chapter fourteen

NARRATION: As she keeps pressing her neck, Ella continues to struggle and then she wakes up and realizes it was just a dream. Then she goes to the nursery to make sure Mia is ok. Then she looks around just be safe. They're the only ones in the room.

NARRATION: BEDROOM – NIGHT

NARRATION: Ella curled up in bed with Mia. Mia is asleep. Ella is not. A LIGHT turns on in the hallway. Seeps through the crack under the bedroom door. Ella sits up. A SHADOW passes underneath the crack. Oh shit on shit oh shit. Doorknob turns. Opens. It's Jack.

Jack: What are you still doing awake?

Ella: I can't sleep. Something weird is going on here... Things are happening here that I can't explain...

Jack: You sure they aren't just manifestations of your anxiety? It's normal for new mothers to experience post-partum --

Ella: -- you know that having a doctorate doesn't make you an expert on everything, right? It also isn't a license to be an asshole either.

Jack: Ouch.

NARRATION: Jack shakes his head. It's been too long a day to deal with this... He sits on the bed. Defeated.

Jack: Maybe we should talk to someone.

Ella: Like who? A therapist? You must think I'm crazy.

Jack: I don't think you're crazy and no, I don't mean a therapist...

NARRATION: ST. MONICA'S - CHURCH OFFICE - DAY

NARRATION: Father Andre sits at his desk across from Ella and Jack. Mia is next to them. Sleeping in the stroller. They must have just told him about the events that happened with the Mark's because he crosses himself.

Jack: ...so we turn to the Church, Father. It's what my parents did when they... hit a rough patch... and it worked for them.

Father Andre: Yes, of course, I understand. But you two hit more than a rough patch...

Jack and Ella exchange look.

Father Andre: In a matter of months you have experienced the very worst of life... and the very best... A pendulum swing like that is enough to shake even the strongest foundations. But you survived... And instead of trying to forget the bad history, you should use it as an example of how strong you two are when united. And you don't come out the other side of something like that weaker... You come out stronger. And after slaying the monsters you have, what is there left to be scared of?

Ella grabs Jack's hand and squeezes it. Hopeful.

NARRATION: LENS APARTMENT - NURSERY - DAY

NARRATION: Ella sets dolls up on the shelves. John enters with ANOTHER

BOX and sets it down.

Jack: I think this is the last one...

Ella: Someone pop the champagne.

Jack: And I saw those kids outside. They were playing on the stoop.

Ella: Did you yell at them?

Jack: Yes. Then I stole their lunch money.

Ella: What'd you do really?

Jack: I asked if they drew those pictures. They said no...

Ella: they are liars.

Jack: Cute kids though. Ruth and Dickson.

Ella: They told you their names?

Jack: Yeah, why?

Ella: No reason. Bastards.

NARRATION: From the Living Room, Mia cries. Not so fast...

Jack: I'll get her.

NARRATION: He leaves.

NARRATION: Ella slides the new box over toward her. Opens it up. Pulls out a throw pillow. A Blanket. A shadow of a woman on the wall looking like she wants to take Mia away.

NARRATION: John enters with Mia.

Ella: I swear I just saw a shadow on the wall like a woman carrying Mia, it was scary and so real.

Jack: you're seeing things again.

Ella: I don't know. I swear it was so real.

Jack: I think you need to have some rest.

Ella: yeah, I think so too.

Jack: You sure?

Ella: I am.

NARRATION: Ella stands up and goes to master bedroom and tries to fall asleep and Jack and Mia joins her a few minutes later.

NARRATION: KITCHEN - DAY

NARRATION: Ella turns on the Kitchen Faucet and lets the water run through her hands until... yeah, that feels about right. Picks up the BABY TUB off the floor and sets it in the sink. The water begins to fill it up. Follow Mia into the nursery. Mia is in her crib. Jibber-jabbering. All smiles. So cute. As Ella passes the shelf of dolls.

