The Urban Creepers
Page 8
to fight, my love.
CHARLIE’s GHOST disappears. JILLIAN closes her eyes, hears
DAN’s scream. She grabs hold of LADDER, looks up.
JILLIAN
(whispers)
Good luck, Eddie.
JILLIAN dashes off after MIKE, disappears into connecting
lateral pipeline.
EDDIE hears angry WHISPERS, ceases ascent.
EDDIE
Jillian? Where are you?
EDDIE shines flashlight into water. Ghastly SPIRITS erupt.
EDDIE
(panics)
Holy shit.
EDDIE rams head against metal edge surrounding base of
manhole, drops flashlight. SPIRITS swarm.
EDDIE
Get away. Get away.
JACK appears at base of LADDER, climbs quickly. He entwines
arm with missing hand through rungs, grabs EDDIE’s foot.
EDDIE
Please.
EDDIE screams and kicks but he is too weak to inflict
damage. He glimpses skin peel away from hands, arms. He
lets go of top ledge in terror. JACK jerks him off LADDER.
88
He tumbles into water, strikes head on submerged brick, and
dies. Body floats into connecting lateral pipeline, into
darkness.
INT. LOS ANGELES - STORM SEWER – 2.1 MILES IN – NIGHT
Six-feet in diameter, partial new concrete over crumbling
brick, increased ground slope, swift-moving, waist-deep
water.
DAN stabs aggressively with SWITCHBLADE at drove of RATS
swimming toward him. His eyes wild with fear, jaw clenched.
RAT climbs on arm; he drives SWITCHBLADE into it.
MIKE approaches; sees DAN stabbing at the rats. Blood
gushes from his skin
MIKE
(exasperated)
Dan, stop it.
DAN
Stay back. These fucking rats are
vicious.
MIKE
They’re not real.
DAN
Are you blind? They’re everywhere.
DAN plunges SWITCHBLADE into the water as RAT nears, jams
it into his thigh. He howls in pain. RATS disappear.
DAN
Where did they go?
MIKE inches closer. His flashlight illuminates, glimpses
movement above him. Ghastly SPIRITS descend, SWARM DAN.
MIKE stumbles back, falls into water. He resurfaces.
89
MIKE
This is such bullshit.
DAN snaps eyes shut, places hands over his ears.
DAN
Get away from me!
SPIRITS
You left them. You left them to
die. Only one’s left.
DAN
(scared)
Shut up.
One SPIRIT turns, sneers. MIKE takes another step forward.
MIKE
Leave him alone.
Mike feels something CLAMP onto leg, shines flashlight into
water, and sees GHOSTLY HANDS on ankles. He reaches out.
MIKE
God, help me.
INT. LOS ANGELES – STORM SEWER – 2.1 MILE IN – NIGHT
Five-feet in diameter, partial new concrete over crumbling
brick, increased ground slope, swift-moving, chest-deep
water.
JILLIAN hunches shoulders, shines penlight. She struggles
to maintain balance. WHISPERS abound.
MIKE (O.S.)
Jillian! Help me!
JILLIAN pauses, listens.
MIKE (O.S.)
Jillian!
90
JILLIAN rips out KNIFE from pocket, pushes on, and sees
tunnel widen in front of her.
INT. LOS ANGELES - STORM SEWER – 2.1 MILES IN - NIGHT
Six-feet in diameter, partial new concrete over crumbling
brick, increased ground slope, swift-moving and waist-deep
water.
SPIRITS surround DAN, chant continuously. MIKE struggles to
keep head above water. GHOSTLY HANDS latch onto his waist.
SPIRITS
Your friends know the truth about
Charlie. They laugh at you, Dan.
They laugh behind your back.
DAN
Is that true?
MIKE
I don’t even know what they’re
talking about.
DAN
Do you blame me for Charlie’s
death?
MIKE
Don’t be ridiculous.
DAN raises SWITCHBLADE to his throat.
MIKE
Put down the knife, Dan.
91
DAN
I was supposed to go on that trip,
but I didn’t because I was in love
with Jillian. I couldn’t stand the
thought of being there when
Charlie gave her that ring. But
had I been there, things would
have ended differently.
MIKE
You don’t know that.
DAN
Yeah, I do. I knew the anchor for
the ropes was faulty because it
slipped while I was practicing
with it one day. I was so
entrenched in my feelings for
Jillian that I forgot to warn them
before they left. I’m the one
responsible for killing my own
brother and the others.
