SLITHER
written by
James Gunn
September 10, 2004
FADE IN:
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY
CLOSEUP: A slender woman's hand writes on a chalkboard,
in teacherly cursive.
We PULL BACK to REVEAL STARLA GRANT, a stunningly beautiful
Southern woman in her twenties, as she finishes writing
out, "SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST"
Starla glances at the classroom of high school students.
She is a demure woman, somewhat awkward in her speaking,
but she has the rapt attention of all the boys in the
class.
STARLA
When Darwin said 'fittest,' he
didn't necessarily mean the
strongest or the most intelligent,
or any one trait -- he merely meant
those organisms most well-suited
to their environment.
The boys in the class look her up and down as she speaks.
KYLIE STRUTEMYER, a pretty student, notices a BOY beside
her drawing Starla, only without her clothes. She hits
him. He CHUCKLES.
STARLA
We humans think we're more fit,
more evolved, because we're smarter.
But we're neophytes. We've been
around two million years, give or
take. The cockroach has been here
for 350 million. You tell me who's
the more successful species.
A BOY raises his hand.
STARLA
Will.
WILL
How's all this go with how the
Bible says there ain't no dinosaurs?
Some of the kids LAUGH at the boy. Starla pauses, about
to answer, when the BELL RINGS.
STARLA
We'll tackle that tomorrow...
Everyone bring your boxing gloves.
The kids start to leave.
2.
EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY
Celebratory banners are strung over this street, including
one that reads: "DEER SEASON STARTS TODAY!" We're in the
center of Wheelsy, South Carolina, a moderately depressed
small town. Today's a big day, as HUNTERS from far and
near crowd the streets in their massive pickups.
MEN spill in and out of a gun store buying loads of
ammunition. OLD HUNTERS with faces like prunes stand
outside Angell's Tavern getting drunk. A MAN WITH FEW
TEETH has a dead deer strung out across the back of his
truck, skinning the carcass, its innards spilling loose.
JACK, an older, uptight man in fancy clothes, is driving
through town in his big old Cadillac. He comes upon a
hunter's truck, double-parked, jamming up traffic. Jack
jams on his HORN.
JACK
Get the fuck out of the way,
cocksucker!
Jack turns to see a MOTHER and her two CHILDREN on the
sidewalk, listening and staring in shock.
MOTHER
Mornin', Mayor.
Jack smiles, a bit embarrassed. Jack notices a group of
HUNTERS on the sidewalk, looking and pointing at something
up in the sky.
He looks up to see a small meteor plummeting toward earth.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - DAY
Students file out of the open door for the day. Kylie,
Starla's pretty student, is among them. She and her FRIEND
are looking up at the falling meteor.
KYLIE
Prolly go find it later, sell it
on eBay.
EXT. HORSE RANCH - DAY
A RANCHER with a cleft palate turns his head to see the
meteor, much closer to him. It's rushing down toward the
treetops of a nearby forest.
3.
INT. GRANT'S OFFICE - DAY
A framed wedding photograph of a very young Starla and a
large man is sitting on a desk. The photo TREMBLES
LIGHTLY, with the impact of the meteor hitting the earth.
GRANT GRANT, a large, indelicate man in his mid forties,
notices the photos on his desk moving. He looks up from
his desk and out his door, where there's a GLASS WORKSHOP.
Two WORKERS are carrying a large pane of glass, looking
relieved they didn't drop it.
GRANT
Just a tremor, boys.
Grant goes back to filling out the tags of file folders
with a Sharpie.
EXT. POLICE STATION - DAY
Four cops -- BILL PARDY, the town's young, relaxed, and
handsome Chief of Police, WALLY, an older, toad-like cop,
TREVOR, a younger, somewhat goofy cop, and MARGARET, a
mannish cop -- are standing stock-still in the station
parking lot. They CHUCKLE.
TREVOR
Did ya' feel that?!
They enter the station.
INT. POLICE STATION - DAY
The four cops start to remove their holsters and so forth,
finished for the day.
TREVOR
I always get afraid when that
happens, 'cause what if the ground
cracks open and you fall inside?
It's so hot in there you get all
burnt to nothin' like that --
(snaps)
Happened to my uncle Barry.
Wally and Bill LAUGH at him.
WALLY
Who told you that story, Trevor?
TREVOR
My aunt.
4.
BILL
Your uncle Barry left her for a
stripper up in Winnsboro.
Trevor looks shocked, sad.
SHELBY, a slightly dim dispatcher, on his headset at the
police operator's unit, swirls toward them, alarmed.
SHELBY
Chief! We got a 'mergency over at
the diner!
INT. DINER - LATER
The four cops move in. There's a COMMOTION. Most of the
patrons are standing.
WAITRESS
Back there, Bill!
The Waitress nods back through the service window, into
the kitchen, where a large DOE is hopping around. A
DISHWASHER stands on the counter, YELPING with fear.
INT. DINER KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
Bill, Wally, Trevor, Margaret, and the Waitress enter.
The doe skips around.
WAITRESS
She slipped in, was eating trash.
We seen it on TV, how they kill
ya'--
BILL
Right.
WAITRESS
So we thought we best call in.
Bill spots the open rear door, and tries to herd the deer
toward it.
BILL
Come on now, honey, door's this
way.
MARGARET
It's open season. Let's shoot
her.
BILL
She's just scared, Margaret.
5.
WALLY
Also, Bill likes to take a female
through the back door any chance
he gets.
Wally and Margaret LAUGH. Trevor snatches a dish-towel
and rushes the doe, using it like a cape. The scared doe
leaps away from him, jumping onto the kitchen counter.
BILL
She ain't a bull, Trevor!
The animal kicks off a pot, which hits Margaret.
MARGARET
Goddamn bambi-rat!
As the doe jumps to the floor, she gets her hoof wrapped
in a telephone cord.
The cord is plugged into the wall, trapping the doe in
place. Wally, Margaret, and Trevor attempt to dive for
the cord, but can't avoid the doe's crazy, flying hooves.
BILL
Get back.
The other cops step away. Bill steps slowly toward the
doe, speaking calmly.
BILL
It's okay, sweetheart. Nobody's
gonna hurt you.
The doe looks at him, settling a bit. His voice seems to
be soothing her. Bill gets closer.
BILL
That's right. Just gonna pull
this cord out. It's gonna be all
right.
The cops and restaurant folk look on in awe as the doe,
breathing heavily, becomes still. Bill scoops close past
her, and yanks the telephone cord out of the wall.
Bill smiles. Then the doe runs forward, almost knocking
Bill over, and streaks out the back door.
Bill, Wally, Margaret, and Trevor move up to the doorway
and watch the deer skitter off into the woods beyond,
dragging the telephone, tied to her leg.
BILL
Hell, she took a phone. Now them
forest critters are gonna be calling
us all hours of the night.
6.
Everyone LAUGHS. Wally pretends to be on the phone.
WALLY
Chief of police there? This a
squirrel. Bring me a bag of
peanuts, motherfucker!
Everyone LAUGHS some more.
INT. GLASS WORKSHOP - EVENING
Grant locks his office for the day. His SECRETARY sees
him going.
SECRETARY
'Night, Mr. Grant.
GRANT
See ya', Ashley.
Grant walks across the workshop toward the door. He sees
a crowd of WORKERS lounging around a glass-cutting table,
LAUGHING at something.
Some of them nod at Grant, and he nods back. But he's
completely outside their circle.
EXT. GRANT HOUSE - NIGHT
A sizable two-story suburban home. All the lights are
off but one.
GRANT (O.S.)
So I get home today, phone's
ringing. It's Hank Wilcox.
INT. GRANT DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Starla and Grant eat dinner in this well-decorated room.
As Grant chatters, Starla occasionally smiles politely at
him.
GRANT
Callin' for you. What the hell?
I said, 'Hank, that's a little bit
outta line don't'cha think, a single
man callin' someone's wife?' At
night, nonetheless.
Starla is quiet, almost afraid:
7.
STARLA
He's teaching environmental science,
Grant. Probably wants to borrow
my lesson plans from last semester.
