The Call of Cthulhu

Written by David A. Testa Based on, The Call of Cthulhu by H. P. Lovecraft

FADE IN: EXT. DOCKS - DAY Light fog rolls over the water. THURSTON (V.O.) Dont trust your senses. Your perspective is askew. A body bobs in the drink. THURSTON (V.O.) Nothing here is as it seems. INT. THURSTONS APARTMENT - NIGHT FRANCIS WAYLAND THURSTON, 34, grayish brown hair and wiry physique, sits in a leather armchair. His face is tired and his eyes have lost their glimmer. In the chair opposite him is a FIGURE in a yellow robe. We cant see Figures face. THURSTON Was it all a lie? FIGURE Not all of it. You werent. THURSTON Suppose the sign was nothing as well, just like the altar? FIGURE No, it could have worked. Just wasnt what I intended to occur. THURSTON What about my uncle? EXT. PROVIDENCE DOCKS - NIGHT Boats croak and moan on the silent and poorly lit dock. PROFESSOR GEORGE ANGELL, mid-seventies, sharp angular face, sits at the edge of the dock with his feet hanging off and stares up a brilliant starry night sky. Figure appears in the dock-light just five feet behind Angell.

2.

FIGURE (V.O.) He wasnt as ready for travel as you were. ANGELL My father used to take me here when I was a boy. He dips his head, a small tear rolls down his cheek. ANGELL (CONTD) There isn't a better place to see the stars in the entire city. I never had a son, but if I did I always hoped that one day I could bring him here. Figure is standing right behind Angell, silent, motionless. ANGELL (CONTD) That was before I knew of this madness, and let it consume me. Figure lays a ghostly white hand on his shoulder. Angell looks up to the stars. ANGELL (CONTD) Who could have known such utter darkness came from the most brilliant light. Angell looks to the black water churning beneath him. ANGELL (CONTD) (defeated) Who could have known? Figure crouches down next to Angell and places its hand on Angell's shoulder. FIGURE Shhhhhh. Shck! Figure drives a crude blade into Angell's chest and wrenches it laterally. Angell slumps. Figure pushes Angell off of the dock and into the black water. He bobs at the surface, dead. The stars glimmer in the water's reflection.

3.

INT. THURSTONS APARTMENT - NIGHT THURSTON (defeated smile) I should have known. FIGURE Its odd, with you people, the truth can be right in front of your face, but it can be twisted into a lie simply by believing otherwise. THURSTON When were lying beaten and broken on the floor, what more do we have? FIGURE I cant care for the rest, but you, Francis, you have a choice. Figure places a gun on the table. FIGURE (CONTD) How far will you pursue your desires? THURSTON As far as I can. INT. DUNEDIN INN - NIGHT Thurston slowly opens his eyes, they are bloodshot. Sitting up, he puts his feet on the floor and rubs his head. INT. INN BAR - NIGHT SUPER: Dunedin, New Zealand 1927 Thurston sits at the bar by himself. A fire burns in a fireplace at the far end of the cramped room. He takes a drink from his beer, and then another. Empty. Places it back on the bar. THURSTON (signaling) Another one over here. BARTENDER nods his head.

4.

A man sits down next to Thurston. This is GUSTAF JOHANSEN, late 40s, visibly dirty, rough moustache, and sports a shapeless hat. JOHANSEN Whiskey on the rocks while you're at it. (motions to Thurston) He's paying for it. THURSTON (furrowed eyebrows) The hell I am. JOHANSEN Well, the hell you are. THURSTON No, I'm not. The bartender places the drinks in front of the two men. JOHANSEN Yes, no, maybe. None of them speak as well as the money you've been trying to pay around town for the Alert. Pause. THURSTON (to the bartender) I'm paying. Thurston pays the bartender. Without skipping a beat, Johansen throws back his drink. THURSTON (CONTD) You're welcome. JOHANSEN What's that? You're offering another? I'd be rude of me to protest. Johansen motions to the bartender for another drink. THURSTON What can you tell me about the Alert?

5.

JOHANSEN Nothing much. Just where it's been, an when it's coming back to Dunedin. The bartender drops off another whiskey on the rocks. JOHANSEN (CONT'D) Thank you. Johansen sips the drink, and motions for Thurston to pay. He does so. THURSTON And you would be? JOHANSEN Johansen. Captain Gustaf Johansen of the Vigilant. The best tramp steamer youll find in New Zealand, let alone Dunedin. THURSTON Promising. Do you know where I can find the Alert? JOHANSEN She's always around here in early April. I could point in the right direction for a fee. THURSTON No pointing, I need you to follow it. JOHANSEN (points to himself) What's that? You need my ship now? You best know how to pay with that kind of demand. THURSTON I do. There is a breif silence. Johansen eyes up Thurston. JOHANSEN You've heard the stories, I imagine? THURSTON I have.

6.

JOHANSEN So you best know that what you're asking won't be cheap. THURSTON All I need to know is that you'll stay true to our agreement. If we make one, that is. JOHANSEN Well, if the money's there, the Vigilants there. THURSTON It will be. JOHANSEN Alright. Follow it. Why? You're too well dressed to believe any of those silly stories. One of them run off with your wife? THURSTON That's my own business. And JOHANSEN And who are you to act like this? THURSTON Thurston. Professor Francis Wayland Thurston of Boston University. JOHANSEN (smiling) I see what you did there. THURSTON And if you need to know why, I can go elsewhere. JOHANSEN Oh, Christ no, don't do that. Was just bein' a bit curious. THURSTON I'll give you two thousand to follow it. JOHANSEN For how long? THURSTON Shouldn't be more than a week or so.

7.

JOHANSEN Sounds about right. Johansen goes to finish his drink. Thurston holds his arm to the bar. THURSTON I'm not finished. JOHANSEN Neither am I. Johansen tries to shake Thurston's hand but cant.. THURSTON Two thousand to follow it. Five thousand to get me to where it's going. JOHANSEN As I said, if the money's there, the Vigilant's there. Johansen shakes off Thurston's hand and downs his drink. EXT. DUNEDIN DOCK - NIGHT Lamps light the dock. Hundreds of ships bundled together in a motionless flotilla. A light rain adds to the night's tranquility. Johansen, DONOVAN, and RODRIGUEZ, stand in the rain smoking cigarettes and conversing next to the Vigilant. DONOVAN, 34, pudgy, and Irish. RODRIGUEZ, 26, boyishly handsome, Latin. Thurston walks toward them with luggage in hand. THURSTON (shouting) Surprisingly nice for you, isn't it Johansen? JOHANSEN (turing to Thurston) Have to keep her nice for rich folk like yourself to consider sailin' on her. Johansen motions to his men to board the ship. They oblige and walk up the docking ramp.

8.

THURSTON As long as the agreement is still good. JOHANSEN It is. It is. (motions to ramp) Ready when you are, professor. THURSTON Please, just Frank. Thurston walks up the docking ramp, followed by Johansen. JOHANSEN I'll take your bag for you if you'd like? THURSTON Sure. Thurston hands a valise off to Johansen. JOHANSEN You'll find we've made the proper arrangements for someone of your stature, professor. INT. VIGILANT - THURSTON'S BUNK - NIGHT A light flicks on. The bunk is dingy, poorly lit, and crates serve as any and all furniture. The bed is laid out on some. Thurston and Johansen enter, Johansen first. Thurston sighs, clearly disgusted. Thud! Johansen drops the bag on the floor. THURSTON I should have seen this coming. JOHANSEN What's that? THURSTON Nothing. Is this it for the night? JOHANSEN Should be, if you need anything just stick your head into the hallway and scream, it'll annoy someone enough to come runnin'. Johansen exits.

9.

Thurston looks around, examining the room, and shakes his head. THURSTON Godammit. EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - NIGHT MIKKEL sits at the railing of the deck, peering out at the marina. Mikkel is roughly the same age as Johansen, but more grizzled and wiry. Johansen walks to his side. MIKKEL He onboard? JOHANSEN Yep. MIKKEL Don't like this much. JOHANSEN It's work, we're not paid to like it, Mikkel. And my ship, my call. MIKKEL I know, could have gone waited for a safer bet s'all I'm sayin'. JOHANSEN Overpaid by a thousand, good enough for me. Usually good enough for you too. MIKKEL Not this time, Gus. INT. VIGILANT - THURSTON'S BUNK - NIGHT Thurston unpacks his things. JENS, a younger man who has yet to see the perils of war, steps into the room. JENS Need help with anything? THURSTON Didn't know I'd be having visitors. JENS Captain told me to look out for you, I'm Jens.

10.

Jens extends his hand and Thurston shakes it. THURSTON Frank. JENS Now that that's out of the way, you need anything? Water? Drink? THURSTON Yeah, where's the toilet? JENS (laughs) Take a right out this door and its the third door on the left. THURSTON Thanks, was about to start knocking on doors. While unpacking, a journal falls out of Thurstons pocket without him knowing. JENS Dropped your little book. THURSTON What? JENS Here, I got it. Jens leans down to get, but Thurston quickly interrupts: THURSTON (picking up journal) No. No. I got it. JENS (jocular) Must be some book you got there. Thurston resumes unpacking. THURSTON Yeah. Pause. JENS Well, I'll get some sleep then. You should do the same. See you in the morning.

11.

THURSTON Where can I find you? JENS (exiting) I'll find you, Frank. EXT. DUNEDIN DOCK - NIGHT A brown-robed CULTIST surveils the Vigilant. Another walks to it's side. CULTIST #1 A' oola qaqua koth. Hizrek a qaqua daera bahl? (He's aboard. Should we kill when hes asleep?) CULTIST #2 Pesha at. Acal xoqtan inha dvareul iet. (Leave him be. We have the upper hand now.) EXT. DUNEDIN DOCK - NIGHT The lights on the boats and the dock turn off, one-by-one. INT. VIGILANT - BUNK - NIGHT Crewmen toss and turn in their cramped bunks. INT. VIGILANT - THURSTONS BUNK - NIGHT The room is pitch black. A sliver of light pierces the dark and shows an asleep Thurston. A shadow passes over the light. Someone is opening Thurstons jacket. They root through the pockets until they retrieve the journal. The sliver of light thins until it dissipates. INT. VIGILANT - BELOW DECK - CONTINUOUS Jens stands outside of Thurstons Bunk, just having closed the door. He looks side to side, then beelines down the hall. Suddenly, while rounding a corner, Jens is thrown against the wall by an AGGRESSOR.

12.

AGGRESSOR Whatd you lift? Huh, you little shit, what is it?! JENS Nothing! Nothing! Im sorry, sir, Ill put it right back. Aggressor begins to laugh. The fear on Jenss face turns to anger. JENS (CONTD) (turning) Oh, you ass! NILS, 28, his gaunt features emphasize his rat-like face. NILS Sorry, just had to. JENS Christ, Nils, thought you were the captain! The two begin to walk down the hallway. NILS Lucky fa you, Im not. Whatd you get? JENS Whatre you even doin awake? NILS Couldnt sleep, an saw ya werent in ya bunk, so, went for a walk. Cmon, out with the goods already. Jens shows Nils the journal in his pocket, and quickly puts it away. JENS Just a book. NILS Some rich prats memoirs? You know how captain is about stealin, better be more than that. JENS Yeah, well, the tightass nearly jumped on it when it fell out of his pocket earlier. Has to be worth something.

13.

INT. VIGILANT - JENSS BUNK - NIGHT Jens lays awake in his bed, Nils sleeps in the bunk opposite. The ships creaks are incessant, a disharmonious lullaby. Jens sits up and looks to the journal on table and sighs. He snatches the journal and flips it open, beginning to read: INT. BOSTON UNIVERSITY - THURSTONS OFFICE - NIGHT A standard, dimly lit, office with adesk, shelves, and heaps of papers and books scatter about in a mess. Thurston stands over an open 2x2 rusted iron box. A very clear engraving of the ELDER SIGN, a warped five pointed star with a burning pillar at its center, on its side. THURSTON (V.O.) It wasnt much to me at first. Just another box my uncle left to me. Emptying the contents onto his desk he finds: a small basrelief, leather bound journal, several newspaper cutouts focusing on dreams, and dozens of paper scraps with illegible symbols written on them in scattered patterns. THURSTON (V.O.) Its contents meant nothing to me back then. Simply more work for me. He picks up the small bas-relief, and turns it right, left, then right again. It depicts a scaly human-like body with a pulpy octopus head, webbings, fins, and large outstretched wings. The figure sits atop a rock surrounded by water and, in the background, is a city with eldritch architecture. He thumbs the alien architecture and creature. THURSTON What the hell? He turns the bas-relief over. There is a name carved into the back: Henry Anthony Wilcox. THURSTON (V.O.) But a name, that changes things. Makes everything, comprehendible. Gives you context. Putting the bas-relief back down into the mess of information, he then goes for the papers.

14.

Turning them in every direction, there isnt any legible language. They go back to the desk. He pauses and look at the journal. CTHULHU CULT is printed on its cover. THURSTON (V.O.) It wasnt enough, though. He picks up the journal, runs his hand over the lettering, and begins to flip through the pages. Page after page of endless writing, until, he stops on a page with a single sentence, I am providence. It is written in pristine font and on the perfect center of the page. Squints. Tongues his cheek. He is confused, yet intrigued at the same time. A glimmer of curiosity in his eye. He turns the page, again, and again. The phrase dominates every page, expanding outward with every subsequent page, dominating every spot. The writing becoming more jagged and sharp. Until, he turns a page and the writing has stopped. He flips through the remaining blank pages, roughly the final third. THURSTON (V.O.) I needed something more. Suddenly, there is a knock on the door. Thurston jumps and drops the journal. THURSTON One moment! Thurston snatches the journal off of the ground and jams it, along with the bas-relief, into the box and closes the lid. Thurston snatches the journal off of the ground and jams it, along with the bas-relief, into the box and closes the lid. Knock. Knock. Knock. THURSTON (CONT'D) Sorry, just one more moment! He rushes to the door and quickly pulls it open to reveal, ARTHUR MENT, 31, but looks significantly younger than Thurston. MENT What's with this locked door all of a sudden, Frank?

15.

THURSTON What? Oh, yeah, the door. I always lock it after seven. Come on it. Ment enters the office and instantly begins to inspect the mess. MENT It wasn't locked five minutes ago when I was by. (eyes up Thurston) Everything okay? You seem a bit flustered. THURSTON Fine. MENT Find anything your uncles mess of papers? THURSTON Just some more Semitic languages bullshit. MENT He did get a doctorate in it. (looks at the box) Whats that? THURSTON Just another box filled with even more shit. MENT Rusty box like that has to have something good in it. THURSTON Dont count on it. God, would have been nice if he waited until after final examinations to die. MENT Bit harsh dont you think? THURSTON Hell with him, Ive got too much shit stacked up right now. MENT (turns to Thurston) Got time for a drink? (MORE)

16. MENT (CONT'D) Some of the other professor and I are leaving shortly.

THURSTON Art, I just told you, I have too much work. I have to sift through all of his ramblings while somehow drawing up an exam for next week. MENT Cas might be there. THURSTON Cas? Where? MENT The speakie on the North End. Interested now? THURSTON She doesnt want to see me, I tripped all over myself last time. MENT Really? She asked about you. INT. SPEAKEASY - NIGHT The atmosphere is smoky and lively. An all black big-band plays jazz over the speakeasys denizens. Thurston and Ment sit at a table playing Gogo. THURSTON She's not coming, is she? MENT Did she have to? THURSTON Is anyone coming? MENT A few a bit later. THURSTON You ass, I should have stayed back. Thurston makes a move. MENT Damn, nice move.

17.

