The Ghost in the School Stairwell

By Horang

Directed by
Luis Antonio D. Saura

Cinematography by
Joshua Miguel S. Vinluan

Scriptwriters
Geremy Ann Louie T. Fernandez
Gwenn Ashley C. Go
Jo Elise G. Gulle
Luis Antonio D. Saura
Christine Anne D. Soriano

Cast
Main Female Lead - Jemimah Trishna T. Corales
Ghost - Ma. Carmela V. Tuibeo
Friend #1 - Trisha Lallaine D. Rosario
Nurse - Irene Margareth T. Duka
Homeroom Teacher - Felix L. Merin
Bully #1 - Aaron Koie G. Okamoto
Bully #2 - Jana Mei Clarice M. Lascano
Bully #3 - Zachary Jaoand D. Azarcon
Bully #4 - Geremy Ann Louie T. Fernandez
Classmate #1 - Jade Laurence C. Empleo
Classmate #2 - Mariel Gwen R. Jaum
2009 Victim - Joshua Miguel S. Vinluan

Post-Production
Gabriel Matthew L. Caluya
Justine Raphael S. Gaad
Eunel Jacob C. Joyosa
Christian Lei Anderson N. Lucinario
Scene 1

SETTING:

The scene opens with the sound of a Korean class bell

resounding in a poorly lit hallway of a school building.
Stills of an empty classroom and a locked stairwell are
shown.

The scene’s atmosphere is gloomy and depressing. A woman

stands in the distance, staring at the gate of the
stairwell, a broom and dustpan in her hands. Eerie music
accompanies the scene.

[Friend #1 suddenly taps the Female Lead’s shoulder]

[Female Lead’s eyes widen and she places

her hand on her chest in relief]

The atmosphere lightens.

FRIEND #1
The character grins from ear to ear
then loudly asks a question.
Why are you staring at the stairwell?

FEMALE LEAD
I’m assigned to clean the stairwell. Can you help me?

FRIEND # 1
Sure, but I need to go to the library first to return a book.
I’ll come back later. Bye!

FEMALE LEAD
The character sighs as she watches her friend’s back retreating
from her sight.

The screen turns black.

(Narration) There has got to be a reason why no one uses these

stairs.

Scene 2

SETTING:

The scene opens with a black screen.

 A teacher is in front of the classroom while two students
are chatting.
CLASSMATE # 2
(Narration) Have you ever wondered why the stairs in the east
wing are blocked off by security gates that are always locked?

CLASSMATE #1
The character shrugs then raises his hand to ask a question.
Sir, why are the stairs going up to the fourth floor near Room 7
blocked off?

[Distant footsteps are heard]

HOMEROOM TEACHER
The character sighs as he hesitates to reply.
I just landed this job a week ago so I can’t answer your
question.

[Distant footsteps stop and the sound

is replaced by the jingling of keys, gradually
growing louder in volume]

FEMALE LEAD
In a hushed voice
(Narration) I’ve always felt unusually aware of the stairwell
ever since that day.

Scene 3

SETTING:

Homeroom Teacher stops to unlock the gate, the sound of

keys clinking together fills the deafening air. The Female
Lead stands rather awkwardly, waiting for him to finish.

The gate opens slowly, producing a creaking noise.

FEMALE LEAD
Mumbling
Thank you…

[Homeroom Teacher leaves, wordlessly]

[Female Lead stares for a bit at the messy stairwell]

[Female Lead begins sweeping up the mess on the stairs]

Female Lead looks pleased at her work and heads down the
stairs to empty her dustpan.
 While descending the stairs, a hand suddenly grabs the foot
of the Female Lead.

It’s as if time slows down, and the Female Lead catches a

glimpse of Ghost’s eerie smiling face. Her eyes widen, but
she can't do anything to stop her fall. Her unmoving body
ends up at the foot of the stairwell.

[Ambulance siren fading in and out]

Scene 4

SETTING:

A close-up of the female lead, asleep in the hospital, is

shown.

[Female Lead’s eyes abruptly open]

[Female Lead sits up]

NURSE
Miss Lee, I see you have awoken. There is someone waiting for
you outside.

[Female Lead’s friend enter]

FEMALE LEAD
Confused
Wait… How did I get here?

FRIEND #1
Concerned
Don’t you remember? You were supposed to be cleaning the stairs.
When I got back from the library, I found you lying on the floor
at the foot of the stairwell.

FRIEND #1
Slightly Fearful
If you ask me, it honestly gives me the creeps.

Scene 5

SETTING:

Friend #1 starts telling the incident during 1997.

 FRIEND #1
(Narrating) Apparently, in 1997, a female student was constantly
being bullied and couldn’t do anything about it.

[A woman looks down on the floor while she is verbally abused

and bullied. Her bullies surround her, push her, and tug her
hair.]

FRIEND #1
(Narrating) Pushing led to kicking, and kicking, well …

The woman falls down the stairs, hitting her head on the
hard floor. The hurried footsteps of bullies scurrying away
resound in the hallway as the woman’s still body
unnaturally calms.

FRIEND #1
(Narrating) Ever since she died, people mysteriously kept
falling down that same set of stairs. These events kept going on
until…

A male student, alone in a packed hallway, turns the wheels

of his wheelchair as gossips from the students fill the
air.

FRIEND #1
(Narrating) A student in 2009 got paralyzed from the waist down
from falling down those stairs. Since then, they couldn’t let
the gates be open any longer for fear that more students might
become victims.

A student looks at the stairwell, now locked.

The scene fades to black.

Scene 6

SETTING:

The female lead is standing in front of the Homeroom

Teacher's desk after class, a cast on her arm. The
classroom is poorly lit and devoid of people, except for
the Female Lead and the Homeroom Teacher.

HOMEROOM TEACHER
A small stack of papers is on his desk as he sits behind it. He
has a neutral expression on his face.
I asked you to stay behind so that I could give you your missed
assignments.
[The Homeroom Teacher slides the papers over to the Female Lead]

HOMEROOM TEACHER
How are you feeling?

[Female Lead starts to respond but is cut off by the

Homeroom Teacher]

HOMEROOM TEACHER
What were you doing in that stairwell? How did you even get in
there?

FEMALE LEAD
Perplexed and slightly taken aback
What do you mean, sir? You unlocked it for me to clean.

HOMEROOM TEACHER
Frowns slightly as he tilts his head in confusion and looks the
female lead in the eyes.
I was sick, so I took the day off, remember? Besides, we never
ask students to clean that stairwell.

[The camera pans to the Female Lead, showing her expression of

confusion]

FEMALE LEAD
(Narrating) If it wasn’t him, then who…

[The camera shows the Female Lead’s eyes

widening in realization]

The scene fades to black.

Scene 7

SETTING:

The scene opens with a clip of the Female Lead walking down
the hallway.

FEMALE LEAD
(Narrating) I’m a year older now and I’m months away from
graduating. But my homeroom is still there in that very same
building. After that day, I tried to avoid the rooftop stairwell
altogether.

Female Lead ends up in front of the stairwell.

 [Female Lead looks at the stairwell]

FEMALE LEAD
Because every time I walk past the stairwell, I feel her eyes
boring into my skin. I know that she is there, waiting. She
always has been.

The scene closes with a black screen.

Post-Credits Scene

SETTING:

The Homeroom Teacher opens the gate to the stairwell for

Female Lead.

Suddenly, the Homeroom Teacher’s blank face turns into the

Ghost’s wicked smile, filled with malicious intent.

[The Ghost giggles]

The gate is opened.

The End