UDSKRIFT 🔗
MUSIC CUE HOSPITAL AMBIENCE
HEART RATE MONITOR BEEPS
WOMAN
I need to tell you something, something about your family, your history, your heritage. I did something that kicked this off. It was innocent at least my part, in the beginning. I didn’t seek this out and I would never wish this on anyone but as of this point I am so grateful for you and for your life. What I’m about to do, I do knowing the price. I know you won’t remember anything from before but perchance something resurfaces upon reflection, I need you to know what to do...and more importantly what not to do.
THEME MUSIC
ANNOUNCER
This is 13 Reflections
Reflection 1: The Vanishing
BREAKING GLASS. HEAVY BREATHS. FOOTSTEPS RUN UP.
CUT TO:
BILLY
Not gonna get me. Not gonna get me.
BAT WHIPPING THROUGH THE AIR. GLASS BREAKS.
SNEAKER COVERED FOOTSTEPS RUN. A CAR ALARM BLARES.
A DOG BARKS.
BILLY
Not gonna get me.
RUNNING. HEAVY BREATHING. WALKING. STOPS.
BILLY
I’m not going with you. No.
BAT SWINGS. GLASS BREAKS.
FOOT STEPS ON BROKEN GLASS.
A POLICE SIREN APPROACHES. TIRES SKID.
A CAR DOOR OPENS. POLICE RADIO NOISE.
BOOTS ON ASPHALT APPROACHING.
NARRATOR
Sheriff Georgie Gordon the mother hen of Brimstone steps out of her cruiser.
SHERIFF
Hey Kid!
BILLY
Not gonna get me.
SHERIFF
Put the bat down and come out of there!
BILLY
No. No. Not gonna get me.
PISTOL CLEARS LEATHER. POP.
ELECTRICITY SPARKS. BODY THUD.
BILLY SHUDDERS. UNINTELLIGIBLE BABBLING.
MUSIC CUE ASHLEY’S HOUSE
SMALL WORKBOOTS ON STAIRS
A WOMAN SIGHS
INTERIOR WOOD DOOR OPENS
ASHLEY
Sorry I’m late.
A BOOK CLOSES
LUCY
It’s cool Mrs. Harker. Gives me time to do some homework.
TEN YEAR OLD MIND DUMP RAPID SPEAK
POLLY
Lucy is taking a creative writing class and we’re doing a comic book. It’s so cool. I was helping her with the story. It’s scary and romantic, but SOOO scary you’ll scream.
ASHLEY
Slow down. Take a breath. Hello Polly.
POLLY
Oh yeah. Hi mom.
KISS ON FOREHEAD
ASHLEY
Lucy, I’m a little light on cash.
LUCY
No worries this’ll do Mrs. Harker.
BACKPACK ZIPS UP
FOOTSTEPS
LUCY
Just gonna use the bathroom before I go.
WOOD DOOR OPENS CELL PHONE RINGS
POLLY
Maaawwwwwm.
ASHLEY
I know. No work at home.
CELL PHONE RING STOPS TOILET FLUSHES
WATER RUNS ON THEN OFF
ASHLEY
Lucy? You want a ride? It’s really cold out.
NO ANSWER
ASHLEY
Lucy?
SOFT KNOCK ON WOOD DOOR KNOB TURNS
DOOR OPENS
ASHLEY
You want a ride? Huh? Where’d she go?
ASHLEY CLOSES CABINET DOOR
ASHLEY
Why is this thing open?
MEDICINE CABINET DOOR CLOSES
ASHLEY
Polly? Did you see Lucy leave?
POLLY
Nope.
ASHLEY
She’s awfully quick.
POLLY
Totally ninja.
ASHLEY
She sure is. I guess it’s just you and me Polly girl.
POLLY
Yay. Sit down and let me read you the story we were working on.
Lucy’s story.
ASHLEY
Lucy’s story?
POLLY
Yeah. Here.
PAPER RUSTLES
ASHLEY
The tale of two mirrors.
MUSIC CUE
METAL EXTERIOR DOOR OPENS POLICE RADIO NOISE PERSON YELLING
WOMAN CRYING BOOTS WALK
DEPUTY
What you got Sheriff?
SHERIFF
Responded to a 10 63 at Hyde Park Bridal. He broke the window and one of those full length mirrors with this.
BASEBALL BAT BOUNCES ON COUNTER
SHERIFF (CONT'D)
Had to taze him.
DEPUTY
Did he crap himself? Jeeezzuss.
