"SCREAM" by Kevin Williamson July 31, 1995 FADE IN: ON A RINGING TELEPHONE. A hand reaches for it, bringing the receiver up to the face of CASEY BECKER, a young girl, no more than sixteen. A friendly face with innocent eyes. CASEY Hello. MAN'S VOICE (from phone) Hello. Silence. CASEY Yes. MAN Who is this? CASEY Who are you trying to reach? MAN What number is this? CASEY What number are you trying to reach? MAN I don't know. CASEY I think you have the wrong number. MAN Do I? CASEY It happens. Take it easy. CLICK! She hangs up the phone. The CAMERA PULLS BACK to reveal Casey in a living room, alone. She moves from the living room to the kitchen. It's a nice house. Affluent. The phone RINGS again. INT. KITCHEN Casey grabs the portable. CASEY Hello. MAN I'm sorry. I guess I dialed the wrong number. CASEY So why did you dial it again? MAN To apologize. CASEY You're forgiven. Bye now. MAN Wait, wait, don't hang up. Casey stands in front of a sliding glass door. It's pitch black outside. CASEY What? MAN I want to talk to you for a second. CASEY They've got 900 numbers for that. Seeya. CLICK! Casey hangs up. A grin on her face. EXT. CASEY'S HOUSE - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING A big country home with a huge sprawling lawn full of big oak trees. It sits alone with no neighbors in sight. The phone RINGS again. INT. KITCHEN Popcorn sizzles in a pot on the stove. Casey covers it with a lid, reaching for the portable phone. CASEY Hello. MAN Why don't you want to talk to me? CASEY Who is this? MAN You tell me your name, I'll tell you mine. CASEY (shaking the popcorn) I don't think so. MAN What's that noise? Casey smiles, playing along, innocently. CASEY Popcorn. MAN You're making popcorn? CASEY Uh-huh. MAN I only eat popcorn at the movies. CASEY I'm getting ready to watch a video. MAN Really? What? CASEY Just some scary movie. MAN Do you like scary movies? CASEY Uh-huh. MAN What's your favorite scary movie? He's flirting with her. Casey moves away from the stove and takes a seat at the kitchen counter, directly in front of the glass door. CASEY I don't know. MAN You have to have a favorite. Casey thinks for second. CASEY Uh... HALLOWEEN. You know, the one with the guy with the white mask who just sorta walks around and stalks the baby sitters. What's yours? MAN Guess. CASEY Uh... NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. MAN Is that the one where the guy had knives for fingers? CASEY Yeah... Freddy Krueger. MAN Freddy -- that's right. I liked that movie. It was scary. CASEY The first one was, but the rest sucked. MAN So, you gotta boyfriend? CASEY (giggling) Why? You wanna ask me out? MAN Maybe. Do you have a boyfriend? CASEY No. MAN You never told me your name. Casey smiles, twirling her hair. CASEY Why do you want to know my name? MAN Because I want to know who I'm looking at. Casey spins around like lightning facing the glass door. CASEY What did you say? MAN I want to now who I'm talking to. CASEY That's not what you said. MAN What do you think I said? Casey CLICKS on the outside light. A flood light illuminates the backyard. Her eyes survey the grounds. But it's empty. No one's there. She turns the light out. On the stove, the popcorn POPS. CASEY I have to go now. MAN Wait... I thought we were gonna go out. CASEY Nah, I don't think so... MAN Don't hang up on me. CASEY Gotta go. MAN Don't... CLICK! Casey hangs up. She checks the glass door making sure it's locked and then moves to the stove as... THE PHONE RINGS. She slides the popcorn from the stove, reaching for the phone. CASEY Yes? MAN I told you not to hang up on me. CASEY What do you want? MAN To talk. CASEY Dial someone else, okay? MAN You getting scared? CASEY No-bored. CLICK. She hangs up. The phone RINGS again. She grabs it. CASEY Listen, asshole... MAN (deadly serious) NO, YOU LISTEN, YOU LITTLE BITCH. IF YOU HANG UP ON ME AGAIN I'LL GUT YOU LIKE A FISH. UNDERSTAND? Total silence. He has gotten her full attention. CASEY Is this some kind of a joke? MAN More of a game, really. Casey eyes the glass doors, then looks up the hallway to the front doors... moving to it. It's unlocked. She bolts it. CASEY I'm two seconds from calling the police. MAN They'd never make it in time. Casey moves her face flush against the door, her eye looking through the peephole. ANGLE THROUGH PEEPHOLE. A distorted view of the front porch. It is empty. She relaxes a bit, relieved. CASEY What do you want? MAN (pure evil) TO SEE WHAT YOUR INSIDES LOOK LIKE. Casey's jaw drops as total fear storms her face. She hangs up the phone, throwing it down on a side table when... THE DOORBELL CHIMES. Casey leaps out of her skin. She turns to the door as it chimes again. CASEY (calling out) Who's there? Another CHIME. She moves to it. CASEY (louder) Who's there? No answer. Fuck this. It's time for the police. She goes for the portable phone. Just as she picks it up... IT RINGS. Casey almost drops it, losing her breath... She brings it to her ear with trembling hands, saying nothing... listening, waiting... A long silence. And then. MAN You should never say "Who's there?". Don't you watch scary movies? It's a death wish. Casey clutches the wall, nearly collapsing. She tries her damnedest to hang tough. CASEY Look, enough is enough. You had your fun now you better leave me alone or else. MAN Or else what? CLOSE ON her face, her mind thinking, calculating... CASEY My boyfriend will be here any second and he'll be pissed when I tell him... MAN I thought you didn't have a boyfriend. Busted. She holds steady. CASEY I lied. I do have a boyfriend and he'll be here any second and your ass better be gone. MAN Sure... CASEY I swear it. And he's big and plays football and will beat the shit out of you. MAN I'm getting scared. CASEY I'm telling you the truth. I lied before... MAN I believe you... CASEY So you better leave. MAN His name wouldn't be Steve, would it? Silence. Casey buckles at the knees, losing it. CASEY How do you know his name? MAN Go to the back door and turn on the porch light -- again. Casey, terrified, forces herself to move... staggering to the kitchen... to the glass doors. Her shaky hand finds the light switch... she hits it. The back yard is lit. Sitting in a lawn chair in the middle of the backyard is a big, line backer of a guy, her boyfriend... STEVE tied and gagged. He's been roughed up, but he's alive. CLOSE ON his eyes... wide in fear... staring at his girlfriend, pleading with her. CASEY Oh Goddddd... Casey SCREAMS. Her hand moves to the lock on the door. MAN I wouldn't do that if I were you. Terror rides Casey's face. She's petrified. CASEY Where are you? MAN Guess. Her eyes search the yard, combing bushes, trees. He could be anywhere -- anywhere. CASEY (begging) Please don't hurt him. MAN That all depends on you. CASEY Why are you doing this? Tears find their way, streaming down Casey's face. MAN I wanna play a game. CASEY No... MAN Then he dies. Right now. CASEY NOOO! MAN Which is it? A long silence. Casey touches the glass... staring at STEVE... this big jock of a guy is crying too. CASEY What kind of game? MAN Turn off the light. Her hand goes to the switch... Steve tugs and pulls at his straps... as if begging her... his face sweat and tears... CLICK He disappears in the darkness. Casey moves away from the glass, back toward the living room, unbelieving, horrified. MAN Here's how we play. I ask a question. If you get it right -- Steve lives. Three curtainless windows line one wall. Casey crouches down behind the couch, tipping a lamp cord from it's socket, darkening the room. Her body quivers. CASEY Please don't do this... MAN Come on. It'll be fun. CASEY No... please. MAN It's an easy category. Movie trivia. CASEY (begging) ...please... MAN I'll even give you a warm up question. CASEY Don't do this. I can't... MAN Name the killer in HALLOWEEN. CASEY No... MAN Come on. It's you favorite scary movie, remember? He had a white mask, he stalked the baby-sitters. Casey goes silent... a nervous wreck... she can barely speak much less think. CASEY I don't know... MAN Come on, yes you do. CASEY Please..stop... Casey is SOBBING. MAN What's his name? CASEY I can't think. Casey has officially reached hysteria, petrified beyond all reality. MAN Steve's counting on you. Suddenly... through tears... Godsent... CASEY (a whisper) Michael... Michael Myers. MAN YES! Casey SIGHS... relieved. MAN Now for the real