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The Unknown
By
Andrew Roby
And
Ziggy W
(2nd draft)
The credits roll over a black screen.
FADE IN
INT. DESERT DAY
INSERT TITLE: DESERTS OF NORTHERN PERU.
We focus in on a man wearing a brown dirty shirt and blue
jeans, which are so dirty they are brown.
This man is uncovering a human skeleton in the sand.
His name is Joe and he is about 20 and is about 150 pounds.
He is 6'1.
We watch him uncover the skeleton as a man in a black suit
and tie walks over to him.
The wind blows so hard it almost blows his hat off of his
head.
He holds the hat while walking to him.
MAN
Excuse me, are you Joe Crofter Joe
looks up at him and then stands up.
He shakes his hand.
JOE
Yeah. Who are you?
MAN
I'm Donald Moore, could I have a
moment of your time.
JOE
I don't see why not.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.
He glances over to the RV.
JOE
My supervisor told me you had
contacted him, I have the fax in the
RV, you're welcome to come in and
chat.
Donald and Joe both walk in the RV.
INT. RV - DAY
The inside of the RV is scatter with papers and other personal
belongings of Joe's.
JOE
Pardon the mess.
Donald I don't mind, it at all. Rather welcoming in fact.
He chuckles.
DONALD
The true sign of a genius.
JOE
True. Here please, sit.
Joe points over at a chair.
Donald walks over to it and sits down. Joe also does the
same.
JOE (CONT'D)
Okay. What's up?
DONALD
I have a proposition you may be
interested in.
JOE
And that would be?
DONALD
Over in East Asia we have found an
underground chamber.
(beat)
You are one of the world's finest
archeologist and we need your help.
Six other people will be going on
this expedition. I hope I can count
you as the seventh; That is if you
decide to go.
JOE
How much does the job pay?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.
DONALD
One million each. A hefty fee, yes,
but I believe what we have found
will be well worth it.
JOE
What's inside this chamber?
DONALD
We are not sure but I believe an
ancient artifact to be inside. The
Shangri-La.
JOE
What is it?
DONALD
A staff. A staff sculpted from pure
gold.
JOE
When does this start?
DONALD
The plane leaves first thing tomorrow
morning.
JOE
And the money?
DONALD
It will be placed inside you account
and ready for you when you return.
Joe thinks and scratches his chin.
JOE
Alright.
Donald stands up and shakes Joe's hand.
DONALD
Thank you for your time and we will
be here 9am tomorrow.
Donald leaves the RV. Joe wipes his nose.
CUT TO:
EXT-OUTSIDE SMALL PLANE-MORNING
Donald is standing by the entrance of the plane greeting
everyone who walks on.
DONALD
Welcome. I thank you all for coming.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.
The last person to walk on is Joe.
Joe looks at Donald in a mysterious way as he walks on the
plane.
Donald smiles and then closes the door and walks on the plane.
CUT TO:
INT-SMALL PLANE-MORNING
Seven men are sitting in their small seats with just enough
arm room.
DONALD
I would like to thank you all for
coming out with me on this exploration
and I hope we hit the jackpot and we
don't have to work another day in
our life.
A few chuckles come from the group.
DONALD (CONT'D)
I think to break the ice lets start
by introducing ourselves. I'm Donald
Moore and I am the founder of Ambience
Industries, which I'm sure all of
you are familiar with.
He looks around.
The group nods their heads apparently not one person in the
group has heard of his company.
DONALD (CONT'D)
It's an independent company that
studies lost artifacts and other
ancient anomalies.
Joe then stands up.
JOE
JOE (CONT'D)
My name is Joe Crofter and I am an
archaeologist, and as some of you
might say and I hope to get rich as
a motherfucker from this.
Joe laughs as he is done his sentence.
He then sits down.
Larry then stands up.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.
He is in his mid 30s and is wearing hand me down clothes. He
speaks with a West Virginia accent.
