The Subterranean Terror

a script by Miles Reid-Lobatto

Hospital Foyer. INT

SFX: The main doors open. Outside it's raining. A female reporter walks in.

MISS WOOD: Hi, I'm looking for a Doctor... Caver?

SFX: A door opens and Dr. Caver walks into the Foyer.

CAVER: Ah, yes... I heard you were coming. Good to see you.

MISS WOOD: Thank-you, was Dr. Stanner told I'd be coming?

CAVER: Of course! He's very excited to speak to you, he's prepared himself in one of our
lecture theatres.

MISS WOOD: I suppose he'll just be happy to see a new face... How is he? Is he...

CAVER: Dangerous? Not really, he can get... excitable at times, but who doesn't? Follow me.

SFX: The two walk through the corridors of the hospital. People walk past them. Soon, they
walk through a set of double doors into a lecture theatre.

Lecture Theatre. INT

SFX: Clark Stanner writes on a chalk-board as the reporter and Dr. Caver enter.

CLARK: Dr. Caver! How are you?

CAVER: I'm fine, Clark. Just fine... this is Miss Wood, she's the girl who was interested in
seeing your lecture?

CLARK: Of course... and which one of the mad gossip rags are you from, Miss Wood?

MISS WOOD: I don't know what you mean.

CLARK: Be honest, Miss. You wouldn't be here if you were from one of the respectable
papers. Most people who see me here consider me to be mad.

MISS WOOD: No, I'm sure they don't.

CLARK: Oh, I'm very sure, Miss Wood. So very, very sure and I wouldn't blame them. When I
first got mixed up in this affair, I thought my friend was mad.

MISS WOOD: Your friend?

CLARK: Yes, but I'm getting ahead of myself here... please, sit down, both of you and I'll
begin my lecture.
 SFX: Miss Wood sits down.

CLARK: Dr. Caver?

CAVER: Another time, perhaps. I still have my rounds. I'll come and collect you when he's
finished, Miss Wood.

MISS WOOD: Thank you.

CAVER: I'll see you later, Clark.

CLARK: Of course, Doctor.

SFX: Dr. Caver leaves the lecture theatre.

CLARK: Now then, I shall begin... My tale is not one for the faint hearted, but I will tell it as
well as I can. It all started a year ago...

SFX: Flashback-y sound effects.

Countryside. EXT

SFX: On a dark,lonely night, a car drives along a country road.

CLARK: (Narration) I remember that first night well. A dark, dank miasma about the cab as it
drove me through the Massachusetts woods. I was naturally unaccustomed to the
rural parts of the country due to a life-long upbringing in the city and it stank so
much that I had to resist the urge to put my handkerchief over my mouth.

Car. INT.

DRIVER: We'll be there in a moment, sir.

CLARK: Thank-you.

DRIVER: Has it been a long journey, sir?

CLARK: Indeed, I've been criss-crossing the entire country by train for the last few days. I'll
be glad when I finally stop.

DRIVER: Don't worry, sir. The Bloch estate is comfortable enough, if the outside appearance is
anything go by.

CLARK: Do you know the doctor well?

DRIVER: He rarely comes into town, too high and mighty for the likes of us. He sends his
housekeeper, Whibbsy down to purchase his food and other comforts.

CLARK: That does sound like Hugo. Even when we shared rooms at the University, he had a
strange reluctance towards his own health and well-being. I suppose nothing would
have drastically changed in five years.
 SFX: They drive on in silence. After a few moments.

DRIVER: There's the house up ahead, sir.

CLARK: Really? It looks un-lived in.

DRIVER: I've driven past here many a time and that is indeed Dr. Bloch's family estate.

SFX: He stops the car.

DRIVER: I can't go any further, sir. The gates are shut.

CLARK: Very well. I only have the one bag, I'll walk up to the house.

SFX: He opens his wallet and doles the driver out a collection of notes.

CLARK: There you go... have a little extra for your troubles.

DRIVER: Thank-you, sir.

Bloch Estate Grounds. EXT

SFX: The driver steps out of the idling car and walks around to the boot. He opens the boot and
pulls out a large suitcase. Clark steps out of the car and walks around the car while the driver goes
to meet him. Clark takes the suitcase off the man.

CLARK: Thank-you for driving out here at such an hour.

DRIVER: It's no trouble at all, sir. Are you sure that you're safe to walk up there at this time of
night?

CLARK: Oh, I'm sure the walk will do me good, stretch my legs and awaken me sufficiently.

