Kitchen Stairs Final Ext. Victorian

Kitchen Stairs Final

EXt. victorian estate house. day.

A moving van is seen in front of a large stone Victorian-era estate house in the English countryside. As the camera pans in, FATHER and BOBBY (6) are revealed among the boxes and furniture on the driveway and lawn. Camera moves to the open double doors to the INT. HOUSE.

Dark woods, wainscoting, moldings, and other trappings of the period are noticeable in abundance as the camera slowly moves through the house and upstairs, where it finds ALICIA (17) and MOTHER standing in a large bare room with faded floral wallpaper.

alcia

God damnit, Mom, this place sucks! There's no way I'm staying in a room with this ridiculous flowery crap on the walls, and who knows how much mold behind it!

MOTHER

Could you try not to be a complete pain in the ass for just one second? You've done nothing but complain for the past two weeks! You will make friends here, and boyfriends

alicia

I had firends in Chicago! And boyfriends! And they weren't limpt lttle Englishmen, either!

BOBBY comes running into the room, busily exploring the entire house.

MOTHER

Watch your language! Your brother doesn't need ot be hearing that kind of talk. I don't need to be hearing that kind of talk.

ALICIA

He shouldn't be in my room anyway. Stay out of my room, twerp! Or else I'll corrupt you with all kinds of dirty talk.

Mother

Alicia, be nice. You shouldn't be talking like that anyway, you're only seventeen...

ALICIA

Seventeen, Mom! Not seven! That's past the age of consent here! Past the drinking age, too. That's one good thing about living in (fakes British acent) jolly old Englad.

ALICIA storms out.

MOTHER

Well, it loks like your sister's getting settled. How about you?

EXT. HOUSE. Late afternoon.

ALICIA, MOTHER, and FATHER are unloading the last boxes from the truck. ALICIA is sullenly listening to her iPod as she stacks boxes; MOTHER and FATHER are struggling with an oversized sofa as they head up the steps to the front door.

FATher

Do you want me to get the back?

MOTHER

I can't walk backwards with this thing.

FATHER

Then you need to be able to lift it.

MOTHER

I'm sorry, it's heavy.

FATHER

You're the one that wanted to bring it...and the table, and the bookcases...

MOTHER

You're the one that's going to be sleeping on it tonight if this keeps up, whether or not it gets inside.

FATHER

Alicia, could you give me a hand with this?

ALICIA cannot hear over her iPod.

FATHER

Alicia? Aicia!

A sudden sound of crashing glass is accompanied by a shwoers of small slivers raining down on Alicia. Blood is seen on her face almost instantly, before she instictively covers her head in her arms.

MOTHER

Oh my God!

FATHER looks up sharply as he rushes over to his daughter.

FATHER

What the hell?

The camera pans up to reveal a broken window in the attic, directly below one of the peaks in the roof. The three rush inside, with MOTHER picking glass out of ALICIA's hair and examining the cuts on her face.

int. attic, butler's room. late afternoon.

BOBBY is seen standing in a small, dusty, and deteriorating apratment that is immaculate aside from the wear of a century. The broken window is visible in the backround as FATHER bursts in.

FATHER

Bobby, what are you doing up here?

BOBBY

Nothing.

FATHER

What happened to the window?

BOBBY

It broke.

FATHER

I can see that -- you almost killed your sister, you know.

BOBBY

I didn't do it.

FATHER

Don't lie, Bobby. You're the only one up here.

BOBBY

It just broke.

MOTHER and ALICIA walk into the room, ALICIA dabbing at her face with a damp cloth.

ALCIA

Thanks for the new face, retard.

MOTHER

Stop it. I'm sure it was an accident.

BOBBY

I didn't do it.

FATHER

Bobby, we're not discussing this anymore. Apologize to your sister inand get out of this room.

MOTHER

What is this place anyway? It looks like it hasn't been touched in years.

ALICIA

Just like the rest of the house.

MOTHER

No, I mean it, This lamp must be a hundred years old...the bed, too.

ALICIA

So?

MOTHER

So, I don't want you kids playing up here. This stuff is valuable.

FATHER

And dangerous.

BOBBY

I didn't break it!

FATHER

Enough.

The family leaves, the camera lingering on the room for a moment.

INT. Alicia's room. night.

ALICIA is on her bed, stereo going, talking on the phone.

