LAKE

A SCREENPLAY BY JORDAN SURALIE

FADE IN:

EXT. ANTARCTICA, NORTH POLE - NIGHT

WS - as we survey the surrounding area. We

could see nothing but snow, blowing across the
screen, blocking our view. It is very hard
for us to make out anything in the distance
except for lights.

CUT TO:

MS - We could see the lights of a metal made

base in the distance.

CUT TO:

CS - The lights are now substituted for the

lights at the front of a SNOW TRUCK. It
drives around the snow. CRUNCHING SOUNDS are
heard beneath the tires.

CUT TO:

WS - as we see some human like being walking

in the distance. It is a faint sight.

CUT TO:

INT. NORTH POLE BASE, ANTARCTICA - NIGHT

The door opens and a man steps inside. He’s

LUIS. He has a beard, wears a big brown coat.
FARMAN, his partner, walks closer to greet
him.

FARMAN
How was the trip?

LUIS
Strange.

FARMAN
What do you mean strange?

LUIS
There was something out
there.

FARMAN
What?

LUIS
A creature. Some
unidentifiable beast.

FARMAN
Well, what did it look like?

LUIS
I don’t know. All I know
is that the snow was
blocking my view, and it
was on the move.
 FARMAN
Have any idea where?

LUIS
Couldn’t identify that,
either.

Manfred walks in on the two, conversing.

FARMAN
Luis says he spotted an
unidentifiable beast moving
in the snow.

MANFRED
There are plenty of beasts
in the snow.

LUIS
The only beasts we know of
out there are polar bears
and penguins.

FARMAN
(shrugs)
Yeah, so?

LUIS
This was something different.
It was walking on two legs.

FARMAN
(MORE)
 FARMAN (CONTD)
On two legs?

There is a long pause.

FARMAN (CONTD)
Do you have an idea where
it was going?

LUIS
I don’t know, maybe west.
That’s where I was going.

There is another pause.

FARMAN
(pats Luis’ back)
Come on, let’s go to the
communications room.

Farman leads Luis into the room. Luis takes

off his gloves and Mandred follows them.

CUT TO:

INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM - NIGHT

Once they enter, they walk in on two men. One

man is Jenson, who sits at one desk with
headphones on, watching a sonar detector on a
monitoring device.

CUT TO:
The other man is Quentin, who sits at the desk
with communicating devices. Multiple buttons
connect him to the groups that are venturing
out into the North Pole.

CUT TO:

MS - As they walk over to Jenson’s desk.

FARMAN
Jenson!

JENSON
Hello. How was the trip,
Luis?

LUIS
Not so good, we had a visitor.

JENSON
(sitting up eagerly)
No kidding. Who? From
where?

FARMAN
We don’t know. That’s why
we need your help.

JENSON
I’m your guy.

FARMAN
(MORE)
 FARMAN (CONTD)
Luis says he saw a beast
walking on two legs, moving
east in the snow.

LUIS
(interrupting)
I said west.

FARMAN
(continuing)
Moving west in the snow. Can
you search for any bogeys
nearby?

JENSON
Maybe. Depends on how long
ago you saw it.

LUIS
I’d say 15 minutes ago.

JENSON
How fast was it moving?

LUIS
A decent speed. He was
walking.

JENSON
Then he shouldn’t be too far.
He types in some coordinates, presses some
buttons and the sonar begins searching.

CUT TO:

WS - Back to a shot of the snow. We could see

a shadow in the distance. Moving slowly.

CUT TO:

MS - There is another SNOW TRUCK moving in the

snow. The lights SHINE at the CAMERA for a
brief moment, then we begin to focus on the
truck as it continues to ride. The shovels at
the front of the truck pick up snow and push
it aside for the drivers.

CUT TO:

MS - There is a satellite disk at the top of a

metal tower, spinning around rapidly.

CUT TO:

INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM - NIGHT

BACK TO JENSON’S DESK

The detectors are still searching.

JENSON
860 meters now, sir.
 FARMAN
That’s too far. I thought
it was walking, Luis?

LUIS
It was. It must’ve ran when
it saw me.

There is a brief respite.

FARMAN
Hold on a second.

He walks away from Jenson’s desk.

CUT TO:

He walks over to Quentin and Manfred’s desk.

FARMAN
What’s up boys?

QUENTIN
Rough night. Snow is getting
heavy.

FARMAN
Well things are getting
heavier. Who do we still
have out there?

QUENTIN
(MORE)
 QUENTIN (CONTD)
(checking)
I believe … team 2.

FARMAN
Their assignment?

