7 Days To Live (script)

Warnings: Swearingg
 
 7 DAYS TO LIVE
 Screenplay for a cinema feature
 by
 Katerina Vanity
FADE IN
1. OUTSIDE COUNTRY HOUSE - EXT. / NIGHT
An ancient house, standing lonely in the middle of a deserted 
landscape in Northern Germany; lying there like a sleeping 
giant under the starry sky.
But something seems strange: All of the windows and doors have 
been nailed shut.
Text chart: "1976"
The headlights of a car pierce the darkness. A car halts in 
the yard. Three MEN step out. One of them is wearing a police 
uniform. The men switch on their flashlights and look around. 
 MAN #1
 How long has the house already been 
 like this?
KARL LINDNER, a keen police officer in his late thirties, 
approaches the entrance door. He speaks in a calm, hoarse 
voice.
 LINDNER
 No idea. I haven't seen them in 
 weeks. 
Lindner makes himself a picture of the situation.
He rings the doorbell. Nothing stirs inside the house. Then, 
he tries to get a look inside through one of the nailed-shut 
windows.
Through the cracks, he can barely make out a faint pulsating 
light.
 LINDNER
 I haven't seen them in weeks.
The three men exchange looks. 
With a heavy heart, Lindner makes his decision:
 LINDNER
 We're going in.
The third man fetches a crowbar and prepares to open the door 
with it.
2. ENTRANCE AREA / COUNTRY HOUSE - INT. / NIGHT
The house door breaks open with a loud crack.
On the floor below the mail slot, there are piles of mail and 
unread newspapers which the door pushes out of the way as it 
opens.
The three men cautiously enter. They look around. The hallway 
is as dark as night. Lindner tries the light switch - nothing. 
The only light comes from a TV-set running in the living room.
3. LIVING ROOM - INT. / NIGHT
The three of them enter the living room. Disgusted, the first 
man holds a handkerchief to his mouth.
 MAN #1
 Shit, what a stench...
There is a massive armchair in the center of the room, in front 
of the television. - There seems to be someone sitting in it. 
In the darkness we cannot recognize who it is.
Lindner carefully steps closer.
The second man stops in front of a large, dark stain on the 
wall. He touches it, draws back his hand and inspects it - 
blood.
Lindner slowly walks around the armchair.
 LINDNER
 My God... Marlene...!
During the next flicker of light from the television, we 
recognize the corpse of a woman around forty years of age.
Suddenly, Lindner hears something behind him - breathing!
He turns around.
Indeed, hidden in the semi-darkness, there is the shadow of a 
figure squatting on the floor.
 LINDNER
 Frank... Hell, what happened in 
 here?
Lindner carefully approaches the figure.
It is a man, FRANK KOSINSKI. He looks scrawny, all skin and 
bones, with a pale and hollow face.
He doesn't pay the least attention to Lindner. Mesmerized, he 
just stares at the dead woman in the armchair.
The "first man" follows the direction the man is looking in 
and takes a careful look at the dead woman. Something seems to 
be irritating him.
 MAN #1
 Now that's really odd.
 MAN #2
 What? What is it?
 MAN #1
 I'd say she drowned...
Lindner leans over to the lethargic man in the shadows.
 LINDNER
 Frank...!?
He gently touches his shoulder. At the same moment, Kosinski 
seems to snap out of it.
He begins to scream in wild panic - loud, heartrending!
CUT TO:
4. TITLE SEQUENCE
A photo montage of corpses, preserved in the swamps over 
hundreds and thousands of years: children, old people, 
warriors, farmers with hair stained red from the humin acid, 
bony extremities and shriveled faces with skin that resembles 
an ancient landscape ...
... FADE TO:
5. LANDSCAPE OF SWAMPS IN NORTHERN GERMANY - EXT. / DAY
The structures of the corpses' skin fade into pictures of a 
vast landscape of heaths, forests and moors.
An expensive offroad vehicle is leading a sports car along a 
deserted country road. It's a wonderful late-summer's day. 
The two cars take a bend...
6. OUTSIDE COUNTRY HOUSE - EXT. / DAY
... into the driveway of the same old house. It lies 
peacefully in the afternoon sun. The gravel crunches 
underneath the tires.
A large moving truck is already parked outside.
Title chart: "23 years later"
7. OFFROAD VEHICLE - INT. / DAY
Driving the Jeep is ELLEN STRAUB, an attractive, self-assured 
woman of approx. 30 years.
Asleep on the passenger's seat beside her is her husband 
MARTIN, who in no way resembles the cliché of the successful 
author - he has a rather boyish charisma and is a bit too 
attractive.
Ellen stops the car and takes out some house keys. She holds 
them right up to her sleeping husband's ear. Then, she shakes 
them. They tinkle.
 ELLEN
 (playful)
 Sir, we have arrived at your 
 residence.
Martin blinks and takes the keys.
 MARTIN
 Thank you, James.
The two of them step out of the car.
8. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / DAY
Also getting out of their sports car are PAUL - a dynamic 
looking man in his mid-forties - and his wife CLAUDIA. Despite 
their careful choice of casual dress, they still look like the 
epitome of snobbish city people.
They take a look around. Time has left it's marks on the old 
house: Like an enchanted castle, it is camouflaged in waist-
high grass and wildly ranking shrubs.
Paul and Claudia exchange skeptic looks.
 PAUL
 Well, look here!
 MARTIN
 Ladies and gentlemen: The "Straub 
 country-residence".
 CLAUDIA
 It looks more like the "Straub 
 ruins".
 PAUL
 Welcome to the far end of the 
 world.
Ellen contradicts.
 ELLEN
 The lap of nature. Where's your 
 famous optimism?
Two REMOVAL MEN climb out of the truck. One of them is still 
chewing on his lunch.
He points at his watch as he addresses Martin.
 REMOVAL MAN
 Lunch break is 'til one o'clock.
 MARTIN
 (sarcastic)
 Sure, take your time.
 (to Ellen)
 They get a lunch break before they 
 even start working. 
 Cool job.
Laughing, the four of them enter the house.
9. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / DAY
They step into the entrance area. The golden sunlight shines 
in stripes through the shutters. The house is old, monumental. 
One senses the centuries. 
A staircase leads upstairs, the rooms on the first floor are 
the kitchen and living room. A heavy wooden door opens to the 
cellar stairs.
 MARTIN
 The country residence offers 
 everything the doctor ordered for a 
 stressed author needs: fresh air, 
 clean water and - most of all - 
 absolute peace and quiet.
Paul walks upstairs. The staircase creaks.
 PAUL
 This wood is pretty decayed. Hope 
 I don't land a floor lower.
 ELLEN
 Although it would give you a 
 perfect opportunity to visit our 
 new wine cellar.
 CLAUDIA
 How old is this shack, anyway?
 ELLEN
 Four hundred years. Come on, I'll 
 give you a tour of the museum...
 (blinking an eye at Martin and 
 Paul)
 ...while our husbands already get 
 to work.
CUT TO:
10. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / DAY
Martin and Paul are lugging a heavy desk out of the truck. As 
opposed to the two removal men, they are really working hard.
 PAUL
 Damn, this thing is heavy. Where do 
 you want to have it?
 MARTIN
 Tenth floor.
 PAUL
 Very funny.
CUT TO:
11. STUDY - INT. / DAY
Sweating, Martin and Paul are trying to push the desk through 
the narrow door to the study. They are doing a pretty awkward 
job of it.
Martin's hand brushes the door frame - a splinter.
 MARTIN
 Shit!
Martin draws back his hand. He's hurt.
 PAUL
 What's the matter?
Martin presses a handkerchief on the wound and has a closer 
look at the door frame.
It is totally splintered, as if someone had forcefully broken 
the door open!
 MARTIN
 Look at this. The lock is totally 
 demolished.
 PAUL
 I guess someone lost their key. 
 You did get your tetanus shots, I 
 hope?
Martin is still looking at the broken lock.
 MARTIN
 I mean, seriously: It is strange, 
 isn't it?
Paul puts it off. Only now does he have a better look around 
the room.
 PAUL
 So what if it is. There hasn't 
 been anyone in this house for at 
 least ten years.
The study is covered with dust, the walls are stained and full 
of cobwebs - blind, high arched windows. Single pieces of 
furniture that the previous owner left behind in this spacious 
room.
 MARTIN
 Twenty-three, to be exact.
 PAUL
 I wonder how you guys figure on 
 renovating this whole place. You 
 can afford to spend some money. If 
 I was you, I'd spare myself all the 
 hard work. Besides, didn't you 
 want to start writing again?
Martin suddenly seems lost in thought.
 MARTIN
 Yeah sure, I will. Give me a little 
 more time.
Paul gives him a downcast look.
 PAUL
 If you throw away your career, that 
 won't change anything either. Now 
 don't get me wrong, but I'm telling 
 you this as your friend: Your last 
 books were awful. The publishing 
 house isn't even sure whether to 
 extend your contract.
Martin takes the handkerchief from his wound and looks at it.
 MARTIN
 I don't care about my career right 
 now, Paul. Ellen and I need to get 
 our minds on other things, first. 
 After everything we've been 
 through.
12. KITCHEN - INT. / DAY
Ellen is dragging a moving carton full of dishes into the 
kitchen. It seems to be very heavy. Claudia hooks up a radio 
and switches it on. We hear a cheerful oldie (Life could be a 
Dream). 
The song seems to bring back memories to Ellen: She stares at 
the radio.
(Transformation from radio to:)
13. DINING ROOM OF CITY APARTMENT - INT. / DAY
Flashback:
Ellen, Martin and their son THOMAS (8 years old) are joined at 
the breakfast table. The radio is on - it's playing the same 
tune.
The little boy is totally absorbed with his Game-boy.
Martin sets a bowl of cornflakes and fresh fruit on the table.
 MARTIN
 Here, partner: A breakfast for 
 champions.
The little boy rolls his eyes and turns back to his Game-boy.
 THOMAS
 I can't right now! I'm about to 
 break the high-score!
Ellen gets into the discussion.
 ELLEN
 You do that. But first, eat your 
 breakfast, Tommi.
Now, Thomas reacts. He puts the Game-boy on the table. 
He continues the game with one hand, while he obediently 
shovels the breakfast cereal into his mouth with the other.
 MARTIN
 Goes to show again who's in command 
 around here.
Martin gives Ellen a playful pat on the behind and kisses her.
 ELLEN
 (joking)
 Sometimes I get the feeling you 
 only love me for my body.
Martin grins.
 MARTIN
 Why else?
 ELLEN
 Come on, say it. You know...
Martin seems to know exactly what Ellen wants to hear.
 MARTIN
 Oh no, not again. I just said it 
 for you last week.
For a moment, the two of them stop paying attention to their 
son. Suddenly, Thomas grabs his throat. He swallowed wrong. 
He chokes without making a sound.
 ELLEN
 Say it anyway. Come on, how much 
 do you love me?
 MARTIN
 (quotes)
 "With you, my life began 
 and with you shall it end..."
Ellen gives him her most beautiful smile. Martin responds with 
a short kiss. 
At the same time, they hear the Game-boy fall to the floor. It 
immediately draws their attention to Thomas.
The little boy is desperately gasping for air. His face is 
already starting to turn blue.
Martin runs to him.
 MARTIN
 Tommi, what's the matter?
He pats Thomas on the back, attempting to clear his throat.
 ELLEN
 What is it? What's wrong with him?
Thomas coughs, choking, but he can't get his throat clear. 
Martin recognizes the situation.
 MARTIN
 (yells)
 This is serious! Quick, call 
 emergency!
Ellen hurries to the phone.
Martin realizes that hitting Thomas' back is not doing any 
good. He uses his finger to try to get the swallowed piece out 
of his son's throat.
For Thomas, it is a battle against death.
Ellen has gotten through to the emergency line. She speaks 
into the phone with distress.
 ELLEN
 This is Straub. You have to come, 
 fast! My son, he swallowed 
 something... Quick, he's choking to 
 death...
Martin's attempts at helping his son remain futile. Thomas is 
beginning to lose conscience.
Martin sweeps the table free of dishes in a single move and 
lays the little boy down flat. He reaches for a sharp fruit 
knife.
Ellen comes running.
 ELLEN
 What are you doing?
Martin holds the tip of the knife to the boy's throat. It's 
not easy, since his son is wildly kicking around himself.
 MARTIN
 I have to cut his windpipe...
 ELLEN
 (horrified)
 You're not a doctor, you'll hurt 
 him!
 MARTIN
 (screams)
 What else should I do, damn it, 
 he's dying!
Again, Martin prepares to cut - he holds the knife to the 
larynx. The boy's movements grow weaker.
 ELLEN
 Too high, you're way too far up... 
 you have to cut here...
She points at the spot below the larynx while holding her 
little son tight.
 MARTIN
 Ellen, move aside...
 ELLEN
 Oh God, Tommi...
Martin prepares to cut, but he can't - his trembling hand 
refuses to move. Endless seconds pass. The voices blur, like 
in a dream. The music playing on the radio seems to become 
louder and louder (Life could be a Dream).
 ELLEN
 What's the matter? Come on, cut...
Martin looks up at his wife. He can't do it.
 CLAUDIA (O.S.)
 Ellen!
14. KITCHEN - INT. / DAY
Ellen starts. 
 CLAUDIA
 Ellen, are you alright?
Claudia has already started unpacking the carton.
Ellen quickly switches the radio off. She tries to act as if 
nothing happened.
 ELLEN
 I'm fine. I was just distracted 
 for a moment.
Claudia notices how upset her friend is and wants to put her 
arm around Ellen's shoulder. 
But just then, the removal men push their way past them with a 
cupboard.
Claudia drops the issue with a look of sympathy.
