The Conjuring
The Conjuring
FADE IN:
Widen to see -
Judson cracks the reins hard, the horses rear, then bolt
like they’re shot out of a cannon, kicking up mud as they
thunder faster to the house.
The wails are almost more than Judson can take as he drives
the team right to the front door, and reins back hard,
hopping off the wagon before it comes to a halt, then --
Rage fills his face. He pivots. Dashes back out the front
door, where --
Judson leaps off the porch and dashes by the ranch hand
who’s reigning in the horses that seem spooked. He picks up
speed as he moves around the side of the house, where he
sees a woman in a long grey dress, bare feet and lengthy
jet black hair, dashing into the barn and closing the door
behind her.
Judson races in. Stops and listens. It’s cave dark, the
dawn light only penetrating the first few feet of the
opening. Then --
SMASH CUT TO
BLACK:
FADE UP:
SUPER - 1972
ROGER (V.O.)
Here we are --
CINDY
Oh my God, this place looks so
boring -- we’re like in the middle
of nowhere.
ROGER
Do you hear that?
CAROLYN
I don’t hear anything.
ROGER
Exactly.
4.
Carolyn looks over to open space between the house and the
barn.
CAROLYN
I see where I’m putting my garden.
CUT TO:
ANDREA
I get first dibs on the rooms.
CINDY
Do I get to pick my own room, or do
I have no choice in that too?
CAROLYN
This is why some animals eat their
young.
ROGER
C’mon, girl.
ROGER
Sadie, c’mon --
ROGER
Dumb dog.
DISSOLVE TO:
5.
ROGER
That goes in the living room.
ROGER
Just put that down in the cellar.
It’s the last door at the end of
the hall here.
DISSOLVE TO:
ANDREA
Can I hang up my bird feeder?
CAROLYN
Of course. I think I saw a hook on
the back porch.
CUT TO:
6.
She sees the hook her mom was talking about and carries the
feeder over to it.
VOICE
Andrea --
She slowly turns her head, can’t figure out where it’s
coming from as she scans the darkness.
ANDREA
-- Hello?
ANDREA
Oh, hello --
ANDREA
Where’d you come from? C’mere
kitty.
CUT TO:
CUT TO:
ANDREA
Were you calling me?
ROGER
No.
ANDREA
I think there’s a cat that lives
here --
He slides his arms around her and kisses her neck, she
likes it.
CAROLYN
Careful -- this may turn into
something fun.
ROGER
-- If only I had the energy.
(beat)
I was thinking about running into
town and grabbing a pizza at that
place we passed.
CAROLYN
That’d be great.
CAROLYN
Thank you for this.
(beat)
I know it was a lot for us to chew
off, but it’s going to be great,
isn’t it --
ROGER
Yeah -- it is.
DISSOLVE TO:
A matching bedroom set has been set up. Numerous boxes are
stacked and waiting to be unpacked as Carolyn pulls some
clothes from a wardrobe box at the foot of her bed and
walks them into --
THE CLOSET
ROGER O.C.
I don’t know what her problem is.
I’ve tried ten times to get her to
come inside.
ROGER
Last box for tonight. I’m beat.
CAROLYN
We can’t just leave her out there,
she might run away.
ROGER
I’ll find something to tether her
to. Maybe a night outside will help
change her mind.
CAROLYN
You weren’t just on the roof, were
you?
CAROLYN
I heard something, sounded like
footsteps.
9.
ROGER
It’s an old house honey, it’s going
to make some noises.
ROGER
Oh great.
CAROLYN
Maybe grab a flashlight too --
DISSOLVE TO:
CUT TO:
Carolyn comes out the back door. Listens, it’s much louder.
Her attention is drawn to the woods directly behind the
house where the screaming is coming from.
ROGER
Whoa -- sorry.
CAROLYN
What is that?
ROGER
(amused)
Tree frogs -- about as big as
softballs. They’re fucking.
CAROLYN
10.
ROGER
I used to catch them as a kid at my
Grand-dad’s.
CAROLYN
Sounds like some pretty rough sex.
ROGER
I think it’s going to take some
time for this city girl to get used
to this country living.
CAROLYN
I think you’re right.
CAROLYN
(coy)
You still too tired?
ROGER
Those frogs make you horny?
CAROLYN
No -- you do.
CUT TO:
DISSOLVE TO:
The bathroom door opens and Cindy sticks her head out --
CINDY
Do you think maybe we could’ve
bought a house that has a toilet
that works --
CAROLYN
Tell your dad.
CINDY
And there was this really funky
smell in my bedroom last night --
like something died.
CAROLYN
Is it there now?
CINDY
No.
CAROLYN
Problem solved.
Cindy rolls her eyes, then retreats back into the bathroom.
CUT TO:
CUT TO:
She then notices that the small clock she put next to them
has stopped at 5:15 as well --
ANDREA O.C.
Mommy, where’s Sadie?
CAROLYN
She’s out front. Why don’t you see
if she’ll come in. She’s got to be
hungry.
ROGER
Slow down there, kiddo.
ROGER
What is it?
ROGER
-- Damn. Is the ledge hot?
CAROLYN
(a little spooked)
Not at all.
(beat)
And look at the clock -- it stopped
at 5:15. So did the one in the
hall.
CUT TO:
Andrea comes out of the front door. She sees an iron post
pounded into the ground with a chain snaking off it.
Sadie’s tail is visible, but a full view of her is hidden
by a bush at the bottom of the stairs.
13.
ANDREA
Sadie --
ANDREA
Wake up girl --
Andrea takes a step down to the next. She claps her hands
together.
ANDREA
C’mon girl -- time for breakfast!
Andrea comes down off the last step, she blanches. Her
little lips start to tremble at what she sees.
Sadie lies dead on the ground, the chain wrapped around her
body like an Anaconda, her tongue protrudes, limp; her eyes
are dull, white.
DISSOLVE TO:
Over black.
ED (V.O.)
Fear is defined as a feeling of
agitation and anxiety caused by the
presence or imminence of danger. I
don’t care if it’s a demon, a
ghost, a spirit or an entity --
they all feed on it.
(beat)
Take Maurice here --
ED
14.
LORRAINE
If you look at his eyes, you can
see them tearing blood onto his
shirt.
LORRAINE
And upside down crosses started
appearing on his body.
TWO UPSIDE DOWN CROSSES pushing OUT at his skin from the
inside. Camera closes in.
ED
That’s good, Jerome, why don’t you
hit the lights --
LORRAINE
-- We investigate roughly a hundred
or so cases a year.
AFRO
Cool. Thanks.
GLASSES
This is some creepy shit you two do
for a living --
GLASSES
So how do you keep these things
from going after you?
ED
We don’t get personally involved
with people we’re working with or
what we’re investigating -- it
makes you emotionally vulnerable
which gives them a way in. And of
course, our faith in God.
PONYTAIL
-- I wake up at night sometimes and
it feels like someone’s laying next
to me. Have you ever dealt with
anything like that before?
LORRAINE
Many times.
(beat)
Does it scare you?
PONYTAIL
I’m a little freaked, yeah.
LORRAINE
16.
PONYTAIL
-- Not really. It’s just weird.
LORRAINE
(gentle)
Come here for a sec --
LORRAINE
Give me your hands.
LORRAINE
The bed you sleep in, belonged to
your Grandmother, didn’t it?
PONYTAIL
(amazed)
Yeah.
LORRAINE
And you were very close before she
died.
PONYTAIL
She raised me.
LORRAINE
It’s her.
LORRAINE
You need to let her know that
you’re okay so she can move on. She
still worries about you.
PONYTAIL
How do I do that?
