Welcome to the fourth part of my series, Brimorie - A New
Age. Think of this as an experiment, if you will. Each month, will
bring a new installment. This will be a different experience for most of my
constant readers. In a sense, what you will be viewing is my script for a
potential horror movie.
The characters of Brimorie, Professor Ben Collins and James Rogers were created by
Theresa Jacobs for her book, “Sudden Death.”
If you are a fan of the supernatural and things that go bump in
the night, I highly recommend that you pick it up. You won’t be able to put it
down.
Check it out at the following link:
Now, join me if you dare, as we step into a place where
technology meets terror. Sometimes it is better to unplug. Enjoy…….
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS
Sophie, Petra and Devin are sitting at a corner table in the Student
Union. Sophie has dark circles under her eyes and is picking at her cereal.
Finally, she shoves the bowl away from her.
DEVIN
You okay,
Soph?
SOPHIE
Guess I
am just tired. I didn't sleep well last night. I can't shake this feeling that
something is wrong. Where's Matt?
Devin shrugs.
DEVIN
Knowing
him, he probably slept in.
Petra starts texting on her phone.
PETRA
Just sent
him a text. If he doesn't respond, I will swing by his place after class. We
were supposed to go out tonight. He lost a bet so drinks are on him. I am sure
it is exactly what Dev said, Soph.
SOPHIE
Maybe you
guys are right. It must be lack of sleep.
Sophie glances at her watch. She jumps up quickly.
SOPHIE (CONT'D)
Damn it!
I am late for art history.
She grabs her backpack and takes off. Devin and Petra watch her fly
through the Union and out of the doors.
DEVIN
I have
some time to kill. I'll stop at Matt's. See what's up.
PETRA
Let me
know, Dev. See ya later. Pop up quiz day.
Petra exits leaving Devin alone.
INT. POLICE STATION - MORNING
James is in the waiting area. He is fooling around with his pen. An
older man in a long-sleeved Oxford shirt with his tie askew strides purposefully
toward James. This is DETECTIVE MASON.
JAMES
Nice to
meet you. Thanks for seeing me.
DETECTIVE MASON
Do you
mind if we go into the conference room?
JAMES
Not at
all.
The two walk down the hall and take an abrupt left turn. Mason shuts
the door behind him and the two men sit down at the conference table.
DETECTIVE MASON
What can
I do for you?
JAMES
I wanted
to ask you about Charlotte Collins.
Mason nods his head and looks like he is deep in thought for a moment
before answering. James opens his notebook and jots down a quick sentence.
DETECTIVE MASON
You
mentioned something about a school paper?
JAMES
Yes.
Actually, there were some disappearances at my school this year and someone
mentioned that this sort of thing happened here 10 years ago.
DETECTIVE MASON
I
remember the case. Her father was a professor at the college. Very strange. All
we had was an empty car, a strange residue in the front seat and nothing else
to go on.
JAMES
So, no
prints or eyewitness accounts? Did you have the residue analyzed?
Mason shakes his head.
DETECTIVE MASON
We did
our best on that one. No one saw anything. The residue was unidentifiable. We
even sent it to the lab in Portland. They said the results were inconclusive.
Cold case has been on it for a while now. I remember her Dad was real torn up
about it. I would be too.
Mason leans in toward James.
DETECTIVE MASON (CONT'D)
If you
ask me, I think she ran away. Hell, maybe she had a boyfriend that her folks
didn't know about and they eloped.
JAMES
Do you
remember what lab you sent it to?
DETECTIVE MASON
Oregon
State Police Portland Metro Forensic Laboratory.
James jots a few notes down in his notebook.
JAMES
Well,
thank you very much for your time, Detective. I will be sure and send you a
copy of the article when it runs.
James shakes hands with Mason and leaves the room.
EXT. APARTMENT
Devin is standing outside Matt's apartment door. He knocks on it and
waits a beat. After he doesn't hear anything, he knocks again.
DEVIN
Matt?
Hey? You home?
Devin knocks one more time. He stands there waiting. Nothing happens
so he turns around and walks down the corridor.
INT. DORM ROOM - AFTERNOON
Petra is lying on her bed. She has earbuds on listening to her
favorite album. Her eyes are closed and she looks like she is on the verge of
falling asleep. While she is blissfully unaware, a dark shape materializes out
of the wall and steps into the room.
Petra nods her head in time with the music her eyes are still closed.
Feeling a chill, she shivers slightly and pulls a quilt around her. Suddenly,
she opens her eyes and sits up, looking around her room. She sees nothing
unusual. Lying back down, she closes her eyes and resumes listening to her
music.
The dark form materializes next to her. Petra feels a cold caress on
her cheek. This causes her to bolt upright. Nothing is in her room. She waits
and listens. Nothing but silence. She lays back on the bed again and closes her
eyes.
All of a sudden, the quilt is ripped off of her. She finds herself pinned
to the bed. Panicking and alarmed, she tries to struggle but can't. It feels
like she is literally chained to the bed. Her eyes bulge with fear. She can't
cry out. Tears fall from the corners of her eyes. The dark figure appears on
top of her. She looks into a face that is oozing flesh with fire burning in the
eyes.
