A Screenplay by

               Sean Ryan

               Blood Trail
                

               Random scene 1

               Copyright 2006
               Registered with the 
               Screenwriter's Guild
               All Rights Reserved

               Contact: seansshack@oceanfree.net


               EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - MORNING

               The street is quite. A couple of people walk to collect
               newspapers on their lawn. A child cycles their new bicycle
               around the front of another house.

               The neighborhood is quite and well maintained.

               One house looks slightly out of place. A collection of mail
               at the front door, over a dozen newspapers on the lawn.

               The curtains are drawn. 

               The lower windows to a basement.

               Inside this window is a different world, unseen and heard
               outside.



               INT. BASEMENT - MOMENTS LATER

               A man is tied to a wall with chains. He looks beaten and
               exhausted.

               The walls of the room are covered in carpet, acting as
               homemade sound proofing. 

               The man starts to wake. He is DES CARPENTER, late thirties,
               balding and overweight. Looking like he has just gone a few
               rounds with a heavyweight boxing and was losing, badly.

               The door to the basement opens, but no one enters.

                                   DES
                         PPPPplease. Please let me go. I'm
                         begging you. I have two children.
                             (pause)
                         Please !!!!!!

               The sounds do not travel beyond the basement.

               A figure steps into the shadows, but remains unseen on the
               poorly lit room.

                                   DES
                         Come on. What the fuck are you
                         going to do with me? How long are
                         you going to keep me here?

               The figure doesn't answer.

               The light through the windows catches something in the hand
               of the figure at the door.

               The light catches metal. The outline of a hammer.

               Des notices this.

                                   DES
                         Oh Jesus. No, please.

               The figure walks into the room. Face and most of the frame
               still hidden in the poor light.

               The light against the hammer shows it being raised and
               crashes down.

               The heavy metal connects with bone, as Des's feet are
               crushed.

               The hammer swings again and again. The sound of it hitting
               it's target only drowned out by the screams of agony.

               The screams slowly die.



               INT. BEDROOM - LATER

               The bedroom is a typical single woman's room. Neat and well
               laid out, plenty of open space and very few pictures.

               A woman lies on the bed, asleep.

               She is Maggy Smith.

               She starts to wake and stands up. Looking rough for wear
               she makes her way to he bathroom. Attempting to rub the
               sleep from her eyes.



               INT. BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER

               The Bathroom is small but functional.

               Maggy approaches the mirror and runs a tap. She reaches
               down, filling both hands with water.

               She raises her hands and splashes water on her face.
               Looking at her image in the mirror.

               A look of confusion on her face. The water is pink, her
               hands are red. She looks down in the sink. Splatters of red
               cover the sink. The red is blood. 

               She quickly inspects herself, looking for a wound. The
               blood is not coming from any wound, it can't be hers.

               She steps back in shock and looks down at he cloths. She is
               covered in blood. The green tracksuit is dark. She looks
               like someone how has just showered in blood.

               She screams as the panic spreads across her face.



               EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - LATER

               The street look much the same as before, expect for the
               very large Police presence.

               Neighbours stand at doorways and from small crowds, all
               whispering and trying to get a look of what occurred on
               their street.

               A car comes to a halt and Rob gets out, he approaches the
               house.

               A uniformed officer checks his identification and allows
               him through the makeshift barricade.



               INT. RECEPTION AREA OF HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

               The house is hive of activity. Various uniformed and
               undercover detectives at different locations.

               Rob enters the are and is approached by a detective, JACK
               POWER, late twenties, skinny and tall.

                                   DETECTIVE POWER
                         'Bout frigging time you goes got
                         here.

                                   ROB
                         Traffic. Do we really need this
                         many bodies in here. You are
                         increasing the risk of
                         contaminant my scene.

                                   DETECTIVE POWER
                         Wouldn't worry too much about
                         that Gates. This is a simple open
                         and shut case.

                                   ROB
                         I'll be the judge of that. What
                         we got?

               Power points over to the living room. Sitting inside is
               Maggy looking very much in an induced shock. She is
               surrounded by officers. All asking various questions. She
               looks like a lost child.

                                   DETECTIVE POWER
                         The suspects name is one Maggy
                         Smith. No priors. Hasn't worked
                         much as late, seems to have
                         developed a fondness for self
                         medicating with alcohol. Claims
                         she didn't do it. The victim is
                         her friends husband.
                         Heres the real kicker. She is the
                         one that called us. He thought he
                         had been attacked. Woke up
                         covered in blood. Black and white
                         gets him and finally calms her
                         down, looks in the basement and
                         finds this.

               Power shows Rob a photograph of the victim, Des.

                                   DETECTIVE POWER
                         The victims name is one Des
                         Carpenter. Married two kids,
                         missing for two weeks. Looks like
                         the poor fucker took some
                         punishment before he died.

               Rob examines the image of a badly mutilated body in a pool
               of blood.

                                   DETECTIVE POWER
                         She starts weeping like a baby
                         freaks out. Claims she is
                         innocent.

                                   ROB
                         Then perhaps she is.

                                   DETECTIVE POWER
                         I ain't no crime lab expert. But
                         even from what I can see. The
                         basement has been converted. The
                         murder weapon beside the bed,
                         blood on the suspect for starters
                         and she claims she can't
                         remember. Should just lock her up
                         and save the frigging paperwork.

                                   ROB
                         Thanks for the input. I'll get
                         started and let you know my
                         findings.

               Rob starts to photograph bloody prints in the hall.
               Numbering each with plastic numbers as he goes.