THURSTON Thanks. MENT But stay back? You were the one that pushed to come early. THURSTON When I thought there'd be a crowd. MENT No, when you thought Cas would be here. THURSTON Just had to get my hopes up. MENT For what, hook nose like yours, shed be running if she saw you. THURSTON Please, professor Ment, tell me, how can I be more like you? How can I be as good looking as you? The two share a laugh. THURSTON (CONTD) At least you saved me from work. MENT Optimism doesnt work out as well as youd think. Speaking of work, seriously, what was in that box? THURSTON I told you, just more unorganized research. MENT Well, come on, be specific. THURSTON Actually, there was something interesting. Does the phrase I am providence mean anything to you? MENT As in the city? He taught at PU, didn't he? THURSTON Yeah.

18.

MENT Could have just loved his city enough to write it. THURSTON This is something more. MENT What, he is divine guidance? THURSTON Not necessarily, just, more. INT. THURSTON'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Lights flick on. Thurston stumbles as he enter. It is simple and quaint. The oak, old-style furniture brings out the age. BEDROOM Thurston enters and empties his pockets onto his dresser. First his wallet, then his time-piece. LATER Thurston is in bed. The lights are off. He is tossing and turning. He grabs his pillow, fluffs it, and places it behind his head and closes. FLASH: THE BAS-RELIEF, THE ILLEGIBLE SCRIBBLING ON THE PAPERS, I AM PROVIDENCE. Thurston slowly opens his eyes. He groans and rubs his eyes as he sits up. He snatches the clock off of the night-stand and turns on the bedside lamp. It's early, very early. He puts the clock down and turns the lamp off. THURSTON Goddammit. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - DAY We are soaring over the ocean. A large rock whisks by. We approach a city. Its architecture twists and turns, defying conventional physics. Spires bend in circular patterns that would otherwise topple when seen elsewhere. Seaweed hangs from the grey and earthly colored structures.

19.

WHISPERER (V.O.) What is it that you desire most in life, Francis Wayland Thurston? INT. VIGILANT - THURSTON'S BUNK - NIGHT Thurston lies asleep. The light flicks on. He opens his eyes, Johansen is in the room smoking. JOHANSEN Sweet dreams, professor? Thurston rolls out of bed and begins to button up his shirt. THURSTON (putting on tie) Nothing I haven't seen before. What is it? JOHANSEN Two in the morning, only been out a few hours. Just comin' to wake ya. THURSTON (groggy) Why? JOHANSEN They're movin'. The Alert that is. Christ, you think I came here to say hello? (exiting) I'll be on the bridge when you're ready. Thurston starts dressing. He reaches for his coat, puts it on, and stops. He pats a pocket. Then another. In a fury, he checks all of the pockets. Nothing. INT. VIGILANT - JENSS BUNK - NIGHT Jens closes the journal. He runs his hand through his hair. INT. VIGILANT - BELOW DECK - NIGHT Thurston storms out of his bunk. Donovan and Rodriguez are in the hallway bullshitting.

20.

DONOVAN An Im jus tryna hold on, but the fuck keeps swerving makin it fuckin impossible. Thurston walks toward the two. THURSTON Excuse me. DONOVAN Thats when I leaned over an THURSTON Excuse, sorry to interrupt. DONOVAN (to Thurston) Whatd ya want? THURSTON Have you seen anyone leave my room? RODRIGUEZ Yeah, not to long ago. THURSTON Who was it? RODRIGUEZ That captain acourse. THURSTON I know that, but anyone else. DONOVAN Look, we been ere for bout five minutes. Havent seen no one. THURSTON Alright, any way you could watch my room for me? Going up to the bridge for a moment. DONOVAN Acourse. THURSTON Great, um, thank you. RODRIGUEZ You like a spit shine on ya shoes as well?

21.

THURSTON What? DONOVAN Look, professor, you may a bought the captain, but not us. Watch ya own fuckin room. INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - NIGHT Mikkel is at the helm, while Johansen stands at the window. Thurston enters. THURSTON The crew seems to like me. JOHANSEN You're their next payday. Why wouldn't they. JOHANSEN (CONTD) Oh. Almost forgot. Professor, this here is Mikkel, my first mate. You need anything while I'm not around, yell for him, he might help. Thurston walks over to Mikkel and extends his hand. THURSTON Mikkel. MIKKEL Professor. Mikkel walks to the window in front of the helm. Thurston retracts his hand. THURSTON Where are they? JOHANSEN Ten o'clock, third lit boat on the left. THURSTON Didn't you say they were leaving? JOHANSEN They started their engine an hour ago. Either they are going to leave soon, or they're lookin' to destroy their engine.

22.

MIKKEL Wouldn't surprise me if they were. Bunch a fuckin madmen onboard. JOHANSEN Right. We dark yet? MIKKEL Almost there, just a few lights on the back of the ship to go out. THURSTON What do you mean dark? JOHANSEN Lights out. If we're going to follow them we need to make sure they don't see us until we want them to. THURSTON When would that be? JOHANSEN (turns and smiles) I was hoping you could tell me. ARCTUR runs into the room and haunches down to his knees. ARCTUR Lights out on the back sir. We're dark. JOHANSEN Mikkel. MIKKEL Already there, sir. Mikkel flips a switch on the helm. The lights in the room go out. Johansen grips the windowsill and stares at the Alert. JOHANSEN Now we wait. EXT. DUNEDIN DOCK - NIGHT The Alert sits still with all of its lights piercing the night sky. The Vigilant remains motionless with every light off.

23.

INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - NIGHT Thurston sits on the floor with his back against the wall. Mikkel is standing at the helm, while Johansen sits in a chair and has his feet up on a counter. THURSTON How long has it been? MIKKEL Forty minutes or so. JOHANSEN Don't be fooled. The second we take our eyes off of her she'll be gone. THURSTON Comforting. JOHANSEN You should 'ave been here when we were gun runnin' into Wellington. We waited in rough waters just meters away from a cliff for five hours. THURSTON (bored) Sounds exhilarating. MIKKEL You're damn right it was! (to Johansen) Remember when Liam fell off the ship? JOHANSEN Damn near got us caught! The poor bastard got blind drunk while were waiting. MIKKEL We spent a half hour trying to fish his flailing ass out of the drink. Then we couldn't hoist the anchor to get to the trade. JOHANSEN The buyers were so livid. MIKKEL Oh god, what were their names again, Worthington and...?

24.

JOHANSEN Agnes! MIKKEL Agnes, that's it. Worthington and Agnes. I'd be pissed all the time, too, if I had either of their names. JOHANSEN You callin' him Angus probably didn't help either. MIKKEL The hell am I suppose to do? Half the damn men on this island are named Angus. Let alone Agnes is a womans name. But he wouldn't have taken much offense if you didn't giggle like a merry at his lisp. JOHANSEN It was just so off, how couldn't I have? Johansen and Mikkel share a laugh. MIKKEL Oh, what was that, five years ago? JOHANSEN Six. MIKKEL That's right. Amazing how fast it goes. JOHANSEN Wish it'd gone faster. You're a shit first mate. Johansen and Mikkel slowly bring it back to silence. MIKKEL Captain, they're movin'. Johansen takes his feet off of the counter and stands up. He runs to the window and leans on the windowsill. EXT. DUNEDIN DOCK - CONTINUOUS The Alert is slowly inching its way from the dock.

25.

INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS JOHANSEN Untie us. Mikkel walks to the door and leans through the threshold. MIKKEL Untie the knots! EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - NIGHT A hatch opens to the deck of the ship. Jens and Nils emerge. NILS Think you can beat me this time? JENS Dont tempt me, might just have to cut it. They run to the ropes and slide down them to: EXT. DUNEDIN DOCK - CONTINUOUS The two untie the knots on the cleats. The ropes spool out a few feet. They grab the ropes and climb onto: EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - CONTINUOUS Jens is struggling to get aboard. Nils reaches out and helpe him aboard. NILS Maybe next time, little brother. JENS Hell with you. INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - NIGHT THOMAS runs onto the bridge. He pauses as he catches his breath. THOMAS Knots 're loose. Good to go, cap'n. JOHANSEN Good, take us after 'em, Mikkel.

26.

MIKKEL Already doing so, captain. Mikkel spins the helm and engages the throttle. EXT. DUNEDIN DOCK - CONTINUOUS The Vigilant slips away from the dock and into the channel. The Alert is roughly a half mile ahead of it. INT. VIGILANT BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Thurston approaches the window and looks up to the stars, thousands of them, glistening in the night sky. He then looks to the Alert. THURSTON The stars are right. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - EARLY MORNING The night is slowly fading into dawn as the two ships pave through the calm waters. Warm colors are on the horizon. A slight fog drifts over the water. INT. VIGILANT - JENSS BUNK - EARLY MORNING Jens shuffles into his bunk. Nils is already fast asleep. Jens looks to him and then to the journal on the table. He hesitates for a moment, but picks up the journal and sits on his bed. Flipping it open, Jens begins to read: INT. BOSTON UNIVERSITY - THURSTONS APARTMENT - NIGHT Thurston sits at his desk with bloodshot eyes and bags under them to complement his visibly tired appearance. The basrelief is in his hands, he is staring at the name on the back, Henry Anthony Wilcox. THURSTON (V.O.) Maybe Arts insistence was what compelled me. Yet, after everything that has passed since then Ive learned to be less naive. Needless to say, I should have known from the sculpture alone where to find Mr. Henry Anthony Wilcox.

27.

EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM - DAY The sky above the timeworn asylum is uniformly grey. The building is a vestige of a more Gothic time. Trees with budding leaves populate the grounds. A car drives under an arch that reads "ARKHAM ASYLUM." INT. ARKHAM ASYLUM - FOYER - DAY Thurston and DOCTOR STEPHENS, 43, dangerously similar to Jon Hamm, enter through large red doors. Light shines through a large glass window above them. The foyer itself is calm despite the ten or so people working at the reception desk. Nurses weave in and out of doctors and swinging doorways. DOCTOR STEPHENS Now, you weren't very clear over telephone. Why do you wish to see Mr. Wilcox again? THURSTON Mr. Wilcox has a very unique knowledge of the Caroline Islanders. I only wish to ask him a few questions. DOCTOR STEPHENS Professor, he barely remembers his own name or his own family. I hardly believe he will be able to give you any useful information. THURSTON Dr. Stephens, the man that you have here is the man that started my inquiry. I need to speak with him. DOCTOR STEPHENS (sotto voce) That kid came in with no records and babbling nonsense. He's no one. Just another lost patient. THURSTON Sometimes we have to get lost before we can find our way.

28.

INT. ARKHAM ASYLUM - WARD B - DAY Doctor Stephens leads Thurston down a long, hallway. Cells with chipped and rusted bars Several patients batter against rusted iron their arms out between the bars at Thurston nonsense. THURSTON Is he in one of these cells? DOCTOR STEPHENS No. And we don't call them cells here, professor. They are suites. THURSTON Wouldn't they be nicer if they were suites? DOCTOR STEPHENS It's not the bars that hold these men in here, professor. It's themselves. Their own minds. They are guests in our home and are here on their own accord. If they choose to break free of their ailments, we will be ready to help them further. THURSTON Is Wilcox in one of these suites? DOCTOR STEPHENS No. He's in Ward A, the wing farthest from the center. THURSTON Why's that? Is he more dangerous than some of the others? DOCTOR STEPHENS Don't be foolish, professor. If any patient in here were truly dangerous, then this wouldn't be an asylum. It would be a prison. We keep the loudest patients the farthest away. THURSTON I guess that's at least somewhat comforting. The two come to a large wooden door. Doctor Stephens opens it for Thurston and motions for Thurston to enter. dimly lit, stone line the walls. bars. They thrust and shout

29.

DOCTOR STEPHENS You could say so. Thurston steps through and turns around, Doctor Stephens isn't following. THURSTON Excuse me, doctor, aren't you coming? DOCTOR STEPHENS I'm afraid not. They are your questions, professor. I only go to that ward when I need to, just like everyone else. THURSTON It's not as if I know where to go. DOCTOR STEPHENS He's in the farthest suite. I had an orderly leave a stool outside of it for you. INT. ARKHAM ASYLUM - WARD A - CONTINUOUS Thurston appears and enters. He winces at the sounds of indecipherable shouting and shrieking. The ward is dimly lit, except for a few candles and beams of dust laden sunlight shining through the cell windows. He cautiously starts down the long corridor. He glances in a cell that he passes. A patient scribbles a circular pattern on his cell wall. PATIENT 1 There is no way out! Not until the circle lets us leave! Patient 1 begins to laugh hysterically, doubling over himself. Thurston sees patient after patient screaming while tinkering with some odd object in their cells or sleeping in their blanket-less bunks. Thurston comes to a stop at the last cell, Wilcox's cell. Only a beam of sunlight from a barred window lights the cell. He looks over his shoulder to see a stool behind him. He grabs it and drags it closer to the cell door and sits down.

30.

WILCOX (O.S.) Professor Thurston. Professor Francis Wayland Thurston. THURSTON (squirming in seat) Someone told you I was coming? WILCOX (O.S.) No. He did. The noises stop throughout the ward. THURSTON Who is he, Mr. Wilcox? I am speaking with Henry Anthony Wilcox, correct? WILCOX (O.S.) You could say so. THURSTON But should I, is the question? WILCOX (O.S.) Come now Francis, you aren't here to quarrel over names now are you? THURSTON No, but if you would show yourself, I'd be more willing to talk. Pause. THURSTON (CONT'D) Henry? A figure contorts its way into the sunlight. It is Wilcox, he is in a straightjacket and his hair tossed. His lanky frame creates sharp angles under the jacket. Dried streams of blood trace from his ears to his chin. Wilcox slowly shuffles toward Thurston, his gait broken and erratic. WILCOX You wish to know about my sculpture, don't you, Francis? They always do. THURSTON I'm sorry, they?

31.

WILCOX You can't imagine you're the first? It was your uncle's journal you read about me in, was it not? I am a bit curious, what was it that drew you to the box? THURSTON I don't know what you mean. WILCOX For some, it's simply the rusted surface. Rust denotes age and a lock, secrets. But you, something pulled, did it not? THURSTON Intrigue. WILCOX That is, of course, what most say. Too afraid to think of another force that might be in play. But you are not ready for those just yet. You still have questions. THURSTON Several. WILCOX Proceed. Thurston pulls out the journal and opens it to a fresh page, ready to write. THURSTON What can you tell me about this Cthulhu and R'lyeh? Wilcox giggles in excitement. WILCOX Ooo, right out with it. It took the others a might longer to finally ask the real questions. Your uncle must have been very thorough with his notes. THURSTON He was, but he only included the names.

32.

WILCOX You have seen them both, have you not? THURSTON Your sculpture was very detailed, but which is which? WILCOX You are an anthropology professor, Francis. I imagine you know more than most that they name cults after their deities. THURSTON So Cthulhu is the deity, and R'lyeh the city. WILCOX (annoyed) For as strong a start you had, Francis, you're becoming quite tiresome with these redundancies. THURSTON No point in getting hostile, just covering my bases. How would you say you learned of this Cthulhu and his R'lyeh? WILCOX He came to me in a dream and told me of him and his great city. THURSTON And this was when? WILCOX April the second, earlier this year. Not a day after that earthquake in the Pacific. THURSTON Why such importance on the earthquake? WILCOX It was what dislodged the tomb. R'lyeh surfaced from the deep that day. THURSTON Where is it now?

33.