This thing opens its mouth wide and plants the gaping hole on her
lips. Petra starts flailing. The life is literally getting sucked out of her.
Her body starts to shrivel, flesh starts melting away, her movements lessen
until they finally stop. All that is left is an oozing, desiccated mess which
quickly disappears into the bed.
INT. OFFICE - EVENING
Ben is engrossed in a book on Demonology and Second Heaven. The
chapter is about dealing with powerful entities. Before he can get any further,
his doorbell rings. Glancing at his watch, he gets up and heads out to the
foyer.
EXT. HOUSE
James is standing on the porch looking around. He goes to ring the
doorbell again when Ben opens the door.
JAMES
Hey,
Professor. I hope you don't mind me dropping by. I have some information that
you might like to know.
Ben steps aside and allows James into his house.
INT. OFFICE - EVENING
Ben and James walk back to the office. Immediately, James sits down in
front of the desk. Ben sits down behind it.
JAMES
So, I
went to speak with Detective Mason today.
BEN
I haven't
heard that name in a long time.
JAMES
Did you
know that they found residue in the car?
BEN
A
residue?
James nods his head.
JAMES
Yes. They
sent it off to the state forensic lab to be tested. Mason said the results were
inconclusive. That it wasn't identifiable.
Ben sits back in his chair and closes his eyes for a moment.
JAMES (CONT'D)
Do you
know anyone that could look into that info?
Maybe one of your former colleagues?
Ben drums his fingers on the desk while he is thinking.
BEN
An old
friend of mine works in the Sciences department. His wife used to work for the
Lab.
JAMES
It's
worth a shot. Maybe we can find out if there were results and if not, at least
we know what happened to Charlotte.
Ben silently looks at James.
BEN
I know
what happened to her. I always have.
JAMES
We'll
find a way to fight this fucker, Professor.
INT. TOWN CRIER TAVERN - NIGHT
Devin and Sophie are sitting in a booth in the back of the bar.
Although it is pretty noisy, they are lost in conversation and by the looks on
their faces, the topic is pretty grim.
DEVIN
I went by
Matt's place this afternoon.
SOPHIE
Anything?
DEVIN
No. I
knocked several times. This isn't like him.
Where's Petra?
Sophie shrugs.
SOPHIE
I last
saw her on the quad. She said she was going to chill in her room and then grab
something to eat. We were supposed to meet up.
Sophie pauses and looks at Devin.
SOPHIE (CONT'D)
You don't
think....
DEVIN
We don't
know anything yet, Soph. Let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe they went away
for the weekend.
SOPHIE
Come on,
Dev! Don't you think they would have said something? They weren't exactly
secretive.
Devin picks up his glass of beer and drinks from it.
SOPHIE (CONT'D)
I don't
want to think about it either but I'm telling you, we started something. It's
coming for us. We need to get help.
DEVIN
Look, I
will file a missing person report tomorrow for both of them.
SOPHIE
I think
we need to talk to Professor Collins.
DEVIN
How is
that going to work, Soph? So, we talk to him and then all of a sudden Matt and
Petra show back up?
Sophie looks down at the table.
SOPHIE
I don't
think they are going to, Dev. I don't
think you believe they will either.
Sophie places her hand on top of his.
SOPHIE (CONT'D)
Why don't
we go see him tomorrow? Afterwards, we'll go to the cops.
Devin looks into her eyes.
DEVIN
I promise
I'll take care of you, Soph. I won't let anything happen to you.
He places his other hand on top of hers and squeezes it.
INT. SCIENCES BUILDING - MORNING
Ben walks down a hall; several students are going toward classrooms.
He stops in front of an office designated as 321 before he can knock on the
door, a tall, blonde, slightly balding man opens it. This is GREGORY ARCHER.
GREGORY
Ben? Oh,
my God! Nice to see you!
Gregory extends his hand and vigorously shakes Ben's.
BEN
Hi, Greg.
GREGORY
Come on
in.
Gregory steps aside to let Ben enter his office. He immediately sits
behind his desk.
GREGORY (CONT'D)
This is a
pleasant surprise. What brings you on campus? Research for a new book?
BEN
Actually, yes. How is Jean?
GREGORY
Doing
fine. Enjoying being retired. She spends a lot of time with the grandkids.
BEN
I was
hoping she might be able to help me out, Greg.
Gregory's face immediately registers concern.
GREGORY
Sure,
Ben. What’s going on?
BEN
Something
has come up in Charlotte's case. Some evidence was found at the crime scene. A
residue in the front seat of the car. Would Jean be able to reach out to
someone in the state lab to see if they have any information?
GREGORY
I always
felt the police botched that investigation up, Ben. I don't know why you didn't
sue them.
Ben shakes his head.
BEN
I didn't
want to take that on, Greg.
GREGORY
I’ll talk
to Jean. Anything we can do....
BEN
That
means a lot.
GREGORY
We miss
you. Maybe you could come over for dinner some night?
BEN
I would
like that.
Gregory smiles.
GREGORY
I will
hold you to that, my friend.
Ben stands up, he shakes his friend's hand again.
BEN
I.....
Gregory holds up his hand.
GREGORY
I know,
Ben.
Gregory watches as Ben exits his office. He picks up his phone and dials it.