Thriller by Ronaldo Gomes
Although newly married to a famous therapist, Mary anne can not adapt to the new home and her new life. and suffers from constant nightmares and fears. But when she finds her nightmare in real life she begins to discover that her greatest fears are actually others.
STORYLINE
Mary anne is a confused young woman newly married to a famous hypnotherapist.They move to a new home on the other side of the country. And yet Mary anne suffers with nightmares and bad impressions of the house.Until one day the man of his nightmares finds her in the street and from then on his life will never be the same.
1 INT ROOM – DAY (Morning)
Newly married and in her new home, Mary anne has a nightmare. She sees a man who does not know if he knows him but fears him. This man is attacking her violently. Mary anne screams desperately. Mary anne wakes abruptly scared. Her husband, James Crawford, who is at his side in bed helps her.
JAMES
Mary anne! Are you ok? I'm here. Wake up! It was just a nightmare.
ANNE
I'm fine! I just a little scary.
JAMES
I'll be fine!
ANNE
I don't understando what's happening with me.
JAMES
You're just going through a little stress. It's natural. We just got married, we crossed the country. There are many sudden changes. It takes time for you to adapt.
ANNE
You be right!
2 INT ANNE'S HOUSE - DAY
JAMES
It's everything ok?
ANNE
Oh! You scared me!
JAMES
Sorry! What's wrong?
ANNE
Nothing. I just thought I heard something, but I think I'm still stressed by the nightmare I had the night. Let's have coffee.
3 INT THERAPY OFFICE – DAY
The husband begins his work in his new city and has his first patient.
JAMES
So this is your first time doing therapy? Do you mind if I save the session?
PATIENT
Is this necessary?
JAMES
I'm afraid so. The law requires that all therapy be recorded so that no patient can be molested. But do not worry, the recordings are sneaky. I'm like a priest.
PATIENT
All right
JAMES
Why do not we start with you telling me a little bit about what has happened.
PATIENT
I've been insomnia problems.I've spent nights out in the open.
JAMES
And what do you think caused that? Have you been having too much stress lately, fights or something?
PATIENT
This matters? I thought you were just hypnotizing me.
JAMES
No. Hypnosis is only part of hypnotherapy, a last resort. But before using it we must scratch the surface. Most of the cases I deal with, patients have only emotional problems, psychological problems, deep rooted traumas. That can be solved only with dialogue. Hypnosis only in the latter case. Hypnosis can be dangerous!
PATIENT
Sorry, I thought it was different. I'm not very comfortable talking about myself.
JAMES
Would you feel more comfortable if I said something about myself?
PATIENT
Maybe yes, I think so.
JAMES
I'm just married. I just moved from the east coast.Your turn!
PATIENT
I don't know if I can, Sorry!
JAMES
Ok, let's try mu way. Relax, Relax,and relax.You are so tired.
The patient begins to fall sleep. This is the technique that James uses to hypnotize people.
4 INT ANNE'S HOUSE – DAY
Anne is cleaning the house quietly. Suddenly she hears a creaking door. It's the basement door. She turns slowly and the door closes abruptly, startling her. The bell rings. She answers the door. It's your neighbor, Sarah.
NEIGHBOR
Hello! I am the Sarah, your neighbor. I live in the end of the street. Welcome to the neighborhood!
ANNE
Oh, so sweet! What a kinda of you! Mary anne! Woul you like to come inside?
(Both enter)
NEIGHBOR
So you moved from the east coast?
ANNE
Just married!
NEIGHBOR
Congratulations!
Anne knocks over the coffee cup.
NEIGHBOR
Are you okay? You look scared!
ANNE
I have not slept well. I think it's because of the change. I'm still adapting.
NEIGHBOR
Is not your husband a therapist? Can not he prescribe something?
ANNE
He gave me some light tranquilizers to help me sleep. Maybe my body is not responding well to medications.