question. CASEY NOOOO.... MAN But you're doing so well. CASEY Please go away! Leave us alone! MAN Then answer the question. Same category. Casey is a blubbering, wet mass on the floor. CASEY ...please... no... MAN Name the killer in FRIDAY THE 13TH. A mad smile purses Casey's lips. She knows this. She leaps up, through tears, screaming... CASEY Jason! Jason!... JASON! A slight PAUSE. MAN I'm sorry. That's the wrong answer. CASEY No it's not. It was Jason. MAN Afraid not. CASEY It was Jason. I saw that goddamned movie twenty times. It was Jason. MAN Then you should know Jason's MOTHER -- Mrs. Vorhees was the original killer. Jason didn't show up until the sequel. Casey is stupefied. CASEY You tricked me... MAN Lucky, for you there's a bonus round. But poor Steve... I'm afraid... he's out. This implication sends Casey running to the kitchen... to the glass doors. She flips on the porch lights to see... STEVE eyes wide, sitting in the lawn chair... his belly gaping open... a mass of blood and ripped flesh... his insides lay on the ground between his feet... steam rising. A SCREAM erupts from the bottom of her soul as Casey collapse on the floor... nearly passing out. CLOSE ON her face... pale and ghostly white. She SOBS. MAN Final question. Are you ready? She doesn't answer. A long, maddening silence. Casey reaches up and CLICKS off the light, making Steve go away... wishing, hoping... CASEY ...leave me alone... please... MAN Answer the question and I will. Casey is curled up on the floor like an infant, rocking slowly back and forth. MAN What door am I at? CASEY What? MAN There are two doors to your house. A front door and a back one. If you answer correctly -- you live. From where Casey sits she can see both front and back doors. She deliberates... with her last bit of strength she tries to strategize. Eyeing both, the front door... the back door trying to decide between the two. CASEY Don't make me... I can't... I won't. MAN Your call. In the darkness, Casey crawls to the kitchen counter -- she leans up and grabs a long, sharp knife. Casey looks around her... she looks down the hall to the front door... then turns back to the kitchen glass door as it suddenly... SHATTERS TO BITS... as a lawn chair come flying through it. Exploding glass sprays everywhere. This incites Casey like fire. She springs to her feet... bolting out of the kitchen as a SHADOW moves quickly through the shattered doorframe. ANGLE ON CASEY Somewhere in the house, back flat against a window, listening to FEET ON CRACKING GLASS. She turns and unlocks the latch, quietly sliding it up. She can hear him move through the foyer... to the front door. Casey lifts herself up and puts her legs through the window. She holds the knife in one hand, the phone in the other. Casey eases out the window, fumbling, dropping the knife back in the house. She starts to reach for it. Fuck it, she takes off... EXT. SIDE OF HOUSE Casey it at the back corner of the house. MAN I can hear you. I know you're here. Casey eases along a narrow path between a tall fence and the side of the house... going for the front yard. She must pass the three curtainless windows. She gets to the first one and peeks in... The FIGURE has pulled open the foyer closet, searching for her. Casey creeps along, to the next window, she looks in... the FIGURE is completely on the other side of the room moving toward the hall that leads to other parts of the house. She moves further along the house... squeezing by hedges... to the third window... she peeks in to the FIGURE... STARING BACK AT HER... His face covered with a ghostly white mask, inches from her... his eyes piercing through... soulless... Casey SCREAMS BLOODY MURDER as a hand... CRASHES through the glass window grabbing hold of her neck... she beats at him trying to free herself... her nails dig into his arm... she wrenches from side to side... finally breaking free as the hands disappear inside the house... EXT. CORNER OF HOUSE Casey sails around the corner of the house, eyeing the front door. It remains closed. Her eyes cover the sprawling country yard when suddenly.... HEADLIGHTS APPEAR in the distance, coming down the road towards the house... she recognizes them instantly. Mom... Dad... she tears off across the yard toward them... moving like lightning... The car turns into the driveway... Casey SCREAMS, waving madly, rushing by a tree as... THE GHOST MASKED FIGURE APPEARS Casey stumbles back, catching her balance... the FIGURE moves on her, arm poised high... a flash of silver... and Casey is struck, across the chest. She looks down to see her shirt blossoming red... a look of bewilderment as she drops to one knee. The knife rises again... Casey throws her hand forward... the blade comes down... but it's blocked by the portable phone still in her hand. She turns staggering to... EXT. DRIVEWAY A MIDDLE-AGED COUPLE emerge from the parked car. They move to the front door completely unaware of what's happening to their daughter, only feet from them. EXT. FRONT YARD Casey stumbles forward... her parents ten feet away... she opens her mouth to scream but no sound resonates... she is beyond words... staggering, swaying... the FIGURE moving behind her. EXT. FRONT DOOR HER PARENTS APPROACH THE DOOR FATHER That fish smelled strong. MOTHER I told you to send it back. The father discovers the front door ajar. A puzzled look. Casey is right behind them with one arm outstretched. If they'd only turn around... They enter the house and close the door as... Casey collapses on the ground, clutching her bloody chest... the FIGURE upon her. INT. FOYER The father sees straight back into the kitchen... the shattered patio door. FATHER Jesus... MOTHER What is it? Where's Casey? FATHER (calling out) Casey? Casey? In a split second they're both panic stricken. The father begins searching the house frantically. The mother is hysterical. EXT. FRONT YARD CLOSE ON Casey... she's dragged by her feet through damp soil... the life going fast from her body... her hand still clutching the phone. INT. FOYER Back in the house. MOTHER Where is she? FATHER Call the police. The mother moves to the phone in the foyer, picks it up... There is no dial tone. She jiggles the base. FATHER (searching) Casey? Where are you honey? Call the police, goddamnit. MOTHER The phone's dead. The... the softest... faintest voice is heard... CASEY (from phone) ...help me... MOTHER She's here, God, I can hear her. Where's my baby? The husband returns to the foyer finding his wife clinging to the phone. FATHER Where is she? MOTHER I can hear her. Oh Mother of God, I can hear her. The father upturns the living room. FATHER Casey! Casey! MOTHER Not my daughter... not my... The husband grabs hold of his wife. FATHER Get in the car and drive down to the Mackenzie's. The other throws the front door open and rushes out... the father moves through the house when a SCREAM echoes out. That of his wife. He tears off for the front door. EXT. FRONT DOOR The father rushes out the door to find his wife, on her knees, bent over, retching. His eyes move beyond to a tree in the front yard... his stomach fails him... his dinner rises... as he bares witness to the single, most horrifying sight he'll ever see. That of his only daughter as she hangs from a big oak tree... strung up... very much dead... her stomach ripped open. BLACKOUT! BEGIN MAIN TITLES FADE IN: INT. BEDROOM - SAME NIGHT A teenage girl's room. Neat and pinkish. On the bed, amongst age-old stuffed animals lie opened school books. The CAMERA PANS to a desk against the wall where... SIDNEY PRESCOTT a young girl of 17, sits, her face glued to the computer monitor in front of her. CLOSE ON her face. Sharp and clever with deep, lonely eyes. She's comfortable in a plain, flannel nightgown. Her hands are at work, typing feverishly, when suddenly... CRASH-BOOM A noise behind her. She turns abruptly, eyeing an open window across the room. A SCRATCHING sound. She stands and moves toward it. EXT. WINDOW Sidney sticks her head out the window. The late night wind hits her face as a SHADOW appears just to the left of her, a hand reaches out, grabs her and suddenly a FIGURE is on top of her... INT. BEDROOM Sid SCREAMS... pulling away from the figure... breaking free, falling back onto the floor. VOICE (O.S.) Hey... it's just me. Sid looks up to see... BILLY LOOMIS A young, strapping boy of seventeen. Handsome