Valentine's Day

a horror/romance short
By Emma Maguire
dark as shit. Like serious dark as. Because I'm a sociopath.

Characters
Suzie (protagonist)
Jane
Rebecca
Paige
(Black screen)
TITLES
("Valentine's Day" over kinda romantic but also creepy music)
Then black screen.
FADE IN
(SUZIE IS ASLEEP. BIRDS EYE SHOT)
(sfx music horrible romantic music)
(SUZIE'S EYES SHOOT OPEN. CUT TO SHOT OF TABLET, ALARM BLARING.
'VALENTINE'S DAY' THE SCREEN SAYS. SWIPE TO SNOOZE ALARM.
SUZIE FLOPS BACK ONTO THE PILLOW (BE SHOT).)
SUZIE
Ughhhhhhhhhh.
CUT TO
(SUZIE PLAYING ON HER TABLET. (MS) SEES FACEBOOK STATUS ABOUT
VALENTINES DAY (CUS) SCOWLS (MS)
CUT TO
HAND TURNING ON RADIO (CU))
RADIO VOX
And in the news today, the police still do not have any leads on the
murderer known as the Valentine Killer. The killer, trademarked by
leaving paper hearts on the corpses of their victims (HAND TURNING RADIO OFF (CU))
(TITLES ON SCREEN 'Two Days Previous')
(SHOT OF A SCREEN, ON FACEBOOK. A GIRL TYPING A STATUS. 'IT'S OVER.
AFTER TWO YEARS DUMPED TWO DAYS BEFORE VALENTINES.'
PULL BACK TO SHOW THE GIRL TYPING. IT'S JANE. SHE'S CRYING.)
JANE
(sniff) Could this get any worse?? (wails)

(WEIRD ARTY TRANSITION)

(JANE IS LYING ON HER BED OR SOMEWHERE THAT IS APPROPRIATE. BELOW
CHIN SHOT MAYBE???)
JANE
Well what do I do for Valentines' now?
(PERSON WHO JANE DOESN'T SEE COMES UP BEHIND HER (WEARING A
HOODIE) AND STABS HER IN THE BACK. SHE FALLS FORWARD)
KILLER (SUZIE)
Happy Valentine's, bitch.
(slow-mo of hearts sprinkled over the corpse)

(CUT TO)
(SUZIE, SITTING ON HER BED, FACED AWAY FROM THE WINDOW, WRITING IN
HER DIARY)
SUZIE (murmured as though she's writing)
This feeling is ridiculous. I cannot handle what's going on in my head. I mean...
it's a normal impulse... isn't it?
(From behind her, a person in a hoodie looms up from behind the window and
just watches)
SUZIE
I don't get this...
(STALKER CAM FROM OUTSIDE THE WINDOW)
(SUZIE (front of face) turns to look out the window. The stalker is gone.)
SUZIE
(turns back)
...Huh. Thought I heard something...
(shrugs and goes back to writing)
(TITLES ON SCREEN "One Day Previous")
(REBECCA AND PAIGE ARE HAVING COFFEE TOGETHER)
PAIGE
Do you think that you need a boyfriend on Valentine's Day, Becca?
REBECCA
(looks really shocked)
Oh my god, yes! The worst thing ever would to be alone on Valentine's Day.
Seriously though Paige, it would be the worst.

PAIGE
...But you just broke up with your boyfriend???
REBECCA
I work fast.
PAIGE
You have (looks at watch) about eight hours until Valentine's Day?
(disbelieving)
REBECCA
I work very fast.
(CUT TO REBECCA FACEBOOKING)
REBECCA
(like she's writing)
Party at mine tonight! BYO everything. Let's bring in Valentine's Day
awesomely! Starts at 7!
(hits mousepad like she's sending the message)
REBECCA
This is going to be awesome!!!!
(CUT TO REBECCA SITTING IN A CHAIR, WRITING A LIST)
REBECCA
Would they like red grapes or green?
(A SHADOW FALLS OVER HER AND SOMEONE STANDS IN FRONT OF THE
CAMERA, YOU CAN'T SEE THEIR FACE)
REBECCA
What are you doing here? The party doesn't start until seven! You'll have to
come back later.
(FIGURE LEANS FORWARD VIOLENTLY AS THOUGH TO STAB. CUT TO BLACK & A
SCREAM)
(CUT BACK TO SUZIE. SHE IS ALSO FACEBOOKING)
SUZIE
(as though she's writing)
Valentine's Day. What a bloody joke. Wish I had someone to spend it with...
then again, I kinda don't. Have a bloody amazing day all.
(taps screen like she's posting the status. Drops tablet and flops down to bed.)
SUZIE
Ugh.
(TIME PASSING TRANSITION)

(SUZIE IS STILL LYING ON HER BED BEING VEHEMENTLY ANTI-VALENTINE'S DAY.

