CLOSE ON Gwen, who weakly staggers along the center of the
two-lane road. She still holds her hands up against her
bloody face.
JACKIE (O.S.)
Gwen!?
74.74.
An UNNERVING CACKLE comes from the shadows beside the road.
Gwen lowers her shaky hands, reveals a savage gash across the
right side of her face. Her right eye hangs out of it's
gaping socket. Her bottom lip trembles.
Jackie sprints toward the road, steps awkwardly on his busted
leg. SNAP!
He goes down in a heap, cries out in agony.
JACKIE
Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! FUCK!
Just then, light catches his eye. He turns his attention to a
bend in the road further on down.
Headlights flood the road as a small sedan rounds the bend.
Jackie grunts through the pain, pushes himself up. He turns
back to Gwen, who just stands in the middle of the road.
JACKIE
Car! Gwen! Fuck! THERE’S A CAR!
He looks back to the car. It SPEEDS toward Gwen, with no sign
of slowing down.
NANCY, (48), a crazy cat-lady complete with a crazy cat-
sweater, sits behind the wheel.
Up-beat POP MUSIC plays over the radio.
While nodding her head to the beat of the music, Nancy
glances back over her shoulder.
In the back seat, a fat cat SNORES inside of a cat carrier.
NANCY
Goofy cat. You’ll sleep through
anything, won’t ya?
THROUGH THE FRONT WIND-SHIELD, the headlights fall over Gwen,
who stands traumatized in the middle of the road.
Nancy turns back to the road.
Her eyes go wide.
75.75.
She SLAMS her foot down on the brake pedal!
The car brakes hard, but it's too late.
Gwen is RUN DOWN, her body disappearing under the small
vehicle, which skids to a stop in the middle of the road.
A few tense moments pass, then --
The driver's door POPS opens and Nancy steps out.
She covers her mouth with a shaky hand, moves towards the
back of the sedan.
The MUSIC spills out of the car, carries over the night air.
Creates an ominous juxtaposition.
As Nancy steps around the back of her vehicle, Gwen's mangled
body comes into view.
Arms and legs broken, Gwen lies sprawled out on the pavement.
Blood begins to puddle up around her.
Nancy bursts into tears, rushes over and kneels next to Gwen,
who twitches.
NANCY
(hysterical)
Oh, Lord! Please, don’t let this
happen! PLEASE!
She squeezes Gwen’s hand, SOBS harder.
A DEMONIC CACKLE creeps out from behind Nancy. She spins
around just as a shadow rises up behind her.
With the car’s tail-lights casting a red glow over his blood-
caked body, Otis stands a good two feet taller than the
terrified Nancy.
His needle-like teeth form a twisted smile. Scary as Hell.
Nancy clutches at her chest, gasps for air. She's having a
fuckin' heart attack!
Otis lunges forward and digs his clawed thumbs into Nancy’s
eyes, GOUGES THEM OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS!
With his thumbs buried deep in her skull, Otis lifts the
dying woman off her feet! Her legs kick back and forth!
76.76.
Otis SQUEEZES harder.
Nancy SQUEALS as her skull CRACKS. Blood and brains shit out
and slop down her convulsing body.
Behind Otis, Jackie dashes across the road, dives into the
car, SLAMS the driver's door shut behind him.
The car BURNS OUT before speeding away.
Enraged, Otis tosses Nancy's limp body to the side of the
road, then gets down on all four and SPRINTS AFTER THE
SPEEDING VEHICLE!
The MUSIC continues to blast as Jackie white-knuckles the
steering wheel.
He shoots a beady-eyed look at the rearview mirror, sees Otis
closing in fast.
JACKIE
What the fuck is this thing!? It
doesn’t fuckin’ quit!
His foot SLAMS down on the gas pedal, but he's driving a
piece of shit four-cylinder.
ON THE SPEEDOMETER, the needle hovers just above 70 MPH.
Frustrated, Jackie PUNCHES the dashboard repeatedly.
JACKIE
(at the sedan)
C’mon, FUCKIN’ GO!
IN THE BACKSEAT, the fat cat in the carrier HISSES and GROWLS
at Jackie.