GRANT
Oh yeah, that's what he wants to
borrow, this guy.
STARLA
It's just a work thing.
GRANT
Work thing hell, Starla. He just
wants to get in your pussy. Him
and most these other ones around
here. That's where their minds is
at, them sick fucks.
Grant takes a big bite of food, stuffing his mouth.
GRANT
I'll tell you, sugarplum, you're
lucky you got me. You're too damn
trusting. Without me to protect
you, you'd get kilt one of these
days.
Starla nods.
INT. GRANT MASTER BATHROOM - LATER
Starla stares at herself in the mirror as she brushes her
hair. She uses long, slow strokes, as if stalling.
GRANT (O.S.)
Sugarplum, you coming into bed?
Starla turns toward the door. She doesn't say anything
for a moment.
STARLA
Just a second.
Starla sets her brush down on the counter. She arranges
it neatly beside the others. And walks into the bedroom.
INT. GRANT BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Grant turns off the TV as Starla gets into bed with him.
It's almost completely dark in here.
Grant crawls on top of Starla. He kisses her and grabs
her in a way not meant to be rough, but is utterly without
grace.
8.
After doing this for a few moments, Starla starts to push
him off her.
STARLA
Grant, no -- I'm sorry, I'm just --
I'm not in the mood.
Grant is on top of her, breathing a little too heavy.
GRANT
Come on, baby, it's --
STARLA
I'm sorry. I don't just have some
switch.
GRANT
Sure you do.
Through Starla's nightgown, Grant pretends to flick one
of her nipples.
GRANT
Flip.
Then the other.
GRANT
Flip.
STARLA
That's disrespectful.
Grant, peeved, gets off of her. He sits on the edge of
the bed for a moment, in silence. Starla looks afraid.
GRANT
When are you in the mood, exactly?
Seems to me that mood's as rare as
winnin' the Goddamn lotto.
Grant grabs his slacks off the valet and starts putting
them on.
STARLA
Where are you going?
GRANT
I'm just some big clown to you,
ain't I?
STARLA
That's not true -- Where are you-?
GRANT
Out.
9.
INT. HENENLOTTER'S SPORTS BAR - LATER
Grant sits at the bar, knocking back a shot of tequila.
He's getting drunk. He taps his glass.
GRANT
Hit me again there, killer.
The BARKEEP fills his drink.
BARKEEP
Hey, Grant, how's it you come to
have the same last name as first?
GRANT
Parents thought it sounded pleasant,
I s'pose. Joke on me, ain't it?
Grant notices a woman with a lot of makeup -- BRENDA
GUTIERREZ -- staring at him from across the bar, smoking
a cigarette. Grant stares at her, trying to figure out
who she is. She slides off her stool.
She sashays toward him. She props herself on the stool
beside him, leans drunkenly in toward him.
BRENDA
Megan Halesy' little sister.
GRANT
Shit. You're kidding me.
BRENDA
Nope. Brenda!
GRANT
Hell, you were --
Grant holds his hand only so high.
BRENDA
I was! And I'll tell you somethin',
Grant Grant. I's in love with
you.
Grant stares at her.
BRENDA
My sister Megan, she's a big fat
cow. Was then, even more so now.
I'd be thinking, what'd you see in
her ain't in me?
GRANT
Shit, girl, you couldn't'a been
eleven.
10.
BRENDA
Hell, I was game!
She LAUGHS. So does Grant. He stares at her,
contemplating sinful things. He nods at her wedding ring.
GRANT
Who's the lucky fella?
BRENDA
Fuck lucky. Never marry a damn
half-Mexican.
GRANT
Already ain't. Married a gal named --
BRENDA
Starla Covington. Don't be
ignorant. Everyone knows that.
Fucking prom queen.
Grant thinks.
GRANT
Yeah.
Grant finishes his drink, and gets up to go.
BRENDA
Where you goin'?
Grant speaks more loudly than need be:
GRANT
Starla, she gets real worried 'bout
me I stay out too late. Loves me
too much, that one.
He glances around to see if people have heard, and stumbles
out.
EXT. SHADED CREEK - LATER
Grant sits on a boulder beside a creek, looking miserable,
downing a six pack.
He throws an empty can into the creek, when he glances
down and sees particles flowing down the river.
Grant slides off the boulder. He kneels and examines the
particles. They shimmer in the moonbeams coming down
between the trees.
Grant peers up the creek from where the particles are
coming.
11.
He sees a gap on the edge of the creek, where water
splashes and is diverted in streamlets down the hill.
He approaches the spot, and comes upon a small crater on
the side of the creek. The meteorite is inside the crater,
but it's cracked into pieces. The rock seems almost
organic, like a shell. The shimmery specks are part of
the shell itself, flecking off into the creek and rushing
downstream.
Grant crouches. He touches the meteorite, and feels some
sort of goo inside it. It's sticky.
He notices a strip of the same slime leading out of the
crater itself and into the woods.
Grant, curiously, slowly, follows the slimy trail.
He comes to a flurry of colorful wild flowers. Something
is rustling the flowers ever so slightly. He moves in
closer.
A gelatinous yellow organism slithers sluggishly between
the flowers. The organism is a mound a few inches high,
gross and veiny, yet as colorful as the flowers around
it. A small cavity on the apex of the organism constricts
and expands lightly. I guess it's not worth keeping secret
that this thing looks a tad like a bright yellow vagina.
GRANT
What the...?
Grant is a little freaked-out by this thing, even
frightened. He looks around for someone else.
GRANT
Hey, anybody 'round here? 'Lo?
No one answers. Grant looks down at the organism, unsure.
He picks up a tree branch.
Grant softly prods the organism with the pointy end of
the branch.
Nothing happens.
He does it again. The thing pulses a little, and surges
toward Grant.
Grand pokes it again.
A small, thin quill -- a SPORE -- emerges from the cavity
in the center of the organism. The spore is quivering
and, as it trembles upward, little bulbed spurs pop up as
well.
Grant slowly bends down to look at it when --
12.
The SPORE suddenly SHOOTS OUT. It strikes Grant in the
stomach.
GRANT
Ow! Fuck!
Grant yanks up his shirt, looking at a wound on his
abdomen. He watches as the spore quivers and disappears
inside him.
He clutches his stomach, SCREAMS in agony. He falls back
into the colorful flowers. His body convulses.
MATCH CUT TO:
CAT SCAN SHOT - INT. GRANT'S BODY
We see the insides of Grant's body, as if sliced in half.
We ZOOM IN on the little spore, which is jittering up
through his body, and into his neck.
The spore keys into the base of Grant's cerebellum, and
his entire brain crackles with a WHITE ELECTRICAL ENERGY.
BACK TO SCENE
Grant freezes in place, his fingers contorted up in front
of him, silent. He's utterly still, a wax corpse.
A hippie CAMPING COUPLE run into the area, looking for
the source of the screams. The man looks down at the
frozen Grant.
CAMPER
Over here!
The Camper crouches down beside him.
CAMPER
Hey, man. You all right?...
Dude?... Oh shit.
The Camper turns from Grant to his girlfriend.
CAMPER
I think he's d --
Grant GASPS suddenly, sitting up and grabbing the man,
like a drowning man popping up above water. The Camper
YELPS and jumps back. Grant sweats and heaves, trying to
speak, but hardly can --
GRANT
It's taking... my... brain.
13.
CAMPER
Buddy?
Grant's eyes glaze over, and he eases off. He heaves
there, momentarily confused. His eyes dart around, as if
seeing his surroundings for the first time. Grant stands.
CAMPER
You all right, man?
Grant looks down curiously at the camper. Then he turns
and stumbles away from them, out of the forest.
CAMPER
That might of been a stroke, buddy.
You better take it easy.
INT. GRANT'S PICKUP - DAWN
Grant drives down the road in his luxury pickup truck,
sweating and blinking rapidly.
EXT. GRANT HOUSE - MORNING
Grant steps out of the truck in his driveway, when he
hears --
NEIGHBOR (O.S.)
Hey ya', Grant.
Grant swings his head toward his NEIGHBOR, who is taking
a happy BEAGLE for a morning walk.
