THE WRESTLER - SWEAT

In a dimly lit corner of the parking garage basement we see a wrestling ring. The fluorescent overheads lights flicker, creating long wide shadows of the ropes across the parking lot floor. Inside the ring, a large bulky man appears to be warming up, bouncing himself between the ropes.

Closeup as the man propels himself back off the ropes. It’s Vadym. Sweat flies off him. Vadym grimaces. He looks old and a little out of shape. His spandex leggings have seen better days.

He charges across the canvas towards the ropes.

But instead of turning his back into the ropes, this time he slows his pace and holds up his arms to catch the top rope.

Vadym leans over, holding the ropes. He is panting for breath and clearly exhausted. Sweat drip from his forehead and splats on the canvas below.

Vadym takes a long swig from a water bottle and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

VADYM

I’m too old for this shit.

THE WRESTLER - Sparring

Vadym throws his towel and water bottle over the side of the ring.

Vadym puts one leg through the ropes, as if about to leave.

VOICE

Not so fast.

Vadym looks around, startled.

VADYM

Huh!? Who's there!?

The lights flicker. Vadym plants his foot back down into the ring, and puffs his chest out menacingly.

VADYM

Show yourself!

Only a chilling laugh in response. Vadym is less sure of himself now.

VOICE

(laughing)

Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha.

VADYM

Matthias? Is that you? Quit fooling around.

Something, or someone, grabs his arm - pulling it out wide to his body.

VADYM

Hm?

Vadym hurtles across the canvas, propelled by some unseen force. As he nears the ropes, the force releases his arm.

VADYM

Shit!

THE WRESTLER - Smackdown

He smashes into the ropes. The ropes take his weight, absorbing the energy, and thrust him back out into the ring.

He is traveling fast, off balance - almost tripping forwards over his own feet.

The unseen force, lurking in shadow, takes hold off him again, throwing him forward with terrible momentum.

He slams into the ropes once more, but the force this time is too much, his body shape all wrong.

The ropes wrap around his neck, twisting his head grotesquely.

Vadym lets out a deathly wheeze, and his eyes loll back in his head. Life slips from his body.

BACKSTORY - The Good ol' Days

A young looking Tommy has his hands on the wheel of a convertible. The car winds its way along a valley road, past orchards and fields. In the passenger seat is Jean. Her blonde hair wild in the wind. With their dark shades, the two of them together look like movie-stars. Or Bonnie & Clyde.

"Tommy and your mother were childhood sweethearts you know. Oh they were inseparable"

Sitting in the back of the same car, we see Jeff and Kathy. Although Kathy is beautiful and Jeff has his own rugged good looks, they couldn't be more different from the effortless glamour of Tommy & Jean.

"We were inseparable. All four of us, that summer."

View from side of car

"Those were good times. I miss those days."

Profile view of Jean in passenger seat of car

"But poor Jeff. He was head over heels with Jean."

Closeup of Jeff, sitting behind the driver's seat, gazing across at Jean's profile

"At times he couldn't stand to see her with him."

Jean turns her head and smiles at Jeff.

"Sometimes I think she enjoyed the attention."

Closeup of Tommy glancing up at the rear-view mirror. He adjusts the mirror slightly with his hand. A sneer on his face.

"But Tommy was always watching her closely. Like a snake."

BACKSTORY - Rebound

Kathy and Jean sit on a bed. Jean weeps profusely, her head buried in Kathy's shoulder and comforting embrace.

"One day, Tommy upped and left. Just like that. Not a sign, not a trace."

Closeup of Jean's blackened eye, her head still resting on the shoulder of Kathy.

"He'd roughed her up pretty badly. It wasn't the first time. He could be a real piece of shit."

Closeup of finger pressing the outside button of a doorbell.

Jean is sitting on the sofa reading a book. She is huddled under a blanket. Her eye now much less black and swollen.

SFX

Ding! Dong!

Close up of Jean's hand turning the door handle.

The door is now open and we see Jeff standing on the outside step. A bunch of flowers gripped tightly, nervously in his hand by his side. A shy, hopeful look etched across his face.

"Once it became clear Tommy wasn't coming back, Jeff made his move. Let's just say he didn't waste any time."

BACKSTORY - Marriage

Inside a small chapel, Jeff and Jean kiss as they exchange rings in their wedding ceremony.

"To him it was simple. Jean was the girl of his dreams, and now his brother was out of the picture."

Jeff & Jean stand outside the old run-down diner up on summit. Their estate agent in close attendance, clutching a clipboard jammed with paperwork.

"Jeff was full of dreams and idealism. They took out a loan and bought the old diner up on Summit."