OTIS' P.O.V.
HEAVY FOOTSTEPS below us as we rush along the road at an
insane speed, quickly gain ground on the speeding vehicle.
Suddenly, we launch ourselves a good twenty feet into the
air, towards the car!
END P.O.V.
77.77.
A loud BANG on the roof, which partially caves inwards.
Startled, Jackie nearly loses control of the vehicle.
Tires SQUEAL as he turns the wheel hard, just barely able to
regain control.
Then, a clawed hand BURSTS THROUGH THE ROOF, just inches from
Jackie's sweaty face!
JACKIE
Fuck! Are you fuckin’ serious!?
The clawed hand swipes and grabs at Jackie, who ducks down
just out of reach.
It wildly swings around, barely misses Jackie, but catches
the radio dial.
The radio changes to another station. Fast PUNK ROCK MUSIC
blasts through the stereo speakers.
While keeping one hand on the wheel, Jackie reaches down and
pulls the ritualistic dagger from his waistband.
He glares up at the clawed hand.
JACKIE
I’m fuckin’ sick of your shit!
Jackie STABS the dagger through the clawed hand's wrist!
Smoke and blood seep out of the wound as it SIZZLES and POPS.
Otis SCREAMS out in anguish as he desperately tries to yank
his hand free, but the blade won't fit through the hole in
the roof.
Dark blood squirts out of Otis' SIZZLING wound, all over the
side of Jackie's face.
JACKIE
How does that feel, motherfucker!?
With one final hard yank, Otis RIPS his arm free, splitting
his hand down the middle!
A loud THUD as Otis falls off the back of the car.
THROUGH THE REAR WIND-SHIELD, Otis lands hard on the road,
rolls to a stop.
78.78.
Jackie STOMPS on the brakes.
The car SCREECHES to a stop.
Jackie throws the gear selector into reverse, turns around to
look out the rear view wind-shield.
He SLAMS on the gas.
Tires SQUEAL as the car reverses at a high speed.
ANGLE ON Otis, lying motionless in the middle of the road. He
suddenly sits up just as --
THE CAR CRUSHES HIM!
THUMP! THUMP!
Otis’s body crumples under the vehicle as it passes.
Jackie turns back to the front wind-shield, steps down on the
brakes, brings the sedan to another SCREECHING halt.
He puts the gear selector back into drive, smashes down on
the gas yet again.
The car BURNS OUT for a brief moment before accelerating
directly towards Otis’s broken body.
JACKIE
Get fucked!
Otis weakly raises a broken arm in defiance just as he again
disappears under the vehicle.
THUMP! THUMP! A juicy speed bump.
Jackie looks over his shoulder, out the rear wind-shield, a
crazed grin spread across his face.
He punches the roof, starts to celebrate.
79.79.
JACKIE
(a rush of emotions)
Fuck yeah! Fuck you, dude! Fuck
you! Not me! You didn’t get me, you
ugly bastard!
Jackie bursts into a maniacal laughter.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
I fuckin’ made it! I fuckin’ made
it you motherfucker!
He exhales a huge breath of relief, can’t help but cry a
little. His lips curl into a smile.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
Fuck yeah, man! I made it!
ANGLE ON Otis’s mangled body.
The car’s tail lights grow smaller in the distance.
SLOW ZOOM onto Otis, right up to his blood-spattered face, on
his dead eyes. They stare back at us.
HOLD HERE for a very long beat as --
The END CREDITS begin to scroll over the image.
HOLD. The dead eyes stare back.
The END CREDITS continue.
HOLD. No movement. Not even a twitch.
Finally, the END CREDITS wrap up.
HOLD... Then --
Otis’ eyes twitch!
SMASH TO BLACK.
DEMONIC LAUGHTER echoes over the --
TITLE CARD -- THE POTEM
FADE OUT.
— ⑩
EXT. OLD HIGHWAY
CLOSE ON Gwen, who weakly staggers along the center of the
two-lane road. She still holds her hands up against her
bloody face.
JACKIE (O.S.)
Gwen!?
74.74.