CUT TO:
15. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / DUSK
The old house is resting peacefully in the sunset. The last 
rays of sunlight paint the horizon orange. Warm light shines 
out through the windows of the house.
16. KITCHEN - INT. / NIGHT
The four friends are joined at the dinner table, surrounded by 
packing cartons. Their shadows are silhouetted outside the 
large window. Behind them lie the vast, lonely moors.
Martin opens himself a beer, raises it for a toast.
 MARTIN
 To our hard-working wives.
 CLAUDIA
 Don't rejoice too soon. The bill 
 is already on it's way.
They toast with their bottles. Ellen takes herself a 
cigarette. Martin notices it with disapproval.
 CLAUDIA
 I still can't picture it: The two 
 of you as country folk. I'm 
 telling you, in six weeks you'll be 
 back in the city.
 PAUL
 Hold it right there! I hate to 
 play the big boss, but as Martin's 
 publisher I can only say: Make the 
 best of the peace and quiet, the 
 fresh air and all that - and write 
 a new masterpiece!
Ellen gives Martin a skeptical look - the moment of silence is 
almost too long.
 MARTIN
 First things first. Now it's our 
 turn - just the two of us.
Martin's hand wanders over to Ellen's. She reacts a bit 
hesitantly at first, but then they hold each other tight.
CUT TO:
17. BATHROOM - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen is taking a shower, washing off the dirt from a hard 
day's work.
The bathroom fills with steam.
Ellen turns off the water faucet and steps out of the shower 
cabin. She reaches for a towel and wraps it around herself.
Something catches her eye in the fogged-up mirror. 
There is a number, as if someone had used a finger to write it 
into the moisture: "7".
She wipes the mirror clean and looks at it.
FADE TO:
18. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / DAY
The following day:
A warm late-summer's morning. The house stands lonely in the 
rays of the rising sun. Occasional dew drops glitter in the 
grass.
19. BEDROOM - INT. / DAY
Ellen is asleep in her bed, despite the sun shining right in 
her face.
Martin enters the room with a tray loaded with breakfast 
delicacies. He holds it under Ellen's nose.
 MARTIN
 (acting gallant)
 "Wake up, wake up, it's break of 
 day." Paul and Claudia have 
 already left, you sleepyhead.
Ellen hides under her blanket. Martin sets down the tray.
 MARTIN
 You're right. Forget about getting 
 up. We'll have breakfast in bed.
Ellen resurfaces with a grin. She is still sleepy.
Martin jumps into bed and crawls under the blanket.
 ELLEN
 How romantic!
He playfully burrows around under the blanket, making silly 
grunting sounds.
Ellen giggles. Suddenly, Martin sticks his head out.
 ELLEN
 (laughing)
 Stop that!
 MARTIN
 (with a grunting voice)
 You'll never get away from me!
He grabs her and pulls her under the blanket. Ellen screams, 
and laughs.
20. STUDY - INT. / DAY
Martin is working at his computer. Everything is still set up 
a bit provisionally. Only Martin's novels have already been 
sorted into a shelf, with 10 copies of "Cherry-red Tears" in 
front.
He is trying to write, but by the look on his face and his 
hesitant typing, we can tell that it's obviously not going so 
well.
Ellen carefully approaches him from behind, hugs him and gives 
him a kiss on the cheek.
 ELLEN
 So, how does it feel to be kissed 
 by two women?
 MARTIN
 They say it's fantastic. At least 
 that's what I read in a men's 
 magazine. So who are the two lucky 
 ones?
 ELLEN
 Me and the muse, of course. How is 
 your book coming along?
He grins and takes her in his arms.
 MARTIN
 Oh, the muse... we're still having 
 our differences. You know how it 
 is with women.
 ELLEN
 Well then, I guess I'd better leave 
 the two of you alone. But don't 
 forget...
Martin finishes her thought.
 MARTIN
 ... we wanted to take some time out 
 for ourselves. I know. And I'll 
 only work a little while, I 
 promise.
Just as Ellen prepares to leave, she catches sight of an old 
photograph lying on top of one of the cartons. She picks it up 
and takes the dust off of it.
Under the dust, she finds an old black and white picture of a 
couple with very earnest looks. The retouched, pitch-black 
eyes give the photo a somewhat eerie touch.
All of a sudden, unexpectedly, the man on the photo turns his 
head.
His dead eyes look straight at Ellen!
Startled, she drops the picture to the floor.
Martin spins around.
 MARTIN
 What's the matter?
Ellen hesitantly picks up the picture and looks at it again. 
It was only her imagination. It is a normal, old black and 
white photo.
 ELLEN
 (irritated)
 Oh, nothing. Where did this 
 picture come from?
Martin turns back to his work.
 MARTIN
 I found it here. It's kind of 
 creepy, don't you think?
Ellen makes a face.
 ELLEN
 Yeah. It is, kind of.
She puts the picture back and leaves.
21. LIVING ROOM - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen comes out of the kitchen and walks into the dark living 
room. She is carrying some sandwiches on a tray.
The room is only lit by the flickering of the television set. 
A spooky atmosphere.
In front of the TV is a large, old armchair (the same one from 
the opening sequence!). Ellen frowns. She slowly walks closer 
to it.
 ELLEN
 Martin?
Suddenly, Martin's voice comes from behind the armchair.
 MARTIN
 Damn!
Martin pounds his flat hand against the television. The screen 
shows no image, only snow.
Ellen sets down the tray.
 ELLEN
 What kind of a horrible thing is 
 that?
 MARTIN
 It still worked in town.
 ELLEN
 I mean the armchair!
 MARTIN
 Oh, that was upstairs. A real 
 antiquity! I think it's great.
Ellen instinctively feels appalled by the old piece of 
furniture.
 ELLEN
 I don't know.
Martin is still fighting with the TV-set, trying to find a 
channel.
 ELLEN
 Maybe the antenna's broken.
 MARTIN
 We're probably lucky that we even 
 have running water and electricity! 
 Damned box!
He hits the TV with his fist.
Suddenly, everything is dark!
 ELLEN
 Hey... the fuse.
 MARTIN
 Oh, damnit!
He looks for a flashlight and switches it on.
 ELLEN
 Do you know where fuse box is?
 MARTIN
 In the cellar, I think. 
 Wait, I'll take care of it.
He leaves the room.
22. CELLAR - INT. / NIGHT
Martin opens the fuse box and shines inside with his 
flashlight: A moldy mess of half-corroded wires leading into 
various ancient switches. The entire construction makes a 
dangerous impression.
 MARTIN
 (talking to himself)
 God, look at that...
The cellar seems even older than the house. It is a large, 
cold sandstone catacomb. Several pillars support the ceiling. 
The walls are clammy and cold.
Martin is standing in the darkness. Something approaches him 
from behind - slowly, threateningly.
Martin is looking for the blown fuse.
The thing comes closer. Finally, it grabs him.
 ELLEN
 Boo!
Martin spins around, startled.
 MARTIN
 Jesus Christ!
Ellen laughs.
 ELLEN
 I wanted to know what's taking you 
 so long. You've been down here 
 forever. 
 (looks around, shivering)
 It sure is cold down here. We 
 certainly won't be needing a 
 freezer.
She catches sight of an old shelf loaded with all kinds of 
strange old junk. The shelf looks old and rickety. Ellen 
shakes at it, testing its stability.
 ELLEN
 We'll sure be sorting a bunch of 
 this stuff out.
Martin points to the fuse box.
 MARTIN
 Look at this! We'll have to fix 
 the whole wiring. This stuff is 
 dangerous as hell.
 ELLEN
 We'll call for someone from town 
 first thing in the morning.
 MARTIN
 Are you crazy? That costs a 
 fortune!
 ELLEN
 Do you have a better idea?
 MARTIN
 I'll do it myself.
 ELLEN
 You?
 MARTIN
 My father was an electrician. 
 Already forgot that?
 ELLEN
 My father was a pilot. And do I 
 know how to fly?
There's a lot more Ellen would like to say about this, but she 
contends herself with a meaningful look.
 ELLEN
 Just do me a favor and don't get 
 yourself roasted!
Martin fumbles with one of the bigger switches, finally flips 
it to the other side. Click! The catacomb is lit: A lonely 
40-Watt lamp dangling from the ceiling casts a dim light.
Martin gives Ellen a triumphant smile.
CUT TO:
23. OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE DOOR - EXT. / NIGHT
Ellen is leaning against the door frame, dreamily gazing into 
the night. She is smoking a joint.
Martin steps up from behind and takes the hand-rolled 
"cigarette" out of her hand with a swift move. He tosses it 
away.
 MARTIN
 Hey, flower child, the sixties are 
 over. And this stuff is hazardous 
 to your health.
 ELLEN
 Yes, daddy.
She gives him a hasty kiss and walks to the car.
 MARTIN
 Where are you going?
 ELLEN
 Well, if you won't let me smoke 
 grass, then at least I'll go get 
 myself some cigarettes. 
Ellen gets in the car and takes off.
Martin contemplatively watches her go.
 MARTIN
 That stuff is gonna end up killing 
 you.
CUT TO:
24. COUNTRY ROAD / INSIDE CAR - EXT. / NIGHT
Ellen is behind the steering wheel. She lights up a cigarette 
as she drives down a lonely road. There is a small bridge in 
the distance.
Ellen slows down. She glances at a road sign.
Suddenly, her eyes widen. She takes a second look.
The road sign clearly reads: 
"You have 6 days to live"
The shock hits her like a fist.
It takes her a moment to react. Then, she slams her foot on 
the brake pedal.
The car halts with screeching tires. Ellen shifts into reverse 
gear and drives back. She stops by the sign.
She reads: "Max. 6 t. Agricultural vehicles pass" - a 
perfectly normal sign.
Ellen is confused. How creepy. She continues on her way, 
feeling a bit sick to the stomach.
25. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / NIGHT
Ellen parks in front of the house and steps out of the car. 
She looks worn-out.
Martin has piled up all of the old furniture from the house. 
Ellen walks over to him.
 ELLEN
 What are you doing?
 MARTIN
 Making our very own solstice fire.
A match lights up. The stacked furniture quickly catches fire.
Only now does Martin notice the state his wife is in.
 MARTIN
 Is everything alright? Aren't you 
 feeling well?
 ELLEN
 I just had a really strange 
 experience.
Martin gives her a questioning look.
 ELLEN
 On an ordinary traffic sign, I 
 read...
Ellen interrupts her sentence. She's just too embarrassed to 
say it.
 ELLEN
 Oh, nothing. I guess I just still 
 haven't recovered as well as I try 
 to make everyone believe.
Martin puts his arm around her and holds her close.
 ELLEN
 Maybe I should talk to Dr. Roth 
 about it.
 MARTIN
 Hey, take your time. You know time 
 heals better than any shrink ever 
 can.
Arm in arm, Ellen and Martin stand by the burning pile of 
furniture, staring into the fire.
 ELLEN
 I have a funny feeling. Do you 
 think we'll get over all that's 
 happened?
 MARTIN
 We just have to make a new 
 beginning.
 ELLEN
 Cherry-red Tears.
 MARTIN
 What?
 ELLEN
 Cherry-red Tears, your first book. 
 I read it at least nine times. And 
 then I found out you were going to 
 attend some kind of book fair.
 MARTIN
 Not a book fair. I was signing 
 autographs in a department store.
 ELLEN
 I was so excited about meeting you. 
 Again and again, I kept getting in 
 the back of the line so I could be 
 the last to talk to you.
 MARTIN
 And two months later, we got 
 married. And all because of one 
 sentence:
 (quotes)
 "With you, my life began 
 and with you shall it end..."
This sentence strikes a chord within Ellen. It hardens her 
heart.
 ELLEN
 Don't say that. Please.
A short moment of silence. Ellen's eyes well up with tears.
 ELLEN
 I miss Tommi so much.
 MARTIN
 So do I, believe me.
 ELLEN
 Do you really think anything can 
 ever be like it was before?
 MARTIN
 Maybe different. I don't know, 
 Ellen.
 ELLEN
 If we stand a chance at all, it's 
 only by sticking together.
Martin gives her a tender kiss. The fire casts a warming shine 
on the two of them and the old house - in the loneliness of the 
moors.
CUT TO:
26. KITCHEN - INT. / DAY
Ellen is wearing a paint-stained flannel shirt. She is busy 
painting the kitchen walls.
The RADIO is playing in the background.
 RADIOBROADCASTER
 "... a very special day today. 
 Exceptionally hot, even for this 
 time of year. And all the windows 
 in my studio are already wide 
 open..."
Ellen isn't paying much attention to the radio. Suddenly, the 
tone of the radiobroadcaster's voice gets a more penetrating 
touch.
 RADIOBROADCASTER
 By the way, Ellen: 
 You have five days left to live.
Ellen freezes. She turns pale.
Then suddenly, a noise - someone is knocking on the window.
Ellen spins around and, startled, tips over a bowl. It smashes 
on the floor.
Standing by the open window is Karl Lindner, a total stranger 
to Ellen.
Obviously, he is much older now. His face is caved in, his 
hair gray. However, his pleasant demeanor has stayed the same.
He realizes that he's startled her.
 LINDNER
 Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to scare 
 you.
For a moment, Ellen is at a loss for words. She looks back to 
the radio, where the normal program is being continued.
 RADIOBROADCASTER
 "... and matching today's weather 
 it's time for some more of the 
 hottest music of the North..."
Ellen turns the radio off.
 ELLEN
 Hello. Can I help you?
 LINDNER
 Does this dog here belong to you?
Sitting next to him is a large mixed-breed with friendly eyes.
 ELLEN
 No, I've never seen him before.
 LINDNER
 You know, I saw him sitting outside 
 your gate... Oh, I'm sorry, I'm 
 forgetting my manners again! I 
 haven't even introduced myself yet. 
