"Origin Story"

Written by Ethan R. Friend

PRELIMINARY DRAFT: September, 2013

TEASER INT. BARGAINMART, PORTLAND OREGON--DAY A big box store. Shoppers push their carts along aisles crammed with toys, cookware, clothing. A 1990s pop version of Silent Night plays over the sound system. CHECK-OUT ANDRE MONROE (mid 30s) stands in line, holding a BOOK with a picture of a chimera on its cover. SUPER -- DECEMBER 18, 1990: PORTLAND OREGON The CASHIER, in her 50s, hands the woman in front of Andre her change. The woman pushes her cart toward the exit. The cashier calls after her. CASHIER Thanks for shopping Bargainmart! Andre hands the cashier the book. Her NAME TAG identifies her as SHEILA. She looks from the book to Andre. SHEILA (CASHIER) Interesting choice. Andre shifts, uncomfortable. ANDRE For my daughter. Her birthdays coming up. Sheila flips through a few pages. SHEILA Looks pretty good, though I dont know how much of its factual. She shrugs and scans the book. BEEP. SHEILA (CONTD) Paper, or plastic? EXT. BARGAINMART--PARKING LOT--DAY Andre unlocks his car door and tosses his SHOPPING BAG onto the passenger seat. A red MAGNETIC POLICE LIGHT sits on the dashboard. Andre gets in.

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INT. ANDRES CAR The RADIO crackles into life. GENE SHELLY SHELLICK, Andres partner, speaks over the radio. GENE Monroe. Andre, buddy, you there? Andre picks up the mic. ANDRE Yeah, Shelly, I copy. GENE We got another one. Abandoned warehouse off of Grand. ANDRE On my way. Andre hangs up the mic. He grabs the LIGHT from the dash, and slaps it on the roof. He turns on his SIREN. EXT. PARKING LOT Lights flashing, siren wailing, Detective Monroes car peels out into the street. INT. BARGAINMART--BREAK ROOM Sheila hangs her apron up in her locker and closes the door. JIM (50s), the manager, sits at the lunch table, eating a sandwich. JIM Headed home, Sheila? SHEILA Almost. Need to pick up a few things first. JIM Christmas shopping, eh? I suppose Ill have to start mine sooner or later. SHEILA Something like that. See you tomorrow, Jim. JIM Take care.

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INT. CITY BUS Sheila, dressed in a dark cloak, looks out the window. She holds a copy of the same BOOK Andre had earlier. SHEILA (V.O.) Dear Editor. EXT. EAST BURNSIDE STREET NEAR LAURELHURST PLACE Sheila steps off the bus. It pulls into the street with a HISS and drives away. Sheila walks down Burnside. SHEILA (V.O.) I have just finished reading your book, Monsters of the World. While Mr. Stantons illustrations have a certain style, one notes a distressing number of errors in their substance. EXT. SE ANKENY Sheila passes a series of bungalows surrounded by unruly shrubs and trees with low-hanging branches. A small boy scoots by on a bicycle. SHEILA (V.O.) The text is pure fabrication. Misinformation of this caliber is dangerous. EXT. ABANDONED WAREHOUSE NEAR GRAND AVENUE Andre gets out of the car and walks toward the warehouse, where two UNIFORMS are rolling out CRIME SCENE TAPE. GENE walks to meet him. ANDRE Talk to me. GENE Same as before. Looks like a dump site, not the crime scene. Not much spatter. M.E. figures about eleven last night. They reach the tape. Andre moves to duck under it. Gene puts a hand on his shoulder.

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GENE (CONTD) Wait. Theres something else. Something weird. ANDRE What? GENE Whoever these kids are, it looks like a family. Twins, maybe. Andre looks at him, then ducks under the tape. SHEILA (V.O.) The darkness is real. We must be vigilant. We must be ready. Andre looks down at the BODY: a small boy, blond hair, blue eyes, a dark stocking cap. The throat slashed. Puncture wounds down his frail torso. ANDRE Whoa. De ja vu. INT. SHEILAS HOUSE--STUDY Sheila sits at the desk, writing on an electric typewriter. SHEILA To that end, let me offer you my great-grandfather Warren Connelly Jacksons Explorations In the Dark as a worthy substitute. While its tone is of course more scholarly than Mr. Stantons, I think you will find it well-researched, and accurate. A SOUND comes from the hallways outside the study. Sheila turns toward the door, listening. She resumes typing. SHEILA (CONTD) This worthy volume has long since lapsed out of print. As the copyright holder, I would like to offer you the opportunity-- too stuffy. This worthy volume-The SOUND again. Sheila gets up and walks to the INT. HALLWAY Sheila pulls open the closet door. She scowls.