NEIGHBOR
What were ya', night-fishing again?
You catch anything?
GRANT
I caught a little somethin', yeah.
Grant walks inside his house.
INT. GRANT FOYER - MORNING
Grant looks around the foyer.
INT. GRANT BEDROOM - MORNING
Grant creeps into the bedroom, looking around. We can
hear the SHOWER RUNNING.
Grant spots his face in a mirror above the dresser. He
moves in close to the mirror, and stares at his own image.
14.
He pulls on his face a little, his eyes brimming with
excitement. He smiles at himself.
Grant looks toward the open bathroom door, where he hears
the running shower. He creeps toward it.
Grant peeks around the doorway. Starla is in the shower,
soaping herself. She looks beautiful there. Grant tilts
his head to the side like a dog. He watches her,
mesmerized, even moved.
INT. GRANT BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Starla is wearing a white towel and brushing her wet hair
in the foggy bathroom mirror when she hears Air Supply's
EVERY WOMAN IN THE WORLD coming from the bedroom. She's
struck by it.
She moves toward the door. Opens it.
INT. GRANT BEDROOM - MORNING
The shades are drawn, darkening the room. A few candles
have been lit. Grant is standing there, mostly in
silhouette. He's silent, and he doesn't move.
GRANT
Hey there, sugarplum.
Starla looks at him, stirred.
STARLA
Haven't heard this for a while.
Grant walks toward her. He takes her hand in his own,
lifting it beside him. He wraps his other arm around her
waist. And he slow dances with her. Starla dances too,
a bit hesitantly, a bit shy.
STARLA
I never danced in a towel before.
GRANT
Wearing white, just like on our...
wedding day. I remember it.
Starla nods.
GRANT
I'm sorry about last night. I get
a little insecure sometimes, want
to hold on too tight. It's just
'cause you're precious to me,
Starla.
(MORE)
15.
GRANT (CONT'D)
But I swear to God, baby, I'm
turning over a new Goddamn leaf.
Okay?
Starla nods, touched. Grant's eyes are teary.
GRANT
I love you, sugarplum.
Starla and Grant kiss, tenderly.
Grant falls to his knees in front of her. He runs his
hand over the curve of her hip, her thigh, her buttock,
with as much fascination as lust. He pushes Starla back
onto the bed.
He lifts her leg, and kisses it, nibbles on it a little,
scrapes his teeth on it. Starla is surprised by this,
but enjoys it too: it's probably the most foreplay she's
had in years.
Grant crawls on top of her, runs his hands over her
breasts, her face. Starla's hand moves over Grant's back,
and to his stomach. When she stops, startled.
STARLA
Grant, what's that?
She gazes down at the wound between them, on Grant's bare
abdomen, where the spore entered him. The wound is
yellowish, and surrounded by veins.
Grant, embarrassed, pulls his shirt down.
GRANT
Just a little bug bite is all.
Grant kisses and munches on Starla as she lies back on
the bed, enjoying it.
O.S. HUMMING.
FADE TO:
INT. TEACHER'S LOUNGE - DAY
Starla is HUMMING Every Woman in the World as she drops
coins into a soda machine and chooses Tab. JANENE, a
heavyset black teacher, notices this.
JANENE
What are you so smiley about, girl?
STARLA
Oh, nothin'.
16.
Starla grabs her soda and sits down with Janene. Janene
just stares.
STARLA
Just, Grant and I had a nice
morning. It's been a while.
JANENE
Oh! You got that fresh-fucked
glow, don't you?
STARLA
Janene.
JANENE
You slut.
STARLA
Hush.
JANENE
No shame. You're a married woman.
STARLA
He was... considerate. Maybe this
is the start of a real change in
Grant.
INT. GRANT BATHROOM - DAY
Grant is holding up his shirt, and looking at his torso.
The wound on his side is blackened and gangrenous, and is
starting to puff up into a veiny little spout. A fuzzy
bluish moss is growing in the crevices around the spout.
A pus oozes out.
Grant looks concerned. He squirts some Neosporin onto
his fingers. He massages it slowly into the wound.
INT. GRANT KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
Grant opens the refrigerator door and rummages around
inside. He pulls out some bread. Some cheese.
He opens the meat drawer. It's replete with cold cuts.
He pulls out some Oscar Mayer baloney. Turkey. Pastrami
and salami. He grabs every type of meat there is.
MOMENTS LATER
Grant assembles a sandwich at the table. Two pieces of
bread and some cheese. He starts putting the meat on.
But he can't stop, piling more and more on until he has a
little sandwich tower.
17.
He looks at it. Something seems off about it. He removes
the cheese. Better. And then the bread. Even better.
He stares at what is now simply a tower of cold cuts.
GRANT
Meat.
After contemplating it for a moment, Grant stands and
carries off the pile of meat.
INT. GRANT GARAGE - MOMENTS LATER
Grant enters the garage through a door from the FOYER.
He flips the lights on with his shoulder. He looks around.
Grant spots an old file cabinet. He sets the tower of
meat down on the oily floor and opens a drawer. It's
filled with files. He closes that drawer, and opens
another. It has manila file folders, but no files.
Grant takes out the folders. He uses a Sharpie to write
out "BALONEY" on a folder. Then he stuffs all the baloney
into the folder and files it away.
He starts writing out "PASTRAMI".
LATER
Grant flips through his alphabetically-filed meat: from
"BALONEY" through "TURKEY." But he doesn't look satisfied.
INT. SUPERMARKET - LATER
Grant stands beside the butcher's counter with a shopping
cart. He peers dreamily in through the glass at the rows
of steaks, pork chops, and so on.
GRANT
Meat.
BUTCHER
Howdy, Mr. Grant. You goin' to
the Deer Cheer this weekend?
Grant snaps out of his reverie.
GRANT
Sure thing, killer.
BUTCHER
What can I do you for?
18.
GRANT
Thinkin' 'bout getting me a couple
of these big ol' rib eyes.
BUTCHER
How many you need?
Grant stares at the steaks.
GRANT
Well... having us a little dinner
party... I'd say... eight. No,
no... fourteen...
The Butcher nods, starts to grab steaks. Grant CHUCKLES.
GRANT
Hell, what am I holding back for?
Why don't you just give me
everything you got here?
BUTCHER
All the rib eyes?
GRANT
Yep. And while you're at it, get
me a few of them chicken wings...
some pork loins... and, ooo, what's
this here? Osso buco?...
EXT. GRANT HOME - LATER
Grant backs his pickup toward the garage. Meat is piled
into the bed. Wrapped packages of meat fill the seats
around him.
INT. GRANT GARAGE - MOMENTS LATER
Grant stands in the garage, tearing open the packing, and
letting the loose meat slide into piles onto the floor,
muttering:
GRANT
Meat.
MOMENTS LATER
Grant rolls slabs of beef over the dirty floor and into a
pile.
SOMETHING skitters across the garage and around the pile.
Grant peers around the pile and sees a RAT nibbling on
some ribs. He realizes something.
19.
GRANT
You're meat.
The rat moves away from Grant. But Grant snaps out his
arm with alarming speed, snatching the rat. It SQUEAKS
and wriggles in his grip, tearing and biting at him, trying
to get free.
Grant snaps its neck, and tosses the dead rat onto the
pile of meat. Continues on.
EXT. GRANT GARAGE - NIGHT
Starla pulls into the driveway. She presses the button
on her garage door opener.
The door SHUDDERS but stays closed. Starla's confused.
She gets out of the car and examines the door. She looks
down and sees a new padlock, locking the door to the cement
driveway with bolts on both sides.
INT. GRANT FOYER - MOMENTS LATER
Starla enters the house. She heads toward a door along
the wall that leads to the garage. There's a shiny new
lock on that door as well. She touches it, baffled.
She turns to see Grant standing at the end of the foyer.
He's in shadows, a little spooky in the darkness.
GRANT
Welcome home.
STARLA
Grant? Why are there -- did you
put locks on the garage?
Pause. No answer.
STARLA
You drilled into the driveway.
Grant walks into the light.
GRANT
Yeahhhh. I'm sorry. I just got
so excited about... your present.
STARLA
My present?