 Hi, my name's Lindner. 
 Karl Lindner.
He offers her his hand through the window.
 ELLEN
 Ellen Straub.
 LINDNER
 It's a pleasure. You're from the 
 city, right?
 ELLEN
 Do I look like it that much?
 LINDNER
 Village gossip. You're a real 
 attraction here.
Ellen is still shook up by the radio announcement, but 
nevertheless tries to hold up a conversation.
 ELLEN
 You're from around here, aren't 
 you? There's something I've been 
 wondering about the whole time: 
 This house, why has it been empty 
 all these years? I mean, I doubt 
 if it was the price.
Lindner suddenly turns evasive and cool.
 LINDNER
 I guess it's too lonely for most 
 folks.
 (glances at his watch)
 It's time for me to get going. It's 
 been a pleasure meeting you.
 ELLEN
 Wait, won't you join me for a cup 
 of coffee?
He turns down the offer, a touch too vehemently.
 LINDNER
 No, thank you. I need to get back 
 home. My wife is waiting.
He leaves. Ellen contemplatively watches him go.
Martin enters the kitchen and puts his arms around her.
 MARTIN
 Who was that?
 ELLEN
 Someone from the village.
She turns around to face him.
 ELLEN
 Martin, there's something I... 
 uh... need to tell you about.
CUT TO:
27. LIVING ROOM - INT. / DAY
Martin is seated in the old armchair. Ellen across from him. 
He is grinning.
 MARTIN
 Okay, now let me see if I've got 
 this straight. First you get 
 warnings from a road sign and then 
 from the weather forecast. Which 
 one of us two was the author again?
Ellen feels disappointed and misunderstood.
 ELLEN
 Martin, it's not funny!
 MARTIN
 You know, it's not always easy for 
 me, either. But at least I try not 
 to give in to each and every 
 neurosis.
Now he's got her angry.
 ELLEN
 Well, apparently it was a big 
 mistake to try talking to you. 
 Don't you remember what we promised 
 to each other? Honesty - trust!
 MARTIN
 Come on, this isn't about honesty. 
 You just need a good night's sleep. 
 The way you toss and turn all 
 night, even I hardly get any sleep.
Ellen realizes there is no use in discussing this any further.
 ELLEN
 Well, excuse me for having bothered 
 you with my problems.
She leaves the living room and walks out on Martin.
28. HALLWAY - INT. / DAY
Ellen is using a spatula to scratch the old-fashioned, yellowed 
wallpaper off of the walls. She is still upset, and really 
taking it out on the wallpaper.
Martin comes walking up the steps. He is carrying a plate full 
of small, deformed cakes.
 MARTIN
 For you.
He holds out the plate to her. Ellen throws a skeptical look 
at the mishap pastry. She won't be bribed this easily.
 ELLEN
 Now, what did I do to deserve this?
 MARTIN
 Come on, at least try one. It took 
 me two hours to make these.
Ellen goes back to scratching off the wallpaper. Martin 
changes his tactic.
 MARTIN
 What I really meant to say was: I'm 
 sorry. I'm a real bonehead 
 sometimes. But it's just that I'm 
 worried about you. I'm afraid you 
 might get carried away with 
 something like that.
Ellen interrupts her work and takes one of the cakes. She 
tastes it.
 ELLEN
 Tastes awful.
She grins. Martin returns a smile.
 MARTIN
 But baked with lots of love.
Martin helps himself to a small cake, too. He bites off a 
piece, and makes a sour face. Then, he takes Ellen's piece out 
of her hand.
 MARTIN
 I think I'd better get rid of this. 
 After all, I don't want to kill 
 you.
He turns to leave.
 ELLEN
 Martin...
Martin stops at the bottom of the staircase.
 ELLEN
 ...Maybe you're right and I just 
 need to get some sleep. Don't 
 worry. I'll get settled in sooner 
 or later.
CUT TO:
29. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / NIGHT
The farmhouse lies in the loneliness of a starless night. 
Silhouettes of gnarled trees reach for the sky like black 
claws.
30. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
It's dark. An eerie silence fills the house.
Suddenly, there is a CHILD'S VOICE calling in the distance.
 CHILD'S VOICE
 Mommy...
31. BEDROOM - INT. / NIGHT
Martin and Ellen are asleep in their bed.
 CHILD'S VOICE
 Mommy!
Ellen wakes up out of her light slumber. She opens her eyes 
and looks around, searching.
 ELLEN
 Tommi...?
The voice clearly echoes through the house. (It sounds like 
Thomas' call before the accident.)
 CHILD'S VOICE
 Mommy...
Ellen silently sits up. She is wide awake. She tries to wake 
up Martin.
 ELLEN
 (whispering)
 Martin... did you hear that?
No chance - Martin only mumbles a few unintelligible words and 
continues to sleep.
Ellen gets out of bed.
CUT TO:
32. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
Almost mechanically, the child's calling repeats itself.
 CHILD'S VOICE
 Mommy...
Ellen carefully heads down the stairs, toward the entrance 
door. The voice seems to be coming from outside.
Ellen opens the door, frightened.
33. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / NIGHT
The pale moonlight dips the landscape into a ghostly 
atmosphere.
Ellen's eyes search through the darkness.
There! There is something in the distance. A child! The 
child is standing in the tall grass, looking toward Ellen.
 ELLEN
 Tommi?
She cannot believe her eyes.
It really is her little Thomas! He smiles. There is something 
about the way he moves that makes it look as if he's floating.
 ELLEN
 (louder)
 Tommi!
The little boy laughs. He turns around and runs away in the 
grass; as if in play.
Ellen snaps out of her stiffness and chases after him.
The small figure slowly disappears in the increasingly tall 
grass.
34. FOREST IN THE MOORS - EXT. / NIGHT
Ellen is running farther and farther away from the house. She 
stops.
 ELLEN
 Tommi, wait!
But the little boy keeps running further.
Ellen follows him, but her path grows increasingly toilsome. 
Her feet sink deeper and deeper into the moor.
Now, the child is out of sight.
Ellen is devastated. She trips and falls to the ground. The 
swamp encloses her. Ellen fights against the marsh that she is 
sinking into deeper and deeper.
Suddenly, the little boy steps back out of the darkness. He 
stays a few feet away from Ellen. He smiles as he watches 
Ellen sink into the deadly swamp.
With a sudden jerk, an unknown force pulls her down into the 
moor. She is swallowed by the earth.
35. BEDROOM - INT. / DAY
Ellen abruptly wakes up from her NIGHTMARE!
She looks around herself. She is in her comfortable bedroom 
flooded with the warm rays of the morning sun. Martin's side 
of the bed is already empty.
Then, she hesitates. Something feels wrong. Ellen throws back 
her sheets. Horror - her bed is full of mud.
Ellen wants to scream. She barely manages to suppress it.
CUT TO:
36. STUDY / HALLWAY - INT. / DAY
Martin is sitting at his computer, busily typing. He seems to 
be making progress on his book.
In the background, Ellen hurries past the study. She is 
carrying the dirty sheets under her arm. Without looking up 
from the monitor, Martin calls through the open door:
 MARTIN
 So, did you sleep good?
37. KITCHEN - INT. / DAY
 ELLEN
 (calling to Martin)
 Yeah... I have to go to town.
Ellen enters the kitchen. She hastily stuffs the bed-sheets 
into the washing machine.
 ELLEN
 Is there anything you need?
She turns the washing machine on and heads for the door.
38. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / DAY
Ellen is about to leave the house. The door is already open. 
In the entrance area, she finds the dog (that Lindner had 
previously discovered in their garden) sitting in front of the 
cellar door.
Ellen pets him in passing.
 ELLEN
 (to the dog)
 Hey, you're still here. I suppose 
 you like it here with us.
 MARTIN (O.S.)
 (calling from the study)
 No, thanks. I have everything I 
 need. Drive safely, you hear?
Ellen is already out the door. She pulls it shut behind her.
CUT TO:
39. CONSULTING ROOM OF PROF. ROTH - INT. / DAY
A pleasantly decorated consulting room. Standing by a window 
is PROF. ULRICH ROTH (Professor of Psychiatry), a distinguished 
man around 50 years of age.
 PROF. ROTH
 You see, there are various 
 approaches to an explanation for 
 what you are currently going 
 through.
Ellen is hunched in a chair opposite of him.
Prof. Roth turns around to face her and takes a seat behind his 
desk. The leather chair creaks.
 PROF. ROTH
 One of the latest theories claim 
 that at certain frequencies, air 
 conditioners create an oscillation 
 that can, in fact, cause 
 hallucinations. They may also be 
 due to the interior pressure of 
 your eyes and so on and so forth. 
 Personally I believe that all of 
 this is nonsense. The loss of a 
 child is a traumatic experience. 
 Subconsciously, you may still be 
 blaming yourself for it, and maybe 
 now believe that your son should 
 punish you...
Ellen impatiently cuts him short.
 ELLEN
 Listen, it's one thing to have a 
 guilt complex. But I know the 
 difference between when I'm 
 overstrung and when I'm seeing 
 things that are simply not there! 
 Besides, it only began after we 
 moved!
 PROF. ROTH
 (hesitantly)
 There is, of course, another 
 possible explanation which I dearly 
 hope is not the case.
Lost in thought, Prof. Roth taps his pen on his desktop.
 ELLEN
 And that is?
 PROF. ROTH
 A tumor - which could cause 
 pressure on certain parts of the 
 brain and, thus, influence your 
 perception.
Ellen stares at him, shocked.
 PROF. ROTH
 Just to be on the safe side, I 
 would like to have a few tests 
 done.
CUT TO:
40. COMPUTER TOMOGRAPH - INT. / DAY
Ellen is lying on a stretcher, slowly being moved into the 
opening of the computer tomograph. She is wearing a pale-green 
hospital garment.
The penetrating sound of the machines - technical coldness.
41. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - INT. / DAY
Blood is filled into a cannula.
Ellen is sitting on a stretcher. The NURSE pulls the needle 
out of her arm.
DR. SCHLETH, a man who makes a somewhat lethargic impression, 
enters the room and fastens the tomograph shots in front of an 
illuminated surface on the wall.
 DR. SCHLETH
 Congratulations. You are 
 definitely the healthiest person 
 I've had in CT for years.
Ellen heaves a sigh of relief.
 DR. SCHLETH
 Dr. Roth gave me these for you. 
 Three times a day, after meals.
He hands her a box of tablets.
 ELLEN
 What is this?
 DR. SCHLETH
 Fluctin. A pretty strong 
 antidepressive... If you asked me, 
 I'd try to do without them first.
He takes a look into her health records.
 DR. SCHLETH
 You come from Goldmoor?
Ellen answers absent-mindedly.
 ELLEN
 We just moved there.
 DR. SCHLETH
 (by-the-way)
 One time, when I was in college, we 
 examined a swamp corpse in 
 pathology. They had excavated it 
 there.
Now he has Ellen's attention.
 DR. SCHLETH
 Three or four thousand years old. 
 But I didn't deal with the subject 
 any more than necessary. You know, 
 I never liked pathology. Somehow, 
 I always felt it reduced humans to 
 something they are not.
Suddenly, Dr. Schleth's beeper goes off. He takes a quick 
glance at it and turns to leave.
 ELLEN
 Dr. Schleth.
The doctor stops at the door.
 ELLEN
 What do you believe happens to a 
 human after he dies?
The otherwise reserved Dr. Schleth suddenly seems very human.
 DR. SCHLETH
 You mean, do I believe in something 
 like a soul?
He smiles mischievously.
 DR. SCHLETH
 I haven't seen one on any of my x-
 ray pictures, yet. But then again, 
 what would x-rays know?
He turns around and walks out. Lost in thought, Ellen watches 
him leave.
42. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / NIGHT
Ellen steers the car into the driveway and climbs out. The dog 
runs to greet her, wagging its tail. Ellen kneels down in 
front of the dog and pets it.
 ELLEN
 Hey, girl! Here, I brought you 
 something.
She takes a collar with a little bell on it out of her purse 
and puts it around the dog's neck.
 ELLEN
 Now all we need is a name for you. 
 How about Clara - okay, then: 
 Clara.
She walks to the house door. The dog follows her inside as if 
it were the most natural thing to do. The bell jingles.
43. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen enters the hallway. At the same time, Martin comes 
upstairs from the cellar.
 ELLEN
 Hi, love. Trouble with the fuses 
 again?
Martin locks the door behind him.
 MARTIN
 It's a real mess. I think it'd be 
 better for you not to go down there 
 for a while. It's just too 
 dangerous.
He drops the key for the cellar into his pocket. Ellen watches 
this with irritation. Martin's entire behavior seems odd.
Behind Ellen, the dog trots into the corridor.
 MARTIN
 Don't tell me you've made friends 
 with that wandering flea circus?
 ELLEN
 Why not? She can guard the house. 
 By the way, I gave her a name: 
 Clara.
She pets the dog, not noticing the frown on Martin's face.
 MARTIN
 Where have you been all day?
 ELLEN
 I went to see Prof. Roth! You 
 know, I had another one of those 
 dreams last night. I saw Tommi!
Suddenly, the look on Martin's face softens again. He takes 
Ellen into his arms to comfort her.
 MARTIN
 Ellen... our Tommi is dead. And 
 there's nothing we can do about it.
Ellen rests her head against his shoulder.
 ELLEN
 You know, Martin, since we moved to 
 this house... sometimes I just get 
 the feeling that the past is 
 catching up to us again...
Martin interrupts her with unexpected ill temper and frees 
himself from the hug.
 MARTIN
 Oh! Now we're getting to the 
 point! So all of a sudden, it's 
 the house. Yesterday, it was a 
 road sign. And the first thing you 
 do is go and run to "Dr. Freud"! 
