OPEN ON
INT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
An exquisite LA restaurant. The best of the best food. Gale is sitting with Lester, eating her seafood dish.
GALE: This lobster is amazing!
LESTER: I told you … you gotta learn to stop doubting me, Gale.
GALE: Well, about the show. I have a couple ideas -.
LESTER: (placing his hand on top of hers) Let's not talk about the show.
GALE: (withdrawing her hand) Well, I don't know what else -.
LESTER: Let's talk about us!
GALE: Lester – there is no us anymore.
LESTER: Gale, over twenty years ago you broke my heart. Ended things – via text I might add -.
GALE: I couldn't face you. I'm sorry.
LESTER: That's it? Just an "I'm sorry"?
GALE: I thought you moved past all this. If this is gonna get in the way of our working together -.
LESTER: It won't. But if we are going to be working together, shouldn't we just clear the air?
GALE: Fine. I wasn't happy. I moved on. There, air cleared or do I need to spell it out for you?
LESTER: But why weren't you happy?
GALE: I don't know … I just … didn't feel that spark …
LESTER: We were together four years Gale … shouldn't you have known that in the beginning? Shouldn't you have known that before I proposed? Before you said yes?
GALE: I was young. I was stupid, I didn't know what I wanted. Look, I'm sorry I hurt you, Lester. I truly am. But that's in the past now. Can't you get past it … or at the least, act professionally?
LESTER: (flashing a wedding band) But I have gotten past it.
GALE: (eyes widening, she hadn't noticed the wedding band before) So you moved on?
LESTER: Yes. And Rebecca is wonderful. She makes me the happiest I've ever been.
GALE: So why all these questions?
LESTER: Just because one's married, doesn't mean there's no unfinished business. I just wanted closure. I wanted to know if you really were sorry – I had to know. If we're going to be working together on the show.
GALE: Then yes … yes, I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you, Lester. I really didn't. I don't regret my decision but I do regret the way I handled it.
LESTER: (sipping his drink) Thank you … that's all I wanted to know.
CUT TO:
EXT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
Gale and Lester exit the restaurant. Gale has her keys in hand. She stops short –
HER CAR IS COMPLETELY TOTALLED! Windows smashed, doors dented, tires slashes.
GALE: What … in the actual …
LESTER: Holy crap!
Gale grabs her phone.
GALE: I'm calling the police.
LESTER: (realizing) This was meant to intimidate you …
GALE: Yeah, no shit …
LESTER: Come on – you can come to my place till you get it towed. I live 15 minutes away.
GALE: I'll stay here 'till the police get here, thanks!
LESTER: (pointing at the skies) It's gonna storm real soon. You don't want to get wet, do you?
GALE: I'll stay in the restaurant.
LESTER: And if they close?
GALE: I'll figure something out.
LESTER: Come on – Rebecca would love to meet you. She's a really big fan.
GALE: As … amusing as that sounds …
LESTER: Did I mention she's also a publicist? She's gonna be helping make the show big!
Gale sighs.
GALE: Fine – but only until the car gets towed. Then I'm outta here!
She turns and follows Lester to his car.
INT. RANDALL HOUSE – NIGHT
Cindy and Jenny JUMP as they watch a movie. A blonde character stabs another on the couch. The title card STAB 7 cuts across the screen.
JENNY: Oh my God, I love it.
CINDY: But I don't get it – why did she just snap?
JENNY: That's the beauty of it – there doesn't have to always be a motive. Makes it scarier.
CINDY: I guess. (beat) Did you buy that shit Craig and Lyle were trying to shove down our throats today in Cinema Club?
JENNY: About the whole versus movie thing? I agree with you and Charlie – the concept is stupid. I mean, two Ghostfaces competing and fighting – meh, I'd rather watch another teen soap opera.
CINDY: Jill was giving you weird looks the whole time.
JENNY: She always is. Ever since Trevor -.
CINDY: Speaking of which -.
JENNY: We're not still together. Mr. Casanova there decided he wants Jill back. At least 'till the next best thing comes along.
CINDY: Think she'll take him back?
JENNY: Not if I know her – Jill's a smart girl. She won't be taken in again by sweet talk. Trevor's not the type settle down for one girl anyway. Especially ones like me and Jill that have too much baggage.