NEIGHBOR
Do you know what you need? get out a little. Know the city.
ANNE
I think you'r right!
5 EXT CITY – DAY
Anne and her neighbor go out for coffee. They stroll around town, talk and have coffee. As they leave the cafe, they walk toward the car. A truck is parked and the driver recognizes Anne. He then parks abruptly and calls her screaming:
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Hey, you! Anne!
When she sees him she is frightened and tells her neighbor to walk quickly to the car. Her neighbor asks her:
SARAH
Do you know this guy?
ANNE
Not really, but I have nightmares about him.
SARAH
What? Are you kidding? He knows your name.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Mary anne, wait! Wait!
Startled, they quickly enter the car and ignore the man who can not reach them.
ANNE
I know it sounds crazy, but I have reason to think this man is not a good person.
SARAH
What you talk about?
ANNE
My husband is a therapist and he said that dreams can be repressed memories in the unconscious. So if I dream about him it may be that I unconsciously know of something bad about this man.
SARAH
In that case, then I think we'd better go to the police, if that's true, this man can be dangerous!
6 INT ANNE'S HOUSE AFTERNON
Anne and her husband are talking about happened.
ANNE
I was scared A man I do not know is approaching me this way on the street.He could be psychopath or a maniac. Do you think this man could have anything to do with the fear I've had from the basement of this house?
JAMES
Maybe yes. If you dream about it but do not remember where you know it, you may have witnessed something horrible from it or something, and your mind projects it where you witnessed it, in the case, in the basement.
ANNE
It's make sense!
JAMES
I still think you should taking with you at least one little gun, in your purse.
ANNE
I don't know.
JAMES
You should think about
ANNE
I will. Do You know what I thought was weird? How did he know my name?
James makes a frightful face.
JAMES
He may be some former patient of mine. You know I treat mentally ill people, and not everyone heals. Some show obsessive behavior and it is quite common for them to pursue the doctor, or their family.
ANNE
That's what I thought, so I got scared.
JAMES
This is more common than you think.
ANNE
I know! That's what I told the cop.
JAMES
The cop?
ANNE
Yes,Sarah thought we'd better infor the authorities. best to inform the that there was a strange man approaching people on the street.It can be dangerous! And I feel he is.
JAMES
Who's Sarah?
ANNE
Our neighbor. Did I do it wrong?
JAMES
No, you acted right. But probably this guy will not show up around here.
ANNE
Do you think?
JAMES
I'm sure!
Husband takes some pills and hands it to his wife.
ANNE
What is this?
JAMES
It's a little stronger shoothing.
ANNE
Do you think I should take it?
JAMES
You've been through a lot of stress lately The changeof home, of life, of Country. This house scares you and still happened that. I think it'll help you relax a bit more.
She takes the pill.
JAMES
I'm already starting to achorf that we should move again.
ANNE
But we just moved.
JAMES
Honey, I just want your good. I love you! If situations like these start to upset you, I do not mind dropping everything and starting over again somewhere else.
7 INT ROOM – NIGHT
At night Anne has a nightmare.She dreams of that man again, but this time he is entering the basement of his house. In her dream she follows him to see what he is doing. Even frightened, he slowly descends the stairs. She sees the man on his back with a knife in his hand as if he were stabbing someone. He senses her presence and turns slowly looking at her with a sinister look. He's all dirty with blood. She shouts, "What do you want?" He says "You". She screams again: "You monster!" He runs towards her, she stumbles on the rung and when he goes to stab her, she wakes up awestruck!
8 INT ANNE'S KITCHEN DAY
The next morning, her husband leaves for work and Anne is in the kitchen doing her chores. She walks a little and looks suspiciously at the door that scares her. Suddenly your neighbor arrives.
SARAH
Hello! Somebody home!
ANNE
Sarah, come in. I'm the kitchen
SARAH
Are you ok? I came to see if you're okay after what happened yesterday.
ANNE
Don't worry! I'm fine!
