TOM WRITES HIS FIRST MOVIE: Add Tension

I've been working on this script:

http://tcqscripts.blogspot.ca/2014/12/i-am-not-weirdo.html

I've written other scripts which you can see all over this blog but this is my first feature length script attempt. The idea is that I write a page a day (but who am I kidding), I blog each page as I go because this way I feel more of a push to actually do it. Its easier than staring at a word document. If no one ever reads this blog (as I expect) then it doesn't matter, at the end of this I'll have a movie script written. For the record, I have no idea what you do with a finished movie script, that's a later Thomas's problem.

This has nothing to do with the script but

god help whatever kid drew this. 

INT - DAYTIME - KITCHEN

A week has passed, the once scattered living room looks settled, the boxes are all put away. Douglas has settled in. His game system is hooked up in the living room, his belongings have woven their way into the house. This looks like a shared home.

There's a tension in the room, Douglas is sitting at the table, flipping through a magazine, Abigale is making herself a snack. Her back turned towards Douglas.

ABIGALE

I don't know why you can't just say you did it? It bothers me that you'd try to lie about it.

DOUGLAS

I didn't even know you had a diary until you accused me of this just now.

ABIGALE

How did it end up in the nightstand on your side of the bed?

DOUGLAS

I have a SIDE of the bed? I didn't know that. I just plop down wherever.

ABIGALE

STOP trying to be funny right now.

DOUGLAS

I am not. None of this makes sense, if I wanted to read your diary I wouldn't put it in some nightstand beside the bed. I'd put it back EXACTLY where I got it from.

ABIGALE

I am not even saying you read it. It just drives me nuts that you won't just admit you moved it. This didn't even need to become a fight.

DOUGLAS

Well then lets not make it one. Lets just say we have ghosts and forget about it. 

ABIGALE

Stop making me sound crazy. I write in my diary every night and I put it back in my dresser when I am finished.

Douglas sees something in her eyes and hears it in her voice, she's freaked out. She sounds like someone under a lot of stress.

DOUGLAS

One time I came home to work to find my TV remote in the fridge. Sometimes people put things in weird places and don't even notice. I am sorry I don't remember moving your diary, maybe I did. I definitely, 100% did not read it.

ABIGALE

I don't want to fight; Douglas. I just want to know that you're always telling me the truth.

DOUGLAS

I always am. Are you ok with me living here? You seem...frazzled.

ABIGALE

I feel frazzled. I just want this to work.

DOUGLAS

I want this to work.

ABIGAL

Then just tell me you moved my diary. 

Douglas looks at his woman and considers his answer for a second. Then takes one on the chin.

DOUGLAS

I moved  your diary.

Abigale looks at her man, there's doubt in her eyes.

...Cont'd

REVISIT: The Time I Wrote A Horror Movie About Being Lost At Sea And Stalked By A Seamonster.

 

I used this blog to write a short horror movie once, I say "short" because the script is less than 20 pages but I swear to god when I read it back it's a feature length film in my head.

It was a slow burning creepy sea monster movie, relying on the vulnerability and horror of being alone at sea for much of the terror. This is the story of poor Darcy who's beautiful husband Cade takes on a honeymoon sail around the world. It was meant to be their first adventure together, it was their last. Cade disappears at sea, leaving Darcy all alone. Stalked by something in the water.

"The disbelief hits her, it only took a few panicked seconds for her to search the small boat and he's nowhere to be found. She runs out onto the bow, her head spinning. He has to be in the water, he HAS to be in the water. She screams out again and again at the top of her lungs until her throat is coarse. 

Darcy

CAAAAAADE!

Silence. Darcy is frozen where she stands, silently begging Cade to show himself. She runs over to the radio; it's been destroyed by the storm. She goes back into the boat and tears it apart, looking for anything but finding nothing, no sign of where Cade went. She cries and screams until finally passing out from the stress."

http://tcqscripts.blogspot.com/2013/07/lurking-everything-right-up-until-post.html

Lets Finish this! - Tom finishes his horror movie, here's how it ends.

Sooooo...I have no idea how long this movie is. As a script it falls way short of what a typical movie script usually comes in at but there's so little dialogue that's it's hard to gauge. This thing is all action, slow moving tense build ups that play out much slower than they read. Anyway, I'd like to move on to something new so I am packing this thing up. I can always revisit this script and add more later but this is a good starting point that I can show to people to try to get this thing off the ground.