GRANT
You're my princess, aren't you?
20.
STARLA
Okay.
GRANT
I got a super-special birthday
present for you this year. I
couldn't risk you finding it, so I
had to put them locks on the doors.
Pause.
STARLA
All right... I have to clean up
before dinner.
Grant smiles at her. Starla confused, tries to smile
back, then turns and heads up the stairs. Grant watches
Starla's fine form from behind, somewhat lustily. But
his leering gaze gradually turns into something darker,
and he has a realization.
GRANT
You're meat.
Starla turns.
STARLA
What?
Grant snaps himself out of it.
GRANT
Oh, nothin'. Nothin'. See you in
a sec.
Starla smiles uneasily, and heads on upstairs.
EXT. GRANT HOME - MOMENTS LATER
Grant steps onto the front porch to get some air. He's
blinking and seems a little dizzy. He gazes around the
neighborhood:
Down the way, a BOY in a little league uniform and his
MOTHER get out of their car and walk toward the front
door.
Across the street, THROUGH A KITCHEN WINDOW, a PLUMP MAN
and his WIFE are eating dinner.
At another home, a SHORT MAN steps on a stepladder,
changing the dome light on his porch.
Grant stares at these individuals, looking like an animal
ready to lunge at its prey, fighting the urge.
21.
GRANT
Meat.
He HEARS a BARKING. Grant turns to see the beagle next
door, tied to the tree, YAPPING at him.
Grant looks around to make sure no one's watching.
EXT. GRANT HOME - MORNING
Starla walks to get the paper in her robe, and she sees a
BOY, aged thirteen or so, stapling a LOST: REWARD flyer
to a telephone pole, with a picture of the beagle.
STARLA
Roscoe's gone?
The Boy's face is streaked from a long night of crying.
BOY
You haven't seen him, have you?
Starla shakes her head.
STARLA
I'm sure he'll show up, Tim.
The Boy nods, and walks to the next telephone pole to put
up another flyer.
EXT. SHADED FOREST - DAY
Grant moves up a hill, between trees, looking around for
something. He comes to a stop, trying to remember which
way to go. He does, and moves on.
EXT. OLD BARN - LATER
Grant comes upon an old wooden barn. The structure is
maybe a hundred years old, and long abandoned. It's
spattered with graffiti. Grant stares at it.
MOMENTS LATER
Grant gathers large fronds and other foliage in his arms.
INT. OLD BARN - LATER
Grant spreads the plant life over the floor of the barn.
He arranges it, fluffs it there. His actions are very
animal-like when no one's around. He seems to be making
a nest. He sits back, looks at it.
22.
He's happy.
FADE TO:
INT. GRANT BEDROOM - NIGHT
Starla, dressed in her weekend finery, is looking in the
mirror above her dresser, and putting on earrings.
STARLA
Grant, are you almost ready?
INT. GRANT MASTER BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Grant looks ill. He is leaning over the sink, sweating,
clutching his stomach.
GRANT
Yeah, hon, I'll be right there!
Grant turns and pushes open his door.
INT. GRANT BEDROOM - NIGHT
Grant sees Starla sitting on the edge of the bed, her
back to him, as she puts on her nylons. She doesn't know
he's there.
Grant stares at her, demented, and moves slowly toward
her, stalking her.
Something starts to push Grant's shirt up at his stomach,
like a bellybutton erection. The thing slips out of his
shirt -- a writhing, pointy tubule, aiming toward Starla's
back.
Grant looks at the nape of Starla's neck. Her delicate
ear. He becomes confused; he softens.
Starla turns to see Grant, his body now turned away from
her. He's trying to push the tubule back down.
STARLA
What are you doing?
GRANT
You're pretty.
Starla nods, confused by his behavior.
23.
EXT. WHEELSY SADDLE LODGE - LATER
A banner hangs across the front of the lodge, "DEER CHEER
'05" -- the first Friday of deer season in Wheelsy.
Inflatable deer totems decorate the front of the wooden
lodge. RAMBUNCTIOUS MUSIC comes from inside. Partyers
enter.
Grant and Starla step out of his truck. As they do, one
of Starla's students, Will, sees her and waves. Starla
waves back.
Grant notices this and grabs Starla's arm, a bit too hard,
pulling her back.
GRANT
Who's that?
STARLA
It's just one of my students, Grant.
Grant stares at the boy with distrust, and ushers Starla
towards the lodge.
Bill, Trevor and Margaret are hanging out on a large rock
outside the entranceway, drinking beer. Bill watches
Grant and Starla cross the lot. Trevor sees this.
TREVOR
What's she see in that douchebag?
BILL
That's the mystery of the ages
there, Trev. Starla was seventeen
when they got engaged. He was,
like, in his thirties. No one
even knew they were goin' out till
she had that ring on her finger.
MARGARET
Ain't no mystery to it. She's
raised in them shanties off St.
Luc. Dirt-poor.
TREVOR
Gold-digger, huh?
BILL
Hell, you don't know that, Margaret.
Margaret shrugs, BELCHES. Jack, the mayor, with his WIFE,
stops beside them after she does, staring at her.
JACK
Bill, you're Chief of police now.
(MORE)
24.
JACK (CONT'D)
Comes with some Goddamn
responsibility, like keeping your
people in line.
BILL
You're right, Jack. Margaret,
you're fired.
Margaret and Trevor LAUGH. Jack shakes his head with
disdain, and enters the party.
INT. WHEELSY SADDLE LODGE - NIGHT
Wheelsy citizens celebrate. A country-western band PLAYS.
Couples two-step.
Starla and Grant move through the party. Grant looks
around at the dancing and laughing bodies. Starla sees
her friend from school.
STARLA
Janene!
Janene LAUGHS heartily and the two embrace
JANENE
Hey, Grant.
GRANT
Why don't you two catch up? I'll
go see what the boys are doing.
Starla nods. She and Janene watch as Grant moves off
through the crowd.
STARLA
He's been strange the past couple
days.
EXT. WHEELSY SADDLE LODGE - MOMENTS LATER
Grant steps outside, and looks around.
Across the parking lot is a playground. Two YOUNG CHILDREN
are spinning on a little carousel there.
Grant starts toward them.
EXT. SADDLE LODGE PLAYGROUND - NIGHT
The Children GIGGLE, unaware of Grant inching up on them.
Grant gets closer, excited, when he hears:
25.
BRENDA (O.S.)
Hey there, handsome.
Grant turns and see Brenda Gutierrez standing there.
Once again, she's very drunk.
BRENDA
Must be fate, us meeting again
like this.
Grant smiles.
GRANT
Well, you might be right...
Grant sees if anyone's watching. He circles around her.
GRANT
You're lookin' awful pretty.
BRENDA
Shut up.
Brenda SNICKERS.
GRANT
Where's the old half-Mexican?
BRENDA
Took the kids to his Mom's for the
weekend.
Grant smiles.
EXT. FOREST - NIGHT
Grant holds Brenda's hand, and he pulls her between the
trees. She GIGGLES.
BRENDA
Where you takin' me, you bad boy!
Grant stops in a secluded place, beside the creek, looking
around. No one's there. He turns toward her, smiles.
GRANT
Take off your shirt, doll.
Brenda looks at him, confused.
GRANT
Guess it's hard to explain how
amazin' a human brain is to someone
who that's all they know.
26.
BRENDA
What?
GRANT
Stuff you can never imagine.
Feelings. Big thoughts. And love.
Yeah. I'm inclined to parlay it
into somethin' more. So, go ahead
there, beautiful, and take off
your shirt.
Brenda, though startled, leans back on a boulder and starts
unbuttoning her blouse. After a moment, she looks at
Grant, trying to be sexy while she does it. Grant looks
at her in her bra.
GRANT
Nice.
Grant unbuttons his shirt as well. As he removes it
completely, he turns toward her.
Brenda sees the wound on his stomach has blossomed into a
veiny, blue-moss-encrusted yellow spout, huge and pulsing.
BRENDA
Grant!? What -- ?!
Grant grabs her. She tries to push his arms away.