LORRAINE
Next time you have that feeling,
tell her.
GLASSES
I’d love to know what scares you
the most?
ED
Being married to a clairvoyant --
there’s not a whole lot I can get
away with.
CUT TO:
ED
So, you feel like Chinese?
JEROME O.C.
I hate to bail on you, but I think
I’m going to do some “tutoring”.
DISSOLVE TO:
Roger gets to the guy, who turns and faces him. His shirt
has a name tag, reads: Carl.
ROGER
Did you find the problem?
CARL
Yeah -- but you’re not going to
like it.
ROGER
They teach you guys to say that,
right?
CARL
It’s the septic -- needs to be
replaced. It’s got to be at least
forty years old.
ROGER
Can’t you just rig it somehow?
CARL
Someone’s already used that one up.
ROGER
So -- what’re we looking at?
CARL
All in -- about fourteen grand.
CUT TO:
ROGER
Seven grand for the new electrical
and now fourteen for this --
CAROLYN
We knew there could be problems,
honey.
ROGER
Yeah, but I don’t know how much
more we can afford.
ROGER
I got a call from Mike this morning
-- because of this damn gas crunch,
they’re going to have to start
laying people off.
CAROLYN
Does that mean you?
ROGER
I’m not exactly senior there --
DISSOLVE TO:
CINDY O.C.
-- School basically sucks, there’s
no cute guys -- and there’s so many
friggin bugs --
CAROLYN
Bed. Five minutes.
CUT TO:
ANDREA
How’d you get in here?
As she sits upright, the cat scurries off the bed and out
of her room into the hallway.
ANDREA
What’s wrong, Kitty?
She reaches in and moves a couple aside, sees the cat, but
her breath gets caught in her throat, the blacklight has
made its eyes look wild, almost demonic as it stares at
something that’s seemingly right behind her. She snaps a
look back over her shoulder, but nothing’s there.
CAROLYN
Hey, you’re supposed to be asleep.
ANDREA
I saw that cat again, it went into
the closet.
CAROLYN
22.
Really--?
CAROLYN
You sure?
ANDREA
Yeah, I swear.
CAROLYN
It’s not here now. It probably just
slipped out and we didn’t see it.
CAROLYN
C’mon, let’s get you back into bed.
I’ll look for it.
CUT TO:
ANDREA
When’s daddy going to be back?
CAROLYN
He said he’s going to try to make
it home tonight.
ANDREA
How come he’s gone so much?
CAROLYN
He lost his job, sweetie, so he’s
driving for anyone he can right now
-- we gotta pay the bills.
ANDREA
Well, bills suck.
23.
Carolyn smiles.
CAROLYN
They sure do.
ANDREA
Will you lie down with me?
CAROLYN
-- Sure.
DISSOLVE TO:
She comes off the bottom step and guardedly moves down the
hallway to the door.
She slowly gets onto her hands and knees. Targets a one
inch gap between the bottom of the door and floor with the
flashlight, then thumbs the switch.
THE LIGHT INSTANTLY REFLECTS OFF TWO EYES BORING RIGHT BACK
AT HER from within the dark recess but there’s nothing
human, nor animal about them.
CINDY O.C.
(concerned)
What’s going on?
CAROLYN
Stay up there!
DISSOLVE TO:
CUT TO:
CAROLYN
Careful.
CUT TO:
Roger comes up off the stairs. Closes the door behind him.
Looks up to Carolyn and the girls who are waiting with
baited breath upstairs.
ROGER
There’s nothing down there. The
scratches were probably already on
the door and your light just was
playing tricks on you; maybe
reflected off the railing or
something.
CAROLYN
(adamant)
I know what I saw Roger, and heard
it digging at the door.
ROGER
26.
ANDREA
Maybe it was the cat.
CINDY
This house gives me the creeps, we
never should’ve moved here. I want
to go back to New Jersey.
ANDREA
I’m scared, mommy
ROGER
Just stop, both of you. There’s
nothing down there. Now it’s late -
- just go to bed.
CAROLYN
You think I’m making this up?
ROGER
I think moving here has been a big
adjustment. Maybe too big.
DISSOLVE TO:
RACHEL
It’s always in the middle of the
night, around two-thirty.
LORRAINE
And they’re different sounds?
DAVID
27.
RACHEL
I think it’s David’s dad haunting
me -- trying to get me out of this
house.
LORRAINE
Why would he do that?
RACHEL
Because he hated me when we were
dating -- he told me I wasn’t good
enough for his son. He died before
we got married, and he’s the one
who left him this house.
(beat)
He’s frickin buried fifty yards
across the street. I don’t even
like living here -- it gives me the
heebs.
ED
And this is where it’s strongest?
Both nod.
RACHEL
We don’t have to go up there with
you, do we?
LORRAINE
No -- you can wait here.
LORRAINE
Funny how all attics smell the same
--
LORRAINE
Forgotten relatives, maybe?
ED
No -- First Place Curling.
(beat)
You’re not getting anything, are
you?
LORRAINE
Not a thing.
David and Rachel come up the stairs with Ed. Both look
nervous to be up there. Lorraine’s standing over by the
broken window.
ED
I know a lot of people would be
creeped out living by a cemetery
and -- throw a very old home into
the equation, and you’re going to
get the creaking, moaning sounds --
especially at night when
temperature and humidity changes
are the greatest and can cause some
shifting in the structure.
DAVID
It’s not that. We would know the
difference.
29.
RACHEL
Ohmygod, that’s it --
ED
Do it again, Lorraine --
ED
Right now, it’s Lorraine’s weight,
but add the moisture coming in
through this broken window at night
-- the boards are going to expand
and rub against each other.
(beat)
You’ve heard it in different parts
of the house because of the
radiator.
RACHEL
So this place isn’t haunted?
LORRAINE
No.
ED
You’re not alone, a lot of what we
investigate turns out like this.
DISSOLVE TO:
CUT TO:
MOM
Be careful honey, you don’t want to
let Gertrude out.
Just as they close the coop door, Judy spots her parents.
JUDY
Daddy!!
ED
Hey there pumpkin!
JUDY
Hi mommy!
Judy runs across the yard and leaps into Ed’s arms. Gives
him a big hug. Lorraine sees that she’s got something dark
smeared all over her face.
LORRAINE
What’cha got on your face?
JUDY
Fudgesicles!
JUDY
I ate the whole box!
MOM
Oh, not the whole box -- I did
manage to have one.
ED
Hi mom.
LORRAINE
I missed you!
CUT TO:
CUT TO:
FATHER JORDON
Hey Ed -- how’d it go?
ED (V.O.)
The house was empty --
FATHER JORDON
That’s good news. I appreciate your
help.
ED (V.O.)
You bet.
(beat)
Was your father any better today?
FATHER JORDON
Yeah -- we actually got him up and
walking around. I think he’s going
to be fine. Thanks for asking.
CUT TO:
JUDY
Grandma really snores.
Lorraine chuckles.
LORRAINE
C’mon, let’s get you into bed.
LORRAINE
I missed you so much.
JUDY
I missed you too.
LORRAINE
Sleep tight.
CUT TO:
ROGER
Glen, I’m just looking for
anything, man -- I need to get
something going on or I’m going to
lose the insurance on the rig.
(listens; frustrated)
That’s half my rate and twice the
distance.
(listens; giving in)
Yeah, alright, alright, I’ll take
it.
CAROLYN
(sympathetic)
What’s the route?
ROGER
Fucking Florida. Two week turn
arounds. I start tomorrow.
DISSOLVE TO:
CUT TO:
ROGER
Andrea--?