Ok, here's my ending.

You can read the whole script here: LURKING

EXTERIOR - BOAT DECK

As dawn starts to break Darcy is clinging to a what's left of her boat, it's completely dead in the water. The creature that's now circling her has completely destroyed it and for the first time seems to be aware of her presence on the boat. She can hear the excitement in it's sounds, she can sense it's trepidation as it takes it's time to inspect the stalled wreck. Darcy knows she's doomed, there's no more doubt in her mind. Even if the creature were to turn around and leave her, she's still stuck in the middle of the ocean on a boat that's barely held together. The monster's clicking call is frenzied, she freezes. She can hear it scraping against the boat, she can't hide so she stays still. She can hear the splash of something pulling itself out of the water onto the boat, it's dark and she can just make something out from where she's laying. She sees something slump it's way onto the boat, it has dark scaly skin, sharp spines all over it's fins and a large tooth filled mouth. It doesn't walk, it just slumps forward, making its way around the boat. Darcy sits in complete fear. She's defenseless, she lost her flare gun in the chaos from before.

She tries to press her body as firmly against the side of the boat as she can, terrified to make any movements. The creature slumps around the boat, until it comes fully into view. She can see it's eyes, they're black and staring in her direction. The creature isn't sure what it sees, it approaches cautiously, Darcy tries to remain perfectly still in hopes that she won't peak it's interest. The creature slumps closer and closer, it gets very close. The water and slime of the creature drips onto Darcy's skin. The creature looks her up and down, it seems almost as nervous as she is. Curious; it goes in closer, Darcy closes her eyes in fear. The creature takes an exploratory bite into Darcy's shoulder; causing her to jump up screaming. Startled; the monster throws her across the boat. She lands hard, several feet away. Her shoulder is bleeding badly, she's slow to get up and the creature is coming towards her. She gets to her feet just in time to be pulled right back down by the monster who's grabbed a hold of her leg. It pulls her towards it's mouth. Darcy fights with everything she has to free herself but she's no match, her foot inches closer and closer to the creatures giant teeth. Darcy screams out as the creature takes a bite of her foot, she finally pulls it free, losing a large chunk of it in the creature's teeth.

In absolute agony now; Darcy crawls away though the small boat doesn't offer much room to escape to. Darcy leaves a pool of blood behind her with every step forward that she takes, the monster behind her has a taste for blood. Darcy crawls over-top of the sail lying prone on the deck, the monster is steps behind her. She gets a hold of some broken rigging and swing it around, hitting the creature. It's hide is meant to withstand the pressures of the deep sea, it's thick and dense, the blow has no effect. Unfazed; the creature pulls her towards it once again. Darcy claws at the sail, pulling at it in a desperate attempt to escape. She pulls and pulls until she reveals her flare gun hidden underneath. The monster pulls her in close and goes to bite her again, once it's teeth sink into her leg she screams out in pain. This time she fights back; clawing at the creature's eyes and causing it to drop her. Darcy crawls as fast as she can to the flare gun with the hungry monster following behind her, she can barely lift the gun with her torn up shoulder. The creature bears down on her once more, she manages to press the gun to it's neck and pulls the trigger. The flare tears through the monster's neck, burning a cavity deeper and deeper into the monster's throat. It falls to the ground and violently convulses. Flopping it's way back into the water.

Darcy is left alone, completely alone. She's on a broken, slowly sinking boat in the middle of the ocean and she's bleeding out badly. This is it, these moment are her last. The boat slowly drifts on the slow moving water, Darcy starts to lose consciousness. She sees Cade at the wheel of the boat, he looks at her reassuringly. A tear trickles down her cheek, she smiles. She closes her eyes and loses consciousness. Darcy stay unconscious for days while her boat drifts deeper into the ocean.