BRENDA
No, no, we --
Brenda gets up, trying to run away. But Grant grabs her
necklace, yanking her back. The necklace snaps and falls
into the creek beside them.
Grant pins Brenda's wrists against the rock. She struggles
to get free.
Brenda's eyes widen as she looks down to see the writhing,
tentacle-like tubule emerge from Grant's wound. She
SCREAMS.
Grant shoves his hand over her mouth, shutting her up.
He's extremely strong. She watches as the tubule twitches,
feeling its way like a blind snake.
The tubule comes to rest on her abdomen. Tears stream
down from Brenda's eyes. It pushes into her flesh.
Brenda goes into convulsions. Something -- a fluid --
pumps through the tubule and into Brenda.
Grant watches Brenda without emotion as her body spasms
there beside him.
27.
Then she falls back, unconscious. The tubule retracts
into Grant's torso.
EXT. WHEELSY SADDLE LODGE BACK PORCH - NIGHT
Starla is leaning over a wooden rail, looking at the lights
of the town below. She turns to see Bill lean on the
rail beside her. She looks genuinely happy.
STARLA
Hey, Bill!
Starla catches herself, and looks around to see if Grant
is watching.
BILL
Don't worry. The lurker ain't
around. I checked.
STARLA
That's not funny.
BILL
Sorry.
STARLA
Whatcha' doin'?
BILL
Tryin' to get a buzz on. But I'm
too buff. Too much muscle mass.
Starla LAUGHS.
BILL
What you up to?
STARLA
Just checking out the lights.
Bill and Starla look out over the city together.
BILL
Pretty, ain't they?
STARLA
I don't know. I've seen them so
many times before. I guess any
spot gets boring after awhile.
BILL
Well that's only if you're in the
wrong spot.
Starla looks at him.
28.
BILL
There's a place over there on the
bluffs. When the fog is just right,
like tonight, the lights of Main
look like a kaleidoscope.
STARLA
Oh, yeah?
BILL
Mm hm. But only a few folks know
how to get there. Wally. Rollo
Linkski coulda taken you, but
'course he got hit by that train.
Me.
STARLA
I'll get Wally to show me sometime
then.
Starla LAUGHS out loud. So does Bill.
BILL
Oh, will you now?
STARLA GRANT (O.S.)
Or Rollo's ghost. Starla.
They turn to see Grant approaching. He's a mess. His
pants are streaked with mud.
STARLA
Grant, where'd you go?
BILL
Hey, Grant.
Grant eyes Bill with suspicion. He grabs Starla.
GRANT
You ready, sugarplum?
Starla nods. She looks at Bill and mouths:
STARLA
Bye.
Bill watches Grant and Starla head off, as he downs the
rest of his beer. Wally walks up beside him.
WALLY
Surprised you're able to lift a
mug after carrying that torch for
so long.
29.
BILL
Hey, Wally. Glad you're here.
There was something I wanted to
tell you...
Bill SNAPS his fingers, trying to remember.
WALLY
What?
BILL
Oh yeah. Fuck you, fat ass.
They both LAUGH.
INT. GRANT BEDROOM - LATER
Starla lies on her side, awake. She's staring at the
dirt on Grant's pants, which are hung over a valet. Grant
holds her from behind, sleeping peacefully.
FADE TO:
INT. WHEELSY POLICE STATION - DAY
The front door of the precinct opens, and a confused
Mexican MAN walks inside. He is trying to keep from
crying. Three half-naked children follow him, clutching
onto his clothes. The man walks slowly through the office,
looking around for help.
Margaret sees him from her desk.
MARGARET
Sir, may I help -- ?
BRENDA'S HUSBAND
My wife, Brenda. I think something
has happened to her!
EXT. STOP SIGN - DAY
Starla, in her car with groceries, comes to a stop sign.
She looks at the telephone pole beside it and sees that
it's covered with flyers for missing pets.
INT. GRANT FOYER - MOMENTS LATER
Starla enters with a shopping bag. The lights are off.
CREEPY MUSIC plays.
STARLA
Grant?
30.
No answer. Starla tries to turn on the lights, but nothing
happens.
STARLA
Damn fuse.
She passes the door to the garage, noticing the lock.
INT. GRANT KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
Starla sets down the bags on the counter, looks around.
STARLA
Grant?
Again, no one's here. She sees a potted flower on the
counter. A green INCHWORM is crawling up the stem, little
by little. She stares at it, as if it's a portent.
She hears a MOAN, coming from upstairs.
INT. GRANT BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Starla moves slowly into this dark room, looking for her
husband. It seems no one is here.
STARLA
Grant, where are y -- ?
Starla turns, when Grant POPS INTO FRAME. Starla,
startled, SCREAMS. Grant is sick and trembling. But,
worse, he's been transforming. There are small pustules
all over his face.
STARLA
Grant. Oh my God. What happened
to your -- ?
GRANT
Heh. It ain't as bad as it looks,
sugarplum. Dr. Carl was just here.
I had a reaction to a bee sting.
He gave me a prescription. Said I
should be fine, in a couple days.
Starla stares at him, mute and horrified.
GRANT
Don't look at me like that, baby.
Please? I'm gonna go get my...
prescription filled.
Grant grabs his keys off the dresser, puts them in his
pocket, trying to pretend he doesn't hurt.
31.
STARLA
I'll get if for you.
GRANT
No! No. Heh. I'll be right back.
He moves outside the door, leaving Starla, shell-shocked.
INT. GRANT GARAGE - DAY
It's too dark to see much in here, but we do see Grant
putting meat into a garbage bag.
EXT. GRANT HOUSE - DAY
Grant looks around to make sure no one's looking, as he
places the garbage bag full of meat into his trunk, closes
it.
EXT. OLD BARN - EVENING
Grant moves through the forest, in massive pain, dragging
the garbage bag.
Grant comes upon the old wooden barn.
INT. OLD BARN - NIGHT
Grant enters. It is almost completely dark. He hears
WEEPING. CHAINS RATTLE.
Grant peers over at Brenda, mostly in silhouette, sitting
on the nest he has made. She's chained up and MOANS
through a mouth gag. Grant walks to her. Her body is
horribly pear-shaped and misshapen, like some tumorous
pregnancy. Grant pulls her gag away.
BRENDA
Grant? Grant, I'm hungry. I'm so
fuckin' hungry I think I'm gonna
die.
GRANT
Brought you munchies.
Grant pours the garbage bagful of rotting meat and dead
animals out in front of her.
GRANT
Been saving for a rainy day.
CLOSEUP: Brenda's face, still mostly in darkness. She
stares at the meat, simultaneously excited and repulsed.
32.
She looks up at Grant.
BRENDA
Grant, I'm sorry if I did something
wrong! I think I gotta -- I think
I should go to a hospital!
Grant doesn't respond. Brenda's eyes trail back down to
the meat.
Brenda's hand reaches out, and grabs a maggot-infested
pork chop, pulling it toward her.
We HEAR, but can barely see, Brenda CHOWING DOWN on the
raw pork in the nearly pitch black barn.
INT. GRANT'S TRUCK - LATER
Grant gets into his pickup; he trembles and YELPS as his
body is wracked with pain and his body starts to transform
even more.
INT. GRANT FOYER - NIGHT
There's a HARD KNOCKING on Starla's door. She swings it
open to see Bill and Wally standing there, worried.
Wally tries to see inside.
WALLY
Grant around?
STARLA
No. He went to the pharmacy.
WALLY
Pharmacy?
STARLA
He's got a... rash.
Bill and Wally exchange a glance -- maybe this means
something. Starla can see Trevor and Margaret, across
the street, talking to another neighbor.
BILL
Starla, you know Brenda Gutierrez?
Starla shakes her head.
BILL
Maybe she's ever called the house,
or -- ?
33.
STARLA
No. What...?
BILL
She disappeared Friday night. We
got reason to believe foul play
might be involved.
WALLY
Some kids found her necklace near
Tipper Creek, as well as what might
be her blood on a rock.
BILL
The problem, Starla, is, the last
person anyone saw her talking to
was Grant.
Starla looks at him, surprised.
BILL
The Deer Cheer. And Wally and me,
we also saw him that night, with
mud all over his slacks.