ALicia

Yeah...(giggles) Then what? Oooh! (laughs)

A scuffling sound and movement of shadow is noticed outside her door.

ALICIA

(still into phone)

First I'd...slide your shirt off, and start kissing my way...

The scuffling is heard again, then a thump. More shadows. ALICIA gets up to investigate.

ALICIA

(into phone)

Hold on to that thought...(giggles)...that too

ALICIA goes to the door and sans the hallway. It is empty.

ALICIA

(shouting down the hallway)

You'd better stay out of here, perv!

She re-enters her room, shutting the door, and flops back on her bed.

alicia

(into phone)

Where were we? Oh, really? I don't remember getting to that part yet. I thought I was just about to...

Again, more scuffling, shadows, etc.

ALICIA

God damnit!

She drops the phone, gets off of her bed and leaps across the room.

ALICIA

Get the hell out of here, Bobby!

She throws open the door; the hall is again empty.

ALICIA

Mom, keep the little runt out of my room!

She continues to investigate, heading down the hallway to a door ajar at the end. She approaches it slowly, sneaking up on her brother. She suddenly throws the door open to reveal a dark, enclosed staricase with another door at the bottom, mostly open, revealing BOBBY standing in the kitchen.

ALICIA

Stop snooping, you little booger.

BOBBY

I wasn't.

ALICIA

I heard you, okay. Knock it off, or I'll bury your legos.

BOBBY

But I didn't!

ALICIA

Just stay away from my room, okay?

ALICIA turns and leaves. BOBBY stands in the kitchen for a moment, then hurriedly closes the door to the stairs and runs out.

int. kitchen. day.

MOTHER is humming to herself as she tends to the eggs and bacon frying on the stove. The kitchen is airy and bright, with an alrge window over the sink letting in the sun. A few boxes remain half unpack on the counter/in the corners, but mostly the room looks put together. BOBBY comes running in.

MOTHER

Good morning, sweetheart.

BOBBY

Morning, Mom.

MOTHER

Are you almost ready for breakfast?

BOBBY

What are we having?

mother

I have some eggs and bacon, we have cereal...what do you wnat?

BOBBY

A cookie.

MOTHER

For breakfast? Well, just this once.

MOTHER gets the cookie jar down from on top of the fridge and hands BOBBY a cookie.

BOBBY

Thanks, Mom!

BOBBY runs out; MOTHER puts the lid on the cookie jar and places it back on the fridge, nearer the edge than it had been previously. She returns to the stove and is removing an egg when suddenly the cookie jar tumbles and shatters.

MOTHER

Oh, crap.

MOTHER heads over the pile of ceramic shards and cookie bits, and squats down to pick them up when suddenly all hell breaks loose. The window shatters inwards, with a high, screaming wind blowing the glass and the curtains violently into the kitchen. The eggs on the stove explode, spattering the walls and ceiling with goo, things fly out of the unpacked boxes, cupboard open and shut on their own, etc. The dor to the kitchen stairs swings suddenly open, crashing agsint the wall, and an odd groaning/moaning is heard. MOTHER is cowering in a ball on the foor, her head buried in her arms. Suddenly, everything is quiet. MOTHER looks around; the kitchen is spotless, the window and cookie jar are both intact, everything is ini ts place, and the eggs and bacon have been piled neatly on a serving plate, perfectly cooked.

FLASHBAck. Ext. Day.

MOTHER, as a youn teenager, is watching her mother be dragged away by men in white suits as she screams about the invaders trying to take over her house. A man in a suit approaches the young MOTHER.

SUIT

We're very sorry about this, but your mother's dementia has goten to extreme for her to take care fo herself, or you, do you understand?

MOTHER stands mutely weeping.

SUIT

You'll be better off knowing that she's being taken care of, and that you don;t have to worry about her, OK?

MOTHER still gives no response.

SUIT

Well, you know where to find me if you need anything.

SUIT turns away, lighting a cigarette and heading to his car where a nurse is also waiting. MOTHER overhears him mutter to the nurse

SUIT

The whole family's bonkers. We'll be carting the daughter away next.

INT. KITCHEN. DAY.

MOTHER gets up off the floor, takes the plate of food, and exits the kitchen, calling

MOTHER

Breakfast's ready!

int. dining room. day.

MOTHER, ALICIA, and BOBBY are seated around the table. ALICIA and BOBBY are eating hungrily; MOTHER is staring at the wall vacantly.