SFX: Clark starts to walk off up the grounds towards the Bloch estate. He pushes the gates open
with some small effort and walks up the road. As he walks, we hear the car drive off.

CLARK: (Narration) I looked at my friend’s home, two stories tall and opulent. He was
indeed more fortunate than I to have been born with such an estate, even though we
had never talked about how his family had came by such money and who had once
tended the lands without pay. I walked up the steps towards the front door, noting
that all the windows were covered with thick black cloth from which no light could
escape. The more I looked at the house; I felt that I was more looking on a fortress.

SFX: Clark reaches the door of the house, takes the knocker and knocks a series of short, sharp
rat a tat tats on the door. After a little while, we hear some muffled footsteps, the sound of someone
swearing. A door being unlocked, the door opens and we hear the click of a shotgun being cocked.

HUGO: … Clark, is that you?

CLARK: Yes, yes it's me, old man. What's going on?

HUGO: I-I'm sorry... I've been very jumpy of late...

CLARK: Well put down the shotgun and we can talk about this like rational
Americans.

HUGO: You're right...

SFX: He lowers the shotgun and opens the door fully. Clark steps in.

HUGO: I'm sorry... I've not been sleeping well lately. I didn't think you were coming.

CLARK: Not coming? Of course I'd come. What a charming welcome for an old friend! But
look at you, Hugo. You look half dead.

HUGO: Never mind that. Come to the study.

SFX: Hugo grabs Clark by the arm and pulls him into the house.

Hugo's Study. INT

SFX: The door to Hugo's study opens and Hugo pulls Clark in with him. Seating him down in
the nearest chair.

CLARK: Look, what's going on here?

SFX: Hugo moves to a drinks cabinet and pulls out some glass decanters.

CLARK: Why all the locks, why the gun? And why the deliberately mysterious letter?

HUGO: Bourbon? Gin? I have a very nice whiskey from Loch...

CLARK: *Interrupting* I don't want a drink! I want an explanation for this letter...

SFX: Clark pulls a crumpled letter from his pocket and opens it.

CLARK: *Reading* Dear Clark. Come. I need you. I do not care how, I do not care what you
have to sacrifice, but I need you to come to Massachusetts right away. I’ve found
something, something both terrifying and amazing, something that will put us both in
the history books. I dare not mention more in this letter for fear that you will simply
not believe me and put it down to some fool prank. But believe me and come to my
house. I will be waiting. Now what in God's name does any of this mean?

HUGO: *Chuckles, as if at a private joke.* God? God doesn't need to be mentioned in this
house. This is a business where the poison of common sense and childish dogma
must be dulled and our minds, rational and scientific must be made alert and ready to
receive new, startling data. Now, you were always a bourbon drinker...

SFX: Hugo pours Clark a glass of bourbon and gives it to him.

HUGO: There you go.

SFX: Then he pours himself a much larger glass and drinks it down in one. Suddenly, we hear a
muffled knocking from below them. Clark gives a cry, the glass slips through his fingers and
shatters on the floor.

HUGO: It wants feeding. Come. I'll show it to you.

SFX: Hugo moves across the room.

HUGO: Coming?

CLARK: But what about my glass?

HUGO: Damn the glass! I've many glasses and I've smashed more than my fair share these
last few weeks.

SFX: We hear the banging again. Clark jumps from his seat and follows Hugo.

Hugo's kitchen. INT

SFX: Hugo strides into the kitchen. The banging is a lot louder in this room than it was in the
study.

CLARK: It's coming from your cellar.

HUGO: How observant.

SFX: Hugo opens the larder door.

CLARK: What's down there? Some kind of wild animal?

HUGO: Of sorts... Pass me that plate over there.

SFX: Clark gives Hugo the plate. From the larder, Hugo puts several slices of raw, bloody meat
on a plate.

HUGO: It seems to be raised on a diet of fresh, living fish, but seems quite willing to
eat this raw meat I give it, or starve.

SFX: Hugo walks to the cellar door and opens it.

HUGO: Prepare yourself, Clark. Once you’ve seen what I’ve found. You’ll never look at this
world the same way again.

SFX: Hugo starts to walk down the wooden stairs. After a moment's hesitation. Clark follows
suit.

CLARK: Damn you and your constant, cryptic riddles!

Cellar. INT

SFX: The two men walk down the cellar steps. The banging louder than ever before. It's coming
from the cellar, behind an iron door. Hugo reaches the cellar first and walks across the earthen floor.

HUGO: It used to be for food storage. But now it's storing something else of a far more
 importance. Here, hold this.

