sure I'll
be able to contain my rage long enough to learn the truth.
They continue drinking.
Dissolve:
Mark pulling up to the L&M. He notices something amiss.
MARK
Now what?
MARK knocks on the door.... and then opens it.... MAUREEN greets MARK. MAUREEN has a good shiner going under her LEFT eye.
MARK
Lloyd?
MAUREEN
He's gotten a little jealous of you and I I guess....
he's a country boy, you'd think he'd be a little more tolerant
of the kissing cousin thing.
They have a semi-hallucinatory screw session as the rain beats down on the motel property around them. By the time they are done, the sun was pretty nearly up.... they listened to the birds chirp.
MAUREEN
Let's grab some grub and head over to the Improper and have a breakfast.
MARK
Long as it's beer soaked.
EXT. MOTEL PARKING LOT. EARLY DAY
MARK is repairing the radiator hose with duct tape. He adds a little water too.
CUT:
MARK and MAUREEN exiting a small rural market with a couple sacks.
EXT. IMPROPER. 7 am
MARK
Dennis?
Give me a sec, will ya? Just wanna be sure things are fairly safe around here.
MARK enters the bar, puts down a sack of groceries and closes the door behind which RAY'S body lay.
DENNIS' VOICE (from upstairs)
Hello.... I guess the Improper's got some visitors.
Hey there Maureen. Sorry folks but beds and breakfasts
are at least 6 or 7 months away. (pointing to a big hole in the roof). Still got to put a roof on on her.
MARK to DENNIS
Cat's out of the bag... Lloyd beat her up good after she taunted
him with tales of our teenage crushes on each other
more than 15 years ago.....
DENNIS
More bs to get caught up in... me and my bro are gonna end up
getting killed by the same people.... american dream...
you think that a-hole will make his way over here?
MARK
If he is, I'm ready for him....
He removed the .32 and checked it to make sure it worked smoothly-- the loading part anyways.
EXT. IMPROPER'S FRONT YARD. MORNING
MARK'S VO
Obviously, I don't want Maureen seeing the body until
later at least.
MAUREEN waves. DENNIS and MARK wave back at her.
DENNIS
You find out if your lady's on the level?
MARK
I'll talk to her later about what really went down between her
and Lloyd that made Lloyd smack her but i'm gonna do that
discussion while you are over on a mission to reading
picking up some much needed supplies-- if we're gonna get this place up and running at least. here's a hundred bucks--
i want a pair of good sledgehammers and two five gallon
gas cans-- filled. kill some time have a few beers at a local bar before heading back but not too many, i want
you brave not incoherent. You got all that?
DENNIS
Yeah, I got all that.
MARK watches DENNIS and MAUREEN exchange greetings then DENNIS departs in the Ford pickup. He goes outside and joins MAUREEN by the fire.
MAUREEN
You up for another hike?
MARK
Hell no, let's do it down here..... over there...
THEY WALK OVER TO THE STONE ALTAR and make love there.
afterward:
MARK
You know anything about this thing? it looks like an altar--
I dreamt about it a few nights ago. the night before
i came over to meet Binderman.... I'd been back here 50 times as a kid and just don't remember this thing.
MAUREEN
It's old Lenapi I think... been here for thousands
of years......
MARK
You sure?
MAUREEN
YEAH, I'M pretty sure.
MARK
Let's go inside for a second or two....
INT. MAIN BAR ROOM. DAY
MARK
(sipping a beer and moving toward the closed door, behind which Ray lay)
You told me that Ray Macpherson had left Kurtzville Maureen but I'm pretty sure that was a fib, girl. What would you say if I told you that Ray's still here?
MAUREEN (smiling like a puzzle has been solved)
I don't is Ray still here?
MARK
Yeah, come say hi....
MARK opens the door.
MAUREEN sees the corpse and appears to be shocked.
MAUREEN
Dear Lord.
MARK
You want to leave Kurtzville now?
MAUREEN
Oh please, Mark.... hold me..... (she pleads and outstretches her arms).
They swore to me that they would only run him out of town.
MARK is convinced and he goes to her. They embrace for real. MAUREEN sticks him in the ass with a needle, then removes it-- showing it to him briefly with a benevolent smile. she tosses the hypodermic into the fireplace with a clink. He smacks her just before he passes out.