and alluring. A star quarterback/class president type of guy. He sports a smile that could last for days. SIDNEY Billy? What the... BILLY I'm sorry. Don't hate me. SIDNEY What are you doing here? BILLY You sleep in THAT? Billy pulls himself through the window. SIDNEY (whispering) My dad's in the other room. BILLY I'll only stay a sec. Suddenly... The bedroom door BURSTS open. The doorknob catches on the open closet door behind it jamming it, holding it in place. VOICE (from behind door) What's going on in there? Billy quickly rolls out of sight behind the bed. Sidney unjams the door to reveal... MR. PRESCOTT, late 40's, a severe presence. A distracted man, nervous and pre-occupied. MR. PRESCOTT Are you okay? SIDNEY Can you knock? MR. PRESCOTT I heard screaming. SIDNEY No you didn't. MR. PRESCOTT No? Oh, well... I'm hitting the sack. My flight leaves first thing in the morning. Now the expo runs all weekend so I won't be back til Sunday. There's cash on the table and I'll be staying at the Raleigh Hilton... SIDNEY ...out at the airport... MR. PRESCOTT ...so call if you need me. SIDNEY Got it. He gives the bedroom a quick once over. MR. PRESCOTT I coulda swore I heard screaming. Sidney distracts him, giving him a peck on the cheek. SIDNEY Have a good trip. MR. PRESCOTT Sleep tight, sweetie. He gives her a wink and pulls the door closed. Billy reappears. BILLY Close call. SIDNEY What are you doing here? Billy takes a flying leap and lands on the bed. BILLY It just occurred to me that I've never snuck through your bedroom window. SIDNEY Now that it's out of your system. BILLY And I was home, bored, watching television, THE EXORCIST was on and it got me thinking of you. SIDNEY Oh it did? BILLY Yeah, it was edited for TV. All the good stuff was cut out and I started thinking about us and how two years ago, we started off kinda hot and heavy, a nice solid "R" rating on our way to an NC17. And how things have changed and, lately, we're just sot of... edited for television. SIDNEY So you thought you could sneak in my window and we would have a little bump-bump. BILLY No, no. I wouldn't dream of breaking your underwear rule. I just thought we might do some on top of the clothes stuff. She snuggles up next to him, planting a kiss on his lips. Passionate and gentle. He, however, reacts like a shark, moving on top of her, his hands everywhere as he presses into her... Sidney breaks away. SIDNEY Time to go, stud bucket. Billy sits up. His heart isn't racing... it's POUNDING. BILLY See what you do to me. Sweat has popped out all over his forehead, his breathing heavy. SIDNEY You know what my dad will do to you? BILLY I'm going... I'm going. He moves to the window. She follows, motioning to his wound. SIDNEY I appreciate the romantic gesture. She gives him a kiss goodnight. Sweet and simple. BILLY (whisper) Hey... about the sex stuff. I'm not trying to rush you. I was only half serious. She kisses him again as he eases through the window. SIDNEY Would you settle for a PG-13 relationship? BILLY What's that? She pulls her flannel gown open for a split second... flashing her left breast. His mouth drops open... surprise, shock. Their eyes meet. They share a smile. SIDNEY Get outa here. INT. SIDNEY'S BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING CLOSE on Sidney snuggling her pillow, sleeping peacefully when... THE RADIO ALARM BLASTS from the night table loud enough to wake the dead. Sidney bolts up. DISC JOCKEY (from radio) ...found brutally murdered... CLICK. Sidney, quick with the reflexes, shuts it off instantly. A car trunk SLAMS shut outside. Sidney pulls herself out of bed and leans to the window just in time to see her Dad jumping in his car. She half waves down at him but he doesn't see her. He's as good as gone, pulling out of the driveway and disappearing down the road. A moment as Sidney stands at the window, staring out after him. EXT. SCHOOL - MORNING CLOSE ON A SIGN "BAYBORO HIGH SCHOOL. HOME OF THE FIGHTING BULLDOGS" THE CAMERA PULLS BACK TO REVEAL a picture perfect small town school. Old and charming. Students come and go, moving about. Nothing unusual, except for the... six police cars, four news vans, flashing cameras, and crowds and crowds of lookie- loo's gathered just off campus. EXT. SIDEWALK Sidney approaches the school seeing the commotion. Four different REPORTERS stand in front of four different cameras giving four different news reports. She moves passed a policeman standing guard. Her interest peaked, she stops at the first reporter who is... GALE WEATHERS Thirties. He smart face is overshadowed by a flashy smile and a massive mane of chemically enhanced hair. GALE (for the camera) The small town of Bayboro, North Carolina was devastated last night when two young teenagers were found brutally butchered. Authorities have yet to issue a statement but our sources tell us that no arrest has been made and the murderer could strike again... ON SIDNEY. Moved, disturbed. From behind, a finger taps her shoulder. She spins around to see... Tatum Riley, same age, feisty, carefree. TATUM Do you believe this shit? SIDNEY What happened? They break away from the crowd and head for school. TATUM Oh God! You don't know? Casey Becker and Steve Forrest were killed last night. SIDNEY No way. TATUM And not just killed, Sid. We're talking splatter movie killed-split open end to end. SIDNEY Casey Becker? She sits next to me in English. TATUM Not anymore. Her parents found her hanging from a tree. Her insides on the outside. SIDNEY Do they know who did it? TATUM Fucking clueless -- they're interrogating the entire school. Teachers, students, staff, janitors... SIDNEY They think it's school-related? TATUM They don't know. Dewey said this is the worst crime they've ever seen. Even worse than... (stopping herself) Well it's bad. They're bringing in the feds. This is big. Sidney looks back at Gale, her face deeply pained. INT. CLASSROOM - LATER A frumpy old woman, MRS. TATE, faces her class. Her hands clasped together. A tragic look upon her face. MRS. TATE ...a terrible tragedy. An unbearable loss. It's days like today we need prayer in school... Sidney sits near the rear of the room. The desk in front of her sits vacant. Sidney can't take her eyes of it. The door opens and a student opens with a slip of paper. He hands it to Mrs. Tate. MRS. TATE Sidney. It appears to be your turn. INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE The room is at capacity... wall to wall with police, and the likes. Some sit, stand, lean... SHERIFF BURKE, a round man in his fifties, wipes the stress from his face. SHERIFF BURKE Who's up next? A young officer looks at the clipboard. This is DEPUTY RILEY, better known as DEWEY. He's a big guy, 20's, handsome in a scrubbed-clean boyish way. DEWEY Sidney Prescott. Sheriff Burke gestures to bring her in. PRINCIPAL HIMBRY, 50's, an old codger of a man wearing a sour face speaks up. MR. HIMBRY Sidney Prescott. She was daughter of... DEWEY We all know Sidney, Mr. Himbry. SHERIFF BURKE How she doin'? MR. HIMBRY She's adjusted well. Maintains an "A" average. You never know she... Himbry stops short, seeing Sidney in the doorway. He rises and seats her. SHERIFF BURKE Hi Sidney. SIDNEY Sheriff Burke. Dewey. Dewey shakes his head seriously. DEWEY It's Deputy Riley today, Sid. SHERIFF BURKE How is everything? SIDNEY Good. SHERIFF BURKE And your Dad? How's he doing? SIDNEY We're fine. Thanks. MR. HIMBRY We'll be brief, Sidney. The police have a few questions they'd like to ask you... Sidney eyes them all nervously. EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD - LATER Students sit at outdoor tables eating lunch. Crowded at one table is the "gang". This consists of Sidney, Billy and Tatum. Next to Tatum, sits her boyfriend STUART, with his arm draped across her back. He's a Billy wannabe. Almost the jock, almost handsome, almost cool. He tries way to hard. Across the table is the fifth wheel, RANDY. A tall and gangly kid with no such Billy-like aspirations. A witty jokester who elevates geek to coolness. TATUM Hunt? Why would they ask if you like to hunt? STU I don't know, they just did. RANDY Because their bodies were gutted. Sidney flinches. BILLY Thanks Randy. TATUM They didn't ask me if I like to hunt. STU Because there's no way a girl could have killed them. TATUM That is so sexist. The killer could easily be female -- BASIC INSTINCT. RANDY