An UNNERVING CACKLE comes from the shadows beside the road.
Gwen lowers her shaky hands, reveals a savage gash across the
right side of her face. Her right eye hangs out of it's
gaping socket. Her bottom lip trembles.
EXT. GRASSY FIELD
Jackie sprints toward the road, steps awkwardly on his busted
leg. SNAP!
He goes down in a heap, cries out in agony.
JACKIE
Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! FUCK!
Just then, light catches his eye. He turns his attention to a
bend in the road further on down.
Headlights flood the road as a small sedan rounds the bend.
Jackie grunts through the pain, pushes himself up. He turns
back to Gwen, who just stands in the middle of the road.
JACKIE
Car! Gwen! Fuck! THERE’S A CAR!
He looks back to the car. It SPEEDS toward Gwen, with no sign
of slowing down.
INT. SEDAN - TRAVELING
NANCY, (48), a crazy cat-lady complete with a crazy cat-
sweater, sits behind the wheel.
Up-beat POP MUSIC plays over the radio.
While nodding her head to the beat of the music, Nancy
glances back over her shoulder.
In the back seat, a fat cat SNORES inside of a cat carrier.
NANCY
Goofy cat. You’ll sleep through
anything, won’t ya?
THROUGH THE FRONT WIND-SHIELD, the headlights fall over Gwen,
who stands traumatized in the middle of the road.
Nancy turns back to the road.
Her eyes go wide.
75.75.
She SLAMS her foot down on the brake pedal!
EXT. OLD HIGHWAY
The car brakes hard, but it's too late.
Gwen is RUN DOWN, her body disappearing under the small
vehicle, which skids to a stop in the middle of the road.
A few tense moments pass, then --
The driver's door POPS opens and Nancy steps out.
She covers her mouth with a shaky hand, moves towards the
back of the sedan.
The MUSIC spills out of the car, carries over the night air.
Creates an ominous juxtaposition.
As Nancy steps around the back of her vehicle, Gwen's mangled
body comes into view.
Arms and legs broken, Gwen lies sprawled out on the pavement.
Blood begins to puddle up around her.
Nancy bursts into tears, rushes over and kneels next to Gwen,
who twitches.
NANCY
(hysterical)
Oh, Lord! Please, don’t let this
happen! PLEASE!
She squeezes Gwen’s hand, SOBS harder.
A DEMONIC CACKLE creeps out from behind Nancy. She spins
around just as a shadow rises up behind her.
With the car’s tail-lights casting a red glow over his blood-
caked body, Otis stands a good two feet taller than the
terrified Nancy.
His needle-like teeth form a twisted smile. Scary as Hell.
Nancy clutches at her chest, gasps for air. She's having a
fuckin' heart attack!
Otis lunges forward and digs his clawed thumbs into Nancy’s
eyes, GOUGES THEM OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS!
With his thumbs buried deep in her skull, Otis lifts the
dying woman off her feet! Her legs kick back and forth!
76.76.
Otis SQUEEZES harder.
Nancy SQUEALS as her skull CRACKS. Blood and brains shit out
and slop down her convulsing body.
Behind Otis, Jackie dashes across the road, dives into the
car, SLAMS the driver's door shut behind him.
The car BURNS OUT before speeding away.
Enraged, Otis tosses Nancy's limp body to the side of the
road, then gets down on all four and SPRINTS AFTER THE
SPEEDING VEHICLE!
INT. SEDAN - TRAVELING
The MUSIC continues to blast as Jackie white-knuckles the
steering wheel.
He shoots a beady-eyed look at the rearview mirror, sees Otis
closing in fast.
JACKIE
What the fuck is this thing!? It
doesn’t fuckin’ quit!
His foot SLAMS down on the gas pedal, but he's driving a
piece of shit four-cylinder.
ON THE SPEEDOMETER, the needle hovers just above 70 MPH.
Frustrated, Jackie PUNCHES the dashboard repeatedly.
JACKIE
(at the sedan)
C’mon, FUCKIN’ GO!
IN THE BACKSEAT, the fat cat in the carrier HISSES and GROWLS
at Jackie.