HALLWAY - LATER
ROGER
Demons peering in through windows,
cold spots, doors rattling, voices
-- everyone was fine until you
started putting all this scared,
city-girl bullshit in their heads.
CAROLYN
No I haven’t -- there’s something
wrong with this place.
ROGER
Then how come I haven’t seen it?
CAROLYN
I don’t know.
(pleading)
I’m scared to death, Roger. We need
to get someone out here, a priest
or someone.
35.
ROGER
To do what?
CAROLYN
I have no idea. Bless it --
whatever they do.
ROGER
Yeah -- that’s just what the girls
need to see next -- someone walking
around here with a cross damning
everything out of this house.
(beat)
I can’t listen to anymore of this
shit.
He heads downstairs.
CAROLYN
Roger, please.
DISSOLVE TO:
Roger awakens. Sits up. Rubs his groggy eyes, then rises.
Goes to the TV. Just as he turns off the TV, he hears the
LOW CREAKING SOUND OF A DOOR opening. He heads to the
hallway to investigate. As he passes a Grandfather clock,
the time reads: 5:15.
The banging stops the minute he gets to the door. The house
falls into an awful silence. He opens the kitchen door,
looks inside.
36.
DISSOLVE TO:
DISSOLVE TO:
CAROLYN
How’s the homework going?
CINDY
It’s going.
CAROLYN
Andrea and I are going to bed.
CINDY
I’ll be in, in a little bit.
DISSOLVE TO:
LATER.
CINDY
(softly)
Mom--?
No response.
37.
CAROLYN O.C.
Excuse me, Father Thorton?
CUT TO:
38.
FATHER THORTON
-- It sounds to me that it’s far
beyond just needing a blessing. Let
me make a call to the Diocese and
see if we can get someone out here
to help that’s a little more
qualified in these matters.
CAROLYN
Thank you --
DISSOLVE TO:
ED (V.O.)
-- Hello?
DISSOLVE TO:
LORRAINE
I just wish you had talked to me.
ED
I’m sorry, I didn’t think it was
that big of a deal. Sounds like
this family really needs some help.
LORRAINE
We were in Maine last week, New
York the week before --
39.
ED
C’mon, what’s going on?
LORRAINE
I’m just not sure how much longer I
want to do this. There’s always
going to be another case, Ed.
LORRAINE
Judy’s growing up so fast -- we’re
on the road all the time... it was
different when she was younger.
ED
Tell you what, let’s check this one
out, then take a break -- see how
you feel after that -- okay?
LORRAINE
-- Sure.
Ed rises.
She shows him her arms, has GOOSEBUMPS all over them.
ED
I guess we’re in the right place.
CUT TO:
Resume -
Ed looks to Lorraine.
ED
You’re getting something --
LORRAINE
Um-hum.
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
Carolyn?
CAROLYN
-- You found it okay?
ED
Yeah, no problem.
41.
CAROLYN
These are my daughters, Cindy and
Andrea.
CINDY/ANDREA
-- Hi.
CAROLYN
Come in.
CUT TO:
CAROLYN
-- In the last few nights it’s
gotten even worse.
ED
-- And these apparitions, do any of
them have a smell?
CINDY
The one I saw. It was horrible,
like rotting meat.
Ed glances to Lorraine.
CAROLYN
What? What is it? Please.
ED
It usually indicates some kind of
demonic activity.
CAROLYN
-- Ohmygod.
CAROLYN
It keeps them from banging at
night.
42.
ED
Comes in threes -- bang bang bang?
She nods.
ED
It’s an insult to the trinity;
father, son & Holy Spirit -- and I
bet it stops at dawn.
Another nod.
ED
God’s light.
LORRAINE
Do you have a dog?
CAROLYN
Used to.
LORRAINE
A black lab?
CAROLYN
Yes. Sadie.
LORRAINE
What happened to her?
CAROLYN
The first night we moved in she
wouldn’t come in the house -- so
Roger had to tether her out front.
(beat)
CAROLYN
Andrea found her dead in the
morning -- she had choked herself
to death on the chain.
CAROLYN
We don’t go down there anymore.
ED
Why?
CAROLYN
43.
Lorraine gets to the door and pulls the chair and wedge
free, opens the door, revealing.
Lorraine heads down the stairs. As she steps off the bottom
step, she’s hit with a BOMBARDMENT OF FAST, HARD HITTING
IMAGES OF FIVE DEAD, SKINLESS RABBITS sprawled out across
the bottom of a large cage; entrails dangling through the
meshing. The leg on one of them twitches.
Resume.
LORRAINE
-- This is bad, Ed.
DISSOLVE TO:
ED
When did you move in?
CAROLYN
About five months ago.
LORRAINE
Do any of you knit?
CUT TO:
ANDREA
Tell’em about the birds, mom.
CAROLYN
It’s the strangest thing, they fly
into the side of the barn -- necks
get broken. All kinds of ‘em.
CINDY
And things have been getting moved
around a lot. The table in the
kitchen was blocking the door this
morning.
CAROLYN
And the clocks -- they stop at 5:15
a.m.
LORRAINE
All of them?
CAROLYN
Um-hum.
45.
CAROLYN
We used to have family pictures,
but something keeps knocking them
off the nails, so I just stopped
putting them back up.
LORRAINE
And your husband hasn’t seen any of
this?
CAROLYN
Things only happen when he’s gone.
He thinks it’s all in our heads.
ED
He’s not being shown anything on
purpose.
ED
It creates friction in the
relationship, a negative energy for
whatever’s here to feed on.
CAROLYN
Well, it’s working.
CAROLYN
This is where Andrea had that
experience on the bed.
CUT TO:
LORRAINE O.C.
Where was the apparition?
46.
CINDY
On the left side of the bed.
DISSOLVE TO:
ED
I just want you to start from the
beginning.
ED
My name’s Ed Warren. It’s November
1st, 1972. I’m sitting here with
Carolyn Perron who, with her
family, has been experiencing
supernatural occurrences --
He looks to Carolyn.
ED
Okay, go ahead --
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
-- Anything else?
ANDREA
-- Sometimes I hear a baby crying
in the fireplace.
47.
LORRAINE
Do you feel like any one of these
things want to hurt you?
ANDREA
Um-hum --
ANDREA
-- How do you know when they’re
around?
LORRAINE
I get Goose bumps.
ANDREA
When I get Goose bumps, does that
mean they’re near me?
LORRAINE
Maybe -- can you tell me what
you’ve seen?
DISSOLVE INTO:
Lorraine is with Cindy, who has her arms wrapped around her
knees, all hunched up on the sofa. She stares off blankly.
CINDY
-- I don’t know what it was. My mom
thinks it might be what’s been
scratching at the cellar door --
FLASHBACK TO:
DISSOLVE TO:
LORRAINE
I’m going to go outside.
He nods.
ED
Almost done.
CUT TO:
Her eyes move to the barn, shadowed in the dark like some
ill-boding beast. We can see that she’s drawn to it.
She steps off the porch. Halfway across the yard, she
stops, as if she senses something, like she’s being
watched.
She shifts her gaze just beyond the barn, where a restless
breeze has the entire landscape in motion. She lets it go,
continues on to the barn.
CUT TO:
Lorraine’s about to open the door when she sees two dead
pigeons on the ground, necks broken.
She opens the barn door and looks in. She sees sabers of
moonlight pierce in through gaps in the tired, dilapidated
wood siding, then Lorraine’s immediately hit with ANOTHER
HARD HITTING image of Judson on the ground, his bloody face
smashed in.
49.
Resume.
Lorraine steps into the barn and continues several feet in.
