1
("POISON ARROW" BY ALONZA
BEVAN AND AUDREY EVANS)
(THUNDER BOOMING)
You are so cold,
you never call
You let my love slip away
You break my bones
I'm so alone
You led my love astray
You let my love slip away
You bring me sorrow
Your poison arrow
You let my love slip away
You say I'm crazy
I know I need you
You let my love slip away
I'm begging you to stay
ETERNITY: what do you
think we'll find, Dad?
Will it be treasure,
will it be gold,
or will there be a nasty trap?
I'm not really keen on
traps, they can hurt.
Especially the one that'll
slice your whole head off.
I wouldn't like that.
Wouldn't be able to eat my
dinner if I didn't have a mouth.
Or any sweets.
No, a beheading
wouldn't be great.
It's a little fuzzy,
looks very orange.
That's heat haze.
Gonna be a beautiful evening.
I dunno, the sun looks weird.
More like a danger signal.
I think it's a portent.
10 year olds don't
talk about portents.
This one does.
- Dad.
- Uh huh?
ETERNITY: Do you think
we might a unicorn skeleton?
JACK: Maybe, yeah.
- Where?
- Underneath the big oak tree.
- What color will it be?
- What, the oak tree?
ETERNITY: No, the skeleton.
JACK: Oh, well they're
purple, aren't they?
Mostly, but the skeleton,
I reckon it's gonna be silver.
ETERNITY: No, they're pink.
JACK: Well if you
knew why did you ask?
Well I wanted to test you.
Any treasure yet?
No just some worms.
Three snails and
couple of rusty nails
and Jesus's cross
Let's have a look.
Ah, almost definitely
2,000 years old.
Look you can see the raven
nail maker's hallmark.
Well done good find.
Yeah well, still
no real treasure.
I can't understand it.
The map clearly says
the big triple tree.
Right, three steps forward.
- What does X mark?
- The spot.
Thank you, I love you Dad,
it's the best treasure ever.
Come on, getting dark.
ETERNITY: It's quite scary
when the sun goes
down isn't it Dad?
I'm not your dad!
(SCREAMING)
Eternity, wait come back,
I was only joking.
Eternity wait up, come on.
(ORCHESTRAL MUSIC)
(THUNDER BOOMING)
- Dad.
- Yeah?
ETERNITY: Sometimes
when I get scared I burp.
(LAUGHING)
JACK: Well you
gotta be careful
'cause some monsters they
like the smell of burps
and they'll come and eat you up.
ETERNITY: I'm not
scared of monsters.
(BURPING)
(LAUGHING)
Okay.
I wish Mom could've been a
treasure hunter with us today.
I'm going to bed, don't
forget to brush your teeth.
- Goodnight treasure hunter.
- Goodnight.
(UNNERVING MUSIC)
(SCREAMING)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(SCREAMING)
What's the matter?
There's a monster
under my bed.
There's a monster on my bed.
(SCREAMING)
(UNNERVING MUSIC)
(SCREAMING)
Eternity!
You okay?
ETERNITY: There's a
monster under my bed.
There's nothing there.
(SCREAMING)
(GASPING)
He's coming.
(DRAMATIC ORCHESTRAL MUSIC)
Help!
Jack.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(CRYING)
I truly miss you.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(GROANING)
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
(GASPING)
Please just get out of my head.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
No.
- Jack.
- Mary.
You all right Jack?
You look a bit pooped.
I'm at a loss.
Oh yeah, filling the day
can be hard. (LAUGHING)
Did you know that
the horse chestnut
will soon be gone from
the English countryside
within a couple of decades.
First the elm, then the ash
and now the humble conker.
"The woods decay,
the woods decay and fall."
Oh my we are in a
blue funk aren't we?
It's Tennyson, the poet.
So how's Eternity,
how are you holding up?
You know I've been better.
I keep having these nightmares
and they feel so real
I don't know whether
I'm awake or...
Well sometimes when we
have a traumatic experience
our perception can change.
JACK: I just need
to keep busy you know.
Been trying to find work
but there's nothing.
I just need a new project.
But you're a writer right?
So what are you writing then?
Stuff people
don't want to read.
- Got an agent?
- Yeah.
So why aren't you calling him?
- Her.
- Or her?
Okay, we're going to call right
now and get you a meeting.
Really Mary there's no point.
Yep, come on.
(PHONE RINGING)
- Hello?
- Hello.
Yes I'm calling on
behalf of Jack Winter,
I'm his publicist.
Yeah we require and an
urgent meeting with...
- Vivian.
- With Vivian.
Yes, it's important,
we want a meeting
today, this afternoon.
Two p.m.
Yeah?
That'll be great, what?
Yes.
I'm sure that will
be fine, thanks.
How did you do that?
I had a great job in HR
before Daisy came along
and buggered all that up.
Oh by the way your agent
wants a skim double mocha
chocolate latte with
cream and four sugars.
(LAUGHING)
JACK: No problem.
Thanks for the
coffee Jack, excellent.
JACK: No problem.
So what's all this
very urgent, important,
who's your publicist anyway?
- Well...
- Oh Jack.
Nice try, look I am busy but
there is no work, nothing.