SHERIFF
Nah. He just stinks.
BILLY
Uuugggg.
DEPUTY
Does Stinky got a name?
SHERIFF
Billy Hazelbob according to his student ID.
COMPUTER KEYBOARD
DEPUTY
Billy. Wakey. Wakey.
BILLY
Argh. Not gonna get me! Aaaawww.
HANDCUFFS RATTLE BILLY STRUGGLES
DEPUTY
What’s his fucking deal?
SHERIFF
I dunno. On something strong. He broke windows and mirrors up and down 13th street so keep him away from glass or mirrors.
BILLY SCREAMS
DEPUTY
I don’t like your face either kid but knock it off or I’ll taze you all over again.
BILLY CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE
SHERIFF
Toss him in cell 3 by himself. Let him untweak a bit. Maybe he’ll talk when the withdrawal terrors come.
CELL DOOR OPENS THEN SLAMS SHUT
CUT
MUSIC CUE FOR ASHLEY’S HOUSE PAGE TURNS
POLLY CLEARS HER THROAT THEN IN RAPID PRETEEN SPEAK.
POLLY
Many years ago. In a time long forgotten, there lived a Chinese princess, Mai Mai in a huge castle behind a tall stone wall.
PAGE TURNS
POLLY (CONT'D)
In the corner of her room sat a tall red lacquered cabinet that held inside it a large mirror framed by a silver dragon holding its tail in his fanged mouth.
ASHLEY
Hold on. Polly girl. Wait. Wait. Why don’t you just tell what it about.
PAGE TURNS BOOK CLOSES
POLLY
Oh Okay. A Mongolian Prince is in love with a Chinese Princess but she’s being kept in a castle. The Prince orders a Shaman to create a magic portal so he can visit the Princess.
PAGE TURNS
ASHLEY
A magic portal?
POLLY
Through two mirrors.
POLLY (CONT'D)
The myth goes like this. Face two mirrors to create endless reflections.
(MORE)
PAGE TURNS
POLLY (CONT'D)
Look to the smallest reflection to make your deepest wish come true, touch the 13th reflection to open the gate.
PAGE TURNS
POLLY (CONT'D)
See. He’s stepping into the mirror.
POLLY (CONT'D)
Now he’s in her room.
PHONE RINGS
ASHLEY
You ready to snooze?
POLLY
Yeah. I guess you can’t keep them waiting all night.
ASHLEY
Did you brush your teeth?
POLLY
Yeah.
ASHLEY
KISSES.
Breathe. Let me smell.
POLLY
Oh gawd. Okay, okay.
ASHLEY
I love you Polly girl.
POLLY
I love you more.
FOOTSTEPS ON CARPET. DOOR CLOSES.
ASHLEY
Harker construction, how can I help you?
RAY
Hey. We’ve got a problem.
ASHLEY
I just left the site an hour ago. What can’t wait until the morning?
RAY
Einhorn texted me just now. He wants to move the open date up two weeks. He got a photo shoot for business weekly.
ASHLEY
What? No can do Ray. The windows are special order. And there’s no budget for staging his office.
RAY
He also told me if you say “no.” I should find someone else.
ASHLEY
That fuck wad.
ASHLEY’S VOICE FADES MUFFLED BY THE CLOSED DOOR. POLLY SIGHS
PAPER RUSTLES
POLLY
What compels someone to smell their kid’s breath?
BLANKETS PULL BACK
SOFT
Load full transcript
THUD OF SMALL FEET ON CARPET INTERIOR WOOD DOOR OPENS
LIGHT SWITCHES ON
AMBIENCE CHANGES TO BATHROOM REVERB MEDICINE CABINET DOOR CREAKS OPEN WATER RUNS
TEETH BRUSHING
NARRATOR
As Polly brushes her teeth she glances over at the large bathroom mirror over the sink.
(MORE)
NARRATOR (CONT'D)
For a brief moment she sees a little boy just behind her in the reflection. She snaps around but no one is there.
POLLY SPITS WATER OFF
MOVEMENT
POLLY
Hmmm I wonder?
NARRATOR
Polly adjusts the mirrored medicine cabinet door to create endless reflections in the large bathroom mirror over the counter. She leans in and studies all of the reflections then she reaches out and walks her fingers across the hard mirrored surface.
POLLY
One, two, three...
MUTED ASHLEY LAUGHING.
POLLY (CONT'D)
Nine, ten, eleven...thirteen.
