A PDF of this transcript is available here.
EXT. THE COTTAGE - DAY
Birds sing. Trees sway.
At low volume, static-laced chaos and screaming plays on a short loop from a cell phone, a few seconds long, repeating over and over again.
Sodapop licks Lara's face.
She grumbles, stirs.
LARA
Okay, okay, let me just...
The phone sound stops.
Then a beat.
And she realizes where she is.
LARA
Uh, why am I outside?
JAKE
Morning!
LARA
Gah!
She scrambles away.
LARA
Jesus, Jake!
Jake laughs.
Sodapop barks, pants, and runs off after something.
JAKE
Rough night?
LARA
I guess? For the record, I was indoors when I fell asleep.
JAKE
(chuckles)
Sure.
LARA
Guess I figured out how to unlock Rose's phone at some point.
JAKE
Is that what that is?
Lara gets up. She dusts herself off.
LARA
Where have you been, by the way?
JAKE
You're just lucky it didn't rain for once.
LARA
Yeah. Seriously, though, where were you?
JAKE
Well, I'd better leave you to it.
LARA
I walked into that spot in the woods -- which was freaky, by the way -- and when I came back out --
JAKE
Okay, sounds good. You have a good day, Lara.
LARA
What?
JAKE
Coffee on the counter!
Sound of a truck door opening and closing as he gets in.
LARA
Wait --
The engine starts up.
LARA
Jake!
The truck drives away.
Sodapop barks again as it goes.
LARA
You said it, Pops...come on, let's check out this phone.
Sodapop pants happily.
INT. THE COTTAGE - DAY
Lara sits in the chair.
LARA (V.O.)
Sleepwalking. Vivid nightmares. Unexpected fatigue. All common side effects of emotional stress.
Not that I'm -- I mean, I was worried about my...friend. That can provoke some sleep disruption. That's all.
Anyway. That phone. There was surprisingly little on there. A couple selfies, some random pictures of trees. I guess she was going for a lot of walks in the forest.
And then there were...the videos.
Sound of phone screen locking and unlocking.
LARA
Well, looks like I turned off the password protection somehow, so that's something.
NARRATION
Cross-fade to narration -- we'll drop in on real-time Lara in a moment.
LARA (V.O.)
Before I get to that...have you ever heard of Tunguska?
LARA (V.O.)
In 1908, a mysterious explosion flattened approximately 2,000 square kilometers of forest in Eastern Russia. There have been over a thousand scholarly articles about it in the years since, but not because there's a lot of disagreement about what happened.
Music
LARA (V.O.)
Witnesses reported lights in the sky, typically a single column of blue light, brighter than the Sun. One witness described it like this:
“The sky was cloudless, only a small dark cloud was observed in the general direction of the bright body. It was hot and dry. As the body neared the ground (forest), the bright body seemed to smudge, and then turned into a giant billow of black smoke, and a loud knocking (not thunder) was heard as if large stones were falling, or artillery was fired.”
Distant explosion, dangerous sounds.
LARA (V.O.)
It knocked down 80 million trees in an instant and caused an approximately 5.0 earthquake.
Rumbles, terrified animal sounds.
LARA (V.O.)
It's called an air burst. It happens when a meteorite breaks up in the atmosphere, but gets close enough to the ground before that happens that the energy from its fall still slams into the Earth. An impact without an impact.
Woooosh!
LARA (V.O.)
This one hit with a force 1,000 times stronger than the atomic bomb the US dropped on Hiroshima.
Flames, terror.
LARA (V.O.)
Air bursts like this routinely occur. This one was just unusually close the ground.
Music. A beat.
LARA (V.O.)
I say all this so you know that, well, what happened in the woods above Charity was...not without precedent.
INT. THE COTTAGE
LARA
(sighs)
Alright, let's see what's on this thing...
She taps a video on the phone:
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT (PHONE VIDEO)
The video clicks on. Sound of feet walking on twigs, wind blowing. Rose carries the camera, two YOUNG MEN are further away.
ROSE
Okay, we're heading up Goat Mountain. You guys excited?
YOUNG MEN cheer.
ROSE
We should hit the clearing in about a half mile.
EVAN
Dude, this better be an amazing meteor shower.
TIM
We've been walking forever!
ROSE
You'll see. You'll see...
The video ends.
INT. THE COTTAGE
LARA
Hmm.
LARA (V.O.)
It was strange seeing her like that again. Hopeful. Happy. She had me blocked on social media, so -- you know how something can feel familiar and far away at the same time?
Of course, it kind of got more far away from there.
Blip! Lara clicks another file.
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT (PHONE VIDEO)
Another video starts. The wind blows, then suddenly stops.
EVAN
Whoa. The wind just...stopped.
ROSE
I told you.
