The Urban Creepers
Page 2
Graffiti covers concrete walls that surround entrance DOOR
into sewer. Brightly-colored, spray-painted letters warn of
imminent death. A NO TRESPASSING sign is affixed to DOOR
and a padlock secures it in place.
Mike, Jillian, and three FRIENDS emerge from shadows and
approach DOOR. Each wears coveralls, waterproof boots, and
backpack.
12
A fourth friend, TRAVIS LIVINGSTON (20’s), stocky build,
emerges from shadows, jogs up to FRIENDS. His shaved head
is covered by a world map tattoo and blanketed in
checkmarks from places he’s traveled.
TRAVIS
You won’t find this god-forsaken
place on a tourist map.
EDDIE HOUSER (20’s), tall and athletic, bleached hair with
surfer appeal has his hardhat tilted back and chin strap
unfastened. His unzipped coveralls reveal a t-shirt with
the word CHAOS scrawled across it.
EDDIE
Like so many of your adventures.
Travis shrugs his shoulders.
TRAVIS
Maps slow me down.
Eddie and Travis grin, shake hands.
EDDIE
It’s good to see you, man.
Travis motions at Jillian and DEBRA REED (20’s), cute and
slim with a streak of purple in her hair.
TRAVIS
So which one is mine?
Debra moves beside Eddie, squeezes his arm.
DEBRA
In your dreams, Travis.
Travis smiles coyly, stares lustfully at Jillian.
TRAVIS
Yeah, well, you wouldn’t know what
to do with a real man like me
anyway. But I bet she does.
Jillian gives Travis an icy stare.
13
JILLIAN
I’d be happy to set you up with a
real man if you’re feeling lonely.
Eddie and Debra laugh; Travis thoughtfully strokes chin.
TRAVIS
Sexy and sassy; this was without
doubt the right trip to come on.
Jillian glances away with annoyance, moves closer to Mike.
She scans the violent messages in painted block letters.
JILLIAN
Who picked this place?
MIKE
(nods)
Who do you think.
DAN FISHER (30’s), non-athletic with quite a few weeks of
hair growth on his face, takes out CROWBAR from backpack,
which is stuffed with maps, snacks, and a large canteen. He
ignores banter, wedges CROWBAR between DOOR and padlock,
and pries it apart.
DAN
Come on, Creepers. Let’s do this.
INT. LOS ANGELES - STORM SEWER - NIGHT
Eight-feet in diameter, smooth concrete, leveled ground,
ankle-deep water. Pitch black.
Dan switches on headlamp, SLOSHES ahead. Friends follow.
Mike enters last, finds BRICK, and places it between DOOR
and frame to keep it from closing. He walks toward Jillian.
BRICK suddenly is swept away, door makes quiet CLICK as it
closes. Mike turns, presses on DOOR. It doesn’t budge.
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Jillian pulls on hardhat, activates headlamp, and tightens
chinstrap. She twists RING upside down, slips gloves over
TREMBLING hands and covers long, narrow scars from suicide
attempts on wrists. She squares her shoulders, strides up
to Dan.
JILLIAN
I need to talk to you.
Dan refuses to make eye contact.
DAN
There’s nothing to say.
JILLIAN
But I - -
Dan holds up his hand, cuts Jillian off.
DAN
Save it. Mike wanted you here. I
didn’t.
Dan walks away. Mike approaches, places hand on Jillian’s
shoulder.
MIKE
Hang in there. He just needs more
time.
JILLIAN
I don’t have more to give.
Jillian swings backpack off her shoulders, removes pen-size
flashlight, secures it into front pocket of coveralls. She
retrieves a full-size flashlight, switches it on, and
sweeps it back and forth.
JILLIAN
This place gives me the creeps.
MIKE
Well, it’s definitely not some
god-forsaken, third-world cavern.
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JILLIAN
(cynically)
Wow, that stripped all my fears
away.
Dan protectively watches Jillian, compassion in his eyes.
Mike shines headlamp, seeks support.
MIKE
Tell her, Dan.
Dan’s expression hardens.
DAN
Maybe it’s still too soon.
MIKE
It’s been almost a year.
DAN
She spent three days in a hole
with mangled-up corpses and one
headlamp for company. If she can’t
handle it, she can’t handle it.