MAUREEN
Dream on lover.... they swore to me that they were just
going to run him out of town.
You are here for a reason-- you knew that. You've known that
all along. We're gonna start our own religion, Mark.
INT. Improper. Dusk
This is a hypodermic induced dream state.... MARK wanders around the upstairs of the IMPROPER. HE looks at some pictures on the wall. Everyone is toasting the camera. MARK is in the pics. He looks at a closed wooden door-- water runs from underneath. The water is now ankle deep.
SOUND: TESSIE calls for him. a SHRIEK in the distance.
MARK reaches for his gun but it's not there.
MARK looks outside into the Kurtz family graveyard that sits next to the church. FATHER M is headless but he's running around the graveyard. He keeps bumping into tombstones. The headless body falls to the ground-- the stump appears to be "breathing" on its own through its gushing and bleeding openings. There is a wet and growing living ambulatory living moss. The greenish moss is closing the wound....
MARK looks over at the door.... blood is now spilling from behind the door.
LENNY comes out after the door opens; her arms outstretched.... her face is half shredded from the accident but she's alive basically, ready to talk.
LENNY
How could you do this to me, Mark? You're not human--
they tell me things here. I was going to marry and have
children with the beast itself?
LENNY runs out of the lobby, out the front door which stays open and across the field-- away from Kurtzville. Forever.
MARK enters TESSIE's chamber and watches TESSIE's pulsating skin. Her hideous warts breathe and each contains the face of her sacrificial victims. MARK begins to fuck his sister. Her tentacles wrap around MARK's throat. TESSIE becomes MAUREEN, then LENNY (with an angelic, full face). But then it splits in two again. The tentacles lift MARK from the ground. (SOUND: LOUD CLINKING OF MEDICAL TOOLS). MARK explodes in orgasm, screaming.
MARK goes inside her again, looking over Binderman, Lloyd and Grenden watching with approval. In the back of the primitive chamber of worship are a small group of corpses clapping a beat in unison. They stand and scream like Banshees then fly out the chamber windows on brooms, screaming all the way.....
EXT. Furiously Running Saucony. Day
MARK's POV: furiously running barrel that smashes it into the rock.
MAUREEN's VOICE
"always getting yourself killed lover."
SLOW FADE TO BLACK.... SOUNDS: clinking medical tools.... he hears the sound of skin tearing.... more medical tools....
MAUREEN's Voice:
Don't be afraid lover.... it's all natural.
It's all natural.
HEARTBEAT transitions into the sounds of a rumbling machine.
INT. Improper. Late Day
MARK is staggering awake.
MARK
Maureen?
Blood was all over the sheet he'd been wrapped in. She'd taken something from him....
He looks out the window....
DENNIS had returned with the car and was pulling the hammers and gasoline from the rig. Major league amounts of steam were rising from the hood.
MARK
It was all just a myth right?
He walks toward the lot.
He meets DENNIS on the porch.
MARK
Tell me you brought beer...
DENNIS hands him a beer and he gulps it.
MARK
Another.
He takes it opens it and sips from it.
DENNIS
Hey, man, are you alright?
MARK
i'm fine.
DENNIS
I got the hammers.
MARK fixates on the steam rising from the radiator hose.
DENNIS
Are you sure you are ok?
MARK
I'm fine-- let me see the fucking car....
PSYCHIC FLASH: MARK experiences a flash where one of his former selves executes a neanderthal with a rock to the skull (ala 2001 space odyssey apes and Weird War).
DENNIS
Sorry about the car, man....
MARK
Don't worry about it-- I should've had it fixed before I left Philly..... it'll have to do....i got to talk to Maureen....
DENNIS
where'd she go?
MARK
I guess she went home.
DENNIS
You guys arguing already?
MARK
No arguments; when I get back, we are going thru that wall but wait until I get back, ok?
DENNIS
Hey, you are the bossman and I am not sure I want to know.
MARK (walking away)
I got to talk to Maureen.
DENNIS
Are you sure you are okay?
MARK takes off in his car that is already starting to sputter dead. It's dead pretty fast and MARK continues to walk toward MAUREEN's house.
