The Becoming

Here's the first third of the script. I have bits and pieces of the rest but it's not fashioned into a coherent whole yet. If you like what you see and you know someone, please pass this on. Like all of you, I don't want to work in a cubicle or for that matter work a real 9 to 5 job ever.

P.S. I'm a novice with formatting on blogger so the screenplay will not conform entirely to the recommended screenwriting format. Please forgive me.

Moonlight Over Morrisville
Or
The Becoming
By: Matthew Harwood

An Original Screenplay

INT. CONWELL-EGAN HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

Still shots of the interior of the school’s empty hallways give a sense of isolation. The sequence of still shots gains speed…

CUT TO:

INT. BOY’S BATHROOM DOOR - DAY

The door is pulled open from the inside and a small, frightened teenager’s face appears, eyes wide open, between the crack of the door and the frame. Shouting and laughing can be heard from behind. He is pulled inside and the door swings gently closed.

Inside the bathroom, two boys, clad in sweats, corner the smaller teenager just before the line of urinals. Conwell-Egan Catholic Football is displayed prominently on their sweatshirts. The smaller boy, plainly afraid, is trying to find an escape route. A third boy, the lookout, has his back against the door periodically looking at the scene unfolding and the other door across the bathroom.

MIKE CALLOWAY
Uh-Uh, you little faggot. You ain’t going nowhere.

He pushes the little teenager toward the urinals. The small teenager is scared.

DAVE UNGER
A little late for you to be hanging around school, don’t you think?

He steps forward, towering over the small teenager whose back has hit the urinal. A ching-ching rings out as the small teenagers wallet chain swings into the urinal.

IAN MCSHANE
I-I-I-I had to stay after to take a make-up exam for Mr. Norris.

MIKE
D-d-d-did you? I think you stayed after and sucked him off.

They laugh.

DAVE
(motioning a blowjob, cheeks pumping in and out)
Slurp, slurp, slurp.

Mike nods at Dave. Dave reaches over Ian’s shoulder and flushes the toilet. The water sprays all over the back of his white, parochial school shirt.

IAN
(eyes closed, fighting off tears)
Come on, leave me alone. I swear to God I’ll scream my fucking lungs off.

His eyes dart to the third boy watching the door, pleading for him to help. The boy looks shamefully back across the bathroom toward the other door.

DAVE
And we will fucking kill you, you fucking little queer.

Mike and Dave grab Ian.

IAN
Get off of me goddamnit, get the fuck off.

Dave grabs his legs as Mike grabs him around the chest. Ian’s body is parallel to the floor. They are laughing.

DAVE
(laughing, mean-spirited)
You’re going for a bit of a dip there you little bitch.

MIKE
Yeah, clean you up a bit.

Mike grabs Ian’s head and places it in the urinal and flushes the toilet over and over again. Ian is screaming and crying “No”.

TIMMY SMYTH
Guys you’re going to hurt’em. Fucking come on, this is going too far.

Mike looks nonchalantly over toward Timmy at the door and grabs Ian’s head and shoves it down into the bottom of the urinal. The urinal is full due to the constant flushing. Ian’s struggles to free himself. One leg slips from Dave’s grip and catches him in the chin. Dave lets go and is forced back a few steps by the kick. Ian’s body falls to the floor as Mike releases his head. During the fall Ian hits his brow against the inside rim of the urinal.

DAVE
I’m going kill that little faggot.

Timmy grabs Dave from behind and picks him up, swings him around and pushes him toward the door. Ian is face down on the bathroom floor underneath the urinals. He is breathing irregularly and heavily.

TIMMY
Come on you moron, before someone catches us.

MIKE
(Laughing as he walks toward the bathroom door)
He’s had enough for today anyhow. Got to give him time to recuperate. Come on before we miss the bus.

Dave and Mike pass through the door. Timmy looks down at the feeble body heaving on the floor. Ian looks up, half his face is streaked blue from the urinal deodorizer disc. Timmy and Ian’s eyes meet. He’s about to say something, hesitates, and then walks through the door. Ian’s eyes are still locked on the door. He vomits.

The camera, focusing in closely on Ian’s head, starts to steadily rise until it’s a full aerial shot of the boy, on his knees vomiting. He falls back to the floor heaving.

CUT TO:

INT. SCHOOL BUS - DAY

Ian sitting at the front of the bus, blue stains half his face although a bit lighter now. A knot has appeared above his left eye. His shirt is ruined, soaked and stained with a mixture of blue deodorizer, urinal water and vomit. The camera pulls back to show Timmy Smyth is sitting at the back of the bus staring at the back of Ian’s head.

CUT TO:

The bus driver, blissfully ignorant of the tension, sings Credence Clear Water Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising.”

BUS DRIVER
(staring at the road, singing to himself)
I see a bad moon arising. I see trouble on the way. I see earthquakes and lightnin'. I see bad times today. Don't go around tonight/ Well, it's bound to take your life/ There's a bad moon on the rise.

CUT TO:

EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - DAY

The yellow bus door creaks open. Ian steps off the bus. He looks both ways and crosses the street. As Ian slightly jogs across the street, Timmy Smyth emerges off the bus staring at Ian. He moves to cross the street but doesn’t. He walks away from Ian up the street.