NARRATOR
Polly waits but nothing appears to change, then just as disappointment seeps into Polly’s expresion a wave washes across the mirror.
EERIE WHOOSH
EERIE PLOP OF A PEBBLE IN A STILL POND
POLLY
Woah. This is real!
NARRATOR
Polly pokes her finger at the large mirror. It jiggles with her touch.
POLLY
Wow. The mirror...it’s like jello.
POLLY GIGGLES
NARRATOR
Polly pokes her finger deeper. To her surprise a ripple starts at the top of the mirror. A dark point emerges like the fin of a small fish. It moves closer to her and she yanks her finger out. The fin receeds back under.
POLLY
Hey. Wait. Don’t go.
NARRATOR
The fin swims away slowly. Po lly plunges her entire hand into the jell-o like mirror and wiggles her fingers.
SPLASHING
POLLY
It tickles.
NARRATOR
Then suddenly something grabs at her wrist.
POLLY
Hey. Let go... wait.
ASHLEY
If Einhoirn wants those mirrored windows sooner, I’ll have to source them from Acme.
RAY
Acme pricing will put us over budget.
CUT
ASHLEY
That’s Einhorn’s problem.
RAY
He won’t see it that way.
ASHLEY
Because his head is up his ass.
RAY
Ha. True that. But still.
ASHLEY
But still nothing.
RAY
Okay. I’ll try and squeeze wine...
ASHLEY
From an asshole. Shit. Now I need a drink.
RAY
You sound upset. Should I come over?
For what?
ASHLEY
RAY
Well, I’d start by rubbing your neck, then work my way down to your lower back and from there I’d move to your lower front.
ASHLEY
It’d be a hate fuck, Ray.
RAY
Best kind.
POLLY SCREAMS
Polly? RUNNING UPSTAIRS
ASHLEY
INTERIOR WOOD DOOR BANGS OPEN
ASHLEY (CONT'D)
Polly? Where are you?
MUFFLED VOICE
POLLY
Mom!
BATHROOM AMBIENCE REVERB
ASHLEY
Polly!
GASP
NARRATOR
As brief as a lightening strike, Ashley glimpses Polly in the mirror then she is gone. Ashley rushes to the mirror as she leans in her shoulder brushes against the mirrored medicine cabinet door and it slowly closes ending the reflections.
EERIE JELLO SPLASHING CREAK OF CABINET DOOR DOOR CLOSES
MUSIC CUE DARK MAGIC ALL EERIE SOUNDS CUT OFF
ASHLEY’S VOICE FADES TO MUFFLED ANGUISH VACCUM OF AMBIENCE
SOFT EERIE BREEZE
CUT TO:
POLLY
Mom. I’m here. In here.
EERIE GROWL.
CLAWS OF SMALL ANIMAL ON CONCRETE SCUTTLE CLOSER.
POLLY (CONT'D)
Who’s there?
FOOTSTEPS APPROACH.
FREDDIE
Shhhh. He’ll hear you.
POLLY
Who will hear me?
FREDDIE
Take my hand.
POLLY
Wait. Why?
FREDDIE
If you want to live, you’ll come with me.
POLLY
But my mom...
FREDDIE
No time. He’s coming.
FOOTSTEPS RUN OFF.
HEAVY WET FOOTFALLS APPROACH. MONSTER GROWLING.
CUT TO:
COMMERICAL JET FLIES OVERHEAD DAY TIME AMBIENCE
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT “THE WHITE ZONE IS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING OF PASSENGERS ONLY, NO PARKING.”
CARS PASS BY
CABBIE
Taxi Mister?
LEE
Yes. Thank you.
CAR DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES. INTERIOR OF TAXI.
OUTSIDE SOUNDS MUFFLED. DOOR CLOSES.
Where to?
CABBIE
LEE
7200 Barrister Drive.
CABBIE
Woah. Ok. TURN SIGNAL CLICKS. TAXI SPEEDS UP.
CABBIE (CONT'D)
Um. I take it you’re not from around here.
LEE
What gave me away my accent or the fact that I just came off an airplane?
CABBIE
Hahaha. Neither one. I’m a psychic.
LEE
Is that so? And what does your 6th sense tell you?
CABBIE
That something dark brought you here.
LEE
I am impressed. My destination didn’t give you a hint?
CABBIE
No. Although I must admit, you are wearing all black.
LEE
Quite the tip off.
CABBIE FICKS ON TURN SIGNAL. TAXI SLOWS THEN SPEEDS UP.