SARA
You still look scared
ANNE
Let me ask you something. Do you believe in ghosts?
SARAH
Acttualy not. Why?
ANNE
Sometimes I think there's a strange presence in this house.
SARAH
It must be just your imagination.
ANNE
What do you know about the old owners of thiS house? I mean,do you know if anything happened here?
SARAH
Sweet,this house is new.You are the first owners.
ANNE
What? Are you sure?
SARAH
Off course! Here was just empty ground months ago. The house is not even a year old.
ANNE
I don't understand. Am I going crazy?
SARAH
What scares you so much in this house?
ANNE
There! The basement. Where's my husband keeps his files. Whenever I pass by, I seem to hear a noise, as if there were somebory inside. I dream too.
SARAH
May I look for you?
ANNE
Oh no, please! My husband hates to mess with his things. It stores files from its therapy sections and is confidential. He would be angry if he knew someone had moved.
SARAH
Maybe that's what scares you. You are so afraid of annoying your husband that your mind projects these things away.
ANNE
I think you'r right! maybe it's not just my husband that he's a good psychologist.
SARAH
Maybe not.
The phone rings, Anne answers. It's the police detective.
ANNE
Hello! Yes, ok. Sure! I'm going there
SARAH
What's happened?
ANNE
It was the police, they arrested a suspect near the cafe. They want me to go there and identify him.
Anne is going to get her purse and her neighbor Sarah looks curiously at the basement.
9a INT POLICE DEPARTMENT – DAY
Anne goes to the police station and identifies the man who approached her on the street.She identifies the suspect by the glass. It increases the certainty of Anne who knows him from somewhere.
9b
ANNE
What's happens now?
DETECTIVE
Technically he did nothing, according to his own testimony. We can only question him and check his criminal background, if he is not some outlaw or something.
9c
The detective interrogates the mysterious man in a police room.
DETECTIVE
So, Mr. Wilson, no background, no drugs or weapons, you look like a good guy. Do you usually approach strange people on the street?
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Only the ones I know.
DETECTIVE
Oh yes, I see here that you're from the east coast, too, like Mrs. Crawford. What are you doing in our city? Did you come after her? Do you intend to do him any harm?
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Not her, but as for Dr. Crawford, I can not answer for myself.
DETECTIVE
Do you know her husband? Were you his patient?
Does the man exalt himself and yell at the detective?
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Her Husband? Are you crazy? His patiente? Me?
DETECTIVE
By the way, yes.
10 INT THERAPY OFFICE – DAY
Her husband's secretary interrupts him in a therapy section and tells him that he has a call for him. He answers:
JAMES
I'm in the middle of a section, I can not answer right now.
SECRETARY
Sorry, but he saids he is a cop
Husband say to pattient:
JAMES
Sorry, I need to answer. Excuse!
11 INT POLICE DEPARTMENT - DAY
In the police department the detective shows the suspect's man's file to his husband and asks him:
DETECTIVE
Do you know him?
James looks at the scared picture and puts his hand on his forehead and says:
JAMES
Yes. He was a patient of mine in my office on the east coast.
DETECTIVE
That's what I thought.
JAMES
Schizophrenic, manic depressive. Unfortunately I could not cure it.
DETECTIVE
Mr. Crawford, I believe he may have come to LA behind you.
JAMES
It's likely. This is more common than you think in my business.
DETECTIVE
I imagine! Better you and your wife be careful!
JAMES
You're right! Can I see him?
DETECTIVE
We had to release it.
JAMES
What?
DETECTIVE
We had nothing legally against him. We could not keep him detained any longer here at the police station without evidence.
JAMES
You do not understand, it can be dangerous! You have to stop him.
DETECTIVE
Mr. Crawford, I can not go out arresting citizens who technically have not done anything, as crazy as they are. But we'll keep an eye on it, do not worry! If he at least gets close to you or your wife, I'll be around too in his tail.