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SHEILA Stop that. Someone will hear you. INSIDE THE CLOSET a boy squats, bound and gagged with duct tape over his mouth. He looks IDENTICAL to the body in previous. He struggles, trying to scream through the duct tape. HALLWAY Sheila slams the closet shut. CUT TO BLACK. END OF TEASER

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ACT ONE INT. BARGAINMART, PORTLAND OREGON--ESTABLISH Re-establish. SUPER -- TWO DAYS LATER INT. PET SUPPLIES AISLE LISA ABBOTT, early 20s, very pregnant, restocks garish rubber dog toys from a stack of CARTONS on a cart. One TOY slips from her grasp and falls to the tile floor. LISA Damn. She groans and stoops to retrieve it. ERIC KREUGER, a dwarf, quickly scoops it up and hands it to her. Lisa straightens, looking at him gratefully. LISA (CONTD) Thanks, Eric. ERIC Dont sweat it, Lisa. Shouldnt be bending in your condition. When do you go on break? Lisa wipes sweat from her brow with one hand. LISA Not for another hour. Gotta restock these chew toys first. ERIC I could give you a hand if you like. Nothing doing in hardware right now. LISA Hey, thanks. They both reach into the same CARTON of toys. Their hands bump each other. They both pull their hands back, laughing. SHEILA (O.S.) There you are, Eric. They turn toward the end of the aisle, where Sheila stands, arms crossed.

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SHEILA (CONTD) Theres a gentleman in aisle seven hunting frantically for the right drill bit. Thats your department, if Im not mistaken. Eric hesitates, looking at Lisa, the CARTONS. LISA Its OK, Eric. Thanks. ERIC Duty calls, milady. He bows. Lisa giggles. Eric gives Sheila a look as he passes her. Sheila takes his spot beside Lisa, and starts restocking. LISA Killjoy. SHEILA There really is somebody over there. Anyway, better if you dont associate too much with him. Hes...not the right sort. LISA Eric? I think hes sweet. She gasps suddenly, putting a hand to her belly. SHEILA Are you all right? Lisa gasps again, nodding. LISA Shes kicking fierce today. SHEILA You really shouldnt be here. Whatll you do if Elena decides to make her grand entrance right here with the dog toys and flea collars? LISA You know I cant afford to get done. Not yet. Besides, the doctor says she isnt due for another two weeks. She takes the last toy from a carton and hangs it up.

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LISA (CONTD) One down, fourteen to go. Hand me that box cutter, will you? INT. COUNTY MORGUE--DAY The M.E., DR. HOGAN (60s), digs his gloved hand inside an open chest cavity, pushing aside the heart. He points to a sort of SAC on the backside of the heart muscle. DR. HOGAN You see that? WIDER Andre stands across the exam table. The two men lean across the BODY of the child found by the warehouse two days ago. ANDRE Just like the other one. DR. HOGAN I dissected the first one you brought in. Never seen anything like it. Its not cancerous, that Im sure of. ANDRE Then what is it? Hogan sighs. DR. HOGAN As near as I can tell, its some kind of organ, though I cant begin to guess its function. ANDRE A family of mutants. Jesus. Hogan peels off his gloves and steps to the sink, washing his hands. DR. HOGAN The only other thing I can tell you is the killer used the same weapon as last time. A triangular blade, very sharp. Traces left in the wounds suggest iron, rather than steel. Probably very old. Anyone claim the bodies yet? Andre shakes his head.

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ANDRE No luck canvassing, either. DR. HOGAN Well, they had to come from somewhere. Andre looks down at the body. INT. BARGAINMART-- CHECKOUT Sheila hands a customer change. SHEILA Thanks for choosing Bargainmart. Happy holidays! The customer pushes his cart toward the exit. Sheila sips from her WATER BOTTLE and looks toward the HARDWARE DEPARTMENT-- SHEILAS POV Eric sprays glass cleaner across the knife case, then wipes at it with a rag. He looks around the department, then sets his cleaning supplies on the counter and walks toward the back. CHECKOUT Sheila waves her arm toward the customer service desk. SHEILA (CONTD) Bathroom break, Jim! INT. HARDWARE Sheila crosses the deserted hardware department. She reaches the back aisle in time to see Eric disappear into the INT. STORAGE ROOM Sheila slips inside the swinging doors into the dimly lit storage room. She picks her way along rows of rusty shelves, stacked with CARTONS of overstock. She moves down one of these aisles to the cavernous TRASH COMPACTOR. No sign of Eric. The rear exit door, to the left of the compactor, stands ajar. Sheila pushes it open and steps through. EXT. BEHIND THE STORE Sheila scans the litter-strewn pavement. Weeds grow in the cracks around the ancient dumpster.

