Carpenters Hill

CARPENTERS HILL

WARNING - THIS FILM CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND OVERALL IS PRETTY NASTY

cast :
SHELBY WINDFIELD
ANDY SPENCER
CARMEN SMITH
AMBER GRAVES
JOHN CARPENTER
DEBRA CARPENTER
GEORGE CARPENTER
LUCY(BLIND GIRL)
RABBIT
THE SACK MAN
THE OLD MAN
YOUNG GIRL
NATALIE
WOMAN

FADE IN:
EXT. OUTSIDE OF DILAPIDATED SHACK - DAY

Female voice (o.s.- Offscreen)
You are my sunshine my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away.

The person who sings the song is a beautiful WOMAN with blonde hair whipping in the hot dry wind, wearing a lovely sundress. She's also blind.
The Blind Woman sits in an old rocking chair behind an old dilapidated tool shack.
She continues to sing.

Blind woman
The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping I dreamed I held you in my arms. When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken and I hung my head and cried.

The Blind Woman seems to be petting something; her arm keeps moving back and forth, like petting a cat or a small dog.
But it is neither -- it is a woman's head - decapitated, mouth and eyes open, there's a lot of blood on the Blind Woman's sundress.

INT. DILAPIDATED SHACK – Day

There's a tool wall where every device has an assigned space. So many sharp objects all over the shack, some are new and some have rusted over the years. The tools range from axes, screwdrivers, a 17" meat cleaver, a ball-pin hammer, sledgehammers, big and small, pickaxes, etc.

The Blind Woman continues to sing from outside of the shack. There is a mysterious panting, it sounds like a woman in fear.
Strings of daylight pierces through cracks of wood. Shinning on a pair of rough and bloody hands. Handling old and rusty tools, assorting them on a wooden table. A pair of naked feet, barbed wire wrapped around a woman's ankles. Blood streaming down her legs. Large heavy boots walk across the dirt covered floor and planks of wood.
The large hands on the nozzle of a power hose. The power hose sprays blood off a slender body.
The large hands dry off with a crusty old towel, stained with old blood. Then sharpens a large knife. Rushing it back and forth across the sharpening stone.
Hanging above the drain is a WOMAN hanging upside down in the center of the room, dripping wet with water and blood.
She's naked. Full body naked. her name is Natalie, a cloth is wrapped tightly around her mouth. She begins to weep uncontrollably. She cries and pleas. Muffled under the gag. There are sounds of footsteps of someone in heavy boots walking towards the woman.
A few strings of yellow bulbs turn on. Dimly brightening up the room, flickering on and off.
The woman's eyes are widening, eyeballing the person in the room. He walks behind her.
Hearing the sounds of metal tools clunking against each other. The woman continues to cry, fearing what's going to happen.
The man comes back around. His giant rough hands glide across the woman's naked body. Groping her breast, thighs, face, and finally putting a strong grip on her throat. In his right hand is a bowie knife.
He rams the knife in her belly, dragging it downward from stem to sternum. Gutting her like a pig.
She lets out a painful, muffled scream and weeps as blood and organs spill out from her body.

Insert title: CARPENTERS HILL

FADE IN:
EXT. BARREN LANDSCAPE - sunrise

The sharp outline of the hills appears with the first morning light.
The sun begins to rise revealing -
A vast barren landscape stretching out endlessly. Nothing lives in this arid wilderness -- absolutely silent -- a vast, hard landscape stretching away to distant mountains. The silence is broken by a song on the radio.

EXT. rest stop - Morning

A road curves through the plain terrain.
On the side of the road, at the bottom of a hill -- a rest stop.
Relatively clean and well kept. There is no sound. Not even a brisk wind. There's only one vehicle, an SUV parked at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere southwestern Texas.

INT. suv – Morning

Sitting behind the wheel is the owner of the SUV, SHELBY WINDFIELD, mid-twenties, wears jeans and a baby tee. Her feet are propped out the open window. Shelby glances at the rearview mirror:
A girl sits in the back. ANDY SPENCER, early-twenties, jeans, t-shirt, Right now, she's asleep, quietest of the group.
Shelby glances from the rearview mirror to - TWO MORE GIRLS. They walk out of the women's rest room. One is a tough by sweat young medical student and the other is sort of a brat with style.

EXT. REST STOP - MORNING

The girls are CARMEN SMITH (the brat), mid-twenties. Wears a tight shirt and a denim mini skirt. Currently playing on her cell phone while walking and talking to AMBER GRAVES (the medical student), who is also in mid-twenties. She wears a trucker's hat and shades.

Amber
I'm just sayin' carrying a small bag of joints is better than hauling around a bong while on a road trip.

Shelby (O.S.)
It's about time, ladies!

INT. SUV – MORNING

Andy makes up to Shelby's shouting. Eyes flittering open.

SHELBY
Jesus.

Carmen (O.S.)
You can't rush someone when they're tryin' to piss, Shelby.

Amber and Carmen climb into the SUV.

CARMEN (CONT'D)
'Sides, it's not like we gotta be anywhere anytime soon.

ShELBY
Hey, I just wanna get to a fuckin' motel before it gets dark around here. I don't wanna have to stay up all damn night drivin'.

AmBER
A motel? Girl, who you kiddin'? I haven't seen a single car on the road for over fifty miles, let alone a fuckin' motel.

Shelby starts the engine and drives away.

EXT. highway – mORNING

The SUV tears through the lonely highway.

INT. suV - mORNING

The girls look bored. In the back, Andy reads a novel of some sort, Carmen plays around with her cell phone, and in the front, Amber rolls a joint.

All Shelby can do is drive and listen to some Lynard Skinnard. She's accustomed enough to desert driving to wear dense sunglasses. She's been at the wheel awhile.

CARMEN
You know I still don't see why we couldn't fly.

AmBER
Oh, shit.

SHELBY
Again?

CARMEN
I'm just sayin'.

ShELBY
And I'm just sayin' again, for the hundredth fuckin' time, neither one of us had enough dough to pull together four coach tickets, and this is a good way to see parts of America you can't see in the air.

CARMEN
Yeah, and in certain parts of America, you can't get a goddamn signal to call your boyfriend.

AMBER
(licks the joint)
I think Jimmy'll be fine, Carmen. Christ.

CARMEN
Christ my ass, bitch. I wanna have fuckin' phone sex with him.
The girls laugh. Andy cracks a smile. But she still keeps in her eyes in the novel.
Andy looks out the window. Noticing at lot of nothing. she finally speaks.

Andy
Have you guys notice that we're the only ones out here? Jeez, that's eerie.

CARMEN
Well duh, we're in the middle of nowhere America. Most people fly than drive cross-country.

ShELBY
Blah, blah, blah.

AMBER
Hey, look...

They all look through the open window, Amber points to an old road sign, riddled with bullet holes. It reads: "Gas Station ahead".

AnDY
Looks like there is sign of life around here after all.

ShELBY
'Bout fuckin' time too. We only have a half of a tank left.

EXT. hIGHWAY - mORNING

The song fades away as the SUV zooms down the vacant highway.

Ext. GAS STATION/GENERAL STORE – dAY

A weathered clapboard general store/gas station has survived years of wind, dust and scorching heat. There's three old gas pumps, a rack of used clothing, a pile of used luggage, a cartload of used tires, and an old porch bench.
Around the main building, a tool shed, a dilapidated wall, a water tower, and gutted carcasses of cars prevails in this place.
The SUV finally pulls up to the gas station. Everyone exits the SUV. Most of them slip on their sunglasses, protecting their eyes from the angry sun.

AmBER
Yeah. This is something we really don't see in the air.

ShELBY
Don't start, Amber.

The girls take everything in.

CARMEN
Now this is stone age, man.

AnDY
HELLO?!!!

Nothing. Just the sound of the wind blowing against loose metal.

CARMEN
Are you sure this joint is still in the land of the living?

ShELBY
One way to find out.

The four friends walk in.

INT. gAS STATION/GENERAL STORE – dAY

They push through the door, and step into find - a miserable looking gas station. As hot as it is outside, it's hotter in here.
Other than beef products and canned goods, the store is stocked with more used clothing and tires, bins of car mirrors, fan belts, spark plugs, etc. All used.
The shelves are half-empty, the other half is stocked with food products. The freezers has only a few drinks, behind a dirty glass window. Not many people come here to purchase anything.

CARMEN
Hello? Does anybody run this junk?

Still no answer. They walk around the store, looking at the pathetic display of products that collect dust. Shelby looks around the register. Carmen and Amber walk through the aisle. Shelby moves toward the entrance to a back room.
Andy walks by the freezers, looking at the limited supply of sodas and beers. When suddenly Andy spots a head in the freezer.

ANDY (loudly)
Holy fuck, What the fuck is that?

Her friends hustle

ShELBY
What's wrong?!

They all stare at the head. Shocked and speechless, when suddenly the eyes snap open, staring up at the group, but the head rises up, connected to a body.
The OLD MAN steps out of the freezer. Dirty overalls and greasy hands. He closes the door.

