Blackout: A Scene

BLACKOUT:

JULIA:
(Whispered)

I'm recording this so that whoever finds my body will understand what they're seeing.

FADE IN:

EXT. WOODS 10KM NW OF CONRAD, YUKON – NIGHT

It’s dark. The cellphone she’s recording her message on flashes green every six seconds, illuminating her left eye and occasionally her nostril.

She is JULIA, scared shitless. All we see of her is her left eye, a bleeding cut from her temple to her nose, and her quivering mouth. She is recording a message, her last message, to tell her superiors her story. Her voice is always hushed, whimpering, and panicked, spoken frantically like she’s scared she’ll run out of time.

JULIA:

My name is Lieutenant-Colonel Julia Williams. I am - was head of a reconnaissance mission out of the One Military Police Regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces. You'll most likely find my body about ten kilometres northwest of Conrad, Yukon.

She takes a long, deep breath before she continues, her voice stronger because she has to be.

JULIA:

My team of seven including myself was made up of Captain James Holder, Lieutenant Wes Kawalski, Lieutenant Amy Grainger, Officer Cadet Harrison Grainger, Sergeant Graham Reynolds, and Private Recruit Maurice Ygraine. Please notify their families of their passing. And apologize. You killed them.

She brings her cellphone close to her mouth, taking up what little her camera light is picking up.

JULIA:

We came here on orders from my superior, investigating mysterious disappearances outside of a training camp in Conrad. We found them. We found their bodies.

JULIA begins to sob quietly, her whimpers filling the silence, though as she continues to speak, her sobs become louder, more desperate.

JULIA:

Oh god. There's something in the woods.  I couldn't see it. It was too dark. But they're all gone. I could hear it. Most of our equipment was destroyed. I don't know where I am. My legs. I can't move my legs. Oh god. I can hear it. I'm sending this message to my commander. I hope you get this. I have one bar. I tried to call but no one answered. Why didn't you answer?

In the distance we hear the sound of snarling – like a jungle cat – and rustling leaves.

JULIA:

Oh god. It's getting closer.

She is crying now. Her eyes shut, lips quivering, she barely whispers into the camera’s microphone-

JULIA:

I wanna go home.

-before her crying becomes a scream of terror that fades back at least several feet. The camera falls facedown, illuminating darkness covered up by dried up leaves. We hear three cries of pain in short succession, all followed by a growl, like it’s an effort to perform this task. After this, JULIA cries out enraged, broken. We hear her voice from several feet away.

JULIA:

(Screaming, cursing)

You did this to me! You did this to me!

A sound catches in her throat and we know she is dead. A loud thump rattles the leaves and heavy breathing fills the air. Everything is silent except for the breathing when suddenly a gunshot rings out. Whatever killed JULIA snarls and growls but the sound becomes distant. It’s running away.

NEW VOICE1:

We shot him!

We don’t know anything about these NEW VOICE(S) except that they arrived too late. The two of them are silent a moment – no doubt taking in the horrific scene before them.

\

NEW VOICE2:

Oh my god. What did this? Did he-

NEW VOICE2 suddenly begins retching. NEW VOICE1’s voice is soothing.

NEW VOICE1:

Hey, are you okay?

NEW VOICE2 takes several deep breaths, trying to regain their composure.

NEW VOICE2:

What the hell happened here?

NEW VOICE1:

I don’t-hey what’s that?

Two sets of footsteps slowly approach the cellphone. Suddenly the camera is on two men, illuminated by a flashlight held by one of the men (NEW VOICE2). They are both wearing thick, black sweaters, NEW VOICE1 wears a yellow toque. Both men come to the same realization and their eyes widen.

NEW VOICE2:

She was recording? Holy shi-

CUT TO BLACK