- Nothing?
- Nothing.
- Nothing?
- Nothing.
Anything?
Look I'm not just a fiction
writer okay, I can do anything.
Reviews, articles, historical,
factual, recipes, anything.
- Anything?
- Anything.
(SIGHING)
Look there is one thing.
You live near the
countryside yeah?
- Yeah.
- Near a forest?
There's an unfinished book
called The Legend of
the Black Flowers.
Nobody wants to touch it.
It's a mythical, historical
look at ancient pagan forests
and the links with witchcraft
and demonology, devil worship.
Really quite disturbing stuff.
"We make up horrors to help
us cope with the real ones."
Avelin Eldridge,
fancy writer from the 70's,
wrote a trilogy that
was never finished.
Anyway the project's been
dormant for three years.
It needs life,
it just needs finishing.
What happened to the
original author, Avelin?
He killed himself.
He was quite disturbed anyway
and the book just ate him up,
nothing to worry about.
Look the book's 70% done.
I just need you to tart it up,
finish it off,
put it to bed, give it 110%.
It's actually quite
an interesting story,
you just need to visit
these five locations
and if you get it right
you might actually
make me some money.
Oh yeah money.
Two K when you finished it,
two months from today okay?
Can you go a bit higher?
- It's my daughter.
- Don't care.
Go, go.
JACK: Really?
Just.
Thank you.
Go!
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Nice spade you got there.
You scared me.
You're lucky that's all I did.
Let's have a look.
Oh, sharp.
'Course it's sharp,
can't dig if it's not sharp.
(LAUGHING)
You're a little
monkey aren't you?
So what are you digging for?
Buried treasure.
If I can find some treasure
then Dad wouldn't be so
worried all the time.
We could have a holiday
on the beach, a TV,
some electronics,
maybe even a pony.
So it's you then
that's been digging
all them holes in the forest.
Yep, 327 so far.
Can I see your gun?
Yes.
Ah come on you
gotta hold it right.
Okay now put the
handle in there,
in your shoulder,
all right, tight.
All right now get your
sight along the barrel.
All right gently
squeeze the trigger.
Not too hard, gently squeeze,
gently, that's it, lovely.
Squeeze, that's it, lovely.
Oh!
You got me.
Oh did you think I was
gonna leave it loaded?
(LAUGHING)
Have you ever killed anyone?
No, but the gun has.
(LAUGHING)
Did you know that
the old soldiers,
they used to use
big round buttons
from their jackets for bullets.
If the worst came to
the worst. (LAUGHING)
Yeah, gun can fire anything.
Dad will ask me if I'm
okay and if I've eaten.
If I say no he'll say,
"why not" like it's my fault.
- You okay?
- Uh-huh.
- Have you eaten?
- No.
Why not?
Evening neighbor.
I was just saying to
your daughter here
that she should be
digging near a marker.
See people leave markers
when they bury treasure
in case something
should happen to them
and then someone
else can find it.
What sort of something?
Well you know something
that means they
couldn't come back.
Why wouldn't they come back?
Oh you know, people forget,
people move away,
people die! (LAUGHING)
A bit scary.
No no, I'm only
trying to help you
find the treasure that's all.
Evening neighbor.
- Weirdo.
- Yeah, your spade.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
- Dad.
- Yeah.
I can't sleep.
I keep seeing shadows and,
there's an evil creature
behind the curtain.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
(SIGHING)
JACK: There's nothing there.
Now go back to sleep,
you've got school tomorrow
and I don't need you
keeping me up all night.
You can pack your
bags in the morning.
(LAUGHING)
Oh come on it's freezing.
Why I'm having a snog.
Yeah well I'm freezing
waiting for you to finish
snogging that dick.
- He's no dick.
- I'm not a dick.
If he wasn't a dick he have
given us a lift to the pub
and we wouldn't to
have to fucking walk.
All right he is a dick,
but he is a good snog.
(LAUGHING)
It's like in that story,
you know, they really
followed the stars.
(LAUGHING)
You follow one star.
DAISY: Yeah but there
are four stars. (laughing)
POPPY: Well what
do you expect anyway?
DAISY: Airplane,
UFO. (laughing)
(EERIE MUSIC)
Colin, stop it's not funny.
DAISY: Come on
let's just keep moving.
POPPY: Stop it you prick.
- I told you he's a dick.
- Oh shut up.
(ROARING)
Fucking hell, all
right what was that?
I don't know.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Shit it's in front of us.
DAISY: Let's just get back
to the pub and ring a taxi.
POPPY: Okay.
(SCREAMING)
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(GROANING)
Shit.
(UNNERVING MUSIC)
(GASPING)
(HEAVY BREATHING)
Oh shit, late late
late, bloody nightmares.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
- What?
- P-post.
- I can't find your post box.
- We ain't got one.
You're not Fred, what
happened to Fred?
I don't know, life,
redundancy, who knows?
People move away.
ETERNITY: Dad I'm
gonna be late for school.
You've got me now,
Patricia postwoman.
Haven't got a letter box.
Bills.
It's the first day of the
new term, I need to be on time.
JACK: Bills, bills.