SFX: He gives Clark the plate.

CLARK: Ugh, the smell... what meat is this?

SFX: Hugo pulls out a small key and unlocks the door.

HUGO: Clark... my friend, my dearest friend. Prepare yourself for what I am about to show
you this night!

SFX: He pulls open the door. Inside the room, a creature crawls across the ground, a chain and
collar around it's neck. It gibbers and hisses in an inhuman speech.

CLARK: *With shock and horror* Oh... Oh God! Oh dear God... what is that?

CLARK: *Narration* I looked on at the dark abomination could not be called a man. Its body
was covered in greenish scales, instead of five fingers, it had three, pointed claws. It
was naked, but seemed to be entirely sexless, but it was the creature’s face, that
horrible face that sent chills down my spine. Its eyes were yellow and pupil less and
the mouth was small and puckered like an obscene parody of a kiss. I watched as
Hugo took the plate from my hands and presented it to the creature like it was an
obedient hound.

SFX: The creature grabs the meat and starts to tear and claw at it ravenously. Clark stumbles
backwards in shock.

HUGO: Look at it, Clark. Is it not magnificent?

CLARK: It's monstrous... it's not real... it can't be real!

SFX: Clark stumbles for the stairs on the verge of hysterics.

HUGO: Clark!

SFX: Clark dashes up the wooden steps as quick as he can. All the while, the creature continues
to feast.

MUSIC

Hugo's Study. INT

SFX: Clark pours himself a glass of whiskey with unsteady hands. He drinks it hurriedly,
flinching at the sharp taste and pours himself another. The door to the study opens and Hugo steps
in.

CLARK: *A little tipsy* Hugo! I'm afraid I've been at your whisky old man... I think this is my
fifth... possibly my sixth...

HUGO: I'm sorry, Clark. I thought you would have been better prepared for it.

CLARK: Liar! You were always one for your sick theatrics, you loved every second of it!
HUGO: Well, you took it a damn sight better than my housekeeper took it, the poor woman
went sheer screaming mad when I dragged it into the house.

CLARK: What is it? Some sort of hideous man, plagued with deformities, like that John
Merrick fellow from thirty years ago?

HUGO: What I have in my basement is no elephant man... Indeed, I doubt that even the word
‘man’ is too erroneous to describe him as. His blood is not like a man’s, more like a
reptile.

CLARK: This has to be a trick. It has to be, there’s no way that you have… that you have…

HUGO: A reptile man in my basement?

CLARK: Yes! It’s preposterous, it’s insane!

HUGO: It’s true. Believe me; I was as horrified as you are when I discovered it.

CLARK: Where did you discover it, a freak show?

HUGO: No, no. Nothing of the sort.

SFX: Hugo pulls up a chair and sits down. Clark sits down in the leather armchair.

HUGO: Near this house. There’s an interesting set of caves in the Greylock forest.
Occasionally, I’ve gone there to walk, clear my head, basically to get my mind off
whatever problem is taxing me that day. Now, a few weeks ago, I was feeling
restless, so I decided to explore the caves as far as they could go. My life is not as
daring and exciting as it was back in our school days and I felt in need for a little
adventure. So, with ropes and torches in hand, I made my way into the caves. *He
takes a deep breath. The first thing that alerted me to the idea that something was
wrong was a strange, chirping sound, like the twitter of a small bird echoing through
the caves. I had been walking for maybe an hour at this point and at hearing this
sound, I rushed, somewhat foolishly I admit towards where I swore the sound was
coming from. At first, all I saw was its terrible shadow against the wall. Even that
sight was enough to chill my blood. At that moment, a terrible, familiar dread welled
up inside me, I knew what this shadow was, I don’t know how, but I did. I dropped to
my haunches and crept as slowly as I could, using the various rocks and boulders to
conceal me. That was when my eyes first fell on the creature. It stood in a large
cavern, lit only by a strange, green phosphorescent moss. In this cavern; there was a
large, subterranean pool, probably the final destination of some nearby river. There
stood the creature, I could only see it from the back, but even then I could sense
something terribly inhuman about it. I must admit that I watched with a voyeur’s
intensity as this strange lizard creature dived into the pool and started to swim.

CLARK: It swam?

HUGO: Yes, I didn’t dare move from my hiding place. But from where I was, I could see its
scaled body ripple through the water like the crocodiles of the New Orleans bayou.
Part of me wanted to run screaming, but another part of me, a rational man of
 science, stronger than primitive fears of the unknown was stronger and I knew that I
had to claim this fantastic, horrible creature.

