Episode 3
IN THE BED LATER
Carolyn, who's fallen asleep next to Andrea, awakens to a
distant SCRATCHING NOISE. She listens for few beats --
there it is again. She climbs out of bed to investigate.
INT. HOUSE - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
She comes out of the bedroom. The SCRATCHING NOISE is
coming from downstairs. She walks by several pictures of
Cindy, Andrea and the family together hanging on the
walls as she heads toward the staircase.
Suddenly the noise turns violent -- DEEP, VICIOUS
SCRATCHES -- like nails across wood. She slows her pace
dramatically.
Carolyn moves to the top of the staircase -- almost too
afraid to look down. Digs up some courage --
Her pov - THE CELLAR DOOR rattles upon impact as
something continues to dig and claw at the door from the
other side.
INT. HOUSE - STAIRS - CONTINUOUS
Carolyn heads down as the scratching continues.
INT. HOUSE - DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
She comes off the bottom step and guardedly moves down
the hallway to the door.
Just as she gets to it, THE SCRATCHING INSTANTLY STOPS.
The house gets church quiet. She listens intently --
torn with what to do.
Carolyn retreats momentarily back into the kitchen --
comes out a second later with a flashlight.
She slowly gets onto her hands and knees. Targets a one
inch gap between the bottom of the door and floor with
the flashlight, then --
-- thumbs the switch. THE LIGHT INSTANTLY REFLECTS OFF
TWO EYES BORING RIGHT BACK AT HER from within the dark
recess -- but there's nothing human, nor animal about
them.
Carolyn freaks -- recoils in a frenzy of motion. She
scrambles back to the kitchen door where she grabs a
RUBBER DOOR-WEDGE from the floor next to it. She ushers
it back to the cellar door and SLAMS it into the gap.CINDY O.C.
(concerned)
What's going on?
Carolyn spins. Sees Cindy and Andrea staring down at her
from the top of the stairs.
CAROLYN
Stay up there!
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BIG RIG CAB - LATER THAT NIGHT
Roger heads down his driveway. His headlights capture
Carolyn looking out the living room window at him -- she
looks terrorized, anxious.
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - RIGHT AFTER
Roger stands in front of the open gun case; exposing a
shotgun and a couple of rifles. He's quickly loading
ammo into a hand gun.
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE - DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - RIGHT AFTER
Roger comes out of the living room, gun in hand. Carolyn
and the girls watch him from the top of the stairs as he
heads for the cellar door, which now has a chair propped
up under the handle as well as the door-wedge.
CAROLYN
Careful.
Roger removes the chair and wedge. Gun ready. He slowly
opens the door --
-- Carolyn gasps at DEEP SCRATCHES that crisscross the
back of it.
Roger stands still for a moment, looking at them as well,
then heads down a steep set of wooden stairs that get
lost in the darkness.
He flips a nearby wall switch, washing the cellar in a
dull, yellow light.
INT. CELLAR - CONTINUOUS
Roger inches down the stairs. Alert. Ready. He steps
off the bottom step -- pauses -- gun out -- eyes perusing
the shelves of canned goods and stacked moving boxes.
There are no windows or other exit
He moves toward two wardrobe boxes -- big enough for
something to hide behind. Closer. Closer. The knuckle
on his trigger finger whitens from pressure.
He kicks one of the boxes over -- nothing happens. Looks
behind the other -- empty.
CUT TO:
INT. DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - RIGHT AFTER
Roger comes up off the stairs. Closes the door behind
him. Looks up to Carolyn and the girls who are waiting
with baited breath upstairs.
ROGER
There's nothing down there. The
scratches were probably already on
the door and your light just was
playing tricks on you; maybe
reflected off the railing or
something.
CAROLYN
(adamant)
I know what I saw Roger, and heard
it digging at the door.
ROGER
Then I don't know what to tell you
-- nothing's down there and
there's no way out.
Andrea's nervously chewing on her fingernails.
ANDREA
Maybe it was the cat.
CINDY
This house gives me the creeps, we
never should've moved here. I
want to go back to New Jersey.
Andrea folds into her mom's arms.
ANDREA
I'm scared, mommy
ROGER
Just stop, both of you. There's
nothing down there. Now it's late
-- just go to bed.
The girls walk away, leaving Carolyn standing there.
Roger's shifts his attention to her -- shakes his head.
CAROLYN
You think I'm making this up?
I think moving here has been a big
adjustment. Maybe too big.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. OLD TWO-STORY VICTORIAN HOME
Ed and Lorraine move up a narrow staircase to a second
story. Trailing behind them are RACHEL and DAVID, a
slightly overweight couple in their late twenties.
Neither wear stress well.
RACHEL
It's always in the middle of the
night, around two-thirty.
LORRAINE
And they're different sounds?
DAVID
Creaking and moaning -- like
someone's in pain.