That was an ice pick -- not exactly the same. STU Yeah, Casey and Steve were completely hollowed out. Takes a man to do something like that. TATUM Or a man's mentality. SIDNEY (quiet, almost to herself) How do you gut someone? All eyes turn to Sidney. A serious silence. And then: STU You take a knife and slit from the groin to the sternum. Sidney shivers down to her soul. The whole table rolls their eyes at Stu. STU What? She asked. BILLY It's called tact, you fuckrag. STU Sorry. RANDY Remember in JAWS when they caught the wrong shark at first and Richard Dreyfuss cut it open to look for body parts and all they found was a licence plate and all this white milky goo. Stu leans over and socks Randy in the arm. STU You heard Billy -- shut the fuck up. SIDNEY Hey, Stu? Didn't you use to date Casey? Stu's taken back, a little off guard. STU For about two seconds. RANDY Before she dumped him for Steve. Tatum turns to Stu, surprised. TATUM I thought you dumped her for me. STU I did. He's full of shit. RANDY And are the police aware you dated the victim? STU (offended) What are you saying? That I killed her or something? RANDY It would certainly improve your high school Q. TATUM Stu was with me last night. RANDY Oooooh... before or after he sliced and diced. TATUM Fuck you, nut case. Where were you last night? RANDY Working, thank you. TATUM I thought Blockbuster fired you. RANDY Twice. STU I didn't kill anybody. BILLY No one's saying you did. RANDY Besides -- (perfect Stu mimic) "Takes a man to do something like that." STU I'm gonna gut your ass in a second. RANDY (to Stu) Did you really put her liver in the mailbox? I hear they found her liver in the mailbox. TATUM (eyeing Sidney) Randy, you goon-fuck, I'm eating here. Stu nibbles at Tatum's neck. STU Yeah, Randy, she's getting mad. I think you better liver alone. Stu cracks up at his own joke. The others just MOAN. Sidney is about to crawl out of her skin, trying hard to ignore it all. EXT. SIDNEY'S HOUSE - LATER A huge two story country home with a spacious lawn. A yellow school bus stops in front of the house and Sidney steps off. The house looks big and lonely as Sidney moves up the walk to the front door. INT. BEDROOM - LATER Sidney is on the telephone. SIDNEY (into phone) You sure I can stay over? My dad won't be back til Sunday. TATUM (through phone) No prob. I'll pick you up after practice. SIDNEY Tell your mom I said thanks. TATUM Yeah, yeah... are you okay? SIDNEY Uh-huh, it's just... you know, the police and reporters... it brings it all back. TATUM I'll be there by seven. I promise SIDNEY Thanks, Tatum. TATUM Later. Sidney hangs up. She takes a seat at her computer and boots it up. She sits in front of it staring at the blue screen... her own reflection staring back. INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER Sidney comes down the stairs, her arms carrying a change of clothes, toothbrush, make-up... She opens the hall closet and pulls a small overnight bag from the top shelf. Moving into the living room she loads it up, plopping down on the sofa, hitting the TV remote. CLOSE ON THE SCREEN A news reporter fades in. REPORTER #1 (on TV) The entire nation was shocked today by the teen murders in North Carolina... Sidney switches channels. REPORTER #2 The State Bureau of Investigation has joined forces with local authorities to help catch what the Governor has called the most heinous... The channel switches again. Gale weathers appears, standing in front of the school. Her white teeth gleaming. GALE This is not the first time the small town of Bayboro has endured such tragedy. Only a year ago, Maureen Prescott, wife and mother, was found raped and murdered... An old black and white snapshot fills the screen-a woman, beautiful and familiar. CLOSE ON SIDNEY eyes frozen, mesmerized by the image. Suddenly she CLICKS the TV off. Her eyes go to the clock on the end table. 5:45 PM. Her eyes then move to the framed photo next to it... the same black and white photo stares at her... a healthy, vibrant woman. An older version of Sidney. Sidney curls up on the sofa closing her eyes tight... INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER The clock on the end table reads 7:15 PM. Sidney is fast asleep on the couch. The phone RINGS. Sidney leaps up grabbing the portable phone. TATUM (from phone) Practice ran late. I'm on my way. SIDNEY (eyes clock) It's past seven. TATUM Don't worry. Casey and Steve didn't bite it til way after ten. SIDNEY I'm not worried. TATUM Good, 'cause I wanna swing by BLOCKBUSTER and get us a video. I was thinkin' Tom Cruise in ALL THE RIGHT MOVES. You know, if you pause it just right you can see his penis. SIDNEY Whatever. Just hurry. TATUM Bye. She hangs up the phone. It immediately RINGS again. SIDNEY (into phone) Tatum? MAN'S VOICE (from phone) Hello, Sidney. IT'S HIM. THE VOICE FROM BEFORE. SIDNEY Hi. Who is this? MAN You tell me. Sidney thinks, trying to place his voice. It sounds a little distorted. SIDNEY I have no idea. MAN Scary night, isn't it? With the murders and all, it's like right out of a horror movie or something. SIDNEY Aha, Randy, you gave yourself away. Are you calling from work? Tatum's on her way over. MAN Do you like scary movies, Sidney? SIDNEY I like that thing you're doing with your voice, Randy. It's sexy. MAN What's your favorite scary movie? SIDNEY Don't start. You know I don't watch that shit. MAN And why is that? SIDNEY (playing along) Because they're all the same. It's always some stupid killer stalking some big breasted girl -- who can't act -- who always runs up the stairs when she should be going out the front door. They're ridiculous. A brief silence. MAN Are you alone in the house? SIDNEY That is so unoriginal. You disappoint me, Randy. MAN Maybe that's because I'm not Randy. SIDNEY So who are you? MAN The question is not who am I. The question is where am I? SIDNEY So where are you? MAN Your front porch. This gives her pause. She moves to the window and pulls aside the drapes. SIDNEY Why would you call me from my front porch? MAN That's the original part. ANGLE THROUGH WINDOW. She can't quite see all of the porch. SIDNEY Oh yeah? Well I call your bluff. Sidney goes to the front door. She unlocks the bolt, unsnags the chain, and pulls the door open... revealing the front porch... COMPLETELY EMPTY. She steps out onto it, phone still in hand. A single light shines overhead illuminating the porch, but little beyond. Darkness is all around. SIDNEY So where are you? MAN Right here. Sidney peers out into the darkness past thick shrubs that grow on either side of the porch. SIDNEY Can you see me right now? MAN Uh-huh. SIDNEY What am I doing? She sticks her finger up her nose, pretending to pick. Silence. No answer. SIDNEY Good try, Randy. Tell Tatum to hurry. Bye now. MAN If you hang up, you'll die just like your mother. Sidney stops dead in her tracks, speechless. MAN (deadly) Do you want to die, Sidney? Your mother didn't. His seriousness unnerves her. Sid flies off the handle. SIDNEY FUCK YOU! YOU CRETIN! She hangs up on him. Moves back inside the house. Locks, chains, and bolts the door when... A FIGURE COMES LEAPING OUT OF THE HALL CLOSET rushing her, ramming into her side... the phone flies... the FIGURE is on top of her as she goes down... SCREAMING... She looks up to see the FIGURE, darkly dressed with a pale, distorted face, white and ghostly... a mask. Her instincts surface and she kicks up with her foot making the contact with his leg... he topples over... coming right at her, his hand finding her neck. Suddenly, along, silver blade appears above her. Sidney pulls, jerks, twists... finally she lifts her torso forward knocking the FIGURE off her... sending him reeling into the living room. Wasting no time, Sidney leaps to her feet. She moves to the front door, unlocks it... pulls it open... it catches on the chain. Shit! She pushes it closed again looking behind her... the FIGURE has risen, knife in hand. Sidney pulls on the chain and then -- inexplicably turns and... RUNS UP THE STAIRS. The FIGURE right behind her. INT. UPSTAIRS LANDING The FIGURE leaps at Sidney taking hold of her foot, she grabs madly at the wall... her hands grasp a framed painting -- a quiet country home, subdued colors, done in oils -- she rips it from the wall swinging it behind her... It catches the FIGURE head on, smashing against his skull, sending him