Short screenplay from the Done Deal Halloween contest. "The Siren" FADE IN EXT. SEA SHORE - DAY Calm blue skies and sea. White foam sighs against sand and pebbles. Washed-up flotsam lies scattered along the tide mark. Broken planking. Rope. Canvas sail. A man lies face-down among the debris. He wears a dark blue coat, white breeches and leather boots. MONTCLAIR, 30, raises his head and tries to focus. He sees a black cliff rising above the shore. Atop the cliff, a dark Gothic castle. And walking toward him, a beautiful woman, MARIA, 20, in a see-through wisp of a dress that does nothing to conceal her perfect body. Montclair squints in disbelief -- then faints. Maria's bare feet come to stand beside him. INT. SLEEPING CHAMBER - DAY Blue sky seen through a window. Montclair lies asleep upon a bed, his folded coat acting as pillow. He wakes up with a start. He looks around, where is he? He sits up, tests his legs, stands. He looks out the window. Below the window, the cliff and the sea. Montclair puts on his coat and heads for the door. INT. CORRIDOR - DAY Montclair steps out. He looks in both directions. No one is there. He walks along the corridor. INT. BOTTOM OF STAIRWAY - DAY Montclair pauses, uncertain. He looks up, looks back, looks up. He climbs the steps. INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE DINING ROOM - DAY Montclair arrives. He sniffs the air, and pushes the doors open. INT. DINING ROOM - DAY A long table with chairs at either end. The table is set with food and drink -- cooked chicken, a roast joint, breads, cheeses, fruits, wine bottles, goblets. Above the fireplace, two crossed swords on a shield. Montclair stares at the table and wipes drool from his lips. He sits and gorges himself, grabbing everything within range, gulping it over and washing it down with wine. EXT. CLIFF - DAY Maria walks along the cliff edge, wispy dress floating in the breeze. She shields her eyes, looks out to sea as if expecting to see something. EXT. SEA SHORE - DAY Movement in the water as something breaks surface offshore. A glimpse of a forked tail. EXT. CLIFF - DAY Maria hurries along the cliff, away from the castle. EXT. SEA SHORE - DAY Something in the water swims toward shore but remains below the surface, unseen. EXT. SEA SHORE - DAY Maria arrives, breathless, and waits. A black cloak lies on the sand at her feet. INT. DINING ROOM - DAY Montclair pauses with half a chicken in his mouth, as if he's heard something. EXT. SEA SHORE - DAY Maria drapes the cloak around the shoulders of a gray-haired man, CHRISTIAN, 60s. He tries to kiss Maria but she turns her head so his lips touch her cheek. He's disappointed. INT. DINING ROOM - DAY Montclair spits the chicken out, gets up and goes to the window. EXT. CLIFF - DAY Christian and Maria walk toward the castle. INT. DINING ROOM - DAY Montclair watches them, fascinated by Maria's beauty. EXT. CLIFF - DAY Perhaps sensing his attention, Christian stops and looks up. He smiles. He resumes walking. Maria looks up, worried, before she follows Christian. INT. DINING ROOM - DAY Montclair looks around frantically -- where can he hide? INT. BOTTOM OF STAIRS - DAY Christian's shadow glides up the stairs, bloated and misshapen. INT. DINING ROOM - DAY Montclair runs to the door -- but stops, sensing something outside. INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE DINING ROOM - DAY Christian's shadow glides along the hallway, and is it our imagination or is there something inhuman, even fish-like, about that shadow as it stretches across the walls? INT. DINING ROOM - DAY Montclair retreats until his back is against the table. The doors swing open and Christian seems to glide into the room. He studies the ravaged table, smiles at Montclair. CHRISTIAN I see Maria has been looking after you. MONTCLAIR Who are you, sir? CHRISTIAN You may call me Count Aromanché. Montclair clicks his heels and bows. MONTCLAIR Capitaine Jules Montclair. I am indebted to you for your hospitality, Count Aromanché. CHRISTIAN Please, Capitaine, sit and continue eating your meal. Christian gestures to the chair, Montclair sits and eats. Christian sits at the other end of the table facing him. Maria hurries in, breathless. She moves to stand behind Christian and places a hand on his chair. Montclair rises. CHRISTIAN This is Capitaine Montclair, Maria. He thanks us for our hospitality. Montclair bows to her. But Maria stares at the floor and won't look at him. Puzzled, Montclair sits down again. CHRISTIAN You were aboard