OPEN ON:

EXT. WOODSBORO HIGH – MORNING

The high school is a circus. News media vans are all over the place, reporters now reporting on the latest murders of Olivia and Cindy.

Nicholette walks through the crowd. Scores of reports flock to try to get in contact with her. Other students watch, whispering to each other. She lowers her head, not used to the attention and enters the building.

INT. WOODSBORO HIGH – MORNING

The school is completely abuzz. The students swap gossip and rumors – Nicholette makes her way to her locker. She grabs a book and closes it – DJ IS STANDING THERE.

NICHOLETTE: You almost gave me a heart attack …

DJ: You okay? My Dad said you were staying with Jill?

NICHOLETTE: I'm fine … really …

DJ: He said you saw the whole thing … what was it like? Olivia, I mean …

NICHOLETTE: Horrible …

DJ: Lots of blood?

NICHOLETTE: Who asks something like that?

DJ: I just want to know if my cousin is traumatized is all. (Beat) Are you okay?

NICHOLETTE: I'm fine, DJ.

She turns, carrying her books. She stops.

NICHOLETTE: Where were you last night?

DJ: I was with Robbie.

Beat.

NICHOLETTE: Dewey said you told him you were gonna be spending the night with Lyle and Craig?

DJ: Yeah … but I ditched them to hang with Robbie.

Nicholette stares at her cousin in a new, strange light.

DJ: (catching on) You don't think I had something to do with it, do you?

NICHOLETTE: I don't know what to believe anymore …

DJ: I was with Robbie, you can ask him!

NICHOLETTE: I have class. I'll see you later -.

DJ stands there, watching her. His eyes narrow.

CUT TO:

Nicholette is about to enter her next class when a hand on her shoulder stops her. She looks up – the school guidance counselor – MARTHA MEEKS.

MARTHA: Miss Riley, a word please.

NICHOLETTE: I have class.

MARTHA: I'll give you a note.

INT. MARTHA'S OFFICE – MORNING

Nicholette now sits in front of Martha's office – the very same office that once belonged to the late Mr. Lovedge.

MARTHA: So tell me, how are you adjusting to your classes?

NICHOLETTE: Fine, I guess. I mean it's only my second day …

MARTHA: And how are the folks?

NICHOLETTE: Oh, well my Dad is okay I guess. Tired, busy taking care of my mom.

MARTHA: Oh? Is something wrong with your mother?

NICHOLETTE: (sighs) She has cancer. They thought they got rid of it a few years ago, but now it's back. So, she's back to chemo and my Dad's back to running himself ragged.

MARTHA: What's the outlook for your mother?

NICHOLETTE: I honestly don't know …

MARTHA: I know your parents. Well, I used to. I was in their wedding party, back when your grandfather …

NICHOLETTE: Mmmm.

MARTHA: Randy Meeks was my brother.

This gets Nicholette's attention.

MARTHA: Film geek extraordinaire. His takes on the horror genre – legendary. Too bad it didn't help him in the end …

NICHOLETTE: I'm sorry …

MARTHA: Don't be. I dealt with the grief. And … I've learned how to pass on my healing techniques to other little girls in need. Such as yourself. So if ever need any advice … you're always welcome.

NICHOLETTE: Thanks Ms. Meeks.

MARTHA: Please … call me Martha.

CUT TO:

INT. CINEMA CLUB - AFTERNOON

The club members file in. Robbie closes the door and he and Charlie stand at the front. Nicholette sits with Jill and Kirby, watching with rapt attention.

CHARLIE: So … I guess no beating around the bush …

ROBBIE: The rumors are true. Cindy and Olivia – who will now officially never go out with me – are dead.

The class explodes. Charlie holds his hands out for silence.

CHARLIE: Which in light of this –

LYLE: (interrupting) You're not cancelling Stab-A-Thon, are you?

CHARLIE: What? Of course not!

LYLE: (sheepish) Oh, well good.

CHARLIE: Which in light, I say BYOB! Let's get shitfaced in their honor! We sent out the emails last night – if any of you checked …

There's a scuffling as each student pulls out their phones, checking the email.

CHARLIE: The address and time was given out to all of you. We'll drink, we'll shriek and deconstruct each movie in their memory.

JENNY: Wait a minute … should we really be having Stab-A-Thon this year?

The rest of the class boos her.

JENNY: Come on – look, I love Stab like the rest of you, but don't you think it's the teensiest bit insulting to their memories –

KIRBY: Oh come on – Stab was their favorite! I say – let's do it!

JENNY: You can count me out on this one. I'm sorry, I just think it's disrespectful.