Bill hands her his card.
BILL
Have him call me right away, okay?
Starla nods, distraught. Bill tries to smile kindly before
he and Wally move out and off to canvas other neighbors'
homes.
Starla closes the door behind her, distraught, panicked.
She looks at the foyer door, leading into the garage.
Her eyes fall down to the floor, where she sees what
appears to be blood drop stains near the door.
She gains courage, and moves off toward --
INT. GRANT CLOSET - MOMENTS LATER
Starla throws open this door. She looks at old, unused
sports equipment. She grabs an aluminum baseball bat.
INT. GRANT FOYER - MOMENTS LATER
Starla holds the aluminum bat, standing in front of the
door to the garage. She hesitates a moment. But then
she swings the bat at the lock on the door.
She swings it again, GRUNTING.
34.
And again.
Finally, the lock is knocked off the wooden door.
Starla pushes away the useless lock, letting it fall to
the floor.
Starla steels herself, and slowly pushes open the door
into the dark garage. As she does, the horrendous stench
hits her. Terrified, she covers her face with her hand,
and enters.
INT. GRANT GARAGE - NIGHT
Starla sees what's there: not only a huge stockpile of
rotten meat, but a dozen dead pets. They are neatly
divided into various categories, and labeled: Pork, Ground
Beef, Cats, Dogs. The walls and doorway have been heavily
insulated so the smell doesn't sink into the home. She
looks on the floor and sees poor, dead Roscoe the beagle,
his tongue dangling out.
Starla starts to CRY.
She moves quickly back inside.
INT. GRANT LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Starla runs to the front picture window, and looks out
onto the street. She can't see any of the cops.
She turns from the window and picks up a cordless phone.
She looks at the card Bill gave her, and dials the number.
The phone RINGS, and:
SHERRY (O.S.)
You've reached Chief Pardy at the
Wheelsy Police Department. Please
leave a message and your call will
be returned as soon as possible.
There's a BEEP. Starla tries to speak through her SOBS,
pacing:
STARLA
Bill, it's Starla!
As Starla passes the large picture window, she doesn't
see Grant staring in at her, his face now that of some
diseased cephalopod.
STARLA
It's -- I think you better come
over right away -- I think Grant's
sick, he --
35.
Starla turns to see the monstrous Grant through the window.
She just stops. They stare at each other for a moment.
And then Grant lets out a FURIOUS WAIL.
Starla turns and dashes toward the back of the house.
Grant disappears from the window.
INT. GRANT FOYER - NIGHT
As Starla runs through here, she looks behind her at the
front door to make sure Grant isn't following.
INT. GRANT HALL - NIGHT
She runs past a wall of family photos.
INT. GRANT FAMILY ROOM - NIGHT
Starla sees the door on the rear of the house, leading to
the backyard.
She arrives at it, and flings it open --
Grant is there.
He lunges onto her. Starla SCREAMS and drops the cordless
phone, just as it starts RINGING. Grant crawls on top of
her body. Starla reaches for the ringing phone, but he
pins her hands above her head. He looks into her eyes.
He's CRYING. His voice and breath are sick and raspy.
GRANT
Why'd you betray me, sugarplum?!
STARLA
Grant, no!
GRANT
I loved you. I loved --
STARLA
Grant, you're sick!
Grant is about to cry.
GRANT
I wanted you by my side, but you --
I can't trust you now!
Starla's WEEPING, confused. Grant rips his shirt open.
Starla looks down to see the tubule protruding from the
36.
now enormous yellow spore on Grant's chest. The tubule
feels over Starla's blouse, and then slips beneath it.
It starts to poke into her skin.
STARLA
Noooo!
Starla grabs the leg of a coffee table beside her. She
SLAMS the table into Grant's head. This hurts and
surprises him sufficiently to let Starla get out from
under him.
Starla grabs the cordless phone, which is no longer
ringing, and scurries behind the couch. She dials 9-1-1.
Grant thrusts the couch aside.
Starla crawls away again, when Grant attacks her from
behind. He wraps his arm around her neck, pulling her
back. He looks down at her with his sick, angry eyes, as
his arm -- now apparently jointless -- curls around her
like a snake.
Starla gasps for air. Her face turns purple. She hears
a SLAMMING on the door.
BILL (O.S.)
Starla?!! Starla, are you in
there?!
Starla tries to speak but she cannot. Suddenly, we HEAR
the FRONT DOOR OPEN.
BILL (O.S.)
Starla?!
Starla, with barely an ounce of life left in her, sees
Bill, Wally, Trevor and Margaret burst into the living
room.
They are surprised, to say the least, to see this diseased
humanoid strangling Starla from behind.
TREVOR
Fuck!
The cops, freaked out, pull their guns. Grant makes a
SCREECHING SOUND at them. They SHOOT at Grant, nicking
him.
Grant jumps away from Starla, back into the shadows,
SCREECHING in anger and pain. Starla falls to the floor.
Grant slips out the back door and away.
The cops stare, gape-jawed and frozen with shock; what
the hell was THAT?!
37.
Starla rubs her neck, COUGHING.
Bill Pardy runs toward the back door.
EXT. GRANT HOME - NIGHT
Bill runs out into the backyard. Wally runs up behind
him. They look around at the trees surrounding the area.
Grant is nowhere to be seen.
We CRANE UP and AWAY from them as we...
FADE TO BLACK.
O.S. SNIFFLING.
PASTOR (O.S.)
Jesus, these past few days have
been a trying time for us.
INT. CHURCH - DAY
We PAN OVER an altar where family members have placed
little items that remind them of Brenda -- photographs,
mementos, "Come home, Mommy" cards, etc.
PASTOR (O.S.)
We ask you now for the safe return
of our beloved Brenda.
Everyone in this modest little church has their heads
bowed as the PASTOR leads the prayer service.
PASTOR
Our sister. Our daughter. Our
mother. Our wife.
Brenda's husband, in the front pew, loses it, CRYING.
His little children, beside him, fiddle in their seats.
PASTOR
And we ask that you keep your light
alive in her heart, wherever she
may be. We ask all this in your
name, Lord. Amen
Bill Pardy is here, in full uniform, hat in hands.
BILL CONGREGATION
Amen. Amen.
Bill looks around the church. He spots Starla, in the
very back of church, head down, distraught, guilty.
38.
He also sees a group of OLD CRONES nearby, pointing at
Starla, and whispering about her.
EXT. CHURCH PARKING LOT - MOMENTS LATER
Starla's high heels CLACK on the pavement as she moves
quickly to her car.
BILL (O.S.)
Starla.
Starla turns to see Bill coming after her. She stops.
BILL
I talked to the CDC. They didn't
have nothin' on file consistent
with Grant's... symptoms.
Starla nods.
STARLA
How about Brenda?
BILL
New? No. We're hoping we find
Grant, he'll lead us to her.
Starla nods. The wind is strong. Her hair is flying
over her face. Tears come to her eyes.
BILL
You all right?
Starla nods.
STARLA
Yeah.
She moves away from him.
Bill watches her go.
INT. POLICE STATION - DAY
Bill enters. A few COPS and SECRETARIES are bustling,
making phone calls, etc. They all look tired, as if they
haven't slept. Jack, the mayor, sees Bill.
JACK
Bill!
Bill spots him, moving quickly toward him.
BILL
Shit.
39.
JACK
Bill, we need to talk!
BILL
'Mornin', Jack.
Bill crosses the station. Jack follows.
JACK
Bill, this Brenda's Randy Flagg's
niece. We need to find Grant
yesterday! The town council has
lit a Roman candle and stuck it up
my ass!
BILL
Hell, Jack, your leisure activities
ain't my business.
JACK
Don't fuck with me, Bill. Your
post here as Chief is in dire
straits you don't work this shit
out.
They come to a desk with Wally and Trevor working away.
BILL
Don't worry, we'll find him.
(to Trevor)
Anything new?
Trevor shakes his head.
JACK
How are you going to find him?
BILL
Dude's a half-squid. Ain't many
places he can hide. Sea World,
maybe.