Wilcox smiles, showing blackened teeth. WILCOX If only it were that easy, Francis. I do not know. I am but a messenger. Given my duties in my dreams and nothing more. Only a handful know, the dreamers. THURSTON Who might they be? I'd rather enjoy speaking to one of them. WILCOX You are one of them, the most recent. And more will come if you fail. Thurston looks up from the journal and prepares to leave. THURSTON And for as strong a start you had I thought I was actually onto something here. WILCOX There is another name you wish to inquire about isn't there, Francis? Thurston pauses and places the journal back on his lap. THURSTON Who is this Hastur? INT. BOSTON UNIVERSITY - MENT'S OFFICE - NIGHT Ment and Thurston sit in Ment's Office. It is nearly identical to Thurston's office but is noticeably neater. Thurston sits on the desk while Ment works at his desk. MENT Who is he? THURSTON Hastur is the god in direct conflict with Cthulhu. Supposedly, Hastur imprisoned Cthulhu in this city R'lyeh, or however you pronounce it, and shifted the stars as a form of sealing this Cthulhu inside.

34.

MENT Really? Imprison him? Why do all gods have to be such divas? THURSTON Hastur only wants to rule over Cthulhu's planet. MENT Earth, I imagine, if we're sticking with normal mythologies? THURSTON Yeah. But, Hastur won't kill Cthulhu, though, if he doesn't have to because they're half-brothers, thus the prison. MENT Blood is thicker than water, right? THURSTON That's the wrong usage. MENT What? THURSTON It means family over duty and friends now, but the orignal saying is the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. You know, the inverse. MENT Whered you get that load of bullshit from, another mental patient? THURSTON Just, nevermind, that's not the point. I researched into these gods further, look at these. Thurston retrieves a few photos out of his inner coat-pocket. Shows Ment the first photo: an archaeologist holding a small crude clay sculpture of Cthulhu. THURSTON (CONTD) Found on a hostile Inuit during the Fram expedition back in 94. Dated back to the early 15th century. Another photo: a wooden carving of Cthulhu.

35.

THURSTON (CONTD) The German's found this tucked away when they got the Caroline Islands from Spain back in 99. 12th century this time. The last: an illustration, a tall faceless king, Hastur, standing over a shackled Cthulhu, on a tattered page. THURSTON (CONTD) Recovered in a dig at what's thought to be Iram. Basically Atlantis, but on land and in Arabia. MENT I know what Iram is. THURSTON Dates back to the early 8th century. It shows Cthulhu's imprisonment by Hastur. MENT So, Cthulhu is a gargantuan squidmonster, and Hastur is just a really tall person with a crown? How'd he manage to overpower the other? THURSTON Hastur can change form. When he's seen as shown in the picture he's known as The King in Yellow. MENT You can't be serious with all of this, Frank? I mean, an insane person told you about this. THURSTON It's not like I believe this is real. MENT Thank God. THURSTON This might be something else though. Something big. MENT Like what?

36.

THURSTON These findings are from all over the world, and span centuries. Who knows how far back they go. I think my Great Uncle left this to me so I could pick up where he left off. MENT To find what? THURSTON A religion older than time itself, Art, possibly the first. This makes a career. MENT Or breaks one. And what if? You're a goddamn professor. You should know better than to say something as childish as what if. What's happening is you're giving meaningless sculptures of monsters and fantasy worlds profound meaning from a small amount of research. Thats it. Snap back, Frank. Pause MENT (CONTD) Just sleep on it, okay? THURSTON I am getting a bit ahead of myself. MENT Just out of curiosity, have you read through the journal yet? THURSTON Well, ugh, no. MENT Give it a read, then. If you're right on this, then that's going to be the best place to find more. THURSTON Yeah, I'll get right to that. Thurston gets up and makes for the door. MENT By the way.

37.

Thurston stops and turns to face Ment. MENT (CONTD) Drinks tomorrow? Couple of us going to the same place. Could be a good way to unwind. THURSTON Yeah, I'll, ugh, get back to you. INT. THURSTON'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT Thurston is lying in bed, asleep. FLASH: THE OCEAN, THE ROCK, AND THE CITY. EXT. BEACH - DAWN Waves. They push over and pull back on the grey-toned sand. It is a calming sight. A man is wading though the waves. It is Thurston. His steps bringing him closer and closer to shore. He pauses. A note of confusion in his eyes. Rlyeh, in all of its horror and grandeur, stands before him. He becomes lost in the skewed architecture. WHISPERER (V.O.) Climb, Francis. Thurston spins around, looking in every direction. THURSTON Hello? Climb? Climb what? Thurston turns back to the city. There is a staircase not ten feet in front of him that wasnt there before. THURSTON (CONTD) And what will I find at the top? WHISPERER (V.O.) What you desire most. THURSTON Whats that, exactly? Can you tell me? WHISPERER (V.O.) All men share the same desire.

38.

THURSTON Which is? WHISPERER (V.O.) To climb. Thurston takes a few deep breaths and approaches the staircase. He pauses. Slowly takes the first step, then the second, and begins to ascend the staircase. EXT. RLYEH LANDING - DAY Thurston steps up to the landing and looks up. A gargantuan golden cathedral looms over him. Its massive doorway slants in toward the cathedrals base. He approaches and extends his hand. As his fingers touch the door: INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Thurston's bloodshot eyes slowly open. He sits on the floor, slumped against the wall. Mikkel is steadfast at the helm, Johansen sleeps in his chair. Thurston slowly stands up and dusts himself off. THURSTON (yawning) How long was I asleep. MIKKEL Hell if I know. THURSTON Should have expected that. MIKKEL Look, you bought the captains services, professor, not the rest a ours. THURSTON So I've heard from everyone else on this ship. MIKKEL What business do you have following a ship of madmen if I could ask?

39.

THURSTON My business is my own. If I need to keep saying that then tell me, and Ill draw up a sign. MIKKEL Keep telling yourself its still just yours. But I'm afraid its all of ours now. Could at least tell us a lie instead of being a complete prick about it. THURSTON Something bigger than you or I could even imagine. MIKKEL That may be, but some things are best left buried. INT. VIGILANT - MESS HALL - DAY Thurston, dead tired, sits at a table by himself and slowly shovels gruel into his mouth. JENS Get any sleep? Jens sits down across from Thurston. THURSTON Just a couple of hours, I get seasick pretty easily. JENS Takes a bit before you get used to it. THURSTON I don't mind the waves, just who are those two? Thurston motions to Donovan and Rodriguez across the hall. JENS Donovan and Rodriguez? Don't worry about them. Couple a thick twats who only enjoy themselves. THURSTON Which is which?

40.

JENS For a professor you really don't come off as that smart. THURSTON Heh. Thanks. By the way, you happen to be by my room last night? JENS What? No. Why you ask? THURSTON Someone stole something of mine. JENS What was it? THURSTON Something personal. (motions to Donovan & Rodriguez) You think one of them could have taken it? JENS Could have, wouldnt start getting hostile though. Might ave just misplaced it. THURSTON I didnt. JENS Easy now. Just relax. THURSTON How the hell can I do that on this ship? People are taking my affects and spitting in my face when I ask for their help. JENS I have an idea. EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - DAY Thurston and Jens are playing Kyykka on the deck. Jens throws the bat and knocks a few pegs out of the square. THURSTON Whats this called?

41.

JENS Kyykka, I picked it up when we were in Finland about a year back. Thurston steps up and misses. JENS (CONTD) Good shot. Gotta go get it. THURSTON (walking) Being an itinerant ever get to you? JENS What do you mean? THURSTON The lifestyle I mean. Thurston grabs the bat and walks back. JENS No, whats itinerant mean? Thurston hands the bat to Jens. THURSTON To be constantly moving from one place to another. JENS Jesus, just say that next time. Thurston laughs. Jens throws and is successful. THURSTON Nice throw. Donovan and Rodriguez walk by. DONOVAN Found yaself a friend did ya, Jens? JENS Having more than one seems less sad. DONOVAN Yeah, he's the money here. Don't get too attached. He'll shuck you off fast when this is done. Thurston stands awkwardly as Donovan and Rodriguez walk away.

42.

THURSTON Look Im sorry if I Jens continues to play. JENS Never really got to me, the traveling that is. Its hard work, but pay aint bad. Captain can be a bit of an ass sometimes but he does look out for us. THURSTON What keeps you here? Dont you wonder about doing more than this? Thurston joins Jens. JENS Ive seen more than most in my twenty-three years. Seen the stars shine brighter than you could ever glimpse on land, or even the farthest stranger become brothers cause they shared a deck. Bein on this ship is doin more, jus gotta have a different look on life, I guess. THURSTON I guess Im not as bold as you. Id be too afraid to get lost out here with no bearing for north or home. JENS Eh, sometimes we have to get lost before we can find our way. Thurston drops a bat. THURSTON What did you say? JENS Just sometimes you have to get a bit lost to find your way. THURSTON Whered you hear that from? JENS Father use to say it when I was younger.

43.

THURSTON Right, of course. Look, my arms getting sore. You need my help cleaning this up? JENS No, I got it. INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - DAY Nils leans over navigation charts and draws a line. Jens leans over his shoulder. Mikkel stands in the background at the helm. JENS He knows I took the journal. NILS Thats what the book was. Hows he know? JENS I repeated something he wrote. NILS Jesus, not like he saw you with it, youll be fine. MIKKEL Whats our D.R., Nils? NILS Straight-shot, right to Nemo. MIKKEL Fuckin lovely. JENS What should I do? NILS Hell if I know, hide the thing or something, you stole it. MIKKEL Nils! Fogs picking up, go get the capn. NILS Right, sir. (to Jens) Gotta go, just, dont tell anyone about it til hes gone.

44.

EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - DAY Thurston leans against the railings on the side of the ship. Fog blankets the water. Johansen walks to his side. JOHANSEN I hear the crew has taken a liking to you. THURSTON Just Jens. JOHANSEN He gets paid to do that. You're money too. Could say he's a bit of a THURSTON Please, enough. JOHANSEN Sorry, didn't mean to prod too deep. Look, don't let 'em get to you, professor. They may moan about money but they're harmless. THURSTON That's not what I'm worried about. JOHANSEN What is it then? THURSTON You know what's supposed to be on that ship? JOHANSEN Course. Everyone in Dunedin does. THURSTON Why are you so ready to go after it for a paycheck then? JOHANSEN Every man has his price, professor. That number that'll make them abandon their convictions. Most never want to admit it, but it's there. As for me, you just so happened to add a few more zeros onto mine. Thurston laughs.

45.

THURSTON There has to be more than that. If you were really after my money you'd have tried to get more. JOHANSEN I'll admit, my reasons aren't the most interesting or noble. But at least they're simple. Just trying to better myself and my crew is all. What I do want to know, though, is the price you've paid to get this far. THURSTON What do you mean? JOHANSEN Don't insult my intelligence, professor. I'm smart enough to know all prices don't deal with money. I'm thinkin' the price you paid was more than most would like to imagine. THURSTON The higher the price, the greater the payoff. JOHANSEN That kinda thinking doesn't always work, absolutes an such. THURSTON It does in this case. JOHANSEN Maybe for a privileged, rich, and educated young shit like yourself. But here, with the rest of the world your folk conveniently ignore, only absolutes are life an death. THURSTON You say that like Nils approaches Johansen and Thurston. NILS Mikkel's asking for you on the bridge sir.

46.

JOHANSEN (stepping away) I'm sorry, professor, but I must. Would have loved to hear it. I imagine the story you've woven would have been entertaining, to say the least. Johansen and Nils leave Thurston at the railing. He looks out over the water at the Alert far off in the distance. The fog over the ocean is getting thicker. INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - DAY Thurston walks in as Mikkel stands at the helm and Johansen at the window. THURSTON Is there a problem? JOHANSEN None, yet. Come in to tell me your story? THURSTON I was wrong to question you. JOHANSEN That you were. MIKKEL Excuse me, captain, but we've lost them. What are we doing? THURSTON You've lost them? Thurston runs to the window. The fog has obscured the ocean. MIKKEL Not to fret, professor, they've kept a steady course. Right to Nemo. THURSTON Nemo? JOHANSEN Nemo, the point of inaccessibility, the middle of fuckin' nowhere in the south pacific. We on course for it, Mikkel?

47.

Mikkel taps the compass on the helm as it spins wildly. MIKKEL I can't tell sir. JOHANSEN What do you mean you can't tell?! Johansen walks to Mikkel's side. MIKKEL The compass, it's spinning. The compass spins wildly. JOHANSEN That's just great. (to Thurston) Anything you'd like to tell us here, professor? Thurston turns around. THURSTON You're the sailors here. JOHANSEN Right, youre just around for good conversation. (to Mikkel) When was the last time we changed course? MIKKEL Not for a few hours. JOHANSEN Keep us steady then, this fog can't keep for long. INT. VIGILANT - JENSS BUNK - DAY Jens walks in and furiously snatches the journal from the table. He uproots his bedding, stuffs the journal underneath, and places everything back together. He takes a few short steps toward the door, and stops. He looks back at the bed. He tongues his cheek and quickly retrieves the journal. Plopping down onto his bed, he begins to read:

48.

INT. BOSTON UNIVERSITY - THURSTONS OFFICE - NIGHT Thurston sits at his desk. The open box next to him. He is transcribing text from one journal to another. THURSTON (V.O.) After reading of the following first hand account given my uncle I realized the need for redundancy. I simply thought it a career-making find. How wrong I was. EXT. LOUISIANA SWAMPS - NIGHT SUPER: NEW ORLEANS - NOVEMBER 1st, 1907 A car is driving down a heavily wooded dirt road. INT. LEGRASSES CAR - CONTINUOUS INSPECTOR JOHN LEGRASSE, 43, is riding shotgun. His wiry frame is accented by scraggly graying scruff and a thick southern draw. TOM MCENTYRE, 26, clean-cut, is driving. EXT. LOUISIANA SWAMPS - CONTINUOUS Two carriages and another car from the New Orleans Police Department follow closely behind Legrasse and McEntyre's. Darkness envelopes the cars' headlights as they go deeper and deeper into the woods. INT. LEGRASSES CAR - CONTINUOUS MCENTYRE Where'd the tip say they'd be, inspector Legrasse? LEGRASSE Christ, Tom, your on my team now, jus call me John. An that point between Black Bay and Lake Fortuna. MCENTYRE Roads even run out there? LEGRASSE Nope. That's the point.

49.

MCENTYRE Why aren't we taking a boat? That spot's right on the gulf. LEGRASSE It's called surprise. You can see boat lights coming from miles away. We'll be able to sneak up on 'em, maybe make some arrests this way, shoot a few if we're lucky. MCENTYRE Any idea who these people are? Just asking, you know, it being an abduction case and all. Could be dealing with some real nuts out there. LEGRASSE Your first real raid? MCENTYRE Some Louisiana Pride raids, nothin' like this though. LEGRASSE Don't worry 'bout it. People play up what happens out in these swamps. We hear abduction, turns out just some squatters most times. At most, we fire a few rounds, and bring a some back in the carriages. EXT. LOUISIANA SWAMPS - CONTINUOUS The car comes to the end of the road. In its headlights is an endless black quagmire of trees and swamp. INT. LEGRASSES CAR - CONTINUOUS MCENTYRE This is it. LEGRASSE Alright then. EXT. LOUISIANA SWAMPS - CONTINUOUS Legrasse and McEntyre exit the car, both wielding rifles. Legrasse walks to the back of the car and holds up a hand.

50.

The carriages and car come to a stop. McEntyre stands off to the side, peering into the darkness. A total of twelve policemen pour out of the doors of the two carriages and car. All twelve are in police uniforms and possess a mixed assortment of firearms. All twelve officers, McEntyre, and Legrasse collect in the headlights of a carriage. Among them are GALVEZ, CLAIBORNE, and VERRET. Each are young, but uniquely ordinary. GALVEZ This it? LEGRASSE Should be about three miles from here. CLAIBORNE Three miles, you kidding me, boss!? LEGRASSE Three miles, Clairborne. (to group) Everyone, listen up. Know this raid seems dangerous than what you used to. Hell, some of you, may even be your first. Several policemen roll their weapons on their shoulders. LEGRASSE (CONT'D) You do what I say, when I tell you, everythin ll be fine. Got that? With that in mind, do anythin without my order, I'll make sure your career 'll be a livin hell. Last thing I needs a body on this run when we don't need one. The policemen stand in the headlights like wide-eyed deer. LEGRASSE (CONTD) Understood? VERRET Thought you already had it out for me, inspector? LEGRASSE Hell, if I did, I'd have shot you long ago, Verret.

