A Mysterious Road Trip: A Thriller Story, Exercises of Philosophy

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STAY OUT

Written by

Ashley Dozier & Tyshawn Irons

Story Developed by

Jadyn White, Zavonie Johnson, Armani Tyler and Collin Moss

Based on, If Any

"Stay Out" by Tyshawn Irons

Address Phone Number

ii.

DAVID

Why you gotta be like that? I told you. My cousin took his girl out here last year. Did the same hike.

JESS You said it was a PUBLIC park. This looks like Ted Bundy’s backyard.

DAVID It is public, uh, as in the public can find it, maybe not officially recognized, but, uh, very public.

She’s distracted. In the REARVIEW MIRROR, the same RED TRUCK, close behind, follows them as they swerve onto...

EXT. ROW RIVER ROAD - CONTINUOUS

A desolate road, muddy from SPRING rain. David’s BUICK putters along. The RED TRUCK, keeps their pace.

INT. CAR - CONTINUOUS

DAVID

He said there’s nobody out here. No tourists. No kids. No dog shit.

Jessica turns in her seat. Her eyes on the RED TRUCK.

JESS Who said?

DAVID Jadyn. Remember? My cousin?

JESS How long has this car been behind us? Seriously, David?

The RED TRUCK suddenly STOPS in the middle of the road. Jessica squints. She sees a MAN inside. He wears a RED CAP.

DAVID People don’t need your permission to drive down a road.

JESS I’ve seen that truck before.

DAVID You are the definition of paranoid.

The road curves, the RED TRUCK disappears. She faces forward.

EXT. MOON FALLS - DAY, LATER

David’s car is parked by an abandoned nature park. Jessica stands by the car, glaring at a mossy wooden SIGN.

It reads: MOON FALLS PARK. CLOSED TO PUBLIC. STAY OUT.

INT. CAR - DAY

David reaches in the backseat, digs in a backpack. He pulls out a small velvet jewelry box, flips it open.

CLOSE ON: A DIAMOND RING. He studies it, smiles to himself.

Jessica BANGS on the passenger window. He JUMPS, shoves it in his pocket. She doesn’t notice, points to the sign.

EXT. CAR - DAY

David slams his backpack on the trunk. Jessica leans against the car. Her camping bag at her feet. Pissed.

JESS Stay out. STAY. OUT.

DAVID I know how to read, Jess.

JESS Is it even legal to be here?

DAVID Look around you.

She stares around. Nature. Big deal. Shrugs. David moves to her. Puts his hand on her cheeks. She shakes her head.

DAVID (CONT’D) Really. Look.

He gently turns her head. She looks. WILDFLOWERS. LUSH and GREEN. A mist drifts through the trees. BIRDS chirp. Serene.

DAVID (CONT’D) Happy anniversary.

JESS The car could get towed. We could get arrested.

Jessica drags herself up the steps, out of breath.

JESS (CONT’D) Let’s take a break.

DAVID Nah, I wanna make it by sunset.

JESS Make what? God, just tell me where we’re going! This is ridiculous!

He doesn’t hear her. He speeds up. She rests for a moment. Behind her, she hears BRANCHES CRACKING. SOMEONE WALKING.

Her eyes spin. The mist is thicker. No clear view through slimy trees. More FOOTSTEPS. She races up to him, entering...

A SCENIC MOUNTAIN OVERLOOK

A rocky CLIFF wrapped in a wooden fence.

JESS David, I think someone is-

Jessica is speechless. A mountain valley reveals snow-tipped peaks, a wide crystal lake, bright blue sky. David doesn’t notice her. He taps the map.

DAVID You see! Not much further.

Jessica grabs his chin, turns his face towards the VIEW. He pulls away, eyes back on the map.

DAVID (CONT’D) Come on, further north.

She sighs, straightens her bag. He walks back to the trail.

JESS How do you even know that’s north?

DAVID The spirit of our ancestors!

EXT. FOREST TRAIL - NEAR SUNSET

A shift in moods. Woods thicker, darker. David, bewildered, grips the map. He’s lost. Jessica, exhausted, stomps behind.

She hears a CRUNCH. Stops, leans, looks on the bottom of her shoe. CLOSE ON: A SILVER EARRING. She picks it off her shoe.

SHE LOOKS CLOSER. SCREAMS. Drops it. Disgusted. On it’s thin hook, a SMALL CHUNK OF FLESH. She falls back against a tree.

