The Urban Creepers
Page 3
MIKE
I didn’t say that. I just don’t
think dead people can strike up
conversations whenever they wish.
Angry WHISPERS explode. Mike and Jillian fall silent. SEWER
walls shake, DIRT drizzles down, and a few BRICKS plummet.
MIKE
Run.
Mike and Jillian race through tunnel, dive into another
section, barely escaping total collapse behind them.
Jillian gets up, shines headlamp at Mike.
JILLIAN
I bet you believe me now.
Mike looks over his shoulder, adjusts gear.
MIKE
You expect me to believe Charlie
did that?
JILLIAN
No, Charlie would never hurt me.
MIKE
Then who?
25
JILLIAN
I don’t know, but you saw what was
spray-painted on the walls outside
the entrance and it wasn’t about
living happily ever after.
Mike’s jaw muscles flex.
MIKE
Let’s find the others and get out
of here.
Jillian grabs Mike’s arm.
JILLIAN
Let’s not tell them anything about
what happened to Travis until
we’re safely above ground.
MIKE
Tell me why.
JILLIAN
People make stupid mistakes when
they’re emotionally stressed and
we can’t afford that.
MIKE
So what do you suggest we do.
JILLIAN
We find the others; tell them we
need to find the closest exit
because Travis is injured and I’m
scared shitless. And, that’s not
far from the truth.
Mike chuckles.
JILLIAN
What’s so funny?
MIKE
You think that I’m not scared,
too?
26
JILLIAN
If you are, then you’re doing a
great job hiding it.
MIKE
It’s only the second time in my
life I’ve been this scared.
JILLIAN
What was the first?
MIKE
When I thought you died in that
cavern.
Jillian slugs Mike in the arm.
JILLIAN
Well, I’m still here.
MIKE
Yes, you are and I plan on keeping
it that way.
Mike steps past Jillian, walks into tunnel. Jillian trails
him, hears more WHISPERS, and closes gap.
JILLIAN
Tell me about other explorations?
It’ll help pass the time.
MIKE
Sure. That’s sounds like a great
idea. What do we have to lose?
JILLIAN
(mutters)
Our lives.
INT. LOS ANGELES - STORM SEWER – 1.15 MILES IN - NIGHT
Six-feet in diameter, old, crumbling red brick, unchanged
ground slope, knee-deep water. New, overhead plastic pipes.
Pitch black.
27
Mike and Jillian walk briskly; see lights from headlamps in
front of them.
MIKE
A few weeks back, we explored an
abandoned subway tunnel that ran
beneath an old Hollywood theater.
JILLIAN
Sounds interesting.
MIKE
It had a slew of movie posters
stuffed in a rusted-out cabinet,
including an original Star Wars
poster. Eddie went nuts.
Jillian and Mike approach FRIENDS. Dan studies map, doesn’t
look up. Eddie blocks Dan’s view while Debra fills canteen
with ALCOHOL. She tucks it away into backpack.
DEBRA
Glad you could make it.
MIKE
Well, we couldn’t leave you all
alone down here. Who knows what
kind of trouble you might get into
and we’d feel responsible.
Eddie raises the canteen.
EDDIE
True that.
Eddie takes a sip, hands it to Debra.
MIKE
I was telling Jill about the Star
Wars poster we found.
EDDIE
(beams)
I have it hanging in my bedroom.
JILLIAN
Wow, I bet that sets the mood.
28
Debra brings canteen toward lips, smiles.
DEBRA
I just pretend Luke Skywalker is
the one making love to me.
EDDIE
That’s not funny.
Everyone laughs except for Dan.
DEBRA
I have to say that I’m really glad
you guys showed up. We kept
hearing voices and were starting
to get a little freaked out.
Jillian and Mike exchange weary glances. Dan folds up map,
tucks it inside backpack.
DAN
Yeah, no shit. You guys took long
enough. We thought for sure you
chickened out.