ANDY
What the hell were you doin' in there?

Old man
Coolin' off, hon. You know how hot it is out there.

The group can finally breathe now.

OLD MAN (CONT'D)
Whatcha want?

CARMEN
Hopefully some service.

EXT. gAS STATION/GENERAL STORE – dAY

The Old Man grabs the gas nozzle and turns to the SUV and begins fueling. With one eye on his new visitors, he guiltily makes a quick inventory of all their valuable belongings...

OLD MAN
I don't see too many travelers 'round here... where y'all headed anyway?

SHELBY
Bakersville.

OLD MAN
Bakersville, huh? Why didn't y'all take the Highway?

AMBER
We got lost, 'bout two hours ago. We were hoping to find a motel around here.

OLD MAN
Wouldn't it be easier to take a plane?

SHELBY
Yeah it would, but, we didn't have enough money to pay for it. This seems a lot cheaper.

The Old Man smiles, revealing rotting teeth.

EXT. gAS STATION/GENERAL STORE – dAY

Behind the Gas Station, Carmen changes her shirt, taking it off, revealing a bra.
Someone watches Carmen change clothes. A sick pervert. The sick bastard starts to make ANIMALISTIC BREATHING sounds.
Carmen feels a bit uncomfortable. Feels that someone is watching her from a distance. She looks behind her shoulder. Speeding up the process. Carmen looks around nervously; she really believes that someone is there. Carmen leaves in a hurry.

EXT. gAS STATION/GENERAL STORE – dAY

Andy sits on the station's porch. Still reading her novel. Amber exits the station. Two soda bottles in her hands. Offers one to Andy.

AmBER
Something to wet your whistle.

AnDY
Thanks.

He takes it.

The Old Man is finished filling up, screws on the gas nozzle.

ShELBY
Alright, guys! We're leaving!

Everyone climbs into the SUV. Shelby walks to the Old Man.

ShELBY (CONT'D)
So what's the damage, sir?

The Old Man looks at the gas pump.

OlD MAN
Thirty-six even.

Shelby digs through her pockets and pulls out goes a wad of cash. The Old Man eyes the money. Shelby hands him a few dollars.
She gets into the SUV. The Old Man walks away -- but is stopped.

SHELBY
Excuse me, sir.

The Old Man turns to Shelby.

OLD MAN
Yeah?

SHELBY
Maybe you can help us to get back to the Highway. We can't find our way on the map.

OLD MAN
(while walking to the SUV)
Well this is the only Southbound road that goes to the M-7; but if you wanna cut your time down take a right on the road couple miles from here.

AMBER
I don't think it's on the map.

OLD MAN
Well you're not gonna find it on any map.

AmBER
Why's that?

OlD MAN
Well in the fifties there was no highway; people used that back road to get by. Now that there is they jus' been too damn lazy as a goddamn wetback to put it on a map.

CARMEN
What?

OLD MAN
Mmmm?

SHELBY
Uh, thanks, mister.

OLD MAN
Y'all have a nice trip.

SHELBY
Thank you, take care.

Shelby starts up the SUV and drives off in the direction leaving the old man in a cloud of dust.

OLD MAN
You're the one who's gonna need to take care.

EXT. hIGHWAY - dAY

The SUV tears along the lonely landscape. If you have to drive through Texas, these are good wheels to do it in.
The SUV passes a WRECKED PICKUP TRUCK half concealed in the dense overgrowth.

INT. sUV – dAY

The radio dial moves back and forth unsuccessfully in search of airwaves...

AMBER
The hell happened to the music?

SHELBY
Don't know.

In the back, Carmen is blowing soap bubbles. Andy tears her eyes away from her book and pops them a childish smile.

EXT. hiGHWAY – dAY

The SUV continues on, the landscape hasn't changed.

INT. sUV – dAY

AMBER
(pointing to the sign)
Well holy shit. There it is.

EXT. sUV - dAY

The SUV turns off the main road, and onto a dirt trail, into the plains.

EXT. hills - dAY

The SUV drives through the dusty road. Now lined by old trees. The area becomes increasingly overgrown with long dying grass.

INT. sUV - dAY

Carmen and Andy stare vacantly at the vast, lonely landscape ahead. Amber sparks up a joint with her Zippo. Drags, exhales a plume of smoke. She's ready to get baked.

EXT. dirt road - dAY

They continue along the road. Looking around, feeling somewhat lost.
The SUV drives on trail through a ghostly dead orange grove that's choked with bramble and vine.

INT. sUV - dAY
Everyone grows increasingly apprehensive as they follow this remote road.

CARMEN
Hey, Shelby, you got any gum?

ShELBY
Yeah.
(to Amber)
Hey, Amber could you get it for her?

Amber places the joint in the corner of her mouth and opens the glove compartment and finds a Smith & Wesson model 24 .44 special, with a 3" barrel and factory 'combat' grips. A nice handgun from her policeman father.
The gun slightly startles Amber.

AMBER
What the shit?

SHELBY
What?

She looks at the gun, never said anything to her friends about it.

ShELBY (CONT'D)
Oh, that.

CARMEN
"Oh, that" what?

They all see the gun now.

CARMEN (CONT'D)
Shit, girl, I didn't know you packed a gun.

AMBER
When did you get it?

ShELBY
My dad gave it to me before I left for school. Hey, when you live with a dad that's a cop all your life, he's gonna show you how to use a gun.

ANDY
Have you ever used it?

ShELBY
Nope.

CARMEN
So why have it?

SHELBY
Having a gun is like having a vibrator in your purse; it's there when you need it.

They all laugh.

CARMEN
Hey, girl, let me hold it.

SHELBY
No. Forget about it, bitch. The only time I'm taking it out is when something bad happens.

EXT. HILL ROAD - dAY

There's a strip of barbed wire that blends in with the dirt, stretching across the road. It's hard to see, but it's there. It's a trap. Something bad is about to happen.
The SUV drives right over it at full speed.
Instantly, the tires explode.
Shelby losses control of the vehicle.
The SUV rolls on the rims, zigzagging on the dirt road.

INT. suV - dAY

Shelby sees a car sitting motionless in the middle of the road on three flat tires.
Shelby is right on top of it going way too fast to stop or swerve.

EXT. hILL ROAD – dAY

She grips the wheel hard with both hands, stands on the brakes. Bracing, wide-eyed, for what's coming. The rear wheels lock up laying down a carpet of orange dirt smoke.
As the other car rushes toward them and hits with a horrific bang-crunch of metal and fiberglass. The SUV's front grill and hood accordion toward the windshield.

INT. sUV – dAY

Shelby jars forward, slams her head against her own white knuckles on the wheel.

EXT. hILL ROAD – dAY

The SUV sends the other car careering off the dirt road onto the shoulder. The crumpled SUV fishtails around to the left and stops dead. Fluids spill like blood beneath the smoking engine.

INT. sUV - dAY

Shelby leans back from the steering wheel, stunned, bones rattled, but amazingly unhurt.
She breathes, and tries to get her wits together. Everyone is shocked, hurt, and scared. The injuries aren't too serious.

AMBER
I think something bad just happened.

SHELBY
Fuckin' hell. You guys alright?

Shelby hears various voices. Everyone is still breathing.

They all exit the SUV, still shaking from the crash.

EXT. hiLL ROAD - dAY

Shelby walks around to the tires to check out the damage. She sees the tires are shredded like paper.
On the other side of the SUV the girls regain their senses. They take a few steps, taking in the land surrounding them, feeling the hot hazy air against their skin.
Shelby turns from the wrecked SUV to the wrecked Jeep Wrangler in front of them. She walks towards it. The others follow her.

ShELBY
Hey! Are you alright?!

EXT. OTHER CAR - dAY

They find nothing. Nobody's there. No one. Just items. A map, bottles of water, CDs, clothes, everything you need for a vacation. The girls look stumped. They look around the area, no one in sight. They are all alone.

CARMEN
What the fuck's goin' on around here?

The lunar terrain of sand and rocks extend beyond the horizon. In the distance, only the jagged hills are cut out against the sky. Something, ominous and indescribable lives in this place.

EXT. hilL ROAD - dAY

On the other side of the SUV, Carmen tries to get someone on her cell but ends up empty handed.

CARMEN
Nationwide coverage my ass.

She desperately searches for at least one single bar, extending her arm forward. Andy taps her on the shoulder.

AnDY
Did you get anyone?

CARMEN
If I did I'd be screaming off the top of my lungs. Man, this is such bullshit.

EXT. suV - dAY

Amber is seen squatting down by the passenger side door, she digs around the floorboard and picks up the wasted joint.

AMBER
What a fuckin' waste.

INT. jEEP WRANGLER - dAY

The other car and the mangled SUV sit motionless in the middle of the road. Carmen and Andy lean in. They rummage around the front and backseat.

CARMEN
Whoever these people are, sure as shit had bad taste in music. God, did a tornado come through here?

AnDY
Are you sure we should be doing this?