51.

GALVEZ What are we after again, sir? LEGRASSE Word is these people like two things: fires an abductions. Which means when you see a fire you say so. I don't care how small it is. At that point, flashlights out, an the only one that talks is me. As for the abduction part, we're still bit hazy on that. Could just be bad information. So don't shoot unless I say so. One by one the policemen nod. LEGRASSE (CONTD) C'mon now. EXT. LOUISIANA SWAMPS - NIGHT The swamp is dark and dense. Streams of light pierce the overgrown brush as the policemen forge though the void. A beam of light shines on a crow, which shrieks and flies off, disappearing in the night. The officers' boots trudge through the muck and create suction sounds as they walk. Legrasse and McEntyre are at the front of the group. McEntyre's hand shakes around his rifle's grip. MCENTYRE You ever been out this far before, John? LEGRASSE Not this far. MCENTYRE You hear any of those stories? LEGRASSE About? MCENTYRE Lake Fortuna.

52.

LEGRASSE Supposed to be some monster at the bottom of it, right? Kills you just from seein' it? MCENTYRE Yeah, that one. LEGRASSE Don't get shaken up, Tom. Only thing in these swamps is the occasional rich prick and some squatters. MCENTYRE It's just one of those things you hear years earlier and remember at the worst possible moment. Just afraid I'll see something out of the corner of my eye that shouldn't be there. LEGRASSE That's why we have these. Legrasse shrugs his shoulder moving his rifle about. MCENTYRE Heh. I guess. Just gotta hope they're enough, you know? LEGRASSE They will be. GALVEZ You see that inspector? Legrasse wheels about, pointing his flashlight on Galvez. LEGRASSE What's that, Galvez? Galvez points into the darkness. A faint glimmer of orange is on the horizon. LEGRASSE (CONT'D) Lights out now! No one talks 'cept me! The lights turn off one by one until there is just one stream of light left in the swamp. It is noticeably farther away from the group.

53.

LEGRASSE (CONT'D) Who the hell's light is that? Legrasse storms over to the light, squishing through the mud. Legrasse comes to McEntyre's side. McEntyre's flashlight is pointed at a wide tree trunk. Its branches are withered and rotting. LEGRASSE (CONT'D) Why's your light on, Tom? MCENTYRE Thought I saw something. Eyes, or, something glowing. Followed them back to this tree. LEGRASSE It's a swamp, animals live out here. MCENTYRE Were too big for anything that lives out here. LEGRASSE You're seeing things. Now turn that out and get back to the group. MCENTYRE I'm telling you I saw something! LEGRASSE And I'm ordering you to put that light out! Now! McEntyre hesitantly turns off the flashlight. LEGRASSE (CONT'D) Let's get to that fire! EXT. LOUISIANA SWAMPS - NIGHT The men slosh through the dark swamp. Birds flutter as the policemen clumsily break branches and kick up water. Claiborne trips over and falls into a muddy puddle. CLAIBORNE Goddammit! LEGRASSE (O.S.) Shut the hell up!

54.

The orange blaze is just a few hundred feet ahead. The light shines through the thick foliage, softly illuminating the faces of the weary men. Legrasse whistles and twirls his hand above his head in a circular pattern. The policemen gather around and squat down. Verret pats a stump before sitting on it. LEGRASSE (CONTD) Okay. Fan out. Five feet between every man. Fire only when you need. We aren't here to slaughter. If everything goes good, we can just make a few arrests and be done. GALVEZ What if they run? LEGRASSE Then you chase them, you idiot, not shoot them. VERRET Weren't you listenin' before? CLAIBORNE Gotta wait for ya orders, Galvez. LEGRASSE Jus don't do anything stupid. The policemen spread out slowly, creating a wide fan. They wrestle with foliage as they walk toward the light. Unintelligible chanting is getting louder and louder as they draw closer. The men reach the edge of a clearing. It is flanked by the gulf. A large thirty foot pyre burns in its center. At least thirty robed figures dance around the flames, chanting. The men hesitate at the edge, hiding behind trees and bushes. Verret picks up a small rock and throws it at Claiborne. Claiborne looks over. VERRET When do we move in? Claiborne shrugs his shoulders.

55.

EXT. CLEARING - CONTINUOUS Legrasse steps out into the clearing and toward the fire with rifle firmly in hand. His solitary figure is dwarfed by the surrounding trees. Keeping their formation, the other policemen materialize from the treeline and follow Legrasse. The chants becoming more synchronized and demonic. The CULTISTS, gaunt, pale white, and dressed in brown robes, suddenly stop dancing. They turn toward the pyre and chant. Legrasse is roughly 100 feet away. Two CARRIER CULTISTS transport SACRIFICIAL CULTIST, who is hog-tied, wearing a yellow robe, and wriggling to get free, from behind the pyre to its side. Legrasse furrows his eyebrows. The chanting stops. A groan fills the air. The Carrier Cultists carry Sacrificial Cultist into the pyre, disappearing into an unseen opening. The Carrier Cultists emerge from the pyre and rejoice with a piercing shriek. ALL CULTISTS (synchronized) Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fthagn! The cultists dance about the pyre as they did before, chanting the phrase over and over. Legrasse and his men are 50 feet from the pyre. Legrasse stops and lifts his rifle into the air. He fires a shot and points his rifle at the crowd of cultists. The cultists all stop and turn in unison. Neither the policemen or cultists move. LEGRASSE New Orleans Police Department. Do not move or we will be forced to fire! The cultists slowly form a group on the side of the pyre facing Legrasse and his men. More and more appear from behind the pyre.

56.

A single cultist steps out of the group. A bullet connects with the ground at its feet. LEGRASSE (CONTD) Not another step! A cultist removes a crude spear from under its robe. It's no more complex than a gnarled shell tied to a stick. LEGRASSE (CONTD) Don't do anything stupid here. Put down the stick and get on your hands an' knees. More cultists pull crude weapons out from under their robes. The cultists remove their hoods one by one, revealing their bald heads, tattooed with a unique array of symbols. Most have the elder sign somewhere on their head. Their eyes are shining, reflecting light from the fire. The horde of cultists begin to slowly move toward the policemen. LEGRASSE (CONT'D) Put the weapons down and get on your hands and knees! The cultists continue to move forward, slowly, one step at a time. LEGRASSE (CONT'D) Open fire! Several cultists drop and the rest sprint toward the policemen with animalistic veracity. A cultist snarls as it raises its spear over its head. A cultist is shot in the shoulder, screams, and continues to sprint toward the policemen. Claiborne fumbles with shotgun shells as he tries to reload. A cultist stabs a spear into Claibornes chest. He screams as he grabs the spear. Another cultist stabs him with a knife and wrestles him to the ground. Galvez rifle-butts a cultist in the face. The cultist drops. He pulls out a pistol and fires into the cultist's chest. Another cultist chrages Verret and knocks the gun out of his hand, then stabs him in the neck and bites the skin off of his brow. The cultist spits the skin out and growls.

57.

It is a massacre, policemen cut down cultist after cultist. McEntyre drops his rifle and grabs his pistol. He dodges a cultist and pistol-whips it on the back of its head. A small group of cultists are fleeing. LEGRASSE (CONTD) Get after em! Legrasse, Galvez, and a few policemen run around the pyre and after the cultists. A cultist tackles Legrasse to the ground as he runs. The two wrestle over a blade in the cultist's hand. Galvez and the policemen stop and fire. The fleeing cultists drop dead just before the edge of the clearing. One reaches the edge, and disappears into the forest. Galvez pursues. The cultist gains control and stabs the side of Legrasse's face, removing most of his ear. Legrasse screams in pain. The cultist's eyes glimmer as it sticks its tongue out in Legrasse's face, revealing gnarled teeth. A pistol comes down hard on the back of the cultist's head and the cultist falls off of Legrasse. McEntyre stands over Legrasse and extends his hand. Legrasse takes it and pulls himself up. Legrasse looks back at the now unconscious cultist that was on top of him. He feels his ear with his hand, it is ripped apart and bleeding profusely. LEGRASSE (CONTD) Sonofabitch almost took the whole damn thing off. He breathes heavily and turns. A group of cultists are on the ground in handcuffs and surrounded by policemen. MCENTYRE Jesus, you alright? Legrasse turns back to the cultist that was on top of him and delivers a few hard kicks to its unconscious body. LEGRASSE (turning back) Over already? What are the losses? Several policemen and cultists lie dead and mutilated from gunshot wounds and spears.

58.

MCENTYRE Four lost of ours, eleven left of theirs. VERRET Seven dead at the edge of the clearing. Galvez pursued one more into the forest. LEGRASSE Christ, the fuck I tell you people bout them runnin!? EXT. LOUISIANA SWAMPS - SAME Galvez traipses through the muck. He stops and shines his flashlight through the dense woods. A twig snaps. Galvez turns with the flashlight. He approaches a downed tree. EXT. CLEARING - SAME LEGRASSE (turning to Verret) Verret, you fuckin deaf or Verret stands at the edge of the previously unseen opening. Legrasse slowly walks toward the pyre. He stops at the edge of the opening, letting the confusion and awe envelope him. There is an ten-foot-tall statue in the middle of the pyre. It is brightly lit by the glow of the blaze. It is Cthulhu atop the rock. Not a single body at the base. His eyes connect with the statue's. MCENTYRE (O.S.) John! You see that?! Legrasse looks to McEntyre, who's pointing to the bay. MCENTYRE (CONTD) Right out there in the water! Legrasse wheels around. A ship is just a few hundred feet offshore and fleeing fast. LEGRASSE Shit. Someone give me their eyes. Legrasse turns to the policemen.

59.

LEGRASSE (CONT'D) Anyone? Right now Goddammit! Legrasse turns back to the ship and is handed binoculars by a policeman. He pulls them to his eyes and looks to the ship. The ship is a rusted merchant vessel. Legrasse focuses on the bow of the ship. The ship is clearly labeled "ALERT, DUNEDIN, N.Z." EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - NIGHT The Vigilant's lights are on, illuminating the fog around the ship with a yellow glow. INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Thurston and Johansen stand at opposite parts of the room with Mikkel at the helm. THURSTON I thought the point was to keep the lights off when we followed them? JOHANSEN That was before we couldn't see a few hundred yards in front of us. EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - CONTINUOUS Arctur stands at the railing looking out into the fog. An arrow whisk out of the darkness and pierces his neck. He drops to the deck. INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS JOHANSEN We still on course, Mikkel? MIKKEL Have been for hours. Haven't touched the helm. EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - CONTINUOUS Thomas runs to Arctur's body. He grabs his body and turns him over.

60.

Thomas stands up and beats on the bridge's window. THOMAS Cap'n! An arrow cuts through Thomas's neck. Blood splatters on the window. INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Thurston falls out of his chair. THURSTON Holy shit! Johansen runs to the comm. JOHANSEN (over the comm) All hands, arm yourselves! INT. VIGILANT - BUNK - SAME A group of five crewmen sit around an upside-down crate playing cards. JOHANSEN (O.S.) (COMM) The Alert's here. The men look up to the speaker in the room. INT. VIGILANT - JENSS BUNK - SAME Jens looks up from the journal. JOHANSEN (O.S.) (COMM) An shes not too happy we were follin er. INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Johansen goes a cabinet, pulls out a keyring, and unlocks it. He swings the doors open to reveal several rifles. JOHANSEN All stop, Mikkel. Goinna need you in this fight. Johansen grabs a rifle and throws it to Mikkel. Mikkel grabs catches it.

61.

MIKKEL Aye, Gus. Mikkel throws the throttle off. INT. VIGILANT - BELOW DECK - SAME Chaos. Crewmen hurriedly darting in and out of rooms. INT. VIGILANT - BUNK - SAME Crewmen enter and grab rifles propped against their beds. INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - CONTINOUS Johansen grabs a revolver and throws it to Thurston. Thurston barely catches it. THURSTON What should I do? JOHANSEN Whatever the fuck you can. INT. VIGILANT - JENSS BUNK Nils enters as Jens is putting on a pistol. NILS (grabbing rifle) You ready for this? JENS (swallowing fear) Yeah. Jens shoulders a rifle strap and goes toward the door. Nils stops him. NILS Hey. JENS What?! NILS Nothing, just, stay safe. They leave. The journal is tucked into Jenss belt.

62.

INT. VIGILANT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Johansen retrieves another rifle from the cabinet and shoulders it. He and Mikkel then exit. Thurston stands alone. He flips open the revolver's hold, sees the bullets, takes a deep breath, and closes it. INT. VIGILANT - BELOW DECK - CONTINUOUS Johansen and Mikkel stand behind thirty-some men, all armed, at a hatch. A crewman vomits. JOHANSEN Alright boys. I'll be damned if I let some fuckin' prats take my ship. I don't care what you've heard elsewhere, there's just men waiting for us out there! Theyll die just the same as any other. Now lets fuckin kill em! EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - CONTINUOUS A hatch spins until unlocked. The thirty-some men pour out onto the deck. They have their rifles shouldered and are aiming in every direction. CREWMAN #1 Anyone see anything? CREWMAN #2 Nothing. CREWMAN #3 Jus darkness, here. JOHANSEN Don't be fooled boys, they're here. Take cover for approach from starboard. The men rush to cover positions: a few behind a steampipe, hatches, more behind sparsely placed lifeboats, crates and mechanical workings. Thurston peaks his head around the open hatch. Jens comes running by. JENS Just stay right here, anything comes this way, close the door.

63.

THURSTON (terrified) Alright. JENS Just stay safe. Jens runs and takes cover, leaving Thurston cowering behind the hatch. CREWMAN #3 Where are they? CREWMAN #2 We sure they even here? An arrow comes through the air and lands in Crewman #2's gut. JOHANSEN Fire on starboard side! The men open fire, shooting into the darkness. The Alert's lights kick on. They are blindingly bright. The ship is a mere thirty feet off the Vigilant's starboard. Cultists armed with rifles and shell-like swords and spears line the railings. Those with rifles fire as the others snarl. DANILO, early thirties, Italian, and greasy, crouches behind a crate. DANILO Wha' the fuck are they, sir? JOHANSEN Just shoot them, dammit! Johansen fires a shot that connects with a cultist's head. The men fire at the cultists. Several cultists drop into the water. A cultist takes aim. It fires and it hits Crewman #1 in the chest. Crewman #1 falls backward gasping for air. Thurston sticks his arm out of the hatch and blind-fires at the Alert. The Alert's engine start. It is a low grumble. A small wave starts to form as the Alert draws closer to the Vigilant.

64.

MIKKEL They're going to board, captain! JOHANSEN Keep firing and make sure they don't! Bullets and arrows continue to be exchanged by both ships. EXT. ALERT - DECK - SAME SUICIDE CULTIST looks over the railing. He is wearing a vest lined with dynamite and other explosives. Cultist #3 grabs Suicide Cultist by the vest and yells into his ear. CULTIST #3 N'thsoon holit qaqua inha koth. Hath vib ap inha M'zathrinah Cthulhu. (Ooze fire into the vessel. Give them to the dread Cthulhu.) Suicide Cultist growls. EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - CONTINUOUS The Alert hits into the side of the Vigilant. The men on the Vigilant's deck lose their balance. A crewman that was behind the steampipe falls into the open and is shot in the gut. He brings himself to his knees, shoulders his rifle, and fires twice while screaming. He is cut down with a shot to the chest. Cultists, and Suicide Cultist, jump aboard the Vigilant. MIKKEL They're aboard, sir! Cultists armed with melee weapons flee around to the portside of the Vigilant. NOSEY CULTIST stops, looks at a window, breaks it, and crawls though, into the ship. Johansen fires another shot into a cultist aboard the Alert. It falls into the water.