She stops, takes in her environment. An old CHEVY PICKUP is
parked toward the back next to an elongated work bench. Six
abandoned horse stalls are tucked along one side. There’s a
ladder that leads up to a loft.
ED O.C.
There you are.
CUT TO:
CAROLYN
Do you think she’s the same one
Cindy saw?
LORRAINE
-- I don’t know.
ED
When these things invade a home,
it’s quite possible that something
has invited them here, or conjured
them up somehow.
LORRAINE
50.
LORRAINE
My God, no.
ED
People dabble, think it’s kind of
fun. Play with a Ouija board,
invoke things up in a Seance -- and
then can’t get rid of them. It
happens more often than you know.
LORRAINE
With what I saw in the basement,
this house was some sort of satanic
shrine at some point.
(beat)
Do you know the history of this
farm?
CAROLYN
Just that it was built sometime in
the late 1800’s. We bought it from
an auction through a Bank Trust --
we never knew who the owners were.
(beat)
I always wanted to live in the
country -- this was supposed to be
someplace safer than the city.
ED
This house obviously has to be
exorcised, but to do that, we need
the church to authorize a Priest to
perform one.
CAROLYN
I’m fine with that.
ED
It’s not that easy. We have to
provide proof that what you’re
claiming is in fact happening, but
that can be the hard part.
51.
CAROLYN
Why’s that?
LORRAINE
Because it doesn’t always happen
when we need it to.
CAROLYN
So what happens if we don’t get it?
ED
We don’t have the church.
Carolyn deflates.
DISSOLVE TO:
ED
What’s your faith?
CAROLYN
-- I was raised Methodist, I guess
--
ED
Have your children been Baptized?
CAROLYN
No -- we’re not really a church
going family.
ED
You may want to rethink that.
Without faith, you have no
protection.
ED
-- Our presence here could make
things worse.
CAROLYN
-- Why?
52.
ED
Because we’re a threat -- and
whatever you’re dealing with here,
isn’t going to like it.
LORRAINE
This is your house -- and Ed and I
are going to do everything we can
to keep it that way. No one likes
uninvited guests. Okay?
ED
We’ll talk to the Historian in the
morning and see what we can find
out, but it’ll be a few days before
we can get back here. We have to
make sure our tech guy is available
and we also need to get someone to
film everything for us.
DISSOLVE TO:
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
Well that’s very nice of grandma --
seeing as it’s so far past your bed
time and you have school tomorrow.
53.
LORRAINE
Yes honey, daddy’s right here.
(listens)
I love you too.
She holds out the phone for Ed, who takes a seat next to
her, mouths “she promised”. Ed seems somewhat amused.
ED
Hi pumpkin, what’cha doing up so
late?
While he listens --
ED
Oh, Tennessee Tuxedo was on?
ED
You seem kinda quiet, you okay?
LORRAINE
It’s just hitting close to home.
Andrea reminds me so much of Judy.
ED
I know. We’ll get it fixed.
DISSOLVE TO:
Doesn’t like the look she gets from Ed, who is clad in a
pair of pajama bottoms, sitting on the edge of the bed with
the tape recorder in his hands.
54.
LORRAINE
What’s wrong?
ED
Carolyn’s voice didn’t record.
Listen.
ED (V.O.)
My name’s Ed Warren. It’s November
1st, 1972. I’m sitting here with
Carolyn Perron who, with her
family, has been experiencing
supernatural occurrences -- okay,
go ahead.
ED (V.O.
And what happened after that?
CUT TO:
CINDY
There was a boy standing right
there --
She points to where she saw him, he’s gone, but the water
is still present and dripping down the stairs.
DISSOLVE TO:
55.
A night light flowing out from the open bathroom door casts
a light glow over Ed and Lorraine, who are sound asleep in
the bed.
ED (V.O.)
My name’s Ed Warren. It’s November
first, 1972.
ED (V.O.
I’m sitting here with Carolyn
Perron who, with her family, has
been experiencing supernatural
occurrences -- okay, go ahead.
Where as this part of the tape was blank earlier, it’s now
filled with an INDISCERNIBLE, HAUNTING WHISPER that sounds
female, it continues, until --
ED (V.O.)
What happened after that?
LORRAINE
Ed, the clock.
DISSOLVE TO:
CUT TO:
SHANNON
Ed and Lorraine?
ED
Thanks for seeing us.
SHANNON
Maddy, finish cutting this for Mrs.
Doornbos, will ya?
Maddy nods that she will, and although she takes the
scissors from Shannon, her eyes never leave Ed and
Lorraine, neither are sure what it’s all about.
SHANNON
Why don’t you follow me.
She grabs a large coffee mug off the counter and heads to a
set of stairs in the back of the store. Ed and Lorraine
follow.
SHANNON
You gotta ignore my niece, she goes
to school with the Perron girls --
she’s heard about what’s been
happening out there.
57.
As they head up --
SHANNON
Before the Perron’s bought it, that
place had been empty for as long as
I can remember.
(beat)
Please excuse the mess up here, my
Nana’s been the Historian for
almost sixty years, and when she
got Parkinson's, things just sort
of -- well, you can imagine.
SHANNON
I took over the job, but haven’t
had much time to put into it.
SHANNON
I pulled everything together for
you I could find, but there’s some
stretches of time missing. I’ll
keep looking and send you anything
else I might find.
DISSOLVE TO:
CUT TO:
ROGER
I can’t believe you did this behind
my back.
CAROLYN
We have to do something. It’s
getting worse.
ROGER
I told you I didn’t want anymore of
this bullshit.
CAROLYN
They said you haven’t seen anything
because it wants to create “this”,
this conflict between us.
ROGER
Of course they did.
ROGER
And how much are they charging for
this little investigation?
CAROLYN
Nothing.
She moves over to Roger and takes his hands in hers before
he can lift the glass to his mouth.
CAROLYN
I’m scared to death and so are the
girls -- and I hate what it’s doing
to us.
CAROLYN
Please Roger. For me -- please.
DISSOLVE TO:
LORRAINE O.C.
You’re gonna have to make some
more.
ED
How long have you been up?
LORRAINE
Since four -- couldn’t sleep.
LORRAINE
It’s no wonder that family is going
through what they are.
LORRAINE
-- That’s the original farmhouse.
It was built in 1863 by Judson
Sherman, who married Bathsheba
Bishop when she was nineteen.
(beat)
She was a direct descendant of
Bridget Bishop --
ED
We know that name --
She pauses.
LORRAINE
Yeah, she was the first witch hung
in Salem during the trials.
LORRAINE
60.
LORRAINE
I’m assuming with knitting needles.
Apparently -- she ran out to the
barn, climbed into the rafters,
proclaimed her love to Satan,
cursed anyone who tried to take her
land, then hung herself.
LORRAINE
That’s her.
ED
This is the woman you saw?
LORRAINE
Ed -- she hung herself at five
fifteen in the morning.
ED
That explains a few things.
LORRAINE
And that woman I saw in the
basement who shot herself -- I
think it’s this woman who lived
there in the thirties -- last name
is Walker. She had two children who
mysteriously disappeared in the
woods -- it’s probably why she
killed herself. I’m assuming those
are them --
61.
ED
Wow --
LORRAINE
And I’m not done. What was the
original five hundred acre farm,
has been divided, and sold off --
LORRAINE
There was a boy who drowned in this
pond -- he lived in a house over
here.
LORRAINE
And a hunter who died in the woods
-- he lived here.
LORRAINE
There was a school bus accident on
this road.
LORRAINE
The only children who died, were
from families who had homes on the
property. Four of them.
ED
(sotto)
-- People who took her land.
