HELL’S CABIN
An original short script by Steve Meredith
FADE IN, WIDE SHOT OF A LONELY ROAD, NIGHT:
It is snowing heavily but with very little wind, making it almost silent. The road cuts through a thick forest. We hear the crescendo of a forthcoming car and see the soft glow of its approaching headlights. A small compact car emerges from the darkness.
HOODMOUNT, CAR:
The driver of the car is in his late twenties, this is LEO BLAIR. He yawns and rubs his eye as he looks down at the clock on the radio.
INT, CAR:
Close up on the clock, which reads 12:04a.m.
HOODMOUNT:
Continuous. Leo looks over at the person in the passenger seat, a woman, of about the same age, who has fallen asleep. This is ELIZABETH “LIZ” PRICE, Leo’s girlfriend. Leo puts his hand on Liz’s shoulder and gently wakes her.
Leo:
Hey, sweetheart, wake up, we’re almost there.
Liz (groggily)
Huh? Oh really, how long was I out?
Leo:
Probably for the past hour and a half.
Liz:
I’m sorry I fell asleep, sweetie—
Leo:
Oh no, don’t even worry about it.
Liz: (looking out at the scenery)
I hope we get there soon, this road gives me the creeps.
Leo:
The driveway should be right around this bend.
EXT, SIDE OF THE ROAD:
We see the car pass the camera and drive up the driveway. Leo turns off the car, and both he and Liz get out, and walk up to the front door.
Leo:
Wow, this is better than the contractor described it.
Liz: (smiling)
Now we have our own get away.
Leo: (agreeing)
Yeah, really.
Leo unlocks the front door and the couple walks inside. The house is in terrible disrepair. Both Liz and Leo look disappointed, Leo’s expression, however, quickly changes to one of hopefulness.
Leo:
Well, this is just a real fixer-upper, that’s all.
Liz:
Yeah, how long is it going to take?
Leo:
A few months maybe, it’s not all that bad. Just a few new floorboards, maybe a big throw rug, that should do that trick. I’ll probably come up here in the summer to do the work on it. Keep in mind, we’ll only be here for about a week.
Liz:
Yeah, you’re right, let’s get unpacked.
EXT CABIN, LATER THAT NIGHT:
A light in a second story window shuts off.
INT BEDROOM, CABIN, CONTINUOUS:
Moonlight shines through the window as Liz hops into bed with Leo. They start making out, which leads to them making love.
INT BEDROOM, MUCH LATER:
Leo is asleep alone in the bed. The camera pans around to reveal an empty bedroom. It trucks through the bedroom door into the hallway, revealing an empty bathroom, and an eerie hallway. It trucks down the staircase to the living room, which is also dark, and reveals the fireplace.
INT LIVING ROOM:
All of a sudden, a fire starts in the fireplace, very small at first, but then growing to the point that fire shoots out of the fireplace. Smoke starts to rise into the living room.
INT BEDROOM:
Leo smells the smoke and awakens from his sleep. He walks into the hallway and sees a soft glow of light coming from downstairs. Quickly he runs down the stairs to find that the entire living room is engulfed in flames. Leo runs back up the stairs to the bathroom. He opens the cabinet in the sink and finds a bucket, which he begins to fill with water. Realizing that the water is not filling fast enough, he flings back the shower curtain to fill it from the shower spigot, but he finds Liz face down in the tub…dead.
Leo: (panicked)
Oh, shit!! OH SHIT!! NO!!!
MONTAGE:
The burning living room, Leo trying to find water, Leo and Liz making love, Leo and Liz entering the house, the flames engulfing the staircase, the upstairs hallway, the flames engulfing the bathroom, burning Leo to death.
EXT CABIN DAY:
The cabin looks the same as it did when Leo and Liz arrived.
INT LIVING ROOM DAY:
The last remaining fires burn out, with the fire in the fireplace being the last to extinguish.
INT BEDROOM:
Old sheets cover the furniture
INT BATHROOM:
The bucket levitates and returns to the cabinet, there is no sign of Leo or Liz in the bathroom.
INT LIVING ROOM:
Some old sheets cover the furniture, returning to the room to how it looked when Leo and Liz first entered.
BLACKOUT
ROLL CREDITS
THE END.