65.

JOHANSEN Watch your backs! The cultists appear behind the crewmens' cover. Thurston fires a bullet into a cultist and kills it. A cultist stabs a spear through a crewman's chest. The crewman and fires into its chest. They both slump, dead. A cultist charges Thurston. Thurston fires, but his revolver empty. He closes the hatch. The handle spins and locks. Jens sees this. INT. VIGILANT - BELOW DECK - CONTINUOUS Thurston slides down the hatch. He opens the hatch on his revolver and removes shells out of his pocket. His hand is shaking uncontrollably. He drops the shells. EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - SAME Suicide Cultist slashes a crewman's throat with a knife and jumps into a steampipe. INT. VIGILANT - STEAMPIPE - CONTINUOUS Suicide cultist lights a match and presses it to a fuse on his vest. The fuse lights. EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - SAME A cultist charges Johansen with a knife. Johansen shoots it in the face. Another cultist, makes an attempt to jab Johansen with a spear. Johansen fires, but his rifle is empty. He falls down, clutching for a bandolier. INT. VIGILANT - BELOW DECK - SAME Thurston is fumbling with the shells. Nosey Cultist appears down the hallway. He stops, sees Thurston, and shrieks before making a mad dash for Thurston.

66.

EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - SAME Mikkel fires point-blank and kills the cultist attacking Johansen. Mikkel extends his hand for Johansen. Johansen grabs it and pulls himself to his feet. Johansen slaps a bandolier into his rifle and fires. INT. VIGILANT - BELOW DECK - SAME Thurston puts a shell into the revolver, closes the hold, and fires. It misses. Nosey Cultist is nearly upon Thurston. Thurston goes for the shells. Nosey Cultist lunges. Suddenly, the hatch opens behind Thurston and Nosey Cultist is shot, falling at Thurstons feet. Thurston looks back to see Jens. JENS Where the hell he come from?! Jens helps Thurston up. THURSTON Thanks. Thurston sees the journal in Jenss belt. Jens looks down. They share an awkward moment. INT. VIGILANT - STEAMPIPE - SAME The lit fuse on the vest reaches the dynamite. EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - SAME Boom! An explosion shakes the ship. Steel and wooden shrapnel burst out of the explosion's epicenter. Several men and cultists scream in pain and drop dead. INT. VIGILANT - BELOW DECK - SAME Jens and Thurston and knocked off balance and flung onto:

67.

EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - SAME Crewmen are blown into the ocean while others are torn into bits from the force and shrapnel. Mikkel reacts, falling to his knees and grabbing for his back. He brings his hand in front of him, its covered in blood. He tries to stand, but falls onto his hands and knees. He reaches for his revolver, but his hands can't close around it. Water rushes onto the deck. A crewman fires and kills a cultist that is rushing him. Mikkel collapses and turns over onto his back, gasping. Jens quickly gets up and flees from Thurston, who is still reeling. He shoots a cultist running along the ship. It dies and falls overboard. Johansen runs to Mikkel and kneels by his side. JOHANSEN Christ, Mikkel, you alright? MIKKEL Doesn't look that way. JOHANSEN We have to get you out of here. Johansen pulls on Mikkel's arm. Mikkel screams. Thurston staggers to his feet and sees Johansen and Mikkel. MIKKEL (fading) No, dont, Im fine, fine right, right here. Jus leave me be. Johansen tears up as Mikkels face goes blank. The light fades from his eyes. He drops back to the deck, dead. NILS To the other ship! Jens and some crewmen climb aboard the Alert. A crewman falls into the water while clambering for a grip.

68.

EXT. ALERT - DECK - CONTINUOUS The crewmen climb aboard, turn, and open fire on the few remaining cultists abord the Vigilant. Jens fires and kills two aboard the Alert, about to ambush them. EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - SAME Thurston grabs Johansen's shoulder. THURSTON We need to board the other ship, Gustaf! Johansen throws Thurston's arm off of his shoulder and looks around the deck at the turmoil. EXT. ALERT - DECK - SAME Nils is climbing the railing. Jens helps him aboard. They hug. EXT. VIGILANT - DECK - SAME Thurston grabs Johansens shoulder. THURSTON He's dead, Gustaf! We have to board the Alert! Johansen looks around. Water is slowly creeping up the deck toward him and Thurston. Thurston runs to the railings and climb onto the Alert. Water slowly pools around Johansen and Mikkel. Johansen stands up and runs to the railing. He grabs hold and looks back at Mikkel's body. Thurston's hand comes down in front of Johansen. Johansen swats Thurston's hand away and climbs on the railing. He lifts himself onto: EXT. ALERT - DECK - NIGHT He looks back as Mikkel's body and the Vigilant are swallowed by the ocean.

69.

Eighteen crewmen stand on the deck with Johansen, Thurston, Donovan, Rodriguez, Jens, Nils, and Danilo. Johansen turns to them, anger on his face. JOHANSEN Flush the decks. Teams of four. Sweep the ship and shoot anything that moves. DONOVAN No, not before I know what the fuck jus happened! JOHANSEN Secure the fuckin ship! Now! The crew nod, break into teams, and disperse. Jens steals into a hatch. Johansen takes the rifle-strap off of his shoulder and throws the rifle to Thurston. JOHANSEN (CONTD) Go with them. Thurston catches the rifle and stares at Johansen. Johansen turns around and watches the Vigilant sink under the ocean. The lights slowly fade into the black depths. He tightly grips the railing. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - NIGHT Johansen stands at the window on the bridge. The room is extremely low-tech compared to the Vigilant. The helm is rusted iron. Dim incandescent bulbs light the room. Thurston enters. THURSTON The lower decks are clear. INT. ALERT - BUNK - NIGHT Crewmen burst into a dimly lit room filled with old and soiled cots. THURSTON (V.O.) It seems every room we've entered -

70.

INT. ALERT - ENGINE ROOM - NIGHT Crewmen walk slowly through a derelict engine room with their rifles pressed against their shoulders, checking every angle. THURSTON (V.O.) - showed no sign of any other crew. There was one room, however, that was... striking. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - NIGHT Johansen closes his eyes and bows his head until his forehead presses against the window in front of him. JOHANSEN How so? INT. ALERT - SHRINE - NIGHT Crewmen and Thurston enter. The room is lit only by candles shining through red shades. Elder signs drawn with blood cover the walls. A body lies in the center of the room in front of a large statue of Cthulhu. A crewman vomits at the sight while the other two pull their shirts over their mouths. Thurston walks to the statue and runs his hand down its side. He looks to his side. A tattered yellow robe is crumpled in the corner of the room. THURSTON (V.O.) It seemed to be a shrine of some sort. JOHANSEN (V.O.) What was in the room? Thurston walks around the room inspecting the markings on the wall and kneels down to inspect the body. THURSTON (V.O.) There was a body. The body's eyes are gouged out and has its mouth is splayed open with metal skewers. The rest of the body is partially flayed and missing a few digits.

71.

THURSTON (V.O.) It was brutally desecrated in front of a large statue. Thurston takes a closer look at the body's face. A warped triskelion is burned on its cheek. JOHANSEN (V.O.) A statue of what? THURSTON (V.O.) You'd have to see it for yourself. JOHANSEN (V.O.) Is there a reason for all of this? THURSTON (V.O.) It was a sacrifice. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - NIGHT JOHANSEN What hell have you brought upon us? THURSTON What do you mean? Johansen spins around and charges Thurston. He stops inches away from his face. JOHANSEN You fuckin' know what! You knew what was on this ship! You knew I'd be sending my men into this hell! Now here we are, on the ass-end of fuckin' nowhere, with no rations and a ship nearly out of fuel! Johansen storms away from Thurston and rests on the helm. He looks down, the compass is working. JOHANSEN (CONTD) (smiling) They have a working compass. Of course they do. Johansen laughs. THURSTON I wish I knew what to say.

72.

JOHANSEN That's it. There is nothing to say. Nothing! We're heading back, maybe another boat will find us as we drift. Thurston slumps against the wall. Donovan enters. DONOVAN Cap'n. JOHANSEN What is it, Donovan? DONOVAN There's somein' in the water. Johansen looks at Thurston, then exits the bridge. Donovan follows. Thurston slowly picks himself up and follows. EXT. ALERT - DECK - CONTINUOUS Johansen, Donovan, and Thurston walk out on the deck already crowded by the other crewmen. The fog is gone. But the night still hides object. JOHANSEN Someone get a light out there. A crewman climbs high and mans a spotlight. He shines it on a twisted and jagged pillar. It belongs to Rlyeh. SPOTLIGHT CREWMAN Captain?! The spotlight shifts, heads turn, it illuminates a series of jagged spires some 800 yards from the ship. Its Rlyeh. WHISPERER (V.O.) The stars are right, Francis. Thurston stumbles backward in a whirl. Johansen shoots him a glance. Thurston stiffens up, looks at Johansen, and walks through a hatch. Nils wades through the dumbfounded crew. NILS Anyone seen Jens?

73.

INT. ALERT - BELOW DECK - SAME A soft light permeates through the darkness of a rundown hallway. Its coming from a room. INT. ALERT - JENSS ROOM - CONTINUOUS Jens sits in the room with a lantern tacked to the wall over his shoulder. The room is empty except for a moldy bedroll. He has the journal open. INT. BOSTON UNIVERSITY - THURSTONS OFFICE - DAY Clippings from various American newspapers line the walls. Twine connects the clippings in an intricate web pattern. Each describing recent occult activity and cases of temporary insanity. THURSTON (V.O.) There was a pattern underneath it all. Something I wasnt seeing. Something I had to find. Articles dated April 2nd are closest to the center. THURSTON (V.O.) Even the date Wilcox gave me matched. They all converge at a piece of paper that has "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl ftagn" written on it in bold lettering. THURSTON (V.O.) But this phrase, I cant seem to decipher. Thurston, now with rough scruff on his face and sunken eyes, sits at his desk with the paper scraps from the box in front of him. There is a knock at the door. Thurston doesn't seem to notice. There is a harder knock. He then looks up. THURSTON Be right there! Thurston gathers the scraps of paper and places them inside the old box. He gets up, unlocks the door, and opens it. Ment is on the other side. Ment eyes up Thurston.

74.

MENT Jesus, Frank, what the hell's happened? THURSTON Hello to you too. Come on in. Ment walks in, and Thurston shuts and locks the door behind him. Ment looks at the wall of clippings and yarn, slowly taking it in. MENT What is all of this? Is this where you've been for the past week? THURSTON I'm on the verge of something, Art. It's bigger than I thought it was before. Much bigger. Thurston walks over to the wall and points at individual clippings. THURSTON (CONT'D) Every one of these articles is an account of people describing exactly what is on that sculpture. All of them. The same being. The same city. MENT This is... I don't know what to say right now. THURSTON Neither did I when I first saw it all. MENT Not because of those, but of you. I came by today to tell you that the department chair held a meeting today, and you were the main topic of discussion. THURSTON What?

75.

MENT You haven't lectured a single class this past week, nor have you submitted anything resembling a report for the last two. THURSTON The department chair? I can't worry about that right now, Art. This is too big. MENT No, Frank. No. You aren't on to anything. Youre pulling theories out of a box! Snap back, Frank. You are about to lose your job. THURSTON Well, tell them I'm sick. MENT That won't work. You need to speak with the chair to get out of this. Ive stalled enough for you. THURSTON Fine then, let them sack me. This discovery will be bigger than anything anyone here has ever done. I won't need them once this breaks. MENT The only thing that's broken is you, Frank. It's time for you to realize that. THURSTON I'll be back in ten days with proof. MENT What? THURSTON I'm heading to New Orleans tomorrow, to speak with a few witnesses. MENT Ten days! Ten days! Do you hear yourself? You have five, maybe seven, until the chair guts your office.

76.

THURSTON Then let them! You clearly want it to happen! MENT What? What are you talking about? THURSTON You've been after my job since you got here, admit it. Ment laughs and walks to the door. MENT I'm not going to listen to this. THURSTON It's true isn't it?! Ment unlocks the door and opens it. MENT Don't ever say that I didn't try to help you, Frank. Ment exits and closes the door behind him. THURSTON I don't need your fucking help! Thurston throws papers from his shelf onto the floor, they scatter and disperse in a whirling mess. INT. ARKHAM ASYLUM - WARD A - DAY Sunlight shines through the cell windows in the ward. Dust glistens in the beams. Patients scream and howl. We begin to slowly work our way toward Wilcox's cell. Wilcox, still in his straightjacket, sits on the floor and leans against the bars of his cell. His neck shoots to the left, and then to the right. He screams. His eyes open. His eyebrows furrow. He looks around his cell. He struggles underneath his straightjacket. WILCOX Hello!? Anyone!? He stands and presses his face against the bars. WILCOX (CONT'D) Anyone? Please? Help me!

77.

EXT. NEW ORLEANS - STREET - DAY SUPER: NEW ORLEANS The sky is overcast; it is raining. Thurston stands on a porch. He knocks on the houses front door. A horizontal slot in the door slides open. LEGRASSE (O.S.) Who is it? THURSTON Professor Francis Thurston, from Boston University. LEGRASSE (O.S.) Whyd a professor be at my door? THURSTON I have a few questions about a raid you went on in 1907. The one in the swamps. The slot slams shut. THURSTON (CONT'D) Wait, inspector, please! Thurston begins to hit the door hard, repeatedly. THURSTON (CONT'D) Inspector? The slot opens. LEGRASSE (O.S.) You hit my door again I'll shoot you through the slot. THURSTON Inspector, please, just look. Thurston pulls the bas-relief out of his coat pocket and holds it in front of the slot. The slot closes. The door unlocks from the other side. It opens to reveal an aged Legrasse. LEGRASSE Where in the hell did you get that?

78.

THURSTON So you do recognize it. LEGRASSE Quickly, just, get inside. INT. LEGRASSE'S STUDY - DAY Thurston sits alone on a worn leather armchair in Legrasse's study. Medals and commendations adorn a wall. Legrasse enters with two glasses. LEGRASSE You said scotch, right? THURSTON Yes. Legrasse hands Thurston a glass and sits down in an armchair next to Thurston's. Legrasse places his drink a side table. Thurston takes a drink and does the same. THURSTON (CONT'D) That's good. (holds up glass) Single, twenty years? LEGRASSE Blend, and fourteen. Prohibition making your liver that healthy, eh? THURSTON I guess so. Thought an inspector would be able to get his hands on the good stuff. LEGRASSE Glad to disappoint. Your uncle gave ya that sculpture, eh? THURSTON He left it to me in his will. Along with the journal your story was in. LEGRASSE Lucky you. THURSTON What happened after the swamp? What happened to the ship? LEGRASSE Ya don't wanna go down this road.

79.

THURSTON Why not? LEGRASSE Why'd you come here? Could ave jus talked to McEntyre. THURSTON He wouldn't see me. LEGRASSE Don't do this. You're young. Let it be. Go back to Boston. Legrasse wrinkles his upper lip and looks around the room. THURSTON You let me in here when you could have left the door locked. You are going to tell me what happened. LEGRASSE How much do you know? THURSTON You saw the ship. EXT. LOUISIANA SWAMPS - NIGHT Policemen wade through the muck, flashlights fly everywhere. LEGRASSE (V.O.) The ship wasnt it for the night. Galvez went missin as he chased on of em bastards down. POLICEMAN Galvez! LEGRASSE (V.O.) Couldnt find em though. McEntyre approaches the downed tree. He quickly rounds, nothing. He then looks to an adjacent tree. A trail of blood and claw-marks climb its trunk.