12 INT GUN STORE AFTERNOON
Anne goes to the gun shop and buys a very small weapon. She tests, compares a few bullets, carries it and stores it in her bag after the salesperson shows her how to lock the gun.
13 INT ANNE'S HOUSE – AFTERNOON
Sarah, Anne's neighbor comes to her house thinking she'll find her there. But, she rings the bell and no one answers. She enters asking, "Anyone home?" and calling for Anne. Then she realizes that she has no one and decides to leave. But the basement door opens on its own and she notices. She thinks she's Anne or her husband. She comes up still calling and goes down the stairs. She realizes that she has no one but sees some boxes of Anne's husband's files. Curiously, she starts to sneeze and sees a box with a label written the year before. She opens the box and begins to tinker with patient file folders. Distracted, she does not realize that someone is coming down the stairs, and when she realizes she turns around suddenly, but she is attacked with a shovel in her head and falls to the ground bleeding and dies.
14 INT ANNE'S BASEMENT - AFTERNOON
15 INT ANNE'S HOUSE – NIGHT
The police are at Anne's house removing her neighbor's body. Her husband is comforting her by saying that everything will be okay. Annoyed, he tells the detective:
JAMES
I told you he was dangerous and you left him free. Now my wife and I are in danger.
DETECTIVE
Don't worry, I'll leave a lookout car in front of your house.
ANNE
I'm so scared! How it's happened in my house?
JAMES
It was him, that psychotic maniac. I'm absolutely sure!
DETECTIVE
Tell me, Mr. Crawford, what makes you think it was that man who committed this crime?
JAMES
And who else could it be?
DETECTIVE
I mean, if he was his patient, what reasons would he have to have murdered his neighbor?
JAMES
Maybe he came to look for me at home, he must have found my neighbor here for my wife and killed her as a way to intimidate us.
DETECTIVE
But in the basement? What was her neighbor doing there?
JAMES
I don't know. Maybe he dragged her there or forced her down. He is a psychotic detective.
DETECTIVE
Makes sense, but I still do not understand the relationship.
JAMES
With all due respect, detective, this is your job, not mine. And if you had not let go of that man, my wife and I would not be in any danger now.
DETECTIVE
I'm just doing my job. I'm leaving a car in front of your house tonight, in case he shows up again or is around. I recommend you two to spend the night in a hotel.
JAMES
We'll do it.
16 INT HOTEL NIGHT
The couple stays in a hotel. She takes a shower. Then she says to her husband, still frightened and crying:
ANNE
I can't believe this is happening.
JAMES
It's all my fault, I should have guessed that this could happen one day.
ANNE
It's not your fault.
JAMES
But it will be okay.I think that's enough now. We'd better move.
ANNE
Do you think?
JAMES
I was already thinking about it because of his fear of the house. Now with what happened, it just makes me more sure. If this psychopath knows where we live, we may be in danger. and the police do not seem to be doing much to help us.
ANNE
Maybe it's the best thing to do.
JAMES
Let's sleep, we'll start it all tomorrow.
17 INT ANNE'S HOUSE MORNING
The next day, Anne and her husband begin to pack things up to move. The vehicles are no longer in front of your house.
Anne says:
ANNE
I never imagined that my house would be the target of two murders.
JAMES
We'll stay at the hotel just one more night. I just need one day to close my clinic and close my care. Tomorrow we're going to Wisconsin.
ANNE
Fine by me!
Anne goes up the stairs and her husband stays in the room storing books. When he turns around,the mysterious man is behind him. He gets scared and pushes the man who reacts by punching him.
JAMES
The police are still watching our house, run away while it's time! Leave us alone!
The two begin to fight violently. Anne listens from the top floor and panics.She tries to get off to call the police. The man knocked out her husband. He drags his fainted body into the basement and when he gets down there he goes to the force table. Anne tries to take the chance to go to the phone, but down below the man cuts off the power and the phone lines.
