CUT TO
EXT. GRAVEYARD—WE CAN SEE IT IS NOW RAINING, JUST AS THE CLAP OF THUNDER IMPLIED. THE GIRL, STILL SLEEPING, IS SOAKED. HER HAIR IS PLASTERED TO HER FACE. WE SEE THE GRAVE IS JUST TO THE RIGHT OF HER HEAD (STAGE LEFT).
(AIREAL SHOT)
GIRL stirs a little. She is waking up.
MOM (V.O., O.S.): (worried) Esther!! Are you there?
Close on GIRL (ESTHER) as she wakes up fully, jolting into a sitting position.
ESTHER: (shouting) Yes Mommy! I'm over here!! (waves arms)
(WIDE)
MOM comes running into the frame.
MOM: (relieved) Esther! Oh, thank goodness!
(DEEP FOCUS ON)
(TWO SHOT as MOM kneels to pull ESTHER into her arms)
MOM: Now why were you out here, honey?
ESTHER: (starts to cry again, voice quivers) Mommy, Jeff is dead!
ESTHER buries her face in her mother's jacket.
MOM: Oh, honey... (hugs her closer) I'm so sorry...
JAMES (V.O., O.S.): Stephanie? Is she there?
STEPHANIE: Yes, yes—darling, come quick!
JAMES enters frame. The camera is still locked, and we can only see JAMES' legs, which are clothed in blue jeans ripped at the knees.
JAMES: What happened, Steph?
STEPHANIE: (looking up at JAMES) Oh James, Jeff died.
JAMES: (his voice lowers, he sounds more compassionate) No...not Jeff. He was so young.
ESTHER, who has been crying the whole time, bawls louder. STEPHANIE strokes her hair. JAMES squats down and puts his arm around both of them.
From off screen, we hear rumbling, digging, scratching sounds. All three look to stage left, and the camera pans right, to the direction of the sound. We see the grave has opened again, and a small, green tendril rises out of it...
