Lambs of the Silence
An imaginary movie by Natasha Hoogervorst, Caroline Mennens, Rani Aertgeerts, Patryk Piekarz, Rowan Rongé, Lucas Thirion and Lieze Van Meerbeek.
FADE IN: CEMETARY DURING THE DAY
Our three main characters, TRACEY (18), BRAD (19) and JÜRGEN (19) are attending the funeral of their black friend TYRONE (20). They’re all heavily sobbing and not really looking at their surroundings.
TRACEY: Why did he have to go so soon?
BRAD: It sure is sad that he died from a virus so young.
JÜRGEN: Tyrone was one of the few people who was on my level intellectually. I’ll miss him.
What the teenagers don’t notice, is that in the background, a hand is slowly rising out of a grave. But then TRACEY looks up and notices a ZOMBIE trying to crawl out of his grave.
TRACEY: Uh, guys? Do you see that too?
JÜRGEN: What, m’lady?
TRACEY: Over there… Is someone trying to get out of that grave?
JÜRGEN: Oh dear, that CAN’T be. The dead don’t crawl out of the ground.
BRAD: Usually they don’t, but LOOK. There’s one over there too! We gotta go quickly, guys!
TRACEY: The church should be safe!
And so they start running, before the zombies flood the graveyard.
FADE OUT
FADE IN: THE INSIDE OF THE CHURCH, STILL DAY
*The three get inside and encounter the PRIEST(47). *
PRIEST: Welcome, children. Are you here to make your confessions?
JÜRGEN: Only fools believe in such nonsense. I, for one, am a stern atheist.
TRACEY: Shut up, Jürgen. We’re in his church, show some respect.
JÜRGEN: Hmmph, fine, but only because m’lady is asking so nicely.
BRAD: Yeah uh, we’re actually here because the graveyard is starting to flood with zombies. I think the end of the world has started or something?
PRIEST: Oh, the apocalypse! Yes yes, I’ve read about it in the Bible. Don’t worry children, I have prepared for this for years and I’ve got ya covered, fam. The church has a ton of food and water and the building is completely fortified.
TRACEY: Weird flex but okay? Can we stay here with you, then?
PRIEST: But of course, children. Shall I give the blond, handsome boy a tour of the churches cellars? I’ve got some very handy tools for him to use.
TRACEY: Can’t Jürgen and I come too?
PRIEST: Uh, but, uh, the cellar… Is big enough for only two people?
JÜRGEN: Then I will stay with m’lady!
BRAD: I think it’s best we all stay here. Safety in numbers, right?
PRIEST: Hmph, fine. I’ll show you the cellar later, boy. You can all join me in prayer now.
JÜRGEN: You expect me to pray? Me, who is far above all this religious bullshit?
TRACEY: SHUT UP JÜRGEN. Just join us, okay?
JÜRGEN: Anything for m’lady.
TRACY WHISPERING TO BRAD : Can you please get him away from me?
BRAD: Hey, wouldn’t it be a good idea if Jürgen and I go and search for weapons against the zombies?
TRACY : Wow, good idea ! The priest and I will pray for our safety.
*And so BRAD and JÜRGEN leave for the cellar. THE PRIEST and TRACEY start praying. *
PRIEST: In nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti…
*And then all the candles go out. Suddenly, A GHOST appears in the distance. She looks like a 16-year-old girl. *
TRACEY: Uh, sir? What is that?
PRIEST: What? (he looks and sees the ghost) WHAT? You’re kidding me! I spend years and years to prepare for the Apocalypse and my church gets attacked by a freaking GHOST? THIS MUST BE A JO- AAAAAH!
*And that’s the last we hear from the priest, before the ghost drags him away. BRAD and JÜRGEN come out of the cellar, wondering where the noise came from. They see a startled TRACEY and run up to her. *
BRAD: What happened? Where’s the priest?
TRACEY (sobbing): A… a ghost came… Before I knew it, she just dragged him away… There was nothing I could do…
BRAD (hugging her): Shh, it’s fine now. There’s nothing you could have done.
JÜRGEN: Uh, guys, I think we better leave. I happen to be an expert on the occult and I know the ghost might come back.
FADE OUT as they leave and we FADE IN to THE FOREST outside the church.
BRAD: Wow, what a crazy day. I sure hope no more bad stuff happens.
TRACEY: Me too, but I have a bad feeling about these woods. Isn’t this the place were those kids were killed in 1985?
BRAD: Uh, no idea. I mainly know this place because a lot of people come here to have sex.
JÜRGEN: Oh yeah, of course THAT’s why you know this place, BRAD. A man of true culture and intelligence like ME, however, can confirm the statement of our fair maiden. This is the forest where those children were killed indeed, m’lady.
TRACEY: … Thanks, JÜRGEN.