ALICIA

What's wrong, Mom?

MOTHER

(distracted)

Hmm?

ALICIA

I asked you what's wrong. You've been taring at the wall for the past five minutes.

MOTHER

It's nothing, honey.

BOBBY

It's the kitchen.

MOTHER looks sharply at BOBBY.

MOTHER

What?

BOBBY

The kitchen. it's weird in there. I don;t really like it. It feels...funny. Like someone is after you.

ALICIA

(in a spooky voice)

And if you aren't a good little boy, the spirit of the kitchen will put you in the oven and make you into Thanksgiving dinner!

ALICIA cackles wickedly. FATHER enters, dressed for work and carrying a briefcase. He kisses MOTHEr on the top of the head.

FATHER

Isn't it a little early for evil laughter? What's going on?

ALICIA

I'm just telling Bobby hat he's right about the kitchen being haunted...

MOTHER

That's enough, you two. This house is not haunted.

ALICIA

No, that would be too exciting.

ALICIA flounces up from the table and out of the room.

MOTHER

Alicia, come back and clear your plate!

FATHER

Good luck today.

FATHER kisses MOTHER again and exits, leaving MOTHER sitting at the table again looking distratced and despondent.

BOBBY

Mom...

MOTHER

Go play, honey, OK? I'll take care of your plate.

BOBBY

But..

MOTHER

Just go, Bobby, OK?

BOBBY exits slowly, hurt. MOTHER drops her head and starts to cry.

Int. DIning room. night.

MOTHER and FATHER are having a discussion in hushed tones at the dining room table. ALICIA is descending the main staircase; she stops and listens to her parents' conversation.

FATHER

It's nothing to worry about.

MOTHER

Yes, it is. This is real. It happened to my mother when she was around my age.

FATHER

But she showed signs way earlier. And besides, there are better treatments now...psychiatry has come a long way in the past few decades.

MOTHER

Yeah, now I can just be doped up the rest of my life.

FATHER

That's not true. You're not crazy.

MOTHER

What I saw in the kitchen this morning...

FATHER

Was brought on by stress from the move, and jet lag, and being in this old creepy house.

MOTHER

I love this house.

FATHER

So do I, but, you know, it's old, and you're tired...

MOTHER

I know, I know.

FATHER

You have enough to worry about without thinking you're going crazy.

MOTHER

Gee, thanks.

BOBBY appears on the stairs, descending, a picture book in his hands.

ALICIA

Don't bug them right now, twerp.

BOBBY

But I want Mom to read me a story.

ALICA

They're busy, OK? (She softens) C'mon, I'll read to you, alright?

They exit up the stairs.

Int. kitchen staircase. day.

BOBBY is in the upstairs hallway at the top of the kitchen stairs, starting a slinky on its way down. It goes from the top step to the first one down, then stops. BOBBY steps down, resets, tries again. Slinky moves one or two stairs, stops. BOBBY tries on more time, following the slinky until he is well inside the staircase. Suddenly, both the top and bottom dors to te staircase slam shut, enveloping BOBBY in darkness. He starts screaming; a scuffling sound is heard, along with moaning/groaning, a whoosh of wind, clattering sounds on the stairs, etc. BOBBY is very faintly visible as he tumbles -- perhaps pushed by an unseen force -- down the stairs, brusiing himself repeatedly until he comes to rest at the bottom, where the door swings slowly open and all is again quiet, except for BOBBY's whimpers. He picks himself up and looks back; the slinky is halfway up the staircase. BOBBY suddenly turns and runs away.

INT. ATTIC, BUTLER'S ROOM. DAy.

ALICIA is poking around, looking for a place to hide a pack of cigarettes, when BOBBY enters unannounced.

BOBBY

What are you doing?

ALICIA

(hidiing the cigarettes behind her back)

Nothing. What are you doing up here? Oh my God, Bobby, what happened to you?

The bruises are still forming on BOBBY's arms/face; there are visible scrapes and blood as well.

BOBBY

I fell down the stairs.

ALICIA

Are you OK?

BOBBY

Yeah.

ALICIA

What a trooper.

BOBBY

(indicating what's behind ALICIA's back)

What's that?

ALICIA

Nothing, kiddo.

BOBBY

Are you trying to hide it?

ALICIA

No..well, yeah, do you think we could find a good hiding spot up here?

