Cruor

Written by Noah Pfister

Draft 1

EXT. DESERT - DAY - THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO

A sunrise. A crows feather lies in the sand. Suddenly,
blood begins to flow forth through the sand from behind
the camera. It keeps coming and coming, burying the
feather, until the sand is completely crimson. CROSS FADE
TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - EVENING - THOUSANDS OF YEARS LATER
A feminine hand, the fingers gripped tightly on a red
crayon, shading a grotesque image: A disfigured demon
sinking its fangs into a young mans neck. A sharp
knocking at a door somewhere off-screen. The crayon is
dropped and the canvas folded away in a crowded booklet.
With the close of the booklet, CUT TO:
The front door is pulled open. Two formally dressed men
stand outside; Detectives DANIEL and HARRISON.
HARRISON
Hi miss, are you Madison?
The girl is 19.
MADISON
Yeah. Thats me. Can I help you?
DANIEL looks to HARRISON who drops his gaze to his feet
before looking back at the girl.
HARRISON
Well, we hope so. Can we come in?
MADISON
Why? Whats this about?
HARRISON
What does the name, Ava Greenly
mean to you?
MADISON
Ava?
HARRISON
Yeah, Ava. Greenly.
MADISON
Shes in my Arts class. Why?
HARRISON
Shes gone missing, Madison, and
her parents, well... Theyre
freaking the hell out. Even
though its only been a couple
days, but, hey, who knows, right?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.

MADISON
Right...
HARRISON
Well you see, the REAL reason why
were here is... We KNOW that she
came here on Friday night, thats
two nights ago and she didnt
come home after that. So... We
thought wed come talk to you.
MADISON
Right...
HARRISON
Can we come in?
MADISON reads the two men up and down.
MADISON
Sure.
INT. KITCHEN/DINING ROOM - DAY - LATER
The three sit at the dining table, the detectives across
from MADISON. An awkward silence as HARRISON fumbles with
a note pad. DANIEL clears his throat and hands HARRISON a
pen.
MADISON
I dont know where Ava would have
gone.
HARRISON
Well it wouldve been great if
you did.
MADISON
Yeah. But I dont.
HARRISON
You sure about that?
MADISONS getting a little annoyed.
MADISON
Yeah.
HARRISON
She say anything about any...
Plans? That she mightve had?
MADISON
I dont think so, look I was kind
of in the middle of something,
any idea how long this will be?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

HARRISON
You want us out of here huh?
MADISON
No, its not that, its justHARRISON
No, we understand. It wont be
long at all. Dan.
DANIEL stands.
HARRISON
You dont mind if Dan takes a
look around do you?
MADISON
No, thats fine.
HARRISON
Alright.
DANIEL nods and goes in the kitchen, opening drawers and
cupboards, scanning the area briskly.
HARRISON
What did you guys get up to when
Ava was over on Friday?
MADISON
Not much, I mean it was work
stuff.
HARRISON
The folio piece.
MADISON
Yeah... How did you know that?
HARRISON
Thats MY business.
MADISON
Right, sorry.
HARRISON
No, youre alright.
DANIEL opens the freezer. There are stacked clear boxes of
raw meat in there.
DANIEL
You sure got a lot of meat in
here.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

MADISON
Problem?
DANIEL
Nah.
HARRISON
Dont mind him. You do anything
other than work on this folio
piece that night?
DANIEL runs up the stairs.
MADISON
No. Hey dont go in my room,
thats private!
HARRISON
Dont worry, he wont.
MADISON
You guys know you need a warrant
for this shit right?
HARRISON
Were aware of that, but youre
so incredibly nice.
He beams.
MADISON
Yeah well Im starting to regret
it.
INT. BATHROOM - DAY - CONTINUOUS
DANIEL squats on the floor and opens the cabinet. Nothing.
He stands and observes a crows feather sitting in a glass
amongst a toothbrush and paste. Disgusted by this, he
proceeds to wash his hands. He finishes this and looks
around for a hand towel. It sits beside the sink. He goes
to grab it and something catches his eye.
DANIELS POV: There is a thin red line of crusted fluid
near the top of the interior of the bathtub. This line
covers the entire perimeter.
CLOSE ON DANIEL, suspicious. He leans in for a better
look.
DANIELS POV: he scans the bathtub. CAMERA PANS DOWN to
the drain.
CLOSE ON the drain. There is a human tooth lodged in one
of the holes.
DANIEL reaches forward and picks it up.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

CLOSE ON the tooth as he holds it in front of his face.

FOCUS SHIFTS from his face to the tooth. DANIEL looks as
though he might throw up and drops the tooth.
It falls back into the tub, clinks around for a bit, but
eventually finds its way back to the drain. This time it
doesnt get stuck and disappears from sight.
INT. KITCHEN/DINING ROOM - DAY - CONTINUOUS
HARRISON
What time did Ava leave on
Friday?
MADISON
Mustve been about 8:30.
HARRISON
And were you under the impression
she was going directly home after
that?
CAMERA TRACKS UNDER THE TABLE revealing a butchers knife
taped to the underside of the table.
MADISON
Yeah, I guess...
INT. UPSTAIRS CORRIDOR - DAY - CONTINUOUS
DANIEL stumbles out into the corridor. He begins to head
back for the stairs but a door further down the corridor
creaks open. He turns to face it.
INT. KITCHEN/DINING ROOM - DAY - CONTINUOUS
CLOSE ON MADISONS fingers closing around the handle of
the knife.
MADISON
Will that be all?
HARRISON
I think so. Well just wait for
Dan to get back if thats
alright.
MADISON smiles sweetly.
MADISON
Sure.

6.

INT. MADISONS ROOM - DAY - CONTINUOUS

DANIEL enters and looks around. His eye is immediately
caught by a slightly open sliding cabinet. There is a
slight stain of red on the carpet at the base of the
cabinet.
DANIEL approaches and grudgingly, pulls it open. A human
arm sags out and he jumps.
INT. KITCHEN/DINING ROOM - DAY - LATER
DANIEL runs down the stairs and looks to the dining table.
Its empty and a trail of blood runs down the downstairs
corridor. DANIEL follows it cautiously.
MADISON steps out from behind him and swings the knife
into the back of his head. CUT TO BLACK.
EXT. DESERT - DAY - THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO
The sun sets on the horizon.
CAMERA PULLS BACK, revealing a human skull lying in the
sand, a drizzle of gore drips from one of the empty
sockets to the teeth A crude blade made of stone is
embedded in the side of the skull. The wind builds to a
howl as time speeds up and the sun sets and we FADE TO
BLACK. The sound of dripping water.
INT. BATHROOM - DAY - THOUSANDS OF YEARS LATER
CLOSE ON MADISONS face. Her eyes are closed as she sits
in the bathtub. We PULL BACK, revealing that the bath is
full of blood. The camera stops moving and time seems to
stand still. Then, suddenly, both MADISONS arms erupt
from the surface, gripping the sides of the tub. Stillness
again as the surface settles. Silence. MADISONS eyes
flicker open, staring directly into the lens. Her lips
twist into a malicious smile and we CUT TO BLACK.