Darcy's feels the boat bump something, softly at first but then the boat comes to a sudden violent stop. Darcy lifts her head up, gets to her feet and wobbles to the front of the boat, she can't believe her eyes. She's hit land. A tiny island no bigger than a football field hidden away in the middle of all this ocean, the boat is finally finished and taking on water. Darcy hops off the boat and makes her way onto the island. It's barren, almost void of vegetation. Darcy starts to explore, it's rocky and littered with bones. Darcy walks the island, she see's all manner of carcass littered across the rocky landscape. Darcy freezes in her tracks, her face twists into a horrified expression. She breaks down. In front of her is Cade's partially devoured corpse. Behind her she can hear the sounds of the creature, then the sound of others, coming from several different directions. She's on her knees, she doesn't even turn around,she's given up. A few of the creatures lurch onto the island out of the water and slump towards her. She doesn't turn to look, she has no more fight in her, she's resigned to her fate. She plays with her wedding ring as they get closer. The camera closes on a shot of her wedding ring moments before she's killed for sure.

-END-

Tom's Horror Script - -LURKING pt8-

-LURKING pt8-

The morning light is bright, it's incredibly strong and cuts a striking contrast against the previous night's blackness. Darcy's still in her corner though in the light of the day it doesn't provide her with any cover. She still hasn't slept, she's been up all night hiding and listening. It's been quiet for a long time, she's lost track. It's time to move. Darcy gets up and makes her way topside where she had the encounter with the creature, she rounds the corner carefully. She's armed, in fact in her state she looks almost as frightening as anything she could hope to find up there. It's a beautiful day. 

The scene she finds is horrible, the entire deck is a dark crimson red, blood red. Scattered all over are the remains of what appears to be a large shark, it's been torn apart and eaten. The violent scratches and damage to the boat indicate a frenzied, violent feeding. The slamming of the jib in the wind snaps her out of it, she looks at the sail contemplatively. It's time. Cade isn't coming back and she can't sit still waiting for the monster to come for her. The boat is a wreck but if she can get the ropes set and clear the deck of all the debris she reasons that she can raise the sails and get moving. Motivated for the first time to affect her own circumstances, Darcy starts the task of getting this boat ready to move. 

She spends the day going over the last of her supplies, repairing her sail and rigging and getting it ready to be hoisted up into the wind. It's hard work, it takes all morning and afternoon.

Later in the day the sun is starting to lower in the sky, it's getting cooler and later in the day. Darcy is playing with the broken radio. She's speaking into it, it doesn't work but it provides her some comfort and offers her a chance to vent.

Darcy

Hello?

Am I alone?

I don't care if you can't even hear me, I just want to hear someone's voice. I am alone. Cade. I think I am going to die soon, I think something is hunting me. I don't know, I don't trust my eyes anymore. I have to leave here now, please tell Cade I wanted to stay and find him. I wanted to wait for him to come back to me but I can't. I don't want this thing to eat me. Cade. Why did you go? I need you...

She's interrupted, off in the distance the unmistakable high pitched clicking of the creature can be heard. It's coming.

-Cont'd-

Imaging Being In The Middle Of The Ocean and Coming Face To Face With A Messed Up Fish-Man? Seriously. Imagine That.

I am at the point in the script where I've already written out this scene, I rewrote a few things for pacing. I am actually making some pretty good progress on this thing, this blog works.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Day - Interior/Boat

Darcy wakes up to find herself alone again, the storm has stopped and the water has settled. There's a soft rocking and the sound of a calm ocean gently splashing against her boat. The door topside is open and gives frame to soft rays of sunlight as the day breaks. The sunlight outside is strong and gorgeous. It lifts Darcy's mood and she heads upstairs to find Cade.

When she gets to the top she can't see Cade, she looks around the small deck but doesn't see him, there are scrapes along the surface of the boat and the sails have be battered by the storm. The boat is in rough shape. Darcy races back down stairs to check for Cade, he's not there.

Now the panic is starting to hit her. She calls out of him.

Darcy

CADE!

Nothing but eery silence.

Darcy looks in the water, running around the boat looking for some sign of Cade. There's nothing. He's vanished.

The disbelief hits her, it only took a few panicked seconds for her to search the small boat and he's nowhere to be found. She runs out onto the bow, her head spinning. He has to be in the water, he HAS to be in the water. She screams out again and again at the top of her lungs until her throat is coarse.

Darcy
CAAAAAADE!