They begin searching the room for a hiding spot. ALICIA opens one of the drawers in the dresser and discovers a stack of newspaper clippings and old photographs. She leafs through tehm silenetly as BOBBY continues rummaging about the room. The photographs show a Victorian era family -- Mother, Father, several older children including a girl around Alicia's age, and a young boy about Bobby's age. A butler and maid are also visible holding ahnds off to one side fo the photograph. This is set aside to reveal a headlinefrom a very old newspaper: "Family Murdered by Maid, Butler Dies Defending."

ALICIA

Oh my God!

BOBBY

What?

ALICIA

Nothing, Bobby.

BOBBY

What are you looking at?

ALICIA

Just some old stuff about the family that used to live here.

BOBBY

(pointing at the photograph)

Is that them?

ALICIA

Yeah, that's them.

She goes back to the drawer whre she found the itmes, and removes a wooden plaque with the hand carved words, "May His Spirit Rest Here Forever." Meanwhile, BOBBY has picked up the photographs/clippings and is leafing through tehm reading what he can.

ALICIA

(about the plaque)

Weird.

BOBBY

Does this say the family that used to live here was killed?

ALICIA

That was like, over a hundred years ago.

BOBBY

(Pointing at the butler in the picture)

He did it.

ALICIA

No, the article says it was the maid.

She scans the article, delivering information as she absorbs it.

ALICIA

They were married, and apparently the maid was jealous and killed the family in order to rob them...her husband -- thet's the butler, whose room we're in -- caught her with the youngest son, but it was too late for him.

BOBBY

What happened to her?

ALICIA

They think that the butler tried to capture her at the top of the kitchen stirs, but she stabbed him and they both fell down the stairs, nd were dead on the kitchen floor when they were found. It looks like they kept the butler's room the same way out of respect for what he tried to do.

BOBBY

That's why it's so creepy up here. And in the kitchen.

ALICIA

What do you mean?

BOBBY

The kitchen feels weird -- like someone's always after you. It caught me on the stairs. It pushed me.

ALICIA

What pushed you?

BOBBY

The butler. Or the maid.

EXT. House. evening.

FATHER is outside on his cell phone, a business call. ALICIA approaches from the back door.

ALICIA

Dad?

FATHER

Just a minute. (into phone) I'll call you with the details in a few days. Alright. Bye. (hangs up; to ALICIA) What's up? Are you geting used to this English air?

ALICIA

Sure, I guess.

FATHER

I know this move hasn't been easy, but it'll get better, you'll see.

ALICIA

I don;t know how easy it'll be in a haunted house.

FATHER

What are you talking about?

ALICIA

Bobby keeps talking about how the kitchen feels weird, and today he says something pushed him down the stairs

FATHEr

Bobby feel down the stairs? Is he OK?

ALICIA

He's fine, Dad, but he says he didn't fall, something pushed him, and today in the attic room I found father

Your mother told you not to go up there! What were thinking?

alicia

Look, I'm sorry, OK, but thepoint is a whole family was murdered here and...

FATHER

Whatever happened here happened a long time ago, and there's no such thing as ghosts. We live here now, and you're just going t have to deal with. Stop brekaing your mother's rules, stop scaring your little brother, and grow up, Alicia!

FATHER stroms back into the house, leaving ALICIA alone outside.

Int. bobby's room. day.

BOBBY is playing on the floor when ALICIA enters.

ALICIA

Hey kiddo.

BOBBY

Hey.

ALICIA

Whatcha doin'?

BOBBY

Playing.

ALICIA

Wanna play someting else?

BOBBY

(wary)

What?

ALICIA

Mmm..how about a ghost hunt?

BOBBY

You mean in the kitchen?

ALICIA

or on the stairs.

BOBBY

I dunno...

ALICIA

C'mon, it'll be fun. I'll protect you.

INT. HALLWAY, top of kitchen staircase.

The door at the top of the stairs is closed; ALICIA and BOBBY are huddled in the hallway next to it.

ALICIA

Now, let's stop and think for a minute.

BOBBY

What are we gonna do?

ALICIA

I'm not sure. I'venever done this before.

BOBBY

Me neither.

ALICIA

No shit, Sherlock.

BOBBY

You're not supposed to say that.

ALICIA

I know. Sorry, kiddo. What were you doing when you got pushed?

BOBBY

Just playing on the stairs. My slinky's still there.