Jeff & Jean kissing and embracing. The agent looking on with a warm hearted smile over his horn-rimmed spectacles.

"The place was run down. Had been for years."

View of Jeff atop a step ladder, hammer in hand, knocking a nail into a new signpost, it reads “The Chapman Diner”. The diner is now re-furbished and looks open for business. Jean stands below, gazing upwards, one hand resting on her swollen belly, one hand over eyes protecting them from the glare of the sun.

"But Jeff worked on that place every day and night for months"

Jean lies in a hospital bed, in the latter stages of labour and now pushing hard. Jeff smooths her hair with his hand - his face a picture of utmost concern.

"And then of course you two came along. So perfect, like little mirror images of each other. A miracle. Two miracles!"

Jean lying in bed, a sweaty, exhausted mess. She cradles the two twins in her arms.

"The perfect family"

BACKSTORY - Prodigal son

Jean stands outside the front doors of the mountain diner, hands on hips, looking out to the distance.

"And that's the way it stayed for years. Oh of course your mother and father had their ups and downs. The diner never really took off the way they wanted it to. Jean felt the strain. Four mouths to feed wasn't easy. But I always thought they were happy, more or less."

A long convoy of construction trucks drive into the large area of wasteland by the diner.

"Then one day, guess who shows up out of nowhere?"

A man climbs down from the passenger side of one of the trucks. His hair is slicked back, he wears a smart, navy suit, in one hand is a hard hat.

"Yup, you guessed it...Tommy"

View from behind Tommy, his hand on his hips as he surveys the land around him.

"He'd been gone over ten years. Lost all contact with us, save for the odd postcard from Reno or Las Vegas or the like. He never wrote anything on them."

On a flickering televison monitor, we see Kathy sitting by Elizabeth’s bedside, she stubs out her cigarette in a coffee cup, almost absent mindedly.

KATHY

I think he was just letting us know he was still out there. Still alive.

THE MORGUE - John Doe

Inside the city morgue, Greig McDonald, Melissa Jenkins & Kurt King look down upon a body wrapped up in plastic.

GREIG

Fresh catch of the day!

Melissa looks at Greig, appalled by his sense of humour.

MELISSA

This man might be somebody’s father. Have some decency, will you?

GREIG

Ah yes, excuse me, I’m sorry lassie. Gotta have a sense of humour you know.

Kurt is as cold and bleak as ever.

KURT

Where did you fish him out?

We flashback to a scene of the cadavar floating face down and naked in the ocean.

GREIG

Half-way down Big Sur. Washed up in some rock pool. We reckon he’s a vagrant. Still waiting on an ID, but it could take a while. Nothings come up in the system yet.

MELISSA

How would a vagrant get half-way down Big Sur without a ride?

Close of Greig’s wry, almost sympathetic smile.

GREIG

You’re definitely not from round here, are you, lassie?

THE CHAPEL - Sunday Service

A narrow wooden church, with steep angular sides, lies nestled in the redwoods - set back about one hundred yards from the side of the road - imperceptible to most passerbys. It has no gates and not even a front door.

A vintage, convertible sports car pulls into the driveway. Behind the wheel is Tommy, sharply dressed in italian wool suit. A thick scarf and leather gloves protect him from the morning chill.

A closed circuit security camera, place high up in the trees, swivels onto Tommy's location

Through a black and white security monitor, we see Tommy stepping out of his car, removing his gloves as he does so.

Tommy, out of his car now, approaches the open doorway. He looks casual and relaxed, a newspaper carried in one hand.

On a second screen we see Tommy walking towards the camera and into the building. The camera is placed low down at knee level, judging by the angle.

UNKNOWN VOICE

Fernandez. It's Tommy. Coming your way. Over.

THE CHAPEL - Fernandez

Full panel. A man sits on a simple, nondescript wooden chair. He is dressed in plain medieval looking clothes - brown trousers, black pointed boots and loose white shirt. A strange witch like hat rests on his head from out of which twists long, knotted hair. It is difficult to tell where his hair ends and his beard begins. Beside him stand two rakish young girls, all dressed in long flowing white. Their long, unkempt hair obscuring their faces. They are maybe 17 or 18 years old.

THE CHAPEL - Water

The man known as Fernandez twists his beard absently.

FERNANDEZ

I pray you are here to pay your respects to our dear departed friend?

Tommy tosses the newspaper over to Fernandez

TOMMY

Indeed I am.

Closeup of one of the girls. Her eyes look dead. Tuned out. A living corpse.

Tommy lights up a cigarette.

Fernandez holds the newspaper before him in a casual manner, his eyebrows raised.

