Terrible Secrets Excerpt


Excerpt from the first draft of Terrible Secrets, an anthology feature screenplay written by Shiva Rodriguez.



INT. SHED - NIGHT

The inside of the shed is dark.  Dr. Graham fumbles around for a light switch on the wall.  The dim light clicks on.

It appears to be an ordinary work shed.  There is a table with assorted tools, a thin layer of dust covering it. There is a roll of plastic drop cloths, assorted garden tools, chicken feathers, and a few boxes. In the corner there is a dusty old office chair.

RUTH
This place is filthy!


ROB
This your place, Doc? I mean, we're
not going to piss off some crazy
farmer or something out here, are
we?


DR. GRAHAM
The whole property has been up
for sale for a while, but we
do have permission to be here.


The group faces the doctor.

JOHN
So what are we doing here, Dr.
Graham?


DR. GRAHAM
Well, John, I brought you all here
to perform a little experiment of
sorts...


BOBBY
Whoa, you're using us as guinea
pigs or something?


DR. GRAHAM
Not exactly, Bobby. After reviewing
all your cases, I determined that
all of you would best benefit if we
worked in this particular type of
setting. These dreams you've been
having... well, they all seem to
have common elements.  I'm hoping
that by bringing you here it might
put you in touch with whatever is
locked in your minds.


ROB
The only thing I'm remembering is
that I need to clean my garage.


DR. GRAHAM
And how long has it been since you
did that, Robert?


ROB
Now you sound like my wife, Doc.


Caleb glances around the shed.

CALEB
There is a lot of cool old junk in
here, though... kinda like the
Texas Chainsaw Massacre.


Rob perks up at this and looks around.  He spots the workbench.

ROB
Yeah, you're right.


Rob walks over to the bench and moves a few things around. He stops as his eyes fall on a small hatchet.  He stares at the hatchet for a beat.

The hatchet is relatively new-looking, but crusted with something that looks like dried blood.

DR. GRAHAM
Is something wrong, Robert?


Robert shakes his head but continues to stare at the hatchet.

ROB
No... it's just, this reminds me of
something.


CALEB
Of what, Rob?


ROB
It's just something I've been
thinking about a lot lately.  It's
nothing.


DR. GRAHAM
That's why we are here, Robert. Why
don't you tell us about it?

Rob looks sheepishly at Caleb.

ROB
It's kind of... well, Caleb's in
it...


CALEB
You're not thinking about me in a
queer way, right?


ROB
No, not like that.


CALEB
Then what's the big deal? Spill it,
man.


ROB
Hell, okay.  You'll probably get a
good laugh out of it anyway.  You
know how we get together every
weekend?





Terrible Secrets is currently being polished for entry into competitions.

The full first draft is available for viewing for my patrons on Patreon.











































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