TIM
Yo, where are we? I hike up here all the time and I've never seen this cabin.
ROSE
The view is best on the roof.
EVAN
What, we just climb up?
TIM
So is this your dad's or...?
ROSE
You should climb up there.
EVAN
Yeah, right? Yolo.
TIM
Dude, nobody says "yolo" anymore.
EVAN
Yoloooo!
Tim sighs.
TIM
You coming?
ROSE
I'm right behind you.
They climb up, voices getting further away. Rose mutters to herself.
ROSE
"When he opened the sixth seal, I looked..."
Rumble. Far away, the boys freak out.
EVAN
Whoa! Look at that!
TIM
They're -- they're not gonna hit us, are they?
EVAN
Stupid, they burn up in the atmosphere.
Rose, very close to the microphone, speaking softly.
ROSE
"and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree drops its fruit..."
The rumble grows LOUDER. The boys scream. Rose laughs.
TIM
Oh my god!
EVAN
Rose, get up here! This is crazy!
TIM
Stay down there -- I think something's going to --
Another rumble. The boys yell, unintelligible.
The audio swings away as Rose starts to yell.
ROSE
"Fall on us! And hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne -- "
The video cuts out.
INT. THE COTTAGE
Lara breathes hard, frightened.
LARA
What...? That's not...
She plays part of the video again. She stops it.
Sodapop gives a little grumble.
LARA
You said it, bud. I mean, what do I do with this? What is this?
Sodapop whines.
LARA
It's okay. It's okay. One more video.
Lara takes a breath.
Bllip! She hits the last video.
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT (PHONE VIDEO)
It's the looped video from the beginning: short, chaotic, screaming, and then suddenly -- silence.
Rose hums over it all, soft and contented.
INT. THE COTTAGE
Lara takes a beat.
LARA
Okay, so that was...interesting.
INT. LARA'S INBOX
Message from Terri Boone.
TERRI
This is Mayor Boone. I don't know what you're still doing in this town, Lara, but you'd better stay away from me, my husband, and especially my daughter. I saw you at my house last night.
EXT. LOFTY DINER - LATER
Street sounds.
LARA
Hey, Camille, sorry for missing you earlier. My phone is being really weird.
CAMILLE
Yeah, no problem. Just -- let's get away from the diner, okay?
LARA
Yeah. We can go this way.
A car passes. They walk.
CAMILLE
So when can I meet your dog?
LARA
I can't get him to leave Rose's sweater.
CAMILLE
Oh, that's...
LARA
Concerning?
CAMILLE
Weird, I was gonna say.
LARA
That too. I mean, it makes some sense. He was Rose's dog, really. I mean, he was our dog, but he was her baby.
CAMILLE
Yeah. So, you and Rose were, like, together?
LARA
Sorry, I thought you knew. Figured Mayor Boone would've warned everyone about the woman who stole her daughter and sent her back crazy.
CAMILLE
No, she didn't say.
LARA
Well, that's something then.
CAMILLE
So are you...?
LARA
What?
CAMILLE
Nothing.
They stop walking at their familiar alcove. Street noises quiet.
LARA
So Jake said you had something for me?
CAMILLE
Oh, yeah. Here. It's a USB thingy I got from Abe.
LARA
Who?
CAMILLE
Abe Ramirez. He runs the radio station?
LARA
Okay.
CAMILLE
Well, you know Rose's dad, the Reverend? He used to have this radio show, every Sunday, where they'd play his sermons.
LARA
Sure.
CAMILLE
Well, a couple months ago they had to cancel the show because they got some complaints.
LARA
About what?
CAMILLE
Uh, well, it got pretty...unconventional. The preaching. But, see, he recorded a bunch of additional sermons before and after the cancellation. He kept sending them to Abe, even after Abe told him he could stop.
LARA
And Abe just kept them?
CAMILLE
Yeah. He was, um...well, it seemed safer that way.
LARA
And you think there's something in there that will help me find Rose?
CAMILLE
I think you should hear them, yeah.
LARA
Do you think Reverend Boone had something to do with Rose's disappearance?
CAMILLE
No, no, he wouldn't...
LARA
Because he's the one who called me. To come here.
This strikes Camille as odd -- maybe even significant.
CAMILLE
He -- he called you. Himself?
LARA
Yeah. It's the last message I got before my phone wigged out.
CAMILLE
Huh.
LARA
Anything helps, though. I'll take what I can get at this point.
CAMILLE
Yeah, I'll keep digging. Oh, by the way.
LARA
Yeah?
CAMILLE
Last night -- were you looking for me, or my mom, or...?
LARA
Last night?
CAMILLE
Yeah. When you were outside my house?
LARA
What? No, I wasn't.
