OUT OF ORDER (7 page short horror script) by Luke Walker

A night at the local multiplexturns into a nightmare for a middle-aged man with a dark past who learns that being sorry doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be forgiven.

After months of social distancing, I really, really miss going to the movies. Sure, it’s nice to curl up on the couch and take in a flick on the tube, but nothing beats the movie theater experience. There’s something about the smell of popcorn in the air, the movie posters hanging on the wall, the red carpeting, the previews and that feeling you get when the movie’s about to start and the curtains in front of the screen open up – it just feels like an event. It feels special.

However, there are some things that I don’t miss. For one, the people. I’m not talking about ALL of them – part of what makes the movie-going experience so fun is the crowd reaction. But, once in a while, there’s that one person in the crowd that disrupts the experience for everybody. You know who I’m talking about. There’s the Chatty Cathy in the crowd giving play-by-play commentary. Then there’s that couple who brings their rambunctious children with them (turn off your baby!). And then, there’s that one guy who falls asleep and snores the whole time…

In Luke Walker’s creepy fever dream, Out of Order, Eddy, an overweight, middle-aged schlub, IS that one guy.

The story takes place at a local cinema, where Eddy comes to see a movie solo. After pigging out on movie theater snacks well before the flick even starts, Eddy falls victim to the comfy stadium seating and dozes off. After spilling soda onto his crotch, he wakes up to realize that he’s the only one there, the movie he paid a ticket for long over.

If you’ve ever been to a movie theater alone with nobody else there, you know just how creepy it can be. Butit isn’t until Eddy heads to the bathroom to clean himself up that things start to get REALLY creepy.

As Eddy has his wet crotch under a hand dryer, he hears something from a nearby stall with a handwritten out-of-order sign hanging up on the door…

After the sign falls off the door on its own, nasty sewer sludge comes flooding out from under the door, hitting Eddy’s feet. Disgusted, Eddy picks up the out-of-order sign and reads something on the back of it that sends chills down his spine…

And that’s when the nightmare officially begins.

Eddy realizes that he’s not alone after the bathroom stall door opens and lanky, ghastly man dressed as a surgeon (mask, rubber gloves, full regalia) reveals himself. With crazed, bloodshot eyes, this demented surgeon doesn’t seem very happy with Eddy. In fact, it’s safe to assume that he wants to hurt the pudgy loner… really, really badly.

I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say things get stranger and more terrifying for Eddy as the night goes on. Imagine “Inception”, but instead of a dream within a dream, it’s a nightmare within a nightmare… within a nightmare. But why is this happening to Eddy? What did he see on the back of that out-of-order sign? You’ll have to read for yourself to find out.

What I loved most about this script was that it had that midnight movie kinda vibe to it. I felt like I was actually at the movies again, I could almost smell the popcorn.

Packed with solid scares and horrifying imagery, Out of Order is a horror tale that will make you feel like you’re at the movies again. Any filmmaker who’s a true movie fan AND horror fan, will appreciate this one.

BUDGET: Relatively low – if you can convince your local cinema to let you use the location, it might save you a few bucks. But it’s all one location, three actors and a few extras.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Luke Walker, a part-time stay at home Dad to two young Padawans, is a self taught, award-winning horror screenwriter from Bristol, England. He’s best knownfor his short film Paralysis, screened at Macabro: Mexico City International Horror Film Festival. And for short script Rose, winner of ‘Lets Make It! Screenwriting Contest / Antic Horror – International Short Screenplay Contest / 13 Horror.com Film and Screenplay Contest. Luke can be reached at luke.ewoods (a) googlemail.com

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*This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.

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About the Reviewer: Michael J. Kospiah is the award-winning screenwriter of critically acclaimed indie-thriller, The Suicide Theory (79% Rotten Tomatoes – available on Amazon Prime, Itunes, Google Play, etc) and 2020’s upcoming Aussie thriller, Rage. His horror feature, They Never Left is currently in development.