CUT TO:

EXT. - SUBURBAN STREET - LATE AFTERNOON
The Christian cross perched upon a building. The camera pans back to show Holy Trinity Church and rectory.

CUT TO:

EXT. - SUBURBAN STREET - LATE AFTERNOON
Ian walks carefully past the rectory as he stares up at the cross scornfully. A sardonic smile crosses his face.

CUT TO:

INT. Ian is sitting at the dinner table, head down, staring at his meal. His parents exchange glances filled with worry and hurt.

STEVEN MCSHANE
Ian, goddamnit, tell us what happened.

ELAINE MCSHANE
We can’t do anything to stop this if you don’t tell us what happened, Ian.

Ian stares at his meal.

STEVEN
Talk

Ian keeps his head down, looking right through his meal.

STEVEN
Talk

Ian’s head shakes minutely.

STEVEN
(slaps his hands down on the table)
Talk!

Ian’s head bolts up.

IAN
Jesus Christ. You don’t understand. You can’t stop this. If you tell I’ll get it worse and worse.

STEVEN
Bullshit. Look at your face. That’s assault. I don’t care what you say I’m going to that goddamn school of yours and getting those little shits suspended.

ELAINE
I’m going with you. (She looks at Ian). We don’t pay all that money to send you to a Catholic school so you can be terrorized.

IAN
I’ll say I slipped on piss and fell. I swear Dad. Just stay out of this. I can handle it.

ELAINE
(to herself)
The language

STEVEN
Son, look at your face. You can’t handle this.

IAN
(Welling up)
I can handle it. I can hand - - -

(He breathes in, cutting off the tears)

STEVEN
No you can’t. I can’t come home everyday and see you like this. They put your face in the urinal for Christ sakes. Those fuckin little animals…

ELAINE
(looking at Steve, then turning towards Ian)
Calm down Steve. The cursing…both of you

IAN
I know what they did to me. I don’t need to hear from you.

STEVEN
Don’t tell me to calm down. They brutalized our boy.

ELAINE
You don’t think I know that. I have eyes.

IAN
(Violently stands up, his chair crashing into the wooden floor.)
Shut up…shut up. Stay out of it. You hear me, I don’t want your help. I want everyone to leave me alone. Is that too much to ask?

Ian rushes out of the room. You can hear his footsteps ascend up the stairs. A door slams as Steven and Elaine McShane stare uncomfortably at each other.

INT. IAN’S BEDROOM - NIGHT

AFI, Alkaline Trio, Thursday, the Evil Dead, Jaws, and other music and movie posters cover the walls. Alkaline Trio’s “We’ve Had Enough” pumps out of the computer’s speakers. Ian is staring at his computer screen reading. His head blocks out the screen. Beyond the computer screen lays Ian’s bedroom window that looks down on the dark, desolate street beneath.

A gentle rap bounces off the door.

STEVEN
(behind the door)
Ian? Buddy, can I come in.

IAN
It’s unlocked

Ian, hits off the computer screen, and swivels around in his chair to face the door.

Steven McShane enters with slight smile that betrays the underlying stress.

IAN
Hey

STEVEN
Hey. (He pauses for a moment.) Turn that stuff down.

Ian, hesitating, turns the volume down on the speakers.

STEVEN
What you looking at?

IAN
Nothing, just some stuff.

STEVEN
Stuff? What kind of stuff?

IAN
(curtly)
Nothing, just stuff?

STEVEN
(mimicking Austin Powers)
Come on bud, throw me a freak’in bone

IAN
(cracks a smile)
Alright, alright, just stop with the impressions. You’re horrible at them.

STEVEN
There’s my son. Alright, so out with it.

IAN
Okay, okay. I’m looking at folklore website, about shape-shifting if you’re really that interested.

STEVEN
Huh, what? Shape-shifting?

IAN
Yeah, shape-shifting, like being able to change into something else.

STEVEN
(seriousness seeping back in)
Like what?

IAN
Something stronger, something…

STEVEN
I get it, you don’t have to explain. (Long pause, inhales) Hey, son, I’m real sorry things got out of hand down there a little bit ago. Me and your mother are real worried about you. You have to understand that.

IAN
Come on, Dad. You don’t have to apologize. I know. I just don’t want to be reminded of it alright. I’m the one that has to go through it day in and day out.

STEVEN
So do we son. Your mother freaked when you came in today. Jesus, I saw your shirt and…

IAN
That’s what I mean. I know what it looked like. And no you don’t have to go through it…

STEVEN
That’s not fair. We do go through it. Jesus son, I--My job is to protect you and I can’t even send you to school without having to worry you may…

IAN
I don’t want to go there. Can’t we just forget about it. Please. I’ll take care of it.

STEVEN
How?

IAN
(sharply)
I don’t know

STEVEN
(getting irritated)
What, dazzle them with your internet research skills.

Ian looks up at his father hurt.

STEVEN
Why do you think they pick on you like that?

Ian looks away from his father.

STEVEN
Tell me. Why?

IAN
I don’t know. I guess cause I’m different.

STEVEN
Well maybe you could stop dying your hair black and listening to that depressing crap you got coming out of the speakers there.