CARMEN
Hey, they should've stayed with their car if they didn't want people going through it or crashing in to it.

Andy doesn't say a thing. she stumbles upon a great find: Pictures. she picks one up. It's a happy couple, a MAN and WOMAN. The woman is the same person from the beginning of the film.
Andy finds another photo, same woman but with a GIRL. An eerie calm hangs above Andy.

EXT. hILL ROAD - dAY

On their knees, by the SUV tires, Amber and Shelby inspect vehicle's tires. All four of them are shredded. Carmen and Andy joins them.

AnDY
Is it bad?

SHELBY
Well... all four tires are shredded. And I only have one spare. Yeah, it's fuckin' bad.
(turns to Carmen)
Hey, Carmen, let me use your -

CARMEN
(cuts her off)
Forget it. I already tried.

The group come together.

AnDY
So what do we do?

AmBER
We can hike back to that gas station.

CARMEN
Fuck that! I ain't goin' back to that racist redneck. Besides it's like twenty or thirty miles.

SHELBY
Well I doubt we're gonna get picked up.

Everyone stands around, nothing to say, still trying to come up with a perfect plan.
Shelby wipes the sweat from her head. The heat is getting to them.

ShELBY (CONT'D)
Alright, I think we should wal -

Before she can even finish the word:

FEMALE VOICE (O.S.)
(from far away)
SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!

The gang looks around. Where did it come from? The land is vast.

FEMALE VOICE (O.S.) (CONT'D)
SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!!

AMBER
Where's it coming from?

They start rushing towards the cries for help. Heading over a grassy mound to find:
A YOUNG GIRL wearing a torn sundress, spattered with blood. Her face and body is covered in blood, sweat and tears. She's been running for a while. She screams frantically; she sees the gang and runs even faster.
The group run to her. Running hard. Panting. The young girl collapse into Shelby's arms just in time. They drop to their knees. The young girl is hysterical, screaming and crying at the same time. The group try to calm her down.

Young girl
(repeating)
PLEASE HELP ME! PLEASE HELP ME!!!

SHELBY
Hey, hey, calm down, okay. Calm down, just calm down!

ANDY
Jesus Christ, she's covered in blood, man! Jesus Christ!

CARMEN
We gotta get her to a fuckin' hospital!

YOUNG GIRL
THEY'RE GONNA KILL ME!! THEY'RE GONNA KILL ME!!! RRRUUUNNN!!!

ShELBY
No one's gonna kill you, honey. Just calm down. Okay, calm down.

At that moment her words are no longer clear. She begins to stutter, gasping for air, drowning in her own fear.
Something's happening to her, she spasms out of control. Her wide frightened eyes stare deeply into Shelby's. This is scaring the shit out of the friends. Her eyes flutter and roll to the back of her head --- she's dead. She died in Shelby's arms.
The group are speechless. Shelby slowly lets go, gently placing the young girl on the ground.
Eyes still open, looking up towards the heavens. Everyone pants hard. Chests are about to explode.

CARMEN
Oh, shit. What just fuckin' happened here, guys? What just fuckin' happened?

AnDY
Is she dead?

CARMEN
Amber you know how to check for a pulse, right?

Amber moves past the gang. Kneeling down, holds up the wrist and checks for a pulse. But of course, no.

AnDY
She's dead.

The group react with sounds of disappointing grunts.
Shelby stands up. Blood all over her arms and clothes. She paces back and forth.
Andy pulls her eyes away from Shelby and down to the young girl. Andy has seen that face before, from the pictures in the other car they crashed into. Only she was happy and still alive.

AnDY
Oh, Christ.

CARMEN
What?

AnDY
I've seen this girl before.

CARMEN
Where?

AnDY
In a photograph in the car we hit.

The group walk around. This is no longer a vacation.

EXT. from far away - dAY

The someone with a pair of binoculars pans across the Texas plain before stopping on the girls, ants on the deserted road. The person has an ANIMALISTIC BREATHING behind the binoculars.
The group walk around, hands on their hips, unaware of the dangers lurking about. Then the binoculars pan across to the dead girl. At that moment animalistic breathing becomes even more creepier than before. Hard and deep at the very site of the young dead girl.

EXT. hILL ROAD - dAY

Shelby leans against the SUV with her hands out. Andy pours out a bottle of water, washing the blood off Shelby's hands.

CARMEN
What are we gonna do now, you guys?

Amber lights up a cigarette, her hands are a bit shaky. Shelby looks to Carmen.

SHELBY
We're gonna take this trail till it leads somewhere.

AMBER
What about the body? We can't just leave it in the field for the crows.

EXT. LONG grass - dAY

The girl continues to lie motionless. Nothing strange happens when.... the body is suddenly dragged away, super fast.

EXT. hilL ROAD - dAY
Shelby pushes off the SUV. Eyes still on the ground. Shelby walks around the SUV. Opens the back, rummages through junk, and pulls out a thick blanket. Walks pass the group. They follow her through the grass.

CARMEN
What, we're taking her with us?

ShELBY
We're gonna wrap her up and put her in the back of the car. We'll come back for her when we get help.

EXT. LONG GRASS - dAY

Just as they near the spot where the dead girl used to be, their eyes snap back. Surprised, but also scared that someone else could be there.

CARMEN
Where is she?

ANDY
Where the hel is she?!

They all start to look around. Who ever took her is long gone. No blood trail to follow. But what they don't know is, more than three-hundred or more yards away, the young dead girl is being ravaged.
Kneeling next to the young girl's corpse, is a MAN in old clothes, torn and covered with blood and dirt. He devours the girls's heart, tearing into it with his teeth; her organs hang out of the hole in her belly.

EXT. suV - dAY

Shelby walks back to the SUV, throws the blanket in the back. Opens the glove compartment and pulls out a small box of .44 magnum bullets. She also grabs a pocketknife, one of those fold out ones.
Takes a handful and dumps it in her front pocket. Tucks the handgun in the back of her waistband.

EXT. trail - dAY

They walk along the road. Heading towards an ominous dead groves.

EXT. woods - dAY

The friends follow a narrow trail through a dreary cluster of dead trees and tangled vines. Birds screech from the darkness of the tree branches overhanging the trail's edge.
A forest so old and mature that underbrush has vanished, leaving only a carpet of mulch and green leaves. The daytime sunshines scattered through the leafy canopy.

AmBER
I don't think I need to be the one to tell y'all that our vacation is over.

CARMEN
It was over the moment that fuckin' asshole gave us bogus directions.

AnDY
What do you suppose happened to that girl's body?

SHELBY
How the hell should I know? No way she could've walked off on her own.
(to Amber)
Are you positive that she was dead, Amber?

AMBER
I majored in Internal Medicine. She was dead, Shelby. I know she was.

CARMEN
Look at that.

The four friends stop and stare at an old wooden sign that reads: "Beware of Rabbit."

AMBER
"Beware of Rabbit"? Oh, what some giant ass Easter bunny's gonna come out and bite my head off or something?

The group move on.

EXT. woODS - dAY

The group walk along the horse trail as the sun sets, casting wicked shadows all around the sweaty, tired group. The tangled tree limbs overhead seem lower than before.
Suddenly, a tree limb snaps somewhere behind them. They spin around.

ShELBY
You guys get the feeling that someone's following us?

They all shrug their shoulders. They wait, and then continue to press onward.

EXT. AUTOMOBILE GRAVEYARD - dAY

The friends find a clearing. As they enter further, they discover a veritable graveyard of automobiles. Most are in the late fifties with out-of-state plates. None of the vehicles have wheels. Most have been stripped of their parts with the gas tops open.

CARMEN
Okay this is giving a really bad vibe here.

There is a car close to them. The windows are smashed.

AMBER
I think my grandfather had this car.

All four friends look inside.

The interior of the car looks like it was attacked by a bear. Broken glass is everywhere. The upholstery is shredded. Radio smashed to shit. Toys strewn about on the floor have ripped apart.
Amber sits on the hood.
Shelby reaches in through the broken driver's side window and grabs a wallet on the seat. She opens it.

CARMEN
Any cash?

Shelby looks up at Carmen and gives her a straight face.

CARMEN (CONT'D)
What...?

Shelby pulls out the driver's license. She reads the name on it.
Andy walks around to the half-opened trunk. she opens it fully. Inside is mostly junk: toolbox, spare tire that's shredded, books, and old newspapers dated back in the mid 1950s.

AnDY
Found a tire.

The girls come to the trunk.

AnDY (CONT'D)
But it's stuffed.

SHELBY
Wouldn't matter anyway.

Amber looks into the trunk and finds a crumpled piece of paper. She grabs it and straightens it. The drawing of a girl is childish, but creepy with all the red coloring. She finds a few other drawings, grotesque. Abstract. Violent.
The four friens move on. Leaving this depressing and eerie spot.

EXT. wOODS - dAY

Sun continues to sink by every hour.
Down below under the trees, the friends seem to be like zombies, walking for hours. They all look tired and sweaty.

CARMEN
I'm getting tired here. Can't we rest a bit?