JILLIAN
Not a chance.
EDDIE
Where’s Travis?
Jillian glances over at Mike, forces a smile.
JILLIAN
He hit the door too hard trying to
open it and hurt his shoulder but
said to keep going. We’ll get him
when we’re out of here.
EDDIE
Figures. Chasing tail always gets
him into trouble.
JILLIAN
You could say that.
29
Jillian looks around, sees evidence of wall deterioration.
She touches section of brick, crumbles. Water trickles out
of it.
JILLIAN
Has anyone else noticed how much
the walls are deteriorating? Maybe
we should pick up the pace just in
case there’s a collapse.
Jillian looks over at Mike for support.
MIKE
I agree, let’s get going.
Dan takes a sip from canteen, clears throat, and stares in
disbelief at Jillian.
DAN
You know I’m proud of you for not
bailing on this trip or staying
with Travis, but you need to
chill. There is no way any of
these tunnels will collapse.
JILLIAN
You sound so sure.
DAN
ESP.
EDDIE
Don’t listen to him, Jill. He
researches all our trips and
checks with other explorers for
safety concerns weeks beforehand.
DEBRA
And, we have your big brother in
our corner.
Jillian crosses her arms, gives Mike quizzical gaze.
30
MIKE
Sometimes I stretch my duties as
the city’s urban planner and use
their computers to scout out
possible creeping sites.
JILLIAN
You could get fired.
MIKE
Trust me, I’ve done worse things.
JILLIAN
Well, I guess your Army boots
wasn’t all you left behind in
Iraq.
MIKE
What the hell does that mean?
JILLIAN
You know what it means.
Mike grabs Jillian by the hands, turns them over as she
tries to pull away.
MIKE
I gave up my military career to
come home and take care of you, so
don’t preach to me about my
civilian work ethics when you’re
willing to throw your life away
with a quick swipe of a blade. Do
you know how many of my friends
died fighting to protect you and
this country?
Jillian jerks hands away, anger plagues face. Everyone
remains silent, avoids making eye contact. Mike takes deep
breath, moves closer to Jillian.
MIKE
I’m sorry. With everything going
on, I lost my temper. It wasn’t
fair to say those things.
31
Jillian smiles weakly.
JILLIAN
Life’s unfair.
Jillian steps away, readjusts her gear.
Dan walks on, indicates over shoulder for others to follow.
Eddie obliges, leaves Debra behind. She chuckles, breaks
awkward silence.
DEBRA
You would think Dan was some Greek
God the way Eddie worships him.
Eddie looks back.
EDDIE
I can still hear you.
DEBRA
I know. That’s the point.
Walls begin to crumble. Jillian and Mike hurry after them.
JILLIAN
Let’s pick up the pace a little
bit more.
DAN
(exasperated)
Why?
JILLIAN
I think there’s a problem with the
stability of the tunnel.
Dan pivots abruptly. Eddie slams into him, knocks off his
own HELMET. It plummets into water, floats AGAINST current.
Debra shakes head, puts hands on her hips.
DEBRA
I told you this would happen if
you didn’t secure the strap.
32
EDDIE
Yeah, I know. Stop rubbing it in.
It sounds like we’re married.
Jillian and Mike watch HELMET make beeline straight toward
them. Jillian instantly takes a few steps back as it nears.
JILLIAN
That’s impossible.
EDDIE
(to DAN)
Did I miss something?
DAN crosses his arms, glares at JILLIAN.
DAN
No, I’m fucking fantastic, but
someone else won’t be if she keeps
it up.
Jillian and Mike shift their attention from HELMET to Dan.
DAN
If you don’t agree or trust my
skills then go find your own
fucking way out.
MIKE
Take it easy. She’s just looking
out for us.
Eddie shakes his head, holds Debra’s hand.
EDDIE
We all need to calm down.