EXT. MAUREEN'S HOUSE. DUSK
He hides in the bushes and watches the show.
Someone is nearly dead in the leaf incinerator-- basically still alive; fingers grasping weakly at the edges.... it's LLOYD, feebly trying to get out but it's not working. He collapses into the coals. GROANS. A LOT OF CRACKLING.
MAUREEN comes out the house... she walks to the winch and pulls out a pair of hooks which she digs into LLOYD's chest. MAUREEN cranks the engine's winch, bringing the just about dead LLOYD out of the incinerator. His eyes are wide with terror. He groaned some more. she cranks the winch some more and LLOYD rises upward into the trees. Smoke. MAUREEN runs her nails across his scorched chest. MAUREEN pulled a very curved and very sacrificial looking knife from under her robe. As she carves his heart from his chest, LLOYD flails weakly at the air then that's it. The heart still beats as she licked some blood from it. MAUREEN puts the heart on the grill and starts to cook it.
she drains the blood from LLOYD's body with tubes into jars.... she disrobes and pours the blood onto her body and starts to dance.
MAUREEN (directed at MARK's direction)
Come out lover.
They embrace; MARK falls into her arms. Bats fly above them.
ALL goes black after MAUREEN sedates MARK with a magic kiss.
MARK awakes on the ground about a half hour later. Just him and dead Lloyd hanging up there-- burnt and smoking.
MARK
Maureen?
MARK heads back toward the Improper. He limps along ok but then we hear a car rumbling down the road toward him. It was the GAS STATION KID. The KID had a gaping wound in his forehead and looked like he'd been dead a few days. Bluish tones to his skin.
GAS STATION KID
Hey man, you want a lift?!
MARK
Yeah.
INT. KID's CAR. NIGHT
GAS STATION KID
Yeah, this county's roads are great for speed, eh?
More driving.
You know, after we talked the other night it all became
real clear to me-- if you want to drive in Kurtzville you
got to learn to drive amongst the dead. Gotta learn to be the dead, man.
some more driving-- EXT shots of car.
EXT. The Improper's Driveway. NIGHT
The car screeches to a halt.
MARK gets out of the car and looks over at the kid whose cheek has now fallen off.
MARK
Thanks kid.
KID
No problem, Mark. Just one favor, eh? Consider making me a driver when you start forming that army, eh Mark?
MARK
I'll certainly consider it, kid.
The KID floors the car and speeds off around the curve, tires squealing all the way.
MARK walks up the hill.
MARK
Dennis... you here? Maureen... you here? I'm not going
to shoot you, Maureen..... I understand now. It's
okay.... I'm with you now.
INT. IMPROPER.NIGHT
MARK looks around-- no one on the main floor 'cept HEADLESS RAY....
MARK heads down the stairs.
INT. IMPROPER BASEMENT. NIGHT
DENNIS obviously broke through the wall while MARK was gone.... he left one 5 gallon gas can behind..... MARK climbs into the tunnel....
INT. IMPROPER TUNNEL. NIGHT
just like in his dreams.... some torches have been lit. He stopped and listened-- it was quiet. The missing teens' bones are embedded into the walls. Out of the shadows, comes a baseball bat wielding foaming at the mouth TOMMY BINDERMAN. He smashes MARK across the back with the bat, hard-- sending MARK and the gas and the flashlight flying.
BINDERMAN
You fucking people! I talked to your uncle the other
night..... yeah rabies nothing to be afraid of--
new beginning is all;
the disease has sharpened my senses!
BINDERMAN begins speaking in alien, wholly unfamiliar tongues. BINDERMAN swings again and missed, thereby exposing his back.
MARK shoots him in the back 3x.
MARK
I'm the guy now! I'm the guy!
BINDERMAN clumsily tries to scramble back into the darkness of the tunnel. He bumps into the tunnel entrance and slumps to the ground. blood and foam spills from his mouth.
MARK climbs the stairs that lead to the IMPROPER's tower.
INT. THE TOWER DOOR. DUSK
MARK opens the door and goes in. Grenden waits for him, the stained glass windows surround GRENDEN.
GRENDEN was gnawing on what was left of DENNIS' head... a lot of blood and veins seemed to be all over the place.