ShELBY
You really wanna stay out here during the night?

CARMEN
We've been walking for fuckin' hours.

AmBER
Stop fuckin' complaining, Carmen! Christ!

CARMEN
Shut up, bitch!

SHELBY
(fed up)
BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP! We're all tired, I know. We just gotta deal with it till we find somebody.

Andy is able to stop the argument.

AnDY
Hey, guys, look over there.

They all look past the arch trees to salvation. They see a farmhouse on the plains. There's a two-story farmhouse with a red barn in the back and a rusty mailbox with the name CARPENTER on it. Pretty quaint.

ShELBY
Let's get this over with.

The group start towards the house in the distance.

EXT. CARPENTER farmhouse - dAY

It's not so quaint from this distance. The clapboards are in good shape. The paint is still white. The windows are without screens, but that's okay. The porch swing adds a little warmth.
Surrounding the farmhouse is a vast wheat field, golden and knee high and keeping people off the wheat field is a barbed wire fence. The girls walk on the dirt trail up to the house.
Shelby, Amber, Carmen, and Andy step on to the porch and knock on the screen door. A song plays somewhere inside the house. It sounds like "Canon in D major."

ANDY
Nice choice of music.

Shelby knocks on the screen door.

SHELBY
Hello?!

No answer. This time Shelby knocks harder. Rudely.

ShELBY (CONT'D)
HELLO?!

All that they can hear is the music playing. The friends exchange looks.

ShELBY (CONT'D)
Alright, fuck it.

Shelby grabs the knob and finds it unlocked. She pulls it again. Andy catches her arm.

AnDY
Wait, you can't go in there. This is somebody's house.

CARMEN
Andy, I'm tired of walking. It's hot and the sun is going down, and I don't know about you, but I don't wanna be out here when the freaks come out of the woodwork.

SHELBY
We're not gonna steal anything, Andy.

Shelby proceeds on. Amber and Carmen step up next, Andy Opens the creaky door and steps across the threshold.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - dAY

The music plays on.
The girls walk slowly across the nicely polished floor. In contrast to the outside of the house, the interior comes off as a conventional American home. They pass a stairway on the right that leads upstairs. Then they turn left into a nicely decorated living room. All is old but in good condition.
There are hunter-green leather armchairs with footstools, a tartan-plaid sofa on large ball feet, rustic oak end tables, and a section of bookshelves that hold about three-hundred volumes.
The decor is thoroughly but not aggressively masculine -- no deer heads, bear heads, or any stuffed animals in sight. Instead of filth, cleanliness; even in the shadows, the group can see that the room is well dusted and swept.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - hallway - dAY

The friends move back into the hallway, looking around. The floorboards creak with their every step.
They move further down the hallway.
Someone wearing a one-eyed hood breaths hard from the staircase. He moves around the stairway and focuses on the group. Their backs are turned to this person. He keeps his distance as watches the four friends entering a different room.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - kitchen - dAY

The friends enter.
Canary-yellow ceramic tile with knotty-pine cabinets. On the floor, gray vinyl tile speckled with white. Well scrubbed. Everything is in place.
Without any architectural division, the kitchen opens into the dining room, and the combined space is probably two-thirds the width of the house. The long dinette table is dark pine, supported by thick wooden legs.
As they move further into the kitchen they stop -- hearing the rumbling of an approaching pickup truck.

AMBER
Shit!

Then, running footsteps going up the stairs. The group rush out of the kitchen, down the hallway, to look up the stairs, all they see is a glimpse of feet vanishing before their eyes.
Outside, brakes squeal as the pickup-truck groans to a halt. The group forget about their mystery person and race out of the house.

EXT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - dAY
The four friends stand as the hearts beat fast.
Two silhouette figures step out of the old Ford pickup truck. The pickup itself is so old and depressing that it probably can't even remember its better days.
One silhouette figure carries a bag of groceries.

Male silhouette
(shouting)
What the hell are you doin' in my house?!

The group try to shield their eyes from the burning sun.

ShELBY
We're sorry, sir. You see, our car broke down couple of hours from here. We're just trying to find some help.

The two silhouette figures start towards the house.
Shelby slowly descends her right arm down to the back of her waistband, gripping the handle to the gun. She's ready for anything.
The silhouette figures continue to walk closer and closer till the group can finally see them. Shelby lets go of the handle.
The first is JOHN CARPENTER, a mid-fifties farmer and his wife DEBRA CARPENTER, forties something. She wears a beautiful Sunday dress. They step onto the porch.

JOHN
I'm sorry for my yelling. You see we don't get a whole lot of people out here and when we do, well, we have to be careful.

SHELBY
It's alright.

JOHN
I'm John Carpenter. This is my second wife Debra

DEBRA
It's nice to meet you.

Debra shakes Shelby's hand.

DEBRA (CONT'D)
You said your car broke down?

AMBER
Yeah some jerk lift out a strip of barbed wire for us to run over.

DEBRA
That's rude. Well it's getting dark and I think it'll be best for you four to stay for supper.

ShELBY
I don't know. I mean we really don't wanna be a bother.

JOHN
Oh, don't worry, it's not a problem.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - dAY

All six of them enter the house. A giant 6'7 bean stalk walks down the hallway from the kitchen.
He wears boots, jeans, and a white T-shirt. His name is GEORGE, John's oldest. He dries off his gigantic hands with a hand towel. The friends can't help but stare at either his monstrous size or his wicked scar that runs down the right side of his face.

JOHN
George, we have some guest joining us for supper. Set out four more chairs.

George doesn't speak. He just nods his head and heads back down the hallway.

JOHN (CONT'D)
You folks can wait in the living room. Dinner should be ready in an hour.

The friends walk into the living room.

EXT. BARREN LANDSCAPE - eVENING

The sun, huge and lurid, melts into the hills. Out west where the sun descends gloriously over desolate mountains. A sense of timeless and incorruptible beauty.

EXT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - eVENING

Everything seems so peaceful. Near the house are a dozen laundry lines at the rear of the property.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - living room - eVENING

Another record plays on the phonograph -- "You are my sunshine." The group sit around, reading really old and out of date newspapers and magazines.
Andy looks through a People magazine with OJ Simpson on the cover.

CARMEN
Hey, guys, OJ is found not guilty.

Through all the ups and downs they all manage to crack a smile and laugh together.

JOHN (O.S.)
Dinner's ready!

The friends get up and leave the living room.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - dinning room - eVENING

The table is neatly set. Plates, silverware, and glasses of tea are placed already in placed. Several dishes are also in place: rolls, mash potatoes, corn-on-the-cobs - a delicious feast. The group set down.
John comes in from the kitchen; picking up the rear is George. He carries a pitcher of tea. John sits at the head of the table. George sits next to Andy, she seems like an ant to him. she tries not to stare.

JOHN
Hope you guys are hungry.

Debra comes out of the kitchen carrying a covered dish. It's big. She sets it in the center. Debra sits at the far end of the table, next to her stepson. It's time for Grace. They take each other by the hand and bow their heads.

JOHN (CONT'D)
Lord, we thank you for this bounty we are about feast upon. Forgive us for our mistakes and may our sins lie beneath our feet. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Everyone
Amen.

They release each other's hands.

JOHN
Let's eat.

John gets up from the table with a meat carver and knife. He heads to the center of the table, and lifts up the top to reveal -- -- a succulent roast beef.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - DINNING ROOM - eVENING

Music plays as dinner starts. It's a long, leisurely affair because everyone has something. They eat and talk at the same time. The Carpenters's are careful to include their new guests and seem genuinely interested in what they have to say, but even when the conversation wanders to family matters.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - dINNING ROOM - eVENING

Their plates are off the table and all they do is drink tea and talk. Debra is not there. George glances a couple of times at Carmen when she's not looking.

SHELBY
You know I notice that girl out there during dinner.

The group look outside the window and see a girl sitting in a rocking chair near a large tool shed, admiring the evening sunset.

SHELBY (CONT'D)
Is she part of the family?

JOHN
Why yes she is. That's Lucy. My third child.

AMBER
Isn't she gonna eat to?

JOHN
No. Every since the Lord cast her into the land of the blind when she was a child all she loves to do is sing outside for the birds. We usually bring her in when it's dark. We take care of her.

ANDY
How many kids do you have?

JOHN
Four kids. All from my first wife. George here is my oldest, he's the quiet one, but he's a good worker. Uh, I told you about Lucy, My other son, Richard lives miles from here. And my youngest,Paul, well, he's shy when it comes to lovely young ladies.

The girls try not to blush.
Just then, Debra comes out with a warm pan of apple pie.

DEBRA
I have dessert. A nice warm apple pie.

Debra sits the apple pie on the table.

AnDY
Oh, darn. Apple pie? I'm allergic to apples.

Debra starts cutting a piece of pie for the group and handing out the plates.

DEBRa
I'm sorry, I should've asked. Can I fix you something else, dear?

AnDY
No. It's okay.

DEBRA
Are you sure? It's no bother.