ALICIA

Well, let's get it back.

She pulls open the door, and suddenly BOBBY is yanked by his arm into the space. ALICIA only just manages to grab his other hand before he disappears entirely into the darkened staircase. BOBBY begins screaming.

ALICIA

Hold on, Bobby! I've got you!

The struggle continues, then there is a soft sighing sound and evidence of a gentle breeze around ALICIA; she looks around panicked but obviously feels something helping her, as BOBBY is slowly brought back into the hallway. The presence leaves ALICIA and the door slams shut on its own; it begins rattling violently as ALICIA and BOBBY run back to BOBBY's room.

INT. BOBBY'S ROOM. DAY.

ALICIA

Are you OK?

BOBBY

My arms hurt.

ALICIA

Sorry, buddy. It looks like they're still attached though, huh?

She is rewared with a smile. Suddnely, though, BOBBY's face turns serious.

BOBBY

It was the butler, Alicia.

ALICIA

What do you mean?

BOBBY

The butler was the one grabbing me, and he's the one that killed everbody.

ALICIA

How do you know?

BOBBY

I just do.

ALICIA

Something was helping me pull you back -- maybe that was the butler.

BOBBY shakes his head in a solemn "no."

ALICIA

Well, I know what place we might be able to find out.

INT. ATTIC, BUTLER'S ROOM. DAY.

ALICIA has the photographs/newspaper clippings spread out on the bed; BOBBY is poking around in the closet.

ALICIA

The whole story is right here, Bobby. The maid and the butler were married, and lived with the family for years. Tehn the maid snapped, apparently, and went around stabbing everyone before her husband caught her. She stabbed him too; they fell down the stairs and she broke her neck, and that was that.Bobby?

A muffled scream is heard from the closet, then a tearing/crashing.

ALICIA

(rushing to the closet)

Bobby!! !

int. attic, maid's room.

BOBBY has fallen through a false wall into what used to be the other half of the servants' quarters. Teh artifacts of the maid's existence are here, torn and disfigured by those that boarded up the room.

BOBBY

Oops.

ALICIA

Whoah...look at all of this! They destroyed her!

BOBBY

Who?

ALICIA

The maid. The one that killed everybody.

BOBBY

It was the butler.

ALICIA

Whatever.

The two continue exploring. ALICIA finds a loose board and pries it up; undernetah is a small box with photographs of the youngest son in the family from the time he was an infant through to his final age of six years. Also in the box are several scraps of paper and a piece of embroidery commemorating the christening of Robert Nicholas Smithfield, the young Victorian boy. The parents are listed as Mrs. Hermione Smithfield and Robert Thornton -- the butler.

ALICIA

Holy shit!

BOBBY

You're not supposed to say that!

ALICIA

Shut up, Bobby. Go get me that picture of the family -- it's in there (indicating the butelr's room).

BOBBY leaves as LAICIA re-examines the photographs of the boy. BOBBY returns with the picture of the family. The youngest boy is most certainly the same as the boy in the other photographs, and bears a striking resemblance to the butler. Looking closely, ALICIA notices that the maid's eyes are turned slightly towards Robert Nicholas.

ALICIA

Bobby, do you think these two llok alike?

BOBBY

Yeah. That's his dad.

ALICIA

I think so to.

BOBBY

I know so. But everyone pretended he wasn't.

ALICIA

How do you know that.

BOBBY

She just said so, silly!

ALICIA

Who just said so?

BOBBY

(pointing to a bare corner in the room)

She did.

ALICIA

There's no one there, Bobby.

BOBBY

The maid's there. Can't you see her?

ALICIA

C'mon Bobby, let's go.

She grabs BOBBy's hand and leads him through the wall, then running they exit the attic, all with BOBBY protesting.

INT. BOBBY'S ROOM. DAY.

BOBBY

What's the matter?

ALICIA

Are you sure you saw the maid up in that room?

BOBBY

Sure. She's the same as in the picture.

ALICIA

And that doesn't scare you?

BOBBY

No.

ALICIA

I thought you were scared of ghsots. You're supposed to be scared of gosts. Everyone's scared of ghosts.

BOBBY

Is that what she is? She was nice. it's the butler taht's scary, I keep telling you.

ALICIA

You've seen him, too?

BOBBY

Not really. He doesn't show up the way she does. But he's mean, and I can tell.

ALICIA

What else can you tell?

BOBBY