CINDY: So it wasn't worth it?
JENNY: Not in the slightest. His weewee was the size of a baby's.
They laugh – they're interrupted at the sound of wheels whirring. STEVE RANDALL – Jenny's older brother – wheels into the room. Paralyzed from the waist down, his mouth hangs slack and he has a laptop attached to his lap. He types with his fingers – the only able part of him to move. A computer speaks for him – whatever he types, the computer voice outputs.
STEVE: (computer speaking) Food?
Jenny nods.
JENNY: Okay, Steve. I'll get your dinner ready. You gonna stay Cindy? I was gonna order pizza for myself.
CINDY: Nah, I gotta head out.
JENNY: Well thanks for chilling with me. Marnie bailed – I wanted to watch all the Stabs with her, but Miss Smarty-Pants thinks she's too smart for horror.
CINDY: Speaking of Marnie, that's who I gotta go meet now. She just texted me – we're working on a science project together. She wants me to meet her at the school's biology lab.
JENNY: After hours? Won't you get in trouble?
CINDY: Well … students with straight A's like Marnie get certain ... privileges for extra credit.
JENNY: (fake excitement) Like coming to school after hours!
CINDY: Yup. I get to spend my evenings back at school after a riveting seven hours there during the day. (sarcastic) Kill me now! I'll text you later … bye Steve.
Steve types away.
STEVE: (computer) Goodbye.
Cindy takes off as Jenny wheels Steve back into the dining room.
EXT. WOODSBORO HIGH – NIGHT
Cindy pulls up into the school parking lot. She texts Marnie: I'm here. She sighs, annoyed that she's stuck at school after hours.
She walks around the side – the door to the science lab is already propped open.
CINDY: Must be here already …
Humming to herself, she enters the lab.
INT. SCIENCE LAB – NIGHT
CINDY: Marnie? Marnie, I'm here!
She flicks on a light – there's a buzzing sound, then the lights dim, casting an orange haze on the room.
CINDY: Great. The school has budgets for parades and football but not for science labs. Got it.
She heads over to a desk and unpacks her school bag, taking out her textbooks. She pulls out a diagram of the human anatomy, unfurling it on her desk.
THE DOORWAY TO THE LAB SLAMS SHUT! Her head snaps up.
CINDY: Marnie?
For a moment there's silence.
CINDY: Marnie, if you're trying to scare me, it ain't gonna work. Jenny already made me watch all seven Stabs! You better be careful – she's been gunning to have a marathon with you next!
She's met with silence.
CINDY: Alright, Marnie – I gotta pee, so whenever you're ready to come on out …
She walks out into the school's hallway.
INT. SCHOOL BATHROOM – NIGHT
Cindy sits on a toilet, looking at her face in a compact, singing to herself.
CINDY: "If you want my body, and you think I'm sexy …"
She flushes and goes to the sink, washing her hands. She lowers her head, splashing some water on her face. In the mirror's reflection, we see GHOSTFACE emerge quietly from another stall and stealthily glide out across the bathroom behind her, vanishing through another door. When she raises her head, he's GONE. She dries her hands and reapplies her makeup, licking her teeth.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – NIGHT
Cindy walks down the hallway. The lights are off but flickering and there's the sound of a steady drip from the nearby bathroom. Cindy walks towards the classroom – the sing-song ringtone of her cell phone BLARES to life. She slips it out of her purse – MARNIE.
CINDY: About time! I was about to start without you!
GHOSTFACE: I hear you're studying the human anatomy, Cindy. Would you like an up close and personal demonstration?
The soundtrack thuds.
CINDY: Never took you for a prankster, Marnie. I thought you hated horror flicks.
GHOSTFACE: Whatever gave you that impression?
CINDY: You said, and I quote – "The horror genre makes no sense. They underthink things!"
GHOSTFACE: And what do you think of the genre?
CINDY: Me? I love it! But you knew that, Marnie … now, are you showing up or do I have to do this project alone?
GHOSTFACE: (Beat) But you don't like all horror genres, do you?
CINDY: Not sure where you're going with this, but …
GHOSTFACE: (quoting Cindy from Cinema Club earlier) "Versus movies suck! Have you seen Alien Vs. Predator?"
CINDY: How'd you know I said that -.
GHOSTFACE: Because I was there today!