ETERNITY: I won't
know what class I'm in.
(SIGHING)
Hello.
What's this?
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
What now?
- Morning sir.
- Sorry officer,
I thought you were someone else.
We're making some
inquiries in the area.
Did you hear or see anything
strange last night sir?
Strange?
Out of the ordinary.
No I don't think so,
nothing I can think of.
Hey, well my daughter you
know she has bad dreams
so I'm used to hearing
screams in the night.
Screams sir, I never
mentioned screams.
- I'm 10.
- She's 10.
(BELCHING)
We're investigating
a violent assault
in the woods over there.
(SCREAMING)
DAISY: Poppy!
Really, an assault?
This is a nice little community
and we don't have assaults here.
You're new aren't you?
Yes sir, Constable Black.
What happened to the
other one, what's his name?
- Constable Jones.
- He left sir.
People move away, cut backs.
Look sorry I'd really
like to but I can't,
I've gotta get my kid to school.
Do let us know if
you think of anything,
thank you for your time sir.
Get a move on will you?
We should've got
ready last night.
I told you to get packed
last night Eternity.
Oh where are my keys?
Come on!
Just doing up my shoelaces,
we're gonna be out of
here in two seconds 'kay?
Got 15 minutes.
Gonna be stuck behind
traffic or gonna be stuck
behind a bloody combine
harvester or tractor now.
Late on the first day,
bloody bollocks.
Come on!
- Dad.
- What?
ETERNITY: Are we late because
you had nightmares again?
JACK: No, well
maybe a little one.
Were they about Mom, don't
worry, you don't need to worry.
You shouldn't try to
scare me you know,
you'll only give
yourself bad dreams.
If you think you're dreaming
pinch yourself, you'll be okay.
- Dad.
- Yep?
ETERNITY: You know
what I wonder about?
- What flavor are jellyfish.
- No silly.
What are all those
red phone boxes for?
I mean everyone has a
mobile phone except me
so why do we need them?
I had a sniff in one
and it smelled horrid
though I did find a 20 P coin
so it wasn't a total disaster.
Right here we are.
Be good yeah?
All right, love you.
I know it's only been 24 hours
but my friend Poppy
is still missing.
Something bad happened.
But why 48 hours,
it's ridiculous.
Well I hope your best friend
disappears you asshole.
They won't take me seriously.
They say they're looking into
it but I know that's bollocks.
I still don't know why the
police aren't helping out.
What did you do?
We got busted for drugs Mom.
Last summer, LSD and mushrooms.
I got so high I thought I
was being chased by unicorns
so I ran off and then
Poppy went missing.
Police found her
off her face in a ditch.
Oh you stupid
stupid bloody kids.
JACK NARRATING: If
I was gonna get paid
I had to get on with
finishing Eldridge's book.
I read all his notes
but they made no sense,
but it was clear
he was searching
for the elusive black flowers.
But what they were
remained a mystery.
I decided to visit
the last few locations
mentioned in his manuscript.
This took me beyond the
boundary of the forest
and to the very edge
of the land itself.
It took me to the largest
beech trees in all the realm,
a ruined hilltop church,
where on a good day
you could see forever
and an ancient Roman battlefield
right in the heart of the woods
where I used to go for
walks with my wife.
Eternity,
you all right?
Dad forgot me Miss.
It wouldn't be that,
it'll be the traffic.
Mom never forgot me.
Would you like me
to give you a lift?
No thanks Miss,
I know the way.
Eternity I don't think
that, (SIGHING) goodness.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
JACK: Dinner.
Dad.
Am I a bastard?
What no, Eternity
what made you say that?
A kid at school said I was.
- You're a bastard.
- Your mom's dead.
She drowned in
a lake, bastard.
No I'm not!
I'll curse you and
you'll all die.
Your mommy and I were
married when you were born.
Then how come I'm
in the wedding photos?
Right okay,
that kid is a bully.
Do you know how to
deal with bullies?
No.
Give that here.
Hold out your hand
flat like this.
Right, when the
bully comes close
he's gonna be looking
at your flat hand
so with your other
hand you ball that up,
this is your fighting hand,
your hitting hand,
ready to wack him
when he comes close.
Ow you got me, say I got ya.
- I got ya.
- Yeah.
ETERNITY: Yes.
(MUMBLING SHOUTING)
If you don't want
to wack someone right,
then I've got
something much better.
You know those Roman soldiers
in your history book?
ETERNITY: The ones
who killed Jesus?
Well I wasn't exactly
thinking of those ones
but yeah Roman
soldiers, all right.
Well Roman soldiers
are the best,
they're the best in the world,
all right, they're brilliant
and they've got these
really good archers.
So when you're really in trouble
and you really need them
you call out for them
and they will appear behind you,
- a whole phalanx of them.
- What?
A whole load of them
will appear behind you
with their bows and arrows and
whoever is threatening you,
they will be scared to death.
Wow.
But you can never see them,
they will only appear behind you
and you can't turn to face them
'cause if you do right they
will stab you in the guts
with their short swords
and then all your guts come
out like a bag of worms
and you'll die.
So, remember,
ball up those little fists
and have faith those Romans
will never let you down.
