The Night of the Bloody Terror

ACT TWO

INT. PARLOR - MOMENTS LATER

The same as before. The Banker, leaning over Clara's body, notices West and stands. He knows how bad this looks.

BANKER

Mister West, I can explain...

West cautiously approaches.

WEST

Move away from her.

West's footsteps are of a predator approaching, and Hustin knows he's the prey - and there's no way out.

Hustin suddenly grabs a metal vase from the mantle and moves to throw it -

- but West jerks out his sleeve-gun and shoots the man in the hand.

Hustin drops the vase in pain and nurses his hand.

BANKER

I just found her here!

The shot has alerted the others and as West approaches the body the Mayor, Phoebe, the Sheriff and a SERVANT ENTER.

WEST

She's dead.

He stands.

WEST (CONT'D)

I found Mister Hustin here leaning over the body just a few minutes ago.

PHOEBE

(frightened)

Just like Mollie!

The Sheriff grabs Hustin roughly.

SHERIFF

You're under arrest. You're going to jail - and the rest of us are free to go now.

As he moves to pass West, West stops him with the back of his hand. He's still in charge.

WEST

No one is going anywhere. If this man isn't guilty, this could be the way the actual murderer gets out of the house and is free to wreck havoc on the citizens of this town. No one is going anywhere.

SHERIFF

(outraged)

Not guilty? He was found leaning over both bodies!

WEST

In Washington, we call that circumstantial evidence.

The Sheriff is incensed, but Phoebe is starting to panic.

SHERIFF

What more do you need?

West squats down by the body, examining it and the nearby area.

WEST

Proof. Where's the weapon?

West feels the nearby carpet for blood. There is none.

WEST (CONT'D)

Where's the blood? There's none here - the killer should be covered in it.

The Mayor and the Sheriff exchange a look. They have an opinion but they don't voice it.

WEST (CONT'D)

No one is leaving this house.

Phoebe is overcome.

PHOEBE

(in rising panic)

Father... Father! I can't stay here! Not with a murderer - with people dropping around me - never knowing who's next...

She backs toward the door.

PHOEBE (CONT'D)

I can't stay here!

SERVANT

She's right. This house is a death-trap!

MAYOR

We'll lock him in his bedroom until we can sort this all out. You'll be safe.

(to Sheriff)

That will be your jail here. You'll just have to deal with it.

SHOT - WEST STILL HOVERING OVER THE BODY as they argue.

SHERIFF (OFF CAMERA)

You can stop me from leaving, West, but you can't stop me from bringing my men in.

SHOT - FULL

SHERIFF (CONT'D)

I'm not going to stand by any longer while some madman picks us off one by one!

SHOT - WEST STILL HOVERING OVER THE BODY.

SHOT - WEST'S POV

Muddy footprints on the carpet.

SHOT - FULL

West stands, pulls a piece of paper out of his jacket.

WEST

Fine. That will give the real killer more targets.

He moves over to one of the footprint and squats down.

SHOT - WEST

He uses the paper to scoop up some of the dirt, then folds the paper carefully and tucks it back into his pocket.

INT. TRAIN

SHOT - CLOSE ON THE GLASS INSTRUMENT WEST TOOK FROM KITCHEN, LAYING ON THE TABLE or desk

GORDON (O.C.)

This IS blood, Jim -

SHOT - FULL

Artie is wiping his hands on a towel.

GORDON (CONT'D)

Cow's blood. What you have here is a standard, run-of-the-mill, kitchen baster.

WEST

So she's guilty - of committing pot roast.

GORDON

I'm afraid so.

WEST

We've got two bodies completely devoid of blood and no possible weapons anywhere.

GORDON

I don't think you're going to find one. Not laying around the house, anyway.

WEST

You think the murderer is keeping the weapon on him?

Gordon walks over and picks up an old book.

GORDON

Literally.

He hands the book to West, who chuckles.

WEST

Vampires? Artie, I read Polidori's book when I was in gradeschool.

(chuckles)

I remember because I got in trouble for wasting my time on such nonsense.

GORDON

That book may be a flight of fancy, but it's based on fact. "Vampire" from the Slavic "upyr".

WEST

Vampires have been fantasied about throughout history, all over the world: that doesn't make them real.

GORDON

Peter Plogojowitz and Arnold Paole. Serbia, 1725. The two cases were well-documented, Jim: officials examined the bodies, wrote case reports, published books. I'm telling you, after their death, they attacked neighbors who later died from loss of blood.

WEST

Loss of blood. I have two bodies that were completely drained.

GORDON

(at a loss)

Hmm... yes.

(reminding him)

And a Doctor that miraculously healed after he died.

West is perplexed. The more they investigate, the more questions they get - not answers.

GORDON (CONT'D)

An entire generation took this very seriously.

WeST

Let me guess. It led to mass hysteria and public executions.

Gordon agrees dourly. The result of Human's fears are far too predictable.

WEST (CONT'D)

Artie, I don't like the idea of starting a whole new set of Salem witch trials here.

GORDON

Then you're going to love this. The dirt you found next to the body is red clay. The only place in town where there is red clay - is the town cemetery.