Silence. Darcy is frozen where she stands, silently begging Cade to show himself. She runs over the the radio; it's been destroyed by the storm. She goes back into the boat and tears it apart, looking for anything but finding nothing, no sign of where Cade went. She cries and screams until finally passing out from the stress.

Evening - Interior: Below Deck - It's getting dark

It's much later in the day, Darcy is curled up in a ball on the floor. She's wide awake and silently mouthing something inaudible. The room behind her is torn apart. She's broken, staring off into space trying to keep herself together.

A large splash is heard in the water near her boat, Darcy springs to life and runs to the bow of the ship; she calls out to Cade but there's still no response. The splashing came from about 20 ft away but it's too dark for her to see anything clearly. She frantically searches the boat until she finds a flashlight and races back to the bow to shine the light where she thinks she heard the splashing. She scans the water, her desperation and sense of panic is evidenced by the noticeable shaking of her light.

 

Darcy
CADE! PLEASE!

The light hangs on the water and catches a glimpse of something that disappears in an instant. It startles Darcy off her feet and she almost drops the light in the water, she steadies herself and shines the light back on the water. She refuses to believe what she saw, her mind races with possibilities; looking for an alternative explanation for what she thinks she saw. A face. A face of something in the water watching her, with large fish-like eyes and teeth.

In the distance she hears the strange sound of a high pitched clicking, the same sounds she heard on the first night only this time much, much closer.

-cont'd-

I Hope You Like Cade...He's Doomed.

I am still rolling on this horror script, my goal is to have a finished feature length horror script finished by the end of next month. Once again here's what I am working on:

Logline: Darcy's fiance is missing and she's left alone in the middle of the ocean with a strange creature stalking her broken boat.

 Lurking - Synopsis

Lurking - Part 1

Lurking - Part 2

INTERIOR - Below deck

The next morining Darcy wakes up alone in bed, the ship is rocking and there's a lot of movement up top. Darcy gets up to investigate, as she takes the small flight of stairs leaving to the deck she notices the clouds. It's early morning but there's the ominous darkness to the day, the clouds seem to be making their way downwards; bearing down on her. Cade is racing around the deck securing everything on the boat, he runs over to a radio and tweaks the dials until he hears someone on the other end. He gives his position to the person over the radio who tells him he's going to have to batten down the hatches and make it through the night on his own. This scares Darcy.

Cade races about, he ties down every line, brings supplies below deck and double checks every inch of their small two person sailboat. Finally he races back below deck and comes up with two life vests, he hands one to Darcy, the gesture cements the gravity of the situation in her eyes and it shows. Amongst the rain, the rocking of the boat and the frantic pace of the moment Cade stops to comfort his love.

Cade

I always knew we'd hit a storm Sweetheart, this was always part of the plan. We're ready.

Darcy

Cade, I am freaking out.

Cade

You don't have to. Sweetheart I've stared into the eye of a million storms out here. Do you trust me?

Darcy

Yes.

Cade

I've got this.

Darcy

What do we do?

The storm breaks and pounds down on the small boat.

Cade

I'll do what I always do when the ocean picks a fight with me, I fight back.

The ocean is in chaos around them, Cade stands his ground. He holds Darcy's hand.

Darcy

The sunshine tomorrow is going to be beautiful.

With that Cade takes the wheel of the boat, he ushers Darcy inside as the storm assaults him. Darcy sits back and watches her fiance fight for their boat. He shouts as the waves hit him and break apart on the side of their boat; he taunts daringly at the storm. Thunder shatters the sky, the whole scene is too much for Darcy. She covers her ears, puts her head between her knees and closes her eyes.

INTERIOR - Below deck

The camera immediately cuts to a shot of Darcy in bed, she's curled up into a ball laying motionless with her eyes open. The boat is rocking, the storm outside is still assaulting their boat. Cade is beside her, holding her tightly. It's a touching scene, he kisses her; holds her tightly and comforts her. Outside the storm rages on.

- Cont'd -

Darcy's fiance is missing and she's left alone in the middle of the ocean with a strange creature stalking her broken boat.

Logline: Darcy's fiance is missing and she's left alone in the middle of the ocean with a strange creature stalking her broken boat.

And now here's part two of the horror script I am working on.

