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.