CLARK: What did you do?

HUGO: I had no weapon; I had never deigned to feel I needed such a thing. My hands
grasped around for a stone or a broken stalactite, I found my weapon, a smooth,
round stone the size of a child’s skull. With the stone in hand, I waited, my heart
beating as loud as a marcher’s drum. When I heard the creature emerge from the
water, I knew that it was my time to strike. I looked around and saw that it was not
looking in my direction. Getting to my feet, I crept slowly towards the creature.
Before it could turn, I brought the stone down on the accused creature’s head, again
and again...

SFX: Hugo stands and walks to a drawer. He opens it, pulls out a stone and throws it to Clark,
who catches it.

HUGO: Good catch, it seems you've yet to drink away your reflexes. Turn it over. Do you see
that green stain? That's the creature's blood...

SFX: Clark drops the stone to the ground in disgust.

HUGO: Careful! You could damage it!

CLARK: Sorry... then what happened?

HUGO: I then set about binding the creature with the rope I had at my disposal. After that it
was a matter of half-carrying, half-dragging the damn creature back out of the caves
and to my house under cover of darkness. Like I said, my housekeeper went half-
mad at the sight of it, but she was a God-fearing old Negro with no thought for
science.

CLARK: Where is she now?

HUGO: Dead. She died a week later, gibbering and raving about primitive rubbish.

CLARK: Looking at that thing, I thought I would go mad myself.

HUGO: I have a theory. I believe that people who believe in God, people whose rigid world
views cannot conceive of evolution and once forced Galileo to recant, this creature is
an ultimate proof that mankind is not the only creature made in ‘God’s Image’, that it
might be possible for all races to achieve this pinnacle of evolution. Their minds
cannot cope with such incredible proof and so it simply shuts down. Whilst you and
I, clearly of a better intellectual stock, both trained in science and who scoff at the
superstitious, religious nonsense. We whose minds are trained to think in new
directions, we do not succumb fully to whatever frightening effect this creature has
on us.

CLARK: But why do you want me here? Why bring me into all this?

HUGO: This… creature. I’ve not had a chance to study it fully, but it’s not a beast. It’s a fully
aware, intelligent creature. I’ve seen it looking at me, studying me whenever I come
 into its cell. It watches and it takes in data. It is quite clearly a lot more intelligent
than we mere humans could ever give it credit for. After all, it is unlike us, so we
deionise it, we dismiss it as a mere freak, an unfortunate animal. But it had to come
from somewhere, it had to have been born and thus there must be a parent creature.

CLARK: You think there are more of these things? How could that be? Surely the whole Earth
would be overrun with those... things...

HUGO: Perhaps they live deep down, in the places where humanity has not even dreamed of
exploring. We cannot be so arrogant to believe that we ourselves are the perfect race.
This creature proves that we were not made in God’s own image, but we are the
result of millions of years of development, due to the climate and to the environment
we found ourselves in to become the thinking creature we are today. That lizard man
must also have been a product of the same process.

CLARK: Either that or God has a very perverse sense of humour.

HUGO: Please, God has nothing to do with it. We owe nothing to those archaic ideal, with
that creature, the age of God dies and the age of science will be truly born. We, the
scientists will be the architects of the new world.

SFX: A clock starts to chime midnight.

HUGO: It's late and you must be tired. We can discuss this more in the morning. Come on, let
me get you to bed.

SFX: Clark gets out of his chair, Hugo also climbs to his feet and supports Clark.

Bedroom. INT

SFX: Clark tosses and turns restlessly in bed. He's having a nightmare.

CLARK: No... Nooo... Nooo! *He screams in terror and awakens, panting.*

SFX: Clark slowly climbs out of bed and walks across the bedroom. He drawers the curtains and
opens the windows. We hear the faint sound of birdsong. Then, once more, we hear the furious
banging of the creature.

CLARK: Breakfast time?

SFX: He walks across the bedroom, opens the door and walks out.

Kitchen. INT

SFX: Clark walks into the kitchen. Hugo is whistling a jaunty tune as he slops more meat onto a
plate. The banging continues.

HUGO: Ahh! Good morning, Clark. I trust you slept well.

CLARK: Barely. What about you?

HUGO: I have learnt to go without vast amounts of sleep in recent weeks, I am utterly alert
 and prepared to face the day and the work we will embark on.

CLARK: What work's that?

