Blood Sample
an original screenplay by
Wilder Carnes
Wilder Carnes wzilder1@gmail.com (203) 568-5242
FADE IN:
EXT. CAR – DAY
A car pulls up and MARVIN, 25 stumbles out. His clothes are tucked in a little too tight, his hair a bit slick.
He rights himself and adjusts his glasses.
Marvin slams a square plastic case on the car and pops it open —
There are six vials inside, a thermometer and pH strips secured in foam.
Marvin half stumbles down to a tall chain link fence.
He prods it with his foot, puts the case down and shakes the chain links with his hands.
He produces an mp3 recorder and hits record —
MARVIN
This is Marvin Epstein, Summer term,
2017. Bio three-twenty, rotation zero-zero-one. Getting a jump on my graduate thesis. About to enter Westfield's abandoned water park– thunder island.
Marvin clears his throat and stops the recording.
MARVIN (CONT'D)
Getting a jump on my graduate thesis.
Getting a jump.
He adjusts his shirt and grabs the case.
He hops onto the fence and sticks, clenching with all his might. He climbs one step at a time.
EXT. WATER PARK – DAY
Marvin lands and careens forward. His glasses fly, hit a rock and a crack spreads over one lens.
He finds them, rubs them clean and looks over the crack MARVIN
Dang it.
Marvin pushes them on, determined, and strolls further into the park.
EXT. WATER PARK – DAY
Mysterious science MUSIC kicks in.
SEQUENCE — I could write something here but you probably know better than I. Here's a suggestion for the end part —
– Curled algae floating on dark, murky water contracts and
expands in
MATCH CUT:
– BACTERIA
MATCH CUT:
– Marvin's
TITLES: "BLOOD SAMPLE".
EXT. WATER PARK – LARGE POOL – DAY Marvin steps up to the edge.
He kneels down and unclasps the case. He takes out the thermometer and places it on the ground.
Marvin pulls out his mp3 recorder —
MARVIN
This is Marvin Epstein. July 21st,
2017. Senior graduate student… Getting a jump on my thesis…
He holds up the thermometer —
MARVIN (CONT'D) Currently 89 degrees. It is the
hottest part of the day, 3:11. My study will utilize various dips in day time temperatures to help determine how weather affects decaying man-made structures. Specifically, how pools, fountains,waterparks, damns and aquaducts affect the surrounding envirnoment.
Marvin shakes his head and hits the stop button.
MARVIN (CONT'D) (muttering)
This is Marvin Epstein. July, 21st, midpoint of the summer season —
the hazy heat.
strands under a microscope quiver and divide.
hypnotic tie pattern.
2.
EXT. WATER PARK – SMALL POOL – DAY
Reed grass covers half the pool.
In the distance — Marvin paces with his recorder.
A chorus of Cicada's crescendo.
The reed grass stirrs. It grows to shaking, spreads across the entire brush… Then it stops —
A small wave of water surges forward. EXT. WATER PARK – LARGE POOL – DAY Bubbles collect on the surface.
MARVIN (muffled/underwater
sound)
Conducted in two sets of experiments. One at the sun's height, the other– just as it comes down.
Marvin steps up to the edge of the pool and kneels down. He leans closer to the edge and squints.
He takes one vial and dips it in. Water pools inside. Marvin holds it up to eye level —
Sun glare catches his cracked lens, he winces, the vial slips and drops into the water.
MARVIN (CONT'D)
Shoot.
He drops to his stomach, sinks
Marvin looks his wet arm over.
He recollects the water, corks He takes another vial.
his arm in and grabs the vial.
it and puts it in the case.
EXT. WATER PARK – SLIDE – DAY
Marvin holds up one of the three water samples and smiles. He carefully places the vial back in.
RUSTLES come from behind.
He whirls around —
3.
There's a feeling. Something is just beyond the bend in the slide.
Marvin ignores it. He scratches his arm and winces. It looks a bit red, maybe even swollen.