MIKE THRASHES, breaks a leg free from GHOSTLY HANDS.
MIKE
No, you’re not. Shit happens and
there’s nothing anyone can do
about it.
SPIRITS
He’s lying. He’s lying. He wants
you dead. How could he not? You
almost killed Jillian.
MIKE
Don’t listen to them.
SPIRITS
You left them alone and Debra
died. She was crushed like a soda
can. It’s your fault.
DAN
Is that true? Debra’s dead?
92
MIKE
I don’t know.
SPIRITS
Jillian warned you it wasn’t safe,
but you didn’t listen. You wanted
her all to yourself. You coveted
your brother’s girlfriend and if
you couldn’t have her, no one else
could either.
DAN
That’s not true. I loved my
brother very much. That’s why I
didn’t get in the way of him and
Jillian. I loved them both.
SPIRITS
She’s dead, too. She’s dead, too.
You killed her.
MIKE panics, whirls around, and breaks other leg free.
MIKE
(cries)
Who’s dead?
SPIRITS
Jillian. Jillian. Jillian.
MIKE
No! You’re lying.
SPIRITS
She slipped on the ladder and fell
to her death. Now, she and Charlie
are both mangled corpses because
of Dan. It’s all Dan’s fault.
DAN’s eyes mist over.
DAN
I’m sorry, Mike. I never meant for
any of this to happen.
MIKE trudges toward DAN. SPIRTIS swirl around, latch onto
his limbs. MIKE battles harder, forces each step.
93
MIKE
Don’t do this. I know she’s alive.
DAN
If she is, tell her I’m sorry. If
she’s not, I’ll tell her myself.
DAN PRESSES blade against throat, opens small wound.
; JILLIAN explodes from connecting lateral pipeline, rushes
forward.
JILLIAN
Don’t you dare do something stupid
or I’ll really be mad at you.
DAN drops SWITCHBLADE down to his side, face reflects deep
relief. MIKE grabs JILLIAN.
MIKE
Oh, thank god, you’re alive.
JILLIAN
Why wouldn’t I be?
MIKE
It doesn’t matter now. We need to
get out of here.
DAN trembles, watches SPIRITS.
JILLIAN looks at DAN, follows his gaze. She sees SPIRITS;
they descend, churn around her and MIKE.
MIKE pulls JILLIAN closer, suddenly sees Iraqi TERRORISTS
sneaking toward them. Gunfire erupts, phantom bullets ZIP
past them. TERRORISTS get closer to JILLIAN.
MIKE
Don’t hurt her, you bastards.
MIKE swings at TERRORISTS, they vanish and rematerialize.
More TERRORISTS appear, raise large serrated knives, and
move in closer. MIKE takes another swing. TERRORISTS
disappear, leaves JILLAIN in immediate strike zone. MIKE’s
punch slams into her jaw, her face shatters.
94
MIKE
No.
JILLIAN sinks beneath the water, re-surfaces, and puts
immediate distance between her and MIKE. Blood trickles
down her chin. MIKE reaches for her.
MIKE
Oh my god, I’m so sorry.
JILLIAN wades toward connecting lateral pipeline.
JILLIAN
I’ll be fine. They’re using mind
games to manipulate us.
MIKE stares at his hands.
MIKE
But I saw your face shatter.
JILLIAN
Trust me, its still there.
SPIRITS
He thinks you’re nuts. He thinks
you’re nuts. He’s going to send
you to a shrink. Ask him. Ask him.
JILLIAN stares into MIKE’s eyes.
JILLIAN
We have to get out of here now.
They’re using our weaknesses
against us. It’s how they
controlled people when they were
living.
SPIRITS
He knows the truth about Charlie’s
death. He knows the truth about
Charlie’s death. It was Dan’s
fault. Ask him. Ask him. He kept
it from you.
95
JILLIAN
(hesitates)
What are they ranting about? What
truth?
MIKE
Well, Dan knew - - -
DAN squares his shoulders.
DAN
I’ve got this.
MIKE drops his gaze, falls silent.
DAN
I knew the anchor for your
spelunking gear needed to be
replaced, but forgot to mention it
before you and Charlie left for
Costa Rica.
JILLIAN takes a step back, presses one hand against chest.
JILLIAN
(chokes up)
Don’t say that.
SPIRITS
Dan loved you. Dan loved you.
Didn’t want Charlie to have you.