FERNANDEZ

The Koran tells us that from water comes all life. The fetus grows within the amniotic fluid, and we all begin our existence within the seemingly endless sea.

Closeup of newspaper. A small article reads "Naked corpse found in sea. Police as yet unable to identify the body"

FERNANDEZ

 But water will always threaten to swallow what it creates.

Closeup of Fernandez.

FERNANDEZ

Tell me Tommy. What is it about you and leaving people to die? It's becoming something of a motif, is it not?

But Tommy is already making his way towards the exit. His face stern. Behind him Fernandez has put down the paper and is stroking the hair of one of the girls, almost like she were a cat. A smirk resides on his face.

THE CHAPEL - Tommy's Displeasure

Tommy storms out of the chapel. His face like stone.

A second car is now parked beside Tommy's. The driver side door is open. Matthias stands to attention beside it. He looks nervous and sheepish, not knowing where to put his hands.

TOMMY

Nice of you to show up.

MATTHIAS

Umm... Sure boss.

Tommy gets up close to Matthias. Matthias scratches his head, unsure how to respond.

TOMMY

I was being sarcastic, you moron. Remind me, what exactly do I pay you for?

MATTHIAS

Errr...

TOMMY

Is it for your brains? Or sparkling conversation?

Tommy jabs a finger into Matthias' chest. Matthias is clearly the bigger, more physically intimidating of the two, but he flinches away from Tommy.

TOMMY

I pay you to watch my back. That's all.

MATTHIAS

Sorry, boss. But...

Tommy strides away to his car. Turning his back to the hapless Matthias.

TOMMY

No buts.... and where is the rest of my... "protection"?

MATTHIAS

Um... that's what I was trying to tell you boss... he didn't show up this morning.

Tommy opens his car door. The dimwitted Matthias still rooted to the spot in the background.

TOMMY

(under his breath)

He who walks in the company of fools suffers a long way.

BACKSTORY - Gala

Kathy sits by Elizabeth's bedside, stroking the young woman's hair tenderly.

KATHY

I know you can hear me in there. I just know you can. My poor love. Now, where was I?

Inside a large banquet hall, hundreds of finely dressed ladies and gentlemen sit around large round tables, feasting on fine food and drinking champagne whilst a jazz band plays on the large stage at the center of the room.

"Oh yes. The return of Tommy. The return of the prodigal son! He'd made a lot of money. He was mixing it up with the high life"

Closeup of Tommy, dressed in tuxedo. He sits at one of the more expensive tables, closest to the stage. His hands are raised, applauding the performers with bravado. A large smile on his face.

"He always had the charisma to get whatever he wanted, and now he had the money too"

Over by the doorway we see Jack Crane. Seemingly even smaller and daintier in his younger age. He leans against door frame, keeping a hawkish eye on the activities of Tommy's table.

"But where ever Tommy went, he always attracted attention. Not all of it good."

A young table attendant delivers an envelope to Tommy at his table. He gives it an inquisitive glance.

"There were other, let's say 'undesirable elements' of the community that wanted their fingers in his pie"

BACKSTORY - Devil in the Details

Up on summit, tall cranes, bulldozers and diggers dominate the scene. The foundations of the new casino are in place and construction is well underway.

"He could have built that casino anywhere he wanted. Any town in California, any state in America, any country in the world."

On the building site, inside a trailer, several men stand at a table, surveying the maps and blueprints scattered across its surface. We don't see their faces.

"But it was like he had some vendetta to settle with Tommy and Jean."

On a paper map, we see a finger pointing at the location of the Chapman Diner. On the map can also be seen the plot of land set aside for the casino. The other side of the road is marked as "Ohlone Burial Ground". Everywhere else is mountainside or redwoods.

"Well, anyway - things moved quickly. Too quickly as it turned out."

Closeup of construction manager, raising the front of his hard hat with one hand and rubbing the other hand through his hair nervously. Jack Crane stands next to him with a menacing air.

"The boundaries of the diner extended way further than they imagined, taking up a key piece of land"

Tommy bangs his fist down on the table angrily.

"It was too late to back out now. The stakes were too high."

In a quiet, secluded stretch of the San Lorenzo River, the lifeless body of the construction manager floats faces up, bobbing up and down gently in the slow moving current.

BACKSTORY - Family ties

Jeff, Jean & Tommy stand in the diner's kitchen. They look to be exchanged in a heated conversation. Tommy holds a sheaf of papers outstretched in one hand and a pen in the other.

"Tommy did the only thing he could do. He offered to buy the old diner."

Jeff turns away, his body language defiant, as he refuses to sign the papers. Jean has her arms thrown up, in a pleading motion to her husband.