AnDY
Yeah, it's okay. I ate enough from dinner.

Shelby, Carmen, and Amber dig into their pies. From the look on their faces, it's really good.

AnDY (CONT'D)
If you don't mind me asking, how did your wife die?

JOHN
Oh, it's alright. Freak accident. It happened about... twenty years ago.

Debra sits back down. Drinking her ice tea.

JOHN (CONT'D)
We had an argument one night. We both said things that we didn't meant, she ran out,got in her car, and drove off. A dog ran out in front of her, and well, you know what happened next.

Shelby listens as she starts to feel a little strange. So does Carmen and Amber. Shelby looks at her apple pie. Feels her brow. Is she woozy? Is there something in her apple pie? Has she been drugged?

ShELBY
What...
(shakes her head, tries to focus)
What was the argument about?

All three girls have trouble staying awake.

JOHN
My kids and I were eating something my wife didn't think was proper.

Andy notices the girls' problem.

AnDY
You guys alright?

No answer. Shelby squints at John, who swims in and out of focus. Carmen is the first to fall asleep.

AnDY (CONT'D)
Carmen?

Then Amber. The family doesn't seem to care. In Shelby's mind. Everything is spinning. Bizarre. Hallucinogenic. A trippy ride.
Shelby is getting to her feet, but sways woozily. She shakes her head again, trying to focus.

SHELBY
What... Andy -

Before Shelby can finish her sentence, she tips to the side and falls to the floor, hard. The drugs have taken hold.

AnDY
What the hell's going on?!

JOHN
George!

Before George can do what he needs to do, Andy takes her glass of tea and chucks it at him. she bolts out of his chair, exiting the dinning room.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - HALLWAY - eVENING

Andy dashes down the hallway, she slips on the rug, but manages to get to her feet within a millisecond. she races past the stairs and out the front screen door.
She leaves her friends behind. George moves down the hallway, loading shells into a Remington model 870-magnum shotgun.

EXT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - eVENING

Andy races for her life, running down the dirt trail and back into the creepy woods. Picking up the rear is George, on the hunt.

EXT. woODS - eVENING

Andy runs in flat out fear. George moves through the forest in a rapid blur, still holding his Remington shotgun.

AnDY
(shouting)
SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!

Andy can scream as loud as she wants to, no one's coming to her rescue.
George gets a clear shot of Andy; he stops, aims, and pulls the trigger. BANG! The 12-gauge slug misses Andy, but hits a poor innocent tree.
George still picks up the speed. He's really fast for his size. He stops and aims. BANG! Again the 12-gauge slug misses Andy and ends up destroying a dying tree branch. He cocks his gun and sprints after Andy.

EXT. wOODS - eVENING

As Andy continues to run in flat out fear, she knows that her life is about to end. she keeps looking behind her shoulders to find George still hot on her trail.
Andy exits the woods and enters the hill road and comes close to the SUV, like that's really do any good.

EXT. hILL ROAD - eVENING

Andy continues her speed, she races towards the SUV. she climbs into the driver side, she slams the door.

INT. suV - eVENING

Frantically fearing for her life, Andy tries to find the keys to the SUV; she fumbles around with so much junk. Andy looks and leans down into the floorboard. As she gets up, George is already there with the shotgun aimed right at Andy's head.
George fires. BANG! Andy's brains splatter inside the SUV; everything is covered in blood and pieces of skull and brain. In fact her entire head is blown off; there is nothing left but a bloody stump.

EXT. hILL ROAD - eVENING

George opens the driver side door and Andy's lifeless body falls out and hits the ground.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - basement - nIGHT

It's dark. Pitch black. There are sounds of dripping water pipes and terrified panting. Then, with a flick of a switch, two light bulbs flicker to life, revealing Amber and Shelby in a horrible situation. There are in the middle of a bleak and wicked looking room. Discarded household items are piled in the corners: old books, a dusty trunk, a Workmate, etc.
Butcher tools lay on a wooden table -- beef jerky and other meat hang from the springs of a grid of bedsprings from the ceiling. Cleavers and knives rest close by, waiting to do their work.
Amber is bound to an old wooden chair with barbed wires keeping her nice and still. A cloth is wrapped around her mouth. Her head hangs.
Shelby hangs two feet above the floor with her arms above her head. She hangs from a beam with rope wrapped around her wrist. Tied around her ankles is a pair of thick chains, and tied to the other end of the chains are two heavy cinder blocks. Shelby is not gagged.
Someone walks down the stairs, the wood creaks with every step.
It's John. He walks pass the misfortunate girls and heads over to the refrigerator. He opens the door. Inside are bottles of beer and a couple of jugs and jars filled with red liquid. Kool Aid? Or what...? John grabs a beer and closes the door.
John walks over to the girls; he pulls up a chair and opens his beer. John sits.

JOHN
I am... sorry about all this. You can't understand how far a family will go to survive and I can't imagine how scared you two are right now.

John drinks. Silence.

JOHN (CONT'D)
Your friend is dead.

Both Amber and Shelby howl like saddened dogs for their fallen friend.

ShELBY
(furious)
YOU FUCKIN' CRUEL BASTARD!

Shelby weeps.
John ignores her foul comment and takes another swig from his beer. A bleak silence engulfs the three. John takes another drink.
John gets up from his chair, heads to the stairs, then stops. He turns back to Shelby & Amber

JOHN
(sighs)
I'll let y'all rest for the night. Tomorrow...

John doesn't finish his sentence. He walks up the steps and switches off the lights.

EXT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - nIGHT

A sea of stars fills the dark skies, hanging above the Carpenter's house. A few rooms are lit up on the second floor.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - george's room - nIGHT

A boy's room. Lit by two lamps on two nightstands. The wallpaper is printed with cowboys and Indians riding rodeo. Pennants from far-away schools are pinned to the wall. Dark oak furniture and drab brown drapes add melancholic vibe.
Carmen lays on George's bed, wrists and ankles tied with rope to the frame leaving her spread-eagled atop the mattress. Mouth gagged with braided leather. Her tears run down her face as she weeps and screams, but they are muffled by the leather gagged.
The bedroom door opens, Carmen's eyes widen in fear, terrified to wonder who will be coming into the room.
It's Debra. She wears a white nightgown and robe. Debra steps across the threshold and approaches the bed. She sits next to Carmen.

DEBRA
My husband told your friends the bad news. Your friend is dead.

She shuts her eyes, trembling, spraying tears, and screaming behind her gag. She wails with quaking madness, for help, hope, for God.

DeBRA(CONT'D)
Screaming won't help, sweetie. Not many people come out here to help anyone. Especially people who need to eat.

Debra takes a moment for Carmen.

DEBRA (CONT'D)
It seems my stepson has taken an interest in you. George took in an interest with one girl. I'm sure you met her today. He found her in the field. He wants to keep you. You should be happy about that.

Carmen looks pass Debra. She's frozen stiff, eyes fixed on something. Debra senses something behind her. She turns around and sees George standing in the doorway. Debra turns back to Carmen.

DEBRA (CONT'D)
I'll leave you two alone.

She gets up. George strides over to the bed. Debra closes the door, leaving the two lovebirds alone.
George approaches the bed, he leans in, Carmen tries to pullback, but there's not enough slack. George grabs her throat, applying a little pressure. She's not going anywhere.
With his free right hand, he starts to glide it up Carmen's leg, from her knee, continuing up her thigh, and then disappearing up her skirt. Carmen knows what's going to happen there.
She buckles, eyes now wide open, feeling his rough hand. She knows what he's doing down there. Her tears are like rain from the sky. She screams from the top of her lungs, but it's still no use.

EXT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - nIGHT

Even from outside of George's open window, Carmen's muffled cries for help can be heard. Horrible things are happening in his room.

EXT. BARREN LANDSCAPE - suNRISE

The hot red sun slowly rises up from the Johnson grass. Ready to start a new day.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - KITCHEN - mORNING

Debra is doing what she does best: being a housewife. On the pre-heated stove is a big cast iron frying pan.
She walks over to the refrigerator and opens it. Inside are dozens of containers that are similar to the ones downstairs in the basement. Debra grabs one and closes the fridge.
Debra moves back over to the stove. She places the container on the counter and pops open the lid: inside are several thick layers of human flesh and pieces of brain.
She places the contents into the frying pan. The pieces sizzle second they touched hot iron.
Outside of George's window, there is no sound. Perhaps Carmen is dead.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - GEORGE'S ROOM - mORNING

But Carmen isn't. She lays alone in George's bed, Side from the fact that she was just violated last night, Carmen is still alive.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - BASEMENT - mORNING

The only light Amber and Shelby have is coming from the only window in the basement. Amber has most of the light, Shelby continues to hang in the dark, and her panting are the only signs of life. Amber seems to be asleep.

ShELBY
Amber...?

Nothing.

ShELBY (CONT'D)
(tearful)
Amber, please wake.

Still nothing.

ShELBY (CONT'D)
AMBER!

Slowly, but finally, Amber starts to come around. Her body trembles. Her cries are still muffled under the gag.