 SYNOPSIS

PART 1

INTERIOR - DAY - BAR

Darcy and Cade are seated at the head of a table of well wishers, behind them reads a sign that says "Congratulations Darcy and Cade". At the gathering are Darcy's parents, he mother goes to approach her.

Mom

Hunny are you sure about this?

Darcy

No but I am excited about it. We'll be safe, I told Cade that I want to stay as close to the coastline as we can.

Mom

What happens if you get in trouble, you'll be all alone out there?

Darcy

I WON'T be alone, I'll be with Cade and I trust him. 

Darcy's mom's look of worry doesn't fade but she doesn't want to rain on her daughter's party, Darcy sees her mother's worry and gives her a hug. Elsewhere at the party Darcy's father is grilling Cade comically on his preparations, running down a list of supplies he insists Cade stock for safety. The party guests all profess jealousy and well wishes towards the couple and are even there to see them off the next morning at the docks.

The morning is beautiful, there's a calmness to the ocean and with the sunlight dancing off the water Darcy sees for the first time a piece of the beauty that Cade is so eager to share with her. The two climb aboard the small boat and wave goodbye as the shove off. Together they watch the crowd filter out as they float away. 

EXTERIOR - ON DECK - NIGHT

It's a beautiful night, the lights of the city are at a distance and the stars in the sky have become more vivid, Darcy can't take her eyes off them. In the distance the sound of a high pitched clicking catches her attention but only for second. Darcy is laid out on a red blanket on the bow of the boat, around her are rose petals and candles which blow and flicker in the wind. Cade comes up from below deck holding a bottle of wine and two glasses.

Darcy

You did think of everything.

He lays down beside his fiance and stares deeply into her eyes. 

Cade

How come you never told me how pretty you look underneath the stars?

Darcy

I didn't even know half these stars existed. I can't stop staring at them, the sky is so black out here. It feels like there's no more sky, like I am just looking right out into space.

Cade never looks up, he doesn't take his gaze away from her.

Cade

Space is pretty

Darcy

Space IS pretty.

Cade
I love you Darcy

Darcy kisses him, the two drop their glasses and get lost in a passionate embrace. The camera pulls away from their intimate moment together, across the black water. The light from the candles still illuminate the ship as the camera pans further and further back across the ocean. Finally the boat is so far away that it's just a small flicker on the water. Loudly and startlingly a loud, amphibian sounding high pitched screech can be heard directly into the camera. The unnerving screech is followed by a watery clicking sound. 

Darcy Wakes Up Alone and Stranded In The Middle Of the Sea With Something In The Water Stalking Her Boat

Yeah so; change of plans. I wanted to get to work on a romantic comedy but frankly I just wasn't feeling it. I still really want to write one but I haven't come up with something that feels quite right yet, I've been wrecking my brain trying actually. I've decided to stop.

In the meantime I want to actually get a script finished. ACTUALLY finished. Something I can try shopping around just to see what kind of feedback I get. I am going to write the horror movie that I've already conceived, start to finish.

Here's what I wrote previously for reference:

http://apeday.blogspot.ca/2013/03/horror-movie-idea-dont-steal-it.html
http://apeday.blogspot.ca/2013/03/imagine-being-stranded-in-ocean-and.html
http://apeday.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-time-bully-had-me-cornered-in.html



Exterior - A dock

We open with a shot of Cade working on a small boat, the framing is such that the boat is in the lower left hand of the screen with the rest of the frame being the expansive ocean which goes on for unthinkable miles in all directions. Cade is going over a checklist, his boat is very well maintained. He has a bunch of supplies on the deck and he's meticulously maintaining a catalog of everything he brings aboard.

Cade is an avid sailor, his olive tan is a testament to how often he takes his boat out. Cade's practically lived on the water his whole life and he gives his lifestyle credit for his relaxed disposition and sense of calm. This trip mean more to Cade, there's a reason he's taking it so seriously. He's going over the numbers on paper, checking all his instruments and surveying weather patterns. Checking over his own work like and inspector. As he scribbles through the pages of his note book he looks away from the water towards a grassy hill which slopes beautifully along a charming dirt pathway towards the docks. Glimmering in the sun he see's something that changes his whole aura, in that moment everything slows down. In that moment as the sun shimmers off the beautiful blond hair of the petite little woman he called his fiance; in that moment he feel like he has all the time in the world and all he wants to do with it is watch her. He loves that girl.  She sees him looking her way and smiles, like always he gets butterflies in his stomach. The girl goes over the hill and down the pathway, for just a second she seems to lose control of the bike but regains her balance quickly. When she looks up again Cade is laughing to himself. She pulls up beside him and walks right into his arms.