NARRATION: The bath continues to fill. But that's a CLOUD of STEAM rising off the water. Scalding hot.

NARRATION: NURSERY

NARRATION: Ella lifts up Mia as she hears the faucet SHUT OFF and the pipes RATTLE. Mia laughs and screams in a playful manner.

Ella: You think that's funny? You think that's funny?

NARRATION: Mia beams back. Ella carries her out into the kitchen. Tub is filled. With scalding hot water. Not that Ella knows this. She holds a still giggling Leah above the tub. Lowers Mia down to the water. But right before her toe breaks the surface, picks her back up. Playing games.

NARRATION: Mia laughs even harder.

Ella: Fooled you!

NARRATION: Ella brings her daughter toward her. Tests the water with her hand -- as any good mother should and --

Ella: SHIT! Shit shit shit... She rushes back into the NURSERY.

NARRATION: Places Mia back into her crib. Turns and see the shadow again, is she imagining things or is the shadow really there. She ignores it anyways. Wait. Never mind.

NARRATION: Mia exits the Nursery and goes into the bathroom.Turns on the cold water. Sticks her hand under the faucet. And seethes in pain as her fingers burn.

NARRATION: KITCHEN - DAY

NARRATION: Jack and Frank in the kitchen. Frank sits up from under the cabinet.

Frank: Yeah, I don't know. I checked it. It's not the pipes. It's plumbed correctly. You just can't get hot water out of the cold water tap. Hell, in this building, you can barely get hot water out of the hot water tap.

Jack: Yeah, I kind of figured as much. Thanks for taking look...

Frank: How's is your wife anyway? She here? I saw her the other day and she seemed

real spooked.

Jack: She's fine. It was a tough pregnancy. We're all still recovering... But we'll get there.

Don't hold your breath.

NARRATION: APARTMENT - NIGHT

NARRATION: Mia sits at the table. Eating dinner alone. Something she

does a lot lately. Takes a last sip of her wine.

NARRATION: NURSERY - NIGHT

NARRATION: The STRAY CAT leaps onto the window ledge. Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratches at the window pane. Ella enters the room carrying folded baby clothes. Sees the Cat. Taps her finger on the glass. Stray Cat leaps away. Ella puts away the clothes. Exits the Nursery and closes the door.

NARRATION: LIVING ROOM - LATER

NARRATION: Seated on the couch, Mia watches 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' or something else we can actually get the rights to on TV. As the show cuts to commercial, the volume dips and Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch. Ella sits up. Huh? She walks back to the Nursery. Scratch, scratch, scratch. Opens the door and the Stray Cat DARTS between her legs and into the Kitchen. Meowr. Ella looks inside the NURSERY

Ella: Oh God...

NARRATION: Sees a DOZEN OTHER STRAY CATS in the room scratching at the floorboards. Sitting on the shelves. Perched on the railings of the crib. Pawing at the mobile like catnip. Ella looks over at the window. Still closed. Ella rushes over and picks up Mia.

NARRATION: SEVENTH FLOOR HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER

NARRATION: Len door opens up and Stray Cats race out of the apartment.

Chased by Ella with a long broom.

Ella: Get out!

NARRATION: Frank comes up the stairs as the Cats race by him.

Frank: black cats?

NARRATION: Mia. Not amused. Turn and enters back into her apartment, SLAMS the door closed.

NARRATION: KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

NARRATION: Ella moves to set the broom back in the corner. Except she hears Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch down the hall. She grips the broom. Slowly walks down the hallway. Scratch, scratch, scratch. But not from the Nursery. Not this time. Ella approaches her bedroom. Flips on the light. Scans the room. Sees the bed skirt flutter. As if something just ran underneath the bed. She gets down on her hands and knees. Lifts up the bedskirt and sees a baby bottle. And a whole lot of blackness. Ella reaches under for the bottle when Something grabs her arm. And tries to pull her underneath. Holy shit.