Ian stares up at his father, eyes wide and staring.

STEVEN
I didn’t…

IAN
(voice rising, cutting his father off)
That’s gives them the right?

STEVEN
Of course not, but look at you, sometimes I think you invite it. (He clearly wishes he didn’t say that).

IAN
(irritated)
Leave me alone. Just get out of here.

STEVEN
Hey, watch it!

IAN
(eyes pleading)
Please?

STEVEN
Fine. But since you’re on the topic of shape-shifting, maybe you can shape-shift back into my son who liked normal things and smiled every now and then.

Ian swivels in his chair towards the computer screen.

STEVEN
(looks skeptically at the back of Ian’s head)
Look, I’m done debating. Next time you come home with any marks on you I’m calling the fucking cops on those creeps. No discussion, no arguments, the cops. Alright?

Ian turns his head to look at his Dad but his eyes are looking away, avoiding eye contact.

Steven, annoyed and emotionally drained, looks pitifully down at his small son, turns and leaves the room.

STEVEN
(calling from the hallway)
The last time Ian!

Ian’s attention goes back to the computer. He pushes the computer monitor back on. An image of a werewolf devouring a young maiden fills the computer screen.

INT. IAN'S BEDROOM – DAWN

Ian sleeping with his head down on the keyboard, he fell asleep at his computer.

Voice from off-screen: Ian! Get up! It’s almost 6:45.

Ian’s head pops up. Slowly he opens his eyes and squints at the sunlight shining in his eyes. He rises and rolls his neck grimacing.

IAN
(to himself)
Fuck!

INT. CONWELL-EGAN HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

Among the students walking and conversing in the hallway, Ian McShane is gathering his books for next period. He stuffs a notebook into his bag, closes his locker door and slaps the lock on.

As he turns from his locker, Ian sees a cute petite blonde girl walk by with two other pretty girls. She passes without noticing Ian. Transfixed, Ian watches as she continues on down the hallway and turns the corner.

Ian begins down the hallway in the same direction as the girl. Head down, he shuffles unnoticed through the multitude of students filling the hallway with their laughter and chatter. From his left side, Ian is driven into the lockers. The side of Ian’s head thumps off the locker. An almost inaudible gasp comes out of his mouth. He’s lost his breath.

MIKE
Good morning, fag!

Ian slides down the locker. He looks up to see the backs of Mike Calloway and Dave Unger running down the hallway laughing. Wheezing, he scans the crowd finding a mixture of smiles and horrified faces. He gets up and walks despondently to his third period class.

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

Ian walks into his third period class. He goes directly to the back of the room and slides into his seat. No student acknowledges his presence. Next to him on the right, the cute blonde talks with the two girls from the hallway.

Mr. Zinn, the World Literature teacher, comfortably lounges in his seat, hands behind his head, watches as the last of his students file into their seats. He is in his late thirties, tall, clad in the customary corduroy professor’s jacket.

MR. ZINN
(seated behind his desk off to the right of the room)

Alright, settle down now. I’m certain you have so many interesting things to say to each other, but it’ll have to wait. (He gets up from his desk and glides toward the chalkboard.)
And since I’m sure you all did your reading last night, I’ll let you scan the Epic of Gilgamesh again so that it’s fresh while I jot some notes down for you on thee ole blackboard here.

As Mr. Zinn prepares his notes on the chalkboard as the students scrabble to read as much as possible before he’s done, Ian slides into a light daydream. He’s eyes flutter, then close.

FADE TO BLACK

INT. ZINN'S CLASSROOM - NIGHT

Ian’s eyes open. He’s in Mr. Zinn’s classroom but the room is empty and dark except for the light from the fat, brilliant, full harvest moon. A piercing howl echoes in the halls outside the classroom. Ian’s eyes bulge as he sees movement rush past the open classroom door on the left. He looks over to the right door as another something rushes past.

The sound of a desk moving makes Ian reel to the left again. Perched on the desk is a snarling wolf.

The sounds of paws fill the room as a pack of wolves enters from both the left and right, slowly and methodically closing in on Ian at the back of the room.

A howl rings out from behind Ian. He turns his head to find two wolves staring at him from the large, skeletal tree outside the window. They begin to walk across the thick branches toward the window.

Ian spins around to find the open mouth of a wolf lurch for his neck.

INT. MR. ZINN'S CLASSROOM -DAY

Ian head violently pulls up from his chest. He finds himself back in Mr. Zinn’s sunlight streaked room. He takes a deep breath and lets it out.

SARA WELLS
(snickering)
Bad dream?

IAN
A-a-a-ah, Yeah.

SARA
You got a real knot there.

IAN
(not making eye contact)
What?

SARA
(smiling queerly, she points)
Right there, over your eye.

IAN
Yeah, I slipped.

A couple of seconds pass.

SARA
Sure. Look I’m real sorry about them.

IAN
Who?

SARA
(whispering)
Mike and Dave. Come on, I know how they pick on you.

IAN
Oh

Mr. Zinn cocks his head down the aisle.

MR. ZINN
Mr. McShane, glad you’re awake and loquacious. Now why don’t you enlighten me on the symbolism of Enkidu.