Jack sees a SECRETARY making copies nearby. He speaks in
hushed tones:
JACK
That young lady heard you say
'squid.' She's gonna go out and
create a Goddamn hysteria!
BILL
Sherry, you gonna create a hysteria?
SHERRY
Not today, Bill.
40.
JACK
Still, quit that talk! You yourself
said it was dark in there! You
don't know what you saw!
TREVOR
We saw his arm was all bendy.
JACK
Bastard obviously got lyme disease!
BILL
What?
JACK
Touch some deer feces out in the
forest. Eat a sandwich without
washing your hands. Then you got
lyme disease.
BILL
And that makes you look like a
squid?
JACK
I'll tell you what, no one with
lyme disease gonna win any damn
handsome contests!
Bill, Wally, and Trevor can't help but SNICKER.
JACK
Well, screw you all for laughin'.
SHELBY (O.S.)
Bill!
Bill looks over at Shelby, on his headset at the dispatch
unit.
SHELBY
Another ranch attack! Up at the
Castavets'.
Bill nods for Trevor and Margaret to get up from their
desks. They do, and start to move out with Bill and Wally.
JACK
'Ranch a -'? What 'ranch attacks'?
EXT. CATTLE RANCH - LATER
POV: A dead rottweiler is lying on its back in the long
grass, its gut split open and intestines spilling out,
almost perfectly symmetrical.
41.
WALLY (O.S.)
It looks like one of them psyche
tests. What do they call it?
Bill and Wally are staring at the dog from above.
BILL
Rorschach.
WALLY
What do you see? I see a butterfly.
Bill moves on through the windswept weeds.
BILL
I see we're fucked. Three ranches
in three days.
Margaret is taking measurements and writing in a note
pad; she sees Bill.
MARGARET
So, I think I got it part-way
figured. You want to hear it?
Bill nods.
MARGARET
So Grant -- I mean, we're saying
this is Grant, right?
Bill nods.
MARGARET
Grant kills a cow right about here.
See there's the blood, musta slit
its neck.
Margaret walks backward, showing the trail of blood in
the crushed grass.
MARGARET
So he drags the cow backwards here.
Only he prolly didn't know 'bout
the Castavets had them dogs.
TREVOR (O.S.)
Hey, look!
Bill looks over at Trevor, standing up between the tall
weeds, holding a dog's head in his hand.
TREVOR
He knocked this'n's head clear
over here!
42.
WALLY
Put that down, numbnuts!
Bill peers at the various slaughtered dogs around them.
MARGARET
So the dogs attacked, somehow he
slew 'em all, and he stole off
with the cow into the forest.
Trevor heads toward them. Bill looks off into the dark
forest on the edge of the ranch.
BILL
He's gotta be in the forest. All
three ranches run alongside it.
TREVOR
Think we should get up a search
party, head in there?
WALLY
It's a hundred thousand acres. Be
finding a needle in a fuckstack.
Bill has a realization. He moves quickly for his car.
BILL
Wally, come on. Trevor and
Margaret, get some folks together.
I think I know where he's gonna
hit next.
INT. POLICE STATION - LATER
CLOSEUP: A property map of Wheelsy is tacked to a bulletin
board. Red Magic Marker circles are around various ranch
properties on the edge of the city, next to an enormous
forest. A finger points to one of the red circles.
BILL
So the night after Grant ran off,
a calf went missing from here, the
Raglans' ranch.
REVEAL Bill, standing beside the bulletin board. A posse
has gathered, listening intently: Wally and the usual
cops; Jack; an OLDER COP, probably pulled out of
retirement; and a couple of recruits -- a REDNECK and a
GOOD OL' BOY. Bill points to the next red circle.
BILL
Two nights ago, a mare was stolen
from this property, run by
Fitzgibbon, that old rancher with
the cleft palate.
43.
Wally whispers to Margaret, amused:
WALLY
Looks like a chipmunk.
BILL
Your momma wasn't too proud when
you came out neither, Wally.
Bill points to the next circle.
BILL
And then we get here, the
Castavets', where last night's
shit-storm took place.
TREVOR
I see. It's like as if he's going
in a pattern. Is that what you're
saying, Bill?
Bill nods and points to the next red circle.
BILL
And if he sticks to that pattern
he'll be here next. Belongs to a
family, the Strutemyers'. Now I
know y'all are tired and you've
barely seen your families. But
we're gonna have to go there
tonight, lie low and wait.
The posse nod, agreeing.
REDNECK
Let's get that son-of-a-bitch,
Chief.
BILL
Just remember, we don't know what
we're up against here. So let's
be careful.
INT. POLICE STATION/ARMORY - DAY
Beside a small armory, Trevor loads a Benelli M-1 super
semiautomatic shotgun. Margaret checks the site on a
Remington 700 PSS rifle. Bill takes a Springfield M-1A
pump-action for himself, while Wally stuffs numerous
pistols and ammo into a leather satchel. Trevor notices
a dusty grenade on a shelf.
TREVOR
Hey, Bill, we got that grenade we
confiscated from them jokers wanted
to use it fish for trout?
44.
Bill looks at Trevor, considering.
BILL
Can't hurt.
As Trevor puts the grenade into a side-pocket on the
satchel, Bill sees Jack and the Older Cop, watching.
JACK
I didn't know the Russkies were
invading there, folks.
MARGARET
You seen this guy, you'd wished
they was.
EXT. POLICE STATION - LATER
The posse loads up their vehicles, and start taking off
out of the parking lot.
Bill and Wally walk out to their police car. Bill tosses
the leather satchel into the trunk.
They get in the car, Bill starts the engine, when --
Starla Grant pulls quickly into the parking lot. Bill
rolls down the window as she gets out of her car and runs
toward them.
STARLA
Bill, I heard what you're doing.
I think I should go along.
BILL
Why? Listen, it doesn't matter.
I gotta go.
Bill starts to roll away, but Starla holds on to the car,
following.
STARLA
Wait! Dammit, Bill, if that girl's
still out there, how will you find
her? How, unless you bring Grant
in alive? Your best chance of
doing that is with me. I can talk
to him --
BILL
He tried to kill you, Starla.
STARLA
He did. I know. But I got him
angry 'cause I wasn't calm. This
time I could --
45.
Starla's on the verge of tears.
STARLA
Please, Bill. What happened, it's
my fault, I know it.
BILL
Starla, it ain't --
STARLA
It is. He'd been acting strange.
And the physical changes. I should
have told someone right away...
But I was just blind. I wanted to
pretend it wasn't happening... If
I don't do what I can to help now,
I just couldn't live with it.
Bill looks at her. He looks at Wally. Wally shrugs.
Bill nods for Starla to get in.
INT. STRUTEMYER KITCHEN - EVENING
Kylie is blowing on a cup of coffee. Her MOM, DAD, and
two younger SISTERS, aged 9 and 11, are relaxing after
dinner. As Kylie's Mom picks up plates --
KYLIE'S MOM
Kylie! What'd you do to your
fingers?
Kylie's Mom grabs her hand, looking at her very long
fingernails. They're painted sky blue and spotted with
minute teddy bear and bumblebee decals.
KYLIE
Kiri Goshima done 'em. She's
Japanese.
KYLIE'S DAD
Looks like Pokemons done 'em to
me!
Kylie's sisters LAUGH out loud.
KYLIE
Foreign stuff is classy if you
knew something.
Kylie's family sees, OUT THE WINDOW, police cars pulling
up by a gravel road.
KYLIE'S DAD
Oh. There's Jack. I want y'all
to stay inside tonight. All right?
46.
Kylie's sisters nod. Kylie too.
EXT. STRUTEMYER FARMHOUSE - EVENING
Kylie's Dad steps onto the front porch of this quaint
family farmhouse. He sees Jack heading toward the ranch,
and waves. Jack gives a little salute, while muttering
to the Older Cop.
JACK
This turns out to be a mountain
lion we're gonna look like a damn
bunch of idiots.
The Redneck and Good Ol' Boy make their way to the ranch
as well. They see Bill with Starla.
REDNECK
Didn't know it was date night.
The Good Ol' Boy LAUGHS.
