chapter thirteen

NARRATION: LENS APARTMENT - NIGHT

NARRATION: Jack flips through the drawings as Mia stands over him.

Ella: So?

Jack: I agree, it's strange. Should we talk to their parents?

Ella: If Mia did something like this, I'd wanna know. Wouldn't you?

Jack: Mia would never do something like this... This isn't even good. I mean, look at the proportions...

Ella: Jack...

Jack: Yes, Mia. If she did, I'd want to know too. We'll find out where they live and go introduce ourselves... But honey, let's not make a big deal

out of this...

Ella: I know but I'm just a little bit scared. What if something like this really happens?

Jack: It isn't a threat or anything. It's just a kid with an overactive imagination.

NARRATION: Jack kisses her forehead to calm her down.

Ella: I know.

NARRATION: LATER

NARRATION: Rain blurs the city lights outside the windows. Jack conked out on the couch. Leah asleep in the crib. Ella unpacks a glass vase and sets it on a small table by the door. Right next to the Red Crayon. She flattens a few empty boxes. Looks around. The place is starting to come together.

NARRATION: APARTMENT BUILDING - STAIRWELL - NIGHT

NARRATION: Ella lugs the boxes down the stairs. Outside, thunder BOOMS. Seems to rattle the building's bones.

NARRATION: LOBBY – CONTINUOUS

NARRATION: Ella opens up the Basement Door. Switches on the LIGHTS that

flicker above another set of stairs. She descends.

NARRATION: STORAGE BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

NARRATION: Washer/Dryers line up against the far wall. CLOTHES LINES criss-cross across the low ceiling like giant webs. Bed Sheets, Sweaters, Whathaveyou hang down. Ella moves toward a STORAGE DOOR labelled SEVENTH FLOOR. She pulls out her keys. Unlocks it. Opens the door and sees --Even MORE BOXES. Slides the flattened boxes in.

Pulls ANOTHER BOX out. Opens it up. Sees her Sewing Machine

inside when --One of the HANGING SHEETS behind her billows out. Like something just passed through it as --Keeeeerack! Of thunder.

NARRATION: LIGHTS GO OUT. Plunges the basement into BLACKNESS. Somewhere, a familiar grating creak. But not from the building. No...This is plastic against plastic.

Ella: Hello?

NARRATION: She takes a step back into that hanging bed sheet. Hits her like cobwebs. As she tears

it off of her -- A BLINDING BRIGHT LIGHT.

NARRATION: Ella SCREAMS. The light moves off of her as --

Frank: Whoa... Sorry. It's just me.

NARRATION: Frank stands with a flashlight.

Frank: Fuse must have blown out...

NARRATION: Creak. Creaaaaaaak.

Ella: Do you hear that?

Frank: Yeah. What is that? Over there.

NARRATION: Frank shines his light and sees an extension cord swaying back and forth. Like something just ran by it. Ella and Frank edge around the corner. Peeking behind paint cans -- we catch a glimpse of --Fabric. White lace. We've see that material before.Frank reaches out and --

Ella: No -- wait --

NARRATION:-- pulls the fabric.

NARRATION: It's the fringe of an old pillow case.

Frank: Man, in the dark your eyes see all kinds of things that aren't there... Not convinced, Ella fumbles her way toward the stairs.

Frank: Hold on...

NARRATION: His light then lands on a WORKBENCH in the corner. He finds an old FLASHLIGHT. Switches it on. Beam dim. He shakes it. Beam brightens.

Frank: Here.

NARRATION: Hands it to Ella. She takes it.

Ella: Thanks.

NARRATION: Heads up the stairs.

NARRATION: LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

NARRATION: As Ella exits the basement, the flashlight dims. Ella RATTLES, RATTLES, RATTLES it. Beam brightens and lands on --The Stray Cat. Perched on the landing. Hissss. It leaps off and disappears into the dark. Ella begins to climb the stairs.

NARRATION: STAIRWELL - CONTINUOUS

NARRATION: Step. Dim. Rattle. Light, Step. Dim. Rattle. Light, Step. Dim. Rattle. It's dark so Ella stops.

Rattles the flashlight. She feels her way in the darkness. Creaaaaaaaaaaaaak.

NARRATION: Ella stops and holds her breath.

NARRATION: Silence until --

NARRATION: WHISPERED VOICE: I like your face... STOMP. STOMPSTOMP. STOMPSTOMPSTOMP. Up the stairs. So loud. Cover your ears. STOMPSTOMPSTOMPSTOMPSTOMP. Getting closer. Mia runs.

Ella: HELP!