Sara smiles, and begins to copy notes from the board.

IAN
What?

MR. ZINN
Enkidu, what’s his symbolism?

IAN
Ah, ah, he’s the symbol of man’s inner wildness.

MR. ZINN
(prodding him)
What are the physical characteristics that symbolize his wildness?

IAN
That he’s covered in hair.

MR. ZINN
Uh-huh, and what in turn civilizes him?

IAN
(clearly embarrassed)
He makes it with…a woman, a woman.

The students surrounding him smile at his awkwardness and the topic at hand.

MR. ZINN
(smiling)
Safe. Way to pull one out of the keister there Mr. McShane. Imagine what you could do if you stayed with us the whole period.

The class begins to snicker.

MR. ZINN
Mr. McShane is correct, the lures of a woman tame the wildness of Enkidu and lure him towards civilization.

SARA
(leans over and whispers)
Impressive.

IAN
Lucky.

She glances over quickly with a smirk. Infatuated and smiling, Ian continues to stare at Sara.

INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

Ian trails Sara by a few steps in the hallway. Coming from behind Mike Calloway and Dave Unger are running with a trash can. They lift up the garbage can and smash in down over Ian. Mike kicks the trash can with Ian in it. Ian falls to the ground. The hallway erupts in laughter.

Ian wiggles out of the trashcan. From the ground he looks up to find Sara giggling with a friend at the end of the hallway. Infuriated, Ian looks around and finds Mike and Dave hysterically laughing at him. He spazzes on Mike, throwing his fists at him without regard. Mike grabs him and throws him down.

MIKE
You can’t hurt me you little pussy. Look at you, you queer ass freak.

Sara shakes her head, turns, and continues down the hallway.

Ian stares up at Mike with tears of humiliation and hate festering in his eyes.

CUT TO:

EXT. BUS STOP - DAY

Bus door opens as kids pour off the bus. Ian quickly steps off the bus and bolts across the street. Up ahead is Holy Trinity’s rectory. He throws a look at the rectory as he passes.

CUT TO:

INT. RECTORY WINDOW - DAY

Father Joe Montaga watches as Ian sprints past the rectory. Father Montaga’s face is contorted in a mixture of concern and suspicion.

CUT TO:

EXT. MORRISVILLE STREETS - LATE AFTERNOON

Ian running through the Morrisville streets past houses and yards covered in dead, autumn leaves. His breath rifles out of his mouth like industrial pollution from a smokestack.

CUT TO:

EXT. FRONT OF THE MCSHANE’S HOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON

Ian coming up on his house. He fumbles for his keys and lets himself in the door. He looks into the living room to find his mother watching Oprah.

CUT TO:

INT. MCSHANE HOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON

Ian steps into the hallway and peers into the living room to find his mother sitting with her feet up on the Ottoman. Oprah is conversing with Dr. Phil.

ELAINE
(from the living room)
Hey honey, how was your day?

He runs up the stairs.

IAN
(yelling down at her)
Fine.

Elaine gets up out of her chair and walks to the foot of the steps.

ELAINE
Come and talk to me.

IAN
(barely audible from the darkness at the top of the stairs)
Can’t, I have something to take care of.

ELAINE
Just a minute

IAN
I’ll be down in a few hours

ELAINE
We’re getting pizza for dinner

IAN
Wouldn’t be Friday if we didn’t.

CUT TO:

INT. IAN’S BEDROOM - LATE AFTERNOON

Ian opens his window behind the computer desk letting in the cool autumn air.

CUT TO:

INT. IAN'S BEDROOM - DUSK

Fingers racing across the keyboard. Time-lapse occurs as the sunshine filtering into the room goes dark. The upper half of Ian’s body is bathed in light. We think it’s just the light from the computer screen but as we pull back we see the light of the full moon pouring into his room. Ian acknowledges the moon's presence with a sheepish smile.

CUT TO:

The computer screen where the title of the page says “The Becoming Process: Werewolf Origins From Around the World.”

IAN
(reading from the screen, his face illuminated)
Folklore and mythology describe numerous ways a man may transform himself into a wolf…make a pact with the devil…don a wolf-skin belt…stick a copper knife into a tree and recite a magic spell while dancing around the tree…while in wolf form, the person retains enough of his human intelligence to hunt victims, evade traps…The transformation process can be triggered at will or involuntarily through the cycles of the moon… Many seek the transformation out of revenge for…

Ian’s eyes settle on the last line.

…being wronged in some way.

IAN

(sleepy)
All this shit is ridiculous

He rubs his eyes and places his head on the desk next to the keyboard. His back expands as he inhales and deflates as he lets out his breath.

CUT TO:

INT. IAN'S BEDROOM - COMPUTER SCREEN - NIGHT

The computer monitor which reads: “In Italy, a common belief is that anybody who is born on a Friday when the moon grows full, or who sleeps under the moonlight on a Friday evening may turn into a wolf if the desire is firmly entrenched in their consciousness.”

CUT TO:

EXT. THE FULL MOON - NIGHT

We pull back to see the light of the full moon shining brightly on the sleeping Ian McShane at his computer desk.