backwards, tumbling down the stairs. Sidney races to her bedroom... INT. BEDROOM She locks the door shut, the pulls her closet door open, placing the edge right at the door knob just as... THE FIGURE POUNDS AGAINST THE BEDROOM DOOR... ramming it, it rips open, but the closet door catches it in a crazy vice-like hold. Sidney grabs the desk phone. It's dead... off the hook downstairs. The figure rushes the door several times... the frame splinters... but won't give. Sidney is at her computer, she punches at the keypad madly. CLOSE ON SCREEN AS WORDS APPEAR. FAX MODEM 9-1-1 SEND The knife slashes through the crack in the door wildly. ON SCREEN AGAIN HELP KILLER 34 ELM ST Sidney presses SEND when it occurs to her -- all is quiet. The FIGURE is gone. A fearful silence. She looks around... the only sound her own rapid, terrified BREATHING. ON THE SCREEN "Stay calm. Police enroute." Suddenly a NOISE at the window... Sidney looks up to see... BILLY her boyfriend, staring at her, surprised. SIDNEY Oh Billy... Please... God... BILLY I heard screaming. The door was locked. Are you okay... SIDNEY He's here. He's trying to kill me... Billy pulls himself through the window. As he does, a small black object falls from his dark jeans. It hits the floor as Sidney eyes it... a sleek, compact cellular phone. Sidney stops in her tracks. Their eyes meet... an eternity. A SIREN is heard in the distance. Sidney bolts... BILLY Hey... wait... what's goin... Billy reaches for her. Sidney unblocks the bedroom door and tears out of the room. INT. LANDING Sidney nearly falls down the stairs... INT. FOYER She rips the chain off the door, pulls it open, coming face to face with a white, ghostly mask. A massive SCREAM erupts from her gut as... THE CAMERA PULLS BACK to find Dewey -- Deputy Riley, holding it. Red lights flash, sirens BLAST as car after car surrounds the house. Sidney falls into the safety of Dewey's arms. EXT. FRONT YARD - MINUTES LATER The yard is a whirlwind of activity. An ambulance, squad cars, cops everywhere... CLOSE ON BILLY'S FACE as it SMASHES against the hood of a police car. His hands are being cuffed, his rights being read. BILLY (screaming) I didn't do anything! Sid... where's Sid? Ask her, she'll tell ya... Dewey holds a car door open as Sheriff Burke steps out. DEWEY We got him, Sheriff. Billy Loomis. SHERIFF BURKE Hank Loomis' kid? Aw... Jesus... DEWEY He's her boyfriend. They approach Billy as he's being placed in a squad car. BILLY Sheriff... I didn't do it... please, call my Dad... please... The squad car disappears with Billy as another car comes to a stop in front of the house. Tatum gets out, freaked beyond belief. Back to the Sheriff and Dewey as they storm across the yard. DEWEY I was first to respond. SHERIFF BURKE What were you doing out here? DEWEY Drive by patrol. SHERIFF BURKE How is she? DEWEY She's tough. SHERIFF BURKE Have to be. The shit she's gone through. Across the yard sits Sidney, in the back of an ambulance as PARAMEDICS check her out. Sheriff Burke and Riley approach. SHERIFF BURKE We're seeing a lot of you today. She tries to smile but fails. DEWEY You gonna be able to come down to the station and talk to us a bit? SIDNEY ...yeah... TATUM appears, barreling past an OFFICER. TATUM What happened? Oh God... Tatum rushes to her, grabbing hold of her. DEWEY (to Tatum) What are you doing here? TATUM Oh, God, Sid, I'm sorry I was late. DEWEY You can't be here, Tatum. This is an official crime scene. SIDNEY It's okay. She was supposed to pick me up. TATUM Her dad's out of town. She's staying with us. DEWEY Does mom know? TATUM Yes, you doofus. Two news vans come driving up the street. SHERIFF BURKE The vultures are coming. Let's get you out of here. EXT. STREET A big, white news van comes to a stop in front of the house. The side door slides open and Gale Weathers hops out just in time to see Sidney being escorted to a squad car. GALE I'll be damned. Jumping from the driver's seat is KENNY, Gale's cameraman and flunky. An earnest young chap on the chubby side. KENNY What? What? GALE Jesus! The camera-hurry! But it's too late. Sidney is as good as gone. Gale sees Tatum moving quickly to her car. GALE Excuse me? Tatum looks up to see Gale Weathers rushing her. GALE Was that Sidney Prescott they took away? TATUM I don't know. Tatum hops in her car, ignoring her. GALE What happened to her? TATUM I'm not talking to you. Tatum's car peels out as Kenny comes running up with his camera. KENNY Where'd she go? Gale spins around, flashing her pearly whites. GALE Look, Kenny, I know you're about fifty pounds overweight but when I say hurry please interpret that as... MOVE YOUR FAT TUB OF LARD ASS NOW! Gale moves back to the van leaving Kenny miffed. INT. POLICE STATION A small town station. The bull pen is a little square room with four desks and tonight -- it's hopping. Cops everywhere. INT. SHERIFF'S OFFICE Sidney sits at a desk drinking a cup of water. She wears the Sheriff's jacket over her shoulders. Dewey approaches. SIDNEY Did you reach my Dad? DEWEY You're sure it was the Hilton? SIDNEY At the airport. DEWEY He's not registered. Could he have gone to another hotel? SIDNEY I don't know. I guess. DEWEY We'll find him, Sid. Don't worry. Sidney stares blankly, numb. INT. SHERIFF'S OFFICE Billy sits opposite Sheriff Burke. Next to Billy, sits his father, HANK LOOMIS, an older version of Billy. SHERIFF BURKE What are you doing with a cellular telephone, son? MR. LOOMIS It's my phone. He was just playing around with it. SHERIFF BURKE You got some ideas of playing around, boy. BILLY I didn't call anyone with it. I just took it for fun. MR. LOOMIS Everybody's got one now. Why don't you check the phone bill for chrissakes. Call my carrier -- AirFone Comp. They'll have records of every number dialed. SHERIFF BURKE Thank you, Hank. We're on it. What were you doing out at Sidney's tonight? BILLY I just wanted to see her, that's all. SHERIFF BURKE You rode your bike out there? BILLY Yes, sir. SHERIFF BURKE And last night? Sidney said you crawled through her window last night too? MR. LOOMIS (surprised) You were out last night? BILLY I watched TV for awhile but the I felt like going for a bike ride. SHERIFF BURKE Did you ride past Casey Becker's house? BILLY No, I didn't. I didn't kill anyone, Sheriff. SHERIFF BURKE We're gonna have to keep you, Billy. The governor's got SBI, FBI, and god knows who else on their way down here. Billy fights tears. BILLY This is crazy. I didn't do it. Sheriff Burke eyes him up and down, very carefully. INT. POLICE BULL PEN - MINUTES LATER Tatum has joined Sidney. The sheriff's door opens and Billy is led out by a coupla UNIFORMS. Burke and Dewey appear in the door watching Tatum comfort Sidney. OUT OF EAR SHOT DEWEY That ghost mask is sold at both Kroger's and WalMart. Neither of which keep purchase records. SHERIFF BURKE What about the cellular phone bill? DEWEY They're pulling Loomis' account. But it'll be morning before we see something. You think he did it? SHERIFF BURKE Twenty years ago I woulda said not a chance. But these kids today... damn if I know. TATUM (O.S.) Hey... Dewey. Can we go now? DEWEY Hold up a sec... SHERIFF BURKE She staying with you? DEWEY We haven't located her Dad yet. TATUM (O.S.) Goddamnit, Dewey! Dewey turns to her, his face red. DEWEY What did Mama tell you? When I wear this badge you treat me like a man of the law. TATUM I'm sorry, Deputy Dewey-boy but we're ready to go. SHERIFF BURKE Use the back way. Avoid the circus. EXT. POLICE STATION - SIDE DOOR The door opens and Sidney, Tatum, Dewey, and a coupla OFFICERS exit avoiding the horde of REPORTERS that can be seen around the corner waiting anxiously at the front entrance. DEWEY I'll get the car. Wait here. Dewey takes off. From the darkness of the alley, Gale Weathers appears with Kenny and his camera. They've been waiting. GALE Hello Sidney. Sidney spins around to see Gale, standing, smiling at her. Sidney's body tightens and her face goes taut. GALE Some night. Are you alright? Their eyes meet in cold familiar stare. Sidney says nothing. She's visibly shaking. GALE What happened? TATUM She's not answering any questions. Just leave us alone, okay? SIDNEY It's okay, Tatum. She's just doing her job. Right, GALE? GALE Yes, that's right. Dewey, in a squad car, turns into the alley and pulls up. The other news people have wisened up. They begin to flock the