NARRATION: STOMPSTOMPSTOMPSTOMPSTOMPSTOMPSTOMP. Ella reaches the SEVENTH FLOOR HALLWAY, Digs in her pocket for her keys and --

Ella: SHIT!

NARRATION: Still downstairs in the basement. STOMPSTOMPSTOMP... Ella POUNDS on the door to the apartment.

Ella: Jack! Open up!

NARRATION: She can hear Mia begin to CRY.

NARRATION: Ella looks behind her. Squints. Because something is there... Right on the steps... A shadow of a woman.

Ella: And oh my god -- is that? --

NARRATION: LIGHTS ON.

NARRATION: Nothing there. A CRASH of GLASS on the other side of the door. I'm betting

it's that Vase.

Jack: Shit...

NARRATION: He opens the door. Ella collapses into his arms.

NARRATION: FORM APARTMENT - MORNING

NARRATION: Sunlight sparkles the broken glass. Mia sweeps 'em up with a

broom and dust bin. She looks just as shattered. Jack leans against the counter. Watching her.

Jack: I know this is hard for you. But try

to remember that we moved here to get away from what happened. We packed up clothes, we packed up furniture, we packed up good memories... But all those fears and anxieties... We promised to leave those behind...

Ella: Not as easy as it sounds, Jack. I'm here in a new apartment -- in a new city -- by myself most of the time and --

Jack: You're not by yourself. Mia is here with you.

Ella: It's not the same and you know it. You're off at work, having adult conversations and I'm here...

Jack: Freaking yourself out.

NARRATION: Ella dumps the glass into the trash bin. Jack grabs her and pulls her in close...

Jack: I'm off tonight. Let you and me sit down for dinner and have adult conversation followed by some adult activities.

NARRATION: Ella sighs.

Ella: Fine. But I'm not promising I'll remember how.

NARRATION: LENS APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

NARRATION: Whatever boxes are left are pushed aside. But it's starting to take shape. Bit by bit. The Record Player is on. Karen Carpenter sings: Why do birds... suddenly appear... everytime... you are near...

NARRATION: A TIMER goes off in the KITCHEN. Ella opens the stove and pulls out a POT ROAST. Tests the doneness. Needs more time. Shoves it back in. Moves over to the kitchen table and candles lit. Folded cloth napkins, Flowers, Real Bette Crocker bullshit.

NARRATION: In the NURSERY, she checks in on Mia. Asleep in her crib. Stirs a bit when --

NARRATION: Phone RINGS.

NARRATION: Ella steels herself.

NARRATION: Better not be who she thinks it is.

NARRATION: LIVING ROOM - SECONDS LATER

NARRATION: Ella is pissed.

NARRATION: Ella is on phone

Ella: I know it's your job --

Jack: -- then you can't be upset. What am I supposed to do? They asked me to work an extra shift so I said --

Ella: They asked you?

Jack: Yes!

Ella: So say no!

Jack: I can't.

Ella: Yes you could.

Jack: What happened to 'it's for our future, I'd be upset if --

Ella: Right now you should be more concerned about the present, Jack She SLAMS down the phone. Fuck you.

NARRATION: MUSIC CONTINUES TO PLAY: Why do stars... fall down from the sky... Every time... you

walk by? Just like me... they long to be...

NARRATION: Ella lifts the needle and shuts off the Record Player, closes her eyes. Wits end. Hears the MOBILE in the Nursery. A few lingering notes of "Rockabye baby..." Ella opens her eyes and returns to the NURSERY. Song stops. Mia still asleep. Then -- from the LIVING ROOM -- The Record Player turns back on. Karen Carpenter continues --On the day that you were born/the angels got together... Record speed slows down. And Karen Carpenter's angelic voice suddenly sounds Demonic.

Mia leaves the Nursery and heads back into the LIVING ROOM, Unplugs the Record Player. Somewhere, a WHISPER. From next door? And what about those footsteps? Ella looks up at the ceiling. Not so sure they came from there. Mia CRIES. Ella goes back down the HALLWAY. Towards the Nursery but as soon as she reaches it, the door slams shut. Ella tries to open it. It won't.

Ella: NO! No... NO! Mia! She throws herself against the door. Once. Twice. There. Runs in. Scoops up Mia. Runs over to the window.. Checks. It's locked.

Ella spins around to check if there is a third person and then she sees a shadow of a woman on the wall again. Her heart sinks, the shadow moves closer and just then she sees a lady in white, some blood stains on her dress, her neck was slit with a knife, blood drops from her neck and then she holds Ella's neck and tries to choke her.