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ERIC (O.C.) Help you find something, Sheila? Sheila whirls. Eric leans against the building beside the door, smoking. SHEILA You startled me. ERIC Sorry. Looking for something? SHEILA I-- have you got another of those? ERIC Didnt know you smoke. SHEILA Sometimes. During holiday. Eric fishes a PACK from his apron pocket. He draws out a cigarette and tosses it to her. He snubs his own butt out on the pavement and heads toward the door. ERIC Dont let Jim catch you, eh? He slips inside. Sheila looks doubtfully at the cigarette. INT. PRECINCT--DAY Andre sits at his desk, looking at PHOTOS of the murder scenes. Gene hangs up the phone and sighs. GENE That was Romero. Still nothing from the canvass. Hey, you wanna go out for a cigarette. ANDRE You quit. GENE Yeah, but you didnt. And what Dolores doesnt know-ANDRE --will still kill you. He stuffs the photos back into their FILE FOLDER and closes it.

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ANDRE (CONTD) Hell if I know, Shelly. This things starting to give me the willies. GENE Yeah, its a weird one, all right. ANDRE Im serious. Hogan says the knife is an oldie. And then theres those weird hearts. Howd the killer know about that? GENE He didnt. I told you, its a family thing. ANDRE And thats the other thing. Nobodys claimed the bodies. Nobody knows who these kids even are. Its not normal, and you know it. Andre covers his face with his hands, then reaches for the file again. GENE You wanna go grab a burger or something? ANDRE Arent you supposed to be off red meat now, too? GENE Youre a monster. INT. BARGAINMART--BREAK ROOM Lisa and Sheila sit across the table from each other, eating. Lisa spears a bite of salad and waves her fork at Sheila. LISA Youre overreacting. Hes a human being, not a monster. He cant help how he was born. Give the guy a break. SHEILA Its not that. Not really. Its just-- Dont you think he comes on a little strong after only being here a month?

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LISA Hes just friendly. SHEILA Too friendly. LISA Hes nice. I havent seen a lot of nice since a certain Daddy who shall remain nameless turned out to be married. Give the guy a break. SHEILA Im sorry. I just worry about you. Ill try to be nicer. Just be careful around him, OK? LISA OK, Sheila. OK. INT. SHEILAS HOUSE--LATER Sheila enters through the front door, holding an orange KITTEN. She talks to it in a high baby voice. SHEILA Just a wittle pretty kittikins, arent you? Yes. INT. KITCHEN--MOMENTS LATER Sheila pours milk into a dish on the counter and nudges it toward the kitten, who totters forward and drinks. She strokes its back with two fingers. SHEILA Mmmm, so tasty. Just what kitty needs. Yous a good kitty... INT. HALLWAY Sheila approaches the closet, holding the kitten. It MEWS and squirms in her grip. She opens the door to the closet, which is dark. The kitten MEWS again, clawing at Sheilas hands, trying to get away. SHEILA You know what I need. And Im sure you know what I can do to you. So lets make a bargain. Tell me what I want to know, and you can eat.

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The kittens squirming becomes frantic. It sinks its teeth into Sheilas thumb. She jerks her hand away. SHEILA (CONTD) In fact, Ill let you eat first. If you cross me, however, the punishment will be excruciating. Are we agreed? Apparently she receives the answer she needed. Sheila nods. THE KITTEN Mewing, the kitten thrashes in Sheilas grip as she tightens one hand around its head. SHEILA Her face twists with exertion. From off-camera, a WET CRUNCHING SOUND. The kitten is silent. CUT TO BLACK. END OF ACT ONE.