Awkward silence.

ROBBIE: So who's excited for Stab-A-Thon?

The class cheers. Jenny rolls her eyes.

CRAIG: (off-screen) I am!

Now the class goes silent again. Craig is standing in the doorway, hands in his pockets.

ROBBIE: Craig – what are you doing here?

CRAIG: You mean why aren't I still in prison? Lack of evidence, they couldn't hold me.

The class watches him in awe. Jill and Charlie shoot each other glances.

CRAIG: (sitting next to Lyle and Teddy) What? I didn't do it. The cops knew that and let me go.

CHARLIE: Just like that?

CRAIG: Yeah. Just like that. (looks around) You guys … you don't still believe it was me …?

CHARLIE: You were there – when Olivia was attacked. In a Ghostface costume.

CRAIG: It was a prank! And besides – you were there too, Charlie! Prowling around outside Olivia's house just after it happened! Care to explain that?

The rest of the class stares up at Charlie. He lowers his head.

ROBBIE: (trying to break the tension) So who's excited for Stab-A-Thon?

MARTHA: (offscreen) How about me?

The rest of the class jumps – Martha is standing there, arms folded.

LYLE: Busted …

MARTHA: Oh relax, I'm not the killjoy you all think. Though I will say, with a killer on the loose, you probably shouldn't be having this little shindig tonight, but …

CHARLIE: You're not gonna tell on us, are you?

MARTHA: I may let Hoss and Perkins know that there's an event tonight. Though granted, I don't have the address or time, so that may let you get through the first three Stab movies.

ROBBIE: Right on.

MARTHA: But, I was rummaging through my house last night and found something you guys might get a kick out of. Is there a tv? Ah.

Martha makes her way over to the television. She produces a disk and pops it into a player.

MARTHA: And lights.

The lights are dimmed as the tv blares on – RANDY MEEKS is front and center. Charlie and Robbie's mouths drop. Robbie's eyes fill with tears.

ROBBIE: Christmas has come early …

RANDY: Welp, congratulations, you survived the original trilogy. Go get yourself a cookie and be sure to wash it down with some milk because now the real hell begins.

Kirby leans forward. Jenny's eyes are wide with amazement and a hint of terror. Lyle and Craig are obsessed. Robbie is livestreaming the video with his head gear. Jill and Charlie exchange anxious looks.

RANDY: So you got to the end? The killer was unmasked, the saga came full circle and now you're sitting fat, dumb and smiling as you ride into the sunset of happy endings. Well in the immortal words of Donald Trump – wrong! That conclusion couldn't be further from the truth! Because it's not the end! It's never the end! Not in the horror genre. The writers will always find ways to recycle their killers. What you just went through - #3 – was a false ending. Sure, it may have brought the initial trilogy full circle, ended the story arcs brought to you by #1. But now … it's the time for new beginnings … and a new final girl.

Charlie smiles down at Jill. The rest of the class turns to look at Nicholette.

RANDY: From here on out, all HELL is about to break loose! See, the writers have to up the ante. How do you top the finale to your original trilogy? You have to blow the audience's minds away right from the get go with a new movie that blasts them out of their seats! It's gotta be bigger, bolder, more epic! More bodies, more blood, more gore … the killer has to be downright brutal this time around! And if that's not enough, how do you rejuvenate an old, tired series? Here's a hint – forget two killers! That's old, that's tired. How about an all-out war between several killers? A Ghostface Royale! And it's more fun when the audience knows who one pair of the killers are. We get to look at it from their world, see how they reason, watch as they plan their moves. And yet, it still preserves the element of surprise because it leaves the audience scrambling to figure out who the opposing killers are. Any hints? Watch the movie from the beginning again, the hints are all right there, hidden between the lines. Everything you need is there for you to ID the killer! Heck, he's probably watching this video right now with you as we speak! Survival tips? Hate to break it to you, but I got nothing. You're all just collateral in an all-out war between killers. Anyone who gets in their way – DIES. So I guess what I'm really trying to say is: Abandon hope all ye who enter here. Well, not really. You could go the Freddy vs. Jason route – throw Jason in Freddy's way and hope to God they destroy each other before they destroy you. Hate to make it sound so bleak … but those are the rules to a powder keg about to blow in all directions.

The video winks out. Everyone stands there as the soundtrack thuds, all staring at each other suspiciously.

CUT TO:

INT. WOODSBORO HIGH HALLWAY - AFTERNOON

Nicholette exits the classroom, visibly shaken. Jill follows, sees her.

JILL: Hey – you okay?

NICHOLETTE: I'm fine, I'm fine, it's just – this is all a bit much for me.