And what if they do?
They won't.
All right let's finish this.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
If I ever get too ill or too old
to have a beer under the stars
I want you to put
me in a little boat
and set fire to it,
like the vikings did, 'kay?
What kind of boat?
A little wooden one
and remember to pack
the firewood properly.
Okay I promise.
I wish Mom could've been here.
You see that star up there?
The little one?
They're all little ones.
But yeah that one, that's
a part of Andromeda.
Andromeda was the daughter
of Queen Cassiopeia
and she was so beautiful
that they named a
constellation after her.
Your mom was so pretty
that the gods couldn't
bear to be without her
so they took her home
early and left us behind.
Your mom is up in the stars.
Wow.
Mom are you out there?
Mom I miss you.
Dad, look Dad.
JACK: Who's there?
He's scary.
Evening.
Found that treasure yet?
We're stargazing.
What you doing up so late?
Lost something, something
that glows in the dark.
Like a watch?
That's right, like a watch.
Goodnight neighbors.
Sweet dreams. (LAUGHING)
JACK: Goodnight.
Should we go in?
JACK: Yeah, let's.
Can you get that?
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(ELECTRICITY BUZZING)
(GLASS SHATTERING)
Bollocks!
Bloody electricity's gone.
I know, mysterious.
(EERIE MUSIC)
(ECHOING LAUGHING)
Jack!
Jack help me.
(GASPING)
(SCREAMING)
Jack, he's coming, you
must protect Eternity.
(UNNERVING MUSIC)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
Man I don't need this.
(DISTANT ELECTRONIC
VIDEO GAME MUSIC)
For fuck's sake.
What the hell do you
think you're doing?
Playing computer.
- It's four in the morning.
- But I can't sleep.
No Dad!
No more computer games.
(SCREAMING)
(GASPING)
(GASPING)
Daddy why did you do it?
(UNNERVING MUSIC)
No!
Daddy you were screaming.
Oh, just a bad dream.
It's okay, you can sleep
with me and Mr. Bun tonight.
We'll look after you.
(BIRDS CHIPPING)
Morning.
I take it you've got
no school today then.
- It's a half day.
- Which half?
I'll find out.
I've got to do some
research today for the book
so I can get paid and keep you
in the cereal
you're accustomed to
so I'm gonna need
to get you a sitter.
I don't need a sitter, I'm 10.
Yeah but society
has a different view.
Oh god.
What's that?
A list of all the
babysitters I've ever had.
All right.
("NOT THERE" BY BROOKE DEROSA)
You are not there
even though you're
Hello Iona long time...
(DIAL TONE BEEPING)
You are not there even though
Hi Keesha.
No?
She's really fond of you.
What do you mean Eternity's
the kind of girl
you want to slap?
Well I'm sure she
didn't mean to bite you.
She drew blood?
Stole your spade?
I did wonder where
she got that from.
Yes.
Yes it's Jack Winter,
Eternity's dad.
Yeah I know, I'll pay
it as soon as I can.
All right sorry about that one.
(EXHALING DEEPLY)
Hello, yeah, and what
sort of parent are you?
I'll drive you
crazy, crazy, crazy
(GLASS SHATTERING)
Show me.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(GROANING)
No.
- Eternity what have you done?
- I'm sorry.
Right that is it you
are grounded for a week.
No more treasure hunting.
No no, it was an accident
and it's not my fault.
Well whose fault was it then?
- Spade.
- Spade's?
I cannot cope okay.
We've got no money
and I cannot work
unless I get a sitter.
I don't want a sitter.
Are you an idiot?
Are you stupid?
I can cope all by myself.
I don't need a sitter
and I don't need you.
(THWACKING)
Ow.
Eternity I'm sorry,
I'm so sorry, I'm really sorry.
Get of me you
idiot, I hate you!
I hope you die!
Then you turn into a tree
and then I can cut you down
and burn you like a log!
(SCREAMING)
(SCREAMING)
(SCREAMING)
Stupid spade,
I'll show you spade.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
I'm sorry spade.
You've been a good friend
but now you've been bad,
you got me electrocuted
and nearly dead,
and grounded.
And now you have to go.
It's time to move
on, I'll miss you.
Eternity, Eternity, Eternity.
Eternity, Eternity.
Eternity, don't give up.
Keep looking, follow
the signs, keep looking.
Mom I miss you, where are you?
ELOISE: Follow the signs
Eternity, don't give up,
keep looking, follow
the signs, Eternity,
don't give up, keep
looking, follow the signs.
I think I'm supposed to keep
digging for treasure spade.
Where should I dig?
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Jack, hello Jack.
- Oh.
- Hi Mary, all right.
Just thought we'd pop around
to see if you're all right.
Why?
Well we were worried.
Daisy and her friend Poppy
were attacked in the woods.
Poppy's still missing.
Yeah I heard, the
policewoman came around.
You all right?
Well we've all got
to be extra careful.
Where is Eternity anyway?
JACK: She's inside sleeping.
So what about Poppy then?
Police say we have
to wait 48 hours
before she's officially missing.
Well look anyway
we bought you this,
bread, jam, some beer,
a piece of cake for Eternity.