"Jean saw this as a way out of their financial troubles, but Jeff was a proud man. Maybe too proud. He wasn't going to sell. He wasn't going to give up his dream."

Tommy points his finger directly at his brother, in a threatening gesture.

"They said things to each other that day like all brothers do. Silly things. Shouting and screaming. They let it all out. Threatening each other and this and that."

Tommy storms out of the diner, slamming the door behind him, so hard that it bounces back of its hinges.

"Old wounds were reopened. And never closed."

Jean sits in a booth, sobbing to herself.

"And a wedge was driven between Jeff and Jean that night."

Jeff walks over to Jean, arms outstretched in an effort to comfort her.

But Jean flees out of the door. Jeff makes no effort to follow her.

"Life can change so quickly..."

Kathy still sits beside the prone Elizabeth, she snaps her fingers together in the air.

"...just like that."

SFX

SNAP!

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST - Muffin trip

Martin lies prone on the floor. The apparition of Elizabeth stands above him, she is Martin's age. The old diner is exactly as it was before being demolished.

We zoom out and see the rest of the diner interior. Kathy is there at her table booth by the window, and two old truckers sit by the bar, nursing mugs of hot coffee. A young Martin and Elizabeth stand by the jukebox.

MARTIN

Elizabeth!? Mom!?

ELIZABETH

They can't hear you.

Martin looks groggily at Elizabeth, without recognition.

MARTIN

What's going on? Who are you? Am I on drugs? Was it the muffin? Ah man...

Elizabeth takes Martin by the hand. One of the old truckers becomes agitated, pointing to something outside.

ELIZABETH

Sssshh. There's no time. Get up.

OLD TRUCKER #1

(out of view)

Geez, will you look at that!

Elizabeth yanks Martin to his feet, with extraordinary strength.

MARTIN

Ouch! You're hurting!

OLD TRUCKER #2

Son of a bitch! He's coming right at us!!!

Inside his truck, we see Jeff behind the wheel, confusion and alarm spreading across his face.

JEFF

Marty!!?? Liz!???? Oh fu..

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST - Shattered glass

A split second later Jeff yanks the wheel over to the side with all his might. His words trailing off into a silent scream.

JEFF

...uuuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Fly on the wall viewpoint from behind jukebox. Over the heads of the twins we see the impact as Jeff's truck slams side-on through the plate glass windows, missing Kathy by several feet but sending a shower of glass her way.

By instinct, Kathy has already began to duck behind the hard leather seats, throwing up her hands to cover her face. But it looks to be in vain as shattered glass rains down on her position.

In slow motion, Jeff's truck somersaults into the air in the direction of the old truckers. Jeff is tossed around the cabin like a rag doll. His body twists grotesquely.

The roof of the truck tears through the ceiling and support beams. We see the two young twins frozen in time beside the jukebox, they are almost upon the same spot now as their older apparitions.

Roof tiles, timber and light coverings come crashing down above the twins.

Closeup of Martin from above, as he instinctively ducks, covering his head with his arms as if in the emergency brace position.

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST - Sleeping lions

The debris rains down upon Martin, but instead of any impact, it passes right through him. His body has no material form.

Dust and smoke fill the room.

The young Martin lies prone on the floor. Older Martin is still crouching, too stunned to move. Elizabeth appears solemn, as if she has seen this all before a million times.

Closeup of Martin and Elizabeth, side by side in the rubble.

MARTIN

Where did she go? Where did my sister go?

ELIZABETH

Pay attention. You need to see this.

Martin turns his head to one side, a noise has attracted his attention.

MARTIN

Someone's coming!

Over by where the counter once stood, one of the old truckers crawls across the floor. His shirt splattered with blood. The other trucker lies dead on the floor, the heavy steel till has crushed his ribcage, pinning him to the floor.

OLD TRUCKER #1

Help!! *cough* Call an ambulance! *cough*

The trucker has managed to get up onto two feet, he staggers and sways, raising one arm aloft. Before he can shout out again, a series of loud cracks fill the air.

SFX

DACKA! DACKA! DACKA!

Closeup of spent bullet casings, raining down on the floor.

The old trucker is thrown backwards through the air as bullet holes riddle his frail body.

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST - Execution

The trucker now lies lifeless on the floor. His head twisted to one side - his eyes full of curiosity, even in death. Blood trickles from the corner of his mouth.

A fire has begun to rage, through the smoke we can make out the shapes of three large men making their way into the wreckage of the diner. They stand near where Jean fell.

MALE VOICE #1

Finish her.

MALE VOICE #2

But our orders were...

MALE VOICE #1

Do as I say.

We see Jean's bloody, unconscious body being dragged away.

