Reaper

"Grateful Death"

by

Tarl N. Telford

TEASER:

EXT GRAVEYARD - NIGHT (DREAM)

Chill, haunting shadows pass over the dank headstones. Cold whispers hiss just out of sight.

ANGELA SOMERSET (16 yrs), blonde and attractive, bites her lip in fear. She walks between two large headstones. As she sees the inscription. "Angela Somerset, died 16 years, no one cared". She falls backwards, sobbing.

A shadow falls over her. She scoots backwards to get away. she bumps into a headstone and can go no further.

A black hand reaches out to her. She looks up into the shadow. She reaches out and takes the hand.

A FLASH of light.

EXT SOCCER FIELD - DAY

Angela finds herself in the middle of the soccer field. A haze surrounds the whole scene, signifying the dream state.

Angela's friend, MCKENZIE BURROWS (16 yrs), dark haired and beautiful, but very introverted, stands near the edge of the soccer field.

The soccer ball flies wildly over her head and out into the road.

MCKENZIE BURROWS

I'll get it!

Mckenzie runs out into the road.

Angela looks down the road and sees a car barrelling towards McKenzie. She tries to cry out a warning, but she has no voice. Just before the car gets to McKenzie ...

End dream sequence

CUT TO:

INT ANGELA'S BEDROOM - AFTERNOON (REALITY)

Angela awakens with a gasp. Her eyes wildly search the room, looking for some shred of hope to grasp.

Adorning the walls are dark, depressing paintings. The one bit of color in the room is a blown glass rose that glitters on the window sill.

Angela looks in the mirror. She straightens her hair. Painful emotions cross her face as she meets her own gaze. Behind her, in the reflection, she looks at a movie poster for THE SIXTH SENSE. Across the bottom of the poster lie the scrawled words in white paint, "I see dead people".

ANGELA SOMERSET

If that's all you see, you're lucky.

Angela blinks back tears. She sits at her desk and picks up a pen. She writes a note.

ANGELA SOMERSET (V.O.)

Dad and everyone, I'm sorry. I'm going crazy. I can't deal with it anymore. I see people die. Not just in my dreams anymore, but when I see them on the street. I'm scared. If you go to heaven, please come visit me in hell. I'm sorry I didn't get the litter box emptied. Angela.

Angela folds the paper in half and writes on the outside, "I'm Sorry", and she leaves it on her desk. She picks up her jacket and goes to the door. She turns back and puts her crystal rose on top of the paper.

CUT TO:

EXT CLIFFSIDE PARK - AFTERNOON

An autumn breeze blows through the fresh northwestern air. the park lies on the ocean. The waves crash below against the cliffs.

Angela walks slowly toward the cliff edge. Behind her, children laugh and play. Lovers walk hand in hand. A handsome black man, ALEXANDROS MICHAELSON (mid 30's to 40's), stands up from a park bench and walks after her.

Angela stops at the edge of the cliff and looks down. She looks up to heaven and takes a deep breath.

ALEXANDROS (O.S.)

You can't come back from this.

Angela turns around sharply. She loses her balance and teeters on the edge. Alexandros reaches out and grabs her hand, pulling her back.

ALEXANDROS

You're a little bit young to be thinking about death.

ANGELA SOMERSET

Why do you care?

ALEXANDROS

You have something.

Angela pulls away from him and walks a few steps away, back towards the cliff.

ALEXANDROS

You see things.

ANGELA SOMERSET

(Sarcastically)

I see dead people.

Alexandros smiles broadly.

ALEXANDROS

Not yet you don't.

Angela looks out to the horizon, wanting to be alone.

ALEXANDROS

You have a gift, Angela. You see things before they happen. So do I.

ANGELA SOMERSET

What do you want?

ALEXANDROS

I want you.

ANGELA SOMERSET

The last guy who said that to me sang first soprano for a week.

ALEXANDROS

More specifically, I want your talents.

Alexandros holds out a business card. It reads, "Alexandros Michaelson, DEATH". Angela takes it and reads it silently.

ANGELA SOMERSET

What kind of sicko are you?

ALEXANDROS

The choice is yours. The cliff, or listen to me. If you don't like what I say, the cliff isn't going anywhere.

Angela looks back and forth between the cliff and Alexandros.

ANGELA SOMERSET

All right.

ALEXANDROS

Put these on.

Alexandros holds out a pair of sunglasses. A sales tag hangs from them. It reads, "wear me".

ANGELA SOMERSET

A little too "Alice In Wonderland", don't you think?

Angela looks at the sunglasses. Inside, a peculiar glare flashes across the lenses.

ALEXANDROS

In every generation, there are only a handfull of people born with this gift. You see how people are going to die. You see into their souls. You are one of the chosen ones.

Angela remains focused on the sunglasses lenses.

ANGELA SOMERSET

I'm listening.

ALEXANDROS

I was given the same choice: die, or work for my predecessor. I made my choice.

Angela slowly raises the sunglasses up to her face. She puts them on.

A FLASH of light.

Throughout the entire park, bathed in otherworldly light, people of all ages stroll about. Ten times as many people glow with this light as were there before.

ALEXANDROS

Welcome to wonderland.

Angela rips the glasses off her face. All of the glowing people disappear.

ANGELA SOMERSET

What are you trying to pull on me? Who are all those people?

ALEXANDROS

You know the answer already. They're dead.

Angela holds the sunglasses out to him, trying to give them back.

ANGELA SOMERSET

Forget it. No way.

ALEXANDROS

Keep them. By the way, your father is about to find that note you left. He would never forgive himself if you died, too.

Panic freezes on Angela's face. She looks quickly at alexandros, then runs back in the direction of home.

At the edge of the park, Angela stops. She still clutches the sunglasses in her hand. She turns around, but Alexandros is nowhere to be seen.

She turns and runs toward home.

ALEXANDROS (V.O.)

In every generation, there is One. She will find those who destroy and wantonly waste life. She will save the innocent and pure. She is the Reaper.

END TEASER