DISSOLVE TO:
CUT TO:
62.
Ed and Lorraine get out of their car with BRUCE LEVY (30).
Clean cut, wears khakis. Gym built muscles gives his shirt
a tight fit.
BRUCE
Nice place.
LORRAINE
Good, Jerome’s here.
JEROME
I forgot how bitchin’ Rhode Island
is.
He notices Bruce.
LORRAINE
Jerome, this is Bruce Levy.
JEROME
Oh, the cop -- nice to meet you,
man.
JEROME
I heard you’re not much of a
believer.
BRUCE
You might say that.
JEROME
You know you can’t shoot ghosts,
right?
63.
ED
Easy on him, Jerome. C’mon, let’s
get unloaded.
CUT TO:
ED
We’d like to do the main set up in
the living room if that’s okay?
CAROLYN
Yes, of course --
ED
This is Jerome, and Officer Levy.
BRUCE
Bruce is fine.
The guys nod hellos and move on just as Roger enters from
the kitchen.
CAROLYN
Ed and Lorraine, this is my
husband, Roger.
ED
I hope we can help you out here.
ROGER
Yeah -- me too.
(to Carolyn)
I’ll be in the barn.
LORRAINE
How are you holding up?
CUT TO:
CAROLYN
-- Water was just pouring out of
his mouth.
LORRAINE
This is good --
LORRAINE
We want the activity. It gives us
the proof we need.
LORRAINE
Why don’t you just put them over
there.
CAROLYN
-- You didn’t have to do that.
LORRAINE
Are you kidding me? Jerome will eat
you out of house and home, believe
me, it’s the least we can do.
LORRAINE
65.
DISSOLVE TO:
CUT TO:
Resume.
DISSOLVE TO:
CUT TO:
ED O.C.
Nice ride. Fifty-five?
ROGER
Six.
ED
Two-eighty-three small block?
66.
ROGER
(impressed)
You know trucks.
ED
My dad had a side-step with the big
back window. Every Saturday, we
were working on her.
(beat)
What’re you doing?
ROGER
Just repacking the bearings.
ED
Well -- don’t mind us, we’ll only
be a few minutes.
ROGER
Knock yourself out.
Ed mounts the camera onto the tripod. Takes the other end
of the cable from Bruce and plugs into the side of the
camera.
ED
Did Jerome give you the EFD?
BRUCE
If that’s what this is --
BRUCE
What’s it do?
ED
When there’s an energy present, the
needle on it will begin to
fluctuate, usually between 1.7 and
3 mega-hertz, and that triggers the
camera to start shooting.
67.
ROGER
And you’ve actually caught things
on film?
ED
Well yeah -- that’s the point.
BRUCE
So why are we putting one in here?
ED
This is where the witch committed
suicide. Hung herself from the
rafter right above us.
As Bruce looks up --
ED
Apparitions will at times manifest
near their points of death.
ED
Roger--?
ROGER
I’m alright, can you pull me out?
Resume.
68.
Ed and Bruce each take a leg and pull on him. His body
slowly emerges. Roger looks to them.
ROGER
Thanks.
ROGER
That was close.
ROGER
Safety must’ve slipped.
DISSOLVE TO:
CAROLYN
How could a mother kill her own
child?
LORRAINE
It was never a child to her -- she
just used her God given gift as the
ultimate offense against him.
LORRAINE
Witches believe it elevates their
status in the eyes of Satan.
CUT TO:
CINDY
(pointing)
And what’s that?
JEROME
A VCR -- it’s a video recording
device. They think one of these
will be in every house one day --
CINDY
Really? Why?
JEROME
To record what’s on your TV -- so
you can watch it anytime you want.
CINDY
That’d be so cool.
JEROME
Pretty far out, isn’t it?
She smiles.
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
Looks like someone might have a
crush.
CAROLYN
He certainly looks like he knows
what he’s doing.
LORRAINE
Top of his class at MIT.
CAROLYN
And Bruce is a police officer?
70.
LORRAINE
Yes, Ed likes to use them as
documentarians -- people trust
them.
(beat)
I think it’s because Ed’s dad was a
cop.
ANDREA O.C.
Mom, can you braid my hair?
CAROLYN
Oh honey, I need to get dinner
going --
LORRAINE
I can do that for you -- I do my
daughter’s all the time.
ANDREA
What’s your daughter’s name?
LORRAINE
Judy. She’s about your age.
ANDREA
And she likes her hair braided too?
LORRAINE
Um-hum. We braid it every night
before she goes to bed.
CINDY
(matter-of-fact)
Have you always been able to see
things?
ANDREA
(overly enthusiastic)
71.
LORRAINE
Ever since I can remember.
CINDY
What’s the first thing you saw?
LORRAINE
An aura.
ANDREA
What’s that?
LORRAINE
It’s energy that surrounds your
body.
LORRAINE
You both have beautiful one’s, by
the way --
The girls smile. The front door swings open. Ed and Bruce
enter.
BRUCE
(to Ed)
I put the other one at the end of
the hallway.
LORRAINE
(to the girls)
Excuse me one sec.
ED
(whispering)
What’re you doing?
LORRAINE
(whispering back)
72.
ED
Getting a little close aren’t we?
LORRAINE
I’m braiding hair.
ED
You know exactly what I’m talking
about.
LORRAINE
I’m fine, Ed -- just helping out.
LORRAINE
Did you guys get all set up in the
barn?
ED
Yeah, but we had a little incident
out there --
DISSOLVE TO:
ED
You gettin' there?
JEROME
Still gotta sync the EFD with the
cellar and hallway cameras, then
good to go -- this little sucker
here is being a pain in the ass,
though.
ED
Find the oil leak?
ROGER
Yeah.
ROGER
That’s a lot of crosses.
ED
We want to stir things up.
ED
The presence of religious icons
usually brings on some kind of a
reaction from anything unholy --
sort of pisses them off.
ROGER
(half joking)
Like holding a cross in front of a
vampire?
ED
Yeah, exactly, but I don’t believe
in vampires.
JEROME O.C.
...Ed.
JEROME
Check it out. Downstairs hallway.
RIGHT AFTER
CUT TO:
ED
Something’s definitely here.
ED
(calm, under control)
Okay -- you’ve got our attention.
Silence.
ED
Give us a sign you want to
communicate with us.
CUT TO:
ED
Close the door -- move the jars,
something.
Resume.
DISSOLVE TO:
75.
ED
Like I said, it doesn’t always
happen when we want it to.
DISSOLVE TO:
JEROME
You hungry?
BRUCE
No -- still full.
JEROME
What do you suppose they did with
the salt?
Bruce sees a salt and pepper shaker next to the coffee pot
on the counter.
BRUCE
It’s over here.
JEROME
Thanks.
JEROME
So I’m curious, what do you think
slammed the door closed like that?
Bruce shrugs.
BRUCE
Had to be a draft.
JEROME
That’s funny, drafts never put that
look you had on my face before.
JEROME
That’s why I dig the machines, man.
They don’t have emotions or beliefs
that get in the way. They either
pick something up, or they don’t.
(beat)
So, if you don’t believe, why are
you doing this?
BRUCE
Got a baby coming -- fifty bucks a
day, helps.
JEROME
So you think people just make this
stuff up?
BRUCE
I remember growing up with the
Boogie Man in my closet, but when
my parents checked -- they never
found anything.
Jerome smirks.
JEROME
You know, just cause you can’t see
it, doesn’t mean it’s not there.
(beat)
Have you ever lost anyone close?
BRUCE
...My dad, why?
JEROME
77.
BRUCE
What part of “I don’t believe”,
didn’t you understand?
