Chapter 14

SLAM ON:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – MIDNIGHT

Gale's wrists are pinned to a pipe as she sits on the floor of the Haunted House Ride. Around her, monsters and ghouls and other horrific displays surround her. She pulls on her bindings. Bound next to her, unconscious, are BRYSON, SHANE, ASHLEY, CARRIE AND GREG. Gale is the only one awake.

GALE: Hello! HELLO?!

GHOSTFACE: Don't tire yourself out, Gale. Not before the big finish.

GALE: You're never gonna away with this, you freak!

GHOSTFACE: Now Gale – is that any way to speak to your … host?

GALE: I know who you are! I've figured it out! You're -!

Ghostface wags a finger at her.

GHOSTFACE: Tut, tut, Gale. You should know better than to spoil the ending. (he turns to a security screen) Besides … our guests have arrived.

Gale watches in horror as Billy, Tatum, James and Prudence walk the amusement park's midway.

EXT. MIDWAY – NIGHT

The foursome walk, ready to swing at the first thing that pounces at them. Billy nudges Tatum … they see red arrows painted on the floor. Leading … to the funhouse.

Prudence stops.

PRUDENCE: I'm afraid of clowns!

Billy rolls his eyes.

BILLY: Come on!

INT. FUN HOUSE – NIGHT

The foursome walk, huddled close together. Crazy pictures, spinning walls. The funhouse COMES ALIVE as they walk, strobe lights flashing.

SUDDENLY THE LIGHTS GO OUT!

There's muffled screaming, the sounds of a scuffle, bodies being dragged away.

The lights FLARE ON!

James is alone. Well – not quite! PRUDENCE is pinned in the arms of a clown statue, a knife embedded in her chest, blood running down her mouth.

James jumps back.

JAMES: No way!

He looks around. Left. Right. BILLY AND TATUM ARE MISSING!

JAMES: Billy?! Tatum?!

He looks around.

JAMES: TATUM!

His cell phone RINGS!

The soundtrack thuds. He knows – it's his turn. He answers.

JAMES: What have you done with Tatum?

GHOSTFACE: She's safe – for the moment. I merely shot her and Billy with a small dose of a neurological agent. Completely harmless, but renders its target quite … docile.

JAMES: You better let them go or -.

GHOSTFACE: They're not my concern for the moment. I'll get to them eventually, but for now, I want to play with you, James.

JAMES: I'm not playing any of your sick games, you twisted fuck!

GHOSTFACE: Oh? Are you sure? BECAUSE I CAN RIP THEIR INSIDES OUT THROUGH THEIR MOUTHS RIGHT NOW IF YOU PREFER! (Beat) Now are you ready to act your age and play along? Or do I need to get medieval on them?

JAMES: What do you want me to do?

GHOSTFACE: Walk. Finish the funhouse … at the end, you'll find a spiral tube exit. That's where we'll have your FIRST ROUND! But for now, I have to contend with one of our other contestants! Toodles!

The phone call cuts out as James stares ahead, determined to finish this game.

CUT TO:

INT. HOUSE OF MIRRORS – NIGHT

Shane is lying facedown in the House of Mirrors. He's groggy.

SHANE: What happened?

He looks around … he's utterly confused. Why is he in the House of Mirrors?

His cell phone lies on the floor next to him. It lights up, ringing.

SHANE: H-hello?

GHOSTFACE: Rise and shine, Contestant #1. Welcome! You are … tonight's entertainment!

The lights FLARE ON! He's surrounded by mirrors.

And reflected in each one …

SHANE: Ashley!

She's bound to a chair, mouth taped. Her reflection in each mirror around him.

SHANE: Who are you? Why are you doing this to us?

GHOSTFACE: There's no great secret when it comes to you, Shane. The token asshole who secretly is a good guy. You just exist to up the body count! But of course, it's only fair I give you a fighting chance. Ashley too. You like to play hero, don't you? You saved her once from an abusive boyfriend. Now can you save her again …? Look at her, Shane. Look at the terror in her eyes.

Shane does look. He sees her struggling, her eyes wide, tears running, ruining her mascara. She's pleading behind her gag.