David runs to her. She points at the earring. He kneels, inspects. He prods it with a thin, wet branch.

JESS I wanna go back. Now.

DAVID Jess, we aren’t that far now.

JESS You don’t even know where we are!

DAVID Calm down.

JESS That truck. This place. It’s not right. I keep hearing sounds all around us. We shouldn’t be here!

DAVID Listen. I get it. You’re freaked. But you don’t know what did that. Alright? There’s bears, wolves...

JESS That’s not helping!

DAVID We can’t go back now. Let’s just keep moving. We’ll set up camp ov-

Jessica storms off, back down the trail, moving FAST.

A FOREST CLEARING

Jessica sinks against a tree. Hands on her face. Breathing. In. Out. Closes her eyes. Opens them. David next to her.

DAVID (CONT’D) Listen to me, Jess.

JESS Listen to you? Seriously? I just found a freaking earring with a piece of someone’s ear on it!

CINDY (CONT’D)

Ya’ll come out here for the Falls?

JESS We were just leaving.

DAVID Yeah. We got lost.

CINDY More like ass-backwards. Ain’t a thing though. I’m campin’ up the hill. Ya’ll can park there tonight. Take ya’ to the Falls at sunrise.

DAVID Really? Hey, that’d be cool. Right, Jess? Sunrise. That’s perfect.

JESS David, no-

CINDY Never seen nothin’ like it.

Jessica grabs David’s wrist.

JESS (whisper) You can’t be serious. She’s a stranger. David, please.

DAVID You heard her. We can’t stay here.

JESS You don’t know her.

DAVID Come on, she looks nice.

JESS Oh, really?

DAVID I don’t mean nice, as in, you know-

JESS Well, you two have fun.

CINDY Oh, don’t be like that. I got plenty of food and booze.

JESS

We’re fine. Thanks.

DAVID You said you wanted public, right?

JESS (leans closer to David) Didn’t your Mama tell you not to trust strangers?

DAVID We were strangers once. Maybe we still are. Suit yourself.

David shoves his bag over his shoulder, walks to Cindy. Cindy smiles at him. They linger for a moment, waiting for Jessica.

CINDY You comin’ or what?

In the woods, branches CRACK. Jessica looks towards the SOUNDS. The sun sets, casting shadows through the trees.

CINDY (CONT’D) The woods change at night, ya know.

Cindy walks off. David looks at Jessica. Jessica ignores him, grips the tree. He shakes his head, catches up to Cindy.

She watches them leave. Feels splintered bark on the tree. She looks at the tree. CLAW MARKS. Speckled in browned blood.

Five gashes. Almost like a handprint. WIND rustles leaves. A WOLF HOWLS, far off. Jessica eyes the forest. ANOTHER HOWL.

She grabs her backpack, catches up to David and Cindy. They walk, fast, through the woods and...

OFF TRAIL

They climb a hill. Jessica lumbers behind them. Scanning the dark trees. David, mesmerized, keeps pace with Cindy.

DAVID You came out here alone?

CINDY I like the woods. Reminds me of home. ‘Cept, different, ya know?

She hesitates, slides the bag off her shoulder. He takes it, motions for her to follow him, up the hill, to the campsite.

EXT. CAMPSITE - NIGHT

They’ve been here a while. Trash, empty bottles. Worn tents. Clothes littered around. The four sit around a camp fire.

Ray smokes, chugs whiskey. David sips a beer. Cindy offers Jessica a beer. Jessica shakes her head. Cindy shrugs.

RAY Maybe she likes the harder stuff.

CINDY Looks like it.

Ray stands, towers over Jessica. Offers her his whiskey.

JESS No, thanks. I’m fine.

CINDY Yeah, you sure are.

RAY Jesus, Cindy. Behave yourself. These are classy folks.

Ray, again, offers whiskey to Jessica.

JESS I said I’m fine.

A tense moment. Ray’s mood shifts, darker.

DAVID Don’t take it personal, man. She’s always like this with strangers. She’s from Chicago.

JESS What the hell does that mean?

DAVID Babe, I’m jokin’ around.

Cindy pulls Ray towards her. Ray sits, lights a smoke. Cindy rubs his shoulder, flirtatious. They’re distracted.

Jessica leans closer to David.