*… (The three walk further in silence for a bit) *
TRACEY: Guys, did you hear that?
BRAD: What?
TRACEY: I think we’re being followed.
BRAD: Are you sure?
TRACEY: Pretty sure. Don’t look behind you though, we can still surprise our follower now.
JÜRGEN: We should split up so he can’t follow all of us. Brad, you should go right and I’ll go left with m’lady.
TRACEY: Why can’t I go alone?
JÜRGEN: ‘cause you’re a vulnerable and fragile maiden. I will protect you with my mighty katana.
TRACEY: You have a katana with you?
JÜRGEN: Well, I wish I did. I do have my mighty pocket knife, though.
BRAD: I do agree that you shouldn’t go alone, Tracey. Let me go with you.
JÜRGEN: But I want to go with m’lady!
TRACEY (quickly): I’ll go with Brad, bye Jürgen!
*And so we follow the duo. They fasten their pace and try to figure of not if they’re still being followed or not. *
TRACEY: Ugh, I’m so glad we got rid of Jürgen for a while. He’s so annoying!
BRAD: I know, I know. But he’s been through some tough times, you have to cut him some slack.
TRACEY: Oh Brad, you’ve always been so patient with everyone.
BRAD: You’re too sweet.
TRACEY: Shh, you hear that? I think we’re still being followed.
BRAD: Okay, I’ll look. Be ready to run.
*And so BRAD looks behind him, only to see a KILLER CLOWN behind them. THE CLOWN pulls out a knife and starts to run towards the two. *
BRAD: TRACEY, RUN!
*So the duo starts running as fast as they can. But then suddenly, TRACEY falls out of nowhere. *
TRACEY: Go on without me, Brad!
BRAD: I won’t leave you behind!
TRACEY: He’s catching up to us!
BRAD: I’ll hold him off, you go!
*And at that moment, the KILLER CLOWN catches up to the two. BRAD tries to fight him, but allas. TRACEY cries heavily as BRAD gets beheaded by the CLOWN, but she manages to run away. She runs until she gets out of the FOREST, to the SIDE OF THE ROAD. She sees JÜRGEN and runs towards him. *
TRACEY: JÜRGEN! Oh Jürgen, I’m so glad to see you!
JÜRGEN: I’m glad to see you too, m’lady. But where is Brad?
TRACEY: Oh Jürgen, Brad is… He’s… (She starts crying)
JÜRGEN sees his chance and takes the vulnerable TRACEY into his arms.
JÜRGEN: Shht, m’lady, it’s fine now, I’ll protect you.
TRACEY: Oh god, I’ll miss him so much.
JÜRGEN: But you still have me. I’ll never leave an amazing girl like you behind.
TRACEY: I think it’s time to get back home. Too much has happened already.
JÜRGEN: An excellent idea, m’lady! But… Do you have any idea how we’re going to get back to town?
TRACEY: Uh, no… I guess we can make it back by following the road?
JÜRGEN: Ah, of course! But I saw a sign that said that our town is 20 miles away, so it may take a while. No worries though, if m’lady gets too tired, I’ll carry you.
TRACEY: Ughh, okay… Let’s hope a car passes by.
*And so the two of them try and hitch a ride. The road is not very busy, but after a while, a car stops next to them. It’s driver is an average-looking MAN (40). *
MAN: Hey kids, do you need a ride?
JÜRGEN: Who are you calling a kid? While you were busy doing boring stuff like working, I studied the ways of the blade.
TRACEY: Shut up, Jürgen! Yes sir, we’re trying to get back to town.
MAN: Well, hop in, I’ll take you there!
TRACEY: Thank you so much!
*And so the two get into the car. *
MAN: So, what are your names?
TRACEY: I’m Tracey and this is Jürgen.
MAN: Well, nice to meet you two. And what brought you to the edge of the forest? Seems like a strange place for kids to hang around.
TRACEY: Yeah, it’s been a long day. You see, we went to the funeral of a friend of ours, when zombies suddenly started rising from the grave. So we fled to the nearby church, where we came across a priest. But he was killed by a ghost and we ran to the forest, where we were followed by a killer clown and then…
*(TRACEY starts crying) *
JÜRGEN: The clown killed Brad. He was kind of third wheeling m’lady and myself, but I guess he wasn’t the worst and didn’t deserve this.
MAN: Oh my, you’ve been through a lot, poor kids… Too bad you’re gonna go through a hell of a lot more.
TRACEY: What?
THE MAN pulls out a gas mask. TRACEY and JÜRGEN are too surprised to react immediately and then it’s too late. The teens drift off as the car gets filled with more and more sleep-inducing gas. The scene FADES OUT* as we see one last glimpse of THE MAN in his gas mask. *
We FADE IN to see JÜRGEN wake up in a BASEMENT.
