INT. CAR - DAY
It's move-in day. The Hart's family, a five member family is on their way to their new home. Courtney, (41) drives the car. Next to her, her husband Aiden (43). In the back seat their three daughters, Mallory (12) and the twins, Avamay and Bellarose, (10). Mallory plays a video game on her phone and Avamay read a book. They pass by all sorts of weird looking places and people while driving.
COURTNEY (to Aiden) Are you okay?
AIDEN Yeah. You? Are you nervous?
COURTNEY Kind of. I mean, it's a pretty big job.
AIDEN I know.
COURTNEY But this might be the opportunity for you to find something as well.
AIDEN Like what?
COURTNEY Cleaning lady?
AIDEN (laughs) Are you serious?
COURTNEY What? Our house is always cleaner than a hospital. You act like a maniac if one thing's not in order, why not get paid for it?
AIDEN Cause I'm a cop not a house cleaner.
AVAMAY Barely.
Mallory laughs. Aiden is annoyed with the comment.
AIDEN Not funny young lady.
AVAMAY Did I lie?
COURTNEY Avamay speak better to your father.
AVAMAY I didn't say anything bad. I only said the truth. He's not a cop he just files evidence in the computers and sits in a chair all day looking through that evidence. And it's all solved cases.
COURTNEY Avamay...
AIDEN No it's okay.
BELLAROSE Mom why didn't Barkley come with us?
COURTNEY He's already waiting for us at the house sweetheart. I have some treats in my bag, make sure to give him some once we arrive.
BELLAROSE Yay!
MALLORY When are we arriving?
COURTNEY Once you take your eyes off that zombie game you'll realize we're here.
Courtney stops the car. They have arrived.
EXT. HARTS HOUSE - YARD - DAY
The family gets out of the car. They are all filled with excitement, except Avamay, who doesn't care that much. Barkley, the family dog, runs towards Bellarose. Bellarose loves this dog more than anything.
COURTNEY (re: house) Do you guys like it?
BELLAROSE It's awesome!
MALLORY Really cool.
COURTNEY Shall we take a look inside?
BELLAROSE Yes!
MALLORY Yeah!
MALLORY (cont'd) I hope my room is big.
AVAMAY I hope I'm not sharing one.
INT. HARTS HOUSE - ENTRANCE/HALL - CONTINUOUS
The family is stunned. Despite the lack of furniture, the plastic bags covering everything and the terrible smell of paint, the house is perfect.
BELLAROSE (to Courtney) Can I go upstairs and have a look?
COURTNEY Of course.
BELLAROSE Come with me!
MALLORY I'm coming too I need to see my room.
Courtney, Mallory and Bellarose go upstairs.
INT. MALLORY'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Mallory, Courtney and Bellarose look around the room. There are boxes everywhere.
COURTNEY This is your room!
MALLORY Wow!
COURTNEY We're gonna leave you to it.
Mallory wanders around her new room. She looks inside the boxes to find her stuff. She picks up something. A book, a book she doesn't recognize. She looks through it. It's a book about ghosts and stories about them. She reads it. She's intrigued. The book is very exciting. Avamay walks in.
AVAMAY Look who finally picked up a book.
MALLORY What?
AVAMAY So strange. (then) Anyway mom asked what would you like to eat, they're thinking of ordering something.
MALLORY Pizza.
AVAMAY I knew it.
AVAMAY (O.S.) She wants pizza!
Mallory goes back to reading her book. It's very addictive.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Courtney, Aiden, Mallory and the twins sit down for dinner. Pizza and coke! They have a good laugh. Tell jokes, make funny faces and enjoy their time together.
INT. TWIN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Bellarose brushes her teeth in the bathroom, Mallory sneaks in. She holds the book in one hand.
MALLORY Hey.
AVAMAY What do you want?
MALLORY (shows book) Look what mom and dad bought for me.
AVAMAY Is it your birthday?
MALLORY No that's in June. I don't know why they gave it to me but it was in one of my boxes.
AVAMAY You sure it doesn't belong in the the moving in company? Maybe it got mixed up.
MALLORY I found it. I'm keeping it.
AVAMAY Good for you then.
MALLORY Now what I actually came here for is because I have to tell you a scary story.
AVAMAY Go for it.
Mallory narrates this story she read in the book. The story about a man who fell and died in the pool of this very house. His blood is still in the filters and no one can clean it. He hides his face with a mask because he doesn't want the world to see the ugly scars the accident left him with. He's very tall and has nails instead of fingers.
Bellarose walks in the room.
BELLAROSE (re: book) What is that?
MALLORY Nothing you should worry about.
BELLAROSE Those are ghost stories! (then) MOM!
MALLORY No, don't call mom!
BELLAROSE It's wrong to tell scary stories and you know it.
Courtney comes in.
Mallory has already hidden the book.
COURTNEY What's the problem honey?
BELLAROSE These two are telling scary stories.
COURTNEY What do you mean honey?
BELLAROSE They have a book they read ghost stories from.
COURTNEY Really?
MALLORY Bellarose why are you lying? I know your teacher yelled at you today because you hadn't studied but don't blame us.
COURTNEY & BELLAROSE What?
MALLORY Well that's what happens when you haven't studied. I don't have to get punished for something you did. Isn't that right mom?
COURTNEY Bels did your teacher really yell at you for not studying today?
BELLAROSE Yeah.
COURTNEY Okay come on.
Courtney grabs Bellarose's hand. As they get out of the room Mallory whispers at her:
MALLORY (whispers) That's what happens to snitches.
Courtney and Bellarose leave.
AVAMAY How did you know about that?
MALLORY I'm really good at guessing stuff.
AVAMAY Lucy's brother told you?
MALLORY I don't like you.
YOU ARE READING
DOLLHOUSE
HorrorThis is a screenplay I wrote many months ago about a family that moves into their new home. When the eldest daughter finds a book in the house full of horror stories she is intrigued and decides to read it. Little does she know every story she narra...