DAN’s face reflects deep pain, regret.
DAN
I’m so sorry. I’d trade places
with Charlie if I could in an
instant. I never wanted any of
this to happen.
JILLIAN swallows hard, clears throat, and removes PHOTO
from coveralls. She looks at it, smiles, and tucks it away.
96
JILLIAN
I know, Dan. We’ve been friends a
long time.
(to MIKE)
How long have you known?
SPIRITS
He’s known all along. He’s known
all along. Kill him. Kill him.
MIKE
Dan told me everything a few
seconds ago. You have to believe
me, not them. Please don’t believe
them.
JILLIAN drops KNIFE back into pocket, crosses arms. Her
eyes suddenly soften, winks.
JILLIAN
I don’t. I was warned about their
theatrics.
MIKE
Charlie?
JILLIAN
Yes.
MIKE
Let’s get out of here.
JILLIAN
Absolutely.
JILLIAN sloshes toward connecting lateral pipeline. MIKE
follows in wake. SPIRITS soar, whisper angrily. DAN doesn’t
move, stares longingly after JILLIAN.
JILLIAN stops, looks back at DAN.
JILLIAN
Are you coming?
JILLIAN hears FLICK, eyes grow wide. FLAME appears SUDDENLY
behind her, goes out.
97
DAN
(shouts)
Look out.
JACK emerges from darkness, puts RAZOR BLADE to JILLIAN’s
throat. DAN and MIKE rush forward.
JACK
Stay back.
MIKE raises hands in surrender.
MIKE
Take it easy.
JACK smiles wickedly, sweeps RAZOR BLADE beside JILLIAN’s
body.
JACK
So boys, where do you want me to
cut her first?
JACK motions toward JILLIAN’s thigh.
JACK
How about here?
MIKE and DAN watch helplessly. JACK slices into JILLIAN’s
thigh. She screams in agony, falls into water. JACK wraps
arm around her neck, yanks her back up.
DAN
Leave her alone or I swear to God
you’ll be sorry.
JACK
You’re pathetic.
JACK drives RAZOR BLADE into the front of JILLIAN’s chest,
rips it out. She CRIES out, sinks beneath water.
JILLIAN sees darkness, then senses a GLOW. She opens eyes.
CHARLIE’s GHOST hovers beside her, touches her face, and
vanishes. JILLIAN removes BOOK from coveralls directly
beneath where JACK stabbed her. She releases it. BOOK sinks
to the bottom. She removes KNIFE from pocket, swims beneath
surface.
98
JACK swings wildly with razor blade, slices MIKE across the
chest. MIKE staggers back, blood trickles. DAN rushes in,
tackles JACK. They struggle violently. JACK breaks free,
plunges razor blade into DAN’s stomach, eviscerates him.
Dan dies, body floats.
MIKE starts forward; GHOSTLY HANDS grab onto his legs. JACK
charges, raises razor blade.
JILLIAN ERUPTS from water behind JACK, drives KNIFE through
his throat. JACK drops razor blade, turns, and collapses.
JILLIAN
Like I said asshole, I’m not dying
today.
JILLIAN shoves JACK’s body aside, rushes over to MIKE.
JILLIAN
Hang on.
JILLIAN removes rappelling gloves and MIKE applies pressure
over chest wound, tears up.
MIKE
They said you were dead.
JILLIAN glances up at SPIRITS.
JILLIAN
Not yet and I’d like to keep it
that way for a very long time.
Let’s get out of here.
JILLIAN looks over at DAN, eyes well up. She wades over,
kisses him on the forehead, and flips him over.
MIKE
What are you doing?
JILLIA
N removes CROWBAR from DAN’s backpack, looks up.
JILLIAN
What type of pipes are those?
99
MIKE
Natural gas, why?
JILLIAN
It’s time to bury these fuckers so
no one else suffers the same fate.
MIKE feels GHOSTLY HANDS seize his legs again.
MIKE
(panics)
Oh shit, they have me again.
JILLIAN moves next to MIKE, stomps feet on top of GHOSTLY
HANDS. Her boots pass right through HANDS, lands on MIKE’s
feet. She hands him CROWBAR.
JILLIAN
They’re manipulating your mind to
believe that they are stronger
than they really are. Don’t let
them.
MIKE nods, takes CROWBAR, and takes a step.
MIKE
Holy shit. You’re right.
SPIRITS’ anger escalates; pursue MIKE and JILLIAN through