JILL: So I take it no Stab-A-Thon for you?

NICHOLETTE: I'd really rather not.

Kirby comes up behind them.

KIRBY: What up, you guys going to Stab-A-Thon?

JILL: I don't think so. And neither should you! After what happened to Olivia and Cindy!

KIRBY: Oh come on – a bunch of people watching horror flicks. No killer is stupid enough to try anything. There's safety in numbers!

NICHOLETTE: I think I'm gonna stay in tonight.

KIRBY: Boo, you guys suck! I'll text you later.

Kirby heads off. Jill locks eyes with Charlie, before turning to Nicholette.

JILL: I'll talk to you later. Do you need my mom to pick you up?

NICHOLETTE: No, I think I'll be okay.

JILL: Okay, I'll see you in a bit.

Jill turns and vanishes down a corridor. Jenny is talking to Lyle – Craig appears and looks like he wants to say something. Instead, he jams his hands in his pockets and disappears. Lyle looks in Craig's direction, excuses himself from Jenny and chases after his friend. Jenny approaches Nicholette with a smile, which instantly turns solemn.

JENNY: Can you believe those guys? I mean, am I right or wrong?

NICHOLETTE: Well … don't tell Jill, but I kinda agree with you. It disrespects Olivia and Cindy to have this Stab-A-Thon.

JENNY: Thank you! Someone who sees reason! Well, do you have any other plans tonight?

NICHOLETTE: Meh, nothing other than hanging out with Jill …

JENNY: Well you know, tonight's the Cupid Express.

NICHOLETTE: The … what?

JENNY: Oh, right, you're new here. Okay, so every year there's a train ride out through the cornfields that couples like to go on. Five bucks and you get a tour of the countryside at night in your own compartment. They also do Christmas tours for the Polar Express, but this romance thing is a once a year thing. Which, if you think about it, they should really do it on Valentine's Day …

NICHOLETTE: Well, I wouldn't have anyone to go with anyway.

JENNY: What about Teddy? I saw the way you two were looking at each other today.

NICHOLETTE: Yeah, but he'd never ask me.

JENNY: Oh, it's the twenty-first century! It's perfectly acceptable for a girl to ask the guy out!

NICHOLETTE: What if he says no?

JENNY: What if he says yes? Won't hurt to ask and it's boatloads of fun. I remember when I went last … well, that was with Trevor, but …

NICHOLETTE: You know what – you're right. But Kate would never let me out -.

JENNY: Jill's mom? Have you met her? Give her till dinner time, she'll be in too much of a drunken stupor to know her lips from her tush.

NICHOLETTE: But, with a killer on the loose –

JENNY: Those Stab-A-Thon morons are the ones in danger. And well, I think Olivia proved you're not safe even in your own house. Besides, you want my opinion? I still say it's Craig. This has Cotton Weary written all over it. He gets arrested, Gale Weathers claims he's innocent, people believe her – boom, he actually did it.

NICHOLETTE: But he's walking free! If it's him, we're all in danger!

JENNY: I don't think so. He's gonna try to keep a low profile.

NICHOLETTE: What if he has a partner?

JENNY: His partner would probably be someone inconspicuous. Someone we all know and hang out with, but who kinda remains on the sidelines.

Marnie appears at the end of the hallway and waves Jenny down.

JENNY: Anyway, gotta go – think about what I said!

Jenny turns and joins Marnie, who leads her towards a classroom. Nicholette hesitates. Teddy appears out of the Cinema Club room and smiles at her, making a bee-line straight for her.

TEDDY: Nicholette!

She blushes.

NICHOLETTE: (to herself) Okay, play it cool. (turning to him) Hey.

TEDDY: So how about that video? Crazy, huh?

NICHOLETTE: Yeah …

TEDDY: Personally, I'm not much of a Stab fan. Give me a classic like Halloween any day. Well, the 1978 version. The newer ones are a bit much for me. I can't stand the sight of blood.

NICHOLETTE: Really? Me either.

TEDDY: Actually, I'm not much of a horror fan anyway. I prefer romantic comedies.

NICHOLETTE: Ah, something else we have in common.

There's an awkward pause.

TEDDY: We'll, I'll see you later …

He begins to walk past her.

NICHOLETTE: (throwing caution to the wind) Wait!

He stares at her.

NICHOLETTE: If you're not doing anything later, there's this Cupid train thing and well, it sounds kinda stupid, but I was thinking -.

TEDDY: I'd love to. It leaves at 8:30. Pick you up at 8:00?

She nods. He smiles and walks in the other way while she nearly claps with excitement.