the Valorous, were you not? MONTCLAIR How do you know the name of my ship? CHRISTIAN I discovered the figurehead some distance along the beach as I took my morning constitutional. Alas, Capitaine, I fear you may be the only survivor of the storm. Montclair eats in silence, deep in thought. CHRISTIAN These waters are treacherous. Even the most experienced captains have underestimated the currents and the weather, which can change, (snaps his fingers) like that! Montclair pushes his plate away, and sighs heavily. MONTCLAIR I have eaten my fill, Count. And I confess I am exhausted. I ask you to pardon my poor manners... CHRISTIAN Maria will take you to your chamber. Sleep as long as you wish. Eat as often as you must. The nearest town lies twenty leagues from here. There is a garrison. When you are recovered from your ordeal, I shall have a servant drive you there in my carriage. MONTCLAIR Your kindness is much appreciated. CHRISTIAN Think nothing of it. Maria waits for him by the door. Montclair bows to the Count and follows her out. The Count lifts a goblet of wine, sniffs it, and puts it down without drinking. A cruel smile twists his lips. INT. SLEEPING CHAMBER - DAY Maria opens the door for Montclair who staggers inside. MONTCLAIR Thank you... Maria. She gives him a hesitant little smile and closes the door, leaving him alone. Montclair collapses face-down upon the bed. EXT. CASTLE - DAY Clouds race across the sky. Day turns into NIGHT. INT. SLEEPING CHAMBER - NIGHT Montclair wakes with a start. He stands up. Something outside the window catches his eye. He goes to the window to look. A light in the distance -- no, a burning flame, further along the cliff. INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT Montclair tip-toes along. No sign of anyone. INT. OUTER DOOR - NIGHT He slides the bolts, opens the door. He unhooks a lantern and slips quietly outside. EXT. CLIFF - NIGHT Montclair walks toward the distant flame. EXT. FURTHER ALONG THE CLIFF - NIGHT Wood burns in an iron brazier. A beacon in the night. Montclair stares into the crackling flames, remembering... EXT. SHIP AT SEA - NIGHT (FLASHBACK) Caught in a storm. Waves crash over and the deck tilts wildly. The STEERSMAN holds onto the wheel for dear life. Montclair joins him and grabs the wheel to steady himself. A wave drenches both men. Montclair points into the night and shouts above the noise. MONTCLAIR A beacon! Safe waters! Steer for the light! The beacon flame is barely visible through the storm, but it's there. The Steersman nods understanding and spins the wheel over. EXT. FURTHER ALONG THE CLIFF - NIGHT Montclair gasps in shock, remembering the DEAFENING CRUNCH of splitting wood, accompanied by TERRIFIED SCREAMS that slowly fade. Through the brazier's crackling flames he sees Maria, watching him with sympathetic eyes. Montclair turns and walks away. Maria closes her eyes and bows her head. EXT. CASTLE - NIGHT Anger fills Montclair as he stalks toward the entrance. EXT. CASTLE COURTYARD - NIGHT Montclair stops. His lantern reveals an uneven trail of water and puddles that crosses the courtyard. He follows the trail. He finds a piece of seaweed. He almost steps on a little crab that scuttles out the way. The trail leads to a doorway. INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT Montclair enters through the doorway, and follows the trail of water along the corridor. The trail leads up to a door, and vanishes beneath. Montclair takes a step back, afraid. He doesn't want to go near this door. Yet something draws him. He fights against his fear. He slowly reaches out, pushes the door open. The hinges creak. His lantern reveals steps leading down into darkness. And little puddles of water. INT. CELLAR - NIGHT Montclair comes downstairs. His lantern reveals stacks of barrels, crates, junk. More water on the floor. There's another door. This one has the same effect on Montclair, who wants to go back upstairs. But he conquers his fear again, and forces himself to open this door. INT. STORAGE ROOM - NIGHT The door swings open, Montclair ducks his head and steps through. The room is pitch black. He sweeps his lantern around. The room is apparently empty. He gasps as lantern light reveals a pair of hands, hanging down from above. Montclair lifts his lantern higher. A body hangs upside down, tied to the ceiling by its ankles. Montclair moves around so he can see the face. It's the Steersman from the ship. His eyes are missing. Montclair slowly turns around, his lantern