Two short scripts (original fiction)

[c_nordlander]

Two short scripts I wrote for a competition for 1-minute horror scripts: "The Monster in the Trunk" and "Starter Boss". Do they fit into one minute's run-time? Well, the second one probably doesn't. I cut & pasted them in the main post, they're short enough.

No gore or similar, but naturally, they might be unsettling. (The first one, at least. The second is more "somewhat dark shônen animé stuff" than "horror".)

I don't think I'll be doing much more with these, but if you feel like giving any critique, by all means do so.

The Monster in the Trunk
By Christina Nordlander

Roles:

Julia, a woman in her late twenties

A person


FADE IN:


Black screen. Blurry orange lights.

CUT TO:

INT. CAR – NIGHT


JULIA's POV through the windscreen. The lights turn into lampposts along the road.


CUT TO:
JULIA at the wheel, twitching awake, panicking. She is wearing a pyjamas under her coat. She swerves and parks in the roadside.


JULIA

What the hell?


She tries to calm down. She starts the car.


CUT TO:
INT. CAR – NIGHT


JULIA driving. There is a scratch on her hand and blood under her fingernails.


CUT TO:
INT. JULIA'S GARAGE – NIGHT


The car is parked. JULIA gets out. On a table is a rope roll and an open toolbox. She hurries outside.

CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT


Only lit by the street-light outside. JULIA is in bed, sleeping uneasily.


SFX: Distant banging on metal.


JULIA's eyes fly open. She hurries out of bed.


CUT TO:
EXT. JULIA'S HOUSE – NIGHT


A smallish standalone with a garage. JULIA stops outside the garage door, staring at it.


CUT TO:
INT. JULIA'S GARAGE – NIGHT


Darkness.


SFX: Banging on metal, continuing throughout. The door being unlocked. Light switch.


The light comes on. JULIA walks to the car. She touches a fresh dent. She notices the rope on the table.

She glances at the car trunk. She quickly turns and leaves the garage.


SFX: Lightswitch.

The light goes out.

SFX: Closing the door.

The banging continues.

THE END
Credits


Starter Boss
By Christina Nordlander


Roles:
Alex 18-20, the hero of the team. Emotionally distant.
Maya similar age, cute, full-figured. Acts pretty weak and clumsy, except when alone.
Ayumu Maya's friend and room-mate. Athletic; less stereotypically feminine than Maya.
The Editor gender irrelevant. Wears a white robe and gold mask.

*

INT. STUDENT DORM KITCHEN – NIGHT

MAYA and AYUMU are preparing dinner. MAYA accidentally drops an egg.

MAYA
Oh... I'm so sorry.

AYUMU
Don't worry about it.

She reaches for a kitchen roll.

MAYA
No, I'll wipe that up.

SFX: A crash of broken glass. BOTH GIRLS look up.

AYUMU
Was that this building?

MAYA
I'll go check it out.

MAYA rushes outside.

AYUMU (perturbed)
No, I'm coming with you...

CUT TO:
INT. DORM CORRIDOR – NIGHT

AYUMU steps out the door. She realises MAYA is already gone.

CUT TO:
EXT. CAMPUS ROAD – NIGHT

AYUMU comes out of the building, throwing on a coat and looking around.

AYUMU
Maya?

EXT. STREET – NIGHT

AYUMU is hurrying along the street.

CUT TO:
AYUMU'S POV

A distant FIGURE that appears to be Maya hurries into an alley.

AYUMU
Maya?!

An eerie colourless light flashes over a backyard wall.

CUT TO:
EXT. ANOTHER STREET – NIGHT

Another part of the city. ALEX glances at a signal on his smartphone, then hurries off.

CUT TO:
EXT. ALLEY – NIGHT

CLOSE UP of AYUMU pulling herself over a backyard fence. She gasps.

LONG SHOT. The EDITOR is standing in the yard, one hand lightly on MAYA's shoulder. MAYA is completely passive, hanging her head. AYUMU drops down from the fence and instinctively goes into a fighting stance.

EDITOR
You're not what I need, girl. Leave.

AYUMU
Maya. Have they hurt you?

MAYA doesn't react.

AYUMU
Maya, it's me, Ayumu. (pause) Do you hear me?

EDITOR
Turn and walk away, and I will not harm her further.

AYUMU
Maya, run!

AYUMU is about to attack the EDITOR when ALEX leaps over the wall.

CUT TO:
A brief, fast-paced montage of ALEX fighting the EDITOR. ALEX forces the EDITOR to let go of MAYA, and she collapses unconscious. Eventually, the EDITOR lies dead. AYUMU acknowledges ALEX.

AYUMU
I thought we'd seen the last of you.

She checks on MAYA.

AYUMU
She's alive. Please help me with her.

MAYA (slurred)
It's okay, I'm awake...

AYUMU helps MAYA up and supports her.

ALEX
I returned. Seems I was right to do so. (pause) I'll stay in this part of the city from now on.

AYUMU
Because you think we need protecting?

ALEX (frosty)
The time for self-sufficiency is long past, I think.

AYUMU
Well, if you want to help, help me get her to the infirmary.

CUT TO:
EXT. CAMPUS – NIGHT

AYUMU and ALEX part.

CUT TO:
INT. INFIRMARY ROOM – NIGHT

Lit by the lampposts outside the window. MAYA gets up from her bunk. She seems serious and focused, different from her previous demeanour. She notices a CCTV camera and makes a precise, offhand gesture at it, switching it off. She walks up to the window and speaks in a tiny communicator.

MAYA (sotto voce)
You are probably aware that the Editor is dead. She was weak anyway. (pause) Yes, I had a chance to take him out tonight, but I think that retaining their trust is worth more, for now. Alex is not their strongest agent.

She stands looking out the window, purposefully.

THE END
Credits

[gkscotty]

Both are interesting, though the first is a bit more to the point and communicates itself more clearly while still being mysterious. Or rather, it raises only one chilling question, instead of a half dozen less interesting ones. Still, I enjoyed both of them!

[c_nordlander]

*blushes like Senpai noticed her*

Glad you liked them! You're right, the second script is more like a snippet of a bigger story than something self-contained. Still, I thought it was interesting enough to post here.

[missy_misery]

Ooh, these are intriguing and intense! Hope you win, Chris!

[c_nordlander]

Ooh, these are intriguing and intense! Hope you win, Chris!

Sadly, I didn't make the shortlist. But it's good to know that you guys enjoyed them! And I had a good time trying to tell stories in such an ultra-short format.

[SirMustapha]

It's a shame you didn't make it. The first one is particularly well executed for a challenge like that. (it's hard for me to make much more praise than this, though, thanks to my natural aversion to horror in general)

And I, personally, like the way the second one is more of a suggestion than a proper story. The way the mystery is left hanging is quite interesting, I think.