He heads for the study, leaving Ellen behind. Ellen calls 
after him:
 ELLEN
 But that's not the point! 
 What if all these things are 
 somehow connected?
 MARTIN
 Oh, baloney. You should just hear 
 yourself talk!
He treads up the staircase.
 MARTIN
 I'll be in the study, just in case 
 you decide to get reasonable, after 
 all.
Ellen watches him with consternation. She goes into the 
kitchen, worried.
44. KITCHEN - INT. / NIGHT
Lost in thought, Ellen takes out a cup and pours herself a cup 
of coffee from a thermos. 
She takes the pills that she got from Dr. Schleth out of her 
purse and studies them.
She looks out through the window, at the dreamlike landscape of 
the moors. There is a warm evening breeze.
Suddenly, Ellen's eyes focus on the reflection of her face in 
the window. She faintly discerns something strange on her 
forehead: "4"!
Startled, she touches her forehead. There is nothing on it.
When she takes a second look at her reflection, everything is 
normal again.
The dog trots up to Ellen, whining balefully.
 ELLEN
 (to the dog)
 Either Martin is right or I am 
 really starting to lose my mind...
For a moment, she considers taking one of the tablets. But 
then, she determinedly throws the whole package in the trash 
can.
CUT TO:
45. IN THE VILLAGE - EXT. / DAY
Ellen parks her car in the center of the nearby village. The 
small township is smothering in a humid summer's heat.
Ellen heads for a bookstore with Clara trotting in behind.
46. AT THE BOOKSTORE - INT. / DAY
Ellen enters the shop. It is unusually dark and quiet in here. 
She runs her fingers across the shelves, searching.
She passes by a stand with pocket books, also including several 
copies of "Cherry-red Tears" next to Stephen King's 
"Shining". She stops for a moment. Smiles.
Then, she finds the department for books on psychology. She 
pulls out a book titled "The Inner Child - The Ghosts of the 
Past". Leafs through it. She stops at a certain page:
 ELLEN
 (quietly reads to herself)
 "...certain places arouse 
 recollections and links within 
 us..."
Suddenly, Ellen hears a voice behind her.
 SALES LADY (O.S.)
 First buy it, then read it!
Ellen looks up. The sales lady is standing in front of her: a 
skinny woman with small eyes suspiciously beaming at Ellen.
 ELLEN
 Yes, of course... I'll take it.
She places the book on the counter. All of a sudden, the sales 
lady has turned into the world's most friendly person. Ellen 
follows her to the cash register and gives her the book.
The sales lady skeptically eyes the psychology book while she 
notes the price.
Ellen puts the money on the counter and turns to leave the 
store, when the sales lady speaks up again.
 SALES LADY
 You're the wife of that author, 
 aren't you?
Ellen turns back to face her.
 ELLEN
 Martin Straub, yes.
 SALES LADY
 Used to write some nice books, your 
 husband. But that last one was 
 awful. A terrible book. Didn't 
 sell, either.
Ellen really can't think of an answer to that.
 SALES LADY
 I read it - violent trash. My 
 husband said so, too.
 ELLEN
 Well, I've got to get going... 
 'bye.
Ellen walks out of the shop. The sales lady keeps talking. 
Her eyes are cold.
 SALES LADY
 (loud)
 It's bad and it's violent. I don't 
 like that kind of stuff. Tell that 
 to your husband.
47. OUTSIDE BOOKSTORE - EXT. / DAY
Clara is still waiting in front of the bookstore when Ellen 
comes back outside.
 ELLEN
 Come on, Clara. Let's get out of 
 here.
Just as she sets out for her car, she discovers Karl Lindner 
and his wife. He seems to want to pass by her without saying 
hello.
 ELLEN
 Mr. Lindner!
Lindner realizes he has no way out of this situation.
 LINDNER
 Oh, Mrs. Straub. May I introduce 
 you to my wife?
 MRS. LINDNER
 Just call me Elisabeth.
She seems like a truly honest person and very awake, despite 
her advanced age. Ellen shakes hands with her.
 ELLEN
 Ellen.
 MRS. LINDNER
 You're doing fine, aren't you? I 
 mean... the two of you alone in 
 that house, so far out in the moor.
Lindner nudges his wife with his elbow.
 ELLEN
 In the moor? What do you mean by 
 that?
Mrs. Lindner wants to answer something, but her husband heads 
her off.
 LINDNER
 Stop scaring people. Let's go. 
 We need to be on our way.
 MRS. LINDNER
 Excuse us. But do stop by for a 
 visit sometime! You are welcome 
 anytime.
Lindner manages a smile and leads his wife away by the arm.
 LINDNER
 Have a nice day.
As soon as they are out of hearing distance, Mrs. Lindner tells 
her husband with obvious anger:
 MRS. LINDNER
 (quiet, reproachfully)
 You didn't tell her!
 LINDNER
 We should leave the past alone.
 MRS. LINDNER
 Well, it will never leave us alone 
 as long as you ignore it.
Back to Ellen: She watches the two of them go for a moment. 
Then, she gets into her car and drives off.
CUT TO:
48. STUDY - INT. / DUSK
Martin is in the study, working at his computer. He is in a 
writing frenzy, typing in the words like a madman. Ellen comes 
through the door. She is carrying the book about Goldmoor in 
her hand. At first, Martin does not react to her. He keeps on 
typing.
 ELLEN
 It seems to be going well for you.
Martin continues to type as he speaks.
 MARTIN
 Where have you been?
 ELLEN
 In the village. Look what I found.
She opens the book to a certain page and holds it under his 
nose.
Martin is annoyed for having to interrupt his work.
 MARTIN
 Psychology, huh? So, what side of 
 the rainbow are we on today?
Ellen points out a certain passage in the book.
 ELLEN
 (reads out loud)
 "Events commonly interpreted as 
 haunting apparitions often result 
 from psychic disharmonies or 
 undigested traumatic ordeals..."
 MARTIN
 (impatient)
 Ellen, what are you trying to 
 prove, anyway? That we've created 
 ourselves a ghost? Come on!
Ellen persistently tries to get through to him.
 ELLEN
 It's just a feeling. Don't you 
 sense it, too?
 MARTIN
 What? What am I supposed to sense?
 ELLEN
 The house - Tommi - something just 
 doesn't jive here...
Suddenly, Martin's voice gets disproportionately loud.
 MARTIN
 Now you go starting that again. 
 We decided together, to build up 
 something new here. I, for my 
 part, am working on it very hard. 
 But oddly, you seem to have changed 
 your mind.
Ellen wants to reply something but just then, the doorbell 
RINGS.
 MARTIN
 Who's that?
 ELLEN
 I haven't the slightest idea.
When she sees that Martin does not intend to answer the door, 
Ellen goes downstairs herself.
49. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen opens the door. Standing in the doorway are Paul and 
Claudia, both in the best of moods.
 PAUL AND CLAUDIA
 Surprise!
Ellen hugs them, her mind still halfway on Martin.
 ELLEN
 Well, this really is a surprise! 
 Come on in!
Martin comes downstairs. He seems anything but pleased by the 
company.
Paul gives him a jovial pat on the shoulder.
 PAUL
 Hey, my man! How's the masterpiece 
 coming along?
 MARTIN
 Not so bad, if I could get some 
 peace and quiet around here.
Paul understands the side-swipe.
 PAUL
 Hey, hey, hey! Say no more until 
 you've seen what we brought:
He puts a wide grin on his face. Ellen and Martin exchange 
quick looks. Paul pulls something out from behind his back.
 PAUL
 Scrabble!
CUT TO:
50. LIVING ROOM - INT. / NIGHT
Martin looks annoyed. The four friends are comfortably seated 
around the living room table. Each of them has a glass of 
wine.
While they play Scrabble, Paul tells a dirty story.
 PAUL
 God, you should've seen him! Elke 
 Schneider enters the room and 
 storms up to him. She is 
 tremendous. Her breasts are so big 
 that just recently, there was a 
 discussion about whether they 
 should be given country names of 
 their own.
Laughter all around the table. Martin is the only one who is 
not delighted. But Ellen is clearly relieved by this moment of 
normality in the house.
 ELLEN
 Paul, you and your stories... I've 
 really missed you!
Claudia looks around the living room. Apparently, she likes 
what she's seeing.
 CLAUDIA
 I'm impressed! You two have really 
 gotten quite a bit done, already.
The sack with the Scrabble-letters is passed on to Ellen. She 
reaches inside.
 ELLEN
 What do you think? We worked our 
 fingers to the bone and now, we're 
 both about to have a nervous 
 breakdown.
Ellen places the letters on the table in front of her and 
begins to shuffle them back and forth.
 CLAUDIA
 I really wouldn't have thought you 
 two could stand it out here for 
 this long. To tell the truth, we 
 even have some bets going with a 
 couple of people...
But Ellen isn't paying attention to Claudia's words any more. 
Terrified, she stares at her Scrabble-stones, which she has 
already put together. The letters form the words:
T-H-R-E-E--D-A-Y-S
Everyone is waiting for her to make her turn. Paul starts 
nagging.
 PAUL
 Well? Are you going to play?
Ellen feverishly gathers up her letter stones and throws them 
back into the sack. She shakes it with special thoroughness 
and draws anew.
 ELLEN
 I pass.
Paul is pleased. He puts down his word.
 PAUL
 Triple word score, that makes 72 
 points. Now what do you say to 
 that, honey-bunny?
 CLAUDIA
 My hero.
They kiss.
Ellen lines up her newly drawn stones in front of herself 
again. Martin watches her.
Ellen cannot believe her eyes. Again, her letter combination 
spells out:
T-H-R-E-E--D-A-Y-S
This time, the others notice the look on Ellen's face, too.
 CLAUDIA
 Ellen, what's wrong?
It takes Ellen a moment to answer.
 ELLEN
 I just got exactly the same letters 
 for the second time.
She gives Martin a significant look and shows him her letter-
board. This time, she has proof!
 MARTIN
 (sarcastically)
 Oh, "three days". A new message!
He turns to Paul and Claudia.
 MARTIN
 Because - you know - Ellen is 
 receiving messages from road signs, 
 radio broadcasters and now from 
 Scrabble game stones.
He turns Ellen's letter-board around for the others to see.
Martin's reaction hits Ellen like a fist. She feels 
humiliated. She is at a loss for words.
 MARTIN
 And the best part is: She thinks 
 the messages are meant to announce 
 her death.
 (makes a "spooky" noise)
 Hooooo...
Claudia looks back and forth between Martin and Ellen. She 
realizes how serious the situation is. As opposed to Paul, who 
pulls out a news ARTICLE.
 PAUL
 Talk about spooky. Martin, do you 
 remember that splintered door to 
 the study? I guess there was more 
 to it than just a lost key.
The headline of the article reads: "Murder in Goldmoor - Many 
questions remain unanswered".
 ELLEN
 Let me see that!
Ellen takes the article. The picture underneath shows Karl 
Lindner in police uniform, 23 years younger.
Before she even has a chance to read the article, Martin grabs 
the newspaper out of her hands.
He crumples up the paper and angrily turns to Paul.
 MARTIN
 Just perfect, Paul! Well done! 
 Can't you tell that my wife is 
 upset enough already? And then you 
 come up with this kind of a story?!
Ellen has regained her composure. She is still outraged.
 ELLEN
 What do you think you're doing, 
 anyway? Now give me back that 
 article!
Martin shows no sign of reaction.
 MARTIN
 Ellen, I just don't want you to get 
 upset for no reason.
He tries to conciliate by putting his arm on her shoulder. But 
Ellen shakes him off.
 ELLEN
 (sarcastic)
 How thoughtful of you!
An unpleasant moment of silence. Ellen looks at Claudia and 
Paul - she doesn't want to make a fool of herself.
 ELLEN
 Excuse me for a moment.
She storms out of the room.
Paul and Claudia both look a bit sheepish.
Martin holds the article to a candle and burns it in an 
ashtray. 
 MARTIN
 She shouldn't be worrying about 
 this stuff. Lately, she's been 
 acting strange enough already.
51. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / NIGHT
Ellen is standing in front of the house. Lost in thought, she 
takes a drag from her cigarette.
Claudia comes out of the house and joins her.
 CLAUDIA
 What's this going on between you 
 two?
 ELLEN
 Oh, I don't know. I was hoping 
 things would get better once we 
 moved.
 CLAUDIA
 But nothing got any better?
Ellen's eyes wander over the vast landscape of moors which the 
darkness of the night has transformed into a surreal shadow 
painting.
 ELLEN
 Lately, Martin hasn't been his 
 normal self. The work, the 
 relocation...
 CLAUDIA
 You have to give him some time, 
 Ellen. He's under enormous 
 pressure right now. He hasn't 
 written a single decent sentence 
 since the accident.
Ellen takes a last long drag from her cigarette, throws it on 
the ground and puts it out with her foot.
 ELLEN
 Yes, I know. I try my best. It's 
 just that... sometimes I wonder if 
 we made a mistake by moving here.
52. LIVING ROOM - INT. / NIGHT
Martin and Paul are still seated opposite each other. A 
strange atmosphere. Paul is trying hard to keep up a 
conversation.
 PAUL
 So, work is going well, you say?
Martin makes a very calm impression. In the background, the 
dog is barking at the cellar door.
 MARTIN
 (calmly)
 Yes. Splendid. I finally found a 
 story that's both: thrilling and 
 true to life.
Now, Clara starts to bark at the cellar door.
 PAUL
 I'm glad to hear that. You know...
Martin has a sudden outburst and yells:
 MARTIN
 (to the dog)
 NOW SHUT UP, YOU STUPID BITCH !
Paul is all confused now. He throws a helpless look toward the 
entrance door.
 PAUL
 You know, I think I have to get up 
 early in the morning. We ought to 
 get going.
53. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
Clara is still barking at the cellar door. Then, she starts to 
claw at the crack below the door, as if she had discovered 
something behind it.
CUT TO:
54. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / DAY
The next morning:
The house is enclosed in a light curtain of early morning fog. 
Everything seems oddly quiet. Not a single bird is chirping.
The calm before the storm.
55. BEDROOM - INT. / DAY
Ellen wakes up out of her light sleep. She looks around. 
Martin's side of the bed is empty and unused. Martin did not 
spend the night by her side.
CUT TO:
56. KITCHEN - INT. / DAY
Ellen enters the kitchen in her bathrobe. She puts on a pot of 
coffee. Martin comes in.
 MARTIN
 Hi, darling.
Ellen turns around to face him. She is terror-stricken.
His hands are covered with blood. He seems to be oblivious to 
it. In the best of moods, he walks to the kitchen sink while 
he continues to speak.
 MARTIN
 At last, I'm back on top! Seventy 
 pages in one night! I'd say that 
 just about breaks the record...
He starts washing his hands with meticulous care. The red-
stained water runs into the drain.
Ellen closes her eyes and fights the panic welling up inside of 
her.
 MARTIN
 Ellen? Is everything alright?
She opens her eyes again. She takes a second look and sees 
that what she thought to be blood is only wall paint. She 
discovers a bucket with a paintbrush beside the kitchen door.
She tries to conceal her thoughts.
 ELLEN
 Oh, sure. I'm just a little... 
 dizzy.
She hastily grabs the dog's food dish and fills it. - Simply to 
be doing something; anything.
 ELLEN
 I ought to give Clara something to 
 eat.
Ellen goes outside.
57. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / DAY
Ellen carries the dish outside and starts searching for Clara.
 ELLEN
 Clara!
Nothing stirs.
 ELLEN
 Come here, Clara! I've got 
 something yummy for you.
Then, she catches sight of something dark lying a bit away in 
the grass.
Ellen puts down the dog food and runs toward the spot.
There, lying in the tall grass she finds the dog. It's dead! 
It looks as if a wild animal had attacked Clara.
 ELLEN
 Oh, no!
 (loud)
 Martin!
She kneels down beside the animal's dead body.
 ELLEN
 (screams)
 Martin!
Martin comes out of the house and stops at the door. He is 
calm - too calm.
 MARTIN
 What?
 ELLEN
 Look at this! The dog! She's 
 dead!
Martin shows no reaction. He doesn't even seem to find it 
worth the trouble to go over to Ellen who is still kneeling in 
the grass.
 MARTIN
 She was old.
 ELLEN
 Old?! Come look at this! She has 
 wounds. Wounds on her head. Like 
 thrashes. Or bites.
 MARTIN
 Maybe an animal.
 ELLEN
 (furious)
 An animal? What kind of animal? 
 A goddamned T-Rex, or what?
Martin is still apathetically standing in the doorway.
 MARTIN
 She spent a couple of pleasant days 
 with us, and now she's dead. 
 That's the way it is. I'm sorry. 
 I have work to do.
He goes back inside.
Ellen watches him.
This very instant, she realizes that this is not the man she 
once married. She knows that the time has come to take up 
action.
CUT TO:
58. MOOR - EXT. / DAY
A short distance away from the house, Ellen has buried the dog. 
She sticks a small, self-built wooden crucifix into the soft 
earth.
She stands there for a moment. She looks over at the house. 
Silence. Loneliness.
Then, she hangs Clara's collar over the cross. The little bell 
jingles.
CUT TO:
59. COUNTRY ROAD - EXT. / DAY
Ellen speeds down the country road in her car. She passes the 
town sign of Goldmoor. She has a tense look on her face.
CUT TO:
60. IN FRONT OF LINDNER'S HOUSE - EXT. / DAY
Ellen rings the doorbell.
She is standing in front of Lindner's house. While she waits, 
she looks up and down the street. There is no one in sight. 
The entire village seems deserted.
Elisabeth Lindner opens the door. She doesn't seem very 
surprised to see Ellen.
 MRS. LINDNER
 Oh, Ellen! I've been wondering 
 when you'd come. Why don't you 
 step in.
 ELLEN
 Thank you.
Ellen enters the house.
61. HALLWAY IN LINDNER'S HOUSE - INT. / DAY
The hallway is dark. The wood-paneled walls are decorated with 
pictures and certificates from Karl Lindner's years as a police 
officer.
 MRS. LINDNER
 My husband is in his study in the 
 back.
Mrs. Lindner leads Ellen through the corridor.
 ELLEN
 I really hate to bother him, but...
 MRS. LINDNER
 Oh no, no. You're not bothering 
 him.
 (she winks an eye)
 He has lots of time since he's been 
 retired.
CUT TO:
62. LINDNER'S STUDY - INT. / DAY
Ellen enters the spacious study. Lindner is seated in front of 
an easel, dexterously painting lines onto a canvas. He is 
working on a still life of flowers.
Without turning around to Ellen, he says:
 LINDNER
 Come in.
Ellen takes a look around the room. It is also furnished in 
dark colors, and there are dozens of oil paintings standing 
around the room. Every single one a still life of flowers.
 ELLEN
 You only draw flowers? A little 
 unusual for a former policeman.
Lindner obstinately continues to work on his painting.
 LINDNER
 You know, after doing that job for 
 so many years, you learn to 
 appreciate the simple things in 
 life. Flowers incorporate a beauty 
 that I always missed in life. But 
 certainly, you're not here to chat 
 about my hobbies.
 ELLEN
 1976. What happened back then?
With a heavy heart, he puts down his paintbrush and turns to 
face Ellen.
 LINDNER
 Do yourself a favor: Don't ask.
 ELLEN
 I appreciate your concern, but we 
 live in that house. I need to know 
 what happened in there.
Lindner turns back to his painting and continues to draw. He 
seems introverted, as if he were talking to himself.
 LINDNER
 We found the wife about a week 
 after she had died, hunched in her 
 TV-chair. Her husband was sitting 
 in front of her; the whole time, he 
 sat in front of her dead body. A 
 whole damn week. Her death 
 certificate says that she drowned, 
 and her husband was convicted, but 
 God alone knows what really 
 happened back then.
Ellen is shocked. Still, she persists.
 ELLEN
 What made him do it?
Lindner doesn't answer.
 ELLEN
 That man, is he still alive? Where 
 is he? Can I talk to him?
Lindner turns around to her again. This time, he looks 
determined.
 LINDNER
 Why don't you just leave the past 
 alone and now go - please.
Ellen sees that it's no use. She turns to leave. But she 
stops at the door and turns back once more.
 ELLEN
 If there's one thing I've learned 
 lately, it's that you can not run 
 away from the past. Believe me.
She leaves the old policeman behind. Once alone, he lowers his 
eyes.
CUT TO:
63. IN FRONT OF LINDNER'S HOUSE - EXT. / DAY
Ellen leaves the house, reflective. Just as she heads through 
the gate, Mrs. Lindner catches up with her.
 MRS. LINDNER
 Ellen! Wait!
She hands Ellen a small note.
 MRS. LINDNER
 Frank Kosinski. Here's the 
 address. Go see him. Ask him. 
 ELLEN
 Thank you. Elisabeth, I didn't 
 mean to...
Mrs. Lindner puts it off with a smile.
 MRS. LINDNER
 That's alright. Don't 
 misunderstand my husband. It's 
 only that he's already had enough 
 problems with this case.
 And who would believe him if he 
 told the truth?
 ELLEN
 But what is the truth?
 MRS. LINDNER
 I don't know all about what 
 happened back then. But it always 
 stood between me and my husband.
Ellen nods and leaves.
CUT TO:
64. PSYCHIATRY - EXT. / DAY
Ellen parks her car in front of the large, old building. She 
opens the heavy double doors of the entrance.
65. PSYCHIATRY - INT. / DAY
A long, wood-paneled hallway with small resting areas. Some of 
the elderly people are sitting around, others are playing cards 
or staring at a television - a strange atmosphere.
Ellen approaches a SOCIAL WORKER, who is pushing an OLD LADY 
through the hallway in a wheelchair.
The old lady giggles, as if she were mentally disoriented.
 ELLEN
 Excuse me, I'm looking for Frank 
 Kosinski.
The young man is of the silly, bored type.
 SOCIAL WORKER
 Kosinski...
 (thinks for a moment)
 Oh - you mean K.K.!
 ELLEN
 Sorry?
The social worker grins. He seems to think he's very funny.
 SOCIAL WORKER
 Killer-Kosinski, that's what they 
 call him around here. He did away 
 with his wife.
Now, the old lady joins in on the conversation.
 OLD LADY
 I'm so glad you finally came. 
 We've all been waiting for you.
She gently touches Ellen's hand. - The old lady seems to be 
taking Ellen for someone else.
 ELLEN
 (softly, to the old lady)
 You must be mistaking me.
 (to the young man)
 Where can I find the man?
 SOCIAL WORKER
 He's in the closed psychiatry. This 
 here's the open section. Go down 
 the hall, third door to the left.
 ELLEN
 Thank you.
The old lady keeps on persisting.
 OLD LADY
 Are you doing better yet?
Ellen is too preoccupied to worry about the old lady. She 
leaves them with a quick nod and hurries on.
The social worker starts pushing the wheelchair forward again. 
Walking away, Ellen still hears the old lady's voice.
 OLD LADY
 (to social worker)
 Poor girl. She only has two more 
 days to live, you know.
Ellen stops. She turns on her heels and runs back.
She excitedly stops the wheelchair and leans over to the old 
lady.
 ELLEN
 What was that? What did you say?
The old lady doesn't seem to recognize her any more.
 OLD LADY
 What do you want from me?
 ELLEN
 What you just said, about the two 
 days...
 OLD LADY
 I didn't say anything!
Ellen looks at the social worker, hoping that he might help.
 SOCIAL WORKER
 I didn't hear anything. Sorry.
Ellen doubtfully looks back and forth between the two of them.
 ELLEN
 I'm sorry... I guess I was 
 mistaken.
She quickly turns her back to this embarrassing situation and 
leaves.
66. HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF KOSINSKI'S CELL - INT. / DAY
The MALE NURSE turns the key. Before opening the heavy door, 
he gives Ellen a questioning look.
 NURSE
 He has his clear moments every now 
 and then. But I wouldn't get my 
 hopes up high.
They both enter the cell.
67. KOSINSKI'S CELL - INT. / DAY
Frank Kosinski (approx. 70 years old now) is sitting at a desk. 
He is busy putting newspaper articles into clear plastic 
folders and carefully sorting them away.
Ellen enters the room. The nurse closes the door from inside 
and stays standing next to it. 
The room looks more like an office archive than the cell of a 
closed psychiatric clinic. There are several shelves filled 
with neatly lined up files.
 ELLEN
 Mr. Kosinski?
The old man takes no notice of her. Ellen steps up to him, 
obviously feeling very uncomfortable about it.
 ELLEN
 Mr. Kosinski, my name is Ellen 
 Straub. I live in your house out 
 in Goldmoor... I mean, the house 
 where you used to live. There are 
 a few questions I would like to ask 
 you.
Kosinski does not react. He seems so lost in his own world 
that he hasn't even registered her presence. He stubbornly 
continues sorting his papers.
 ELLEN
 Mr. Kosinski! Can you hear me?
She waves her hand in front of his face. No reaction.
Ellen realizes that she'll have to come up with something else.
She walks to one of the shelves and pulls out a file titled 
"1976". Leafs through it. She finds the article that Paul 
had brought the other night.
She lays it on the desk, right in front of Kosinski's nose.
 ELLEN
 1976 - What happened back then? 
 You...
Now, she has his attention. As if she had pushed the button of 
a tape recorder, Kosinski immediately begins to recite the 
article. He seems to know it by heart.
 KOSINSKI
 "October 4, 1976. To this day, the 
 cold-blooded murder at the remote 
 homestead continues to bring up 
 questions. Investigations have 
 shown no satisfactory results. As 
 was announced by a police spokesman 
 ..."
Ellen gives the nurse a questioning look.
 NURSE
 Never mind, it's his usual number.
 ELLEN
 Yes. That's right. What happened 
 back then?
Although Kosinski has the news article right in front of him, 
he seems to be staring at the air. Ellen tests him by taking 
away the news report. Kosinski continues to recite.
 KOSINSKI
 "... another unsolved mystery is 
 the question, why doors and windows 
 had been nailed shut. The murder 
 suspect and only witness is still 
 in a state of mental derangement. 
 ..."
Again, Ellen tries to interrupt him.
 ELLEN
 Okay, fine. I read that. It's 
 written in the article. What I 
 want to know is: What really 
 happened back then?
Kosinski mechanically continues to speak. Absolutely 
inanimate.
 KOSINSKI
 "... Friends and family describe 
 him as a friendly, reliable 
 husband. He had been forced into 
 closing his small trades business 
 after bankruptcy. It is uncertain 
 whether this might have been cause 
 for marital dispute..."
Ellen realizes that she cannot get through to him with words. 
She finds a page on the desk that was torn out of a chronicle 
about Goldmoor.
 ELLEN
 August 17, 1869.
 KOSINSKI
 "August 17, 1869. A messenger 
 found Mr. and Mrs. Eugen and 
 Wilhelmine Meister dead in their 
 house." 
With both astonishment and dismay, Ellen listens to the old 
man's monotonous lecture.
 KOSINSKI
 "...The police constable in charge 
 found no traces. The motive of the 
 crime remains a mystery..."
Ellen turns to the nurse.
 ELLEN
 Could I please speak with him alone 
 for a moment?
 NURSE
 Are you sure?
 ELLEN
 I'll be fine. Thank you.
The nurse leaves the cell with a frown.
Ellen takes Kosinski's chair and turns him around. She looks 
straight into his blank eyes.