reveals a dozen other bodies hanging upside down, equally ghastly. Horrified, he stumbles toward the door, through a curtain of hands that seem to reach for him and claw at his hair. INT. CELLAR - NIGHT Montclair runs to the stairs and holds onto the wall, gasping for breath. INT. DINING ROOM - DAY An inhuman shadow stretches across the walls. The shadow shrinks, takes on the shape of a man. Christian stands at the open window with his back to the room, wearing his black cloak. Montclair enters. He puts his lantern down on the table, goes to the fireplace and draws both swords from the shield. He throws one at Christian's feet, it clatters on the flagstones. MONTCLAIR Defend yourself, sir. Christian turns to face him, smiling. CHRISTIAN You are a man of honor, I see. MONTCLAIR Which is more than you are. CHRISTIAN I was such a man once. Before I came here. MONTCLAIR Then pick up that sword and die like the man you once were. CHRISTIAN Very well, I shall fight. A host must entertain his guest, after all. He picks up the sword, weighs it in his hand. He takes off his cloak and carefully drapes it over the back of a chair. MONTCLAIR En garde. They cross swords. Montclair attacks in fury but Christian parries his every stroke without effort. Montclair draws back, more thoughtful. Christian smiles, and beckons for him to continue. Montclair attacks again but Christian parries every stroke again. CHRISTIAN I tire of this charade. Another ship comes. Its crew shall provide more food for our winter store. MONTCLAIR There is no storm tonight. CHRISTIAN Oh, there shall be a storm. But you will not be alive to see it. Christian disarms Montclair with a blindingly fast move, Montclair's sword spins toward the door and clatters on the stone. Christian places the tip of his sword at Montclair's throat. CHRISTIAN And now, mon Capitaine, it is your end. Montclair glances at the door. Maria crouches low, picks up his fallen sword, throws it-- --right into Montclair's hand. He thrusts the sword through Christian's heart. The blade emerges from Christian's back. Christian's eyes widen in shock. He drops his sword and staggers away from Montclair. He braces himself against the table, and stares at Maria. She stares back, expressionless. He reaches for the cloak but Maria whips it away, holds it out of his reach. Her betrayal hurts Christian more than the sword in his heart. He coughs blood, collapses, dies. Montclair and Maria come together and embrace at the window. MONTCLAIR The fiend is dead, madamoiselle. You need fear him no more. Lightning slashes across the night sky. Seconds later, a BOOM of thunder. MONTCLAIR He said a storm was coming... Maria holds him, blissfully happy. MONTCLAIR He said... he was a man of honor... before he came here. Maria wraps the cloak around Montclair's shoulders. He's puzzled. MONTCLAIR But if he came here... and took the title of Count... Maria snuggles against him. MONTCLAIR Then this must be... your chateau. And you... you must be... the Countess Aromanché. Maria kisses his neck. MONTCLAIR He said... food for our winter store. Montclair gasps as Maria anchors herself to his neck, her teeth drawing blood. He tries to pull her off -- she's too strong. She sucks the life from him. Montclair's knees give away and he sinks to the floor. Maria steps back, wiping blood from her lips. The cloak hides Montclair as he writhes in agony, moaning and gasping. Maria watches, expressionless. Violent movement under the cloak, as Montclair's shape becomes something bloated and inhuman. A lightning flash reveals a ship on the horizon in full sail. The violent movements subside. Whatever bloated thing lies beneath the cloak becomes still. It emits WET, GASPING, SUCKING noises. The cloak moves up and down in time to the sounds. Maria extends her arm, pointing to the ship. An unspoken command. Her gaze follows SLITHERING MOVEMENT across the floor, up to the window-- A glimpse of a forked tail as Montclair, or what he has become, disappears out the window. A SPLASH from below. Maria gathers up the black cloak and folds it over her arm. EXT. THE SEA - NIGHT A forked tail flicks into view, then vanishes beneath the waves. The ship on the horizon sails on, blissfully unaware. INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT Another flash of lightning transforms Maria's face into that of a scaly fish with bulbous eyes and a slack, thick-lipped mouth surrounded with fangs. Then she is herself again, beautiful, serene. Maria smiles. FADE OUT 10/05§