CABBIE
Wouldn’t have tagged you as law enforcement though.
LEE
What tag would give me?
CABBIE
Mortician?
LEE
Haha. Now that is precious.
CABBIE
Here we are. Brimstone County Sheriff’s station.
LEE
What do I owe?
CABBIE
Seventeen fifty.
CASH EXCHANGES.
LEE
Keep the change.
CABBIE
No no. Just tell me what you do.
LEE
I’m with the FBI.
CAR DOOR OPENS
CUT TO:
ASHLEY’S HOUSE MUSIC CUE ASHLEY WEEPS
SHERIFF
Mrs. Harker? You said you were on a call?
ASHLEY
Yes, my office called about a problem at work.
SHERIFF
What sort of problem?
ASHLEY
Just a scheduling issue. What does that have to do with anything?
SHERIFF
I don’t know. Could the call have been a ploy to distract you?
ASHLEY
You mean like from the kidnapper? No. No. It wasn’t. The call was from my co worker Ray.
DOOR OPENS. FOOTSTEPS APPROACH.
DEPUTY
Wait here a sec.
FOOTSTEPS.
DEPUTY (CONT'D)
Excuse me, Sheriff?
SHERIFF
Who’s that?
DEPUTY
He just showed up at the station. Says he’s from the FBI.
SHERIFF
Well, is he?
DEPUTY
His credentials check out.
SHERIFF
Why’s he here?
FOOTSTEPS APPROACH.
DEPUTY
He asked...
LEE
I demanded to be brought to you. Special Agent Lee, hostage recovery, kidnapping that sort of thing.
SHERIFF
Now hold on a minute. We don’t know this is a kidnapping.
LEE
And yet a child is missing and there’s no forced entry or exit. Yes?
SHERIFF
How’d you know that?
LEE
I’m a psychic.
SHERIFF
You kidding me?
LEE
Yes. That’s a joke. Sorry, you had to be there.
SHERIFF
We’re just starting to investigate this. How are you here so quickly?
LEE
I monitor APBs for missing persons, kidnappings, alleged suicides, serial killings, unexplained phenomena.
DEPUTY
So like the X-files?
SHERIFF
Deputy? What’re you still doing here? Get back to the station. But first shut the fuck up. Now, get back to the station.
LEE
Sheriff Gordon is it?
SHERIFF
Yeah.
LEE
I don’t believe this is a kidnapping either, but to be thorough, you should have your men dust the entire house.
SHERIFF
Yeah. Okay. Hey guys, dust all the windows, the sills inside and out.
THE SHERIFF’S HEAVY FOOTSTEPS STOMP OFF.
LEE
Mrs. Harker, may we talk?
ASHLEY
Yes of course. I’m relieved you’re here.
LEE
I assure you I’ll use all my resources to locate your child.
ASHLEY
Don’t need your assurances, just make it happen.
LEE
Indeed. I will. I can’t help notice all of the moving boxes, did you just move in?
ASHLEY
Couple of months ago, but I haven’t had time to unpack.
LEE
Anyone here with you last night?
ASHLEY
The babysitter but she left right after I came home.
LEE
Anyone else drop by? Your ex maybe?
ASHLEY
I’m a widow.
LEE
Boyfriend?
ZIPPO LIGHTER FLIPS OPEN. A THUMB STRIKES A FLAME.
THEN THE LIGHTER’S CAP CLOSES. THIS REPEATS A FEW TIMES.
ASHLEY
Um, no boyfriend.
LEE
Girlfriend?
ASHLEY
No.
LEE
Tinder date?
ASHLEY
No. Between my daughter and work, I’m too busy for anything like that.
LEE
What time did the babysitter leave?
ASHLEY
Just after ten.
LEE
What time did your daughter go missing?
ASHLEY
Last night about ten thirty.
LEE
I see.
ASHLEY
Lucy didn’t kidnap Polly.
LEE
So you say. I’ll still need to talk to her.
ASHLEY
Yeah. Sure.
FIDGETING WITH ZIPPO LIGHTER.
LEE
I don’t mean to shock you but seventy five percent of abducted children are killed within the first three to twenty four hours.
ASHLEY
Oh my god.
LEE
So, Mrs. Harker, with no time to waste, either someone else was here or...
MAIN THEME
ASHLEY
You can’t think that I did it?
LEE
Until I find your daughter... everyone did it.
ANNOUNCER
13 Reflections.