 ELLEN
 I am starting to get the impression 
 that all of this is some kind of 
 bad joke: I'm seeing things that 
 are not there, my own husband is 
 becoming a total stranger and your 
 old friend Lindner won't tell me 
 what he knows. I have no idea what 
 you're trying to prove with this 
 performance of yours, but I am not 
 leaving this room before I hear the 
 truth.
No reaction. Kosinski continues to stare at nothing in 
particular. 
Ellen gives up. Shaking her head, she turns to the door.
 KOSINSKI
 It's a grave.
Ellen freezes and looks back at Kosinski. She walks back over 
to him.
 ELLEN
 What?
Suddenly, Kosinski seems to have snapped out of his "autism". 
He is holding an old book in his hands. The book contains 
clippings, notes and among others, a page that seems to have 
been torn out of another book.
It is an etching from the Middle Ages illustrating a man being 
pushed into the swamp by several villagers.
Ellen reads the text underneath the illustration:
 ELLEN
 "...Execution in the moor..."
All of a sudden, Kosinski grabs Ellen and pulls her close. His 
eyes have a feverish glow.
 KOSINSKI
 The moor... it's one big grave.
CUT TO:
68. ENTRANCE AREA / HALLWAY - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen enters the hallway. She runs into Martin who is on his 
way up from the cellar.
When he sees Ellen, he shuts the cellar door and puts the key 
into his pocket again. It seems as if he felt caught doing 
something.
 ELLEN
 (sarcastic)
 Let me guess: Another short 
 circuit?
 MARTIN
 Hi, darling.
Martin ignores her comment and starts to head up the stairs to 
his study.
 ELLEN
 What is going on down there, 
 anyway? Why am I not supposed to 
 go in the cellar?
Martin stops at the base of the stairway.
 MARTIN
 I told you: It's too dangerous. 
 Besides, I have to work now.
He continues up the staircase. Ellen follows him.
 ELLEN
 Martin, we need to talk. I've done 
 some research. This lovely house 
 of ours has a history of murder 
 cases.
Martin does not stop walking, but his eyes show alarm.
 ELLEN
 Anyone who ever lived in this house 
 either quickly moved back out, or 
 fell victim to strange accidents, 
 or ended up killing each other.
69. STUDY - INT. / NIGHT
Martin sits down at his desk and immediately starts typing. 
Ellen won't give up so easy.
 ELLEN
 I know you don't believe me, but at 
 least hear me out. Don't tell me 
 you haven't noticed that we've been 
 going through some strange changes 
 since we moved here!
 We hardly talk to each other any 
 more, you're writing like a madman 
 and I'm having these visions.
Martin does not interrupt his work.
Ellen slams the articles from Kosinski on his keyboard.
 ELLEN
 Here, look at this! Did you know 
 that our house is built right on a 
 spot where during the Middle Ages 
 people were executed? They simply 
 threw the convicts into the moors, 
 alive.
Martin shakes his head. He smiles and shoves the articles 
aside.
 MARTIN
 During the Middle Ages people were 
 executed at every corner. What's 
 your point?
 ELLEN
 This house, the whole damned area 
 around here is one mass grave... 
 Now you might call me crazy, but 
 there is something negative about 
 the place.
 MARTIN
 Okay, so the house has a history 
 and there might still be a couple 
 of corpses in the moors.
 (mocking)
 "There is something negative about 
 the place..." What the hell are 
 you trying to say? Come on! Spit 
 it out!
Ellen twists around.
 ELLEN
 It's like... a sickness! And it's 
 gotten into our heads.
Now Martin gets aggressive.
 MARTIN
 Will you finally cut it out? Just 
 in case you haven't noticed, I am 
 trying to write a book here. And 
 maybe - even with your birdbrains - 
 you can figure it's a pretty tough 
 job.
 So why can't you just leave me 
 alone?
 ELLEN
 Damn it, look at you! Don't you 
 see what's happening with you? We 
 need to get out of here, don't you 
 understand? Out of this house!
Martin threatens her with his forefinger.
 MARTIN
 Now let me work!
Martin continues to write.
 ELLEN
 (hollers)
 To hell with your damned work!
In a rash action, she suddenly pushes his computer monitor off 
of the desk.
Martin jumps up from his chair. He grabs Ellen by the throat 
and pushes her against the wall. Throbbing veins on his 
forehead.
 MARTIN
 Don't you dare...
Ellen can hardly breathe. She is about to choke. Just in 
time, Martin lets go.
Ellen slides to the floor and gasps for air.
Martin doesn't seem to care. He sets the monitor back onto the 
table and gets back to work.
Ellen is deeply shocked. She drags herself out of the room.
Martin doesn't even deign to look up at her again.
70. HALLWAY - INT. / NIGHT
The door to the study falls shut behind Ellen.
Slowly, she sinks to her knees and starts to cry. Hopelessness 
and despair.
 ELLEN
 (sobbing)
 Martin... oh my God... what's 
 happening to us...
The house is dead-silent. Only the sound of Martin typing on 
his computer keyboard in his study.
Suddenly, Ellen hears a noise - very quiet. It is the RINGING 
of a bell.
Ellen looks up.
There it is again, very clearly: It's the bell on the collar 
of the dead dog.
 ELLEN
 (quietly, to herself)
 Clara...?
She stands up and heads for the staircase. Cautiously.
A shadow rushes through the entrance hall - the shadow of a 
dog.
Ellen sneaks down the steps. Her eyes scan the darkness.
71. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
Again, the BELL RINGING. The shadow. The animal seems to have 
run into the cellar.
Now, Ellen notices that the door Martin had locked so carefully 
earlier, is open.
A dirty-yellow gleam shines into the hallway from below.
Ellen looks up - Martin seems to be working: His steady typing 
resounds throughout the house.
It takes Ellen all the courage she has, but finally she makes 
herself go into the cellar...
72. STUDY - INT. / NIGHT
Martin stops typing in mid-sentence. He looks up. There is a 
threatening gleam in his eyes...
73. CELLAR - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen carefully walks down the stairs to the cellar. It's 
cold. The single light bulb at the ceiling hardly sheds any 
light. An eerie and unsettling atmosphere.
No sign of the dog.
Ellen finds the fuse box. No difference - the wires are still 
hanging out of the wall, tangled up and rotten.
All of a sudden, there is a voice coming from behind Ellen.
 THOMAS (O.S.)
 Mommy...
Ellen spins around.
There's something in the darkness - a figure: Tommi!
Ellen freezes. Her eyes are glued to the little boy, whose 
figure melts together with the shadows. Like a tape recording, 
he repeats:
 THOMAS
 Mommy...
Ellen fights up against the image as if she knew that it is 
only a lie.
 ELLEN
 No...
The boy steps out of the shadow.
 THOMAS
 Mommy...
Ellen backs off.
 ELLEN
 My son is dead...
The little boy comes closer. Now, he is standing right in 
front of Ellen. He raises his hands as if he wanted to be 
hugged. Again, his sad voice repeats:
 THOMAS
 Mommy!
Finally, Ellen's heart wins over reason. She falls to her 
knees and takes the boy into her arms.
 ELLEN
 My God, Tommi.
Tears run down her cheeks. She holds the child close. But 
what she doesn't see: The boy's mean smile behind her back.
Suddenly, there is a strange transformation: Running through 
Ellen's fingers - little at first, but then more and more: 
mud!
Thomas' body has turned into liquid in her arms. Ellen is 
devastated.
Right before her eyes, the child dissolves into swamp mud. It 
drains away and disappears in the floor.
Time seems to stand still.
Suddenly, Ellen is grabbed by the hair and torn around.
It's Martin! He stares at her resentfully.
 MARTIN
 Didn't I tell you not to go in the 
 cellar?!
Ellen does not understand what's happening.
 ELLEN
 Martin, what-
 MARTIN
 It's simply too dangerous here! 
 But no, you always have to have it 
 your way.
She tries to squirm out of his grip - but it's no use.
Martin drags her up the stairs.
 MARTIN
 You know what I have to do now, 
 and believe me: I don't enjoy 
 doing this.
 ELLEN
 Martin, damnit, what are you up to? 
 Let go of me!
74. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
Martin mercilessly drags Ellen along behind him.
 MARTIN
 Of course you'll give me the blame 
 again. Like back then. Just a 
 tiny cut and he could still be 
 alive today - isn't that right, 
 Ellen?
 ELLEN
 What are you talking about-
Ellen tries to find a way to free herself. But she hardly 
stands a chance against Martin's strength.
 MARTIN
 Enough of that! I know what I have 
 to do now.
Sliding by, Ellen bumps into a tool box. She gets hold of a 
screwdriver. 
Panic-stricken, she thrusts it in Martin's direction.
A scream of pain. He collapses. Bleeds.
Ellen tears herself loose and runs out of the house.
75. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE / CAR - EXT. / NIGHT
Ellen races to the car and jumps in behind the steering wheel.
Martin staggers out in pursuit of her. He is holding his 
stomach.
Inside the car:
Ellen hastily crams out the car key. It slips out of her hand.
Martin is coming closer.
Inside the car:
Ellen gropes around in the darkness, trying to find the key.
Martin has almost reached the car.
Inside the car:
At last, Ellen has the key. She pushes it into the ignition, 
turns it around. The engine roars up.
Ellen careens off in the car. She brushes Martin. He spins 
away with a loud thud.
The car speeds off.
CUT TO:
76. CONSULTING ROOM OF PROF. ROTH - INT. / DAWN
Prof. Roth is in the middle of a conference with two INTERNS.
The door flies open. Ellen storms into the room with tears in 
her eyes; she is totally frantic.
Her appearance surprises him.
 PROF. ROTH
 Mrs. Straub!
 ELLEN
 I've killed my husband!
 PROF. ROTH
 What?
 ELLEN
 I think I've killed him. Martin, 
 my husband, I've killed him! That 
 is, I'm not sure, but...
Prof. Roth immediately takes her arm and leads her to a sofa.
 PROF. ROTH
 Mrs. Straub! Now calm down first.
Ellen is totally distraught.
 ELLEN
 (hectic, loud)
 It all went so fast. He was out of 
 his mind and then all of sudden 
 there was this screwdriver. I only 
 wanted to defend myself. You have 
 to call the police...
 PROF. ROTH
 We can do all of that later, but 
 first you need to calm down.
He stands up, fetches a glass of water and takes a tablet out 
of a package.
 PROF. ROTH
 Here, take this.
Ellen takes the pill without a moment's hesitation and swallows 
it with a drink of water.
 ELLEN
 I... I don't know which part of it 
 all really happened... It's all one 
 big nightmare...
Prof. Roth sees that she is not able to think clearly at the 
moment.
 PROF. ROTH
 You are going to sleep for a little 
 while, now. And then, we'll talk 
 about it more calmly and sift 
 through all of this.
The tablet quickly begins to show an effect. In Ellen's eyes, 
Prof. Roth's face gets blurry.
One of the interns speaks up.
 INTERN
 Should we inform the authorities?
Prof. Roth waves it off.
 PROF. ROTH
 Before everyone gets all nervous, 
 why don't you call her house. 
 Maybe that will clear things up.
Ellen only vaguely catches the last spoken sentences through a 
curtain of haze. Then, she loses conscience.
FADE TO:
77. HOSPITAL ROOM - INT. / DAY
Ellen drowsily wakes up in a hospital room. She takes a 
careful look around herself. The room is surprisingly nice and 
pleasantly furnished.
78. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - INT. / DAY
There is a lot going on in the hospital corridor. 
MALE and FEMALE NURSES busily take care of their duties.
A hand picks up a syringe and an ampoule from a trolley.
79. HOSPITAL ROOM - INT. / DAY
The door is opened.
Ellen barely manages to lift her head in order to see who the 
visitor is.
A man pulls a wheelchair inside with his back turned to her, 
and closes the door.
 ELLEN
 Professor Roth?
The man turns around: It's Martin!
He is wearing his best suit. He shows no signs of a wound.
Ellen wants to call for help, but Martin is already up next to 
her and holds her mouth shut with his hand.
 MARTIN
 Hello, darling. Are you feeling 
 better?
He thrusts the syringe into her leg.
Ellen desperately searches for the emergency button for the 
nurses' room.
 MARTIN
 (whispers)
 Shh... everything will be fine. 
 Tomorrow, it will all be over. 
 Just don't try to fight it.
Ellen has found the button, but the medication is faster: She 
doesn't have enough strength to push the button any more.
Her tired eyes blink and fall shut for a moment...
FADE TO:
80. BEDROOM - INT. / NIGHT
... Ellen's eyes slowly open again. She wakes up to a loud 
HAMMERING noise.
Only now does she realize that she is lying on the planking of 
her own bed, with her hands and feet roped tight. Martin has 
put a gag in her mouth. He is standing by the window, nailing 
several large boards in front of it. 
He is so preoccupied with his work that he hasn't yet noticed 
that Ellen is awake. He quietly curses under his voice.
 MARTIN
 You stupid little bitch... think 
 you can toy around with people any 
 old way you like. But not me, no.
Ellen carefully tries to loosen the ropes. The sound catches 
Martin's attention. He turns around to her. He is still 
holding a nail in the corner of his mouth.
 MARTIN
 (sweetly)
 Oh sweetheart, you're awake 
 already?
He takes the nail out of the corner of his mouth and opens his 
suit jacket. Underneath, we see his blood-soaked shirt. But 
he doesn't seem to feel any pain.
 MARTIN
 That really wasn't very nice of you 
 yesterday. I always thought you 
 loved me. You know, I bet any 
 other husband would be pretty upset 
 with you now.
He sits down on the bed next to her and begins to loosen her 
gag.
 MARTIN
 But I believe in our relationship. 
 What are such trifles compared to 
 that.