RACHEL
I think it's David's dad haunting
me -- trying to get me out of this
house.
LORRAINE
Why would he do that?
RACHEL
Because he hated me when we were
dating -- he told me I wasn't good
enough for his son. He died
before we got married, and he's
the one who left him this house.
(beat)
He's frickin buried fifty yards
across the street. I don't even
like living here -- it gives me
the heebs.
Ed stops at the top.
ED
And this is where it's strongest?
Both nod.
Ed looks up to see AN ATTIC DOOR DIRECTLY ABOVE THEM. He
pulls on a rope, opening it up -- unfurling a set of
attic steps.
RACHEL
We don't have to go up there with
you, do we?
LORRAINE
No -- you can wait here.
Ed reaches into his hip pocket and retrieves a
flashlight. Heads up into the dark abyss --
INT. VICTORIAN HOUSE - ATTIC - CONTINUOUS
Ed stands half in and out as he sweeps the interior with
his light.
The place is full of old furniture, wooden trunks, boxes,
clothing racks. He continues up the creaky steps into
the attic. Lorraine follows him up.
LORRAINE
Funny how all attics smell the
same --
Lorraine moves over to a broken dormer window where
filtered moonlight pours in. It casts a blue hue across
the room. She looks out --
-- unfolding across a street is a large cemetery full of
tombstones -- hundreds and hundreds of them. A thick,
wet fog drifts through.
Ed's light falls on a cobwebbed covered bookshelf loaded
with dust. He moves to it to get a look at several URN-
LIKE containers that have caught his attention. Lorraine
joins him --
LORRAINE (cont'd)
Forgotten relatives, maybe?
Ed uses his finger to wipe clean an inscription written
on the bottom of one --
ED
No -- First Place Curling.
(beat)
You're not getting anything, are
you?
LORRAINE
Not a thing.
TIME CUT TO:
INT. ATTIC - RIGHT AFTER
David and Rachel come up the stairs with Ed. Both look
nervous to be up there. Lorraine's standing over by the
broken window.I know a lot of people would be
creeped out living by a cemetery
and -- throw a very old home into
the equation, and you're going to
get the creaking, moaning sounds --
especially at night when
temperature and humidity changes
are the greatest and can cause
some shifting in the structure.
DAVID
It's not that. We would know the
difference.
Just then, a MOANING NOISE that sounds LIKE SOMEONE'S IN
AGONY, emanates through the room. Rachel grabs onto
David's arm --
RACHEL
Ohmygod, that's it --
ED
Do it again, Lorraine --
David and Rachel look to Lorraine -- huh? They watch as
she steps on TWO, water-stained WOODEN FLOORBOARDS that
run near an old heating radiator next to her -- producing
the same sound.
ED (cont'd)
Right now, it's Lorraine's weight,
but add the moisture coming in
through this broken window at
night -- the boards are going to
expand and rub against each other.
(beat)
You've heard it in different parts
of the house because of the
radiator.
RACHEL
So this place isn't haunted?
Lorraine shakes her head --
LORRAINE
No.
ED
You're not alone, a lot of what we
investigate turns out like this.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. WARREN HOUSE - NIGHT
Nice. Well kept. Ed and Lorraine pull up into the
driveway. Get out of the car, and head to the front
door.EXT. WARREN HOUSE - BACKYARD - RIGHT AFTER
Ed and Lorraine exit a door off the kitchen. Across a
well lit yard is a large chicken coop with a henhouse
inside, where their daughter JUDY (7), carrying a basket
full of eggs, is with Ed's MOM (60's). They're both
exiting the coop -- there's a dozen or so chickens moving
about, and one of them is at their feet.
MOM
Be careful honey, you don't want
to let Gertrude out.
Just as they close the coop door, Judy spots her parents.
JUDY
Daddy!!
ED
Hey there pumpkin!
Judy hands the egg basket to her grandmother, and races
toward them.
JUDY
Hi mommy!
Judy runs across the yard and leaps into Ed's arms.
Gives him a big hug. Lorraine sees that she's got
something dark smeared all over her face.
LORRAINE
What'cha got on your face?
JUDY
Fudgesicles!
Her little eyes go wide with great pride, as --
JUDY (cont'd)
I ate the whole box!
Ed's mom approaches, all smiles --
MOM
Oh, not the whole box... I did
manage to have one.
ED
Hi mom.
He gives her a kiss on the cheek, then looks to Lorraine,
half laughing. Passes Judy over to her, who gives her a
big hug.
LORRAINE
I missed you! INT. WARREN HOUSE - KITCHEN - LATER
Ed reaches for a phone hanging on the kitchen wall. As
he dials a number, he smiles when he sees a photo of Judy
on the counter next to him. It's framed in Fudgesicle
sticks, and made to look like a church with a cross.