INT. IAN’s BEDROOM –MORNING

Ian McShane lies in bed with covers drawn over him. The camera focuses on he window curtains flutter in the cool autumn breeze from the open window. A knock at his bedroom door wrestles him from sleep.

IAN
Whaaat?

ELAINE
Get up sleepyhead.

She opens the door and enters. Ian’s head is sticking out from underneath his comforter.

IAN
Why?

ELAINE
(she ignores his pessimistic reply)
You know you didn’t even come down for dinner last night.

IAN
Last night? (Yawns) What time is it?

ELAINE
It’s eleven o’clock in the morning.

IAN
As in…

ELAINE
…Saturday morning. (She cocks her head)You don’t look so good.

She walks over to the bed. Ian stares up at her with bloodshot eyes and a reddish tint to his skin. She puts her hand over his forehead.

ELAINE
Christ, you’re burning up.

IAN
I feel fine. Actually never felt better.

She looks over and sees the open window.

ELAINE
You slept all night with that window open?

IAN
I guess…I think I fell asleep at the computer.

ELAINE
You know I’m going to disconnect that thing. That’s all you ever do anymore. You’re not going to improve your social skills if all you do is pound on that thing all day and night.

IAN
Yeah, yeah. Not the comp...(he trails off)

ELAINE
Look, just stay in bed. I’m going to get the thermometer.

Turning away from Ian, Elaine bends and picks up a pair of underwear on the floor.

IAN
(annoyed)
Seriously I feel…(he’s about to throw off the comforter when he sees dried blood caked on his hands.)

He shoves his hand back underneath the covers.

ELAINE
What?

IAN
Nothing, whatever, take my temperature.

ELAINE
Alright, I’m going to throw a load of wash in and then I’ll be back up. Just close your eyes and rest until I get back.

IAN
Close the door for me

ELAINE
(she smiles)
No problem

The door closes. Ian springs up out of bed. His feet hit the floor and you can tell he’s naked.

INT. HALLWAY.

He runs into hall and into the bathroom and slams the door. As the bathroom door closes, his dad walks out of the master bedroom. He pauses as he goes past the bathroom.

STEVEN
Ian? You alright?

INT. BATHROOM - LATE MORNING

Ian pushes his body weight against the door.

IAN
(voice cracking)
Yeah dad, I’m just not feeling real well. I think I have a fever.

STEVEN
(from other side of door)

Convenient. Why does it seem you get sick around the time leaves need picking up? (Condescendingly) Well go back to bed then.

IAN
Will do.

INT. BATHROOM - LATE MORNING

IAN skampers to the bathroom mirror. The steps creak as STEVEN descends them. IAN’s face is one of horrified confusion. All across his chest and shoulders are splatters of blood and tissue. He opens his mouth. His teeth are streaked red. Shaking, IAN loads up his toothbrush with Crest and brushes vigorously. He rinses, turns and jumps into the shower. The water shoots on and Ian washes frantically with the soap. He jumps out without drying off, runs back into his room, and shuts the door.

As he turns back his comforter before hopping back into bed Ian finds to his revulsion that his sheets are covered in a mixture of blood and tissue. The sight makes him gag. He violently rips the comforter and sheets off. Indecision overcomes him.

INT. DOWNSTAIRS CENTRAL HALLWAY TO FOOT OF STAIRS

Elaine walks out of the door that leads to the basement, into the central hallway and begins to climb the stairs. The sound of her feet jolts IAN into action. He throws the revolting bundle of cloth underneath his bed. Folded neatly on his bureau is a pair of boxer shorts that he grabs and puts on.

INT. IAN’S BEDROOM - LATE MORNING

Elaine opens the door and we find Ian sitting on his bare mattress, looking up meekly at his mother.

ELAINE
Ian, what happened to your sheets?

IAN
(hesitating)
Nothing

ELAINE
Where are your comforter and sheets?

IAN
Let it alone

ELAINE
Don’t pull your stuff, where are your sheets?

Ian just stares at her.

ELAINE
Where – are – your – sheets?

IAN
(Furious)
I pissed the bed, all right. Are you happy?

ELAINE
(stammering)
Y-y-you did what?

IAN
I pissed the bed are you happy? That’s right, your fifteen-year-old son pissed the bed.

ELAINE
I-I-I-I’m sorry.

IAN
Just leave me be.

Elaine makes a move to comfort her son. He pushes back onto the bed.

IAN
I don’t want to be touched, please Mom, just go downstairs and let me be for a while.

Elaine takes a couple of steps back until she’s in the hallway and closes the door. You can hear her footsteps whip down the stairs.

Ian rolls off his bed, hits the floor and crawls into the corner. Knees pulled up to his face, he rocks back and forth.

IAN
(whimpering)
I’m going crazy. This can’t be happening…this can’t be happening.
It doesn’t exist. It can’t exist.

FADE TO BLACK

EXT. MORRISVILLE STREETS - NIGHT.

IAN turns off of West Trenton Avenue and walks onto a dimly lit Morrisville street. Behind him cars pass; their headlights shining. Every so often he looks behind and finds nothing. He picks up his pace as he sees the Morrisville football field a block up ahead. As he approaches the middle of the block, Ian pauses as he passes the alley that provides access to the car garages on both sides of the alley. He begins walking quicker and crosses the street walking along the chain link fence surrounding the football field.