Black, knee-high motorcycle boots step through the fallen bricks and mortar towards the truck.

MALE VOICE #1

You crazy son of a bitch. You made this job too easy. Now, where is the fun in that?

Closeup of the man holding a handkerchief over his a mouth, preventing smoke inhalation, as the fire rages stronger. The man holds up his arm, shielding his eyes from the blaze, obscuring a view of his face.

Jeff lies on the floor. He is semi-conscious, blood streams from a deep gash in his temple.

JEFF

*gurgle* what *splutter* who...?

MALE VOICE #1

You. Finish him.

Jeff looks up as one of the man points the gun down at his head.

MALE VOICE #2

Privet! Kak dela?

JEFF

Please...no...

Closeup of gun barrel, the bullet leaving it's chamber

SFX

BANG!

MALE VOICE #2

See you in the next life.

BACKSTORY - Roll out the Barrel

A flatbed truck is parked outside the back entrance of a single story building. The truck is loaded with steel beer kegs. Jeff Chapman is presently unloading the kegs. He wears thick, brown leather work gloves and checked flannel shirt. His hair is greased back and he is sweating profusely.

Jeff rolls a keg towards a large rectangular hatch leading to the cellar underneath the building.

A voice from inside the building startles Jeff. he loses grip on the barrel.

PETE

Jeff! Man here to see you.

The barrel rolls off, unchecked, towards the hatch. Jeff is helpless to stop it.

JEFF

Ah, shit.

The barrel disappears down the hatch, followed by a large crash.

SFX

Crash!

Jeff looks tired. He throws his gloves onto the back of the truck.

BACKSTORY - Delivery

Inside the bar now. It's a small old fashioned bar, with several small rooms branching off from the main sitting area. It's dark and gloomy. Jeff walks towards the bar.

JEFF

So where is he Pete? This some joke.

Pete stands behind the bar. He cleans out a tankard with an old, dirty looking rag.

PETE

No joke. Unlike that barrel. That's coming out of your pay cheque.

Pete's hand now rests on an envelope on the bar.

PETE

He left this.

Jeff is now half-perched on a bar stool. He holds the envelope up to the meager light, studying it for clues.

PETE

Well? You gonna open it, Professor Clouseau?

Jeff slides out the contents. We see only the back of a 6x8 photograph. His eyes are puzzled for a second.

In a flash Jeff makes a break for the front door. The bar stool crashes to the ground behind him.

PETE

Hey! Stop breaking things, will ya!

BACKSTORY - He Who Holds The Reins

Just as Jeff exits the door, into the street, a silver Mercedes pulls away from the roadside kerb.

Jeff raises his arms aloft, in a vain attempt to signal the mystery driver.

JEFF

Hey!! Heeeeeey!

Jeff pauses for a second, as if processes his next move.

He slips the photo into his shirt pocket, then turns and runs back through the door.

He races through the bar. Pete is propping the stool back in it's correct position.

PETE

Whoa! Slow down.

Jeff is in the back alley, he throws open the driver side door of the flatbed truck.

The truck speeds off. The kegs roll around precariously in the back.

BACKSTORY - Ice Cream Rock

A black unmarked van is parked outside of an ice cream shop. We see the vague form of one man in the passenger seat. A second man is handing over cash at the till inside.

Closeup of the man inside vehicle. It's a young looking Vadym. He wears headphones and rocks back and forth strenuously in time to the music.

The passenger side door opens. The older Matthias stands, holding two ice-creams.

One ice-cream is deposited wordlessly into the cup holder in front of Vadym.

Vadym continues to rock back and forth, even more furiously. Matthias glares at him whilst taking the first lick of his own ice-cream.

Vadym stops rocking and removes his head phones.

He ejects the CD. The label reads 'Mickey's Christmas Sing-a-long'.

The CD is carefully deposited into a large case at his feet. We see many more childrens CDs are contained within.

Matthias, eyes half-closed, slowly shakes his head.

MATTHIAS

The boss just called. It's time.

todo

todo

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT - Silent Scream

Martin wakes up in his bed, soaked with perspiration. His eyes wide with fright.

Dangling from a rafter, by a long red rope, is the twisted form of Vadym. His body so disfigured, so tied up in knots, he could be mistaken for a giant pretzel.

A young girls appears from the shadows.

ELIZABETH JR.

One down. Five to go.

Sorry, I started without you.

Martin's jaw drops. He hugs a pillow.

MARTIN

Holy shit. Liz? Liz, is that you?

And started what? What did you start? Tell me!

Elizabeth grins. A dark, malevolent grin.

ELIZABETH JR.

Vengeance of course. You big dummy.