JEROME
What’re you afraid of man, getting
busted for being narrow minded?
Appease me -- tell me something
without revealing what it is, that
only you would know.
BRUCE
Okay, I put something in my dad’s
casket that meant a lot to both of
us.
JEROME
You’re timing’s perfect.
LORRAINE
Why’s that?
JEROME
We’re conducting a little
experiment. Officer Naysayer here
put something in his dad’s casket -
- can you tell him what it is?
She grabs a Tab from a shelf, then looks to Bruce for his
approval. He appears skeptical, but smiles anyway.
BRUCE
Sure, why not.
LORRAINE
Give me your hands.
78.
She takes them, then closes her eyes. Bruce seems a little
uncomfortable.
LORRAINE
It’s a baseball -- has something
written on it, all I can make out
are a J and a R.
JEROME
-- So?
He shrugs.
BRUCE
-- That wasn’t it.
LORRAINE
Oh well, must be tuning into
something else then --
CUT TO:
CAROLYN
I think you guys being here makes
them feel safe.
DISSOLVE TO:
ED
Alright -- let’s call it.
DISSOLVE TO:
CUT TO:
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
Carolyn --
CAROLYN
-- You’re early.
LORRAINE
I can’t believe you went into the
cellar.
CAROLYN
(simply)
I wanted to get some soup going.
Needed some beets.
80.
DISSOLVE TO:
Roger drives up to the house, has the girls with him. His
headlights drag over the Warren’s parked car.
CUT TO:
ED
I noticed you didn’t finish the
bearings. Hope you don’t mind --
just looking for something to do.
ROGER
Not at all.
ED
Got anymore more grease?
ROGER
Yeah.
ED
Thanks.
ROGER
Carolyn told me you going to be a
priest --
ED
That was the plan -- but when I got
to my Ordination, I started having
my doubts, and realized I wasn’t
going to be good enough, I don’t
have the strength they need. So I
gave it up.
ROGER
I could scratch my head ‘til I’m
bald and never figure out why you
do what you do --
ED
Remember as a kid being afraid to
hang your hand off the edge of your
bed because you thought something
underneath was going to grab it?
ED
Well -- mine got grabbed.
ED
Something yanked me to the floor.
It was too dark to see under the
bed, but I ran my ass out of that
room as fast as I could. My dad
didn’t believe me, so he dragged me
back in there and told me I had to
face my fears. I buried myself
under the covers, scared to death
cause I could still hear it under
my bed. Then I remembered what a
nun had told me in catechism, “God
will be there for all who need. He
is your protector.” So I grabbed my
Davy Crockett knife from my
nightstand and got off the bed and
told whatever was under there that
God was going to kick its ass if it
didn’t leave. I just kept saying it
over and over - - and it finally
went away. Never came back.
ED
82.
O.C. They hear the crunch of gravel under car tires. Roger
looks out the barn to see Jerome and Bruce pulling up in
Jerome’s van.
DISSOLVE TO:
Goes to the fridge, and takes out a milk carton from the
top shelf, closes the door.
CUT TO:
BRUCE
83.
CUT TO:
BRUCE
I swear, the carton wasn’t there,
it was back in the fridge, and
smashed, milk was everywhere.
JEROME
(entertained)
Probably just a draft -- I love
moments like this.
BRUCE
Alright, I get it.
BRUCE
Can I talk to you for a sec?
She turns.
LORRAINE
Sure.
BRUCE
You were right earlier about the
baseball. The J and R were for
Jackie Robinson. When I was ten, my
dad took me to the World Series,
Yankees and Dodgers -- two dollar
seats, left field. Jackie Robinson
hit the winning home run, and my
dad caught it -- handed it right to
me -- best day of my life.
84.
CUT TO:
ED
It’s moving upstairs.
CAROLYN
Oh my God.
JEROME
That’s gotta be one of the fastest
temp drops I’ve ever seen.
CUT TO:
INTERCUT:
The girls dash out the bedroom door into the hallway just
as Roger gets there, both folding into his arms.
ED
Whatever it is, it came back down.
DISSOLVE TO:
86.
ROGER
Hey --
CAROLYN
-- It’s okay.
CUT TO:
JEROME
I’m not getting anything.
LORRAINE
How are the girls?
ROGER
Better.
Ed looks to Roger.
ED
They said that bolting noise
definitely came from in here?
ROGER
-- Yeah.
ED
Is there anything behind this wall?
ROGER
No idea.
ED
Do you mind if we take a look?
ROGER
I don’t care what the hell you do
to it.
CUT TO:
SOON AFTER
Resume.
ED
Can someone get me a flashlight --
ROGER
Yeah, there’s one in our room.
LORRAINE
Let me go in.
88.
Lorraine can barely make it out, but sees that the crawl
space seems to open up.
LORRAINE
Looks like there’s some sort of
room.
Resume.
ED
Lorraine--?
LORRAINE
I’m alright.
(beat)
It was her, Ed.
LORRAINE
I’ve never felt anything so dark.
(beat)
We have to get her out of this
house --
CUT TO:
ED
Grab the cameras -- I want to see
what we got.
DISSOLVE TO:
90.
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
Keep your eyes on the monitors for
me, will you. I’ll be right back.
CUT TO:
CUT TO:
She comes out into a small clearing to see where the voices
are coming from.
LORRAINE
(into phone)
Mom, it’s Lorraine. Is Judy okay?
(listens)
Can you go check on her, please.
(listens; irritated)
Damnit! Just check -- please.
ED
Are you going to tell me what’s
going on?
LORRAINE
It was Judy.
ED
What do you mean?
LORRAINE
93.
LORRAINE
(listens)
Thank you -- I didn’t mean to scare
you like that.
(listens)
I’ll explain later, okay.
Goodnight.
ED
What the hell happened to you?
LORRAINE
I saw Judy dead in a cemetery. It
was some kind of warning, I know
it. There are spirits trapped
there, I could hear them. She’s
dominating both worlds.
ED
You’ve got to stop.
LORRAINE
(snaps)
Stop what?
ED
This -- you know better. I warned
you.
LORRAINE
I thought something had happened to
her.
ED
C’mere...
ED
94.
Roger pokes his head into the kitchen, Andrea, who’s half
asleep, is in his arms.
ROGER
You okay?
ED
Yeah.
(beat)
You?
ROGER
She woke up and was a little scared
--
DISSOLVE TO:
ED
95.
(whispering)
You’ve got to see this.
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
He’s the boy I saw in the hidden
room.
JEROME
Now check this out.
ROGER
What’s he looking at?
JEROME
This --
Jerome drops the third photo from his hand onto the table
before them. The image of the boy is gone, but at the top
of the stairs is the dark presence of Bathsheba Sherman,
although grainy and transparent as well, her image is a lot
more defined, and what stands out more than anything are
her pupil-less, snow white eyes.
LORRAINE
It’s her.
ROGER
Why would he be frightened of her?
He’s dead.
LORRAINE
96.
CUT TO:
ANDREA O.C.
(soft, sleepy)
Cindy, stop it.
CUT TO:
ANDREA
I said to stop it.
This time, she opens her eyes and sees that no one’s doing
it, but her hair SNAPS TAUT and she’s aggressively yanked
off the chair and onto the floor.
She screams as she begins to get wildly snaked all over the
floor.
Resume.
ROGER
Ohmygod.
Bruce and Andrea hit the corner of the sofa, which pushes
it four feet across the wood floor, then they’re
immediately dragged once again.
ED
You okay?
BRUCE
I’ll take a guy with a gun any day.
ED
Did you get any of it?
Bruce nods.
CUT TO:
98.