Travis wiggles eyebrows at Jillian.
TRAVIS
Hey, if she wants to get of here,
I’ll go with her. We can get to
know one another better while you
saps are down here with the rats.
JILLIAN
(to Dan)
You know what I can’t handle is
your bullshit. If you have
something to say, say it.
Dan’s face grows red with anger.
DAN
Fine. You know what’s so messed up
about what happened in Costa Rica.
16
JILLIAN
(hesitates)
Besides the obvious?
DAN
Charlie wouldn’t have thrown in
the towel. He would be living his
life to honor your memory, not
wallowing in self-pity tarnishing
it.
Jillian glares at Dan, throws hands up in the air.
JILLIAN
I don’t even know why I bother
talking talk to you? It’s
pointless.
Jillian walks over to DOOR, presses on it, but it doesn’t
open. She tries again.
JILLIAN
Someone open this fucking door.
TRAVIS
I’ll do it.
Travis struts over, pushes hard on DOOR. It doesn’t open.
He steps back, lowers shoulder, and slams it into DOOR. It
doesn’t budge.
Debra sips from canteen, wipes off mouth with sleeve, and
waves it at Eddie.
DEBRA
Want some?
Eddie accepts, sniffs contents, and smiles wickedly. He
takes a swig and clenches teeth.
EDDIE
Now, that’s some intense vitamin
water.
Dan rips canteen from Eddie’s grasp, dumps out the ALCOHOL.
He shoves it back into Debra’s hand.
17
DAN
You know the rules, so follow
them.
EDDIE
What’s your problem, man?
DEBRA
Don’t get him started.
Dan looks at Debra with disdain, refocuses on Jillian.
DAN
I bet Charlie is rolling over in
his grave by how terrified you’ve
become of the world.
Jillian sweeps headlamp light into Dan’s eyes.
JILLIAN
I’m here.
DAN
Looks like you’re bailing on us if
you ask me.
Dan pivots, strides into tunnel with a triumphant smirk.
Eddie and Debra pass by Jillian, avoiding eye contact. They
follow Dan, the light of their headlamps diminishing.
A RATTLING overhead draws Jillian’s attention. It coincides
with Travis hammering his shoulder relentlessly into the
DOOR. She sees PIPE. It’s not like the others; one end is
sharpened into a jagged POINT.
Mike walks over, smiles.
MIKE
I know a great place where we can
get coffee.
PIPE breaks free, swings with ferocious velocity. Travis
turns; PIPE impales him through chest, nails him to DOOR.
JILLIAN
Travis!
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Jillian and Mike rush over. Jillian lifts Travis’ head off
his chest. Blood POURS from his lips and nose.
JILLIAN
Hold on, Travis, we’ll get you out
of here.
Travis’ body convulses violently; he dies. Mike rips out
PIPE. Travis SLUMPS to ground. Jillian cradles him.
JILLIAN
(sobs)
I’m so sorry.
Mike rushes to tunnel, cups hands around his mouth.
MIKE
Dan. Eddie. We need you back here
now. Travis has been hurt.
Silence answers.
Jillian looks up; her eyes SETTLE on PIPE dangling from
chain. She sees PIPE was rigged to release if someone tried
to get out.
Mike crouches next to Jillian.
MIKE
We need to move Travis away from
the door and try to get it open.
Jillian nods, slips from beneath Travis. She and Mike pull
pipe from chest, move him away from DOOR.
JILLIAN
Now what?
MIKE
We get out of here.
Mike rams shoulder repeatedly into DOOR. Jillian stares
intensely at PIPES, makes sure none break free. Mike bends
at waist, puts hands on knees to catch breath.
MIKE
It won’t budge.
19
Jillian hears haunting WHISPERS, turns. Grotesque spirit
materializes in front of her. She stumbles back.
JILLIAN
Mike.
SPIRIT vanishes, Mike catches glimpse in periphery.
MIKE
What the hell was that?
JILLIAN
I don’t know. Let’s just get out
of here.
Mike hugs Jillian.
MIKE
It’s going to be okay, sis. We’ll
catch up with the others, tell
them what happened, and get help.