CAMILLE
Yeah, I saw you. Like 2, 3 in the morning. You walked up the street, and then you just kind of...stood there. Staring. I thought maybe you were looking for me, but I don't remember telling you where I live.
LARA
You didn't. Where was this?
CAMILLE
Oh, I live above my mom's medical practice. Doctor Penelope Simmons? That's my mom. She said she called you, but like, the office isn't open at night.
LARA
Camille, I didn't go anywhere last night.
CAMILLE
No, it was definitely you. You walked up the street, you stared at the building for a while, and then you just, like, walked off.
LARA
That doesn't make any sense.
CAMILLE
I don't know, maybe you were astral projecting or something. Is that a thing you do?
LARA
I don't think so.
CAMILLE
Maybe it was a trance. Did you have a vision? Do you remember what you dreamed last night?
LARA
No, I -- I haven't had any messages from the spirits. Look, I need to go. Is this all you had for me?
CAMILLE
Yeah, sorry. I'll see if I can find more --
LARA
No, no, this is great. Thank you. Really. I've just...I have a lot to think about.
CAMILLE
Sure.
LARA
Thanks.
Lara hurries off. Street sounds fade.
INT. LARA'S INBOX
Message from Dr Simmons.
DR. SIMMONS
Hello, Ms. Campbell, this is another message from Doctor Penelope Simmons, General Practitioner in the town of Charity, Oregon --
CAMILLE
Mom.
DR. SIMMONS
Camille. Did you see her?
CAMILLE
Yeah.
DR. SIMMONS
What did she say?
CAMILLE
She doesn't remember it. I don't think she was trying to see you.
DR. SIMMONS
Well, she needs to see me, Camille. She needs to be examined.
CAMILLE
I know.
DR. SIMMONS
She could be the key to this whole thing, Camille. If we can understand why she hasn't been infected --
CAMILLE
I know.
DR. SIMMONS
So why haven't you done what I asked?
CAMILLE
I just...wait, are you on the phone?
DR. SIMMONS
Oh. Damn.
(into phone)
Call me back, Ms. Campbell. Soon.
She hangs up.
BEEP.
INT. THE COTTAGE
Lara jiggles the handle on the door. No dice. She jiggles it again.
Sodapop barks.
The door jiggles again, then Lara finally shoves it open.
LARA
Jesus! This door is becoming a...problem...
A beat. Sodapop whines happily.
LARA
Sodapop...did someone come in here while I was gone? Or did you decide to pull a bunch of stuff out of my bag for some reason?
Sodapop whines happily again, unhelpful.
LARA
Huh.
She walks around slowly, investigating.
LARA (V.O.)
Listen, I'm not one of those condescending pricks who thinks all belief in the supernatural is evidence of mental illness or stupidity or something.
She zips a bag, rummages around a little.
LARA
Well, it looks like everything's here...
LARA (V.O.)
I used to believe it too. I believed with everything I had. But Rose...it was different with Rose. For her it was...real.
LARA
Plus, you'd at least pretend to protect my stuff, right?
Sodapop pants, licks her face.
LARA
Yeah. Okay.
She moves a chair and sits at her desk. Typing on computer.
The video starts up again, this time playing from the computer speakers.
Rose, very close to the microphone, speaking softly.
ROSE
"and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree drops its fruit..."
The rumble grows LOUDER. The boys scream. Rose laughs.
TIM
Oh my god!
EVAN
Rose, get up here! This is crazy!
TIM
Stay down there -- I think something's going to --
BLEEP. Lara stops the video.
LARA (V.O.)
But this? This is new.
Double-click as she plays it again: The boys screaming, Rose laughing.
INTERVIEWER (V.O.)
So you think something changed?
LARA (V.O.)
I think something happened.
Click, double-click. Sound of Rose humming over chaos.
LARA (V.O.)
Because this? This video? This is not Rose. Not the Rose I know, anyway.
[ROSE/BROTHER MONOLOGUE GOES HERE]
The video suddenly pauses.
LARA
Wait.
Click. Double-click. The chaos again, with Rose's hum.
LARA
What is that?
Computer volume increases. Click. Double-click.
It plays again. In the background of all that jumble, an odd knocking sound.
LARA
Hold on...
She clicks again, opening another program. Keystrokes.
LARA (V.O.)
Something happened.
Sodapop whines, sounding worried.
LARA
Okay, so I just turn down some of the background noise, mute this section, and...
The clip plays again, with the audio edited. A loud knock-knock-knock sound. Followed by a distant cry.
LARA (V.O.)
And I guess part of me wonders...if it happened to me too.
She plays it again, sound tuned even more clearly. Knock-knock-knock. Cry. She stops it.
LARA
That's goddamn Sasquatch.
Sodapop grumbles.
OUT.