West reacts. Of course it is.

EXT. CEMETERY - DUSK

The small local cemetery. Most of the graves are freshly overturned.

West and Gordon move among the tombstones, looking for clues. Gordon carries a shovel.

INTERCUT - FULL SHOTS AND CLOSE UPS OF THE GROUND

As West walks along, looking, and seeing innocuous things.

Bits of mica, string, a button...

He stops at a grave and bends down. The dirt is sprinkled with rice.

Of to the side, he spots -

SHOT - WEST'S POV

- footprints in the mud.

SHOT - FULL

West gets up and follows them - and bumps into Gordon.

WEST

These graves are all freshly dug. You've been busy.

GORDON

These are old graves.

(grimly)

Someone dug them back up. Jim -

Gordon pushes the shovel into the dirt.

GORDON (CONT'D)

These graves are all empty.

In case the look on West's face holds any doubt, Gordon confirms it.

GORDON (CONT'D)

Jim, as far as I can tell, there's no one dead in this town.

That's not good news.

Next to the grave Gordon is at, West spots -

SHOT - THE DOCTOR'S TOMBSTONE

SHOT - ON WEST

West moves over and squats down next to the Doctor's grave.

Spying something odd, he reaches out and brushes away the dirt.

WEST

Artie, what do you make of this?

There is a wooden stake protruding from the middle of the ground.

West reaches for it but Gordon's alarmed voice stops him.

GORDON

Ah, ah, ah...!

West hesitates, looking to him for an explanation.

GORDON (CONT'D)

Jim, I'm not sure you want to do that. Staking the body to the ground is one of the ways to keep them from rising.

He gestures at the rice-strewn grave he's at.

GORDON (CONT'D)

It's like the rice: vampires are compelled to count it all before they can move away. It keeps them here - and away from living people.

West gapes at him. Seriously? Artie believes this? He chuckles at his friend and pulls the stake from the ground.

He stands and holds up the stake for Gordon to see. It's covered with dirt and blood.

GORDON (CONT'D)

Ash.

He's satisfied that he was right...and let's West know it.

GORDON (CONT'D)

The preferred wood of vampire hunters.

Their gaze holds a moment, then they laugh.

WEST

(defeated)

Artie, there's nothing in this graveyard here but a lot of superstition. C'mon.

He tosses the stake backward as they move off.

SHOT - ON THE STAKE LAYING ON THE DOCTOR'S GRAVE.

WEST (O.C.)(CONT'D)

I just feel sorry for the young lady.

GORDON (O.C.)

I'm sure you do.

Fingers start to worm their way out of the dirt.

INT. MAYOR'S OFFICE

On the wall is a large portrait of Abraham Lincoln, which is prominent in the shot while the two men exchange heated words.

SHERIFF

You've brought this all on us! You, with your big plans...

MaYOR

Nothing has changed.

SHERIFF

Inviting the President! Did you think he was just going to show up and say 'how-de-do'?

MAYOR

If we're going to be successful he's got to be involved. He's got to know!

SHERIFF

And you're the one to involve him. You and your pride... it's too much, too soon I tell you!

MAYOR

You know I don't come up with these things on my own. I have my instructions. Instructions I don't question. I'll follow him to Hell and back if that what he calls for!

The Sheriff is dubious, thinking that hell may be coming to them.

MAYOR (CONT'D)

This is a minor set back, Jacob. West was right: with everyone here we get control back. And we have to do it tonight.

SHERIFF

And then we just have to get rid of West.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE BEDROOM

Four of the Sheriff's men are standing guard, well-armed.

West approaches.

WEST

I need to have a chat with our prisoner.

By the guards reaction, that is clearly not going to happen.

GUARD ONE

No one sees the Sheriff's prisoner.

Not if the guards have anything to say about it.

GUARD TWO

We have our orders.

WEST

Gentlemen, I think we have a misunderstanding here.

The guards don't think so.

WEST (CONT'D)

I'm going to talk to the prisoner of the Secret Service -

The brutes are circling in..

WEST (CONT'D)

- and I'm going to do so now.

A guard swings a rifle at his head, using the butt end as the weapon. West ducks and drives his fist into the guards stomach. The guard goes flying back.

Another guard comes from behind and chops West, who goes down with a heavy thud.

The third guard aims a vicious kick at West's head.

West spins, grabs the leg and twists. The man is catapulted backwards.

West vaults to his feet and swings at guard one.

West knocks him backward into the wall, where the guard begins to gain his footing again.

West grabs the rifle in his hand and kicks him backward.

As the guard collapses, West jams the butt of the rifle backward and slams it into the stomach of the second guard - who goes flying back and collapses.

West sighs, and drops the rifle on the unconscious body. He straightens his jacket.

INT. BEDROOM

West ENTERS. He's ready to talk.

But no one is there.

He snoops around the room halfheartedly.

The man's not there.

Somehow, West isn't surprised.

Nothing here surprises him any longer.

But it doesn't make his job any easier.

West turns toward the camera, tips his hat back, and puts his hands on his hips.

The Doctor steps into the frame behind West.

END ACT TWO