LARRY
Hi. My name is Larry Finchberg and I
am what we call the â€'9ceyes.â€'9d
Basically I can call the age of
anything, and I have a great sense
of directions. But then again, don't
all men?
The group chuckles and he sits down.
David then stands up.
He is about 40 and has huge glasses and is wearing blue jeans
and a button up shirt.
DAVID
Hey. My name is David Reynolds and
I'm an archaeologist.
David laughs then sits back down.
Andrew then stands up.
He is in his mid 20's and is wearing a white shirt and black
jeans.
ANDREW
I am Andrew Rustier and I am the
brains. Ha-ha. I basically do the
hard work which involves finding the
exact location and what not.
Andrew then sits back down.
Hacker then stands up.
HACKER
Hey. I am George Hacker and I the
man on the other line. I will stay
at camp while you are down doing
what you do best.
Hacker then sits back down.
Tony then stands up.
TONY
Hey yo. I am Tony Bosco and I am the
fucker that digs also.
Tony sits down as the last person stands up.
His name is Chris and he is 28.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.
CHRIS
My name is Chris and I am the man
that retrieves whatever you need. I
basically do everything.
Chris then sits down.
ANDERSON (V.O.)
We will be taking off soon.
A moment passes before the plane takes off.
CUT TO:
OVER ATLANTIC OCEAN-EVENING
Everyone is sleeping except Joe who is writing.
We peer in on him and see that is his writing a journal. The
only word we can make out is Day One.
Donald walks over to Joe and sits down next to him.
DONALD
Jotting down notes, I see?
Joe closes his journal.
JOE
It's nothing important.
Joe pauses.
JOE (CONT'D)
What do you know about this staff?
DONALD
Our knowledge is limited, but what
we do know is it was used by the
kings over three thousand years ago.
CUT TO:
INT- CHAMBER- NIGHT - FLASHBACK
We see a king with a dead body in front of him. He is sitting
on his throne.
DONALD (V.O.)
Ancient writings speak of an advanced
culture dwelling within a hidden
land. A culture cut off due to a
plague of madness that swept over
their king. It was said by locals to
be an unearthly evil that possessed
their souls and fed on human flesh.
(MORE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.
DONALD (V.O.) (CONT'D)
They were said to have their own
religion one of rites used to
strengthen the bond of earth and
hell. They would sacrifice whoever
stood in their way and anyone who
betrayed them.
We see the king slice another mans neck open.
DONALD (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Locals lived in fear of their kings
derangement, and sought to bring
upon the end of his reign. To do
this, pointed to the staff that he
kept with him at all times.
We see the king holding the golden staff.
DONALD (V.O.) (CONT'D)
It was said to be the only gateways
between heaven and hell. One the
king held by his side until one
faithful day when the locals gathered
forth an army and revolted.
We see an army of men running towards the king.
In fright, the king stands up but he is tackled on the floor
and is beaten to death.
DONALD (V.O.) (CONT'D)
He was beaten to death. That is all
I know to be fact. Legend sates that
during this brutal ransacking a lone
soldier took the staff.
We see a man take the staff.
DONALD (V.O.) (CONT'D)
No sooner, had he'd placed his hands
upon the sacred item then the walls
had come crashing down. Trapping the
poor fellows inside. They screamed
in anguish and try as the might could
not escape for alas the kings temple
was so well hidden that no one would
ever find it.
(beat)
Though I have a hint that it is in
East Asia and I believe to know the
exact location of it.
CUT TO:
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8.
INT-SMALL PLANE-NIGHT
Donald and Joe continue to talk as Joe writes notes in his
journal.
DONALD
And that's the story of the staff.
It is said to be worth a fortune but
I could never put a price on it.
JOE
What are you planning on doing with
it?
DONALD
I have a museum back in America and
I am planning on putting it on display
there.
JOE
That's cool.
DONALD
So how did you start off doing this?
JOE
Well, I just well got into it. I
thought Hey, why not? And now here I
am.