IAN
Two more blocks.

IAN turns again as a figure emerges from the alley one block behind him. IAN pauses again. The figure also pauses at the mouth of the alley. IAN returns his head forward and picks up his pace. He comes upon the corner, turns right and steals a glance back finding the figure has cut the distance between them in half. The figure begins to move faster toward him. As he approaches, IAN can see the figure enlarging, the plaid jacket he wears looks as if it will burst.

IAN takes off down the short street. At the corner he cuts left. His house is caddy corner across the large street and down a few yards. As he sprints for his house, he can hear padded feet irregularly slap against the street. He looks back at shoulder angle and sees nothing. His eyes rotate down and widen. The figure has been reduced in size. Its yellow eyes burn in the darkness of the street.

Sprinting up to his front porch IAN fumbles with his keys. The creature stalks through the dim light of the street lamp before Ian’s house. As IAN’s key finds its place in the keyhole we see the silhouette of the creature come from behind. As the door opens, the ivory fangs find their mark in the small of IAN’s back.

INT. IAN’S BEDROOM - DUSK

Ian’s eyes erupt open. They look each way. We pull back to find he is still in the corner. Sweat covers his body. He spastically jumps up out of the corner and goes to the window. The sun sets over the rooftops of the houses across the street.

INT. MCSHANE HOME - STAIRCASE - DUSK

IAN rushing down the stairs. He turns into the central hallway that leads back into the kitchen. Sitting around the table are ELAINE, STEVEN and MRS. TALBOT. MRS. TALBOT had been crying and ELAINE and STEVEN are comforting her.

He walks into the kitchen

IAN
What’s going on?

STEVEN
Sit down Ian

Ian slinks into the chair besides his father. Ian looks around for the window. He see's the darkness creeping in.

IAN
What happened?

STEVEN and ELAINE exchange uncomfortable glances.

MRS. TALBOT
Ian, Dorothy Kearns was killed last night. Her body was found down near the canal this morning besides the red bridge.

IAN
How’d she die?

STEVEN
Ian, it seems that her throat was…it was torn almost through.

IAN
(shocked)
Murdered?

STEVEN
No, no, please don’t say that.

He pauses, shakes off such an uncomfortable thought and continues.

STEVEN
The savagery of the attack makes them think it was a rabid dog. Besides neighbors heard growling around the time they think she died. They thought it was dog fight. The lazy assholes couldn’t even get up and look out their windows. White trash!

ELAINE
Steve, come on. This isn’t the time

MRS. TALBOT
(eyes red)
(looking admonishingly at Steve and Elaine, she then turns her head toward Ian)
Now we know you went to school with Dorothy…

STEVEN
…so we just want to make sure…

Ian, pale, pushes out from the table and vomits.

STEVEN
Whoaaaa!

All three adults spring up and huddle around Ian.

MRS. TALBOT
Oh, Ian, are you okay?

Elaine massages Ian's neck. Visibly shaken, doubled-over in his chair, Ian stares at the mess catatonically.

ELAINE
(looking at Mrs. Talbot)
He’s been sick all day. Oh Jesus, your shoes!

Mrs. Talbot looks down at her shoes. She smirks.

MRS. TALBOT
It's fine dear. I've been hit by vomit before.

STEVEN
My God, he’s as red as ketchup. I thought he was faking.

Elaine reaches around and feels his forehead.

ELAINE
He's hot. Get him upstairs Steve.

Steve wraps Ian’s arm around his neck and lifts Ian out of the chair.

INT. IAN’S BEDROOM – DUSK

Steven kicks open the door to Ian’s bedroom. He sees the bed is bare.

STEVEN
Hey, big guy, don’t worry. I can’t count how many times on my hand that I pissed the bed in college. It’s a learning curve, don’t worry, you’ll get it.

Ian just nods in dismay and faux embarrassment.

STEVEN
Look, I’ll go get some sheets. Just lie down and rest, alright?
I don’t want you to get any sicker.

Ian, again, nods.

INT. IAN’S ROOM - DUSK

Steven leaves the room. Ian jumps leaps off of the bed. He crosses the bedroom toward his closet. He throws on a zip-up hoodie. After dressing, he vanishes out of his bedroom window onto the roof.

EXT. ROOFTOP - DUSK

He walks across the porch to the edge. He squats and dangles off of the side of the porch and drops into a soft pile of fall leaves.

He runs around the house and up the driveway into the separate garage. Inside he grabs his ten- speed and his bike chain. He rides down the driveway and into the Morrisville suburbs below.

EXT. STREETS OF MORRISVILLE - NIGHT

IAN rides his ten speed across the vast landscape of the Morrisville suburbs. After passing a strip mall, he veers left along side the rail-road tracks leading deeper into the suburban wilderness between townships. He petals faster along side the creek path. The moon’s reflection bounces off the water.