Scribbled along the bottom is, "I love you, daddy".
CUT TO:
WOMAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
Father Jordan -- Ed Warren is on
the phone for you.
INT. CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY CROSS - OFFICE - SAME
Walking into an opulent office full of antique furniture
and religious icons, is FATHER JORDON (late thirties).
He takes a seat in a chair, then picks up a phone on his
desk.
FATHER JORDON
Hey Ed -- how'd it go?
ED (V.O.)
The house was empty --
FATHER JORDON
That's good news. I appreciate
your help.
ED (V.O.)
You bet.
(beat)
Was your father any better today?
FATHER JORDON
Yeah -- we actually got him up and
walking around. I think he's
going to be fine. Thanks for
asking.
CUT TO:
INT. JUDY'S ROOM - NIGHT
Lorraine and Judy, who's now wearing pajamas, sit on the
edge of the bed as Lorraine finishes braiding Judy's
hair.
JUDY
Grandma really snores.
Lorraine chuckles.
LORRAINE
C'mon, let's get you into bed.
Lorraine stands and lifts the covers. Judy slides in
under them.LORRAINE (cont'd)
I missed you so much.
JUDY
I missed you too.
LORRAINE
Sleep tight.
Lorraine gives Judy a tender kiss good-night, then
reaches over and turns off a light on a nightstand next
to the bed.
TIME CUT TO:
EXT. PERRON HOUSE - BACK YARD - AFTERNOON
Dark rain clouds threaten. The leaves in the trees have
begun to turn color. The garden off to the side is now
void of any growth -- the ground bare. The Scarecrow
looks dead itself; it's stringy hair drawn across its
face by a small breeze.
Andrea, wearing a warm sweater, is kneeling before a
small grave at the base of a tree. There's a wooden
cross with the name SADIE written on it. She's pulling
several weeds away.
Cindy's helping Carolyn take down some sheets from a
clothing line as they ripple in the wind.
Roger's Rig is parked next to the barn.
CUT TO:
INT. PERRON HOUSE - KITCHEN - SOON AFTER
Carolyn comes in with the girls. Roger's on the phone.
He looks tired. Strained. As they cross --
ROGER
Glen, I'm just looking for
anything, man -- I need to get
something going on or I'm going to
lose the insurance on the rig.
(listens; frustrated)
That's half my rate and twice the
distance.
(listens; giving in)
Yeah, alright, alright, I'll take
it.
Roger hangs up the phone. Looks to Carolyn -- shakes his
head.
CAROLYN
(sympathetic)
What's the route?Fucking Florida. Two week turn
arounds. I start tomorrow.
She's shocked that he just cussed in front of the kids.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HOUSE - BEDROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT
Andrea is in bed, sound asleep. Pouring rain pelts
against her window -- her eyes snap open. She finds
herself facing the grey cat back on her bed -- its ears
drawn back, HISSING through exposed fangs -- ready for a
fight -- it's eyes slowly tracking something moving just
behind her.
Andrea's peripheral vision suddenly picks up the OUTLINES
OF TWO HANDS with only THREE FINGERS ON EACH pressing out
from within her pillow case, folding her pillow up on the
sides, closing in on her face --
The cat HISSES, then leaps to the floor.
CUT TO:
INT. PERRON HOME - MASTER BEDROOM - SAME
Carolyn and Roger are rattled from a dead sleep by
Andrea's blood curdling scream -- both scramble out of
the covers to get to her.
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. ANDREA'S ROOM - RIGHT AFTER
Roger's to the doorway first. Looks in to see the bed's
empty. Eyes shift looking for his girl, but areas of the
room are swallowed in darkness.
ROGER
Andrea...?
Carolyn joins him. Roger hits the switch on the wall,
shedding light on Andrea, who's curled up in a corner,
hyperventilating with fear. The tears are flowing as she
stares at her bed.
TIME CUT TO:
HALLWAY - LATER
Roger is pissed as he faces Carolyn just outside their
bedroom, where Andrea can be seen tucked into their bed,
now sleeping.
Carolyn's an emotional wreck. Wipes tears with a tissue.
Both speak in hushed tonesDemons peering in through windows,
cold spots, doors rattling, voices
-- everyone was fine until you
started putting all this scared,
city-girl bullshit in their heads.
CAROLYN
No I haven't -- there's something
wrong with this place.
ROGER
Then how come I haven't seen it?
CAROLYN
I don't know.
(pleading)
I'm scared to death, Roger. We
need to get someone out here, a
priest or someone.
ROGER
To do what?
CAROLYN
I have no idea. Bless it --
whatever they do.
ROGER
Yeah -- that's just what the girls
need to see next -- someone
walking around here with a cross
damning everything out of this
house.
(beat)
I can't listen to anymore of this
shit.
He heads downstairs.
CAROLYN
Roger, please.