He takes the gag out of her mouth. Ellen's voice is shaking.
 ELLEN
 Martin, for heaven's sake, tie me 
 loose!
Martin seriously shakes his head.
 MARTIN
 Believe me, I'd really like to. 
 But I have the feeling you're not 
 ready yet.
Ellen lies there, totally helpless.
 ELLEN
 Ready? For what? This is crazy! 
 Don't you see what's going on here?
He moves closer to her, caresses her cheek.
 MARTIN
 The last day, Ellen. Today is the 
 last day. The circle is closing.
Ellen suddenly understands.
 ELLEN
 You knew!
Martin slowly leans over and kisses her. Ellen tries to turn 
her head away, but Martin holds it tight. Barbaric - there is 
nothing tender about this kiss.
 MARTIN
 Oh, Ellen. My sweet Ellen... 
 Of course I knew.
 ELLEN
 We loved each other once. Have you 
 forgotten that?
Martin seems bitter.
 MARTIN
 Oh, yeah? Did we really? Think 
 about it, Ellen...
Just then, the DOORBELL rings. They both look toward the door.
Quick as a flash, Martin presses his hand on Ellen's mouth, so 
she cannot scream.
 MARTIN
 Are you expecting company?
81. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / NIGHT
Karl Lindner is standing at the door. He presses the doorbell 
button. He is carrying one of his flower paintings under his 
arm.
82. BEDROOM - INT. / NIGHT
Martin puts the gag back into Ellen's mouth.
 MARTIN
 Make yourself comfortable. I'll be 
 right back.
He stands up and leaves the room.
Ellen hears him lock the door from outside. She immediately 
begins to tear at her ropes.
83. HALLWAY / ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
The doorbell RINGS again. While Martin runs downstairs, he 
buttons up his suit jacket again in order to conceal the blood 
stains.
He is still holding the hammer in his hand.
He walks to the door and opens it to Lindner.
 LINDNER
 Good evening. Karl Lindner. I'm a 
 friend of your wife. Is she in?
84. BEDROOM - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen is still tied to the bed. She faintly hears the two 
men's VOICES from downstairs.
She moves her head, trying to get rid of the gag - in vain.
Ellen screams, but only muffled sounds come out.
She doubles her efforts and tears at her ropes with all her 
might.
85. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE / ENTRANCE AREA - EXT. / NIGHT
Martin is standing across from Lindner. He gives him a 
friendly smile. He shows no apparent signs of the condition he 
is in.
 MARTIN
 Ellen is home. But she isn't 
 feeling well. Can I give her a 
 message?
Lindner takes the painting out from under his arm.
 LINDNER
 Oh, then I guess that makes my gift 
 all the more appropriate. Maybe 
 I'll just give it to her real quick 
 and be on my way again.
Martin anxiously fingers the hammer in his hands.
 MARTIN
 Um, I don't think that's a good 
 idea. She went to lie down. I 
 think she's already asleep. She's 
 been pretty busy lately and needs 
 to rest.
86. BEDROOM - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen realizes that there is no way she can untie herself. But 
slowly, she manages to loosen one of the bed planks that she is 
tied to - bit by tedious bit.
87. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE / ENTRANCE AREA - EXT. / NIGHT
Lindner peeks inside the house past Martin. He casually asks:
 LINDNER
 So, what's wrong with her?
Martin is still playing around with the hammer.
 MARTIN
 Just nerves. You know, the move 
 and all that...
Lindner realizes that it's no use asking further. He hands 
over the picture.
 LINDNER
 Well, then. Would you please give 
 this to her for me? Tell her, I'd 
 like to talk to her when she's 
 feeling better. And tell her I 
 don't want to run away anymore. 
 She'll understand what I mean.
 MARTIN
 Sure, I'll tell her.
The old policeman walks to his car and climbs inside.
Martin smiles and waves him good-bye.
88. BEDROOM - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen has finally made it: She manages to disconnect the 
plank.
She quickly tears the gag out of her mouth and yells as loud as 
she can:
 ELLEN
 (screams)
 Help! Help, I'm in here! Help me!
She listens if anyone heard her calling.
It's useless. Lindner has already started his car, and drives 
off. The sound of his car engine fades away in the distance.
Ellen is desperate.
89. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
Martin heard Ellen's calling. He grins self-consciously and 
locks the house door. Then, he reaches for a board leaning 
against the wall. He takes a nail out of his pocket and starts 
to nail the door shut.
CUT TO:
90. LINDNER'S CAR / COUNTRY ROAD - EXT. / NIGHT
Karl Lindner is driving towards Goldmoor. He is lost in 
thought. Something about the whole situation seemed strange to 
him, but he can't put his finger on it.
He brakes and looks back toward the house once more (a moment 
of hope for Ellen).
But then, he shakes his head and steps on the gas pedal again.
The car drives off into the distance.
CUT TO:
91. BEDROOM - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen gets rid of the rest of her ropes, immediately jumps up 
and races to the door.
She checks the door: it's locked. She peeks through the 
keyhole.
The key is sticking in the opposite side of the door. We hear 
Martin hammering downstairs.
Ellen has an idea - an ancient trick from childhood days. 
There is a book on the bedside table. She tears out a page and 
slides it underneath the door, below the door lock.
There is a can of nails on the floor which Martin left behind. 
Ellen takes out a nail and uses it to poke around in the 
keyhole.
She pushes the key out of the lock. The key falls to the 
floor, but it lands next to the sheet of paper.
Ellen pulls the book page in under the door - no key!
 ELLEN
 (quietly)
 Damn.
She presses her face flat against the floor and looks 
underneath the door crack.
There, on the other side, is the key.
Suddenly, the hammering stops.
Ellen holds her breath...
92. LIVING ROOM - INT. / NIGHT
...The living room windows are all nailed shut. Martin 
prepares to attach the last board. He reaches into his pocket 
- no more nails...!
93. BEDROOM - INT. / NIGHT
...The box of nails is lying on the bedroom floor. Ellen 
senses that she is running out of time. She moves faster.
She pushes the book page under the door again and tries to 
maneuver it underneath the key...
94. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
...Martin comes out of the living room and heads for the 
hallway...
95. BEDROOM - INT. / NIGHT
...Ellen has it! She has managed to get the key on top of the 
sheet of paper. Carefully, she pulls it in under the door.
She picks it up and pushes it into the lock...
96. HALLWAY - INT. / NIGHT
...Martin comes up the stairs. He heads for the bedroom. When 
he sees the open door, he stops.
He hesitates for a moment, looks around.
Then, he carefully approaches the door.
 MARTIN
 Is somebody trying to run away 
 here?! Darling, I'm really 
 disappointed. How can we ever have 
 a trusting marriage if you keep 
 running away from every conflict?
Martin has reached the bedroom door.
 MARTIN
 You little hardhead, I...
At that moment, the door slams into him. A loud crunch. The 
wooden door hits him right in the head. Martin is knocked to 
the floor.
Ellen comes running out of the bedroom. She has a wooden plank 
in her hands. She wants to make sure that the job is done 
right and clobbers Martin until he stops moving.
Then, she sprints to the staircase and runs down the steps.
97. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen runs to the barricaded house door. She shakes at the 
boards, but they are down tight. No matter how hard Ellen 
tries, it's impossible for her to loosen them.
Horrified, she searches for another way out. She runs to the 
living room door and looks inside the room...:
98. LIVING ROOM - INT. / NIGHT
...All of the windows are barricaded. There is no chance to 
escape!
99. HALLWAY - INT. / NIGHT
Martin regains conscience. His head is wounded and bleeding. 
He scrambles to his feet.
 MARTIN
 No matter what you do, Ellen... 
 you don't stand a chance. We're 
 not leaving this place anymore...
100. LIVING ROOM - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen looks around, helpless. We hear Martin's voice coming 
from upstairs.
 MARTIN (O.S.)
 ... not today. Not tomorrow. 
 Never again!
She discovers the remote control for the TV. And gets an idea. 
She grabs it and runs out of the room.
101. KITCHEN - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen flees into the kitchen. The windows are all nailed shut 
here, too. Ellen's heart is beating up to her neck. She jerks 
open a drawer and takes out a big kitchen knife.
We hear Martin's footsteps coming down the staircase.
 MARTIN (O.S.)
 It's like you always wanted. 
 Us together. We'll make it through 
 anything, no matter how rotten the 
 situation is.
Ellen squats next to the door frame.
102. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
Martin is walking down the last couple of steps. Out of the 
corner of his eyes, he notices the open kitchen door.
 MARTIN
 Have you ever wondered why it 
 hasn't been working out between us 
 since it all happened? I've asked 
 myself that question. And you know 
 what the answer to that is? It was 
 never real. All just a big lie.
While he speaks, Martin slowly moves toward the kitchen.
103. KITCHEN - INT. / NIGHT
Martin has almost reached the kitchen.
Quivering, Ellen pushes a button on the remote control...
104. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
...and the television jumps on in the living room, behind 
Martin. The loud NOISE startles him; he spins around.
Martin smiles and taps the hammer in the palm of his hand. 
Then, he heads towards the living room.
 MARTIN
 What you loved, was something 
 totally different. The successful 
 author, Martin Straub. "Mr. 
 Cherry-red Tears" - you married a 
 goddamned book.
Martin disappears in the living room.
105. KITCHEN - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen sees her chance, and takes it. She runs out of the 
kitchen...
106. ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
...and up the stairs.
Martin sprints out of the living room. He is after her.
107. HALLWAY - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen runs into the study. Martin is right on her heels...
108. STUDY - INT. / NIGHT
...Ellen slams the door shut behind her and locks it. She 
reaches for the telephone next to the computer.
CUT TO:
109. LINDNER'S BEDROOM - INT. / NIGHT
The lights are off in Lindner's bedroom.
Karl is lying in bed with his eyes open, staring at the 
ceiling. His wife notices it.
 MRS. LINDNER
 You went to see the Straubs' today, 
 didn't you?
Lindner doesn't answer. The look in his eyes says it all.
 MRS. LINDNER
 I know you have something on your 
 mind. What is it?
He hesitates. Sighs. Finally, he says it:
 LINDNER
 I think it's starting again. 
 You know... there was something 
 peculiar. If only I knew...
 MRS. LINDNER
 Peculiar? You mean, like back 
 then?
 LINDNER
 Yes, something was...
Suddenly, it hits him.
 LINDNER
 My God, the hammer!
He jumps out of bed and into his clothes.
 MRS. LINDNER
 Hammer?
 LINDNER
 How could I fail to notice that!
 - I have to go...
He hesitates, looks back at his wife.
 LINDNER
 I'm sorry, honey.
It is hard for Mrs. Lindner to let her husband go. But she 
understands.
 MRS. LINDNER
 Go ahead. I know you have to do 
 this.
CUT TO:
110. STUDY - INT. / DAY
Ellen dials the emergency number for the police and races to 
the window. She looks down - it's quite a ways down, and at 
the bottom, hard stone pavement.
The phone RINGS at the other end of the line.
Martin rumbles against the door to the study. He is trying to 
get inside.
111. HALLWAY - INT. / NIGHT
Martin is standing in front of the closed door to the study, 
shaking the door handle. He listens.
 MARTIN
 Come on...
112. STUDY - INT. / NIGHT
Ellen still hasn't gotten through to the police.
 MARTIN (O.S.)
 ... I know what you're up to. You 
 don't think that's going to work, 
 do you?
Ellen desperately looks around the room, searching for a way 
out. She catches sight of the activated computer. There is a 
text flickering on the slightly demolished monitor.
Finally, someone answers the phone at the police station.
 TELEPHONE VOICE (O.S.)
 Police headquarters, Webber...
Ellen excitedly speaks into the phone.
 ELLEN
 Ellen Straub here. You have to 
 help me...
113. HALLWAY / ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
Martin runs down the stairs to the entrance area. He heads 
straight for the distributor box next to the cellar door.
One well-aimed blow, and the gray telephone box is demolished.
114. STUDY - INT. / NIGHT
 ELLEN
 ... please come right away! My 
 address is...
CLICK! The conversation is cut off. The line is dead.
But Ellen hardly notices it anymore. Her eyes are glued to the 
monitor. Something about it has drawn her full attention.
Her name is written on the monitor screen! Ellen begins to 
read in disbelief.
 ELLEN
 (reads)
 "Ellen woke up from the sound of 
 the door. She barely managed to 
 raise her head in order to see who 
 the visitor might be. His back 
 turned to Ellen, the man pulled a 
 wheelchair into the hospital room. 
 When he turned around, she 
 recognized him with horror: 
 Martin!"
Ellen's eyes grow wider with every word she reads. The text 
abruptly stops here.
Martin must have known everything! Her whole story, everything 
that happened to her, is described in his new novel.
 ELLEN
 What the hell...
From outside, we hear Martin's voice loud and clear. He 
finishes her sentence for her:
 MARTIN
 ...is going on here?
Before Ellen has a chance to give the situation a thought, the 
door breaks open. The door frame splinters. Martin simply 
kicked the door in.
 MARTIN
 The final chapter will finish 
 tonight. I bet you can't wait to 
 find out how the story ends!
Ellen grabs the knife and backs away.
 ELLEN
 My God, Martin. I don't understand 
 all this. How is it possible?
Slowly and threateningly, Martin comes closer. In his hands, 
the hammer.
 MARTIN
 Do you like my new book? A real 
 page-turner, isn't it? I can just 
 see the critics: Martin Straub is 
 back! And better than ever.
Ellen is backed up against the wall. She raises the knife 
against him.
 ELLEN
 Stay where you are! Not one step 
 closer!
Martin isn't fazed that easily.
 MARTIN
 You still don't understand, do you? 
 Today is the last day. Your day, 
 Ellen.