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ACT TWO INT. SHEILAS KITCHEN Sheila stands at the sink, scrubbing at her BLOODY HANDS. Tears trickle down her cheeks. She straightens, pushes her hair back. Sheila looks over her shoulder down the hallway to the closet. INT. THE STUDY--NIGHT Sheila sits at the desk, poring over her grandfathers BOOK. The open page shows a hand-drawn ILLUSTRATION of a grotesqueshaped humanoid creature with pointed ears. SHEILA The Erlkin. Of course. (reading) Often employed by more powerful sarkics for espionage. Masters of disguise, often presenting themselves as children or dwarves. Frequently associated, in legend and fact, with thievery and the abduction of infants. Sheila looks up, thinking. SHEILA (CONTD) What does he want the baby for? The clock on the wall CHIMES. Sheila looks up. Midnight. SHEILA (CONTD) Goodness. The time. Best get moving. She stands hurriedly, and heads for the hallway. INT. ANDRES APARTMENT-- BEDROOM-- NIGHT The ALARM CLOCK on the night stand reads 1:15. The phone RINGS. From the bed, Andre gropes, finds the phone, answers. ANDRE (sleepy) Yeah? On my way.

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EXT. LAURELHURST PARK--NIGHT Andre stands near the north end of Firwood Lake in the middle of the park. Three BODIES lie on the ground around him. The first looks exactly like the previous children. DRIED BLOOD covers its lips and chin. The other two could be his siblings, perhaps cousins. Gene passes Andre a PAPER CUP of coffee. ANDRE Thanks, Gene. GENE No prob. He surveys the trees. The winds RUSTLES the leaves. GENE (CONTD) Never liked this place. Too many trees. Nature in the heart of the city. ANDRE What do we have so far, city boy? GENE Staging of the first vic matches the previous kills. ANDRE Suggesting another dump. He crouches down beside the bodies. GENE But these other two-- sloppy. Theres no staging. Throats arent slashed. The knife works all different. ANDRE Maybe the perp was in a hurry. He dumps the body, then realizes the other two kids are witnesses. Has to act fast. Something catches Andres eye. He leans toward one of the unarranged bodies, training his FLASHLIGHT on one outstretched fist.

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GENE Or maybe were looking at two killers. First killer dumps the body. The other kids wander into the park, followed by our second killer. THE CHILDS FIST-- CLOSE-UP Andre pulls open the childs bloody fingers with one gloved hand, revealing a torn scrap of PAPER, soaked in blood. GENE (O.C.) (CONTD) They find the body. They panic. And in their confusion-ANDRE He holds the PAPER up, looking at it in the flashlights beam. ANDRE Who called it in? Gene gestures down the walking path toward the EDGE OF THE CRIME SCENE-- ANDRES POV A hooded homeless man-- CHARLIE-- stands talking to a uniformed officer. GENE (O.C.) Some crackhead who claims he was looking for a bench to sleep on. ANDRE As before. Andre turns his attention back to the PAPER. GENE (CONTD) Hey, what is that? INT. INTERROGATION ROOM Charlie sits at the table, fidgeting. Andre slaps a FILE on the table. Charlie jumps. ANDRE Charlie Morrisey. Three years on possession charges. Sexual misconduct with a minor, charges dropped. Start talking.

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CHARLIE Hey, man, I didnt have nothing to do with those kids. ANDRE I didnt say you did. Just tell me what happened. CHARLIE It was crazy, brah. Like something out of a movie. EXT. LAURELHURST PARK--NIGHT-- FLASHBACK Charlie walks along the path that loops around the lake. He freezes and ducks behind a bush. He peers through the branches. THE LAKE SHORE-- CHARLIES POV A cloaked FIGURE-- Sheila-- drops the childs body onto the ground. The figure bends to arrange the limbs. SHEILA She stands up, looking down at the body. A low HISS comes from behind her. She whirls. The second CHILD stands before her. He steps toward her, his motions suggesting an animal more than a child. He speaks, his voice sibilant. CHILD Another of our line has fallen. But he shall be the last by your hand. SHEILA Dont bet on it. Ill still be killing monsters when the last of your kind has been forgotten. She draws a long, triangular BLADE from within her cloak. The child advances. Sheila steps toward him. The third child suddenly LAUNCHES itself from behind a tree, landing on Sheilas back. She whirls, slashing at both of the children. They SNARL, biting, clawing at her. THE LAKE SHORE-- CHARLIES POV The fighting continues.

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CHARLIE Charlie backs away from the bush, eyes wide. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM Andre stands, leaning across the table. ANDRE Come on, Charlie, cut the crap. You followed those kids into the park, hoping to score a little action. Then you found them with the body, and you thought What the hell, the copsll pin it on this guy. CHARLIE No, it wasnt like that, I swear. ANDRE Than give me something I can believe! Not this Highlander bull-A KNOCK at the door. Both men turn to look as Gene sticks his head in. GENE Can I borrow you a sec? Andre walks to the doorway. ANDRE Whats going on, Shelly? GENE Call just came in. Romero talked to a guy who lives on Oak Street, right off the park. Serious case of insomnia. He was on his porch, having a smoke, when he says he saw somebody run out of the park wearing a black cloak. Andre looks back at Charlie. ANDRE Son of a bitch. GENE Theres more. Hogan called. ANDRE Yeah?