THERE IS A KNOCK ON HER BEDROOM DOOR. CUT TO SUZIE'S FACE LOOKING
CONFUSED.)
SUZIE
Who..?
(SUZIE GETS UP FROM HER BED AND CLAMBERS OVER TO THE DOOR. SHE
OPENS IT. THE PERSON OUTSIDE IS IN A HOODIE AND YOU CAN'T SEE HER
FACE)
SUZIE
(sighs in relief)
Oh. Paige. It's you. (kinda over it but not?)
(PERSON IN HOODIE TAKES HOOD OFF. IT'S PAIGE.)
PAIGE
Hey.
SUZIE
...Was that you outside before?
PAIGE
Yeah.. (has the decency to look embarrassed)
Sorry.. I didn't know if it was a good time.
SUZIE
Whatever.. come in.
(THEY GO INSIDE. THE BEDROOM DOOR IS SHUT.)
PAIGE
...I.. got this for you.
(hands her a gift from her pocket. It's wrapped and very valentine's-y)
SUZIE
(takes it)
...Thanks.
(THERE IS TENSION. A LOT OF IT. SUZIE drops the present and grips PAIGE'S
collar. They look like they're about to make out or throw things at each other
but then FLASHBACK.)
(SUZIE and PAIGE are sitting together and REBECCA is sitting near them,
texting. JANE walks near them and then stops and sits down near them.
JANE
Hi girls! So what are we all doing for Valentine's Day?! (enthusiastic)
PAIGE
We?

SUZIE
All?
JANE
What are you all doing? I'm going to dinner with my boyfriend!
REBECCA
Me too!
SUZIE
I don't do Valentine's Day.
PAIGE
Why not?
SUZIE
(long pause)
I just.. don't. (rubs face)
It's.. just not.. not a thing I do.
JANE
You need to get out and meet someone.
(SUZIE sends a withering glance JANE'S way)
SUZIE
Life isn't entirely about fakelationships, Jane.
JANE
Fakelationships? I've been with my boyfriend for three months.
SUZIE
Wow.
JANE
Are you too scared?
REBECCA
What, you're afraid they'll assault you?
(ADD IN OTHER DEROGATORY COMMENTS THAT ARE BASED IN FACT)
JANE
Wanna be a virgin your whole life?
SUZIE
I...I'm.. not.. (gets up and leaves, defeated)
(flashforward to SUZIE and PAIGE)
(SUZIE shoves PAIGE back against the door)

SUZIE
I told you. I told everyone. I don't do Valentine's Day.
(angry)
PAIGE
(little bit scared not too much though)
Why not?
SUZIE
Everyone's so... happy. It's so fake and and so vapid and so awful! Why do we
glorify romance and love and stupid stuff like this so much? We're young. We
have the rest of our lives to deal with stupid shit like relationships. Why does it
matter? I don't even underSTAND!
PAIGE
Some people understand.
SUZIE
What. That's why you were stalking me? Are you that obsessed? (shoves her
back against the wall again and then turns and brushes her hands through her
hair) You.. you're sick!
PAIGE
I wasn't stalking..
SUZIE
That's why you were hanging around outside my window then?
You care too much.
That's why I killed them. They cared too much as well.
PAIGE
What?!!
SUZIE
Oh Paigy.. I thought you were different. I thought you were so different. Guess I
was wrong. I.. always seem to be wrong..
(CU on grabbing knife)
(elaborate stabby sequence where SUZIE stabs PAIGE and she dies because I'm
a dick of a scriptwriter).
(POV shot of SUZIE sprinkling paper hearts over PAIGE/CAMERA)
SUZIE
Happy Valentine's Day.
(CUT TO BLACK)
(CREDITS)