ED
We’re going to get the footage
developed and bring it over to the
church right away -- this house
needs to be exorcised as soon as
possible.
ROGER
I’ll get you paid back for the
hotel.
ED
Let’s not worry about that right
now.
ROGER
When do you think you can get
someone out here?
ED
It should only take a couple of
days.
(beat)
But listen to me --
ED
-- Under no circumstances does
anyone come back here until we say
so.
CUT TO:
Lorraine comes out of the living room. Bruce and Jerome are
in the background, breaking down the equipment.
99.
LORRAINE
It’s going to be okay -- nothing’s
going to hurt you again. I promise.
LORRAINE
Is your mom upstairs?
CINDY
No, she’s in the kitchen.
CUT TO:
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
Carolyn--?
LORRAINE
Are you okay?
CAROLYN
Yes--?
LORRAINE
What’re you doing here?
DISSOLVE TO:
LORRAINE
She said she just wanted to see it.
And she was holding the slinky I
saw in that room.
(beat)
As far as I’m concerned, the church
can’t get there fast enough.
DISSOLVE TO:
They head up the stone steps to the open doors. The singing
continues.
CUT TO:
101.
FATHER JORDON
Let’s see what you’ve got.
DISSOLVE TO:
FATHER JORDON
You weren’t kidding -- I’ll get
this to the Archbishop right away.
DISSOLVE TO:
Ed and Lorraine exit their car. Judy comes out the front
door and Lorraine runs to her, swooping her up in her arms.
Ed’s mom is in the background.
DISSOLVE TO:
102.
ROGER
But you said it’d only take a
couple of days.
ED
We don’t know why it’s taking so
long. Father Jordon says that the
Vatican keeps telling him to be
patient, but I’m driving to New
York tomorrow to see if Father
Langston can find out what’s going
on. He’s a high level Cardinal
we’ve worked with before -- and
knows the Archbishop pretty well.
ROGER
I’m just so worried about Carolyn.
I think all the stress has been too
much. She’s not herself at all --
hasn’t showered, doesn’t wear
makeup, is barely sleeping. And she
just disappears for hours at a
time.
CUT TO:
MADDY
Do you need any yarn?
103.
DISSOLVE TO:
149 EXT. SAINT PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL - NEW YORK CITY - NEXT DAY 149
ED
Father Langston called the Vatican
directly and they told him it had
been presented by the Archbishop,
but there’s some issues.
LORRAINE (V.O.)
Issues -- what’s that supposed to
mean?
ED
He didn’t know, they wouldn’t
elaborate.
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
What’re we going to do?
ED (V.O.)
I don’t know -- I’m going to hit
the road, it’s going to be midnight
before I get home as it is.
LORRAINE
Alright, be safe. Love you.
ED (V.O.)
Love you, too.
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
Hello?
(listens)
Hey Jerome --
LORRAINE
(calling out)
Honey, I’m on the phone, can you
see who that is?
CUT TO:
JUDY
Okay, mom.
JUDY
Hi.
UPS
Well hi back. Would you be part of
the Warren family?
JUDY
Yep.
UPS
Well then, here you go.
UPS
Have a nice day.
JUDY
Thanks!
He leaves.
105.
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
-- Ed’s about to lose his mind.
JUDY
(whispers)
I’m gonna go get some eggs, ‘kay?
JUDY
That’s fine, honey.
CUT TO:
JUDY
Gertrude, Henrietta, Lolly --
AT THE COOP
Judy opens the coop door. Steps in. She’s surprised to see
that there aren’t any chickens outside the hen house, but
something in the dirt at her feet catches her attention.
It’s the SLINKY from the Perron house, half in and out of
the dirt. She picks it up. Examines, then puts it in her
basket as she heads to the henhouse door.
JUDY
Gertrude, where are you?
106.
CUT TO:
LORRAINE
We’ll let you know when we find out
anything.
(beat)
Say hi to your mom.
Lorraine’s body goes tight, then she kicks it into high and
races out of the kitchen to the backyard.
LORRAINE
Judy!
LORRAINE
Judy?
Lorraine barely slows down to open the outer door and move
inside the coop.
LORRAINE
Honey, answer me.
107.
She sprints to the henhouse door and tries to open it, but
it won’t budge, she gives it everything she’s got, pulling
as hard as she can, then it finally whips open. Lorraine
races in --
JUDY
Gertrude’s dead, mom. They all are.
LORRAINE
Where’d you get that?
JUDY
It was on the ground.
CUT TO:
Lorraine walks Judy in. Dumps the slinky in the trash can.
DISSOLVE TO:
JUDY
Did you call daddy and tell him?
LORRAINE
He’s on the road honey, I’ll tell
him when he gets home.
108.
JUDY
I’m sorry mommy, I’m sorry mommy.
The words chill her to the bone. She gives Judy a slight
nudge.
LORRAINE
Judy.
JUDY
I’m sorry mommy, I’m --
LORRAINE
Honey --
She shakes her harder. Judy’s words fade as she rolls over,
sound asleep.
LORRAINE
Get a grip, Lorraine.
CUT TO:
109.
The four posts on her bed begin CREAKING, she slowly looks
up, stretched out upon the canopy, is Bathsheba Sherman the
contours of her eyes, face and body clearly outlined as she
descends closer and closer, the force of which causing each
of the bed posts to strain, bending inward like they’re
made of rubber.
CUT TO:
The CROSS is now broken and hanging upside down, and Judy’s
eyes are white, void of pupils, identical to Bathsheba
Sherman’s in the earlier photograph.
CUT TO:
CUT TO:
ED
Lorraine?
No answer.
ED
-- Lorraine?
ON THE STAIRS/HALLWAY
ED
What happened?
LORRAINE
-- She was here, Ed.
ED
I don’t believe this.
ED
We’re supposed to be safe here, and
you opened the door for her.
LORRAINE
You make it sound like I meant to.
ED
You knew the rules.
DISSOLVE TO:
BRUCE
I will. Did you tell Jerome?
112.
ED (V.O.)
No. I can’t get hold of him, he’s
on his way back from his mom’s.
BRUCE
I’ll get an APB out and have
someone pull him over and tell him
to call you immediately.
ED (V.O.)
Great. Be careful, Bruce -- do what
I said, and say it with conviction.
BRUCE
I will.
BRUCE
We need a bible.
DISSOLVE TO:
JEROME
Get off the road!
113.
RADIO DJ
It’s five-fifteen for you early
risers --
SKIDDING TIRES drown out the DJ. Jerome looks to see that
an EIGHTEEN WHEELER has come over the knoll and is a WALL
OF METAL sliding right at him sideways, brakes locked up.
Jerome doesn’t even have time to react as WHAMMMM!
The tail end of the rig picks him clean away from the
station wagon, like he was targeted.
SNAP TO BLACK:
ED
I left a message a couple of hours
ago for Father Jordon, is he back
yet?
ED
There’s got to be some way to get
hold of him.
114.
ED
When he comes in, tell him this is
Ed Warren, and it’s imperative that
he calls me as soon as possible. He
has the number.
ED
-- Hello?
ED
(sotto)
No -- no -- no.
ED
-- Alright, thanks.
LORRAINE
-- Ed, what is it?
ED
That was Bruce. Jerome’s dead.
LORRAINE
What--?
ED
Car accident, early this morning.
ED
Enough!
ED
I’m driving to the church and
getting this exorcism done today.
LORRAINE
I’m going with you.
ED
No -- you’re not.
CUT TO:
ED
What’re you doing?
LORRAINE
We’re taking Judy to your mom’s,
then going to the church. Together.