With this, he jumps up to her, quick as lightning. He grabs 
the knife by the blade and twists it out of Ellen's hand - 
without the slightest feeling of pain.
He firmly pulls Ellen towards the door. They pass by the desk 
with the computer. Ellen sees the electric cord for the 
computer on the floor.
With a swift move of her foot, she tears at the cable, pulling 
the computer off of the desk. It falls to the floor.
Martin screams in rage. For a second, he is distracted.
Ellen takes the opportunity to tear herself loose.
115. HALLWAY / ENTRANCE AREA - INT. / NIGHT
Terrified, Ellen races down the stairs. She is looking for a 
way out.
Martin is close on her heels. In the entrance hall, he gets 
hold of her.
But Ellen manages to break loose again. But doing so, she 
slips. Falls.
And trips through the open cellar door...
116. CELLAR - INT. / NIGHT
... down the stairs.
Ellen crash-lands in brackish, brown water. The cellar is 
flooded ankle-deep with swamp water. It is seeping in through 
the crevices in the walls.
 ELLEN
 The moor...
Martin walks up to her, threateningly. Ellen scrambles to her 
feet. She is hurt. But Martin walks past her and steps into 
the center of the dark cellar.
Ellen glances back at the cellar door which is still open. 
Suddenly, an invisible force slams it shut.
 MARTIN
 I told you, there is no way out. 
 He won't let you go.
 ELLEN
 'HE'? Whom do you mean-
Instead of answering, he gently puts his finger on her mouth.
 MARTIN
 (quietly)
 Shh. Don't you hear that?
She looks around.
Then she hears it: The room is filled with quiet WHISPERS, 
growing louder and louder - countless voices - the voices of 
children!
 MARTIN
 It's important - he knows the last 
 chapter.
 ELLEN
 Your book - that's why you were 
 always in the cellar!
Just then, a figure steps out of the darkness. It is their 
little son Thomas. Although he does not move his lips, he 
seems to be the source of the whispers.
He stands next to Martin, who lays his arm around the boy's 
shoulder.
 MARTIN
 Now look at this young man: He 
 supports me in what I do - quite 
 the opposite of you.
Terrified, Ellen stares at Thomas. She watches a thin strand 
of mud flow out of the boy's shoulder, and - against the laws 
of gravity - it crawls up over Martin's hand. Martin does not 
seem to notice it.
 MARTIN
 You know, Tommi wants me to become 
 the man I used to be.
 ELLEN
 (laughs bitterly)
 ...So he's dictating you a new 
 bestseller? Whatever that is, it's 
 not our son.
Martin leans down to the child's figure and brings his ear 
close to Thomas' mouth. The boy seems to be whispering 
something in his ear.
 ELLEN
 (sharply)
 Martin, don't you understand? 
 Tommi is dead! This... it knows 
 our weaknesses and it's using them 
 to bring us apart!
Martin stays leaned down to Thomas and listens. He throws a 
stealthy glance at Ellen.
 MARTIN
 I'm afraid he doesn't like you very 
 much.
Martin smiles triumphantly. He reaches into the water and 
pulls out a metal pipe.
He threateningly moves closer to Ellen. She backs away, until 
she finds herself backed up against the wall.
Ellen looks around - there is no where to run. But she tries 
anyway. She wants to make a run for it.
But Martin is faster. He grabs hold of her. Ellen slips and 
lands in the water.
 MARTIN
 We've played this game long enough.
He mercilessly pushes Ellen's head under water. She tries to 
put up a fight, but she doesn't stand a chance.
 MARTIN
 How sad. Drowned, like all the 
 others. But that's the way it's 
 got to be in a real horror novel. 
 I know what you're thinking: No 
 happy end - it'll never sell. But 
 to hell with commerce!
Ellen manages to fight her way above the water's surface. She 
gasps for air. Her eyes catch sight of the old shelf, crammed 
full with all sorts of junk, standing within reach of her feet.
 ELLEN
 It's lying, don't you see? This is 
 all an illusion. It lied to us and 
 to all of those who were here 
 before us...
Martin's eyes are beaming with hate. He does not notice Ellen 
kicking for the shelf. It slightly tips forward, then back 
against the wall again.
 MARTIN
 I'll tell you what really was an 
 illusion: Romantic family life, by 
 the side of your successful author. 
 Sorry if I wasn't able to live up 
 to your high expectations, 
 princess.
Ellen tries to get through to whatever is left of Martin.
 ELLEN
 It wasn't your fault, you hear!
Ellen gets another good kick against the shelf - it tips over 
and collapses over Martin's head. Ellen grabs the chance to 
free herself.
Martin furiously thrusts the shelf aside. There is an ugly 
wound on his forehead.
 ELLEN
 Tommi is dead, you hear!
 But you and me, we're alive.
Again, Ellen is backed up against the wall. Martin steps up to 
her. He is still holding the metal pipe.
 MARTIN
 Be quiet.
Suddenly, he strikes her with the pipe. He grabs Ellen by the 
throat and pushes her against the wall.
 ELLEN
 I love you, Martin!
For a short moment, something seems to break inside of Martin. 
But then, he tightens his grip on her neck again.
Ellen is dazed, but she is not afraid any more.
 ELLEN
 Then kill me, because... "With you, 
 my life began and with you shall it 
 end..."
All of a sudden, some of Martin's strength seems to fail. His 
look freezes. A single BLACK TEAR runs out of the corner of 
his eye.
Ellen grabs the metal pipe and shoves Martin away.
She jumps over to Thomas...
 ELLEN
 I love you! Don't let a lie come 
 between us! Look at this!
...and slashes the pipe at him.
The metal penetrates the figure's "body" and destroys the 
illusion: The facade of the little boy dissipates into mud.
For a second, Ellen believes to have seen the hideous figure of 
a swamp corpse, but the creature instantly melts into the muddy 
water covering the cellar floor.
At this very instant, a loud roll of thunder echoes throughout 
the house.
Martin abruptly loses all of his strength. More and more 
liquid begins to flow out of his eyes. The strands of mud 
slither down his body like countless snakes and vanish into the 
swamp water. 
The house begins to quake. More and more mud seeps in through 
the cracks. The cellar slowly floods. The walls quiver.
Ellen runs to the door: It is shut tight - there is no way 
out.
The moor is rising. Ellen grabs Martin, who is still 
unconscious and about to drown. She tries to wake him up.
 ELLEN
 Martin! We have to get out of 
 here!
There is a sudden noise. Ellen jumps.
Something has started to move in the back corner of the cellar: 
A dark something arcs out of the water for a short moment. It 
isn't over, yet!
 ELLEN
 My God...
She vigorously tries to wake Martin, but he does not react.
The "thing" is coming closer. It languidly rolls forward. 
Its shape remains hidden underneath the water's surface.
Ellen feverishly searches for a way out. She notices the small 
cellar hatch.
The house quakes more violently; dust flakes down from the 
ceiling. Ellen realizes that the entire house is slowly 
sinking into the ground. And at the same time, the moor is 
rising dangerously high.
She grabs Martin by the shoulders. With all of her strength, 
she somehow manages to pull him up onto a pile of crates below 
the cellar hatch.
The black thing is coming closer. It rises up out of the moor.
Ellen tries to heave Martin outside through the hatch - but she 
is not strong enough. Still, she puts up a desperate fight 
against the odds.
The already small opening of the hatch is growing smaller and 
smaller: The tremendous foundations of the house are sinking 
deeper and deeper into the ground.
Suddenly, a hand reaches in through the hatch and grabs a hold 
of Martin.
Ellen starts. She looks outside. It's Lindner!
 LINDNER
 Hurry, we don't have much time! 
 Lift him up higher!
Ellen pushes Martin a little bit higher. Behind her, an 
amorphous, black mass is rising up out of the swamp water. 
Numerous strands of mud branch out of it and begin to grope for 
Ellen.
One of the "tentacles" wraps itself around Ellen's foot.
Ellen notices it, but can't do anything about it.
With one strong jerk, Lindner tugs Martin out of the cellar.
At the same time, Ellen loses hold on the crate. She is torn 
downward and disappears under water.
Lindner sticks his head in through the hatch.
 LINDNER
 (shouts)
 Ellen!
A brief moment of hesitation - then the old policeman 
determinedly climbs down into the cellar. By now, the moor has 
risen almost to his waist.
Lindner wades through the thick liquid. The surface is smooth 
- no sign of Ellen.
Then, she suddenly dives back up, gasping for air.
Lindner immediately grabs her arm and helps her toward the 
hatch.
 ELLEN
 It's right behind me.
Lindner keeps calm.
 LINDNER
 Don't worry. It only has power 
 over us if we run away.
He helps Ellen up onto the crates. Carefully, she climbs out 
through the hatch. She hears Tommi's voice behind her.
 THOMAS
 Mommy...
She is tempted to look back. But Lindner stops her from doing 
it.
 LINDNER
 No. Don't look back.
 THOMAS
 Mommy...
The hatch, the last possible exit into freedom, is slowly 
shrinking to a narrow slit.
Ellen reaches out her hand to Lindner.
 ELLEN
 Come! Quick!
Lindner climbs onto the crates. 
Again, the house quakes. Single bricks break out of the walls 
and ceiling.
Ellen's curiosity wins over reason. She takes a last look into 
the cellar.
There - in the dark back corner of the cellar - she sees 
shriveled figures with hollow eyes, watching the two of them in 
silence. Swamp corpses.
Lindner notices her horror, but still remains calm. He starts 
to climb out through the window hatch.
117. IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXT. / NIGHT
Once Lindner is safely outside, Ellen immediately rushes over 
to Martin. 
 ELLEN
 Martin!
Martin seems to be regaining conscience. He opens his eyes. 
Ellen wants to say something, but the thunder in the background 
suddenly swells up to an infernal noise.
Walls collapse, bricks and rubble crash down - the entire house 
is swallowed by the depths of the moor.
The three watch with open-mouthed horror.
Then, silence.
Ellen leans over to her husband.
Martin is still totally worn out. He moans.
 MARTIN
 Smog...
Ellen musters him, confused.
 ELLEN
 What?
 MARTIN
 I have a yearning for... smog, 
 cars and many, many people...
 A real dirty... big city. 
 What do you think?
Ellen gently strokes his cheek.
 ELLEN
 You're back.
Martin's eyes are still glued to the spot where the house used 
to be. He is still a bit disoriented.
 MARTIN
 How did you get me out of there?
 ELLEN
 I wouldn't have made it by myself.
She looks at Lindner.
 LINDNER
 You were right: You can never run 
 away from the past. Especially if 
 it scares you.
Ellen nods her head.
Then, she turns back to Martin. They look at each other for a 
long moment. Then, she puts her arms around him and kisses 
him. It's all over now.
There's something else Ellen wants to say to Lindner. But when 
she turns around, she finds that he's already walked a bit 
away: He is going to his car.
 ELLEN
 Mr. Lindner!
The old policeman stops by his car.
 ELLEN
 Thank you.
Lindner smiles. Then, he steps into his car and drives away.
Ellen helps Martin to his feet.
 ELLEN
 Can you walk?
Martin is in pain, but brave.
 MARTIN
 No problem.
He takes a step, but then he flinches with pain. The movement 
hurt.
 MARTIN
 For God's sake, what happened to 
 me?
 ELLEN
 You don't remember?
Martin shakes his head.
 ELLEN
 It's a long story.
Arm in arm, the two of them stagger to their car which is 
parked next to the entrance gate, the last remnant of the 
house.
They get into the car and drive off.
The car slowly vanishes in the distance, leaving behind the 
vast, swampy landscape where there was once a house.
FADE TO:
118. APARTMENT HOUSE IN THE CITY - EXT. / DAY
A beautiful old building, located by a park in the city. Ellen 
and Martin live in the penthouse.
Text chart: "1 year later"
119. APARTMENT - INT. / DAY
Ellen is standing by the window, looking over the small city 
park. She looks happy.
Martin joins her at the window and hugs her.
 MARTIN
 What a sight: A few trees, a 
 couple of ducks in the pond. 
 That's all the nature I need.
Ellen laughs. They are about to kiss, when suddenly the 
doorbell RINGS.
 ELLEN
 Are you expecting company?
Martin shrugs his shoulders and walks to the door. He opens it 
to Paul and Claudia.
 PAUL AND CLAUDIA
 Surprise!
Paul is carrying a package under his arm. He walks straight 
past Martin, to Ellen. Martin and Claudia follow him.
 PAUL
 This baby is a dream come true, 
 I tell ya! The third edition 
 within one year!
 ELLEN
 Wow! - Considering how it all came 
 about...
Paul tears open the box. It contains several copies of "You 
have 7 Days to Live". Above the title, it reads: Ellen and 
Martin Straub!
 PAUL
 You two are one hell of a team! 
 And as far as I'm concerned: In 
 case you plan on moving back to the 
 countryside, I'll be glad to lend a 
 hand.
Martin and Ellen trade looks.
 MARTIN
 Have you already told him about our 
 idea for the new novel? 
Paul can't wait to find out.
 PAUL
 Yeah? What's it about?
Ellen grins ambiguously.
 ELLEN
 It's about this publisher who 
 constantly gets on his authors' 
 nerves.
Martin plays the ball back to her.
 MARTIN
 ...until one day, he goes too far 
 and the two of them get really 
 mad...
120. APARTMENT HOUSE IN THE CITY - EXT. / DAY
We see the four of them standing behind the large window of 
Ellen and Martin's apartment. The camera pans farther and 
farther away from them, over the park.
They keep the joke running:
 ELLEN
 ...and we mean: really mad!
The voices slowly fade with the camera's growing distance.
 PAUL
 Okay, okay, I get the message! 
 I was only trying to make a 
 suggestion, you know.
The camera travels further away... over the big city and it's 
ever-busy activities.
- THE END -
Category:Scripts