ShELBY (CONT'D)
(weeps)
I'm so sorry, Amber. For everything.

All Amber can do is cry and moan. They both know this is the end for them. Silence between the two.
Just then, the light flickers on. More light for Shelby. She looks in bad shape: tearful face, arms straining, a bit dehydrated, but still alive.
Two sets of footsteps walk down the staircase, one sounds heavier than the other.
It's John and his son George. George carries a miniature sledgehammer and a 4x4. The father and son stand in the middle of the room.

JOHN
It's time. We made our decision.

Who will it be? Amber or Shelby. The moment is killing both of them. Then, Shelby shouts out.

SHELBY
Pick me! Pick me, please! Just leave her alone, please.

Shelby breaks down, weeping.

JOHN
That's very noble of you. You really care about your friend. But I'm sorry.

John and George turn to Amber.

JOHN (CONT'D)
(last rites)
Through this holy anointing, may the Lord pardon you whatever sins/faults you have committed.

They approach her. She flips out of control. John holds her down as George places the 4x4 under her feet. He holds her foot with one hand grabs the mini sledgehammer and bashes her foot in. Breaking every bone. Shelby is able to hear the hard crunch sound from Amber's foot.
Amber lets out a horrifying scream.

ShELBY
YOU FUCKIN' BASTARDS!

They ignore Shelby. George holds down her other foot and bashes it in. Another hard crunch. Amber lets out another howl.

John unties her wrist. George unties her ankles.
Shelby struggles to get loose, trying to pull herself up -- but fails.

ShELBY (CONT'D)
LEAVE HER ALONE! YOU FUCKIN' MONSTERS!!!

George hoists her onto his shoulders and follows John up the stairs. Shelby gives up.
INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - HALLWAY - mORNING

John, George, and Amber come through the basement door and stride down the hallway. Amber wiggles and cries out as she tries to grab onto something as they move down the hall. But there's nothing she can do to stop the inevitable.
John stops and enters a room as George heads on.

EXT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - mORNING

George pushes through the back door and heads to the large tool shack.

AmBER
(under the gag)
Please don't do this! PLEASE!!!

EXT. dILAPIDATED SHACK - mORNING

George doesn't listen. He enters the tool shack.
Slowly moving back and forth in the rocking chair is Lucy, the Blind Woman. She hears a lot of commotion coming from inside the tool shack. Mostly Amber screaming for help. But Lucy doesn't seem to care or mind.
George comes back out. He approaches Lucy, squatting down.

***

George
Something black.

He gets to his feet and goes back into the tool shack.

LUCY
I see a red door and I want it painted black no colors anymore I want them to turn black I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes I have to turn my head until my darkness goes.

INT. dILAPIDATED SHACK – mORNING

Amber hears Lucy's singing as she hangs by her feet.
George goes over to the table of tools that are laid out. He grabs the knife the he'll using. He sharpens it with the sharpening stone. Scraping the blade back and forth. Amber continues to cry as Lucy continues to sing.
George is done sharpening his blade. He walks over to Amber, circling around her like a prey. He gets to her front, gliding his sharp blade from the valley of her breast, up her stomach, and stopping near her crotch.
Amber gives one last howl -- George thrusts the blade into her body, and then drags it straight down to her breastplate.
Blood pours out of her as she spasms out of control. Everything starts to go blurry to her. Things around slowly becomes -- black. Then the song Lucy sings begins to echo and fade away.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - BASEMENT – mORNING

Shelby continues to be denied by the natural sunlight from the single window. Her breathing is soft and low.
The light cuts on. Shelby looks close to dead, her dried lips are a sure sign of extreme dehydration. Again with the footsteps going down the creaking steps. Only this time the footsteps seem softer than heavy.
It's Debra. She holds a tall glass of cold water.
Debra grabs a foldout chair and drags it towards Shelby. She stands on it, getting to Shelby's eye level. She holds the glass of water up to Shelby's face. Their eyes connect with one another.

DEBRA
Drink.

Shelby doesn't make an effort to try.

DEBRA (CONT'D)
Please drink.

She doesn't at first, but, Shelby leans her head in, opens her mouth, and Debra gently pours the water down Shelby's mouth. Some of the water spills from the corner of her mouth, but she manages to drink the whole glass.

DEBRA (CONT'D)
Your friend didn't suffer much. It was quick.

Shelby holds back her tears. Debra steps down from the chair. She moves it back to where she got it.

DEBRA (CONT'D)
John is giving you a choice: you can go next or your friend upstairs can.

A tear breaks loose from her closed eyes.

ShELBY
Me.

Debra heads back upstairs. The lights are cut off.

EXT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE – mORNING

John waters his herb garden with a watering can.

EXT. dILAPIDATED SHACK – mORNING

Lucy sits in her rocking chair, humming a song instead of singing it out loud.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - GEORGE'S ROOM – mORNING

The morning wind blows through the open window.
Carmen is still bound to George's bed. Out of it.
The door slowly creaks open. The sound of the rusty hinges is loud enough for Carmen's eyes to flutter open. She moans and finally opens her eyes fully to see:
A MAN wearing a potato sack over his head. It has a painted smile and a painted left eye. The right eye is cut out. He wears old cloths and carries a steak knife. He inches his way over to Carmen.
Carmen's eyes widen in fear, she cries under her gag and wiggles around, hoping to break free.
His voice is rough and deep. His pronunciation is poor and is incredibly impossible to tell what he is saying. The Sack Man puts his hands in front of him.

Sack man
(distorted)
No. Please. No.

She doesn't know what he's saying. She continues to move around like a wild animal. The Sack Man gets closer and closer to the bed. All Carmen can do is keep her eye on the blade.
The Sack Man reaches the bed and starts cutting away at the rope. Carmen now believes that he's helping her.
The rope is cut in-half. The Sack Man goes to the feet and starts cutting away while Carmen tries to untie her other wrist. The Sack Man finishes with ankle and starts on the next one. Carmen is almost done.
The rope on the last ankle is finally cut. The Sack Man rushes over to Carmen to help her with her wrist. Together they finally untie the last bound. Carmen rips off the gag and jumps out of bed.

SaCK MAN (CONT'D)
(distorted)
NO!!!

Carmen doesn't listen.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - upstairs hallway – mORNING

She races out of the room. She runs down the hall when -- George steps out of a room and swings and plants the axe at the base of Carmen's neck, between neck and shoulder.
George's clothes are painted with Amber's blood.
Carmen yells out in agonizing pain as blood spurts forth from the wound. George jerks the axe from Carmen with robotic precision. His eyes tense with sick joyous fury as he raises the instrument for another blow.
Carmen, still alive and teeming with desperation, manages to knock over some picture frames, but can't seem to grab onto anything.
George delivers another death pang, chopping a wedge into the side of Carmen's neck as a lumberjack chopping down a tree.
The force of the blow takes Carmen down to her knees with an enormous blast of blood spraying everything around him within a four-foot radius. Some of the blood sprays across George.
Carmen desperately tries to use the wall for leverage to steady herself. Carmen raises a blood spattered scowl to George.
Her voice streams into a gurgling pool as crimson liquid life burps from her mouth and spills over onto her chin, waterfalls to the floor.

CARMEN
Please...

George wields the axe over and behind his head one last time with an assured look on his face. George slams its blade into the side of Carmen's neck, nearly taking her head off, letting go of the handle as the weapon stays in place.
Carmen's entire body is jerked to the side.
Her body plops lifeless onto the floor like a rolled up carpet. The free axe falls out of its slot for lack of flesh around it to hold it in place. It drops to the floor with the muffled sound of metal hitting wood floor.
Carmen's wide, dead eyes stare at nothingness. Blood pouring out from her cracked open mouth.
George walks towards his room. He enters.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - GEORGE'S ROOM – mORNING

George strides furiously towards the Sack Man, he moves backwards, holding up the steak knife. George isn't afraid of his little brother. The Sack Man hits the bed; George smacks the knife out of the Sack Man's hand.
George throws a hard right hand towards the Sack Man's head. He hits the ground. George kicks and kicks the Sack Man on the ground. Couple of times in the stomach, at least six times in the face. Blood stains from inside the sack.

GEORGE
Bad dog.

He stomps his face and ribs in. The Sack Man howls and screams for life. He beats the Sack Man again and again, and again.

EXT. open field – dAY

John is alone out in the field. He's far away from the farmhouse.
In the back of John's pickup truck is Amber's body, disemboweled and skinless. John is busy digging a hole for Amber. A mound of dirt has already been made.
John drags Amber's body through the grass and drops her lifeless body in the whole. He starts filling the hole up with dirt. More sweat drips from his forehead.

EXT. dirT ROAD – DAY

The pickup truck speeds down the dirt road, leaving a orange cloud trail.
Amber's unmarked grave is one of many.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - LIVING ROOM – DAY

All four in the living room: John, Debaa, Lucy, and George.
Lucy rocking in her chair, listening to another song. Debra is knitting a scarf on the couch. John sits in a chair and does the same thing as Lucy, just sitting there. John reads a book.
This is a normal American family scene, something people don't really see anymore.
John continues to stare straight.