JÜRGEN: Ugh, my head… What happened?
*JÜRGEN looks around the room, only to see that blood stains and cut off body parts are everywhere. He can’t take it and vomits. Then he collapses against the wall. *
TRACEY: Jürgen, Jürgen is that you?
JÜRGEN: M’lady? Where are you, m’lady?
TRACEY: I think I’m in the room next to you. It’s dark in here and I can’t see.
JÜRGEN: That might be for the best, m’lady. Oh wait, there’s a door over here, maybe I can get to you.
*But the door is locked. *
JÜRGEN: No luck. The vile creature that locked us here probably has the key.
TRACEY: I don’t get it, he seemed like a decent guy.
JÜRGEN: I don’t think he is, m’lady. I’m happy you can’t see this room. It’s horrible.
TRACEY: Oh no, Jürgen, do you think he’s going to hurt us?
JÜRGEN: We wouldn’t be the first ones he has hurt, it seems. Oh, fair maiden, what should we do?
TRACEY: Well… You said you had a pocket knife, right?
JÜRGEN: I do…
TRACEY: Then you should hurt him before he hurts us. When he comes back and gets close enough, stab him in the eye!
JÜRGEN: Wouldn’t it be better to stab him in the heart?
TRACEY: Don’t you know that you should always go for the head? The risk of stabbing in the wrong place is too high. You should go for the eye, it’s an easier target.
JÜRGEN: I see that m’lady knows a thing or two about knives. It makes you even more attractive, you know?
TRACEY: Oh, shut up and just do it, okay?
JÜRGEN: Of course, leave it to me, m’lady. I will protect you.
TRACEY: Now, pretend to be asleep when he comes back.
*And so JÜRGEN pretends to be still asleep from the gas. After a while, THE MAN comes back. *
THE MAN: Time to play…
*He approaches JÜRGEN, knife in hand. The boy still pretends to sleep. But when THE MAN is close enough, he takes out the knife and stabs him in the eye. *
THE MAN: AAAAAH.
TRACEY: You did it! Now, search his pockets for the key.
*So JÜRGEN looks for the key and frees TRACEY from the other room. *
TRACEY: Oh, Jürgen, can this day get any worse?
JÜRGEN: Shht, it’s over now, m’lady. He can’t hurt us anymore.
TRACEY: We can’t be too sure, though.
*So she takes the pocket knife and stabs THE MAN through his ribs multiple times. *
TRACEY: Okay, now let’s get out of here and go home.
JÜRGEN: I’d like that, m’lady.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN to JÜRGEN and TRACEY walking through their HOMETOWN.
TRACEY: Wow, I can’t believe we’ve been through so much shit today. First Tyrone, then that weird priest, Brad… When is it going to end?
JÜRGEN: Well, let me see if I can turn that frown upside down. Come with me, m’lady.
*And he takes TRACEY to a random sakura tree in the middle of the town. *
JÜRGEN: M’lady, we’ve been through hell today. Even though Brad wasn’t man enough, I’ve always been there to protect you. And I’ll always be there. But not just because I’m such a good guy. The truth is… I love you, my fair maiden. Please accept my confession and I’ll show you how a lady like you ought to be treated.
TRACEY: Jürgen…
JÜRGEN comes closer and pulls TRACEY into an embrace… When he feels a sharp pain and notices the knife sticking out of his belly.
JÜRGEN: M’lady… Why?
*But before TRACEY can answer, JÜRGEN dies. *
And this is where we FADE OUT and FADE IN to the real setting. TRACEY was a patient at a mental hospital all along. This was the story of how she escaped.
FLASHBACK
*TYRONE was the first one to get in her way. He was another patient and tried to convince her to stay. When he threatened to report her escape plans to the staff, she poisoned his food. *
FADE OUT, another FLASHBACK
*THE PRIEST actually worked at the hospital. TRACEY killed him when he too tried to convince her to stay at the institution, pulling him into the toilets to cut his throat. *
FADE OUT to yet another FlASHBACK.
*BRAD worked at the hospital too. He was many peoples favourite staff member because he was so kind and patient. TRACEY was in love with him, but soon realized he wasn’t going to help her escape. So when the two of them were alone, she stabbed him to death and blamed another patient. *
FADE OUT and back into one last FLASHBACK.
*TRACEY managed to escape with JÜRGEN, another patient. The two got away, but were caught by THE MAN, who actually was a police officer. TRACEY managed to convince JÜRGEN to kill the cop when he took them into custody. The two of them escaped the police and ran away. TRACEY realised that people would look for two people and she would have a better chance if she were on her own. So she stabbed JÜRGEN with his own pocket knife. *
We FADE OUT one last time and FADE IN to a close up of TRACEY laughing hysterically… Her plan worked and she is free now.