Suddenly the plane moves very quickly.
As though they have run into some turbulence.
JOE (CONT'D)
What the fuck?
Joe looks out his window.
DONALD
What was that?
Joe looks at Donald in shock. Behind Joe's head you see the
plane heading straight down towards an island. Donald looks
over through the window.
His eyes widen.
Everyone soon jolts awake and starts screaming.
In the cockpit, Anderson struggles with the controls.
ANDERSON
Shit!
A huge hole develops on the side of the plane.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.
Donald looks at it as all the wind blows in his face.
Joe looks over as a bolt from the floor is torn off and flies
out the window.
Soon an entire row begins to come off.
JOE
Duck!
Donald glances over just as the set of seats snap from where
they are and fly at Donald's head.
Donald is swiped from his feet.
Out of pure desperation, he clutches the sides of the hole.
His fingers frantically dig into the sides as a sharp scrap
of metal, attached to the bottom of a chair leg slices through
his stomach.
He still frantically grips the side of the plane until the
force of the wind rips his body apart.
His lower half falls into the sky, followed by a trail of
blood, his upper half holds on twitching for a few seconds
longer until it finally stops and lets go.
In the cockpit, Anderson struggles with the controls as the
plane nears the treetops.
It is to no avail, the plane windshield shatters on Anderson
as the plane plummets to the earth.
The plane then crashes on the ground. Everyone flies on the
ceiling and then lands back on the ground. We focus on Joe.
His head is gushing out blood.
His eyes start to open very slowly.
He looks around and sees that everyone is starting to get
up.
Most of them bleeding from the head.
Blood marks are seen on the ceiling of the plane.
LARRY
Everyone still alive?
Larry looks around and sees that everyone is moving.
LARRY (CONT'D)
Alright then.
Everyone starts to exit the plane.
No one can walk straight since most are still disoriented.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.
Joe stays inside looking around.
Andrew walks up to him.
ANDREW
Joe, right?
JOE
Yeah.
ANDREW
Come on.
Andrew puts his hand in front of him in order to help him
up.
Joe grabs his arm and gets up.
JOE
Thanks.
CUT TO:
EXT-OUTSIDE PLANE CRASH-NIGHT
Joe walks out and sees everyone looking around calling for
Donald.
Joe walks up to Larry.
JOE
Is everyone alright?
LARRY
Just some minor cut and bruises, at
worst a few cracked bones. Nothing
fatal or anything like that.
JOE
Not quite, we lost Donald.
Joe looks over at the plane.
JOE (CONT'D)
Everyone!?! Listen to me for a sec.
Everyone looks over at Joe.
JOE (CONT'D)
We're in for a long night here so
what we should do is search the plane
for something that we can use. When
you find anything-useful make a pile
of it right here.
Joe points at the ground in front of him.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.
JOE (CONT'D)
If we want to stay alive, we must
stay together.
Everyone nods and walks over to the plane.
We watch the pile get bigger and bigger.
Things are put in such as flashlights, snacks, lighters,
etc.
CUT TO:
INT-SMALL PLANE-NIGHT
Inside the plane, Joe reaches for the radio.
Anderson is still in the seat dead with a piece of glass
through his neck.
Joe grabs the radio and talk into it.
JOE
Hello? Can anyone here me? Our plane
has crashed in some island in the
Atlantic Ocean. Can anybody hear me?
Over.
Joe waits.
JOE (CONT'D)
Is anyone there?
HACKER
It's no use.
Hacker is seen standing behind Joe.
HACKER (CONT'D)
No one will respond. They never do.
Hacker looks down.
HACKER (CONT'D)
Come on. We will try again in the
morning.
Hacker walks out.
Joe watches him and follows him out.
CUT TO:
EXT-OUTSIDE PLANE-MORNING
Everyone is sleeping by a small fire.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.
Some people have blankets and others just have their clothes.
Chris wakes up and sits up.
He looks around to see if anyone else is awake. No one else
is.