GRENDEN
Tessie hypnotized your friend and sent him to me.
He kissed my ring just before I killed him. His last
words? That he loved Tessie. Say hello to your sister, mark. Surely, you remember your sister. Think back, think back to 1981.
Think back to your baptism at your uncle's hands....
MARK
I think you mean my father's hands.... I've known he was
my father for years, Grenden. Suicidal mothers say crazy
things to their children Grenden.
GRENDEN
Think back to your baptism at your father's hands, mark.
INT. MARK's HEAD. DUSK
Memory flashes of the congregation baptizing him while they drank bourbon and orgied the nights away. A teenaged MAUREEN is blowing him as he rests against the old altar he and Maureen found the other day. There's a decapitated goat's head on the altar. It is raining blood on everyone.
INT. IMPROPER TOWER. LATE DUSK
MARK stares at the mummified creature; the dead and dried out creature which now sat still as death certainly once had great jaws.
GRENDEN
Tessie is dead alright... as dead as dead (pause) but
she is making a comeback!
MARK
Never seen you smile before Grenden.
GRENDEN smiles harder.
GRENDEN
Alcohol does terrible things to your memory, eh, Mark?
Damned blackouts.... tell me Mark, do you accept Molech
as your father and all the glory that comes with sitting at his left hand? Yes?
MARK
No.
GRENDEN (deep, satan like growl)
Yeah, every lifetime you get awfully shook up when you
find out why you are here on earth. This hot roddin
suicidin thing's been holding your father's kingdom back Janus.....
GRENDEN tosses MARK some photos.
MARK looks at them. Pictures of the house where MARK had found the dead old SOPHIE only days ago. It's GRENDEN hanging out with the dying SOPHIE, her head in the bag. Pictures of all the dead street urchins from SOPHIEs' too.
GRENDEN
You can be assured this sort of art is the stuff that shakes
the Christian ministers up pretty badly all right. But shaking
up ministers is the job that the Maestro created for me.
MARK
Pretty elaborate setup. I just don't remember any of it.
GRENDEN
YOU DON"T need to remember! You just need to accept and
you accepted more than a few lifetimes ago. The minute
you fucked your sister is the minute you accepted. you fucked her a thousand years ago and you fucked her this morning.
You hear that? (PAUSE) I hear her....she's singing again. Music to my ears.
MARK (psychic flashes of the congregation huddled in a cave)
GRENDEN takes another bite of Dennis' skull.
MARK
STOP IT! I'm gonna shoot you Grenden!
GRENDEN
I'll be back, Mark. You know that as well as anyone. Yeah,
your sister stopped taking sacrifices 20 years ago.
you and her were thinking alike, eh? deciding that she wasn't part of your father's church anymore. This here boy's
brother finished her off bout a month ago. That only
made the infighting worse. The good Reverend Kurtz
will make his way back to us eventually.
GRENDEN takes another bite of DENNIS' head.
RAY's CORPSE crawls into the room. Trying to reach GRENDEN.
GRENDEN
Come on, Mark... you know it's better to rule than serve.
Another bite of Dennis' head.
MARK (frenzied)
Stop it Grenden!
GRENDEN keeps on eating and MARK shoots. A trickle of blood runs down GRENDEN's forehead. He falls backward and is still. A last piss makes its way across the floor, along with some blood.
MARK LIMPS BACK TO The basement where Binderman lay dead. He grabs the gas can and goes back upstairs. He douses all the corpses with gas, including RAY's which still writhes. MARK douses TESSIE including the empty eye sockets. He starts the fire by dropping the match into TESSIE's eye socket. MARK is lucky to make it out of the room before it's engulfed in orange. He limps down the stairs and leaves by the Main Door. (this is a 2 minute deal)
He limps across the field back toward the Improper as the Church burns to the ground.
INT. The IMPROPER. NIGHT
MARK walks in the main bar room. MAUREEN is there sipping on a beer.
MAUREEN
Well, what now?
MARK
WE HEAD NORTH, find some place remote. start over again.
MAUREEN
Yeah, let's go.
EXT. MAUREEN'S BRONCO HEADING NORTH. NIGHT
fin