Darcy

Oh my God I wasn't expecting the dirt to be so loose at the bottom

Cade

Darcy. Use your breaks, those things attached to your handles. 

Darcy

I hate my breaks.

Cade kisses Darcy on the forehead. 

Cade

I would have run over there and caught you at the last second y'know.

Darcy

Awww...I almost believe that.

Darcy looks around at all the work Cade's been putting in. 

Darcy

Cade, I didn't know you had so much to do. Let  me help you.

Cade

Sure. Help me change out this bilge pump and then re-furl the sails.

Darcy looks at him, defeated by her utter lack of understanding any of the terms Cade just threw at her. Cade smiles back at her.

Cade

Baby I got this. This was my idea, I've been waiting to take you on this trip since we started dating. I'll make sure I have everything covered, I don't want you to worry about anything. Baby. We're going to sail around the world together.

Darcy

We're going to be in the middle of the ocean and I've never sailed before. Cade...what happens if a storm hits?

Cade

Then we get wet and we keep floating. I've been through some incredible storms Darcy, you won't believe how beautiful the water is after one passes. We'll see rainbows for miles. 

Darcy

What if a shark attacks us? 

Cade

Our boat? Baby, sharks can't hurt our boat. Even if they could I wouldn't let them, I'd punch it to pieces the second he looked at you funny.

Darcy laughs and Cade wraps his arms around her.

Cade

Be happy Baby.

As the two lovers embrace the camera pulls back, slowly at first over the water. As the camera pulls away it speeds up and reveals more and more ocean. Soon Darcy and Cade and their little boat are just specks surrounded by water, the endless ocean their about to set sail into.

 -LURKING-

Imagine Being Stranded in the Ocean and Something Underwater is Stalking You.

So I am piecing this horror script called 'Lurking' together out of order, it's about a woman who finds herself stranded alone on a small boat in the middle of the ocean being stalked by a scary creature in the water.

- Thomas Holler

Day - Interior/Boat

Darcy wakes up to find herself alone again, the storm has stopped and the water has settled. There's a soft rocking and the sound of a calm ocean gently splashing against her boat. The door topside is open and gives frame to soft rays of sunlight as the day breaks, Darcy heads upstairs to find Cade.

When she gets to the top the disbelief hits her immediately, she can't see Cade. It only takes a few panicked seconds for her to search the small boat, he's nowhere to be found. She runs out onto the bow, her head spinning. He has to be in the water, he HAS to be in the water. She screams his name; again and again at the top of her lungs until her throat is coarse.

Darcy
CADE!

Silence. Darcy is frozen where she stands, silently begging Cade to show himself. She runs over the the radio; turning it on but failing to get a signal, she goes back into the boat and tears it apart, looking for anything but finding nothing, no sign of where Cade went. She cries and screams until finally passing out from the stress.

 

Evening - Interior/Boat - It's getting dark

It's much later in the day, Darcy is curled up in a ball on the floor. She's wide awake and silently mouthing something inaudible. The room behind her is torn apart. She's broken, staring off into space trying to keep herself together.

A large splash is heard in the water near her boat, Darcy springs to life and runs to the bow of the ship; she calls out to Cade but there's still no response. The splashing came from about 20 ft away but it's too dark for her to see anything clearly. She frantically searches the boat until she finds a flashlight and races back to the bow to shine the light where she thinks she heard the splashing. She scans the water, her desperation and sense of panic is evidenced by the noticeable shaking of her light.

Darcy
CADE! PLEASE!

The light hangs on the water and catches a glimpse of something that disappears in an instant. It startles Darcy off her feet and she almost drops the light in the water, she steadies herself and shines the light back on the water. She refuses to believe what she saw, her mind races with possibilities; looking for an alternative explanation for what she thinks she saw. A face. A face of something in the water watching her, with large fish-like eyes and teeth.

In the distance she hears the strange sound of a high pitched clicking, the same sounds she heard on the first night only this time much, much closer.