CINDY: You're not in Cinema Club, Marnie!
GHOSTFACE: Maybe that's because this isn't Marnie!
CINDY: Oh yeah? Then what are you doing with her phone?
GHOSTFACE: Who says I have her phone?
Cindy looks down at her screen – it clearly says "Marnie Cooper."
CINDY: Well then if you're not Marnie –
GHOSTFACE: That's the beauty of it all. Each successive Ghostface has something new to bring to the table, something that makes him all the more dangerous than the last.
CINDY: Oh yeah? Like what?
GHOSTFACE: Like bouncing my signal off Marnie's phone to make it seem like she's calling you.
CINDY: Yeah? I call bullshit.
GHOSTFACE: It took a while, but I found a way …
CINDY: Then why haven't you done something? Huh?
GHOSTFACE: I'd say I've done a lot already … lured you here to the school … (beat) alone …
CINDY: And if I call the police?
GHOSTFACE: My dear Cindy, if I can bounce my number off one of your friend's phones, what makes you think I can't interfere with outbound calls?
CINDY: Jenny knows I'm here -.
GHOSTFACE: JENNY WON'T BE AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO SPILL HER GUTS! (Beat) But for now, my focus is on you.
CINDY: And what do you want with me?
GHOSTFACE: You insulted my favorite genre. AND WHAT'S A SLASHER FLICK WITHOUT A LITTLE NEEDLESS BLOODSHED?!
The line goes dead. Screw it. Cindy books down the hall, back into the science room.
INT. SCIENCE ROOM – CONTINUOUS
We follow Cindy back into the lab. Forget her books – she races across the room – THE DOOR IS SLAMMED SHUT, THE LOCKING MECHANISM JAMMED! She struggles with it – it won't budge.
CINDY: Fuck!
She backs away – A DISSECTION TABLE IS PUSHED OUT BEHIND HER! She falls backwards over it, hitting her head. She staggers to her feet, swirling around in all directions. She dials 9-11.
OPERATOR'S VOICE: (beeping) Your call cannot be completed as dialed.
CINDY: Shit!
She books it back out the classroom into the hallway.
INT. HALLWAY – NIGHT
We follow her as she races up the hallway, the music tensing. She tries classroom door after classroom door – all locked up for the night. She turns, running her hand through her hair, trying to think through her situation.
A DOOR SLAMS SHUT AT THE FAR END OF THE HALL!
She books it in the opposite direction, trying more and more doors. She finds one that opens – she slides in.
INT. SCHOOL LIBRARY – NIGHT
She finds herself in the library. She looks around in all directions – sees the words "EXIT" in neon lights. She races for it.
A CART OF BOOKS FLIES OUT OF NOWHERE IN FRONT OF HER, CUTTING HER OFF!
She yelps, darts down an aisle of books. She presses herself up against the bookshelf.
The camera pans left – in the next aisle, we see GHOSTFACE – pressed up against the bookshelf on the other side, knife held up to his chest.
BACK TO:
Cindy sidles along the aisle. She reaches the far end, and slowly peers around. Left – nothing. Right – nothing. She slowly steps out, to the left aisle …
She peers down the left aisle – it's EMPTY.
She looks around again, then tries to silently power-walk down the aisle.
THE LIGHTS TO THE LIBRARY BLARE ON AND OFF!
She screams, racing for the exit as the lights continually flash. She reaches the exit door, pushes forward, looks up -.
GHOSTFACE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE WAITING FOR HER!
She gags as a knife slides into her gut. She backs up, the knife sliding out of her gullet. She turns, losing blood fast, limping towards the other side. Ghostface grabs her hair, yanking it back – she screams in pain as he slugs the knife into her back. He lifts his leg and KICKS her forward, off his knife. She falls forward onto a table. She turns – he GRABS her by the neck, forcing her to feet and stabs AGAIN AND AGAIN!
He throws her into a bookshelf – she stares up, slinking to the floor, unable to resist anymore.
CINDY: Please … I love versus movies! I love them!
Ghostface cocks his head.
CINDY: … if it helps … whatever you want!
GHOSTFACE STRIKES DOWN INTO HER CHEST!
THUNK.
Her eyes glaze over and her head droops. Ghostface looks left to right, before vanishing into the darkness.