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GENE All three of these kids had the same heart mutation as the last two. ANDRE Jesus. Andres BEEPER goes off. He glances at it. ANDRE (CONTD) Hogan. Must be important. GENE Lets go. They head down the hall. The interrogation room door swings shut. Charlie jumps from his chair. CHARLIE Hey, guys? INT. MORGUE--NIGHT Dr. Hogan holds a pair of FORCEPS, at work in the abdomen of the child with blood on its face. Andre and Gene stand to one side, observing. DR. HOGAN Never seen anything like it. Stomach contents are primarily chunks of meat. Raw. GENE (disgusted) Tasty. Hogan pries something out with a grunt. DR. HOGAN When I realized what this was, I called you immediately. There we go. He raises the forceps. FORCEPS-- CLOSE UP A triangular piece of CARTILAGE clenched between the forceps, covered in blood. Small shreds of flesh and hair cling to it. WIDER Andre stares.

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ANDRE What the hell is that? DR. HOGAN An ear. A cats ear. EXT. LAURELHURST PARK--NIGHT The moon gleams over the treetops. EXT. MOUNT HOOD--DAY The sun rises, bathing the mountain in its light. EXT. EAST BURNSIDE--DAY A city bus trundles past the tree-shaded houses. INT. BARGAINMART, PORTLAND OREGON--DAY Re-establish. INT. BARGAINMART--BREAK ROOM Sheila comes in for the start of her shift. She winces as she closes her locker and starts donning her apron. She pushes up one sleeve, revealing an ugly purple BRUISE. Sheila looks around. Shes alone. She opens Erics locker. A decorative, curving KNIFE and a curious carved STATUETTE sit on top of a folded Bargainmart apron. Sheila picks up the knife, studying it. ERIC (O.C.) Looking for something? Sheila whirls. Eric and Lisa stand beside her. Lisas eyes widen in shock. Sheila sets the knife down. LISA Sheila, what are you doing? Sheila steps away from the locker. SHEILA Get away from him, Lisa. LISA You cant just go through other peoples things-SHEILA Tell her.

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ERIC What are you-Sheila reaches into her apron pocket and pulls out the TRIANGULAR KNIFE seen earlier. SHEILA Tell her. Erlkin. Sarkic. ERIC This is crazy. SHEILA Is it? Tell her, Eric. Tell her how your ancient people glorify the moon in blood. Tell her why your masters have sent you out of the shadows. She raises the KNIFE. Lisa jumps forward, grabbing her arm. LISA Shut up! Will you shut up, you crazy old bat! Sheila stares at her. Her arm lowers. SHEILA Lisa, I-Jim enters from the back room. JIM What the heck is going on here? ERIC She came at me with a knife. She was going to kill us both. Tears fill Sheilas eyes. SHEILA You monster. Let go of me. She tears loose from Lisas grasp and lunges toward Eric. He cries out. Lisa falls back against the break room table, clutching her belly. Jim jumps forward to protect Eric. Sheila struggles against him. He grabs her wrist and twists it til the knife CLATTERS to the floor. He releases her. They stare at each other, panting. JIM I want you out of here. Now.

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SHEILA Jim, please. JIM Eric, are you all right? ERIC Im fine. JIM Sheila, weve known each other a long time. Until this morning, I thought of you as a friend. As family. Youve got two minutes to clear your locker and be out the front door, or Im calling the police. SHEILA Jim-JIM I mean it. Dont you ever come back. Crying now, Sheila empties her locker and pushes past them. Lisa drops into a chair. She moans. Jim puts a hand on Erics shoulder. ERIC Im OK. Really. No need to call anybody. LISA Yeah, there is. They turn to look at her. She gasps in sudden pain. The two men look at each other, understanding: shes gone into labor. EXT. BARGAINMART--PARKING LOT--DAY PARAMEDICS wheel Lisa out of the store on a GURNEY, followed by Eric and Jim. Sheila watches from across the lot, behind a parked car.