- You know, just to help out.
- Mary.
You should've have done that.
Oh look well Eloise is gone,
but Eternity's still here.
Do you understand,
she's 10 for god's sake.
She's got an old soul.
Old soul, such
nonsense, she's 10.
- I need a babysitter.
- 30 quid.
I'll do it for 30 quid.
JACK: 30 quid for
a couple of hours?
All right, 40 if you're
being a dick about it.
30 it is then,
thanks Daisy, thanks Mary.
All right.
Good.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(GROANING)
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
ELOISE: You must
protect yourself Eternity.
You must fight the monster.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
- Hey, give it back.
- What's it worth?
I won't kill you.
- Oh yeah you and whose army?
- Whose army?
Hey.
My undead army.
I command you my Roman
legionaries to come to my aid
and kill these idiots
with your magic arrows.
(GASPING)
(THUDDING)
GIRL: Well goodbye,
look at the sight of her.
Got my box back.
They're scared of me, I win.
So what happened with
you then last night?
No way.
Shut up, no he didn't.
Oh my god.
Yeah I'm just at work.
Yeah it's really boring.
No nothing really,
five days a week.
Shit yeah.
Like every time someone comes in
which is hardly ever,
they just sit there and
don't even talk to me
so I have to just
sit on my phone.
So many idiots who come
here, like literally.
You'll never guess what
happened yesterday yeah.
Some man decided to
pee in the elevator
and I had to clean it up.
I thought well
that's not my job.
I know, didn't even
get a thank you.
Yeah anyway, what's a
matter with you then?
Well she never told me that
and I've done a bunch for her.
Hung out with all of them.
Yeah I know, I wasn't
gonna fight him last night.
Shut up, no he didn't,
I don't believe you at all, no.
Now I've got some weird
kid looking at me.
Yeah, I know.
I don't know what
she's doing, yeah,
she just, she just run out and
put her sandwich on my desk.
Oh well, I'll eat it
anyway, let's have a look.
Cheese my favorite, mm.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Hello.
What are you doing in my wood?
Your wood is it?
Yes.
Should you be
walking on your own?
I'm not on my own,
I've got this stick.
Which FYI could take
your eyeballs out.
Of course, well I think
you should run along home
as quick as you can.
I am, you're stopping
me, I've got stuff to do.
Okay, I see.
Well take care.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(SIGHING)
What a mess here.
What's that?
Not now, I'm busy.
I'm trying to work
out the relationship
between these five places.
Where are they?
Well one's here.
No don't do that.
And there's one here.
One here.
Here.
And here.
Five of them.
Where's that?
That is farmer Sykes' farm.
What all of it?
Yeah, he's
expanding his empire.
And that?
That's the forest.
Where's our house?
That's us there.
- Dad.
- Mm-hm?
Can I go to the
hardware store please?
- What for?
- A thing.
- What thing?
- A thing.
Maybe later.
You always say maybe later.
All right then,
I'll get my keys.
Keys.
(LAUGHING)
Nice, right, straight
to the hardware store
and then straight back okay
'cause I've got work to
do, no mucking about.
This thing then,
is it a cheap thing
or is it an expensive thing?
Is it a thing, or
a couple of things?
Can I help you?
We haven't got bore
scrubber foaming gel.
Well some silicone oil
and a barrel and chamber
cleaning tool will do in a push.
So what do you need
all these things for?
To be honest it's
none of your business.
A bit rude that, sorry.
I need it to fix my gun
so I can kill all the monsters
in my room dead forever.
Kids eh?
(MIMICKING GUN FIRING)
Okay Daisy's gonna be
here later all right?
Yep.
Are you gonna be a good girl
now that I've spent
all that money...
- Yes Dad.
- On a thing.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(TREES CREAKING)
(WIND BLOWING)
POPPY: Please,
please help me.
(GASPING)
- Help me.
- Oh my god.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Please, please help me
I, I don't feel so good.
(SCREAMING)
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
HORNED GOD: Black Flower.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
JACK NARRATING:
The ancient maps
in Eldridge's Black
Flower manuscript
led me to a strange tower right
in the heart of the forest.
It was the last location
Eldridge visited
before his untimely death.
(DOOR CREAKING)
(DOOR SLAMMING)
I'm the curator,
how can I help you?
Jack Winter, I spoke to
you on the phone earlier.
Ah yes, the writer.
I'm an avid reader, when
it comes to literature
I have the heart
of a little boy.
JACK: That's good to hear.
And I keep it in
a jar on my desk.
So what do you
actually curate here?
Oh the things that nobody
wants to look after anymore.
Forgotten things.
What do you write?
I'm researching a
book at the moment.
Well ghostwriting actually.
The original author
lost the plot.
CURATOR: What's his name?
Avelin Eldridge.
Oh yes, yes I remember him.
He was here about what, oh
seven years ago, poking about.
He asked lots of questions.
The book's called The
Legend of the Black Flowers.
Oh a legend's always
based on something,
nothing is truly original.
Yeah well it's
a shame he died.
- Dead, certainly not dead.
- What?