JOHN
George.

George stops reading. Looks to his father.

JOHN (CONT'D)
Take care of her now. I want her ready to be in the ground by lunch time

George doesn't say a word. George places his book down, gets up, and heads to the basement door.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - BASEMENT – DAY

Black again.
Shelby doesn't seem to be breathing. Is she dead?
The light turns on. Shelby isn't moving. George walks down the steps, carrying a tin bucket of water.
Shelby still hasn't moved. She might be dead. George stands in front of her and chucks the bucket of water at her. She wakes up. Soaking wet.
George doesn't have to use a chair to reach Shelby. He reaches up and cuts the up bounding Shelby's wrist. She drops to the ground hard.
George cuts the rope connected to the cinder block. He hauls her up onto his massive shoulders and walks up the stairs.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - HALLWAY – DAY

As the two exits the basement, Shelby can hear a song playing the background.
It plays as George carries Shelby out of the house.

EXT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE – DAY

George carries her across the grass; she catches a glimpse of the place where he's taking her to -- the tool shack.

INT. dILAPIDATED SHACK – DAY

He enters the tool shack. He drops Shelby hard in the center of the room. He tears at her clothes: ripping them off, leaving her in only her underwear.
George grabs some rope and ties her hands together. Next, he ties her ankles to a rope and hoists her up with a pulley system. Shelby hangs upside down, She gets no special treatment.
George squats down to her eye level.

GEORGE
No song for you.

He gets back to his feet. he then sharpens his knife. Shelby's breathing grows louder and faster with every sharpening of the blade. The blade sings with the last scrape against the sharpening stone. George approaches Shelby. He glides the blade across Shelby's thighs, zigzagging downward. Shelby's body trembles under the newly sharp blade.
George loves to admire a beautiful creature's body, especially a body like Shelby's. The blade glides all over her body: her stomach, breast, pelvis, everywhere. The blade stops at her pelvis, it's time, George starts to cut at her underwear, when - Shelby, with her tied hands, punches George in the balls. George drops the knife, groping his injured jewels. He bends over when, Shelby sits up and grabs his nose with her teeth.
George screams in agony, as Shelby applies pressure and rips off his nose. A gush of blood explodes from his snout. The blood runs down his face. He staggers backwards into the tool wall, half of the tools drop on him, and he makes out with the ground. Shelby spits out the nose, she does one major sit up and tries to untie her ankles.
George starts to come around, shaking off the effects. Shelby frees her ankles; she drops hard to the ground, slightly knocking the air out of her. Shelby quickly crawls across the ground, head over to a shovel.
George gets to one knee, he grabs the 17" meat cleaver, ready to chop up little Shelby. All of a sudden, Shelby stands in front of George with the shovel; she swings and smacks him across the face, blood flies from his mouth.
He kisses the ground again; Shelby hits him again, and again. It's hard to tell if he is dead or unconscious. Shelby pants, her heart is about to explode through her chests. She throws down the shovel and walks over to her clothes.

EXT. dILAPIDATED SHACK – DAY

Shelby exits the tool shack, dressed and holding the 17" meat cleaver.
She quietly walks across the grass. Shelby sees a way to get back into the house besides the back door: an open window on the side of the house.

EXT. Carpenter FARMHOUSE – DAY

Shelby steps on a hey stack and is able to climb through the open window. She tries to keep quiet, like a Navy SEAL seeking into a fortress. She makes it in without knocking anything over.

INT. Carpenter FARMHOUSE - room - DAY

Her foot touches the wooden floor, then the second one. So far so good. The room is mostly occupied with boxes and some old clothes. The door is half opened; the hallway light shines in part of the room.
Shelby tiptoes across the floor to the door. She opens it just enough to see if there's anyone out in the hall. So far no one.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - HALLWAY – DAY

The door slowly opens up. Shelby steps out, silent as a mouse.
She walks down the hall, everything seems to be going smoothly, when -- John steps into the hallway, behind Shelby. Shelby turns around to the sound of his footsteps. They both are in a state of shock, frozen in time. John focuses on her dark, dead cold, eyes. Both open and staring like gun-sights directly at her. Feral and chilling at the same time. The eyes of a fearsome farmer turning angry. Shelby is frozen. A deer caught in Death's headlights. As John stares, eyes unblinking, motionless for a terrifying heartbeat. Then, in a ferocious blur, Shelby bolts.

JOHN
(shouting)
RABBIT!!!

Shelby races past the stairwell and out the front door. For some reason she drops the meat cleaver.
RABBIT comes storming down the stairs. Mildly built, like a track star, his face is disfigured by a cleft lip which exposes his jaw, his front teeth which resemble a rabbit. He's the one that was eating the young dead girl's body. His face, gritty, caked with blood. A savage with no sense of pity, Rabbit is, after George, the most violent member of the family. He races after Shelby.

EXT. farmlands – DAY

Shelby races across the field. She is quick. But so is Rabbit. He lumbers after his prey like a cheetah. Rabbit whips out a machete, dull, but still deadly.
Shelby keeps moving as fast as she can, passing the metal bones of forsaken farm equipment. Gimping along this cruel, uncultivated land. Sucking in the air with rapid gasps. Her knee's a mess. She's getting cut up by all the wild branches and vines. Thorny vine is tangled in her matted hair. She runs into a branch, she falls to the ground. But gets back on her feet just in time... Shelby is overwhelmed with terror, Rabbit continues on -- lumbering in cheetah fashion.
Shelby races towards a sagging range wire fence. She vaults the low barrier. Shelby runs away. But, Rabbit vaults it too.
He cuts loose a wicked and eerie howl as Shelby crashes through the forest. Shelby runs as fast as her legs will carry her through the forest She momentarily slows down. But comes going when Rabbit makes another howl or sinister laughter. Rabbit moves through the forest in a rapid blur, still holding his main weapon. The blade singing against the false wind created by Rabbit's incredible speed. He uses the machete to slice away the branches that slow him down.
Shelby claws her way through the dense tangle of dead tree limbs and thick undergrowth. She fights her way through the tangle grove. She's lashed and whipped by the gnarled tree limbs and thorny bramble. Rabbit continues on the trail. Hacking away at anything that stands in his way. Shelby looks behind, noticing Rabbit is a fair distance back, she quickly climbs a nearby tree, moments later Rabbit appears.
Shelby hears the sounds being made by Rabbit just below her, she continues to hide, Rabbit is sniffing around, he rustles past, walks a few more steps.

RABBIT
Come out; come out, wherever you are.

Rabbit continues the manhunt. Taunting her with his dialogue.

RABBIT (CONT'D)
I find you. You can't hide forever, whore.

Shelby pushes her hair from her eyes. Terrified, she spots a bridge, not to far away, a rope bridge, but still a bridge, she jumps from the tree and bolts. Rabbit glimpses her running to the bridge, the chase is back on, Shelby turns to see him in pursuit.
Shelby slides down a slopey embankment to the bridge, she staggers onto the bridge, which starts swaying, Rabbit is seconds behind, he gets to the bridge, then stops instantly, almost terrified of it, or the water below, Shelby turns to see Rabbit standing there, she could escape, but she has found his weakness, and wants to end this.

ShELBY
C'MON YOU FUCKIN', BITCH! C'MON

Rabbit makes a few steps onto the bridge, his whole demeanour has changed,Shelby taunts him again

SHELBY
C'MON YOU STUPID INBRED FUCKER, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? DON'T YOU WANT A PIECE OF THIS ASS? (grabbing a cheek)

Rabbit grunts, then bolts onto the bridge and runs at Shelby, she waits for him, in moments he is there, she uses his momentum against him, moving aside at the last minute, Rabbit trips to the floor of the bridge, he gets back to his feet and attacks Shelby. He rushes her, balls up his fist, and socks her in the face. Blood shoots out from her mouth. Her lip is busted. As she staggers backwards, she trips and falls. Rabbit mounts her. He starts swinging away, smashing her nose, jaw, and eye socket. Blood covers her face and his fists. Rabbit is done turning her face into a bloody pound of beef.
He uses both of his hands and chokes her, using every once of strength to kill Shelby. He exerts more pressure on her throat. Face turning red, lips blue, eyes welled up with tears.
Rabbit uses one hand to bring up a knife, and tries to bring it down on Shelby. She tries to hold back his arm with hand. But he's stronger than her. He brings the knife closer and closer, and closer. There's no way to stop it, she manages to shift her body, and let the blade stab her in the shoulder.
Shelby screams from the top of her lungs. So loud that it shatter glass. The blade continues to go deeper and deeper into her shoulder. Rabbit laughs insanely. Very creepy. Rabbit seems to be getting off on this.
Shelby remembers her last weapon. She reaches down to her pocket and draws out her small pocketknife, unfolds it with hand, and jambs it in his balls, right in there. Now that is the worst pain a man doesn't want to ever feel.
Rabbit yells louder than Shelby. He manages to let go of Shelby's throat and the knife. Shelby pushes Rabbit off of her. Rabbit squirms on the bridge. He rolls to his knees and pulls out the pocketknife, chucks it away. He looks up to see Shelby standing over him, far from finishing off this prick. Rabbit tries to get up, but his balls are in so much fucking pain, he spits out spoonful of blood. Shelby musters up all her strength and grabs him by the throat, she hangs him over the bridge, he turns and looks at the raging water below.