HUGO: To properly study the creature! Together, you and I could discover so much. The
blood, the physical make-up, when we present the creature to the correct authorities
with all our data, our names will live forever.

CLARK: I don't know... Are you sure we could do it? We only have the one creature, we can't
be as thorough as you would like.

HUGO: What?

CLARK: Well, you'd have to present the creature to the proper authorities alive, otherwise it
could all simply be dismissed as some gruesome hoax. To do a proper examination
on its physiognomy... you'd need a dead one to dissect.

SFX: Hugo stops cutting up the meat.

HUGO: That had never occurred to me... with two of us, we could investigate the caves
further... maybe even find a second one... what a fantastic idea, Clark!

CLARK: Wait... no! No... you don't expect me to go down into those caves, do you?

HUGO: Why not? We would be prepared with guns, we would be more than a match for any
primitive monster?

CLARK: That creature down there... one of them is terrifying enough... you honestly think that
we should go and find more?

HUGO: Clark, have you always been such a woman? You are being handed the opportunity
for greatness and you run screaming!

CLARK: Maybe I am just cautious, it seems to me that this situation has twisted your mind.

HUGO: Nonsense, I admit to being cautious where the creature is concerned, but my faculties
remain unimpaired... I will feed the creatures, then we must begin to make
preparations for our subterranean expedition.

CLARK: Hugo, we can't...

HUGO: Silence.

SFX: Hugo picks up the plate and walks to the cellar door.

HUGO: Besides, we need to go into town and pick up supplies. I am rapidly running out of
this meat and will need replacements. *Slight, insane chuckle* I only hope my guest,
will prefer the change of diet. I have been feeding it a rather rare game.

CLARK: What?

HUGO: Housekeeper.
 SFX: He opens the cellar door and walks down into the cellar, to feed the creature's hunger.

CLARK: *Narration* It was another week before Hugo insisted we begin our... expedition. It
took all of my hesitation and excuses to give me just that much time to try and
change his mind. Huge was like a man possessed and drove me to spend hour after
hour studying the creature as best as I could. I took samples of the green, oozing
fluid that the creature had for blood, I measured it, weighed it, studied it as best as I
could. In the end, I could only admit defeat as while the creature resembled a man in
form alone, in function, his body was entirely alien and with my prodding and
prying, I did not want to kill the creature and leave our incredible discovery a mere
corpse, only good to decompose. It was then that I knew that our departure for the
caves was inevitable and it was a fearful heart that I found myself standing in the
nearby woods with a friend whose sanity I doubted more with each passing day
outside the mouth of a dark, forbidden cave.

Forest. EXT

SFX: The trees rustle in the wind as Hugo and Clark stand outside the cave.

HUGO: Are you ready, Clark?

CLARK: Never.

HUGO: Wait... take this.

CLARK: What is it?

HUGO: An electric lighting device. We need to be careful with their use and are for
emergencies only. The zinc batteries aren't very strong. Do you have your pistol on
you?

CLARK: Yes.

HUGO: Is it loaded?

CLARK: Yes. I wish I don't need to use it.

HUGO: Indeed, but like you said, we will need a corpse on which to properly study. Come
on, it'll be dark soon.

CLARK: All right.

SFX: The two walk into the cave.

Caves. INT

SFX: The two men walk through the caves slowly. We can hear the dripping of water and the
sound travels.

HUGO: We must be quiet or the two of us will sound like a herd of elephants!
CLARK: Can you remember which way you came before?

HUGO: It was this way. Keep close behind me.

SFX: The two carry on walking. As their journey continues, their footsteps fade in and out of
each other, signifying the length of their journey.

HUGO: This way.

SFX: Footsteps fading in and out as before.

HUGO: That tunnel... it leads the way to the underground pool where I found the creature.

SFX: More walking.

CLARK: I hope you remember the way before we find ourselves good and lost.

HUGO: I know the way, don't worry.

SFX: Yet more walking.

Underground Pool. INT

SFX: The two finally enter the huge cavern with the underground pool.

HUGO: Here we are! Look at this place, Clark!

CLARK: Incredible... look at this pool.

SFX: Clark runs to the pool, dips his hand in and drinks a refreshing handful of water.

CLARK: It's so fresh! This body of water has probably never been touched by man!

SFX: Clark goes to take another drink of water.

HUGO: This was the same pool I found the creature splashing about in.

SFX: Clark spits the water back out.

CLARK: Couldn't you have told me earlier?

HUGO: Come, we must find the way the creature must have come from to get to this pool.
Follow me.