He glances down at his hands on the handle bars to find his hands a feverish red. He grimaces in pain as he struggles on. He petals faster as the pain increases. His face contorts as fangs begin to protrude from his upper lips. Sensing the impending metamorphosis, he ghost-rides his bike into the dead growth of the autumn forest. As he lifts off his ten-speed, Ian hugs the bicycle lock and chain around his wrist.

After the dismount, he sprints toward a slender tree and places his back against it. In desperation, Ian begins to entwine himself between the chain and tree. After the chain is positioned tightly against his skin, Ian locks the chain. Hair begins to sprout from every follicle on Ian’s body. We pull back to see the silhouette of the horrible and tortuous transformation. A howl screams across the suburban landscape.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

The light from a T.V. envelopes a man lounging on a couch. A woman enters the room and walks up to the couch.

KIM
Hey couch potato, it’s about time you did something tonight.

KIM drops the bag of trash at his feet.

KIM
Throw this out.

DANNY looks up at his wife.

DANNY
(ignoring the order)
This fucking Bush, I swear to God he’s the goddamn worst ever.

KIM

Yeah, yeah, stop your partisan shit.

DANNY
(smiling)
What are you talking about?

KIM
Oh stop it. You know what I mean.

DANNY
Come on Kimmy, he’s running the goddamn country into the ground.
The states are bankrupt, unemployment’s up and all he can say is “Saddam, Saddam.”

KIM
(smiling)
Take out the trash you Commie.

DANNY
I do that crap all day and now you want to disturb me from my comfort.

KIM
(smiling)
Uh-huh. Just do it you big jerk.

DANNY
Ooooh, you got me. Give me the damn bag.

KIM
You can pick it up. You have to get up after all.

DANNY just smiles, gets out of his chair and picks up the bag of trash.

KIM
That’s what I like to see, a man who knows how to work

DANNY
Yup, that’s me. You better be ready for me when I get back in.

KIM laughs as DANNY leaves the room.

EXT. BACKYARD LEADING TO ALLEYWAY - NIGHT

DANNY opens the back door and steps onto the porch. He looks up to see the full moon half eclipsed by clouds. He mimics the howl of a wolf and laughs awkwardly.

He walks down the concrete sidewalk leading to the garage and alleyway beyond. He comes upon his fence door and swings it open. He stops, as a weird sensation of danger creeps into his consciousness. He walks to the end of the garage and looks both ways down the dark alleyway.

DANNY
(Self-deprecatingly)
You are such a pussy.

DANNY throws the trash down into his cans. From the corner of his eye something moves. Quickly he swings around to see a basketball roll slowly toward him.

DANNY
Hello

DANNY takes a step closer. The ball rolls up to him. DANNY steps on it.

DANNY
Hello. Come on. Don’t scare me.

DANNY kicks the ball away and takes another step closer toward the opposing garage where the ball rolled from.

DANNY
I swear to God Billy if it’s you I’ll murder you.

DANNY takes his last step further. As his foot touches the ground the sensor lights shines bright. His hands go to his face. He eyes widen. Just camouflaged by the shadow lurks the outline of a beast. Its yellow eyes burn through the darkness. It snarls and lunges at DANNY ripping him back into the shadow cast by the sensor lights. The sound of ripping and tearing ensues.

EXT. THE WOODS - NIGHT

At the foot of the tree lays the chain.

INT. A LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

A kid sits watching TV. An old Hammer Dracula movie plays on the TV. Christopher Lee opens his mouth revealing fangs. The kid smiles. Behind him through the bay window a hunched, hairy figure goes bounding by.

EXT. MORRISVILLE STREETS - NIGHT

Two teenagers walk down the street.

CLINT
How’s your brother man.

DOUG
O, he’s alright I guess. He sends a letter or two a month.

CLINT
Has he killed anyone yet.

DOUG
What? I don’t know.

CLINT
I’m just curious.

DOUG
You know I really don’t want to talk about this. My mom’s a nervous wreck. Seriously I think she needs Valium or something.

CLINT
(smiling)
You know that's a perscription I can fill.

DOUG
You fuckin dick.

CLINT
Dude I didn’t mean to pick at a scab or anything.

DOUG
I know, it’s just sensitive.

CLINT
Oh, I’m sure. Jesus I couldn’t even think about my brother over there.
I wish they’d just nuke that place.

DOUG shoots him a look.

CLINT
Sorry, dick thing to say.

DOUG smiles.

CLINT
I’m gonna give you a serious ass-kicking in Madden, dude.

DOUG
Your ass hurts.

CLINT
You think, fucking Collins to Toomer deep. You can’t stop it. I’m that good.

DOUG
McNabb, 80 yard scrabble for the endzone and there is
nothing your Big Blue inefficient defense can do about it.

CLINT slaps DOUG in the chest.

DOUG
Up ahead.

CLINT
Calloway and Unger at the corner.

DOUG
What?

CLINT
Look.

MIKE CALLOWAY and DAVE UNGER hang at the corner puffing on cigarettes. Their cherries from the cigarette glow.

MIKE CALLOWAY
(calling out from the distance)
Look what we have here.

DOUG
Shit.

CLINT and DOUG sprint back from where they came. They come upon the street corner.

CLINT
Split up.

DOUG just nods and turns left as CLINT runs right.

DOUG books down the street and runs up a driveway into a backyard.

