GUNNER SAMSON was dead.
The small town of Mallory Creek, Michigan is shocked when their beloved Gunner Samson is found dead in a freezing river. Alexander Barrington, however, feels most of the shock -- his childhood best friend was gone.
As Alex...
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TITLE DISAPPEARS.
FADE IN:
INT: DARK CLASSROOM
the stage is littered with plastic, navy chairs and small, beige desks. there is a large desk that sits at the southside of the room, nearing the chalkboard. the moonlight beams onto the spotted tiles on the floor, casting a hazy glow. an analogue clock hangs over the light chestnut door, ticking slowly --tick...tock...tick...a pile of file folders sits with a laptop on the teacher's desk. each of them with different names labeled in crimson on the front by that of a stamp: LILAH FAREWELL, QUINCY CHASE, AMANDA MOORE, VIVIANA BYRNES, JOEY ANDERS,AND ALEXANDER BARRINGTON.
enter ALEXANDER - the door opens and alex shuffles into the room, a box in his hands. he places the box onto the desk. then, heads out once more. this time, he carries a single lamp and a Canon camera. he reaches into the box and pulls out a tripod. alex proceeds to attach the device with the camera. afterwards, he pulls out an old cassette player, some cassette tapes, and plugs in the lamp. the lamp flicks on, revealing the time. 12:00am sharp. He plugs in the headphones that were already connected with the cassette tapes.
VOICE ONE
[ static ] -- w-w-we're running out of time -- [ more static ] -- he's coming...i can hear the footsteps -- [ distant tapping ] -- he'll be angry if he sees this - the recorder - it'll terrify him, make him lose trust in us -- we have to hide it -- somehow -- [ to self ] -- if he sees me with it, he'll make me suffer like she did - i just can't believe it's him -- that -- that man -- that cruel and wicked man --
alex begins to tap his foot onto the floor, three times. one, two, three. tap, tap, tap. one, two, three. tap, tap, tap. his mind soon begins to grow restless. his breathing escalates, building up the adrenaline. he taps his fingers onto the capture button for the camera -- it flashes three times, taking a silhouetted pictures of him each time.
ALEXANDER
[ to himself ] -- one, two, three -- did I count that right -- one, two, three --
VOICE TWO
[ barely audible]
-- welcome to the game, jack -- where we're all on the same level, just dealing with different hells and different devils-- if you listen to me that girl may just survive -- [pause] -- after all, i always see through your smoke and mirrors -- since you were ten, right -- jill's been in your way and jackle has been bothering me -- disposing them wouldn't be all that bad, would it--
VOICE ONE
-- he's coming, he's coming, he's coming -- i gotta hide, i gotta hide, i gotta hide -- i'm gonna die, imgonna--
alexpaces, a seat of keys jingle in his pocket -- janitor keys. he had stolen them. he needed a peaceful place to think. he needed to be able to listen to the cassette without all of the world's clamour. it was all too loud, it was all too loud, it was all to loud. the vents perched near the ceiling reminded alex on why he hated school. it was the symbol of the secrets, lies, and rumors that spread through Mallory Heights High like a brutal, California wildfire. alex takes out the headphones and flips to Side B. putting the headphones back in, he presses PLAY as JaymesYoung'sI'm Be Good plays. He closes his eyes.
LYRIC ONE
-- I THOUGHT I SAW THE DEVIL THIS MORNING, LOOKING IN THE MIRROR WITH A DROP OF RUM ON MY TONGUE WITH A WARNING TO SEE MYSELF CLEARER --
LYRIC TWO
-- I NEVER MEANT TO START A FIRE, I NEVER MEANT TO MAKE YOU BLEED --