Imagine this coming at you and you're not Aquaman. Unfortunately.

Horror Movie Idea. Don't Steal It.

I am too trusting. Please don't steal this idea, if anyone wants to hear more about it or even work with me on it then hit me up. This is my first draft, there's a lot I wan to add.

Lurking

Logline: Stranded on a small boat in the middle of the ocean; Darcy's honeymoon has become a nightmare. Her husband has vanished and her boat is being stalked by a terrifying creature in the water.

Lurking

Darcy and her husband Cade are about to embark on their honeymoon adventure, they plan on taking their small two person sailboat on a trip around the world. Making their way from California they plan on sailing the Southern Pacific route by way of the Pacific Ocean. Darcy isn't experienced but Cade is an avid sailor and has planned this for over a year, he's excited to take his wife on a trip around the world. Darcy is nervous about it but trusts Cade and loves the romantic idea of going on this adventure with the man she loves. Amidst well wishes and jealous congratulations from her friends the two set sail and head away from port, the weather is beautiful and the sun creates a golden glow on the water. By the end of the first day they find themselves all alone on the water, the lights of California are just visible on the horizon. Darcy is amazed by how peaceful it is, her reservations of the trip begin to fade. Cade surprises her with her favorite wine and a picnic on the bow. They make love under the moonlight. As she begins to fall asleep down below deck she hears a strange call off in the distance, something high pitched and clicking. She can't place it but dismisses it because it's so far away.

The next day Darcy wakes up alone, the boat is rocking heavily. She heads above deck and finds Cade working furiously to prepare for an impending storm, he tells her they need to get their sales down and have their emergency equipment ready. She's scared, he tells her not to worry; taking the time on that swaying boat to hold his wife and look deeply into her eyes and kiss her. He tells her again that it will be ok. Her nerves steady and she asks how she can help, he tells her to run down below and bring him his emergency kit. Darcy races down below, finds it and heads back upstairs. On the bow she sees Cade, mouth agape with a disturbed look on his face standing by the edge and staring out into the water. He's scanning the water as though he'd just seen something. His calm demeanor has changed, now he looks startled and nervous. Darcy snaps him back to reality and they get to work.

It's night now and Darcy is in bed below with Cade, the boat is being assaulted violently by the storm outside. Cade is holding Darcy to keep her calm. She closes her eyes and tries to shut it all out. Cade tells her that he’s there with her and she’ll be ok.

The next morning is calm, she wakes up alone in the bed again. Light shines in through the door which has been left open. She gets up and heads topside, when she gets to the top her stomach drops, she's overcome with paralyzing fear and disbelief. She's alone, Cade is nowhere to be seen. Panic sets in immediately,  she races around the small boat looking for him, eyes welling up with tears. She screams for him, she checks the water around her and screams his name at the top of her lungs. No answer. She races to the radio which she doesn't know how to use, she turns the dials desperately begging anyone listening for help. The isolation, the panic all hit her. She stumbles back below deck and falls to the ground unconscious.

It's later in the day and dark out, Darcy is lying in a ball on the floor. She's awake, lying there silently talking to herself; it's deathly silent. She perks up when she hears something on deck, she listens attentively. She hears it again. There's someone walking around up there, it must be CADE! She runs upstairs calling his name but what she sees startles her, she catches a slight glimpse of something slumping off the deck and springing back into the water. She grabs a flashlight and scans the water, shaking. She screams out once again for Cade and swings the light along the water. She catches the movement of something darting back underwater and drops the light in fear. She thinks she saw a face. A face of something, not Cade. She hears the same high pitched clicking that she heard on the first night, only now much, much closer.

Daytime - Darcy goes up deck to find that the boat has been damaged. She tries the radio again but doesn't get a signal, her phone is dead. She scans the boat for supplies. She finds first aid supplies, boating tools, a flare gun, there's enough food to last her a week or two. Cade would have made sure to be well supplied.

She tries to set the sail but isn't sure how. A gust of wind swings the rigging into her, knocking her into the water. She was hit hard and was rattled; underwater she struggles back towards the surface. In the distance she sees something swimming towards her. With every ounce of strength she races to the surface and pulls herself onto the boat. She spins around to see a shark, it missed her by seconds. She's rattled, scared and doesn't know what to do, she's in the most terrifying scenario imaginable and she knows it.