SFX: The two men walk around the pool slowly, examining every possible place for another
passageway.

CLARK: Over here! There's another passageway, leading downwards!

HUGO: Excellent! Come on... I can sense it, Clark. Our pray is ever so close now...

SFX: They walk down the passageway.

CLARK: Hugo, I've just realised something...

HUGO: What?

CLARK: This passage, it's not natural like the others. Feel it, it's smooth, totally smooth. This
was... man-made?

HUGO: You're talking nonsense, it's probably centuries of erosions... what are you
suggesting? That these creatures are capable of some actual kind of intelligence?

CLARK: Why not? The creature shows some sort of development. Maybe it's more intelligent
than we gave it credit for.

SFX: They keep walking. Soon, we can hear this distant, unearthly crying.

CLARK: What's that?

HUGO: Shh! It's coming some way down...

CLARK: It sounds like... chanting...

HUGO: Chanting? Hmm, yes, you're right...

CLARK: Look, this tunnel turns to the right! The flickering shadows against the wall... they
must be torches!

SFX: As they continue walking, the chanting gets ever louder.

The Great Cavern. INT

CLARK: *Narration* We walked in silence, our minds reeling with the possibilities of what
our discovery would be. I don't know what Hugo was expecting, but what we saw...
was unlike anything I had ever assumed. The tunnel led to yet another great cavern, a
thousand times larger than the underground pool. The walls shone with a beautiful
phosphorescence There were hundreds of the creatures. They chanted and danced...

SFX: As per Clark's description. The creatures chant and dance in a form of tribal dance.

CLARK: *Continuing narration* … around a great stone statue of one of their own. As I
watched with rapt amazement and horror, it reminded me of primitive statues of
Egyptian designs. They looked so identical to each other, I wondered how they could
tell each other apart. With the benefit of time, I have come to the belief that there
were subtle ways, completely unthinkable to one not of their species. Perhaps they
had powerfully acute smell. Hugo could only smile as his finger wrapped themselves
around his gun.

CLARK: What are you doing?

HUGO: What do you think I'm doing? I'm going to bag one...

CLARK: No! We can't!

HUGO: Why not?

CLARK: Don't you see? These creatures are intelligent... more intelligent that you gave them
credit for... they're worshipping that idol. They must have some semblance of a
culture.

HUGO: Pah! I don't rate primitive superstition as intelligence... Early man screamed in
horror at the sun, believing it to be some vengeful god of fire, this is nothing new!

CLARK: But we have to go. That poor wretch in your cellar, it should be freed!

HUGO: What? You want to let it go? Our path to fame and glory? The greatest discovery
since dinosaur remains? You want to let it go?

CLARK: We've tortured it, Hugo. Letting it go is the humane thing to do...

HUGO: Humane? Bah! I misjudged you, Clark. I thought you were a man of vision, like me...
I was prepared to share my fame with you, I should never have bothered, you're
contaminated... contaminated by the morality of old women and priests. *Shouts this
aloud* You're a scientist, man, we are above morality!

SFX: There's an unearthly scream from the chamber and the chanting and dancing stop.

CLARK: Hugo...

SFX: We hear scared, murmurs and cries from the lizard creatures.

HUGO: They're backing away...

CLARK: They're as scared of us as we were of them...

HUGO: Then this will make this all the easier!

SFX: Hugo aims his pistol.

CLARK: NO!

SFX: Hugo fires. The shot echoes throughout the cavern. One of the creatures screams in agony
and falls backwards into the dirt and dust, the victim of Hugo's shot. The creatures back away at
first.

HUGO: Come on, help me with the body. I don't think they've even considered the existence
of a 'gun.'

CLARK: No... we have to go... We have to go now.

HUGO: Why? We've got what we came for.

CLARK: No, some of them, they're picking up stones, some even have flint knives... Inching
around the walls.
HUGO: What? *He notices* Oh yes, you're right...

CLARK: Still think they're primitives now?

SFX: The creatures start to move closer. Clark starts to step backwards cautiously.

CLARK: Hugo... I'll fire my gun up into the ceiling. When that happens... we run as fast as we
can back outside...

HUGO: I think you may have an idea there...

SFX: The creatures start to growl. Clark pulls out his pistol and pulls back the hammer.

CLARK: NOW!

SFX: He fires three shots into the roof of the cave. At that moment, Clark and Hugo start to run.
Then, a great cry of blood-lust echoes around the cave and the creatures give chase.

Caves. INT

SFX: The two men run as fast as they can through the caves. We can hear the cry of the
creatures echo all around the cave tunnels.