The man ties Anne's husband in a chair and climbs up to look for her. She hides behind a door. When she sees that the man left the basement she decides to go down to help her husband.
She comes down dying with fear, for there she has always been scary noises. When she gets downstairs her husband starts to wake up, and she quickly unties him. But at the end the mysterious man emerges from behind her with a knife in his hand as in Anne's dreams.
She begins to beg for her life and that of her husband and the man looks at her seriously without saying anything. He begins to look for the file boxes of his husband who says:
JAMES
No. Please, leave us alone! I'll give you whatever you want!
ANNE
Yes, we have money. It's in our room, I have jewelry too.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
You really do not remember me, do you?
ANNE
Yes, from my dreams. They were warning me. You are a monster!
The man finds something in one of the boxes and throws it to Anne.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Here, take it!
ANNE
What is it?
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Your record of treatment with your husband.
ANNE
Sorry! Thats impossible. I've never been my husband's patient.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
No? are you sure? There's a CD by the file because the law forces therapists to record their sections. Why do not we watch it?
He picks up the CD and puts it on a computer he has there. On the CD Anne is seen in a recording of a section of her husband. She does not understand!
JAMES
Anne, I so sorry! I really so sorry!
In the recording, she is lying on a couch and her husband says to her:
JAMES (IN RECORD)
Anne, I'm afraid our treatment for your oldness has not been successful. So I have no alternative but to do another hypnosis section with you.
ANNE (IN RECORD)
Doctor, I do not know if that's a good idea. I walk confused, forgetting things, away from my fiancé.
JAMES (IN RECORD)
They are only temporary side effects, absolutely normal.
ANNE
Did I have a fiance?
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Had. I
JAMES (IN THE RECORD)
Now relax, relax and relax! You are very tired. You're getting sleepy, very sleepy. Anne, whom do you love?
ANNE
I guess, my fiance.
JAMES
No, we already talked about it, you just love me. But by the way, I have no other way to break your resistance. From now on you will follow me and accompany me wherever I go. And you will not remember your stupid fiancé anymore! And every time it comes to your memory, you'll be like a bad man, a monster! And he will be afraid of him. So much fear that he will not even be able to stay close to him.
ANNE
That explains the nightmares I had with you. You hypnotized me!
JAMES
All I did was out of love. I fell in love with you Anne. I love you!
ANNE
I am confused! I do not understand what the connection is with the noises I heard in this basement.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Is not this where your husband keeps his files? Then it is explained. He must have put that fear in your mind to keep you away from his files and never find out anything.
ANNE
So there is no monster.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Anne has only one monster in this basement. He.
ANNE
But you killed my neighbor, did not you?
MYSTERIOUS MAN
Me? Anne, I just found out your address in this town today.
ANNE
Now it makes sense, why you both want to move again. It was not for me. You killed Sarah to incriminate this man!
James laughs
JAMES
If it's any consolation, it was not for that. I never wanted to kill her. But she was sticking her nose where it was not called.
ANNE
I was right! There's a monster here! You.
Anne's husband then begins to say to the man:
JAMES
Do you really think that you beat me? I do not think so because you're so tired!
MYSTERIOUS MAN
What?
JAMES
Relax, relax and relax. You are so tired. You just want to sleep now.
The man starts to really get sleepy.
JAMES
Now give me that knife. it's with her that I'm going to be the hero after killing the psychopathic invader who tried to kill us.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
What about Anne? Do you think she'll be with you after all this?
JAMES
Her weak mind is mine! She'll just remember what I want her to remember.Now relax, relax and relax!
There is a shot! Anne took her gun in her purse and tugged on her hand and said:
ANNE
Sorry darling! I'm not tired anymore! I just woke up!
She then embraces her former fiance, the mysterious man.
THE END
THE MONSTER AT HOUSE
Stories of the Ronaldo Gomes
Email: vlogdo46@gmail.com