He doesn't turn around.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - LATER
Roger's asleep on one of two sofas that face each other
in front of the fireplace, that's glowing red from
embers. There's a coffee table between the sofas with a
half empty bottle of scotch. A nearby TV is fuzzy white,
that is, until --
-- something dark, ominous, crosses in front of it.
Roger awakens. Sits up. Rubs his groggy eyes, then
rises. Goes to the TV. Just as he turns off the TV, he
hears the LOW CREAKING SOUND OF A DOOR opening. He heads
to the hallway to investigate. As he passes a
Grandfather clock, the time reads: 5:15.DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Just as Roger comes into the hallway -- HE SEES the
kitchen door closing shut. As he moves toward it -- it
starts to BANG against the door jam in bursts of three.
Bangbangbang. Bangbangbang. Roger's mind is racing --
what the hell?
The banging stops the minute he gets to the door. The
house falls into an awful silence. He opens the kitchen
door --
-- looks inside. A night-light cascading from a socket
next to the sink, kicks out enough glow to see that no
one's in there. A soft breeze coming in through the
kitchen window caresses the curtains. His mind settles --
that must've been it.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. BARN - DAY
Roger is pulling out in his big rig. Carolyn is standing
outside the house, wrapped in a sweater. She looks soul
weary as she watches him drive off.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. CINDY'S ROOM - NIGHT
Cindy's listening to some music as she sits on her bed,
doing homework. Her bedroom door opens and her mom pokes
her head in.
CAROLYN
How's the homework going?
CINDY
It's going.
CAROLYN
Andrea and I are going to bed.
CINDY
I'll be in, in a little bit.
DISSOLVE TO:
LATER.
Just as Cindy finishes her homework, her bedroom door
begins to make a soft, repetitive bangbangbang noise --
like something's pushing against it from the other side.
CINDY
(softly)
Mom...?Keeping her eyes on the door, Cindy slides out of bed.
Moves toward it as the bangbangbang continues, the soft
impact barely rattling the door. She hits the brakes
when she sees a shadow of something appear in the gap
between the base of the door and the floor.
Cindy digs deep for courage, then continues toward it.
She's a foot away and the banging suddenly stops. She
waits in silence, listening... that's when --
-- the door slowly opens on its own. Cindy takes a
cautionary step backwards, but --
-- nothing's there. She takes reluctant steps up to the
door jamb and cranes her head both directions in the
hallway for a look. All clear. She sees that her mom's
door is open a couple of inches.
INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Two steps into the hallway, Cindy pauses momentarily --
reacting to some sort of foul smell. She then moves
forward, and as she's about to step into her mom's room --
she stops mid-stride -- her face goes taut --
-- standing next to the bed is AN APPARITION of a woman;
dark matted hair, white white skin -- her body awkwardly
hunched forward over Carolyn and Andrea, who are
sleeping, completely unaware of her presence.
The Apparition slowly cranes her head toward Cindy.
Stares at her with pupil-less, snow-white eyes. She
suddenly surges toward Cindy lightning fast, passing
right through her body, and vanishes.
Off Cindy's scream --
SMASH CUT TO:
EXT. CATHOLIC CHURCH - FRONT LAWN - HARRISVILLE - DAY
Simple white structure with a steeple. FATHER THORNTON;
late 20's, is getting ready to take down letters from a
small, glass encased marquee posted into the ground that
says: A CHURCH IS A GIFT FROM GOD...ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.
CAROLYN O.C.
Excuse me, Father Thorton?
He looks over to see Carolyn approaching --
CUT TO:
EXT. CHURCH GROUNDS - RIGHT AFTER
Father Thorton and Carolyn share a table under the shade
of a large willow.FATHER THORTON
-- It sounds to me that it's far
beyond just needing a blessing.
Let me make a call to the Diocese
and see if we can get someone out
here to help that's a little more
qualified in these matters.
Carolyn breathes a slight sigh of relief --
CAROLYN
Thank you --
DISSOLVE TO:
Super - One week later
S.O. Of a PHONE RINGING...
ED (V.O.)
...Hello?
WOMAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
Mr. Warren, I have Father Jordan
calling.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. WARREN HOUSE - BACKYARD - DAY
Lorraine is seated at an outdoor table and has a cup of
coffee in hand. Ed sits opposite her. Judy is in the
background, feeding the chickens in the coup.
LORRAINE
I just wish you had talked to me.
ED
I'm sorry, I didn't think it was
that big of a deal. Sounds like
this family really needs some
help.
Lorraine lets her eyes drift to Judy --
LORRAINE
We were in Maine last week, New
York the week before --
Ed looks at her -- he knows her too well.
ED
C'mon, what's going on?
Lorraine pauses, then --
LORRAINE
I'm just not sure how much longer
I want to do this. There's always
going to be another case, Ed.