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AMBULANCE-- SHEILAS POV The paramedics load Lisa into the back of the ambulance. Eric tries to join her in the back, but is blocked by the movements of the paramedics. They close the back door and the ambulance drives away, siren WAILING. FADE TO BLACK. END OF ACT TWO

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ACT THREE INT. MATERNITY WING CORRIDOR--NIGHT Two NURSES converse quietly at their station. The phone RINGS. A doctor in scrubs moves down the hallway, past the open door to INT. ROOM 315 Lisa lies half-propped up in bed. Baby ELENA sleeps in a wheeled BASINET near the foot of the bed. Eric stands by Lisas side, looking down at her. LISA But even so, they say we should be OK to go home tomorrow. ERIC Thats wonderful. And listen, Im sorry if Im overstepping here, but if you need anything, anything at all-LISA Youre sweet. (tearing up) Im so sorry about today. I dont understand it. ERIC Its OK. LISA No. She was crazy. Ive never seen-you really should call the police. Talk to a lawyer about a restraining order. Something. Lisa looks over at the basinet. Eric slips a hand into his jacket pocket. LISA (CONTD) Shes beautiful, isnt she? Eric smiles. ERIC Yes. She is. He starts to draw his hand out, obviously holding something. A NURSE sticks her head inside the room.

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NURSE Im sorry, Mr. Kreuger, but visiting hours are over for tonight. You can come back tomorrow. Eric pulls his hand out of his pocket-- empty. He turns toward the Nurse. ERIC Yeah, OK. (turning back) Ill see you tomorrow. Get some rest. Lisa grabs his hand and squeezes. INT. TORIS LIVING ROOM--NIGHT Sheila sits on the sofa in her neighbors cluttered living room, watching television and sipping tea. The neighbor, TORI, a middle-aged dwarf woman, sits in a nearby easy chair, swirling the dregs in her own MUG. TELEVISION NEWSCASTER (O.C.) And thats the evening in brief here on Channel Sixteen, December Twenty-first, 1990. Good night. THEME music plays. Tori stops swirling and looks into the cup. She snorts. TORI Another bird. I swear, youd expect my mailbox to be overflowing. SHEILA What am I supposed to do now? Tori looks over at her. TORI Youve got some years left in you yet. Something else will come along. SHEILA Oh, that. TORI I know just the thing. A distraction. Give here.

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She gestures for Sheilas cup. Sheila complies. Tori swirls it around, then inverts the contents on a saucer. She rights the cup and peers into it. TORI (CONTD) Whats this thing here? A knife of some kind. Danger. Romance. Adventure. A full moon. And this here. What does that look like to you? She proffers the cup. Sheila freezes. SHEILA A dog. A big, black dog. The specter of Death. Tori sets the cup aside quickly. TORI It might just as easily be a bear. And what does it matter, anyway, its only an old parlor game, just some girlish fun, it doesnt mean-Sheila bolts from the sofa and heads for the door as a talk show comes on the TV. TORI (CONTD) Where are you going? Sheila? INT. SHEILAS HOUSE--STUDY Sheila hurriedly shoves papers, books, knives into a KNAPSACK. She runs a hand across the wood of the desk. She looks at the pictures on the wall. She picks up her grandfathers book, starts to back it. Changes her mind. She looks at it a long moment, lips pursed. INT. ERIC KREUGERS APARTMENT--NIGHT A cluttered studio. Clothing lies strewn about the furniture, the floor. Eric stands near the window looking down at the neighborhood street, the PHONE to his ear. ERIC Naw, nurse got in the way. Its too crowded there. Yeah, but shell be out in a day or two. I know, Uncle Mort. Yeah. I wont let you down. He turns to look at himself in the wall mirror. He grins.

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ERICS POV The grotesque face of the ERLKIN from Sheilas book grins from the mirror. The creature speaks into the telephone. ERLKIN (ERIC) By the blood of the fallen. SLEET begins tapping against the window. FADE TO BLACK. END ACT THREE

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ACT FOUR INT. PRECINCT--DAY Andre sits at his desk, on the phone. ANDRE Did you have a good birthday? Good! Soon, honey. No, the day after. No, Mommy gets Christmas Day. Gene enters, holding a manila FOLDER. He points at it. Andre nods and waves him over. ANDRE (CONTD) Listen, honey, I gotta go. Catching bad guys. I love you Corrine. He hangs up and turns to Gene, all business now. ANDRE (CONTD) Talk to me. Gene tosses the folder onto Andres desk. Andre opens it, revealing blow-ups of the scrap of PAPER found previously. GENE Lab guys just got done with that piece of paper. Its a receipt from that big store out toward Gresham, what do you call it. ANDRE Bargainmart. GENE Thank you. Purchase of one item, from the Literature section. Twelve ninety-five, minus a ten percent employee discount. Andre blinks. INT. BARGAINMART-- CHECKOUT-- FLASHBACK Sheila rings up Andres book purchase and hands it back to him. INT. PRECINCT--PRESENT Andre grabs his coat from the back of his chair.