MANFRED
Standard divisions check.

FARMAN
Well get them on the radio.
Tell them to stand still
until further notice.

QUENTIN
Roger!

Farman walks back over to Jenson’s desk.

Quentin switches on a button for Team 2’s
radio.

QUENTIN
(talks into RADIO)
Team 2, team 2, do you copy?
This is comrade Quentin.
Do you hear me, over?

There are more BUGGY SOUNDS. Suddenly,

A VOICE
This is Comrade Austin.
We hear you, over.
 CUT TO:

INT. SNOW TRUCK, ANTARCTICA - NIGHT

Comrade Austin and Kennedy are sitting in a

snow truck, driving North.

QUENTIN’S VOICE (RADIO)

Orders from Farman are to
stand still until further
notice.

AUSTIN
Roger that, Comrade, over!

The radio SHUTS OFF.

AUSTIN
(to Kennedy)
Stand still until further
notice? Don’t they know how
cold it is out here?

Kennedy shrugs while Austin takes off his

gloves and reaches for his hot cup of coffee.

CUT TO:

INT. COMMUNICATION’S ROOM - NIGHT

BACK TO JENSON’S DESK

Jenson, Farman, and Luis are still watching
the sonar detectors.

JENSON
900 meters now, Comrades.

LUIS
(impatiently)
Keep crawling.

WE HEAR LOUD BEEPING SOUNDS.

JENSON
Wait, I’ve got something, sir!

FARMAN
(turning back)
What is it?

JENSON
I’ve got something at 967
meters. Looks like a bogey.
It’s stopped moving.

FARMAN
Get me the longitude and
latitude of the creatures
whereabouts.

JENSON
Yes, sir.

Jenson opens his notebook and begins to write

on a page. Then we

CUT TO:

INT. SNOW TRUCK, ANTARCTICA - NIGHT

Austin is drinking his hot cup of coffee.

CUT TO:

WA - THROUGH THE HARD SNOW as there is nothing

in sight. Only the sound of the WIND.

CUT TO:

INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM - NIGHT

BACK TO JENSON’S DESK

Jenson rips the page out of the notebook and

he hands it to Farman. Farman takes it.

JENSON
The whereabouts, sir.

Farman reads it.

CUT TO:

BACK TO QUENTIN & MANFRED’S DESK

FARMAN
(MORE)
 FARMAN (CONTD)
(giving it to Quentin)
Switch on your radio and give
them this location.

QUENTIN
(switches on RADIO)
Team 2. Team 2. Report to
130 degrees west and 150
degrees east.

CUT TO:

INT. SNOW TRUCK, ANTARCTICA - NIGHT

Kennedy and Austin exchange puzzled looks.

AUSTIN
We hear you comrade. But,
why exactly are we reporting
to this location, over?

CUT TO:

INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM - NIGHT

QUENTN
(into RADIO
We’ve been notified that
there is an unidentifiable
creature moving west.

CUT TO:
INT. SNOW TRUCK, ANTARCTICA - NIGHT

AUSTIN
Would it be possible to
request a description of said
creature, over?

CUT TO:

INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM - NIGHT

Everyone in the room stops what they’re doing

and takes a look at Luis.

LUIS
It was slim, walked on two
legs, and looks like a man.

Quentin turns back to his radio.

QUENTIN
It is slim, walks on two
legs, and has the resemblan-
ce of a … man. Do you copy?

CUT TO:

INT. SNOW TRUCK, ANTARCTICA - NIGHT

They share more puzzled looks.

KENNEDY
Looks like a man?
 AUSTIN
We copy, over.

QUENTIN’S VOICE (RADIO)

Get to that position. We
will notify you if the
creature is on the move.

AUSTIN
(under his breath)
I better get paid for this.

Austin starts up the truck and they begin to

move.

CUT TO:

INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM - NIGHT

BACK TO JENSON’S DESK

They stop watching the detectors.

Farman offers Luis a cigarette, Luis takes and

lights up.

FARMAN
You sure this isn’t some
continuation of that hang-
over last night?

Farman lights his cigarette.

 LUIS
(as Farman lights up)
I don’t think so.

FARMAN
You don’t think so?

LUIS
It looked real to me. I was
steady this morning so, I
highly doubt it.

FARMAN
Do you think it has any
connection to …

LUIS
(pause)
To what?

Before he could continue

CUT TOL

CU - Jenson turns around in his chair eagerly.

JENSON
Guys, come look at this.

CUT TO:

MS - Luis and Farman gather around the desk to

observe the detector.
JENSON (OS)