alley. SIDNEY How's the book? GALE It'll be out later this year. Sidney tries to contain herself... squeezing a clenched fist. SIDNEY I'll look for it. GALE I'll send you a copy. In a blurred, unexpected instant, Sidney brings her fist forward, SMASHING it hard into Gale Weathers's face. The impact sends Gale reeling backwards, knocking into Kenny as they both tumble to the pavement. ON SIDNEY... breathing deep, a sense of satisfaction on her face. INT. TATUM'S BEDROOM - LATER A spacious bedroom. Typical. Tatum and Sidney lay on the bed. They both wear night shirts. TATUM God, I loved it. "I'll send you a copy." BAM! Bitch went down. "I'll send you a copy." BAM! Sid -- SuperBitch! Dewey appears in the doorway holding a bag of ice. DEWEY I thought you might want some ice for that right hook. Sidney sits up, takes the ice, and puts it on her hand. DEWEY I'll be right next door. Try to get some sleep. Dewey moves back out the door. SIDNEY Any word on my Dad? DEWEY (turning to her) Not yet, but we're looking. If you need anything... TATUM Yeah, yeah, yeah... Dewey smiles, pulling the door closed on his way out. Sidney lies back down. SIDNEY Just another sleepover at the Riley's. TATUM Just like old times, ain't it? SIDNEY No, nothing's like it used to be. Sidney rolls over at her side, away from Tatum. A telephone RINGS somewhere in the house. TATUM Do you really think Billy did it? SIDNEY He was there, Tatum. TATUM I knew this guy was too perfect. He was destined to have a flaw. A KNOCK at the door. It opens and a friendly, graying woman pops in. This is MAMA RILEY. She wears a comforting smile. MAMA RILEY Telephone, dear. TATUM Who is it? MAMA RILEY It's for Sid SIDNEY My Dad? Mama Riley shakes her head sadly. TATUM Take a message. SIDNEY It's alright. I'll get it. Sidney takes off out the door. Mama Riley motions to Tatum. MAMA RILEY (whispers) How is she? Tatum shrugs. INT. HALLWAY Sidney grabs the phone at the end of the hall. SIDNEY Hello? MAN (from phone) Hello Sidney. IT'S HIM. The CAMERA does a Hitchcock as Sidney's entire body goes weak... his VOICE moving through her... invading her. She CRIES OUT. SIDNEY NOOOOOO... Mama Riley turns in the doorway. Tatum comes bolting out of the bedroom. MAN (from phone) Poor Billy-boyfriend. An innocent guy doesn't stand a chance with you. SIDNEY LEAVEMEALONE! MAN Looks like you fingered the wrong guy... again. SIDNEY Who are you? TATUM Hang up, Sid. MAN Don't worry. You'll find out soon enough. I promise. Mama Riley BEATS on a closed bedroom door. MAMA RILEY Dewey! Dewey! MAN This is gonna be fun, Sidney. Just like old times. CLICK. Dewey flies out of his room wearing only his boxers... holding his gun. DEWEY What? What? The phone goes dead. Sidney stands frozen. EXT. BAYBORO MAIN STREET - DAWN - ESTABLISHING The morning sun shines high over Bayboro Townsquare. Cars come to life, townsfolk stir as the picture postcard community awakens from a restless sleep. INT. KITCHEN - MORNING Sidney and Tatum sit at the kitchen table, dressed and ready for school as Mama Riley serves up breakfast. A small television sits on the counter BLARING. Dewey, in uniform, stands near the door, talking on the phone. MAMA RILEY I think you girls really should stay home today. TATUM Your objection is duly noted. SIDNEY I'd rather be around a lot of people, Mama Riley. From the TV, Sidney hears her name, "SIDNEY PRESCOTT..." All eyes go to the television. REPORTER (on TV) ...who escaped a vicious attack last night was the daughter of Maureen Prescott who was brutally killed last year when convicted murderer Cotton Weary... INSERT of COTTON WEARY, in prison fatigues. A once handsome man, now haggard and worn. REPORTER ...broke into their home and savagely raped and tortured the deceased. Cotton Weary is currently awaiting appeal for the death sentence handed down after the young Sidney testified against him. She was the key witness in the state's prosecution... SIDNEY It's never gonna stop. Is it? Dewey is off the phone. DEWEY Billy was released. His cellular bill was clean. He didn't make those calls. SIDNEY Somebody called me, Dewey. I'm not making it up. DEWEY I know. We're checking every cellular account in the county. Any calls made to you or Casey Becker are being cross-referenced. It's gonna take time but we'll find him. SIDNEY And my Dad? Any word on him? Riley shakes his head "no". EXT. SCHOOL STREET - LATER Once again, REPORTERS line the street attacking students as they make their way to school, asking questions, hungry for that teenage insight. Dewey's patrol jeep cruises by. Sidney watches from the passenger's window. INT. PATROL CAR Dewey pulls up in front of the school. Tatum hops out while Sid lingers, suddenly unsure. Dewey takes notice. DEWEY Hey, it's school. You'll be safe here. Sidney forces herself out of the jeep as a microphone is shoved in her face... REPORTER How does it feel to almost be brutally murdered? Dewey leaps from the car, intercepting the reporter. DEWEY Leave the girl alone, will ya? She wants to go to school. Sidney eyes the newsvan that's pulled up behind her. The side door slides open and Gale Weathers steps out. TATUM Come on, Sid. SIDNEY Just a sec... I need to talk to someone. She heads over to Gale. EXT. NEWSVAN - STREET Sidney, puts her head down, hiding her face... avoiding other reporters as she makes her way to... Gale who sits in the open door, checking her face in a mirror. Makeup tries hard to hide Sid's handwork -- a swollen black and blue right cheek. Gale spots Sidney immediately and leaps to her feet. GALE Stop right there. Sidney throws her hands up in surrender. SIDNEY I'm not here to fight. GALE Just stay back. SIDNEY I want to talk to you. GALE (calling into the van) Kenny. Camera. Now. Kenny's head darts out from the van. SIDNEY Off the record. No cameras. GALE Forget it. Sidney contains herself. SIDNEY Please. You owe me. GALE I owe you shit. Gale moves inside the van. But Sidney is relentless. SIDNEY You owe my mother. GALE Your mother's murder was last year's hottest court case. Somebody was gonna write a book about it. SIDNEY And it had to be you with all your lies and bullshit theories. GALE What is your problem? You got what you wanted. Cotton Weary is in jail. They're gonna gas him. A book is not gonna change that. SIDNEY Do you still think he's innocent? Gale's interest is peaked. She eyes Sidney suspiciously. GALE He was convicted in a court of law. Your testimony put him away. It doesn't matter what I think. SIDNEY During the trial, you did all those stories about me. You called me a liar. GALE I think you falsely identified him. Yes. SIDNEY Have you talked to Cotton? GALE Many times. SIDNEY Has his story changed? GALE Not one word. He admits to having sex with your mother but that's all. SIDNEY He's lying. She wouldn't have touched him. He raped her, then butchered her. Her blood was all over his coat. GALE He was drunk that night. He left his coat at your house, after your mother seduced him... SIDNEY I saw him leaving wearing it. GALE But couldn't it have been someone else you saw wearing that coat? The same person who planted it in Cotton's car, framing him? The same person who really killed your mother? A long beat. Sidney considers this for the millionth time. SIDNEY No, Cotton murdered my mother. But there's doubt in her voice. Gale's face lights up. GALE You're not so sure anymore, are you? Sidney clams up. SIDNEY No, it was Cotton. Tatum comes waltzing up. TATUM (to GALE) Nice welt. Gale ignores her, zeroing in on Sidney, half realizing. GALE The killer is still on the loose, isn't he? These murders are related. TATUM Yo -- let's rock. Sidney starts to fidget. SIDNEY I'm sorry I mangled your face. She take off with Tatum. Gale calls after her. GALE Wait, Sidney, don't go... But Sidney and Tatum have already disappeared in the crowd of students moving across campus. Gale looks to Kenny. GALE Jesus Christ! An innocent man on death row. A killer still on the loose. Kenny, tell me I'm dreaming. KENNY You want to go live? Gale's mind races with possibilities. GALE No, not so fast. We have nothing concrete. KENNY When did that ever stop you? You can't sit on this. This is huge. GALE If I'm gonna blow this up -- I need hard proof. KENNY But it's so much easier when we make it up. GALE Not this time. I owe Cotton that much. Hell, even I thought that man was guilty. EXT. SCHOOL CAMPUS - SECONDS LATER Tatum and Sidney make their way across campus. TATUM Just relax. You're at school now. No one can get you here. SIDNEY But if it wasn't Billy it could be anybody. He could be here at school right now. They move up the walk as a FIGURE falls in step behind them, sporting a WHITE GHOST MASK. TATUM Serial killers are smart by definition. They minimize their risk. They plan and pre-calculate everything. Showing up here would be the most lame-brain move he could make. SIDNEY He promised me he'd be back. As easy as the figure appeared, it disappears-falling out of site, unseen by either of them. TATUM I wouldn't put too much stock in a psycho's promise. They move up the front steps toward the main doors of the school as the GHOST MASKED FIGURE reappears... standing at the top of the steps... Sidney sees it first, stopping dead in her tracks. She steps back, spinning around to find... A GHOST FACE behind her as well, both of them approaching, closing in on her. Sidney starts to SCREAM when the two ghosts bust up LAUGHING, tearing off across campus. EXT. STREET In front of the school we catch up a REPORTER doing a live remote. He holds a mask in his hand. REPORTER This morning several students, in what appears to be a prank, have been spotted wearing masks. School officials have yet to comment but this is the same type of mask worn by the killer... INT. HALLWAY - MINUTES LATER Just before the bell. The hallway is congested with students heading to class. Tatum is at her locker with Sidney. SIDNEY This is a mistake. I shouldn't be here. TATUM I want you to meet me here right after class, okay? Billy appears in the crowd, with Stu tagging behind. Tatum spots him first. TATUM Shit, what is he doing here? SIDNEY I bet he's pissed. TATUM Just ignore him. You had good reason to think what you did. Billy and Stu approach. Billy's face is solemn. BILLY Hi, Sid. Can we talk a sec? Sidney says nothing. She can barely look at him. Tatum intervenes. TATUM You know if I were accused of carving up two people, I'd take the opportunity to skip school. STU Hey, go easy, Tatum. He didn't do it. BILLY Talk to me, Sid. Suddenly, a SCREAM erupts. All eyes go to a GHOST MASKED STUDENT running down the hall, screaming wildly, running amuck. SIDNEY Why are they doing this? STU Are you kidding? This is like Christmas. Billy punches Stu in the side. STU Owwww... BILLY You open your mouth and stupidity pours out. STU Sorry. Sidney, clearly upset, takes off down the hall. Billy races off after her. TATUM (yelling) Stay away from her, Billy. Tatum SLAMS her locker door shut as the bell RINGS. INT. CORRIDOR - SECONDS LATER With first period underway, the halls have cleared. One or two struggling students can be seen rushing to class. Sidney moves quickly down the hall, rounding a corner, running smack into... BILLY They collide hard catching Sidney off guard, scaring the life out of her. She falls backwards, but Billy catches her fall. SIDNEY Jesus, SHIT! BILLY Hey, hey, it's just me. Sidney pulls away from him quickly. Billy feels the slight. BILLY What? You don't still think it's me? Sidney catches her breath. SIDNEY No... I don't... it's just... Oh God, Billy, someone was there, someone tried to kill me. BILLY The police say I scared him off. It wasn't me, Sid. SIDNEY I know. He called again last night at Tatum's house. BILLY See, it couldn't have been me. I was in jail, remember? SIDNEY I'm so sorry... please understand. BILLY Understand what? That I got a girlfriend who would rather accuse me of being a psychopathic killer than touch me. SIDNEY You know that's not true. BILLY Then what is it? Is there somebody else? SIDNEY No... BILLY Is it the sex thing? Am I being too pushy? SIDNEY No, it's me, Billy. I need time. I'm still adjusting to my mom. BILLY It's been a year since she died. SIDNEY (correcting him) Tomorrow. One year tomorrow. BILLY When are you gonna let that go, Sid? When my mom left my dad -- I just accepted it. This is the way it is. She's not coming back. SIDNEY (sharply) Your parents split up. It's not the same thing. Your mom left town, she's not in a coffin somewhere. BILLY You have to move on, Sid. Sidney starts to walk away but turns back, angry. SIDNEY I'm glad to know you're coping so well with life, Billy. But some of us aren't so perfect. Some of us are just trying to hold on. Sidney disappears through a door marked GIRL'S BATHROOM, leaving Billy alone in the hallway. He SMACKS his forehead, pissed at himself. INT. GIRL'S BATHROOM Large and spacious. Closed bathroom stalls line one wall facing a row of sinks and a huge mirror. Sidney enters as TWO GIRLS tinkle and talk -- each from their respective stalls. GIRL #1 She was never attacked. I think she made it all up. GIRL #2 Why would she lie about it? GIRL #1 For attention. The girl has some serious issues. Sidney listens intently. A toilet FLUSHES. Sidney quickly jumps in a stall, hiding, just as GIRL #1 appears from a stall. She looks like that voice -- a snotty little twit. GIRL #1 What if she did it? What if Sidney killed Casey and Steve? GIRL #2 And why would she do that? GIRL #1 Maybe she was hot for Steve and killed them both in a jealous rage. Another toilet FLUSHES. GIRL #2 Why would Sidney want to be with Steve? She has her own bubble-butt boyfriend Billy. GIRL #1 Maybe she's a slut just like her mom. INSIDE THE STALL Sidney listens. Her face weakening. GIRL #2 You're evil. GIRL #1 Please, it's common knowledge. Her mother was a trollop. GIRL #2 appears from her stall -- another twit. They both stand in front of the mirror adjusting two snotty faces. GIRL #2 Cut some slack. She watched her mom get butchered. GIRL #1 And it fucked her up royally. Think about it. It makes perfect sense. Her mom's death leaves her distraught and hostile at a cruel and inhumane world, she's disillusioned, where's God, etc. Completely suicidal. And one day she snaps. She wants to kill herself but realizes teen suicide is out this year. And homicide is a much healthier therapeutic expression. From the stall, Sidney listens, her heart pounding, jaw quivering. GIRL #2 Where do you get this shit? GIRL #1 Ricki Lake. The two girls exit. Sidney moves out of the stall, catching her reflection in the mirror. SIDNEY Pathetic. Water DRIPS somewhere from a leaky pipe as wind WHISTLES in from the cracked transom above the bathroom door. It sound almost like a whisper, "Siddneey..." Sidney spins around. What the... She checks out the bathroom. The doors to the stalls are all closed. She bends down and scans beneath them, looking for feet. No one. Nothing. Sidney turns back to the mirror. Suddenly... MAN (o.c. whisper) Siddneey... Unmistakable this time. The VOICE strikes Sidney like a nail through the eye. It comes from one of the stalls. She stands thunderstruck, eyeing the stalls thru the mirror. SIDNEY Is someone there? A long, morose silence. And then: MAN (softly, simply) It's me, Sidney. Sidney spins around. Fuck no! HE'S HERE. Terror floods her face. She eyes the exit door, then the row of stalls she must pass to get to it. She checks under the stalls again. Nothing... where the fuck is he? She takes a step forward when... TWO FEET step down from a toilet onto the floor in the last stall. Sidney's face draws tight as the stall door begins to CREAK open. She bolts forward, making a break for it... but slips on the wet floor... her feet flying out from under... Sidney reaches out... grabs hold of a sink... saves herself from falling... she glimpses a GHOST MASK in the mirror coming for her. A hand grabs her shoulder as she SLAMS her body through the exit door... narrowly escaping. INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS Sidney flies out of the bathroom door SCREAMING... burning up the hallway, not looking back. A TEACHER, hearing her SCREAM, peer out from an open doorway... as Sidney sprints by him, not stopping... running madly. INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS CLOSE on a red-faced Principal Himbry as he reads someone the riot act. MR. HIMBRY I'm sickened. Your whole havoc- inducing, thieving, whoring generation disgusts me. The CAMERA SWINGS AROUND to reveal two GHOST MASKED STUDENTS standing at attention. Mr. Himbry rips the mask off of one of the student's heads. MR. HIMBRY Two students have been savagely murdered. And this is how we express our compassion and sensivity? He rips the