CLARK: This way!

HUGO: Wait... the light from the torches. They're subterranean creatures... we could use the
torches to blind them!

CLARK: Forget that! Just run! If we stop, they'll catch us for sure!

SFX: They keep running.

HUGO: Look! This way leads straight to the cave entrance. Keep going, they won't dare
come out into the sunlight!

SFX: As they run, they soon run out of the caves and into the forest.

Forest. EXT

SFX: They leave the cave and are now outside in the forest. The trees rustle, an owl hoots.

CLARK: I don't think sunlight's going to help us in this case... look at that full moon!

HUGO: We must have lost track of time while in the caves...

SFX: From inside the cave mouth, we can hear the screams and cries of the creatures.

CLARK: We'll have to keep running, we'll be safe in your house!

HUGO: Just let them try...

SFX: The two start to run again. We can hear the screams of the creatures drift through the
forest.

CLARK: *Narration* I thought my heart would burst. I was never an athlete and my body had
been poorly mistreated thanks to the cooking of my housekeeping. But despite the
pain my body felt, I was able to make it back to the house a little behind Hugo. He
ran as if the very devil himself was after him. When we reached the house, he ran up
the stairs and through the front door so fast, I was worried he would shut the doors
behind him and sacrifice me for his own safety..

SFX: While Clark narrates. We can hear Hugo run up the stairs of his porch, fiddle with his
keys, open the door and run inside, Clark soon following. Clark shuts the door with a slam.

Hallway. INT

SFX: Hugo locks the door, sliding home deadlocks and bolts.

HUGO: Did you see any of the creatures?

CLARK: I heard them, that terrible screaming!

HUGO: Are you any good with a shotgun?

CLARK: Are you still thinking you can fight them off?

HUGO: Why not? They've got knives and stones... we can slaughter them at our leisure!

SFX: The creature in the cellar starts banging.

HUGO: Of all the times for that damn creature to get hungry!

CLARK: I don't think he's hungry... look out the window...

HUGO: What?

CLARK: I think I saw a shadow move past the trees... it knows that others of its kind are
nearby!

HUGO: Well if they think they're going to get him... they can just think again!

SFX: Hugo grabs his shotgun and checks it's loaded.

HUGO: Clark, go to my study... all the guns on the wall are all in perfect condition. There's
plenty of ammunition in the cupboard. Go!

SFX: Clark runs to the study as a creature bangs on the door.

HUGO: We've got company around for tea!

Hugo's Study. INT

SFX: Clark enters the study. He grabs a gun off the wall. Out in the hallway, we hear a window
smash. Hugo screams and fires the shotgun.
HUGO: (OS) Ha! Blew it's face clean off! Clark... get the elephant gun!

CLARK: No... this isn't the way.

SFX: Clark runs into the kitchen.

Kitchen. INT

SFX: Clark enters the kitchen. We can hear the creature banging in the cellar.

CLARK: The keys, where did Hugo put the keys?

SFX: Clark searches the kitchen desperately, plates and crockery smashing to the floor. We hear a
second shotgun shot.

HUGO: (OS) Clark! Hurry up, I'm nearly out of ammunition!

CLARK: Here they are!

SFX: Clark grabs a set of keys and opens the basement door.

HUGO: (OS) Clark?

Cellar. INT

SFX: Clark runs down the wooden cellar steps.

HUGO: (OS) Damn you, Clark. Stop hiding you bastard!

SFX: Another shotgun blast. Clark reaches the bottom of the stairs, runs across the cellar and
starts to unlock the cellar door.

CLARK: Come on... come on...

SFX: Up on the ground floor, we hear a final shotgun blast. Then the sound of the creatures.

HUGO: Clark! Help! NOOOO! *Screams*

SFX: Clark pulls open the cellar door. The creature stops banging on the walls.

CLARK: Right... now which key...

SFX: Clark runs to the creature and starts to try and unlock the collar. The creature backs away.

CLARK: I'm not going to hurt you! I'm trying to help...

SFX: Clark finally unlocks the collar and it drops to the floor.

CLARK: You're free now... go! Go!

SFX: The creature chirps.

CLARK: I'm sorry! I'm sorry for what we've done... just go! Go!

SFX: The creature jumps to it's feet, knocking Clark aside. He hits the wall and slides to the
floor.

CLARK: Please don't hurt me... I'm sorry... We were wrong...

SFX: The creature leaves its cellar prison and runs up the stairs. Upstairs, we can hear the
strange screams and chirps of the creatures.