I won’t walk away from these
people, they need us -- this is
what we do.
ED
You can’t, you’re too involved.
LORRAINE
Maybe -- but that’s what gives me
the strength to fight for that
family too. I’m going.
She closes the back door, then climbs into the front.
116.
DISSOLVE TO:
LORRAINE
-- Between the Shermans and the
Perrons living there, the house has
only been owned by two other
families. One was the Walkers,
whose kids were the ones I saw, and
the other was the Heichts -- it
says they had a son who was drowned
by his mother --
Of the boy Cindy saw on the stairs, his last breath of life
escapes his mouth in an air bubble as his mother holds him
under a foot of water near the shore of a pond. The body
goes limp, his eyes locked wide open, staring at his
mother, standing above the surface of the water,
expressionless.
LORRAINE (V.O.)
-- Who then killed herself --
Resume.
LORRAINE
(sotto)
Oh my Lord --
LORRAINE
-- She possesses the mothers to
continue the sacrifices to Satan.
CUT TO:
117.
ED
I want to know what the hell’s
going on -- we can’t wait anymore.
FATHER JORDON
Ed and Lorraine, this is
Archbishop, Father O’Malley.
(beat)
I tried to call you.
ED
We’ve been on the road.
FATHER O’MALLEY
Please, sit down.
ED
I don’t want to sit down. I want an
exorcism performed. Today. What’s
the problem here?
FATHER O’MALLEY
The church is refusing to grant
one.
FATHER JORDON
The family aren’t parishioners, and
the children haven’t been Baptized.
LORRAINE
So what?
FATHER O’MALLEY
Believe me, we’ve tried, but the
Vatican is worried about public
opinion if they were to step
outside the boundaries of the
church.
ED
118.
FATHER O’MALLEY
Please understand, my hands are
tied on this matter -- I feel
horrible about this.
Ed is dumbfounded.
ED
So you’re going to do nothing?
CUT TO:
ED
We’re just going to have to find
someone else.
FATHER JORDON
You’re not going to get anyone to
go against the church, Ed.
ED
I don’t believe this.
FATHER JORDON
You’ve both have seen it done
dozens of times --
ED
That doesn’t make us qualified.
FATHER JORDON
But your strength and knowledge of
the scriptures can.
ED
We’ve seen it go horribly wrong,
even with a Priest.
119.
FATHER JORDON
I believe our Lord recognizes faith
far more than he does training and
education, or politics for that
matter.
(beat)
This family doesn’t have a choice,
but you do -- and, you have God on
your side. If you want to help
them, then help them.
CUT TO:
CAROLYN
Come with me.
CINDY
Where?
CAROLYN
We’re going home.
ANDREA
But dad said --
CAROLYN
(abrupt)
-- He’s meeting us there. C’mon.
CUT TO:
Camera pans across the room and finds Roger on the floor
next to a broken lamp. He’s not moving and the back of his
head is bloody from a blow to the head.
CUT TO:
120.
CINDY
Are you okay, mom?
Carolyn shifts her eyes to the rear view mirror and for a
brief moment, THE EYES WE SEE are not hers anymore; these
are dark, menacing, soulless.
DISSOLVE TO:
ED (V.O.)
Hello...? Hello?
ROGER
Ed -- she tried to kill me.
ED (V.O.)
(fearful)
Where are the girls?
CINDY
You said dad was going to be here.
Cindy and Andrea look at each other, they can’t figure out
what’s going on as they watch their mom continue to the
front door and disappear inside the house, leaving the
entrance completely open.
CUT TO:
CINDY
(calling out)
Mom, what are you doing? We should
go.
Still no response.
CINDY
Mom -- are you down there?
CINDY
Mom--?
CINDY
122.
CINDY
(to Andrea)
Stay here.
ANDREA
(panicked)
Let’s just go.
CINDY
Mom--?
Cindy heel drives her free foot against her mother’s wrist,
freeing the grasp she has on her and scrambles back up the
stairs.
Cindy WHIPS THE DOOR CLOSED! The second she slams the chair
back into place A LOUD, VIOLENT BANGING ON THE DOOR
reverberates right before her.
Two steps into their departure THE CELLAR DOOR flies off
hinges, the chair goes flying. Standing in the doorway,
half in and out of the darkness, is Carolyn; her breath is
elevated, almost hissing on each exhale as she grips the
knitting needles tight in one hand.
123.
Both the girls spin on their heels. Race for the front
door, which SLAMS SHUT right before them. The girls scream.
Cindy struggles with the door, but it won’t budge.
ANDREA
Open it! Open it!
CINDY
I can’t.
CINDY
Daaaaaad!
CINDY O.C.
DAAAAAAAAAAD!!!
Roger runs to the front door. It’s locked. Front kicks the
crap out of it until it busts from its frame. Rushes in.
CUT TO:
CINDY O.C.
DADDY, NO!!
CUT TO:
|CINDY O.C.
(pleading)
-- please, let her go!
ROGER
Carolyn, let her go -- don’t make
me do this, please.
ED
125.
Roger -- no.
He snaps.
ROGER
She tried to stab her!
ED
It’s not her doing this!
ANDREA
(barely audible)
Mommy, you’re hurting me.
CINDY
Mom, stop.
ROGER
Carolyn, let her go.
ED
Pulling that trigger is exactly
what this witch wants you to do --
it’s another sacrifice.
BRUCE
Roger, just lower your gun -- give
it to me.
ROGER
No! Carolyn, let her go!
LORRAINE
Roger, please -- give him the
gun...
LORRAINE
C’mon, give it to Bruce.
126.
ED
Don’t give her what she wants.
Roger yields.
ROGER
You better be right.
LORRAINE
(to Roger)
Grab her arms!
Loraine and Roger latch onto the arms, her strength over-
whelming, Ed gets to his feet, extracting the vial of Holy
water. Dips his forefinger into it. Crosses himself.
ED
My Lord, you are all powerful, you
are God, you are our Father --
ED
Ecce crucem donine, fugite partes
adversa!
ED
127.
ED
Imponat extreman parte stolae ejus.
Ed makes the sign of the cross over his chest, then flicks
Holy Water on Carolyn. A GUTTURAL SCREAM escapes Carolyn’s
mouth, which looks like a spider web of saliva and for a
nano-second, her skin becomes transparent, veiny,
pulsating,
ED
Sanctissima vero Eucharistia super
caput obssessi, aut aliter ejus
corpori ne admoveatur, ob
irreverentia periculum.
LORRAINE
Fight it, Carolyn! Don’t let her
take you!
LORRAINE
Help us!
ED
Keep her away --
LORRAINE
128.
LORRAINE
(to Cindy)
Take her feet!
LORRAINE
You fight her Carolyn, don’t give
up.
CINDY
Please mom, please! You can do it.
Make her let go of Andrea!
ED
Nos eriperes de potestate diaboli.
Ab omni hoste visibili et
invisibili et ubique in hoc saeculo
liberetur.
The bed flips up against the wall, windows blast open, the
lights surge with power.
ED
You did good.
LORRAINE
You too.
Long beat.
ED
Still feel like quitting?
LORRAINE
Not just yet.
SLOW DISSOLVE
TO:
The end.
Over black
130.
SCROLL
The Perron family left the house
that day, and never returned. They
relocated to Oregon, where they
haven’t had anymore encounters.
Shortly after their move, the house
was purchased by an anonymous
buyer, whom Ed and Lorraine believe
was the Catholic Church. The
Warrens went on to investigate over
eight thousand cases, and to this
day, Ed is the only non-ordained
Demonologist ever recognized by the
Vatican. It was one year later that
the Warren’s were called to
Amityville.