REDNECK
I'll be expecting you toss my salad
at the end of all this then,
Charlie.
GOOD OL' BOY
Shut up.
EXT. STRUTEMYER RANCH - MOMENTS LATER
The posse fans out over this grassy land where the cattle
graze, finding places to hide. The sun sets behind them.
FADE TO:
EXT. STRUTEMYER RANCH - NIGHT
Darkness has crept over the ranch, and the beautiful,
pastoral scene has become distinctly more sinister.
The wind blows hard, WHISTLING through the long weeds.
A rusty rooster windmill atop the old barn twists and
CLINKS on its half-bent perch.
A piece of tarp hangs down from the barn roof, FLAPPING
incessantly against the wooden wall.
Trevor and Jack; the Redneck and the Good Ol' Boy; and
Margaret and the Older Cop are hidden around the ranch,
waiting, watching or dozing.
47.
INT. STRUTEMYER BARN - NIGHT
Inside the barn, the wind is only slightly quieter, and
it's darker. Bill, Starla, and Wally are here. Bill
peers out through the doorway at cattle drinking from the
trough. He looks at Starla; her head tilts to the side
as she nods off. When her head falls all the way, she
snaps back up, and catches Bill gazing at her.
Bill nods and smiles. She doesn't smile back; she's
embarrassed and miserable and this is the last place she
wants to be.
They sit there for a moment in the dark.
BILL
Hey, Starla, remember that time
when you were a kid and you came
knocking on my window in the middle
of the night?
Wally looks at them.
BILL
Starla here's twelve. Guess I was
fourteen. I said, 'Starla, what
the hell you doing out there?'
She tells me she's running away to
Hollywood to become a big star.
She said she knew I was in ROTC,
and she was gonna need a bodyguard.
Invited me along.
Wally LAUGHS. Bill smiles. Starla is embarrassed, but
grudgingly enjoys the story.
BILL
I said, 'Starla, if there's anybody
can take care of herself, I think
it's you. I'm gonna have to
decline.'
WALLY
(to Starla)
How far'd you get?
STARLA
About the bus stop. Ranger Rick
here called my dad.
WALLY
Ha! A cop from the get-go! You
son-of-a-bitch!
STARLA
You fucked up our fame and fortune,
Bill Pardy.
48.
BILL
Yeah, maybe I did.
EXT. STRUTEMYER RANCH - NIGHT
Jack smokes a cigarette as he keeps an eye out for the
cow killer. The burning ember of the cigarette is blown
off by the wind. Jack searches for it in the dry grass,
trying to catch it before it starts a fire. He crawls
forward, slapping the ground, when he glances up and
sees...
A large, shadowy shape hulking through the trees on the
edge of the forest.
INT. STRUTEMYER BARN - NIGHT
Bill, Starla, and Wally see Grant Grant emerging from the
forest. He has transformed into something much more
monstrous: a giant, gangrenous, slug-like beast, a clump
of cells and tumor-like protuberances. He has various
tentacle-like-arms growing out of him, like overgrown
eyes on a potato. As opposed to just having the disease,
he now seems to BE the disease itself.
STARLA
Grant?
EXT. STRUTEMYER RANCH - NIGHT
Jack and Trevor watch in amazement as Grant slithers across
the field, his large, dark, watery eyes searching out
prey. Jack turns to Trevor, pissed, and whispers:
JACK
You said 'squid'!
TREVOR
It got worse.
The Redneck and the Good Ol' Boy watch too, mouths dropped.
The diseased Grant slithers through the grass just a few
feet beside Margaret and the Older Cop. They duck below
the grass, looking as if they're going to have heart
attacks.
Grant approaches a cow. The cow makes a little MOO of
protest when he gets too close, and steps back.
The Grant-creature stabs one of his tentacle growths into
the cow's neck, piercing it. The cow stumbles, choking.
Blood spurts from her neck. And she topples over.
49.
INT. STRUTEMYER BARN - NIGHT
Bill and Wally stare out the window, motionless.
WALLY
What we gonna do now, Bill? Cuffs
won't even fit on 'im.
Starla musters courage. She stands, and moves out of the
barn.
BILL
Starla, where you...?
EXT. STRUTEMYER RANCH - NIGHT
Grant wraps a feeler around the cow's horns, and starts
dragging it back in the direction of the forest.
INT. STRUTEMYER BARN - NIGHT
Bill motions through the barn window to Margaret.
EXT. STRUTEMYER RANCH - NIGHT
Margaret motions to Trevor.
Trevor motions to the recruits.
And Starla moves slowly in toward Grant.
STARLA
Grant?
Grant turns and looks at her with his half-human eyes.
His breathing is loud, raspy, and sick. He sees, in a
wide circle around him, the nervous posse standing up,
their guns at the ready.
Starla moves even closer. Bill and Wally are coming in
close behind her.
STARLA
Grant? It's okay.
As Starla and the posse get closer, Grant looks almost
scared. His eyes dart around from cop to cop.
STARLA
You're just sick is all. But we'll
take you to get help right now.
I'll stay by your side, Grant,
just like I swore I would. For
better or worse. Remember?
50.
Grant's huge milky eyes betray that he does.
STARLA
Okay?
The posse inch in closer, tightening the circle.
Grant lets out a PIERCING SCREECH of protest. All of the
posse stop, terrified.
Everything is quiet and still except for Grant's gross
breathing. Deep: In, out.
STARLA
Okay, Grant? It's gonna be all
right.
Grant SCREECHES again: a warning. He looks from Starla
to Bill, with hurt, jealous eyes, and GROWLS.
Then Grant's eyes close to half-mast, and he turns away.
His tentacle tightens around the cow's horns, and he again
drags it toward the forest.
While Bill tries to decide what to do, the Good Ol' Boy
nervously blocks Grant's path. He aims his pistol at
him.
GOOD OL' BOY
You stop right there, you son of a
bitch. I don't care what kinda
leprosy you got. We need to find
that girl. Now you can make this
peaceful, or you can make it hard.
Pause. Grant and the Good Ol' Boy stare at each other.
And then Grant SNAPS out a tentacle-arm, whipping it up
the front of the man's body, and back.
The front of the Good Ol' Boy's whole body is split neatly
in half. For a split second, he remains alive: the two
different sides of his split head look down in disbelief
as his organs spill out from inside him. And then he
topples over.
BILL
Fire! Fire!
The posse SHOOT at Grant. Starla covers her head.
Grant is struck; he SCREECHES in pain. He lets go of the
cow. He slithers with incredible speed off toward the
forest.
Bill and the other posse members take off after him like
hounds on the heel of their prey. They SHOOT madly.
51.
Starla watches as the posse follows Grant into the woods.
Starla stands alone and worried a moment, and then she
darts off after them.
INT. KYLIE'S BATHROOM - NIGHT
Kylie is running a bath. She hears GUNSHOTS ECHO in the
distance.
She peers out a little window above the tub, trying to
see where the shots are coming from.
EXT. FOREST - NIGHT
The posse run through this very dark forest after Grant,
leaping over brush and rocks. They're nervous, but also
excited, as the primordial hunting urge takes over. Their
eyes are filled with anger and bloodlust.
They're able to follow Grant only by catching glimpses --
a flash of flesh between trees, a tentacle disappearing
around brush.
WALLY
There he is! Over there!
They FIRE at the creature, taking chunks out of trees,
but missing. He's too fast.
EXT. CREEK - NIGHT
Grant slips around a boulder and splashes through a creek,
and into the plentiful trees beyond. He rustles thick
fronds as he moves up alongside the creek.
The posse run up the creek itself, splashing, trying to
peer through the leaves to get a shot at Grant.
Jack, carrying his revolver, trips and falls in the creek.
He cuts his knee on a sharp rock. He stands, and keeps
going.
They come to --
EXT. FOREST CLEARING - NIGHT
The posse come up out of the creek. They've completely
lost track of the diseased man-beast.
They stop, out-of-breath and looking around. They whisper:
52.
TREVOR
Where'd he go?
MARGARET
We ain't never gonna find that
girl now.
The Redneck is WEEPING with rage.
REDNECK
I'll kill that asshole what he did
to C |