CLARK: Shut the door...

SFX: Clark crawls across the room and pulls the door shut.

CLARK: I can't lock it from the inside... I'm dead, they'll find me for sure, then I'll suffer the
same fate as Hugo, I'm sure.

SFX: We hear Clark's scared, panicked breathing as the creature's screams slowly start to fade
away.

Lecture Theatre. INT

SFX: Clark has finished drawing on the chalkboard.

MISS. WOOD: And then what?

CLARK: That was it... I stayed in that little cellar room for hours. It was noon when I finally
dared to venture upstairs.

MISS WOOD: What did you find?

CLARK: Nothing... The house had been ransacked, the guns destroyed. Everywhere I looked,
there was damage and destruction.

MISS WOOD: And Hugo? Mr. Bloch?

CLARK: No sign. There was some blood, but nothing that would indicate his inevitable fate.
Whatever that was.

MISS WOOD: And what about the creatures? The ones that Hugo shot?

CLARK: Gone as well. If it wasn't for the condition of the house, it would have been like none
of it ever happened. I took what files I could, all the salvageable research on the
creature and hid them before I went down to the city to notify the police. They
thought I was a suspect at first, I don't blame them. But they let me go after a few
days, no real evidence you see. I went back home and tried to make some sort of
sense from what little I had. Not much, a few blood samples and some of the
creature's scales. But no-one I told ever really believed me.

MISS WOOD: And that's how you ended up here in this hospital?
CLARK: Oh no, I put myself here. You can't go through an experience such as mine and come
through it... untouched. I have nightmares, bad dreams, ones which I wake up
screaming from. Every night... I don't like to even look at the outside any more.
Here, I have room and board, of a sort. The doctor's and nurses treat me as best as
they can. They let me tell my story to anyone who'll listen... *chuckles* although it
would never sell in the music halls, maybe if I took it to France for the Grand
Guignol.

MISS WOOD: What about the creatures?

CLARK: Who knows? Maybe they'll be properly discovered in ten years or a hundred years...
maybe never. Maybe they're forever destined to remain hidden in the deep, dark
caves beneath our sunlit sky. Maybe this experience with humans will have taught
them to avoid us... who can blame them? We discovered a new species, something so
like yet unlike... and look at how we treated them. But mankind can barely get along
with it's own brothers, we're not going to be so lenient to a different race.

SFX: The door to the lecture theatre opens and Dr. Caver walks in.

CAVER: Ah, right on time. Has he finished?

MISS WOOD: Yes. It was a most interesting story

SFX: Miss Wood gets up.

CLARK: Unfortunately, you'll have nothing more than a pulp story out of it.

MISS WOOD: Maybe, maybe.

SFX: Miss Wood walks over to Clark and shakes his hand.

CLARK: Thank you for coming, Miss Wood. I trust my tale entertained you.

MISS WOOD: I do have one final question though... why let you live? After all you must have done
to the creature...

CLARK: I admit I have never been entirely sure... but between you and me, I'd like to think
that perhaps I appealed to the creature's sense of mercy. That despite all I had done
with Hugo... I showed remorse for my actions and freed it. Even if that wasn't the
case, isn't it better to think that in the end, the creature was as capable of... humanity
as I was? Even if I may not have fully deserved such mercy... it saw fit to forgive me
for my actions.

MISS WOOD: And Hugo?

CLARK: I believe that his fate was... more fitting for his actions. He appears in my dreams,
always screaming as dark, alien hands drag him through the caves to meet some sort
of justice at the hands of those he truly wronged.

SFX: Faintly, we can hear Hugo scream as if Clark is playing the thought out in his head.

CLARK: Have a safe journey home, Miss Wood.

CAVER: Come on, Miss Wood. I'll show you to your car.

MISS WOOD: Thank you.

CAVER: Clark, do you want an orderly to help you with your things?

CLARK: No, no thank you. I'll break it all down in my own time, if that's all right.

CAVER: It isn't a problem.

SFX: Caver and Miss Wood walk out of the lecture theatre, the wooden doors swinging shut
behind them. Clark walks over to the blackboard. In the silence of the lecture theatre, we can hear
the falling of rain on the windows and in a hushed, ethereal whisper, we can once more hear Hugo
scream. But his screams are also joined by the unearthly cries of the subterranean lizard creatures.

HUGO: No! No! Please... no... nooooo!

SFX: And the screams soon fade away, into memory and bad dreams.

CLOSING CREDITS