TEASERFADE IN:
INT. BOY’S BEDROOM - DAY
The bedroom is cluttered with posters of airplanes and outer space. A young boy with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a blue&white stripped polo, walks through the room whistling. He stops, turns to face...
A MIDDLE AGED MAN, suburban father type, with a gag thrust into his mouth and encircled by ropes. He struggles to get free. He spits out the gag.
MAN
Danny, help me, please, come on...
The young boy approaches him cautiously. He stops and studies the man.
MAN (CONT’D)
Before they come back.
The young boy takes out a pocket knife, he runs it across the man’s face. Sweat perspires. The man goes quiet, closes his eyes. The young boy laughs, he turns to clean the knife.
MAN (CONT’D)
Why are you doing this?
YOUNG BOY
(matter of fact)
Getting ready.
MAN
Getting ready? For what?
YOUNG BOY
For Daddy. I want to make him proud.
MAN
Who’s your Dad?
YOUNG BOY
The devil. One day, I’m going to be President.
CHILD REYNOLDS (Young Boy) smiles. Glances back at the man, holds out the knife.
CHILD REYNOLDS
Mr. Jacobs. You shouldn’t have kept me off the playground.
Child Reynolds PLUNGES the knife into the man’s right eye. The man SCREAMS IN AGONY.
INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Father Levi sits at the kitchen table opposite an attractive middle aged woman. He smiles as he places the newspaper onto the table.
FATHER LEVI
He picked this one, builds a good sense of character.
The woman smiles and nods, she takes a sip from a cup of tea.
INT. BOY’S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Child Reynolds stands at a distance facing the man covered in blood gasping his final breaths. He grins then laughs as the man withers in agony.INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT
President Reynolds browses through his files. Secretary of Defense, Horseman War, FELIX enters.
FELIX
You called me sir?
REYNOLDS
It's time, go get my son.
FELIX
Right away, sir.
Felix leaves the the room. Reynolds eyes a family photograph of him and his son (who we will come to know as GRAYSON) standing over a dead body with a wide smile.
END OF TEASERACT ONEEXT. PARK – EVENING
A cheap sedan drives through a quiet park. Inside is a happy family, MOM, DAD and two LITTLE GIRLS. The radio plays
“Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.”INT. CAR - CONTINUOUSThe Dad turns around to see his daughters staring out the window.
DAD
As soon as we get home, we need to get you little babes to bed!
LITTLE GIRL 1
Daddy! It’s too early!
MOM
Yes, but you’ve been playing hard all day and we still have church tomorrow.
LITTLE GIRL 2
Can you read to us before we go to sleep?
MOM
Of course –
The Dad smiles, turns back to look out over the road. Notices someone out of the corner of his eyes. SLAMS on the breaks. The girls scream.
DAD
Oh my g—
We see a little boy about ten years old, GRAYSON, standing in the middle of the road just in front of the car. Hands are stained with blood.
DAD (CONT’D)
Wait here.
The dad gets out of the car and walks over to the boy.
DAD (CONT’D)
Hey, buddy. Are you okay? What are you doing out here alone?
GRAYSON
I don’t know.
DAD
What’s your name?
GRAYSON
Grayson.
DAD
Well, Grayson, do you know where your parents are?
GRAYSON
They’re dead.
The Dad notices Grayson’s blood stained hands.
DAD
(concerned)
Oh no! We … we should take you to the police, okay? They can help you better than we can.
GRAYSON
Okay.
The dad helps Grayson get into the car, they drive off out of the park. On the side of the road, hidden from view is a dead mutilated cat with it’s eyes popping out of it’s ripped off head. Beside it, a bloody knife.
INT. CAR - MOMENTS LATERGrayson looks around at the family, smiling.
GRAYSON
Do you want to play a game?
The Dad turns around to face Grayson.
DAD
Sure, what game do you want to play Grayson?
Grayson smirks.
GRAYSON
Knock, knock.
DAD
(Laughs, plays along)
Who’s there?
GRAYSON
Grim Reaper!
The family is taken aback, Grayson laughs. Suddenly the Dad turns the wheel and speeds into a tree! The family begins to itch their skin, a serious rash, slowly they peel off their flesh! Blood spills. Grayson watches on, amused.
“Wonderful feeling, wonderful day!”EXT. ROAD – DAY
The Impala zooms past the screen which informs us of our location, DENVER, COLORADO.
INT. IMPALA - CONTINUOUS
Sam is reading a newspaper while Dean drives.
SAM
This is getting weirder all the time.
DEAN
What is it now?
SAM
Well, two days ago that family was mysteriously killed in their car on their way home. Police said it looked like an animal did it, but all their doors were locked from the inside. Yesterday, another family was killed in their house. Mom, dad and four kids. Police said their hearts had been ripped out of their bodies.