RABBIT
No, Don't swim, don't swim...

SHELBY (smiling)
Don't care

With one final shove, Rabbit drops from the bridge, into the raging waters of the river below.

EXT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - DAY

Everything looks quiet.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

They all fall to silence. They continue to listen to the phonograph.
Debra looks a little nervous. She fears that Rabbit isn't going to return with Shelby's dead body.

JOHN (O.S.)
He'll be here.

Debra looks to John.

JOHN (CONT'D)
He'll be here.

EXT. fARmlands - DAY

A figure walks across the farmlands. Doesn't speed up or nothing. This person is in no hurry. This person takes their sweet-ass time.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - DAY

Shelby's father's .44 magnum gun rests on the end-table near the front screen door, along with the bullets from Shelby's pockets. They're right next to Johns's keys. Somebody opens the screen door, spots the gun, and picks it up.

JOHN (O.S.)
Rabbit? Is that you?

The mystery person opens the chamber and closes it.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - lIVING ROOM - DAY

The three members of the family wait to hear a response.
Shelby steps out of the hallway and into the living room. She aims her gun at them, she cocks back the hammer.
John turns his head to the sound. He gets up from his chair, facing Shelby. Debra stays where she's at. Lucy doesn't know what's going on.
Debra and John are shocked to see her alive, covered in blood, like she just stepped out of a river of blood.

JOHN
Jesus.

ShELBY
Jesus isn't going to help you.

JOHN
Please, you don't have to -

BANG! Shelby blows John's head off. Lucy screams to the sudden sound. His body slumps to the floor. Debra is terrified right at this moment. Shelby moves the gun towards Debra, who still sits on the couch.

DEBRA
(terrified)
Please, please you have to understand -

BANG! Shelby fires a round in Debra's head. Blood and brain matter splatters the wall behind her. Lucy screams again.
Debra's body slumps to the side, still holding on to her knitting.
Lucy is trembling and weeping in her rocking chair.

LUCY
Mamma? Daddy?

They don't answer. Shelby aims the revolver at her. She doesn't know if she should kill Lucy or leave her be. But she can't do it. She lowers the gun.
At that moment - Crash - George, the six foot monster with no nose, pulverizes the window with a sledgehammer and smashes into the house. Like a wild animal, George charges Shelby, destroying everything in his path. Shelby drops the gun in terror. She retreats from the living room, heading back into the hallway.
George steam-rolls after Shelby.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY

Shelby dodges away and tries to escape, using the stairs in the hallway but the giant grabs her be the feet and pulls her down... The sledgehammer swings through the air missing her by a hair each time.
Out of nowhere, the Sack Man comes to the rescue. He attacks his older brother, punching him in the side.
The attacks really have no effect on his big-rig body, but it does annoy him. George turns his attention from Shelby to the Sack Man. Shelby races up the stairs.
George pushes the Sack Man to the fall, and then swings the sledgehammer right into the Sack Man's chest. Then, his masked face. Blood splatters the inside of the potato sack. The Sack Man is dead. His body slides to the floor. George runs up the stairs.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - upstairs room - DAY

Shelby runs into a room, escaping George and his trusty sledgehammer. Instinctively, she uses the first piece of furniture she can find, a dresser, to block the door behind him. She looks desperately for an exit. No way out.
But there is a window. She tries to open it, no good, it's sealed shut.
The sledgehammer smashes through the door. The dresser won't be enough to hold back the monster-truck George. Second sledgehammer blow - this time the sledgehammer tears up the boards of the door, allowing George to stick his disfigured face inside. Seeing Shelby trapped in the room. He turns around and walks away.
The house is completely silent. No sign of the giant.
With her heart pounding through her chest, Shelby moves back over to the window to try to get it open. Crash! George explodes through the door, pushing back the dresser. Shelby presses her back against the wall. George sets Shelby up, ready to smash her face in. He charges her; Shelby dodges the attack and is able to swim around him. George is quick to swing the sledgehammer around and nip her leg.
Shelby hits the ground hard, screaming in pain. She can't even catch a breath before the giant grabs her by the injured leg like a rag doll and drags her out of the room.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - uPSTAIRS HALLWAY - DAY

George drags her down the hall. She feels useless and empty. As he reaches the top of the stairs, he throws her down. Tumbling and rolling down the stairs.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - hALLWAY - DAY

She hits the ground, still alive, barely. Shelby crawls on her hands, heading towards the living room. George takes his down the stairs.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - lIVING ROOM - DAY

Shelby crawls across the floor like a dying war hero. Lucy is still in her rocking chair, scared out of her mind.
George is almost down the stairs. This is it for Shelby. But there's one thing she sees that might save her -- the gun, four shots left. She crawls faster to the gun.
George is now in the hallway, he heads towards the living room.
Shelby is five inches away from the gun. George stands in threshold, he sees what Shelby is reaching for, he gets ready to attack Shelby.
Shelby grabs the gun, turns over and fires the last four rounds into George's chest. He drops the sledgehammer and tumbles backwards to the floor. The house shakes on impact.
Shelby manages to get up, back to her feet.
George doesn't move. But he is still alive. Shelby picks up the sledgehammer and drags it across the floor, moving towards George.
She stands next to his head, she uses every bit of strength she has and lifts up the sledgehammer, lifts it above her head, and brings the sledgehammer down on George's head.
Things from inside his head explodes and covers the wooden floor.
Shelby, exhausted and tired, drops to the floor, right in the puddle of blood, next to George's body.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - DAY

They're all dead. John. Debra. The Sack Man. George. Shelby isn't, she's just past out. She slowly comes around, moaning. Shelby moves around in the pool of blood, getting her hair and clothes soaked in crimson. She finally comes around; she ends up turning over and starring at George's lifeless body.
Shelby gets up, she starts from her hands and knees, the finally gets back to her feet. Shelby hears singing coming from the living room. She walks in to investigate.

INT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Lucy is singing. She sits in the corner crying and rocking herself back and forth.

LUCY
(singing while weeping)
As I went down in the river to pray studying about that good old way and who shall wear the starry crown good Lord, show me the way.

Shelby can't help but watch and listen to the frightening rhythm in Lucy's singing.

LUCY (CONT'D)
O sisters let's go down, let's go down, come on down, O sisters let's go down, down in the river to pray.

Shelby walks over to the gun on the floor. She grabs it, and empties out the shells. Lucy continues to sing as Shelby goes back to the end table, loading her revolver. She grabs John's keys to the pickup truck and leaves. She limps her way outside.

EXT. CARPENTER FARMHOUSE - DAY

Shelby starts up the truck and drives down a different path, a path that the Carpenter's take.

EXT. back road - DAY

The pickup truck is followed by a trail of dirt. The crows perched on a dead tree swivel their heads around, to see a distant, vehicle.

INT. pickup truck - DAY

Shelby is silent. Unmoved by anything that has happened to her and her friends.

EXT. bACK ROAD - DAY

The pickup truck comes across the main road. The pickup truck stops.

INT. pICKUP TRUCK – DAY

Shelby looks right. Then looks left. She takes left.

EXT. hIGHWAY - DAY

The pickup truck zooms down the lonely Texas highway like a bat out of hell. The pickup truck passes the WRECKED PICKUP TRUCK the friends passed while in the SUV.

INT. pICKUP TRUCK - DAY

Shelby places the .44 magnum revolver in her blood stained lap.

EXT. gAS STATION/GENERAL STORE - DAY

The Old Man sits under the porch. Drinking a beer. He scratches the back of his head.
The pickup truck explodes from the highway and into the parking lot. The Old Man looks at the truck; he knows the truck, but not the driver. He makes a look.

OLD MAN
John...? John, is that you?!

No answer from the driver. The Old Man gets up from the swing. Shelby gets out of the pickup, takes the revolver and aims it at the Old Man as she walks towards him. The Old Man looks like he's seen a ghost.

OlD MAN (CONT'D)
Jesus...

SHELBY
Nope. No Jesus here.

The Old Man tries to retreat to the store. BANG! BANG! BANG! Three slugs to the back. The Old Man crashes into the threshold. He's one tough old dog, still alive, crawling the rest of the way.

INT. gAS STATION/GENERAL STORE - DAY

Shelby walks up the steps. She takes her sweet-ass time. Just watching how pathetic the Old Man looks right now. She rolls him over with her foot. The Old Man looks up at Shelby, grunting in pain.

OLD MAN
Please... I'm sorry.

ShELBY
I'm not.

Shelby pumps the remaining three in the Old Man's face. Blood splatters Shelby's face.

THE END