Pyxis

EXT. SHENANDOAH SPRINGS - NIGHT

A car rumbles down a small ill kept dirt road.  Dense forest
leers in on either side, darkening the pitch black night.
The car's high beams sear ahead, lightening the twists and
turns towards the camp.  Signs drift by, pointing the way to
Shenandoah Springs.  Their white washed slats standing out
amidst the black.

Coming out of the forest, the car arrives at the top of a
steep and rocky path cut into the hillside.  A large sign,
not white washed like the others, alerts the passengers of
the small car that they have reached their destination.

Rumbling down the hill, the car joins the other vehicles at
the bottom of the hill, pulling in next to a large red van.

EXT. CAMP CENTER - NIGHT

The car turns off.  A small cabin, lights brilliant in the
oppressive darkness, is seen in the distance.  The driver
side door opens.

A boot crunches into the gravel, shadowed by the frayed
edges of a long black coat. 

He looks around, face devoid of expression.

WOMAN O. S.
Drake.

The young woman nods toward the cabin.

WOMAN
It's over there.

DRAKE
I hadn't realized.

INT. CABIN - NIGHT

A young woman sits a a desk near the window, absorbed in her
laptop.  Another stands behind her, feigning mild interest.

The first girl's finger taps on the desk, setting a rhythm.

It's destroyed as both girls jump at the sudden knocking on
the front door.

Silence.

The girls look at each other.

The knocking begins anew, and just as suddenly stops again.

YOUNG MAN O.S.
Who is that!

A young man looks down the stairs from the upper level, a
frown creasing his face.

As the knocking continues, the young man steps down into the
lower level, looking over at the two girls, huddled together
as far away from the door as possible.

The young man gives the first girl an exasperated look,
which the girl returns with equal measure.

Rolling his eyes the young man opens the door, revealing
Drake and his overbearing companion.

WOMAN
(an annoyed smile on her face)
Hopefully were not interrupting
anything... important.

YOUNG MAN
Ah... no.  No. 

Closing his eyes for a second to collect his thoughts-

YOUNG MAN CONT.
Uh... can I help you?

WOMAN
Yes.  May we come in.

The young man looks back at the two girls, before turning
back to the strange woman.

YOUNG MAN
Sure.

Stepping into the cabin, the two newcomers arrange
themselves. 

An awkward silence settles, the two parties standing on
opposite sides of the room.

As the silence continues, Drake steps forward to break it,
putting his hand out.

DRAKE
My name is Drake.  This is Elise.

The young man steps forward as well, hesitantly accepting
the handshake.

YOUNG MAN
I'm Gavin, and this is my sister
Shelby, and our friend Jasmine.

The introduced nod as their name is spoken, and the silence
falls again.

GAVIN
Uh-

ELISE
Were looking for something.  We
believe it is on this property.

EXTREMELY QUICK IRIS IN

EXT. STABLE - NIGHT

Gavin leads the two strangers towards the stable, his
lantern swinging slowly in rhythm with his stoic gait.

GAVIN
What exactly are you looking for?

Elise ignores him, to which Gavin raises an eyebrow in
response.

DRAKE
Trust me, you wouldn't believe us
anyway.

They arrive at the stable.

GAVIN
Try me.

ELISE
Drake.

Drake looks over,coming towards her.

Elise looks into the stable.

ELISE
It happened here.

Gavin joins the two, searching for what has caught their
interest. 

A large space of the stable floor, circular in nature, has
been cleared of debris, as if a small vortex had appeared,
clearing away the hay and filth the animals had left behind.

GAVIN
That's an unusual way to muck up.

ELISE
Indeed.

EXT. FOREST PATH - NIGHT

SHELBY O.S.
Where on earth did they go?

Jasmine and Shelby appear walking through the forest along a
well worn path. 

JASMINE
I don't know!  We should just go
back. 

SHELBY
I want to know what they're doing.

JASMINE
We've been walking forever.

SHELBY
It's been like twenty minutes.  My
god.

A soft murmur is heard, whispering along with the wind.

Jasmine stops, looking behind her.

JASMINE
(whispering loudly)
Shelby!

SHELBY
What?

JASMINE
I think I heard something.

SHELBY
Seriously?  Seriously!?

She steps quickly towards Jasmine.

SHELBY
We have enough to deal with with
those two wack jobs wandering
around the camp and you're
seriously -

The murmuring grows louder, speeding towards the small light
illuminating the two young women standing alone in the
woods.

JASMINE
I'm serious Shelby.

Shelby rolls her eyes.

The murmuring is almost on them.

SHELBY
Just pull yourself together OK? 

EXT. STABLE - NIGHT

DRAKE
Is this stable still used?

GAVIN
No, not for a long time.  The
horses all died I think.  Some sort
of disease or something.  But that
all happened before I started
working here.

ELISE
When did you start working here?

GAVIN
Two years ago. 

Elise and Drake share a glance.

GAVIN
Why?

ELISE
The owners, where are they?

GAVIN
They had to leave, that's why they
hired me. What does this have to do
with anything?  What are you
looking for?

DRAKE
Why did they have to leave?

GAVIN
Their daughter, she got really
sick.

ELISE
Sick?

GAVIN
She went insane.

