Screenplay for Short Film

 EXT. FOREST - EVENING


A GROUP OF TEENAGERS (5) are on a camping trip in a supposedly haunted area of the forest suddenly find themselves lost. They are all relatively close together as they walk, surrounded by the one holding a lantern.


GREG

Does anyone know the way back to the camp?


The camera cuts to the one holding the lantern.


RORY

I don’t know, but it’s getting dark.


The group contemplates on which direction to go, being suddenly interrupted by a twig snapping.


Rory spins to look at the source of the rustling.


ALCIBIADES

It was just a rabbit.


RORY

Phew.

CUT TO:


EXT. FOREST - NIGHT


The sun is setting and it is getting noticeably darker.


GREG

It’s getting a little too late to find the camp.  Maybe we should consider setting up camp around here and wait until a mentor comes to look for us.


PABLO

With what supplies??


GREG

I have a makeshift tent and some cooking supplies in my survival pack.


RORY

Wait. We’re actually gonna camp out in the middle of the woods?


GREG

Do you have any better ideas?


CHUU

Well… We don’t even have any firewood for a fire.


ALCIBIADES

Couldn't we just gather some really quick? We’re trained boy scouts after all.


RORY

Ok, but we better hurry, we’re quickly running out of sunlight.


GREG

How about I set up the tent and get the cooking supplies ready while you guys go spread out and look for some firewood we can use.


Greg sets out the camping tarp and the others seperate to gather firewood.


EXT. CAMPSITE - NIGHT


Time passes.


RORY

(arriving back at the camp with little to no firewood)

All the wood around here is still damp because of that storm a couple days ago.


GREG

Well, you're the first one back so let’s hope everyone else can gather some dry wood.


After waiting for a few minutes, ALCIBIADES and CHUU arrive at the same time from opposite directions.


CHUU

That’s a nice tent you set up, considering how easy it was to fit in your survival pack.


GREG

Thanks, I think it could fit about two of us at a time.


The three of them sat around the tent as GREG began fiddling with the cooking materials.  After a few seconds of them sitting around, PABLO appears out of the woods behind the tent and waves to them wearily.


PABLO

How much firewood did you guys end up with?


RORY made a circular sign with his index finger and thumb, representing a zero.


CHUU

Not nearly enough for a fire. Have you had any luck?


Pablo

Nope.


GREG

I’ll make some food for dinner and hopefully, Rory will get back before his hot sausage gets cold.


The four of them ate in silence.


GREG

I think we should take turns sleeping in the tent.  Two of us outside keeping watch in case any wolves or bears stumble upon us and two sleeping in the tent.


CHUU

How could you be worried about the sleeping arrangement?! Rory isn’t even back yet! 


PABLO

I’m getting worried about Rory too.  Aren't you guys?!


GREG

Of course I’m worried about Rory.  But, it’s too late to go out and look for him in this darkness, especially since our only light source is this lantern.


CHUU shakes her head incredulously.


CHUU

How could you have such little concern for your fellow scout, especially in these conditions?!


ALCIBIADES

I, for one, agree with Greg, we can’t just go out and look for him.  What if we end up missing it?


CHUU’s knuckles turned white as she balled her fists.


CHUU

Well I’m going to go look for him, whether you guys come with me or not!


CHUU stood up purposefully.


CHUU

Pablo!


PABLO trembled nervously.


CHUU

You’re coming with me, right Pablo?


After a pause, PABLO shakes his head slowly.  CHUU scoffed dramatically before stomping off into the dark woods.


Countless minutes passed as GREG and PABLO slept in the tent while ALCIBIADES kept watch outside.


ALCIBIADES

Oh… Look who’s back.


Chuu stumbled into the impromptu camp, tired and weary.  She ripped the door open and made GREG switch spots with her outside of the tent and immediately went to sleep.


ALCIBIADES

Good morning Greg.


ALCIBIADES smiled sarcastically.


GREG

Looks like she couldn’t find him.


ALCIBIADES

Yeah, let's go look for him in the morning.



EXT. CAMPSITE - MORNING


All four of the remaining campers went out into the woods to look for Rory.


After about an hour of searching, the group came across Rory’s dead body.  His arm was cut cleanly off at the forearm and his blood pooled on the ground.  There were also thin, narrow holes in his chest.


The four of them gasped.  CHUU started crying and PABLO turned away to throw up.  ALCIBIADES kneeled at RORY’s side.


ALCIBIADES

Oh. My. God.  Rory…


GREG

What happened…?


Greg and ALCIBIADES looked around tentatively.  There was a short trail of blood leading away from the body.  ALCIBIADES followed the blood trail and revealed a knife hidden within the foliage.


ALCIBIADES

It seems Rory wasn’t killed in a simple wolf attack.


CHUU

*Gasp*


PABLO

Could that mean… There’s a mad killer in these woods…?


GREG

That. Or, there could be an imposter among us.


PABLO

An i-imposter?


ALCIBIADES

I think it was Chuu.


CHUU

WHAT?? What on earth are you saying? Why me?!


ALCIBIADES

You were out last night and you could have easily killed Rory and gotten back to camp with no one noticing you.


CHUU

That evidence is purely circumstantial!  I didn’t see a single person during my walk around the woods looking for Rory!


ALCIBIADES perked up at Chuu’s response.


ALCIBIADES

What did you just say?


CHUU

I said I didn’t see a single person.


ALCIBIADES

No, the other part. About your walk around the woods.


CHUU

What?? I just said that I saw no one during my walk.


GREG suddenly had a look of realization on his face.


GREG

Wait.  If you were taking a walk to find Rory, why were you so tired that you had to kick me out of my own tent just to rest??


CHUU

I-I was just tired.  That’s all.


ALCIBIADES

But you were plenty energetic during our argument before you went off.


GREG

YES! And, you were tired from fighting with and killing Rory.


CHUU

So what if I killed Rory?? *Laughing maniacally*


CHUU lunged at Greg and ALCIBIADES but, by the time she had reached them, they had already tackled her and restrained her.


Distant, Nameless Counselour

GREG, ALCIBIADES, CHUU, RORY, PABLO??


*THE END*


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