He inhales and exhales sporadically trying to catch his breath.

DOUG
Jesus Christ

He still hyperventilates.

The sound of a chain fence rattling can be heard.

DOUG squints and peers down across the many backyards comprising the street. A dark figure is running head long at him leaping over fences with no problem. A yellow glow radiates from the distance.

DOUG
Motherfucker! Don’t they ever quit?

DOUG runs down the driveway and back into the street. He comes upon the corner again and makes a right.

In the distance a half hunched, half erect figure can be seen giving chase.

DOUG turns to see how far behind the pursuer is. His eyes show the fear when he realizes the thing chasing him isn’t MIKE CALLOWAY or DAVE UNGER.

DOUG’S feet move faster and faster.

DOUG
What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck?

The slapping of padded feet gets closer and closer.

DOUG starts zigzagging as he runs. He turns to find the yellow eyes bearing down on him.

The beast passes through the streetlight rapidly giving a half-second glimpse of the creature.

DOUG begins to emit a scream as it is stolen from him as he is driven into the concrete.

DOUG
AHHH-AAHHH!

His mouth opens in a mixture of pain and fright but nothing can be heard except the ripping and tearing of flesh. DOUG’s eyes open wide like they’re ready to explode and then close.

CUT TO:

INT. CAR - NIGHT

STEVEN MCSHANE peers out the windshield as he drives the darkened streets. The shine of the moonlight reflects off the windshield. News radio plays in the background.

STEVEN
Town's so goddamn creepy. Pay all these taxes and
the fucking streetlamps are little better than flashlights.

STEVEN looks at the radio and turns up the volume.

CARSPEAKER
...The vicious deadly mauling of a 15 year-old girl has left residents of Morrisville, Bucks County terrorized. Neighborhood boys playing on the Morrisville Canal came upon the body half-submerged underneath a commonly used bridge. Sheriff Thomas Anderson believes the likely culprit is a rabid dog. "We believe it's an uncommonly large dog, such as a German Shepard or a Rotweiller, based upon the damage to the victim. We advise residents to stay inside and call the police immediately if they see any larger sized dog without a lease or an owner near by." Morrisville native Marcia Scheslinger says news of the attack has frightened her enough that she won't let her kids leave her sight. "My God, it would be just criminal to let your kids go out when something like that is roaming around."

STEVEN
Fuck you Marcia

He shuts the radio off.

STEVEN
(fearfully)
Come on buddy. Where are you Ian? You're scaring your old man.

EXT. MORRISVILLE STREET - NIGHT

STEVEN'S car comes to an intersection and he turns.

INT. CAR - NIGHT

STEVEN looks from side-to-side as he drives further up the street away from the intersection. Unawares to Steven, the creature, sihouletted, appears in his rearview mirror slinking through the intersection and vanishes into the darkness.

CUT TO:

Steve’s car turning left onto a street.

CUT TO:

INT. MCSHANE HOME'S FRONT DOOR

Steven walks through the front door. Elaine sits on the bottom of the steps leading upstairs. He looks at her and shakes his head. Her eyes well up.

Steven moves toward her and she gently places herself into his arms. He squeezes.

STEVEN
Shhh, he’s alright. I have a feeling.

ELAINE begins to weep forcefully.

STEVEN
I promise he’s alright.

INT. MCSHANE’S KITCHEN TABLE

STEVEN and ELAINE sit, hands grasped on top of the table, heads down, in a downcast manner.

EXT. SIDE DOOR OF THE HOUSE – EARLY MORNING

Door opens and Steven steps out. His face is strained with stress and strain. He descends the steps and walks toward the garage. He takes keys out of his flannel jacket pocket and places one of them into the lock. He opens the door. He steps in and heads over to the worktable in the center of the garage. On top of the worktable is an incomplete wooden patio chair.
From the other side of the table a slight sound of air can be heard. Steven rushes around the table and finds Ian wrapped up in an old, oil stained blanket on the concrete floor. He’s wheezing and asleep.

Steven drops to his knees next to his son.

STEVEN
(while shaking Ian)
Ian! Ian (sharply)

He slaps his son lightly on the check a few times. He scoops up his slight son into his arms.

INT. KITCHEN

The door closes as Steven comes into the room with Ian in his arms and places him on the kitchen table.

STEVEN
Elaine! Elaine!

ELAINE
(from a distance)
What?

STEVEN
I got him. I got him.

The sounds of heels stabbing the wooden floor get closer until Elaine comes dramatically into the kitchen. She looks down onto the table to find her son convulsing, gasping for breath.

ELAINE
Oh my God! Oh my God!

STEVEN
Get him his ventilator. Elaine?

Elaine keeps staring, mumbling.

STEVEN
Elaine!

ELAINE
What?

STEVEN
His ventilator…His ventilator!

Elaine runs out of the room. The wheezing intensifies. Ian begins to turn blue.

STEVEN
(screaming)
Forget the ventilator, get the adrenaline shot!

Ian’s breathing gets shallower and shallower.

STEVEN
(screaming)
Elaine! Come on!

...TO BE CONTINUED

The Becoming

About Me

Saturday, July 15, 2006

First Third of Script

The Becoming