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ANDRE Lets go. GENE (calling after him) Go where? INT. BARGAINMART, PORTLAND OREGON--DAY Andre and Jim walk past the checkout lanes toward Jims office. Gene lags a few feet behind. JIM Sheila was one of our better associates. Always good with the customers, got along well with just about everybody. Until yesterday. ANDRE What happened? JIM She attacked another associate. I had to let her go. GENE Why didnt you report it? JIM Eric asked me not to. ANDRE Eric? JIM Eric Kreuger. He covers hardware. Nice guy, transferred in from Cleveland a couple months ago. Sort of a, what, little person? INT. JIMS OFFICE Jim walks over to his desk and sits. JIM Anyway, he wasnt actually hurt, so I didnt push the issue. Still, if I hadnt gotten between them in time... He opens the top drawer in his desk and pulls out Sheilas KNIFE. He hands it across the desk to Andre.

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Andre inspects it. Its very old, the blade made of iron. Triangular. He turns to Gene. ANDRE We need a warrant. (back to Jim) Id like to talk to Eric Kreuger. JIM He hasnt come in today. INT. SHEILAS HOUSE--DAY Andre kicks in the front door, gun drawn. Gene and three OFFICERS in bullet-proof vests follow him inside. They fan out into different rooms. Each officer calls Clear. Andre steps into INT. STUDY He looks at the disheveled papers, the pictures on the walls. He lowers his gun. ANDRE Clear. GENE (O.C.) Hey Andre. INT. HALLWAY Gene stands before the open closet door. Andre joins him. Gene points to the RED STAIN on the floor of the closet. GENE Looks like blood. Better get CSU down here. ANDRE Where is she? EXT. HOSPITAL PARKING LOT-- LATE AFTERNOON Jim pulls up near the exit as an attendant wheels Lisa to the curb. She holds the sleeping baby in her arms. Jim gets out to help load everything. INT. JIMS CAR Jim stops at an intersection in Southeast. Lisa cradles Elena in her arms. LISA Thanks for picking me up.

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JIM Dont worry about it. I meant what I told you yesterday. Youre family. I mean, if Cheryl and I had ever had a daughter-- Well, anyway. Here we are. EXT. BELMONT STREET--EVENING Jim pulls up outside Lisas apartment on Belmont. INT. LISAS APARTMENT-- LIVING ROOM Lisa carries the baby in. Jim comes behind, lugging a car seat, a diaper bag. LISA Just set that stuff down wherever. She moves toward the bedroom. Jim sets the baby accoutrements in the hallway and closes the door. He bends down to pick up the car seat. Eric steps behind him, blocking the door. He raises a KITCHEN KNIFE. A grin twists his face into something horrible. INT. BEDROOM Lisa tucks the sleeping Elena into an old wooden crib. LISA There, baby. All home and snug. (calling to Jim) Help yourself to anything in the fridge if you want. Jim? She steps back into the INT. LIVING ROOM Jim sprawls facedown on the floor, covered in blood. Lisa steps nearer. LISA Jim? A SOUND. She turns to the left. Eric stands there, covered in Jims blood, still grinning. Lisa screams and bolts toward the bedroom. Eric chases her, knife raised.

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INT. ANDRES CAR Andres driving too fast. Gene rifles through some of the PAPERS from Sheilas place. GENE Listen to this. The blood of the child not yet eight days old is of great value to them, almost the equivalent of gold in our society. Jesus. (turns a few pages) And here it says... talking about a sacrifice. Killing the baby under the moon of the solstice is said to infuse the blood with even greater significance. Can you believe this crap? ANDRE Didnt the manager say one of the other employees had just had a baby? Gene checks his pocket NOTEBOOK. GENE Yeah, Lisa Abbott. Looks like she lives in that apartment house on Belmont, near 28th. Andre, come on, man, you dont really believe-ANDRE No. But Sheila does. (grabbing his radio mic) This is detective Monroe, requesting back-up. INT. LISAS BEDROOM Lisa frantically jiggles the button on the phone, but theres no dial tone. She glances toward the bolted door. On the other side, Eric continuously POUNDS against the door with something heavy. LISA Oh, God. Please. ERIC Lisa, come on. It doesnt have to be this way. We just want the child.