80.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - SIDE A - NIGHT McEntyre stands in a room with a two-way mirror. On the other side is an interrogation room with OLD CASTRO sitting down at a table, motionless and silent. His brown hood covers his face. Old Castro is the cultist that cut off Legrasse's ear. LEGRASSE (V.O.) Had to try an get what happen to im out a one of those fucks. His eyes glow in the darkness under the hood. They are fixated on the mirror. The door to the room opens and Legrasse walks in with purpose. LEGRASSE Anything since last night? MCENTYRE Nothing. Twelve hours of just sitting, hasnt even moved. LEGRASSE Shit, dyou know if he's dead? Guy don't move for twelve hours, sures hell sounds like a corpse. OLD CASTRO He's been taking great care of me, inspector Legrasse. Legrasse and McEntyre look at each other. Legrasse quickly exits the room and walks into: INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - SIDE B - SAME Legrasse takes a seat across from Old Castro. LEGRASSE Neat trick. Old Castro removes his hood, showcasing his pale-white head and tattoos. The irises of his eyes are white. The Elder Sign is tattooed on the side of his neck. He smiles. OLD CASTRO I have many more where that came from if you're interested, inspector.

81.

LEGRASSE You know my name. It's a shame I don't know yours. OLD CASTRO Names serve no purpose with us. LEGRASSE Why is that? OLD CASTRO To put it in a way that you would understand, we are... legion. LEGRASSE So what should I call you? You didn't have any papers. (sotto voce) I can get very creative. OLD CASTRO Castro. There were some of us that called me Old Castro. LEGRASSE So, Old Castro, what were you doing at the point last night? OLD CASTRO Wasn't it obvious? LEGRASSE A bit. Saw few crazies murder some of my men cause we interrupted them from chantin round a fire. OLD CASTRO We lunatics must have something to dance around, inspector. LEGRASSE Wheres my man, Galvez. Chased one a you into the woods last night. OLD CASTRO How about this, Ill tell you his fate if you agree to relay a message for me. LEGRASSE Why should I do that?

82.

OLD CASTRO I face the noose in a few hours, you could call it my dying request. LEGRASSE Whats it then? OLD CASTRO The words, I am providence, mark his return. LEGRASSE And that means? OLD CASTRO I am not meant to know. We are all given our orders and then our bodies are sealed with this. Old Castro points to the Elder sign on his neck. OLD CASTRO (CONTD) To ensure that no other Great Lord corrupt our service. LEGRASSE Why not, y'know? Jus makes the most sense. Whose this for, exactly, the message that is? OLD CASTRO You will know when you see his face. LEGRASSE Cryptic. How long til I see this face that Ill know. OLD CASTRO It is not my place to know. My purpose is to further the message, to you. LEGRASSE One a your buddies have you pass it to him before we gunned him down? OLD CASTRO No, this is the wish of the great Cthulhu. LEGRASSE An that is?

83.

OLD CASTRO You saw him that night. You stared into his eyes as the fire burned around him. And he stared back. LEGRASSE Aright, I got your message, wheres my man? OLD CASTRO He wasnt alone in the swamps. EXT. LOUISIANA SWAMPS - NIGHT Galvez shines his flashlight under the downed tree, nothing. He looks around, then sits on the tree. He wipes the sweat off his brow. Crash! A tree falls in the darkness. Galvez jumps up and spins around, casting his light in all directions. A set of eyes appear in the darkness. They draw closer. GALVEZ Stop right there, or Ill shoot. The eyes draw closer. Galvez shoots, nothing. He begins to back up. He looks over his shoulder. More eyes. They appear one after another until there are dozens. Galvez fires wildly into the darkness, screaming in anger. Suddenly, he jerks forward. A set of eyes is directly behind him. He screams as he is whisked into the darkness. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - SIDE B - NIGHT OLD CASTRO He was taken by those who serve the great Cthulhu, just as the other bodies were. Legrasse stands up from his seat. LEGRASSE Im done here, these r jus some mad ramblins. OLD CASTRO Mad? (turns to the mirror) (MORE)

84. OLD CASTRO (CONT'D) Tell me, Mr. McEntyre, what were those eyes that you saw in the swamp? Maybe they were the eyes of the missing Larkin boy you failed to find weeks back. Or maybe, just maybe, they were in your head. I could tell, but that would ruin the suspense, would it not?

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - SIDE A - SAME McEntyre faints. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - SIDE B - SAME OLD CASTRO (to Legrasse) You say mad, I say blessed. My gods make themselves known to their believers. Can you say the same of yours? LEGRASSE Might not, but he dont tell us to kill innocent people. OLD CASTRO How selective is your sight? Do you not see the divide in those who claim to worship your same God? Or do you not realize your Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share him? Nations, all bearing the same god on their banners, rise and fall in his name. LEGRASSE Yeah, an what a yours? All will will rip God from us as he OLD CASTRO fall in his name. Cthulhu the beliefs of this minor humanity, and reign over did long ago.

LEGRASSE Now hows he plannin on doin that? OLD CASTRO Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn. (MORE)

85. OLD CASTRO (CONT'D) For the untrained ear: in his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits, dreaming. He will awake from this dream when the stars are right, and a dreamer calls upon him.

LEGRASSE Right. Legrasse exits the room. OLD CASTRO There will come a time where you will beg for us to end you, inspector! But not until you pass on my message! INT. LEGRASSE'S STUDY - DAY Thurston and Legrasse sit in their chairs. Thurston's glass is full, Legrasse's empty. THURSTON Anything more? LEGRASSE No, that, ugh, that was it. THURSTON Alright, well, thank you, and I'll be off. Thurston downs the whiskey. LEGRASSE What? Where to? THURSTON To Boston, there is quite a bit of research to do after this. Gotta track down the Alert, talk to the crew. LEGRASSE What're you gettin' at? THURSTON You've been a great help. Don't worry, when I go public with my findings I'll make sure you get credited.

86.

LEGRASSE Publish? THURSTON Yes, this could go back further than anyone could imagine. Maybe even the first religion. It's massive. Careers are made with this sort of find. LEGRASSE This isn't what you think, kid. THURSTON What's that, exactly? INT. THURSTON'S OFFICE - NIGHT LEGRASSE (V.O) No one is meant to know about this. The door to the office opens slowly and Ment walks inside, alone, leaving the door open. LEGRASSE (CONTD) The ones who do, don't come across it by accident. Ment walks over to the twine on the wall and slowly runs his hands from tack to tack. LEGRASSE (V.O.) We're jus pawns in their great game. Ment looks over his shoulder quickly at the open door. He promptly closes it. LEGRASSE (V.O.) Knowing only what they want us to. Ment walks over to the shelf and picks up the box. He places it on the desk and grabs at the lock. LEGRASSE (V.O.) Until we serve our purpose, and are disposed of. The door opens slowly and silently. Two figures walk into the room unnoticed by Ment as he struggles with the box's lock.

87.

INT. LEGRASSE'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS Thurston stands up from the chair. THURSTON I suppose youre one of these pawns? LEGRASSE Yep. Sos you, jus don't know it yet. THURSTON What's our purpose then? LEGRASSE Mine was to give that message. So I can finally see and end to this. You, haven't any idea. Don't want to. An' you wont either. EXT. RLYEH LANDING - DAY Darkness. Thurston stands at its edge. The edge being the cathedrals, now open, door. WHISPERER (V.O.) A man stands at the edge of a world and peers into another. Why does he linger? THURSTON Caution. WHISPERER (V.O.) Excuses, Francis. Fear. Everything you desire waits at its terminus. Thurston holds his hand out, barely breaking the line in the darkness, playing. THURSTON Fear of what? You ought to know, shouldnt you? WHISPERER (V.O.) That I am no figment. That your findings are fact. That your lack of faith is incorrect. Thurston quickly withdraws his hand from the dark.

88.

THURSTON And you are, who? Me? My subconscious playing tricks? This is but my dream! You are Conflict of voices. The new overpowers the whisperer. A shriek erupts from the darkness, knocking Thurston to the ground. Terrified, he scrambles to push himself away from the darkness. HASTUR slowly strides out of the black. Pristine goldenyellow robes adorn his 12 foot lanky frame. A porcelain mask covers his face and dead eyes. Atop it all sits a golden crown. (This form, one of his many, is known as The King in Yellow.) Thurston stops moving. Arms shaking, throat locked, his fear has immobilized him. Hastur walks to Thurston and places his hand on Thurstons head. Thurston jolts, he reddens and veins bulge. HASTUR He is of no importance. I, however, I am providence. INT. TRAIN CAR - DUSK Thurston is asleep in a train car by himself. He slowly opens his eyes and looks out the window at Boston. INT. THURSTON'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Thurston enters, bag slung over his shoulder. He flicks the light and walks to a cabinet. Opening the cabinet, he pulls out a glass and bottle. He places both on a small table, uncorks the bottle, and pours liquor into the glass. Downs it. He pours another. BEDROOM Thurston walks into the room while taking a drink. He gags and drops his glass. The glass shatters on the floor. On his bed is Ment's severed head. His mouth is splayed open with metal skewers, just as the one in the shrine. Ment's body lays on the floor, his gut torn open and intestines nailed to wall in the shape of the elder sign.

89.

Thurston collapses against the wall and covers his mouth with a trembling hand. INT. ALERT - JENSS ROOM - NIGHT Jens has reached the end of the journal. He closes it. His brow furrows and eyes wander. INT. ALERT - BUNK - SAME Thurston, sleeping against a wall, opens his eyes. EXT. ALERT - DECK - NIGHT Jens walks along the deck, toward the bridge. We can see Johansen pacing on the bridge just fifty feet away. THURSTON Jens. Jens stops and looks over his shoulder. Thurston appears out of a shadow. He turns. JENS They have to know. Capn needs to know about this before anyone else dies. THURSTON No they dont. Just give me the journal. Before youre too far gone. JENS Too far?! Youre too far gone! Why else would you be on the ass end of the world?! THURSTON You dont know what youre getting yourself into. JENS I got an idea. I fuckin do. Youre a dreamer. Just as Wilcox said. Ive read them. Youre here to wake that fuckin thing, Cthulhu! THURSTON You dont understand. Just give me the journal.

90.

JENS No. Jens turns to walk away. Schk! He freezes. Thurston reaches over him, and grabs the journal out of his hand. Jens grumbles. Thurston places a hand over his mouth. THURSTON Shhhh. Thuston holds a knife in Jenss back. He drives it deeper into Jens, and heaves Jens overboard. His body slaps the water. Thurston steals away into a dark corner of the ship. EXT. ALERT - DECK - NIGHT/DAY The night is slowly turning into day. More and more men gather on the deck to see Rlyeh. Jagged, curved, spherical, lop-sided, any and all forms of structure jut out from the island. Spires curve in nontraditional angles and foundations are bent outward. INT. ALERT - ROOM - DAY Johansen, Thurston, and the rest of the crew stand in a room. The room's walls are lined with elder signs scribbled on large pieces of withered paper. RODRIGUEZ Can't turn back. Got no food, no fuel. Half a day at best on the sea. NILS What then? Make for the island? RODRIGUEZ Might be food and fuel. They were sailing toward it with nuthin' but what's on this ship. Must be somethin' on the island. NILS What if there's more of em, eh, Rodriguez? Ever think of that?

91.

DANILO An' if there aren't? You'd rather starve 'n wait for a ship to pass out lanes? NILS Yes! Who the hell knows what could be on that island. DONOVAN You little bitch! Rather run away and eat your own bullet than take one fuckin' chance. JOHANSEN Look! Rodriguezs right. We ave one option. We need to land on the island. We got damn near nothing on this ship. Gotta be somethin' we can use on the island. NILS Fuck off, you're not the captain anymore. That went with your ship. JOHANSEN I am still your captain! NILS Like hell you are! Not after last night! DONOVAN Wha', you'd like to lead now? The hell I'll let that happen. NILS You don't have to let anything happen, he already did. That's why we're here! Johansen pulls his pistol and points it at Nils's head. JOHANSEN Enough! This is my ship, and I swear I'll shot any one of you that claims otherwise until it becomes mine! Starting with you, Nils! The crew stand in silence, glancing at each other and Johansen. NILS Okay. Okay. I'll just -

92.

JOHANSEN You'll be staying on the ship. EXT. ALERT - DECK - DAY Johansen stands by as Danilo pulls a rope up from the water. JOHANSEN How deep is it, Danny? DANILO Eleven and a twelfth fathoms. JOHANSEN Boats is it. (turns) Anchor! Nils stands at the edge of the ship. He pulls a knot loose. Rope swirls and an anchor drops into the water. EXT. PACIFIC OEACEN - UNDER THE WAVES - CONTINUOUS The anchor slowly sinks, going deeper and deeper into the water. Sunken ships and bones riddle the ocean-floor. The anchor nestles into the torn hull of another ship and locks the rope tight. EXT. ALERT - DECK - SAME Crewmen jerk at the sudden stop of the ship. Nils stumbles, but catches himself on the rail. NILS Anchor's out and in! Johansen whistles, crewmen gather. JOHANSEN Listen, we dont know whats gonna be out there. I want four teams of five. An I want everyone to be armed. Got it? The crewmen start to disperse, including Danilo. JOHANSEN (CONTD) Danny. Danilo turns around.

93.

JOHANSEN (CONTD) You and three others are gonna stay here with Nils. Keep a watch on him. DANILO Aye. Danilo aids the rest of the crewmen. Nils runs to Johansen. NILS Whats for me to do when ya gone? JOHANSEN You wait. NILS Until? JOHANSEN Thats for you to decide. NILS Capn, have you seen Jens? JOHANSEN Ask him. Johansen motions to Thurston standing at the railing, alone. EXT. ALERT - DECK - DAY Crewmen rip a cover off of a lifeboat. They slam it down onto the dock. Winches crank as they the boat to them. Nils approaches Thurston. NILS Professor, have you seen Jens? THURSTON Not since last night. NILS Its just, I saw him as we boarded last night, and not since. Figured youd ave seen em since hes supposed to be watchin you. THURSTON Look, I havent fucking seen him, alright? And why do you care all of a sudden?

94.

NILS Hes, ugh, my little brother. Donovan is loading a lifeboat with guns. DONOVAN Oi, Nils! Get over an help load! Nils hesitates as he leaves. NILS If you see him, jus tell me. Thurston nods. Nils runs to assist Donovan. Thurstons eyes water. He palms his face and pulls on his hair. JOHANSEN Hey! Thurston turns. JOHANSEN (CONTD) Youre comin with me. EXT. ALERT - PORT SIDE - DAY Thurston is in a lifeboat with Johansen and three others. A rifle lays across his lap. The boat is slowly being let down into the water. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - DAY Four life-boats, packed with five men each, row toward the island. Each man has a rifle slung over his shoulder. Greenish-gray slanted pillars with symbols etched into them stick out of the shallows. Dozens of them intertwine in a maze of stone. JOHANSEN Land the boats over there! Johansen points to a small patch of shore amidst the structures. EXT. R'LYEH SHORE - CONTINUOUS The boats land on the seaweed-covered muddy shore. Their hulls skid on the beach.

95.