Mad as a hatter I'll
grant you that, (LAUGHING)
but he's certainly not dead.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
You must prepare
yourself Eternity.
I know you can be strong.
Beware the monster
in the forest,
you must protect
yourself from him.
He can be very, very nasty,
and there are some really
really bad things in woods.
So I need you to be a big girl,
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
look after yourself
and look after Daddy.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(SIGHING)
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
- Who is it?
- It's Daisy, the babysitter.
ETERNITY: I'm not a baby.
The young lady sitter
then, is that better?
Acceptable I suppose,
you may come in.
I've seen you before.
Your dad's
friends with my mom.
I live in the next house.
Where's your dad?
He, he ran away.
I don't really need a sitter.
Oh.
- No?
- No.
Don't you get bored
here on your own?
No, only boring
people get bored.
What did you do to your arm?
DAISY: I got cut.
Can I see?
Why?
- Because I want to.
- No, maybe later.
So, why are you called Eternity?
Because I'll still be here
when you die. (LAUGHING)
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Jack.
Sykes.
Storms coming up.
Strange events going on.
Yeah, missing people,
police were around.
I saw them.
Heard you're writing a book.
Did ya?
Mary said.
What's it about?
It's about the legend
of the black flowers.
Legend.
Do you know about it?
In the heart of every forest
grows a black flower.
Yeah, I'm looking for it now,
following up on some leads.
Old stories Jack.
I wouldn't worry about it if
I was you, best forgotten.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
I don't know how to spell
any long words, it's not fair.
Yeah, you're
completely rubbish.
No I'm not, you are.
Four letters, is that
the best you can do?
ETERNITY: It's a
better word than yours.
(GASPING)
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Look.
I've got this friend Jadis,
she's a psychic.
Do you want me to
get her around,
see if she can help sort
this shit, stuff out?
(EERIE ORGAN MUSIC)
(THUNDER BOOMING)
Mr. Eldridge?
I'm Jack Winter, I'm,
working on finishing
your book The...
- Legend of the Black Flowers.
- Yeah.
You're not the first and you
certainly won't be the last.
I was just wondering if...
(BANGING)
Hey, the book.
The problem Jack
is that it's all true
though no one will believe you.
Look at the map.
See these isolated
items in the woodland?
In the middle of each
hidden in the ground
is a black flower rune stone.
In the middle of the
largest oldest one
is a flower of great strength
in a small copse, it's
the size of an old penny,
created by the
spirits of the forest
to keep the forest and all
its denizens safe from harm.
And what do these
black flowers do?
They send out a message,
makes men want to leave
and eventually people move away.
But as long as the
black flower stays there
the forest will last forever.
And what happens if the
black flower is taken?
Then men arrive
with their axes
and the forest will be lost,
such is the curse of mankind.
And the forest will do
whatever it takes to
get the flowers back.
Like what?
Mr. Eldridge.
Like summoning
up the horned god.
(THUNDER BOOMING)
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Who are you?
Jadis.
That's a funny name.
Jadis was a famous witch,
the queen of all the witches
and do you know the
thing about witches?
No.
A real witch can never die.
Hey Daisy, how it's going,
need any shrooms?
No thanks, I'm off them.
Don't be afraid,
most witches are good
and most hauntings
are easily explained.
However, can feel
some bad energy here.
It's cold, this place is old.
- Well obviously.
- And haunted.
Can feel at least
one ghost here,
a restless spirit, I can feel
its emotions screaming out.
It's trying to stop something,
to make something right.
Every ghost has a
reason to haunt.
Some are lonely, some are
stuck, some just bored.
I mean if you were dead,
died painfully or violently
what would you do?
I would constantly be
trying to communicate.
What's that for?
It's called smudging.
Ghosts don't like the
smell of burned sage.
(EERIE MUSIC)
Rest assured he's
coming for you.
JACK: Who's coming for me?
The horned god of course,
the protector of the forest.
You don't believe
that, gods are real?
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Spooky, cool.
(EERIE MUSIC)
All right, you're
scaring her and me.
(SCREAMING)
Cards communicate
in many ways.
(SCREAMING)
(EERIE MUSIC)
The horned god is eternal.
He's always been with
us and always will be.
He is eternity.
You think technology
will save you now?
It's too late, too
late, too late.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
(GASPING)
Are you okay?
God.
(VOMITING)
(COUGHING)
(VOMITING)
Is that ectoplasm?
No it's sick, I've never
had anything like this before.
You can keep the tarot deck.
There's a whole new hell
coming to your
doorstep for Eternity.
What do you mean,
hell for Eternity?
Your daughter's name isn't it?
He's coming for your daughter.
No Eternity.
It's not a legend, it's a
curse. (LAUGHING MANIACALLY)
Nobody finishes my
fucking book but me!
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(PHONE SIGNAL BEEPING)
Dead, no not dead,
your Dad's not dead.
(PHONE RINGING)
Good evening, Winter residence,
who's speaking please?
- Eternity.
- Hi.
It's Dad.
I know, I
recognize your voice.
Okay.
- Daisy is here.
- Put her on.
- Hi.
- Daisy hi.
Look I'm having a bit of
a nightmare all right,
I'm gonna be hours...