DEAN
Sounds like a werewolf.
SAM
I don’t think so. This article said it looked like they did it to themselves. Each member of the family was holding their own heart in their hand.
Dean makes a disgusted noise.
SAM (CONT'D)
What kind of a sick person would do that?
DEAN
Some sort of spirit?
SAM
I don’t know. Maybe someone like me?
DEAN
Don’t even go there, Sam.
SAM
But you know it’s possible.
DEAN
Like some nut job just told those guys to rip their hearts out and kill themselves?
(beat)
Okay … maybe.
SAM
(pointing)
There’s the police station.
EXT. POLICE STATION - CONTINUOUS
The Impala pulls into the parking lot and Sam steps out.
SAM
Wait here. If we go in together they might recognize us.
DEAN
Whatever you say, little bro.
Dean watches as Sam ENTERS the police station, then takes out a bottle of alcohol. He doesn’t drink, he turns the bottle around, looks at it, then tosses it in the backseat.
Dean reaches inside his jacket and takes out a syringe, looks back and forth between the police station and the syringe.
EXT. CHURCH - NIGHT
Child Reynolds nails a kid to the ground, stabs him repeatedly. Grotesque, blood sprays everywhere. Parents and parishioners try to pull him off, they’re shoved aside by a projectile force shield. Father Levi hurries over.
FATHER LEVI
What the hell is going on?!
CHILD REYNOLDS
He, he called me a freak.
Child Reynolds lets down his guard, Father Levi pulls him away. They quickly get into a black car and drive away.
INT. BLACK CAR - MOMENTS LATER
Father Levi looks over at Child Reynolds.
FATHER LEVI
The world, everyone is counting on you. Do you want to let them down?
Child Reynolds shakes his head.
FATHER LEVI
Your Dad, they banished him because they called him different. But if we are ever going to see his empire rebuilt - you need to be careful. It’s perfectly okay to kill someone, but do so when there are no people around to pay attention. Remember we want them to look up to you. Do you understand?
CHILD REYNOLDS
Yes father.
FATHER LEVI
And who took him from you? Who must die?
CHILD REYNOLDS
God.
FATHER LEVI
(Beams with pride)
Right, God.
Child Reynolds and Father Levi share a smile.INT. POLICE STATION - MOMENTS LATER
Sam stands at the SECRETARY’S desk, flashing a badge.
SAM
Agent Worthington. Please could I speak to the officer in charge of the Forsythe family killing?
SECRETARY
One moment, please.
The secretary dials the phone.
SECRETARY (CONT’D)
Someone from the FBI to see you, sir.
(beat)
Yes, sir.
The secretary hangs up the phone and points down a hallway.
SECRETARY (CONT.) (CONT’D)
Fourth door on your left.
SAM
Thank you very much.
Sam walks down the hallway and knocks on the door.
VOICE
Enter!
Sam opens the door to a neat and tidy office. A policeman in his mid thirties sits at the main desk working on a computer. This is OFFICER GENNINGS.
GENNINGS
Come in!
SAM
Thank you for seeing me, officer.
GENNINGS
Well, we can’t refuse the FBI, can we? I’m actually surprised they haven’t sent anyone sooner.
SAM
You probably know which case I’m here for.
GENNINGS
The Forsythe’s and the Lynn’s, I’m guessing.
SAM
Yes. Frankly, these are very disturbing cases. Do you have any leads?
GENNINGS
Nothing, except that we know they are connected.
SAM
How?
GENNINGS
We have a witness to both of the murders. The Forsythe’s and the Lynn’s were neighbors. It appears that the Lynn family were on their way home when they picked up a kid who somehow managed to escape the bloodbath. He isn’t talking much. He was the one who called 911. He says he saw the Forsythe’s dead in their house as well and called 911 for them. All we got out of him besides that was his name and his age. Grayson, ten years old.
SAM
My God …
GENNINGS
Way too young to have seen something like that. I’ll never forget walking into the Forsythe’s home that day. I’ve done some time in Iraq, but I’ve never seen anything like that.
SAM
Do you think I could talk to Grayson?
GENNINGS
Good luck with getting anything out of him. He’s in the office down the hall. Go ahead. Let me know if he says anything.
SAM
Thanks.
INT. ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Grayson sits at a desk drawing a picture. A female police officer is at another desk working on a computer. Sam ENTERS.
SAM
Hi! You must be Grayson.
Sam sits in the chair opposite the desk.
SAM (CONT'D)
I’m Sam.
The boy looks up.
GRAYSON
Hey Sam.
(beat)
I’ve been waiting for you.
Grayson smiles, Sam takes a step back.
END OF ACT ONE