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LISA Leave us alone! The door SPLINTERS. Eric keeps pounding. Lisa searches for something, anything, to use as a weapon. Elena CRIES from her crib. Lisa picks up a shadeless LAMP. Eric smashes an armsized hole through the door. He reaches for the knob. Lisa hits him with the lamp. Glass and porcelain rain on the carpet. Eric HOWLS and withdraws his arm. Lisa backs away, dropping the lamp. Blood drips from her fingers. She grabs onto the crib for balance, gasping. Eric cannonballs through the door, smashing it into pieces. Lisa screams. Eric gets to his feet. His human disguise is gone. He is every inch the Erlkin. He jumps on her, KNIFE raised. The knife descends again and again. With each blow, Eric FLICKERS between his human form and his true face. Lisa screams, then falls silent. The Erlkin keeps stabbing her. At last he stands, drenched in Lisas blood. Elena wails from her crib. Eric steps toward her. The window to his left explodes inward as Sheila, wrapped in her cloak, jumps through the glass. She draws her own weapon from beneath the cloak. They stare at each other. SHEILA You shall not take the child, sarkic. Eric hisses. His voice lacks all humanity. ERIC Step aside, woman. She bears the mark already. SHEILA If you run, there is some chance your masters will have mercy. I will not. Touch her, and you will fall. Flee, and you may yet live. Your move. Eric stares at her, thinking. SIRENS approach from the distance. EXT. LISAS APARTMENT BUILDING--NIGHT Andre and Gene run toward Lisas apartment, guns drawn. Two cruisers pull up beside Andres sedan, SIRENS wailing. The OFFICERS jump out of the car and follow the detectives.

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INT. LISAS APARTMENT--FRONT ENTRY Andre kicks the door in. He steps over Jims body and rushes toward the shattered bedroom door. GENE Get an ambulance. Man down. He follows Andre into INT. LISAS BEDROOM Eric and Sheila are gone. Lisa lies on the floor, mutilated almost beyond recognition. Broken glass lies everywhere. The curtains blow in the breeze coming in the window. Andre approaches the crib. Its empty. From outside the bedroom, cries of Clear! Gene nudges the discarded kitchen KNIFE with his foot. GENE Think I found it. Andre? Andre stares out the window at the CRESCENT MOON. ANDRE Where are you? EXT. WATERFRONT Sheila walks quickly along the dark street, clutching Elena to her. She passes a huddle of HOMELESS FOLKS gathered around a burning TRASH BARREL. It starts to rain. FADE TO BLACK. END OF ACT FOUR

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TAG INT. PRECINCT--DAY Andre sits at his desk, on the phone. Gene works at his computer. ANDRE Thanks again. He hangs up. SUPER -- MARCH, 1991 GENE Who was that? ANDRE A lead on the Chesnyk case. Somebody thought he saw our vic outside a jewelry store in the Pearl just after ten. GENE You want to go down? ANDRE Naw, send a uniform. Probably nothing. A MAIL CARRIER walks up to the desk, holding a PACKAGE. MAIL CARRIER Detective, this just arrived for you. She hands the package to Andre and exits. GENE What is it? ANDRE No return address. He opens it. Inside is Sheilas grandfathers BOOK. Theres a note taped to the cover. Andre pulls it off, reading. SHEILA (V.O.) Detective. I hope you dont mind my writing to you. I got your name off the news. They said you were looking for us. Dont.

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ANDRE Its from her. Gene comes over to look. SHEILA (V.O.) There is a great deal more in this world than is dreamt of in your philosophy, detective. I hope you will find this book of some use. Sheila Jackson. GENE That crazy bitch. Andre grunts in reply. He opens the book and begins reading. Gene walks to the window. GENE (CONTD) We can try to trace it, but we both know that wont get us anywhere. ANDRE Probably not. Where do you suppose she is now? EXT. DRIVEWAY OF A NEW ENGLAND HOME--DAY Sheila climbs out of a black sedan. Her glasses are gone. Her hair is gray, tied back. A REALTOR gets out of an adjoining car, smiling. SUPER -- HOPELAND, CONNECTICUT The realtor hands Sheila a set of keys. REALTOR There you are, Ms. Spruce. The house is yours. Sheila smiles. She turns and looks at the car. Through the windshield, we see baby Elena in her car seat, kicking her feet, looking around in wonder. END OF EPISODE.