Draft 3: The secrets of the forest

After two screenplays that didn't meet her expectations, Sofia Lima was disheartened. But instead of giving up, she decided to challenge herself and write a third screenplay, a bit more fantastical than the previous ones. With a mix of imagination and determination, she wrote:

Draft 3: The secrets of the forest.

It was a dark and rainy night. Lucy was driving towards her new home, after accepting a job in a small and isolated town in the mountains. She was excited about the new opportunity, but also a bit scared about the idea of living alone in such a remote place.

After a long road, Lucy finally arrived at the house. It was a rustic wooden cabin, with a large garden surrounded by tall trees. Despite the heavy rain, Lucy decided to take a walk in the garden before entering the house. That's when she noticed something strange: one of the trees had a dark and twisted trunk, and looked almost human.

Lucy shook her head, thinking it was just her imagination. But that night, she had horrible nightmares about the tree, dreaming that it moved and extended like a giant tentacle.

In the following days, Lucy started working in her new position as a teacher at a local school. She met some of the town's residents, including a young student named Jacob, who helped her acclimate. But as time passed, Lucy began to notice something strange about the town. The residents were all very reserved and seemed to be hiding something.

One night, Lucy was invited to a party at a house in the mountains. She didn't know quite what to expect, but ended up having fun and getting to know some more of the residents. It was there that she met a man named Richard, who seemed to be the friendliest of the residents. They talked a lot, and at the end of the night, he asked her out.

The next day, Lucy and Richard spent the whole afternoon together, exploring the town and having a lot of fun. They laughed as they tried to take a selfie in front of a famous monument, and then decided to try some ice cream at a local shop.

"You're an amazing adventure buddy, Richard," Lucy said, smiling at him as she tasted the chocolate ice cream."

"I try," Richard replied with a mischievous smile. "But I'm not just a pretty face, I'm also an excellent tour guide."

Lucy laughed. "I have no doubt about that. You really know this city well."

"Well, I grew up here, so of course I know it well," Richard said with a smile. "But don't worry, we still have plenty of other things to do."

They walked through the city, observing animals and taking pictures. Lucy was impressed with Richard's ability to identify all kinds of animals and explain their habitats.

"You're very smart, Richard. How do you remember all these things?" Lucy asked.

"It's just a gift," Richard joked, winking at her. "Something that comes naturally with beauty."

Lucy laughed. "Beauty is just a bonus. But seriously, you're really amazing."

They continued to have fun together, laughing and chatting until the night fell and the city was illuminated by the streetlights.

"How about we go to a nice restaurant for dinner now?" Richard suggested, with a smile.

Lucy felt her heart skip a beat. She was starting to feel attracted to Richard's charm and couldn't wait to spend more time with him.

"I would love that," she replied, smiling. "Let's go!"

The two of them started to meet regularly.

Richard was charming and fun, and Lucy felt drawn to him. But as she got closer to him, she began to notice something strange. He seemed to always be busy with mysterious things and never let her go to his house.

One day, Lucy decided to secretly follow him and discovered that he was heading towards the forest, towards the twisted tree she had seen on her first night in the city. She was scared and curious at the same time, and decided to follow him even more.

When they arrived at the tree, Lucy realized that Richard was communicating with her as if she were a living person.

It was there that Lucy discovered the dark secret of the town: the residents were cultists who worshiped the tree as an ancient god. They believed that by sacrificing people to the tree, it would give them power and immortality. Richard was one of the cult leaders, and he had chosen Lucy as the next victim.

That was when Lucy saw a strange figure moving in the shadows. Her heart raced as she realized it was not a common animal. It looked like a human being, but its skin was dark and shiny as if it were made of scales. Its eyes shone in an intense shade of red.

Lucy tried to move away as quietly as possible, but the creature noticed her presence and began to chase her. Lucy ran in panic through the forest, but the creature moved with superhuman speed. She stumbled and fell, feeling the creature getting closer and closer.

Suddenly, she no longer saw the creature. Lucy looked up and saw a tall, muscular man with a serious expression on his face. He was wearing strange clothes, with a black cloak. He held a shiny metal sword in one hand and a leather pouch in the other.

"Who are you?" Lucy asked, breathlessly.

"My name is Gabriel," the man replied. "I am a monster hunter."

Lucy didn't know whether to laugh or scream. "This is a joke, right?"

"It's not a joke," Gabriel said, with a serious expression. "I'm here to hunt the creature that was chasing you. Are you okay?"

Lucy looked around, trying to catch her breath. She realized that the creature had disappeared. "Yes, I'm okay. Thank you."

Gabriel opened the leather pouch and took out a vial of green liquid. "Drink this. It will help calm your nerves."

Lucy drank the liquid without hesitation. She felt a bitter taste in her mouth, but soon felt calmer. "What is this?"

"It's an elixir I make," Gabriel replied. "It helps calm the nerves after an encounter with a monster."

Lucy was silent for a moment, trying to process everything that had happened. "What was that creature?"

"It's one of the demons I hunt," Gabriel said. "They're supernatural beings that feed on human energy. They're hard to kill, but I have the ability to track them down and confront them."

Lucy shook her head, still not believing what was happening. "This is madness!"

Gabriel said, "I understand it may seem like madness to you, but it's not. You're not crazy."

Lucy stood up, feeling her legs still shaking. "Well, thank you for helping me," she said, still a little dazed by what had just happened.

The man nodded and replied with a friendly smile. "No problem. I think we should get out of here before something worse happens."

Lucy agreed and followed the man down the road, trying to remember anything that could help her understand what had just happened. She knew she had seen something terrible, but couldn't remember what it was.