He stands up and stretches.
The stretch then follows a yawn.
He walks over to the woods.
He walks into the woods where no one else can see him.
CUT TO:
EXT-WOODS-MORNING
He looks around to make sure no one else is around.
He then walks behind a tree to goes to the bathroom.
Suddenly a branch crack is heard from behind him.
He quickly looks behind himself.
Nothing is around.
He then turns back around and continues to use the bathroom.
The branch is heard again but sounds closer then the last
time.
CHRIS
Hello?
Chris zips his pants and turns around to see if anybody's
There.
He looks around and sees no one.
CHRIS (CONT'D)
Hello? Is anyone here? Joe, if that's
you fuck off, I'm trying to take a
piss.
Chris chuckles to himself and looks around some more.
He begins to ease up as branch cracks even louder then before
just as the screen…
CUT TO:
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13.
EXT-OUTSIDE PLANE- MORNING
From the distance we hear Chris scream in pain and horror.
Everyone quickly sits up and looks around.
He screams again and everyone stands up and starts running
towards the scream.
EXT-WOODS-MORNING
Joe is in the back of the line and catches up to Larry.
JOE
What the fuck is going on?
LARRY
I don't know.
Joe and Larry then quickly stop because everyone else has
stopped.
Joe looks between everyone and sees Chris on the ground
struggling to breathe.
He his holding his neck where a huge bloody bite mark is.
Blood gushes from the wound and between his fingers as he
holds his throat.
Hacker kneels down next to Chris.
HACKER
Chris? Can you speak?
Chris tries to talk but he can't.
HACKER (CONT'D)
Alright. Stay calm. We're here to
help.
Hacker turns around.
Larry tears off a piece of his shirt.
LARRY
Here, hold this against your neck it
should help stop the bleeding.
He hands the cloth to him.
Chris takes it and grips it around his neck.
His breath is short and blood runs down his mouth.
HACKER
We need to bring him back to camp;
we can fix him up there.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14.
Hacker stands up.
HACKER (CONT'D)
Joe and David. Help me lift him up.
Everyone else go back to camp and
find something to put him on.
Everyone walks back to camp except Joe and David. Hacker,
Joe and David pick up Chris and walk back towards camp.
CUT TO:
EXT-OUTSIDE PLANE-AFTERNOON
Back at camp, Chris lies inside the plane on some seats.
Everyone else sits in a circle outside of the plane.
Tony takes a drag on a cigarette and begins to talk.
TONY
I say we explore the island while
it's still light out, make sure
whatever the fuck did this to Chris
isn't still around.
Tony looks at everyone.
Everyone nods their heads.
TONY (V.O.)
Right, I want everyone to take some
flashlights in case of an emergency.
There are some guns in the plane,
four at last count, and our ammos
limited so I'd say we break into
four groups so each gets one.
Joe stands up.
JOE
Wouldn't it be better if we stayed
in one group?
TONY
Staying together could prove
hazardous, consider, if whatever
attacked Chris decided to strike
again at least it'll only take out
two instead of the whole lot.
JOE
Well then, I'd definitely like a
gun.
Joe walks over to a pile of stuff and picks up a gun.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15.
Tony counts everyone.
TONY
Okay. I'll stay here with a gun and
watch Chris. I want everyone else to
pick a partner and take a gun.
Joe gets with Hacker.
Andrew gets up and grabs a gun.
He then walks over with Larry.
Tony grabs a gun.
David walks over with Andrew and Larry.
TONY (CONT'D)
Alright. Good luck guys.
CUT TO:
EXT-WOODS-AFTERNOON
We see Joe and Hacker walking in the woods looking around.
HACKER
So, what do you think happened to
Chris?
JOE
I honestly don't know…just seems so
fucking weird…I can't place my finger
on why, just is.
HACKER
Yeah. But what do you think did that
to him. Couldn't have been one of
us; we were all at camp when we heard
him screaming.