- 100 quid to stay all night.
- 100 quid?
- Oh all right, all right.
- Good.
And feel free to tip 'cause
your house is scary as,
well, pretty scary.
Just be good okay,
I'll be as quick as I can.
(SIGHING)
Thank god they keep these
phone boxes working, yeah.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
(SCREAMING)
Get out of my room!
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
- What happened?
- There was a monster.
It's okay.
I'm gonna look after you, yeah.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
ETERNITY: I'm scared.
We'll be okay in here,
I've made it monster proof.
Monsters can't cross salt.
- Like slugs?
- It's the same.
It's to do with the slime.
Just five minutes, all right.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Really?
I'm coming in,
coming in, I'm coming.
Come here, oh.
(THWACKING)
(YELLING)
Eloise!
(GROANING)
(THUDDING)
(DRAMATIC EERIE MUSIC)
(GASPING)
(ENGINE STRUGGLING TO START)
(GROANING)
Come on.
(GROANING)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
Damn.
- What should we do?
- Don't know.
My phone's dead and
your power's still out.
Why don't you use our phone?
All my numbers
are in this one.
Look Eternity I'm
gonna go get my mom,
she'll know what to do.
You're gonna stay here okay?
I think you'll be all
right in the daylight,
but you have to promise me
you're gonna stay
inside the house.
ETERNITY: Okay.
DAISY: Be right back.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Bullets, bullets, bullets,
how do I make bullets?
(CAR PULLING UP)
Dad.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
- Daddy!
- Eternity!
BOTH: I was
worried about you.
- Jinx.
- Where's Daisy?
We saw a monster,
it had horns.
I whacked it with my spade.
Daisy's gone to get her mom
'cause she know what to
do and you weren't here.
Dad, I closed the door.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
(PHONE RINGING)
What?
No I don't want any bloody
insurance, piss off.
Dad.
(EERIE MUSIC)
- Dad.
- Yeah?
It's in my room,
I can feel it.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
- Dad.
- What?
Under the bed.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
(SCREAMING)
Oh god, what're
you doing here?
Look I've been
checking things out.
We've been on the internet.
How come you live here?
Well it's our home.
Yeah but why here?
Now how did you end
up in this place?
It's been in the
family for generations,
it's an old charter,
someone has to live here,
like a guardian.
What is it, what
is this house?
- It's a gatehouse.
- You sure?
Yeah, there's been a
gatehouse on this site for,
well since the Roman times.
2,000 years.
Well what's it a gatehouse to?
It's a gatehouse to the...
There's no castle
or stately home.
It's a gatehouse to the forest.
Or it's not a
gatehouse, it's a...
- Mausoleum.
- A tomb.
- You said guardian?
- Yeah.
What are you guarding,
maybe it's a prison or a safe.
A vault.
- Is there a basement?
- No.
- No there's no basement here.
- You sure?
- Yep I lived here...
- What's in there?
Nothing's in there.
Oh leave that Daisy.
There's nothing in there,
it's just junk and stuff,
please leave that,
oh come on out,
I just put that, Daisy.
Honestly Daisy
please don't do that,
please just put that back.
I've lived here for 10 years.
- What's that then?
- Nothing.
Really?
Looks like a basement to me.
(DOOR OPENING)
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
How old do you
reckon this place is?
It's at least as old
as the house, even older.
This could be part of the
original Roman foundations.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
(SCREAMING)
- Daisy.
- Sorry cobwebs.
Oh.
(GASPING)
Sorry, sorry.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Ah, mind your head.
(GASPING)
Guys.
Look.
Wait.
Swap.
Yeah.
Okay, one,
two,
three.
(LAUGHING)
Wow.
The Romans must've
built this place
to protect the
main black flower.
They must've all got fed up
with monsters in their bedroom.
(LAUGHING)
The gatehouse is
guarding the forest,
but it's not a gate
to their world,
it's a gate stop and
it's fucking with it.
Language.
I'm cold.
Well, there's
nothing else here
and this place stinks of death.
Then let's go.
Yeah, let's.
(SCREAMING)
Eternity!
What are you doing here?
Door was open, no one about,
I wondered what was going on.
- Oh hello Algernon.
- Mary.
Algernon.
What's that you got there?
You know what
that is don't you?
Look, we've got the
black flower rune stone
and the horned god has
come to take it back
are you gonna help us
or just stand there
like a big pile of poo?
(LAUGHING)
- Is this some sort of joke?
- No.
ETERNITY: Big pile of poo.
See here, we're at the center
of all the black flowers.
The gatehouse must be the
original heart of the forest
when it was all one
thousands of years ago.
DAISY: Eldridge's notes,
he's got people move away
underlined all over it.
- People move away.
- People move away.
- People move away.
- People move away.
And eventually
people move away.
JACK: People move away.
It's the black
flower rune stones,
they're sending out a message.
Leave us alone, move away.
And when they're gone
people can destroy the forest.
We've got to give them back.
We've got to face him.
Best form of defense is attack.
Come on then.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Hey, who's to gain from the
destruction of the forest?
He's been expanding
his farm for years,
plowing over the woods and trees
like it's going out of fashion.