Jillian glances down at Travis. His head turns, eyelids POP
open, and MAGGOTS spill from his mouth.
Jillian screams, Mike jumps.
MIKE
What’s the matter?
JILLIAN
He fucking moved.
Mike looks at Travis. There are no maggots, but his head is
turned, eyes open. He removes t-shirt from backpack, drapes
it over Travis’ face.
MIKE
That’s the best I can do.
Jillian paces, shines headlamp into tunnel. She fumbles for
BOTTLE in pocket, dumps two pills into hand, and gulps them
down. She stares at two remaining pills, caps BOTTLE, tucks
it away.
Vicious WHISPERS abound.
20
MIKE
What did you say?
Jillian looks around, sees nothing.
JILLIAN
It’s not me . . . it’s something
else.
Mike stands as WHISPERS come closer.
JILLIAN
Let’s get out of here.
MIKE
I couldn’t agree more.
INT. LOS ANGELES - STORM SEWER – 1-MILE IN - NIGHT
Six-feet in diameter, old, crumbling red brick, increased
ground slope, knee-deep water. New, overhead plastic pipes.
Pitch black.
Dan leads, Eddie, Debra follow closely. Their headlamps
illuminate, cast strange shadows on walls.
RATS scurry along crumbling ledge. One RAT slips, SPLASHES
into water in front of Dan. He jumps back. RAT swims away,
disappears into crevice.
DAN
I hate those fucking things.
DEBRA
(shivers)
Me too.
Eddie wraps an arm around Debra.
EDDIE
Just remember we’re bigger than
they are.
21
DAN
It only takes one bite to get
rabies, shithead.
EDDIE
Okay.
DAN
I’m not going through those shots.
EDDIE
I think they’ll keep their
distance. They’re more afraid of
us than we are of them.
Dan sticks his hand into pocket, flashes SWITCHBLADE.
DAN
They should be afraid.
Eddie rolls his eyes, releases Debra. They continue after
Dan, sweep flashlight beams back and forth.
INT. LOS ANGELES - STORM SEWER – 1-MILE IN - NIGHT
Six-feet in diameter, old, crumbling red brick, increased
ground slope, knee-deep water. New, overhead plastic pipes.
Pitch black.
Mike leads, Jillian stays right behind him. He spots a RAT
sitting on overhead pipe. RAT turns, bares its teeth. Mike
blinks eyes, looks again. RAT stares.
MIKE
That’s messed up.
JILLIAN
What is?
Mike adverts gaze, reaches back, and takes Jillian’s hand.
MIKE
Uh, Travis’ death.
22
JILLIAN
It’s my fault.
Mike pivots instantly.
MIKE
What are you talking about?
JILLIAN
(stammers)
It… it should have been me.
MIKE
You’ve lost your mind.
JILLIAN
If I hadn’t let Dan get to me,
none of this would’ve happened.
MIKE
It’s not your fault.
JILLIAN
You say that, but look at my track
record. It was my idea to go to
Costa Rica.
MIKE
Don’t do this to yourself.
JILLIAN
If I’d let Charlie go first like
always, he’d be alive right now.
MIKE
And you wouldn’t be.
WHISPERS swirl around. Mike and Jillian shine flashlights,
but see nothing.
MIKE
What do you make of that?
Jillian takes a deep breath, tightens straps of backpack.
23
JILLIAN
We’re probably underneath a
crosswalk and some loud mouth is
going off about something.
MIKE
And back there when we heard it.
JILLIAN
I don’t know . . . another
crosswalk?
Mike studies her tense expression.
MIKE
You believe that about as far as
you could throw me.
Jillian shrugs her shoulder.
JILLIAN
This is going to sound crazy.
MIKE
&n
bsp; Okay.
JILLIAN
After Charlie and the others had,
you know, passed on, I swear I
could still hear their voices.
MIKE
That does sound crazy.
JILLIAN
I knew you wouldn’t believe me.
Jillian steps further into tunnel. Mike catches her by the
arm, keeps her from walking away.
MIKE
Hold on. What did they say?
24
JILLIAN
Told me not to give up. That help
was coming.
MIKE strokes chin.
MIKE
Let’s say I believe you - - -
JILLIAN
I knew you wouldn’t.