DAN
I am calm. I’m just wondering if
Jillian will ever stop being the
shell of the person she used to
be. Charlie’s gone. She needs to
suck it up and get over it or
follow her current course of
action.
Dan runs finger across wrist. Jillian bursts into tears.
33
JILLIAN
You are so mean.
DAN
Charlie entrusted you with
anchoring the ropes.
MIKE
Jesus Christ, Dan, it wasn’t her
fault.
DAN
Whose was it then?
EDDIE
Not the time or place, Dan.
Dan ignores Eddie, points accusingly at Jillian.
DAN
You admitted to the whole damn
world that you were distracted
while securing the anchor.
EDDIE
With good reason, dude, they just
got engaged.
DEBRA
I think you’ve also forgotten that
she tried to climb out and fell
some thirty feet.
Dan paces like a caged animal.
DAN
How could anyone forget? Her face
was plastered on the front page of
every newspaper in the U.S. and
around the world about her
miraculous survival and tragic
engagement.
MIKE
And this is a problem for you
because - - -
34
DAN
Had Charlie been the first one on
the ground, he would have figured
a way out. Then, all of them
would’ve had a fighting chance.
DEBRA
No one could have survived that
fall even if an entire medical
team was waiting at the bottom.
You’re being ridiculous.
Jillian FIDDLES with RING beneath glove.
JILLIAN
We are not talking about this
anymore.
MIKE
Absolutely. We’re wasting time.
ANGRY WHISPERS erupt around them.
DEBRA
There it is again.
Mike looks over at Jillian, smirks.
MIKE
It’s probably people above us on a
crosswalk.
Jillian avoids eye contact, reaches for HELMET. Charlie’s
head bubbles up beneath it, eyes missing and mouth agape.
She stumbles back. Debra sees Charlie’s severed head,
screams, and clings to EDDIE. She shakes violently.
DAN
What’s wrong with the two of you?
Jillian points at HELMET. Mike reaches for it.
JILLIAN
Mike, don’t.
Mike SNATCHES it out of water.
35
MIKE
There’s nothing there. It’s just a
helmet.
Jillian sweeps flashlight across water.
JILLIAN
Something else was there.
MIKE
I didn’t see anything.
Debra shakes uncontrollably, mumbles incoherently.
JILLIAN
(whispers)
Charlie.
Debra nods passionately. Eddie looks at Dan.
DAN
Jillian, that’s not possible. He’s
dead. Perhaps you saw Mike’s
reflection and since we were just
talking about him, you - - -
JILLIAN
What? Hallucinated? Conjured him
up due to my fragile state of
mind?
DAN
I didn’t say that.
EDDIE
It would be understandable. You’ve
been through alot since losing
Charlie.
DAN
(arrogantly)
I’ve managed to keep my sanity in
tact over the past year.
Jillian strides up, slaps Dan across the face.
36
JILLIAN
And became an asshole.
Eddie steps in-between them.
EDDIE
Like I said, this isn’t the time.
Mike gets Eddie’s attention, tosses HELMET to him.
MIKE
How close are we to an exit point,
Dan?
DAN
How would I know?
MIKE
Because you said this place got
five stars on the Urban Explorer
site.
Dan shrugs his shoulders.
DAN
It will when we finish exploring
it.
JILLIAN
I was under the impression you
checked this place out.
DAN
Why is it any business of yours?
EDDIE
Plenty, she’s down here with us
and none of us know where the
fucking exit point is.
Dan whips around, grabs Eddie by shirt. Debra slips away,
chugs ALCOHOL, clearly frightened.
37
DAN
We’re Creepers. This is what we do
and sometimes we have to take
risks. If you a problem with that,
take up golf.
Jillian sees Debra’s rising panic, steps beside DAN, places
hand gently on his arm.
JILLIAN
Let him go. Your fight is with me.
Dan release Eddie, shoves him back. Eddie recovers, dumps
water out of HELMET, puts it on, and leaves chinstrap