EXT. OLD HIGHWAY
OTIS' P.O.V.
HEAVY FOOTSTEPS below us as we rush along the road at an
insane speed, quickly gain ground on the speeding vehicle.
Suddenly, we launch ourselves a good twenty feet into the
air, towards the car!
END P.O.V.
77.77.
INT. SEDAN - TRAVELING
A loud BANG on the roof, which partially caves inwards.
Startled, Jackie nearly loses control of the vehicle.
Tires SQUEAL as he turns the wheel hard, just barely able to
regain control.
Then, a clawed hand BURSTS THROUGH THE ROOF, just inches from
Jackie's sweaty face!
JACKIE
Fuck! Are you fuckin’ serious!?
The clawed hand swipes and grabs at Jackie, who ducks down
just out of reach.
It wildly swings around, barely misses Jackie, but catches
the radio dial.
The radio changes to another station. Fast PUNK ROCK MUSIC
blasts through the stereo speakers.
While keeping one hand on the wheel, Jackie reaches down and
pulls the ritualistic dagger from his waistband.
He glares up at the clawed hand.
JACKIE
I’m fuckin’ sick of your shit!
Jackie STABS the dagger through the clawed hand's wrist!
Smoke and blood seep out of the wound as it SIZZLES and POPS.
Otis SCREAMS out in anguish as he desperately tries to yank
his hand free, but the blade won't fit through the hole in
the roof.
Dark blood squirts out of Otis' SIZZLING wound, all over the
side of Jackie's face.
JACKIE
How does that feel, motherfucker!?
With one final hard yank, Otis RIPS his arm free, splitting
his hand down the middle!
A loud THUD as Otis falls off the back of the car.
THROUGH THE REAR WIND-SHIELD, Otis lands hard on the road,
rolls to a stop.
78.78.
Jackie STOMPS on the brakes.
EXT. OLD HIGHWAY
The car SCREECHES to a stop.
INT. SEDAN - PARKED
Jackie throws the gear selector into reverse, turns around to
look out the rear view wind-shield.
He SLAMS on the gas.
EXT. OLD HIGHWAY
Tires SQUEAL as the car reverses at a high speed.
ANGLE ON Otis, lying motionless in the middle of the road. He
suddenly sits up just as --
THE CAR CRUSHES HIM!
THUMP! THUMP!
Otis’s body crumples under the vehicle as it passes.
INT. SEDAN - TRAVELING
Jackie turns back to the front wind-shield, steps down on the
brakes, brings the sedan to another SCREECHING halt.
He puts the gear selector back into drive, smashes down on
the gas yet again.
The car BURNS OUT for a brief moment before accelerating
directly towards Otis’s broken body.
JACKIE
Get fucked!
Otis weakly raises a broken arm in defiance just as he again
disappears under the vehicle.
THUMP! THUMP! A juicy speed bump.
Jackie looks over his shoulder, out the rear wind-shield, a
crazed grin spread across his face.
He punches the roof, starts to celebrate.
79.79.
JACKIE
(a rush of emotions)
Fuck yeah! Fuck you, dude! Fuck
you! Not me! You didn’t get me, you
ugly bastard!
Jackie bursts into a maniacal laughter.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
I fuckin’ made it! I fuckin’ made
it you motherfucker!
He exhales a huge breath of relief, can’t help but cry a
little. His lips curl into a smile.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
Fuck yeah, man! I made it!
EXT. OLD HIGHWAY
ANGLE ON Otis’s mangled body.
The car’s tail lights grow smaller in the distance.
SLOW ZOOM onto Otis, right up to his blood-spattered face, on
his dead eyes. They stare back at us.
HOLD HERE for a very long beat as --
The END CREDITS begin to scroll over the image.
HOLD. The dead eyes stare back.
The END CREDITS continue.
HOLD. No movement. Not even a twitch.
Finally, the END CREDITS wrap up.
HOLD... Then --
Otis’ eyes twitch!
SMASH TO BLACK.
DEMONIC LAUGHTER echoes over the --
TITLE CARD -- THE POTEM
FADE OUT.