Where are we going?
To fight the
forces of darkness.
Is it wise for your child to
fight the forces of darkness?
I'm not a child, I'm 10,
and 10 is a magic number.
Can't argue with that.
10 fingers, 10 toes,
10 planets, 10 commandments,
10 out of 10, 10 pennies
and the decimal system
and in ancient Rome
decimate means to kill
every 10th legionnaire,
decimate 10.
- Okay, okay.
- 10.
I get the idea.
Who says it's from
the darkness anyway?
Your dead friend.
You know a lot.
Been watching you.
Keeping my ears open,
put two and two together.
He just wants to live,
what's so evil about that?
It's the way he wants to live,
skulking about in the
darkness, scaring people.
He's right and no one
scares my daughter except me.
- Hawthorn?
- Yeah,
the best wood for
fighting the undead.
(EERIE MUSIC)
(BIRD SQUAWKING)
(GUN FIRING)
What'd you do that for?
Bit jumpy, sorry.
(EERIE MUSIC)
Oh this is ridiculous,
what are we doing here?
Let me see the black flower.
It's leading the way.
(EERIE MUSIC)
Poppy!
Poppy.
Help me.
Help me.
What the hell?
MARY: Are you okay?
Oh, we'll get you out.
- Are you okay?
- Help me, help me.
Please, I don't feel so good.
We'll get you out of the tree.
POPPY: I don't think
you can, I'm part tree now.
We've got an ax.
No, I'm a poppy tree.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Shit, not dreaming.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
He's the one who
did this to me.
Come on.
Oh my god.
Hi.
Hi.
HORNED GOD: Black flower.
All right.
I think this is yours.
No, no don't give
it to that thing.
No!
(GUN FIRING)
(GASPING)
Oh my god.
You're an aberration.
(GUN FIRING)
(SCREAMING)
MARY: Oh no.
(CRYING)
Eternity come here.
Give me that, do you hear me?
Run.
What are you doing
Sykes come on.
Sykes come on.
(GROANING)
(THWACKING)
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
(CRYING)
No, please don't hurt us, no.
Just take it.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Where are you,
you bleeding conker?
Come out, come out
wherever you are?
Come out, come out.
(BURPING)
I can see you.
(SCREAMING)
Got you girlie.
(GUN FIRING)
(GASPING)
(SCREAMING)
(LAUGHING)
(BLADE THWACKING)
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Daddy.
Daddy are you okay, Daddy?
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Go away, go away!
Leave us alone,
this is all your fault.
I'm gonna cut off your head
and bury it upside down
then you'll never come back.
You think you can just
come into my woods
and start bossing us around?
I call on the gods
of ancient Rome,
help me have vengeance.
They'll obliterate you.
I command my undead
army of Roman archers
to protect me from
this nasty god.
Let there be war!
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
HORNED GOD: Save the forest.
Kill the beast.
Kill the monster.
Save the forest.
(CRYING)
Give me that black flower now.
You shot my dad.
Oh it was an accident, I was
aiming at that demon thing.
You're just greedy.
He's just trying to
protect his home,
the forest, the place he loves.
You cheeky little
monkey. (LAUGHING)
I hope it hurts when you die.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
- Save the forest.
- Kill the monster.
(GUN FIRING)
Return the black
flowers to the forest,
back to the Earth
where they belong.
Daddy, Daddy.
Daddy, Daddy.
(CRYING)
Dad I did it.
You know, you know why
you're called Eternity?
ETERNITY: No.
Because when you were
born it was perfect
and I wanted it to
last for an Eternity.
Daddy, Daddy.
No you can't leave, don't go.
Daddy, daddy please,
please don't go Daddy.
No Daddy.
Daddy.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
I've got to pack it right.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
I've cleaned you up
as best as I can.
Got to have you
looking good for Mom.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
You got what you wanted.
Help me, help.
- Where is it?
- Oh, what's happening?
Dad's going to the next world.
No that's not right.
Jack, Jack, Jack,
Jack, wake up Jack.
Jack, Jack wake up!
Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack.
Jack, wake up Jack.
Jack wake up.
Jack, Jack, wake up, wake up.
Jack you have to wake up.
Wake up now Jack,
Jack I love you.
Jack, wake up Jack please.
Jack for me, Jack wake up.
Jack, Jack, wake up Jack!
ELOISE: Jack, Jack,
you have to wake up.
ELOISE AND MARY: Jack.
I love you.
For Eternity, for me
you must wake up now.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Okay, it's okay.
Daddy.
JACK: Eternity I am
sorry, I am so so sorry.
I'm gonna be a better dad
and I am never gonna
leave you again.
(LAUGHING)
Once upon a time there was
a little girl called Eternity
who used to burp
when she got scared
who lived in a haunted gatehouse
at the edge of an ancient forest
with her dad, her stepmom Mary
and her stepsister called Daisy
and no one could ever
take it from them.
The end.
We'll rain down such banshees
We'll call on the dead
We'll raise up an army
We'll raise up an army
Look the book's 80% done.
I just need you to tart
it up, finish it off,
put it to bed, give it 110%.
You can ghostwrite, right?