Crewmen jump out and pull the boats farther ashore. As the boats get farther ashore, more crewmen assist. Donovan bats seaweed off his pants. DONOVAN God damn, is this shit thick! RODRIGUEZ Enough to swallow a man, eh? DONOVAN Ha, not the kind of swallowing I'm hoping for. Donovan and Rodriguez laugh. Crewmen drag boats farther ashore and flip them over. Johansen looks over to Donovan and Rodriguez while flipping a boat. JOHANSEN Shut your mouths, you asses. Keep silent until I say otherwise. Donovan and Rodriguez run and help the group. They all flip the boat. RODRIGUEZ (sitting down on boat) So, cap'n, where do we go from here? Johansen and the men look around at the dizzying structures in front of them. Large, green, seaweed covered blocks lay before them. JOHANSEN Someone find a path. Crewmen wearily spread out on the small beach. A crewman presses his hand against a large block with an outward angle. Another's shoe sticks into the mud, and he wrenches it out. Thurston lingers by Johansen's side as they walk alongside a large green wall. JOHANSEN (CONT'D) I imagine you know where to go? THURSTON Sadly that's not the case. Havent the faintest clue.

96.

RODRIGUEZ (O.S.) Over here, cap'n! Rodriguez stands atop a block. The the men look to him. JOHANSEN What is it, Rodriguez? RODRIGUEZ (raising arm upwards) It's a staircase. These blocks are just stairs leadin' up! The crewmen briefly look at each other. Several struggle up the wall with the aid of others. Thurston's arms struggle to pull him up as his head slowly peeks over the block. In front of Thurston is an extraordinarily long staircase comprised of identical green blocks roughly eight feet tall. The seaweed covered stairs lead to a towering cathedral with twisted architecture. Thurston takes a deep breath. He falls back down onto the shore. Johansen stands over him and extends his hand. Thurston swats it away and stands up. JOHANSEN Is it all you ever hoped for, professor? THURSTON More than you'd know. EXT. R'LYEH STARICASE - DAY The sun is getting higher in the sky. Crewmen assist each other up, stair after stair. EXT. R'LYEH LANDING - DAY Rodriguez stands above Donovan and pulls him to the top of the block. Rodriguez slides Donovan onto the block and stands up. Johansen and the rest of the crewmen are loitering, smoking, laughing, and drinking out of canteens.

97.

RODRIGUEZ Jesus. Any more stairs and I'd tell you ta drag ya own ass the rest a the way. DONOVAN (breathless) Yeah. Thanks. (turns to Johansen) No need to wait, cap'n. JOHANSEN Not leaving a single person even a step behind here. DONOVAN That's good to hear. Why'd we stop here? Donovan stands up and dusts himself off. JOHANSEN It's the top. Seems like a natural stopping point, don't you think? Donovan walks toward, then past Johansen and sits with the rest of the crew. CREWMAN #4 Agh, finally, been waiting over twenty minutes. DONOVAN Yeah, damn heat's getting to me. JOHANSEN (whistles) That's enough of a break everyone. Let's get going. Everyone but Donovan gets off the ground and begins to walk with the captain. DONOVAN Can't have a bit more of a break? JOHANSEN It's been twenty minutes. You're breaks been between every step. Donovan stands up and follows the group. Thurston is standing midway between the crewmen and the structure. He is staring upward at the towering cathedral.

98.

A massive green-stone statue of Cthulhu sits atop the cathedral, reaching at least 100 feet higher. An inward slanting door, covered in seaweed, is at the base of the structure. Water drips from it. Johansen walks up and nudges Thurston. THURSTON I'd hate to say it's about time, but it truly is. JOHANSEN Thanks for the respect, professor. (looks to the door) Now I'm not a well learned professor, like you, but that looks like a door. THURSTON Right. JOHANSEN Want me to get one of my oafs to bash it in? Prove we're good for somethin'. THURSTON That slant would cause it to collapse on whoever opens it. JOHANSEN Ah, that's right. So good to have you around. (turning) Donovan! Donovan comes running to Johansen's side. He brushes past several other crewmen. DONOVAN Yes, cap'n. JOHANSEN Since you were the last one up the steps, you get to open the door. DONOVAN The door? JOHANSEN Yeah, the door. You see that? Find a way to open it without killing yourself.

99.

Donovan sighs and walks toward the door. DONOVAN (walking backward) What you want me to do, bash it in? JOHANSEN Whatever works. Donovan turns around. DONOVAN (to himself) Getting the piss-all work every second of the day. He looks up as the door slowly comes over his head. Water drips down and catches him in the eye. DONOVAN (CONTD) Goddammit! Donovan wipes his eye and looks around the door. There is no bolstering or cracks in the door. He reaches his hand out and runs it along the door, dragging it underneath the seaweed. Shakes his head. He backs away from the door and paces from one side to the other. Johansen, Thurston, and the rest of the crewmen stand just beyond the lip of the door. DONOVAN (CONT'D) (looking back) Doesn't seem to 'ave a knob cap'n. JOHANSEN I see that. That's why I told you to find a way in. DONOVAN (turns back around) Prick. Donovan presses his hand against the door, squashing the seaweed. He then throws his shoulder into it. RODRIGUEZ Use the rifle while you're at it, Don! DONOVAN (turns around) Piss off!

100.

Donovan continues to pace around the door and intermittently beat on it. Thurston, standing in the middle of the crewmen, looks upwards at words above the door, "THAT IS NOT DEAD WHICH CAN ETERNAL LIE, AND WITH STRANGE AEONS EVEN DEATH MAY DIE." THURSTON That is not... The crewmen all turn to Thurston and stare. THURSTON (CONT'D) canook lybstok pesha islingvyrl... The crewmen begin to back away from him. THURSTON (CONT'D) Lie, and with strange... The structure begins to rumble. Small stones fall from above. THURSTON (CONT'D) w'teena gevlyvan canak peshta cank. The rumbling stops. The men stand speechless. Thurston looks down from the words to the crewmen's faces, each more frightened than the last. JOHANSEN (grabbing Thurston) What the hell was that?! THURSTON The writing on the border, don't you see it? It's in plain English. He looks up, the words are now alien symbols. JOHANSEN No, they're not, and what you said wasn't either, professor. THURSTON What? The words were right there? JOHANSEN Just some scribbling in the stone there. Donovan bashes the door with his shoulder. The door begins to shift diagonally into the bottom right of the threshold. He steps away.

101.

DONOVAN Ca-cap'n! The door, it's opening! Donovan stands a few feet in front of the rest of the men. Seaweed falls off of the door as it continues to slide. RODRIGUEZ Captain, what are we doing? JOHANSEN Keep your rifles ready! Each man shoulders his rifle and aims it at the door. The door slides fully open to reveal a black abyss. CREWMAN #4 Captain? JOHANSEN Hold, goddammit. We hear dull scraping. Its gradually grows louder. Crewman #4 fires his rifle. JOHANSEN (CONT'D) I said hold your fire! The scraping stops. The men shake as they hold their rifles. The scraping starts again, getting exponentially louder before suddenly stopping again. A baseball-sized gelatinous glob hurdles out of the abyss and hits Donovan in the leg. The glob dissolves through his leg, leaving his calf and foot on the ground. Donovan releases a guttural scream as he falls to the ground, clutching a bloody stump. The crewmen open fire and shoot round after round into the abyss. They fire into the darkness until their bandoliers are empty. The men fumble with spare bandoliers and reload. OLD ONES, bipedal humanoids that stand roughly ten feet tall with squid-like heads, a mess of tentacles for one hand, and a massive gnarly claw for the other, burst out of the darkness toward the crewmen. A few drop dead from gunfire.

102.

An Old One bats a crewman away with a claw, slashing his face, and drives its claw deep into another's gut. It raises the crewman up off the ground, but its shot dead. Thurston runs to the edge of the nearest stair and jumps down. JOHANSEN (CONTD) To the boats! Johansen fires and hits an Old One in its head. He fires again and kills another. Crewman #4 empties his bandolier into a charging Old One and pulls his revolver. The Old One continues and slices him its claw. Donovan grabs his rifle and fires. JOHANSEN (CONT'D) Down the steps! EXT. RLYEH STAIRCASE - SAME Thurston is two steps down the staircase as the crewmen come to top of the first. As a crewman looks down the steps, he is stabbed in the chest by an Old One's claw. Tentacles wrap about his face, muffling the scream. The Old One opens its maw and bites his neck. EXT. RLYEH LANDING - SAME Rodriguez stands over Donovan firing his rifle. He kills an Old One that approaches the two of them. It slides on the stone. Rodriguez crouches down and begins to pull Donovan. Donovan is firing his rifle wildly. RODRIGUEZ Come on, you ass! Rodriguez pulls Donovan a few feet, but is grabbed by an Old One. Its tentacles grapple for his arms as it slowly begins to work its mouth around his head. He screams and then suddenly goes limp. Donovan shoots the Old One until it falls over, lifeless, next to him.

103.

Crewmen have made it a few steps down with Old Ones close behind. A crewman fires and kills an Old One as it looks over the ledge of the staircase. It drops down next to the crewman. Donovan is alone atop the staircase. He throws his rifle and clutches his leg. DONOVAN Agh! Goddammit! Donovan hammers his fists on the ground. Out of the darkness of the door a jetblack blob oozes into the light. Donovan draws his revolver and fires four times into the blob. DONOVAN (CONT'D) You motherfucker! The blob continues to approach Donovan. It moves very slowly. Donovan opens the hold of his revolver and sees two bullets remaining. DONOVAN (CONT'D) Just die! He fires a round into the blob. It continues to inch toward him. He turns around and begins to wail as he tries to crawl away. He glances back to see the blob moving faster than he can crawl. He turns over, propping himself up. His hand rests on a few rocks. The blob is just feet away from Donovan. He places the revolver in his mouth. DONOVAN (CONT'D) (through tears) Not going to give it to you, you bastard. The rocks shift under his hand. He pulls the trigger. The bullet exits out of the side of his jaw. He screams as blood erupts from his mouth. Donovan tries to pull himself backward.

104.

DONOVAN (CONT'D) No! No! NO! The blob slowly starts to dissolve Donovan's other leg. Donovan collapses and screams as it slowly engulfs his body. EXT. R'LYEH STARICASE - DAY Six men are nearing the bottom of the staircase. Johansen fires at an Old One, killing it. He retrieves a bandolier from his pocket and reloads his rifle. Johansen turns to jump down the second to last step. An Old One is directly behind him, about to attack. The Old One is shot in the head. Thurston stands at the bottom of the staircase and shoots the Old One again. The Old One falls next to Thurston on the last stair. THURSTON Hurry it up, Gustaf! A crewman scrambles after jumping onto the beach. An Old One jumps down in front of him. He aims, but the Old One grabs his arm and rips it off. The crewman falls to the ground screaming. Thurston flips a boat over and pushes it toward the surf. Johansen fires at an approaching Old One. JOHANSEN Let's go! EXT. R'LYEH LANDING - DAY Massive tentacles snake out of the darkness and grip the sides of the door. EXT. R'LYEH SHORE - DAY Johansen fires and the Old One drops to the ground. Thurston pushes the boat into the surf. THURSTON Good to go! Hurry!

105.

The four remaining crewmen run to the boat turning and intermittently firing. Johansen walks backward while firing. Johansen stands at the front of the boat and fires at two approaching Old Ones as the rest of the men jump in. He turns and steps into the boat. JOHANSEN Get us the hell out of here! An oar pushes against the shore. The boat is loose into the surf. The four crewmen are rowing while Thurston and Johansen fire. Thurston fires and drops an Old One wading into the surf. A deafening roar bellows through the air. The Old Ones stop their advance through the surf and walk back to shore. They slowly begin to ascend the staircase. Johansen hoists his rifle up on his hip. Thurston lowers his rifle and slings it over his shoulder, slight relief. His eyes flare up. THURSTON We need to go back! JOHANSEN For fuckin' what?! THURSTON I didn't leave the sign! JOHANSEN There's no going back you fuckin' madman! THURSTON We have to go Thurston scrambles and grabs a crewman that is rowing. Johansen delivers a hard hit rifle-butt to Thurstons face. He is knocked to the floor, blood pours from his nose. EXT. BOSTON STREET - DAY Thurston knocks on a house's front door. A brief pause. It opens to reveal Wilcox, clean shaven and pressed clothes.

106.

WILCOX (looking down) I'm sorry, I'm not expecting anyone. (looks up) Even... you. Professor Thurston. THURSTON Im sorry. I didnt know where else to go. Do you remember me, Henry? WILCOX Yes, and I believe I know what youre here for. INT. WILCOX'S STUDY - DAY The door opens and Wilcox and Thurston enter. The walls are adorned with hundreds of pieces of paper, all with ornate markings and a few legible words. The most recurrent word is "ALERT," scribbled in sharp script. WILCOX Here is it, professor. Thurston's eyes widen in astonishment. He walks around the room. He reaches his hand out and touches the word "ALERT" on a piece of paper. THURSTON You saw all of this in your dreams? WILCOX All of it. Every last word, marking, and picture. THURSTON I cant use any of this. WILCOX What do you mean? THURSTON In Arkham you told me I was dreamer, and there would be more after me, right? WILCOX Yes. THURSTON More will come after me. What can we do to stop them?

107.

Wilcox nods, and grabs a piece of paper from the wall. On it is the elder sign. WILCOX Youll need to place one of these. THURSTON What is it? WILCOX The elder sign. It can seal the gates of Rlyeh, and sink it. Imprisoning Cthulhu just as Hastur did. THURSTON I just, draw it? WILCOX Upon the altar, in Rlyehs great cathedral. THURSTON This is ridiculous. What am I to do, just board the Alert and ask them to take me to Rlyeh? WILCOX If you dont find Rlyeh and seal the gates. Cthulhu will rise, and all will be lost. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - DAY Thurston lays on the floor of the boat. JOHANSEN Get us back to the fuckin ship. EXT. ALERT - DECK - DAY Two crewmen stand at the railing. Ropes are thrown up to them. The two men feed the ropes into separate pulleys. JOHANSEN (O.S.) Be quick about it! Nils and the two crewmen pull until the boat rises above the railing. Johansen, Thurston, and the four crewmen jump down onto the deck.

108.

NILS Where's are the rest of 'em? JOHANSEN Not here. NILS What? JOHANSEN Just get to the helm and get us the hell out of here! Nils runs up a staircase and to the bridge. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Nils bursts in, grabs the throttle, and pushes it to full. EXT. OCEAN FLOOR - CONTINUOUS The anchor pulls on the hull of the derelict ship. The hull gives, but catches the anchor. EXT. ALERT - DECK - CONTINUOUS Johansen, Thurston, and the crewmen stumble as they walk across the deck. JOHANSEN Goddammit, somebody haul the anchor! Crewman #5 runs to the side of the ship and tugs on the anchor line. CREWMAN #5 It's stuck, captain! JOHANSEN I don't wanna fuckin hear it! Cut it if you have to! Thurston looks around at the men scramble in every direction. His feet are unsteady as he walks. He slowly climbs the staircase to the bridge. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Thurston stumbles into the bridge and collapses on the wall.

109.

NILS Captain! Captain, we aren't moving. (turns) Shit, it's just you. (turns around) The hell happened out there, professor? THURSTON We found him. NILS Found who? EXT. ALERT - DECK - DAY The sky darkens, black clouds quickly roll in. Lightning bounces back and forth within the billowing masses. Johansen looks up at the storm. Rain begins to fall. JOHANSEN Fuckin' beautiful. Johansen looks over, Crewman #5 tugs on the anchor line. JOHANSEN (CONT'D) I said just cut the damn thing! CREWMAN #5 (over his shoulder) Aye, sir. Crewman #5 turns and reaches for a knife. He looks back at Johansen and the rest of the men. They have stopped their frantic running and are staring at him. Nils runs out of the bridge. NILS We're loose, captain! Something cut... Crewman #5 turns back around to face a massive tentacle feeling around the deck. His face goes white. The tentacle feels around his feet and touches his shoe. It then lifts up to show its suckers. Massive hooks emerge from the suckers. JOHANSEN Get the hell out of there!

110.