JESS

(quiet) These people are freaking me out. Jadyn knows we’re here right?

DAVID Who?

JESS Your cousin. You said he found this place. Gave you the map.

DAVID Huh? Oh! Yeah, uh, he knows.

JESS You’re lying.

DAVID Okay, I’m sorry, maybe, I missed a few details, but, we’ll be-

JESS I can’t believe this. Are you fu-

RAY Everything alright?

David stands, avoidant.

DAVID Just gonna use the facilities.

JESS David, wait-

RAY Can’t a man piss on his own?

CINDY You’re one to talk, Old Fart.

Ray glares at Cindy, her posture shifts, a flash of fright. Jessica watches David, desperate. He’s unconcerned.

DAVID Jess, chill, I’ll be right back.

David fades off, towards the trees. Jessica turns back. Through the rising flames, they watch her, expressionless.

He backs towards the door. BUMPS a table.

A glass jar SHATTERS. He looks. On the floor, bloody human TEETH. They scatter like marbles.

David, gasps, stumbles out the shack back into...

THE WOODS

Frantic, he runs back to...

THE CAMPSITE

Smoke billows in darkness. The fire, extinguished. Darkness. Only his light. They’re gone. She’s gone.

DAVID Jess!

David spins around, frantic. Sees an EMPTY DUFFEL-BAG. BOTTLES, SMASHED. The CAMERA, a photo hanging out its mouth.

He leans down, snatches the photo. THE PICTURE OF JESSICA. Far off, in the woods, he hears a woman SCREAMING.

THE WOODS

Deep in the forest. David searches. His light hits the trees. ANOTHER SCREAM. He stumbles over branches, back on his feet.

Stops. Hears WHIMPERING. MOVEMENTS. He follows the sounds.

FOREST CLEARING

He sees her. Jessica. She’s bound in rope, mouth duct taped. He approaches her. She shakes her head in warning, stay back.

He races towards her. THWACK. A fist knocks David onto his knees. His flashlight tumbles to the ground.

From behind, Ray wraps a thin rope around his neck. TIGHT. Strangling him. David, struggles, his eyes on Jessica.

A shadowy figure slinks towards her. Cindy, BUCK KNIFE in her hand. Cindy kneels by Jessica. David gasps, chokes.

Cindy grabs Jessica by the hair, forces her onto her stomach. Cindy raises the knife. STABS her. Jessica screams, muffled.

Cindy smiles at David, SINKS the knife into her back. AGAIN. Ray tightens his grip on the rope, grunts, pulling hard.

David’s eyes flutter. He sees Jessica, motionless, a blur. Her eyes, empty. She’s gone.

Blood spills over the weeds by her body. Cindy walks to them, BLOODY KNIFE in hand. David’s body slacks. His eyes fall to the grass.

A GURGLING COUGH. Jessica spits blood. She’s still alive. Moaning in pain, rolls herself over, onto her back.

PULLS at her binds, squeezes a hand out, rips tape off her mouth. Sees David, struggling. Searches, sees a ROCK.

She drags herself forward, slow, tears stream her cheeks. Ray sees Jessica, distracted, loosens his grip in David.

RAY Dammit! Cindy!

David smashes his weight against Ray, they topple back. David RIPS the KNIFE from Cindy’s hand, she falls.

He JABS it into Ray’s ankle. Ray groans, loses his ground. Fast, David grabs his shoulder, punches him in the face.

Cindy rips her nails in David’s shoulder. He nudges her back. She clings on him, trying to pull him off Ray.

A HAND grabs Cindy by the HAIR. Cindy spins around. It’s Jessica. She SMASHES a rock against Cindy’s face.

Cindy screams. Blood streams down her forehead. Jessica raises the rock, arm shaking. David hits Ray. Over and over.

Finally, Ray stills. Cindy runs, stumbling, out of the weeds.

David moves off of Ray, to Jessica. She looks at David. He stares at Ray’s bloody face, in shock.

DAVID Jess...

He snaps out of it. Turns. She’s gone.

INTO THE WOODS

Jessica falls against a thick tree, keeps moving, fast, adrenaline pumping, following the sounds

WHIMPERS, FOOTSTEPS, BRANCHES CRACKING. She reaches the...

He opens her palm, sets the box in her hand.

DAVID Is it still lame?

Jessica laughs. She looks at the waterfall, back to David.