GHOSTFACE: Do you hear her pleas, Shane? She's begging you to save her. I'll give you a chance. We'll play a little game. Answer the question correctly, she lives. Answer it wrong, she DIES!

SHANE: What are you gonna ask me? Horror trivia? Cause I'll knock that junk outta the park!

GHOSTFACE: Oh no … something much easier. Something you should already know the answer to. Are you ready? Here it is: 'Why are you here Shane?'

SHANE: What?

GHOSTFACE: It's very simple. You're all here, trapped, for a reason. Why? Why did I bring you to this amusement park? Why? Why specifically you?

SHANE: Man, I don't know … shit …

GHOSTFACE: Tick-tock, tick-tock … I'm beginning the countdown!

Up above, a clock is hanging from a ceiling with a 30 second countdown in red numbers.

SHANE: Fuck!

GHOSTFACE: She's running out of time, Shane! I thought you wanted to be the hero? I thought you wanted to be the one to rescue the girl, whisk her off her feet, be together forever!

The clock is down to 20 seconds. Ashley's eyes are widening, her cries more tragic.

GHOSTFACE: How sad to see young love CUT DOWN before it ever gets the chance flourish! You're running out time, Shane!

SHANE: Is this like … something I did in High School …?

GHOSTFACE: Ding ding ding! Or more like, something you didn't do! Think Shane!

SHANE: How can I answer?! Please, just give me a hint!

15 seconds.

GHOSTFACE: Fine. But I would've thought a guy like you woulda known the value of friendship!

SHANE: Shit, is this to do with Billy and Sidney or something?

GHOSTFACE: By your lucky stars, you're not an absolute moron after all! And …?

10 seconds.

SHANE: Shit, man. I … I found out Sidney had mental problems, that she had psychotic fits!

GHOSTFACE: And?

SHANE: I didn't tell no one … I found the pills junior year … come on, I was a year ahead of her and Billy! How could I have known …

GHOSTFACE: Oh, but you knew more than that … come on now, Shane!

The clock goes to 0 seconds.

SHANE: I saw her once … riding a bike on the outskirts of town. With him. With Cotton Weary. He was feeling her up and she was enjoying it … right in broad daylight.

GHOSTFACE: A massacre. The lives of Maureen Prescott, two cops, several teens and not to mention Sidney and Cotton themselves! And you knew … you knew the girl wasn't right … you knew there was more to the Cotton Weary story than met the eye … and yet you told no one!

SHANE: Please … I was an idiot … I didn't want to get involved in some shit.

GHOSTFACE: Well you're in it now, Shane. But unfortunately for you … you didn't answer within the allotted time. So I guess it's CURTAINS for Ashley!

SHANE: NO!

The phone goes silent. Shane tosses it aside. He's surrounded by mirrors, filled with images of Ashley, unsure which is the real one. He begins BASHING himself into the mirrors, one by one, shattering them. One after another – only a mirror.

He gets to the real one. He tries to ram it. It's not a mirror. It's glass. Durable plexiglass. He can't break it.

He's crying now, hysterical.

SHANE: Ashley …

He utters her name, holding his hand up to the glass. She stares into his eyes, crying hysterically. He looks around – finds a fire extinguisher.

He tries bashing through it.

THE LIGHTS FLARE OUT!

SHANE: NO!

SQUISH!

SPLAT!

The lights flare on – ASHLEY'S STOMACH HAS BEEN COMPLETELY OBLITERATED! Her head bobs uselessly, her hair covering her face.

He bangs on the glass.

SHANE: Ashley! No! … I love you …

GHOSTFACE BURSTS THROUGH THE GLASS.

Shane grabs the fire extinguisher, attempting to bring it down on the killer's head. Ghostface slices up his arm. Shane screams, dropping it. Ghostface grabs him by the back of his shirt and HURLS him through the plexiglass full force. This time, the plexiglass breaks and he lands at Ashley's feet.

Ghostface jumps down into the small room behind the glass. He raises his hand, slugging the knife downward into Shane's back.

THUNK!

Shane's eyes widen … and then he goes limp …