mask off the other student. MR. HIMBRY We throw on a mask and dance around campus just hoping someone else gets butchered before we get bored again. You're both expelled. The GHOSTS doth protest... GHOST #1 Aw, come on, Mr. Himbry, it was just a joke. GHOST #2 Yeah, that's not fair. A deep rooted hostility has taken over Mr. Himbry's face. Neither student budges, scared to even breathe. MR. HIMBRY No, it's not fair. Fairness would be to rip your insides out and hang you from a tree so you can be exposed for the desensitized, heartless little shits that you are. Suddenly the door BURSTS open and Sidney appears, hysterical. SIDNEY (crying) He's here... I saw him... he's here... Mr. Himbry rushes to her, arms outstretched. MR. HIMBRY Easy child. Sidney collapses in his arms. EXT. SCHOOL STREET - MINUTES LATER Dewey's patrol jeep is parked in front of the school. He stands in the open driver's door talking on the radio. SHERIFF BURKE (from radio) She's okay. Looks like some boys were teasing her. Himbry's shutting down the school though. I want you to take look around. DEWEY Yes, sir, sheriff. Dewey shuts the jeep door and heads for campus when Gale Weathers appears, her fake face aglow. GALE Hi! Gale Weathers. Field Correspondent, INSIDE STORY. DEWEY I know who you are, ma'am. How's the eye? GALE Productive. So they're closing down the school? DEWEY Well... uh... yes ma'am. For the time being. Dewey heads for the school building. Gale scurries along side him flirtatiously. GALE And why is that? Has something happened? DEWEY You're not supposed to be here, ma'am. GALE I know, I should be in New York covering the Sharon Stone stalker but who knew? Please, call me Gale. You look awfully young to be a police officer. Dewey's eyes wander down to Gale's long legs, the way her hips move as she walks... he's clearly distracted. DEWEY I'm twenty-five years old, ma'am. GALE Twenty-five, huh? In a demographic study I proved to be most popular amongst males, 11-24. I just missed you. Of course, you don't look a day over twelve, except in the upper torso area. Does the force require that you work out? Dewey looks away, blushing a bit. DEWEY No, ma'am. Because of my boyish good looks, muscle mass has increased my acceptance as a serious police officer. They approach the school's front entrance. Suddenly, Mr. Himbry's VOICE in amplified through intercoms across campus via the PA system. They stop to listen. MR. HIMBRY (via PA) "Your attention please. Due to the recent events that have occurred and until it comes to a resolve -- effective immediately -- all classes are suspended til further notice. The Bayboro Police Dept. has also asked me to announce a city wide curfew beginning at 6 o'clock PM. I repeat..." Gale speaks over Mr. Himbry's voice. GALE Boy, you people sure do make fuss over a serial killer. DEWEY Serial killer is not really accurate, ma'am. The killer has yet to strike twice. GALE Well, we can hope, can't we? We certainly don't have any leads. A ghost mask, a cellular phone -- not much there. DEWEY We're tracking the cellular phone bill. GALE Really? You small town guys are good. And have you located Sidney's father? DEWEY No, not yet. GALE He's not a suspect, is he? DEWEY We haven't ruled out that possibil... Dewey, realizing he's said too much, clams up. DEWEY If you'll excuse me, ma'am. GALE Am I keeping you? I'm sorry. DEWEY That's quite alright. If I may say so, ma'am, you're much prettier in person. Dewey starts up the school's front steps as the bell RINGS. GALE So you do watch the show? He turns to her earnestly as STUDENTS come pouring out the front doors. DEWEY I just turned 25. I was 24 for a whole year. GALE You are precious. Please, call me Gale. She smiles deliciously, gives him a wink, then struts off as Dewey, like a nervous little school boy watches her go. INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR - SECONDS LATER School is clearing out. The halls have begun to empty as Tatum escorts Sidney down the hallway. TATUM It was just some sick fuck having a laugh. SIDNEY It was him, Tatum. I know it. Tatum wants to believe her but... TATUM You are not to be alone again. Is that clear? If you pee -- I pee. Stu appears. STU Is this not cool or what? Hey, Sid, what happened? TATUM For once, Stu, drop it. STU Okay, but whatever you did -- the entire student body thanks you. Stu moves to Tatum and gives her a kiss. STU And to celebrate this impromptu fall break, I propose we have a party. Tonight, my house. SIDNEY Are you serious? STU My parents are out of town. It'll be like my hurricane bash last year. Nothing extreme. Just a few of us, hangin'. Tatum warms to the idea. TATUM This could be good. What do you think, Sid? SIDNEY I don't know... TATUM Come on. Pathos has it's perks. Sidney considers trying hard to be good spirited. STU Remember, there's safety in numbers. SIDNEY (giving in) Yeah, okay... whatever. STU Cool. See you guys tonight. Bring food. Stu speeds off, sliding down the empty hallway. INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - LATER Mr. Himbry sits at his desk staring at the ghosts masks before him. He picks one of them up, snickering. MR. HIMBRY Damn... He stands and moves to the closet next to his office door. He pulls it open to reveal a mirror hooked inside the door. He tries the mask on, pulling it over his face, looking in the mirror when... A KNOCK AT THE DOOR stops him. He rips the mask off his head, turns to his office door and opens it to reveal... AN EMPTY DOORWAY. He pokes his head into the outer office area and looks around. But no one's there. MR. HIMBRY Yes? Hello? The place is empty. A little suspicious he closes the door, catching his reflection in the closet mirror. He looks at the mask in his hands. Jesus, even he's jumpy. Two seconds later... ANOTHER KNOCK AT THE DOOR. Himbry grabs the door quickly, this time throwing it open. Again no one's there. He steps out into the outer office determined to catch a prankster. INT. OUTER OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Completely empty. Mr. Himbry moves through the outer office and into the school corridor. The overhead lights have been turned off and the corridor is now dark and deserted. He looks up and down the hall. Only a JANITOR is seen in the distance pushing a broom. MR. HIMBRY Little shits. Mr. Himbry returns to his office. INT. OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Himbry reenters his office, moving to his desk, when he spots the closet door NOW CLOSED SHUT. This gives him a pause -- he had left it open. Hadn't he? Suddenly, he can't remember. He shifts uneasy, reaching for the door knob, pulling the door open to reveal... AN EMPTY CLOSET. He stands still a moment, suddenly realizing someone could easily now be standing behind the open closet door. Nervously, he pushes it shut to reveal... NOTHING. Himbry shakes away his jitters, realizing he's spooked himself. He continues to his desk, pushing his office door shut when... A GHOST MASKED FIGURE lunges from behind it... knife in hand. Quick and easy. Three quick jabs to the stomach and Himbry goes down. The GHOST MASKED FIGURE towering above him. EXT. TATUM'S HOUSE - AFTERNOON - LATER The late afternoon sun is quickly disappearing. Tatum and Sidney rock on the front porch looking out into the small town neighborhood. Dewey's patrol jeep is parked in the driveway. Despite loud music, BLARING from an inside stereo, this is a quiet moment. TATUM Maybe Cotton Weary is telling the truth. Maybe he was having an affair with your mom. SIDNEY So you think my mom was a slut too? TATUM I didn't say that, Sid. But you know there were rumors. Your dad was always out of town on business. Maybe your mom was a very unhappy woman. SIDNEY If they were having an affair how come that Cotton couldn't prove it in court? TATUM You can't prove a rumor. That's why it's a rumor. SIDNEY Created by that little tabloid twit Gale Weathers. TATUM (delicately) It goes further back, Sid. There's been talk about other men. SIDNEY And you believe it? TATUM Well... you can only hear that Richard Gere-gerbil story so many times before you have to start believing it. A long silence as Sidney agonizes over all of this. She stands up and moves to the edge of the porch and stares out onto the neighborhood. SIDNEY If I was wrong Cotton, then he's still out there. TATUM Don't go there, Sid. You're starting