Time passes, it’s getting dark now. Darcy is on the deck sitting by the radio which looks like she's been trying to use it for a while, there are papers around it, a makeshift antenna...Darcy is eating a cereal bar. She hears the sound again, the high pitched clicking of the creature in the near distance, she clutches the flare gun closely. Darcy speaks into the radio. She broadcasts a distress plea to anyone listening. She talks about her boat, it's damage and her situation. She states that she thinks there's something in the water following her, she says that it comes each night, she says she feels like she's going crazy and finally she talks about Cade and how scared she is. There's absolutely no answer. Its starting to get dark. In the distance we hear a high pitched clicking sound. Its getting closer.

It's night, it's black out. Only the moon provides light, the glossy sheen of the boat reflects it into the water directly around the small vessel. It's easy to forget how immense the ocean she's lost in is with so much of it blacked out. Darcy is hiding below deck, she's curled up in a corner and absolutely terrified. She's holding the flare gun closely. She can hear the sounds the creature is making in the water all around her. Its stalking the boat and seems much more active at night. It gets quiet, extremely quiet. Middle of the ocean quiet. She hears the sound of it clawing at and probing the boat, exploring it underneath her. It makes its way up the side and she can hear the sound of it slumping onto the deck. Its topside, she terrified. She can see it's shadows, she can see movement, she can hear it. It's on the bow and it's slamming around. She can hear a squishy crunch and the sound of tearing, the creature screams out. She makes herself as small as she can and disappears into the shadows bellow, clutching her gun.

She wakes up the next morning, and heads upstairs to where the monster was. She finds a LOT of blood and the torn up remains of a shark on her bow. The blood will attract predators, she has to get out of there. She has to get the sail working. She spends the day working on it, as it gets darker she hears the creature's call moving closer and closer, finally as nights draws her sail snaps into place and she starts to move. She tears up, thankful and also finally facing the fact that Cade is never coming back.

Its night. She's on the move and suddenly her boat is slammed. She's sent flying. She screams 'NO', she can't believe it. She thought she left it behind. She's slammed again. Darcy takes to the wheel trying to steer away, it’s an act of desperation; she has no idea where the creature is. She's slammed again and knocked to the ground. She sees her sail come loose and rushes to fix it, it’s so dark and she struggles to repair the sail. She picks up her flashlight and shines it on the tangled rigging. From behind her appears the creature, she spins to shine the light on it but it takes a swing at her. The swipe the creature takes knocks Darcy to the floor and obliterates the rigging of the sail. The sail falls and the creature jumps back into the water. Darcy narrowly avoids being killed by the falling sail. Rigging falls into the water.

Darcy is hurt, she reaches into her waistband and makes sure she has her gun. Suddenly the bow of the ship begins to dip, something is pulling it down with incredible force. The back end of the ship lifts out of the water, the creature is pulling on the rigging. The pole its attached to is damaged, Darcy kicks the pole over and over until it snaps apart and the rigging is pulled underwater. The boat levels. The sail is destroyed, its dawn. Darcy can’t stand up, she’s been battered.

As dawn starts to break the creature is coming. Darcy is laying on her stomach, hurt, she hears the creature board the boat and slump towards her. The creature grabs her from behind and she spins around and puts a flare into the creature's chest, it falls backwards dead and slides into the water.
Its still dark out at the crack of dawn, the broken boat is drifting with Darcy unconscious. The boat comes to a stop, it's hit something and Darcy wakes up. It hit rocks in the middle of the ocean. Darcy looks up to see a very small island, roughly the size of a tennis court and swims towards it. The boat sinks.

On the land she finds the carcasses of all manner of sea creature. She also finds Cade's half devoured body. Behind her she can hear the sounds of the creature, then the sound of others, coming from several different directions. She's on her knees, she doesn't even turn around, a few of the creatures lurch onto the island out of the water and slump towards her. She doesn't turn to look, she has no more fight in her, she's resigned to her fate. She plays with her wedding ring as they get closer. The camera closes on a shot of her wedding ring moments before she's killed for sure.

-Thomas Holler 

I could probably just sell this as a remake of
'Creature from the Black Lagoon'