As they walked, she noticed that the man seemed to be constantly on guard, as if he were waiting for something. "Who are you?" she asked finally.

The man stopped and turned to her. "My name is Jack."

"A hunter?" Lucy asked, confused.

"Yes," Jack replied. "I hunt things that most people don't believe exist. Monsters, supernatural creatures, that sort of thing."

Lucy was even more confused. She had never heard of anything like this before. "But why are you helping me?"

"I saw that you were in trouble. It's not every day that a normal person finds themselves face to face with a supernatural creature."

Lucy felt grateful for Jack's help, but also a bit worried. She wasn't sure she wanted to get involved in something so dangerous. But at the same time, she couldn't help wondering what had happened to her in the forest.

Arriving home, Lucy fell asleep.

The next day, Lucy sat on her bed, trying to piece together all the fragmented memories in her mind. She knew she needed to tell someone about what had happened, but was afraid of being seen as crazy or ridiculed.

She decided to look for answers in the town library. There, she found a book about local legends and myths, and eagerly flipped through the pages until she found the legend she had heard in the forest. It was the legend of the Wendigo, a mythical creature that inhabited the forest and fed on human flesh.

Lucy began to feel increasingly disturbed as she read the detailed description of the creature. She couldn't believe that something like this could exist, but the fragmented memories in her mind seemed to fit perfectly with the legend.

She decided to seek more information about the Wendigo, and went to an old museum in town that had a section dedicated to local legends. There, she found an old box with various documents and accounts about the creature. She spent hours reading everything, and found an account of a hunter who had encountered the Wendigo in the forest and managed to escape.

Lucy decided she needed to go back to the forest and confront whatever it was that had attacked her. And for that, she continued to research legends and supernatural creatures that inhabited the forest. She came across several stories about spirits and demons that possessed bodies and wreaked havoc on their victims.

That was when she found a story about a forest spirit that was known for helping to protect the nature and animals that lived there. According to the legend, this spirit could be summoned through a specific ritual.

Lucy devoted herself to studying the ritual meticulously and, after several attempts, managed to perform it successfully. A bright light appeared before her and a spirit emerged. It was a female figure, wearing a long dress.

Lucy looked at the female figure, surprised and a little scared. The woman smiled gently at her and spoke with a soft voice:

"Hello, Lucy. I am the guardian of this forest."

Lucy didn't know what to say. She had never heard of a forest guardian before. But the woman's presence was comforting and she felt more at ease.

"I believe you are looking for a way to defeat the Wendigo," said the guardian.

"Yes, I need to put an end to it," replied Lucy. "But I don't know how."

The guardian smiled again. "There is a way to defeat the Wendigo. But it is a dangerous method and requires a sacrifice."

Lucy knew she had no choice. She needed to defeat the Wendigo, no matter what it took. "I will do whatever it takes," she said firmly.

The guardian explained that the Wendigo could only be defeated through a blood offering. But it couldn't be just any blood. It had to be the blood of a pure-hearted being, who would voluntarily offer themselves on behalf of the forest.

Lucy knew exactly what that meant. She would have to sacrifice herself.

She looked at the guardian and asked her to help her prepare for the sacrifice. The guardian led Lucy to a small clearing in the forest, where she performed a ritual to protect her during the sacrifice.

Lucy knelt in the grass, feeling the earth beneath her knees and the gentle breeze on her skin. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, trying to find peace in her heart.

She opened her eyes when she felt a gentle hand touch her head. The guardian was there, looking at her with a kind smile.

"You are brave, Lucy. The forest will always remember your sacrifice."

Lucy looked at the woman, feeling a mixture of fear and determination. She knew there was nothing else to do but move forward. She offered her neck to the guardian, waiting for the fatal blow.

But instead, the guardian placed her hand on Lucy's forehead, and she felt a wave of energy pass through her whole body. When the guardian removed her hand, Lucy felt renewed. She could feel the power of the forest within her.

"Go, Lucy," said the guardian. "End the Wendigo. The forest is with you."

Lucy stood up, feeling a new strength within her. She knew exactly what she needed to do.

She ran through the forest, smelling the stench of decay from the Wendigo. When she arrived at the monster's hiding place, he was lying on the ground, motionless. Lucy approached cautiously, observing with curiosity. That was when she saw a female figure, with a long dress and a kind smile on her face.

"Who are you?" asked Lucy.

"Just a friend," replied the figure with a soft voice.

"What did you do to the Wendigo?" asked Lucy.

"Calm down, my dear," said the female figure. "I just put him in a deep sleep. He won't harm anyone for a long time."

Lucy looked at the female figure with suspicion. "How did you do that?"

"I am a protector of this forest. I have powers that you cannot imagine."

"Why did you help me?" asked Lucy.

"Because I saw kindness in your heart," replied the female figure. "And because you do not belong in this place. I wanted to help you get back home."

Lucy was silent for a moment, trying to process everything that was happening. "How do I get back home?"

"Close your eyes and focus on your strongest desire," instructed the female figure.

Lucy closed her eyes and thought of her home, her family, and her normal life. She felt a warm and comforting energy around her, and when she opened her eyes again, she was back in her home.

Over the next few weeks, Lucy tried to explain what happened to everyone around her, but no one seemed to believe her. She spent most of her time alone, trying to understand what happened in the forest. She wondered if the female figure and the Wendigo were real or just products of her imagination.

But Lucy was never afraid of the forest again. She knew there was something supernatural there, something that perhaps she could never fully explain. But she also knew she wasn't alone and that, somehow, she had found a friend in the female figure of the forest.