DRAKE
Damn.

ELISE
This is the place.

GAVIN
What is this all about?  I think I
deserv-

A bloodcurdling scream rips apart the quiet.

GAVIN
Holy shi-

ELISE
Quickly!

EXT. FOREST PATH - NIGHT

Elise, Drake, and Gavin run down the path, desperate in
their haste.

Drake suddenly skids to a stop.

DRAKE
Wait!

The others stop.

Drake looks into the forest, eyes dead.  Elise and Gavin
join him.

Shelby is on the ground, clutching a tree, shoulders
drooped, motionless.

GAVIN
Shelby?

Slowly coming forward, Gavin puts his hand on her shoulder.

GAVIN
Shelby?

Shelby screams.

Gavin, falls backwards, shuffling away.

Elise walks forward, Shelby still screaming.

DRAKE
Get away from her!

Elise slaps Shelby across the face immediately ending the
screaming.

DRAKE
Thank God.

GAVIN
What?  What...

ELISE
Are you quite all right?

SHELBY
J-Jasmine

ELISE
Apparently.  What did you see?

SHELBY
I- I-

ELISE
Get her to the cabin.

Neither of the men move.

ELISE
Quickly!

The two of them rush over picking her up.

FADE TO BLACK

INT. CABIN - NIGHT

Elise walks into the cabin.  Drake walks down the stairs.

DRAKE
She won't respond.

GAVIN
You both need to leave.  Now.

ELISE
Restrain yourself. 

Elise continues walking to the stairs.

ELISE CONT.
Keep an eye on him Drake.

INT. UPSTAIRS - NIGHT

Shelby sits on one of the bunks, rocking back and forth.

Elise steps into the room, looking about cautiously.

Hearing her, Shelby turns, staring, stock still.

ELISE
(walking towards Shelby)
Foolish little girl. 

Shelby continues to stare, hackles rising.

ELISE CONT.
It's always the same.

Elise takes out a small knife.  The murmuring is heard
again, steadily increasing in volume.

SHELBY
(in a gravelly inhuman voice)
Be careful Elise.  I'm afraid I've
become slightly more powerful since
the last time.

ELISE
Of course

Elise's shadow, knife hand raised, quickly brings it down.

INT. CABIN - NIGHT

A crashing boom sounds from upstairs.

Drake and Gavin look up, yet remain unmoving, anxiety
freezing them.

A few moments later Elise walks down the stairs, subtly 
twitching.

DRAKE
Elise?

Elise, straining, seemingly moving backwards and forwards at
the same time, speaks, her voice twisted.

ELISE
Run.

The blood drains from Drake's face.

DRAKE
G-Gavin.  We need to get out.

GAVIN
What's wrong with her.

DRAKE
She's going to kill us.

GAVIN
What?

DRAKE
Move!

Drake runs toward the door as Elise springs towards him. 
Gavin remains unmoving, eyes widening at what Elise has
become.

Gavin frantically pulls a small wooden box out of his coat
pocket, thrusting it out towards Elise.

She stops in front of him, eyes bugging out.

DRAKE
Gavin, move.

Gavin remains seated.

DRAKE
Gavin, move.  Now.

Gavin's eyes drift towards the floor.

DRAKE
Move!

Gavin jerks, as if coming awake from a light sleep.

Elise turns towards him, stalking closer, quickly looking
back at Drake before continuing forward.

DRAKE
Gavin, when

The murmuring begins anew, slowly picking up strength.

DRAKE CONT.
I say so, I need you to come toward
me. Ok?  I'm going to-

Elise surges toward Gavin, the murmuring at the utmost
decibel.

Drake turns his head, hiding his face in the front door, his
screams joining Gavin's.

EXT. CABIN - NIGHT

There is absolute silence.

The door to the cabin opens, Drake stumbling out the door,
the light emanating from within illuminating him against the
dark.

Drake shuffles back, coming under a large pine tree.

Elise steps onto the threshold, eyes burning.

Drake shakily opens the small box, lifting it towards Elise.

DRAKE
Get back in the box.

Elise ignores him, stalking him, coming closer, the
murmuring beginning again.

DRAKE
Get back in the box!

Elise continues to walk towards him.

INT. CABIN - NIGHT

Shelby steps off the stairs, looking towards Elsie and
Drake, clutching Elise's knife, her breast a bloody mess.

EXT. CABIN - NIGHT

Elsie is nearly on top of him, coming ever closer, the
murmuring continually increasing.

DRAKE
Damn you.

Elise smiles, tensing, the murmuring reaches crescendo.

Elsie suddenly jerks her torso forward, the murmuring
ceases.  Elise growls. Shelby stepping back, hands empty.

Reaching back, Elise pulls out a knife and throws it aside.

Shelby looks on, recognizing her fate, eyes uncaring.

Drake crawls forward, placing the box on the ground, the
murmuring and screams of a dying woman held back in the
distance.

Drake begins to whisper.

Elsie turns.  The murmuring is unheard.

Drake continues to whisper.

Elise runs towards him.

The world turns dark at the sound of a thunderclap.

The box rests on the ground, Drake's outstretched hand lying
beside it.

Slowly, his fingers begin to curl.  He clutches the box.