JOE (CONT'D)
What was he doing in the woods is
the question. I doubt he would go
walking without telling one of us.
Ya know?
HACKER
Maybe.
A burst darkened clouds crowd around the sun cloaking the
island in a veil of darkness.
HACKER (CONT'D)
What the fuck? What happened to the
sun?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16.
Joe and Hacker both look around in the sky.
The sky is pitch black.
Suddenly Andrew and David appear and everyone bumps into
each other.
DAVID
What the fuck?
JOE (CONT'D)
Where the hell did you come from?
ANDREW
What the fuck is going on here?
HACKER
Looks at everyone.
HACKER
David?
DAVID
Yeah?
HACKER
Where's Larry?
David looks around.
DAVID
I don't know.
HACKER
Shit! David where the fuck did he
go?
DAVID
I don't know he was with me a second
ago.
HACKER
God dammit! We need to find him now.
ANDREW
LARRY!
HACKER
Shut the fuck up, man. You don't
know what else in these woods.
ANDREW (CONT'D)
Then why the fuck did we come out
here in the first place.
HACKER
To look for something.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17.
ANDREW (CONT'D)
To look for what?
JOE
Anything! Anything that we can find.
ANDREW
Piss off.
HACKER
Well fuck you too; bickering isn't
going to get us anywhere. We might
as well just find our way back to
camp.
Everyone takes their flashlights out.
They try to turn them on but they don't work.
ANDREW
Twat!
Andrew throws his flashlight on the ground.
ANDREW (CONT'D)
This is fucking useless!
The flashlight on the ground then turns on. It points towards
a building.
HACKER
What the -?
Andrew slowly picks up the flashlight and keeps the light on
the building.
ANDREW
Where the hell did that come from?
Andrew starts to walk towards the building.
Everyone follows him.
While walking Andrew points his flashlight at the top.
He revels a cross on the top.
ANDREW (CONT'D)
It's a Church.
CUT TO:
EXT-OUTSIDE CHURCH-NIGHT
JOE
What the fuck is a Church doing here
in the middle of no where?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18.
ANDREW
Missionaries perhaps?
They keep walking and then stop at the front steps of the
Church.
HACKER
Should we go inside?
DAVID
I don't see why not. I mean I doubt
we'd be barging in on a service?
HACKER
Alright, who wants to go first.
Everyone looks at each other.
ANDREW
I will.
Andrew walks up the stops.
Everyone else follows behind him.
Most of them are trying to hide behind Andrew.
Andrew now stands in front of the door.
He is shaking. Andrew looks back at everyone.
They all nod their heads at Andrew.
Andrew slowly stretches his arm out and pushes the Church
door open a little bit.
A horrible stench comes from the Church.
Everyone reacts and covers their noses.
JOE
It smells like death.
Everyone looks back at Joe. Andrew looks back at the door
and takes a deep breathe. Andrew quickly pushes the door
completely open.
Andrew steps inside the rickety building. The floor creaks
beneath him.
He advances forward, signaling the others to join him, and
pushing cobwebs out of the way as he does so.
Everyone else is speechless as they look in the Church.
DAVID
What the fuck happened here?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19.
HACKER
Looks like someone ransacked the
place.
Andrew walks towards what seems to be an altar.
LARRY
Careful man, these floors sure as
hell ain't stable.
ANDREW
Good to know… He moves closer to the
altar.
Throughout the room the others look around.
The floor gives way without warning under Andrew's feet.
He falls through, what apparently was a trap door and down a
flight of steps.
The others rush over.
HACKER
Andrew!
He and the others rush down the steps.
Down the stairs, blood is all over the walls and the floor
of the room.
In the back of the room a cross stands.
Jesus is missing from the cross. Replaced is Tony laying
dead on the cross. He is nailed to the cross upside down.
HACKER (CONT'D)
Oh my god.
He makes the sign of the Holy Ghost, and kisses the cross
necklace he has around his neck.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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