Crewman #5 tries to turn, but his legs give out. The tentacle slams down hard on his back. It pulls him to the railing and he clutches it as the tentacle tries to take him overboard. Johansen and the crewmen run to Crewman #5, grabbing him. CREWMAN #5 Don't let it take me! Crewman #5 screams and blood comes out of his mouth. The crewmen pull on his shirt and arms. Crewman #5 is pulled over the railing. Pieces of shirt are left in a few of the crewmen's hands. Johansen and the crewmen stand at the railing. JOHANSEN Get the reserve fuel. Dump it into the water. Tentacles erupt out of the water and grab two crewmen while others grab onto parts of the ship. JOHANSEN (CONT'D) Do it now! Johansen raises his rifle and shoots a tentacle wrapped around the railing. Three crewmen run to barrels under the staircase to the bridge. CREWMAN #6 Cap'n these are the last! JOHANSEN Do it, goddammit! Nils stands at the top of the staircase firing at a tentacle. Crewman #6 cuts the rope and the barrels fall and roll on the deck. A crewman backs away from a tentacle that he is shooting. Another tentacle grabs him from behind and pulls him over the railing. Crewman #6 stabs a barrel with his knife. Fuel spews out. He picks it up and throws it overboard. Another crewman picks up a barrel, but a tentacle grabs his face and drags into the water.

111.

Crewman #6 stabs another barrel and heaves it overboard. The fuel leaks over him as he does so. CREWMAN #6 Barrels in the water! Johansen fires at a tentacle and it retreats back. JOHANSEN Light it - light the water! Crewman #6 feels around his pockets and pulls out a permanent match lighter. He flicks it open, lights it, and combusts. He shrieks as the flames rage. Johansen shoots a tentacle and looks to see Crewman #6 at the railing. Johansen shoots him, and kicks him over the railing. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - CONTINUOUS Crewman #6 falls into the water. Flames licks the top of the water for a moment before bursting into an inferno. EXT. ALERT - DECK - SAME Flames shoot up over the sides of the ship. Tentacles suck back overboard and into the water. JOHANSEN Get to the bridge! Johansen and Danilo run up the staircase. INT. ALERT BRIDGE - DAY Johansen, Nils, and Danilo enter. Nils slams the door. Thurston is slumped in the corner, laughing. Blood is coming out of his ears. Johansen turns the helm. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - CONTINUOUS The Alert turns away from the island and steams through the flames toward open ocean. A whirlpool swirls in their path. CTHULHU emerges from the whirlpool a few hundred feet in front of them. His face consists of innumerable tentacles.

112.

The large, scaly wings on his back compliment his lean three hundred-foot frame. He casts a shadow over the Alert. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - SAME Thurston looks with wide eyes as Cthulhu rises out of the water. His mouth opens into a small smile. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - SAME Cthulhu roars, bends down and opens his mouth, revealing endless rows of teeth. The tentacles on his face approach the Alert. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - SAME DANILO The fuck is that?! THURSTON It's him! The whisperer in the darkness! The great dread JOHANSEN Enough! Johansen pegs Thurston with a canteen. Thurston laughs. EXT. ALERT - DECK - CONTINUOUS Tentacles wrap around the hull and railing of the Alert. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - SAME NILS Get us the hell out a here! JOHANSEN Cant, hes got a hold of us! EXT. ALERT - DECK - CONTINUOUS The tentacles pull on the ship. Ripping pieces off as they pull toward Cthulhu's mouth.

113.

INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - SAME Johansen looks around. Danilo is clutching his cross necklace and praying. Nils is curled into a ball in the corner. The throttle, he goes for it and sets it to full ahead. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - CONTINUOUS The Alert throttles forward and buries itself into the side of Cthulhu's face. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - SAME Johansen screams. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - SAME Green sludge spews over the Alert as it rips through Cthulhu's face and exits the back of his pulpy head. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - SAME Danilo vomits. Thurston shakes his head. He touches the blood coming out of his ears. His brow furrows. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - CONTINUOUS The Alert continues course as Cthulhu sinks into the ocean. His head is split in half and bubbling over with green foam. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - SAME JOHANSEN Danny, get out there and see if it's still behind us. DANILO What...? Johansen pulls his pistol and aims it as Danilo's head. JOHANSEN Do it, damnit! Johansen jabs Danilo. Danilo stiffly walks to the door. He opens it and peeks around.

114.

EXT. ALERT - DECK - CONTINUOUS Danilo slowly steps out onto the staircase. He leans over the railing and looks behind the ship. DANILO You best see this, cap'n! Johansen, Thurston, and Nils run onto the stair case. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - SAME Cthulhu slowly rises from the water. His head is reforming with thin strips of slimy green nerves pulling it together. EXT. ALERT - DECK - SAME The men's faces pale in fear. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - SAME Cthulhu roars. Suddenly, a lightning strike catches his head, followed by another strike, and another. Cthulhu turns, reacting HASTUR, in the form of the King in Yellow, slowly descends from the clouds. He floats hundreds of feet above the ocean, not a few hundred feet from Cthulhu. EXT. ALERT - DECK - SAME As the others look in horror Thurston falls back. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - SIDE B - FLASHBACK OLD CASTRO That one served the usperper, Hastur. INT. BOSTON UNIVERSITY - MENTS OFFICE - FLASHBACK Thurston is showing Ment the illustration of Hastur. THURSTON Hastur can change form. When he's seen as shown in the picture he's known as The King in Yellow.

115.

EXT. RLYEH LANDING - FLASHBACK Hastur has his hand over Thurstons head. HASTUR He is of no importance. I, however, I am providence. EXT. ALERT - DECK - CONTINUOUS THURSTON Hastur... EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - SAME Cthulhu lunges, but is caught by several bolts of lightning, flinging him backward into the water. Hastur raises his arms. The clouds above begin to swirl around his hands. Lightning crackles as it is sucked into the infinitely small maelstrom. EXT. ALERT - DECK - SAME JOHANSEN Get us the hell out of here! Danilo runs to the bridge. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Danilo slams the throttle to full. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - SAME Cthulhu stands and makes for Hastur. Hastur heaves the skymass at Cthulhu. It soars with grace toward the lumbering mountain. Cthulhu swats the sky-mass and continues toward Hastur. BOOM! The sky-mass explodes in a sonic burst of unrelenting winds and lightning, sending Cthulhu crashing down on R'lyeh's shore. Winds fling Hastur's loose robes about as he twirls a hand in a circular spell-like motion.

116.

EXT. ALERT - DECK - SAME The wind knocks off Johansens hat as he stares, dumbfounded. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - SAME A thick, grey tornado forms from the remaining clouds above. It touches down next to the recovering Cthulhu. Cthulhu throws a hand upward. As he does so a wall of water covers the tornado, extinguishing it. He then lunges as Hastur. Hastur dekes the attack, and stikes Cthulhu with lightning. Again, and again, Cthulhu attacks but it stuck by lightning. It is becoming a highspeed mess of lightning and fury. One attack finally lands on Hastur. He is propelled down at near supersonic speeds. His body smacks the water! The resulting impact is far too large for his tiny body. The waters are calm for a moment. Cthulhu poised in defense. Suddenly, a gargantuan six-armed and shovel-headed beast, lunges out of that water at Cthulhu. Another form of Hastur's. Hastur, approaching from behind, grabs a wing of Cthulhu's, and tears it off his body. He roars and turns to face Hastur with a flurry of blows, but none to seem to have any effect. Hastur overpowers Cthulhu and throws him onto R'lyeh's shore. As Cthulhu attempts to stand Hastur grabs an arm and drives it into a twisted spire. Cthulhu rips it from the spire and begins to regenerate. He then throws Hastur off his back and onto the ground. Reaching out and pulling back quickly, Cthulhu manipulates the water to pound Hastur as he attempts to recover. Amidst the barrage Hastur gains balance and seizes Cthulhu. He proceeds to grind Cthulhu through R'lyeh's pointed spires. Cthulhu struggles against this, but it is no use. Bits of him are being lost in the buildings. Before long only his head remains intact. Hastur, now holding Cthulhu's head, climbs atop the great citadel and roars in victory. Holding Cthulhu's severed head skyward, a vortex of lightning comes down on Hastur. In a split second, he is transported, elsewhere.

117.

The teleportation causes a sonic boom which crumbles the citadel. EXT. ALERT - DECK - SAME The men stare, lost in what just happened. EXT. ALERT - DECK - DAY SUPER: Two days later... Johansen leans his elbows on the railing, looking out over the ocean. Thurston walks to his side. THURSTON How far can we get? JOHANSEN Maybe two-hundred kilometers or so. THURSTON Enough to get us to a shipping lane or anything? JOHANSEN No. THURSTON Is there any chance? JOHANSEN We have food for a few days. Maybe a few weeks if we ration correctly. THURSTON Right. JOHANSEN But that isn't why we're talking, is it? We've all known our chances since we checked the supplies. THURSTON No. No one can know of what we saw. JOHANSEN We sailed out with thirty-some men, and if we're lucky we'll be found on a ship that isn't mine and only have four men. Simple boatin accident won't work for this.

118.

THURSTON Who says we would get back with four? JOHANSEN What, we should just die here? Kill ourselves while out at sea? That will solve everything won't it? THURSTON That wouldn't suffice. They would search for us. With any form of luck they would find the island. JOHANSEN Then what? THURSTON If many men speak of sharing a bizarre experience, then others will be skeptical, at first. But, we're curious by nature. We hear madness, we scoff, and then doubletake. But if one man tells a story, then that is all it will be, a story. Soon, it will fade away and the man will be forgotten. JOHANSEN Just one man? Who would that be, you? You fuckin THURSTON It's you. These beings, this cult, they know me, my name, not yours. I will speak the truth. I'll speak madness, though. No one will listen to a professor who went to sea and came back insane. JOHANSEN And what's my story? What of the men? THURSTON The truth of what happened here is what you say it is. Your men have no part of that lie. It has to be you for the story to be believed. JOHANSEN How is this enough? What makes my story any more believable?

119.

THURSTON A captain who lost his ship and his crew, to bring back a madman? That is all the credibility that you need. That you survived is enough. Only one man has to tell a believable story to keep anyone from coming out here. JOHANSEN Why should I trust this plan of yours? THURSTON Because it comes at a price. JOHANSEN What price? THURSTON You already know the price for your survival. I said it before, you are the only one who escapes this unscathed. JOHANSEN Is this not madness right here? THURSTON It is. JOHANSEN And what, we should just succumb? THURSTON Some things are better left buried. We saw the truth, it cannot be known. JOHANSEN I... I won't want to face myself after this. THURSTON It needs to be done. Johansen pushes himself against the railing and walks toward the bridge. He begins to walk up the staircase. Thurston removes the CTHULHU CULT journal from his inner coat pocket. He flips through the pages showing a full journal. THURSTON (CONT'D) And so does this.

120.

Thurston drops the journal off the railing and into the ocean. THURSTON (CONTD) (slight tears) How could I have known? INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Johansen slowly cracks the door open. Nils and Danilo sit on the floor, asleep. Johansen walks to Danilo. He hovers the revolver over Danilo's head, but pulls back. He takes a deep breath, then repositions the revolver over Danilo's head and fires. EXT. ALERT - DECK - SAME Thurston shudders at the sound. INT. ALERT - BRIDGE - SAME Nils jolts awake. He looks about the bridge at Danilo's body and then to Johansen. Johansen aims the revolver at Nils. Nils laughs. NILS Everything that happened today, and you're what fuckin' kills me. Johansen fires, hitting Nils in the chest, then fires three more bullets into Nils. EXT. ALERT - DECK - CONTINUOUS Johansen stands at the top of the staircase. He takes a deep breath and clutches the railing. He throws the revolver overboard, screaming at it during its flight. Johansen collapses on the stairs, openly weeping. He stands, descends the staircase, and returns to Thurston's side. JOHANSEN It's done.

121.

THURSTON It had to... JOHANSEN Enough. So what's next? I tell the story of my ship sinking and my men dying unexplained deaths, maybe Rodriguez fell? Heh. What about the bodies? THURSTON Throw them overboard. JOHANSEN You could at least tell me what killed my men. THURSTON Why do you think I know more than you? JOHANSEN You knew about the island, the door, those... things. THURSTON You're right, I did. I just didn't know we were the pawns in their game. We're not meant to know, just to act, and we did exactly that. It was their game, Gustaf, we could never win. JOHANSEN That's not good enough. THURSTON It's the best you're getting. JOHANSEN And you? THURSTON I know too much, and the cult still lives. JOHANSEN What we have done, what you brought us here for, weve become evil ourselves.

122.

THURSTON You are right to name us so. But to who, us? Never once did we think we were. We had to look back to know. Thurston and Johansen look out over the ocean. A ship is off in the distance. EXT. JOHANSEN'S HOUSE - DAY Johansen slowly walks to the front door of his house. It is a single-story cabin on a secluded hilltop. He takes a deep breath, opens the front door, and walks in. INT. JOHANSEN'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS His house is nearly barren. There are a few pieces of furniture scattered in the single room. He walks to the back window, it overlooks the ocean. A pier extends out from the shore. Fog is rolls in over the surf. EXT. JOHANSENS HOUSE - DAY Johansen is walking down a hill and toward the pier. INT. THURSTON'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Thurston enters. He flicks the lights on. His face and clothes are tattered. He walks to a cabinet and removes a bottle and glass. He pours the liquor into the glass and takes a sip. He walks to an armchair and sits down. WILCOX (O.S.) Oh, Francis, I didn't realize you're back. Thurston slow turns in disbelief. Wilcox, wearing a yellow robe, is standing in the bedroom doorway. He walks to Thurston and takes the glass out of his hand. WILCOX (CONTD) You going to drink this? (pauses) No? Alright then. Wilcox throws back the whiskey.

123.

WILCOX (CONTD) I expected the questions to have started already. Wilcox sits down in the other armchair. He is Figure from the opening pages. Thurston laughs. INT. ARKHAM ASYLUM - FOYER - FLASHBACK DOCTOR STEPHENS That kid came in with no records and babbling nonsense. He's no one. Just another lost patient. INT. THURSTON'S APARTMENT - NIGHT THURSTON I are providence. A bit grand, even for a god, isnt it, Hastur. WILCOX Thats what I like best about you, Francis, always right out with it. THURSTON Henry Wilcox was just another form of yours isnt he? WILCOX The clues were there, all you had to do was connect them. INT. WILCOXS STUDY - FLASHBACK WILCOX If you dont find Rlyeh and seal the gates. Cthulhu will rise, and all will be lost. INT. THURSTONS APARTMENT - NIGHT THURSTON You needed me to open the gate and awaken Cthulhu. Just as only dreamers could.

124.

WILCOX Correct you are. I never thought a human could have this abundance of intellect, but I must say Im very surprised. THURSTON Why, though? Why me? WILCOX Dont you remember what Old Castro said? INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - SIDE B - FLASHBACK OLD CASTRO I am not meant to know. We are all given our orders and then our bodies are sealed with this. He points to the elder sign on his neck. OLD CASTRO (CONTD) To ensure that no other Great Lord corrupt our service. INT. THURSTONS APARTMENT - NIGHT WILCOX Cthulhus cultists were marked, you werent. You showed me the way to Rlyeh, and my brother. THURSTON Was it all a lie? WILCOX Not all of it. You werent. THURSTON What now? WILCOX I cant care for the rest, but you, Francis, you have a choice. Wilcox places a gun on the table.

125.

EXT. PIER - DAY Fog rolls over the pier. Thurston walks down it, holding the gun. WILCOX (V.O.) How far will you pursue your desires? Johansen sits at the end of the pier. THURSTON (V.O.) As far as I can. Thurston places the gun on the back of Johansens head and pulls the trigger. Johansens body falls into the water mimicing the opening shot. FADE TO BLACK.