He checks his watch — 5:48
Marvin hits record on his mp3 recorder.
SPLASH —
MARVIN
It's approximately 6:48. I am just a
couple hours out from collecting the last water samples. The temperature should lower by then. This will allow me to gauge how these varying water temperatures effect the environment.
He shoots up.
Water trickles down the slide. It turns grey.
Slowly, a black slime follows the water. The slime builds to a strean and coats the slide.
Marvin collects his things and marches off, startled but more confused then anything.
EXT. WATER PARK – SMALL POOL – DAY
Marvin strolls along.
He kneels by some brush and looks the leaves over. A low CHOKED RATTLE comes from the right —
He jumps up.
Something's dying. It's SHARP and HOARSE.
MARVIN
Hey! It stops at once.
Marvin steps further into the brush. CRUNCH —
He kneels down.
There's a mound of eggs in pieces.
4.
Marvin picks a shell up and turns it over in his hand. There's a small pool of gritty black slime within.
He holds up his recorder —
MARVIN (CONT'D) Looks like these abanadoned pools and whatever chemicals have had a greater effect on the environment
then once thought.
Marvin hits stop. He smiles triumphantly.
SPLASH —
Marvin strolls to the water, kneels down and looks over the edge — There's nothing.
He reaches his hand out. His finger tips hover just over the water's surface.
He winces and grabs his swollen arm. There are small bubbles along his wrist.
There's a gurgled VOICE like frog ribbits from the tall reeds.
VOICE
This is Marvin Epstein… Marvin
Epstein… Marvin… Marvin. The voice CHOKES…
Marvin backs away.
The voice imitates his exactly.
VOICE (CONT'D) Marvin Epstein. Graduate thesis–
The reeds rustle.
Marvin sprints towards the distant fence.
INT. CAR – DAY
Marvin jams the keys in the ignition and starts the engine. He looks back.
MARVIN
Shit.
He reaches around in the back seat frantically.
5.
EXT. CAR – EVENING
Marvin plants his hands on the fence links.
He looks over his arm — it's worse now, very red with blisters up and down.
He shakes his head, determined, and climbs.
EXT. WATER PARK – EVENING
Marvin speed walks through the park.
He stops at the large pool and looks around — nothing.
He continues to the small pool, cautiously — nothing.
Marvin kneels down and grabs a rock. He tosses it towards the reeds. He backs away and jogs off.
There's a hoarse CRY. He spins around towards the noise.
There, at the base of a large isolated tree, is the plastic case.
Marvin walks towards it.
EXT. WATER PARK – TREE – EVENING Marvin picks up the case.
Ah–
He drops it. It's
He wipes his hands the handle.
MARVIN
covered in slime.
on his pants and uses his sleeve to grab
He marches towards
EXT. CAR – EVENING
Marvin stops at the fence.
He slides the recorder out of his pocket. He looks back to the park —
It's darker now. Much more quiet.
He holds the recorder to his mouth.
the fence.
6.
MARVIN
It's the right time. The temperature
should have dropped. I will be collecting the last samples.
EXT. WATER PARK – LARGE POOL – EVENING
Marvin kneels over the pool. He looks around and shakes his head.
He opens his case and takes out an empty vial. He holds his thermometer up — 81 degrees.
Marvin leans over the water and dips the vial in. It fills. He caps it.
Another vial in. It fills. He caps it.
He holds up the last vial.
CRACK — He grabs the thermometer. It reads 20 degrees.
Marvin breaths heavy and squints.
He pushes the last vial into the water. Small bubbles form.
SPLASH — Marvin looks up.
In the distant small pool —
A lizard-like figure lurks in the dark. It's lower body submurged in water. It slips into the reeds.
Marvin pulls out the vial. Shaking, he caps it with the cork.
SPLASH! — Marvin looks straight ahead.
In a flash, spindly claws grab his swollen arm and pull him in.
CLOSE ON: A bloody vial rolls across the concrete and comes to a rest.
THE END.
FADE OUT:
7.