Shadows

EXT. UNIVERSITY – SUNSET

Open to university building illuminated by the setting sun. It’s a crisp fall day.

INT. MEN’S BATHROOM – SUNSET

JEFF, a young man who has seen better days, wears a Blair Witch Project t-shirt, and exits a bathroom stall. He washes his hands, checks his phone, and sees that it’s dead. He exits the bathroom.

INT. UNIVERSITY HALLWAYS – SECOND FLOOR

The lights are out. Jeff is concerned and wanders left. He walks down dark hallways, heading for the stairs. He enters the staircase, door creaking loudly.

Walking down the stairs, his steps echo loudly in the silence. When he pauses at the base of stairs, doors slam shut and more footsteps echo.

JEFF

Hello? Anyone there?

There is no answer. Jeff exits the staircase into the lobby. He heads to the doors and pulls on the handle. The doors are locked. Jeff shakes the doors violently, but to no avail. He is locked in.

Jeff checks his phone again—still dead. He rummages through his backpack and pulls out an old charger. He tries to plug in his phone, but realizes the charger is frayed beyond use.

Jeff peers out into inky darkness, and is startled at shadowy figures in the glass reflection. He whips around, but sees nothing behind him.

Beginning to panic, he turns back and heads down a hallway to his right. Jeff continues down a labyrinth of hallways, turning left and right at random. Doors continue to slam from above, and shadows haunt his movements.

Seeing a light at the end of the hallways, Jeff rushed forward and comes upon a door. He lunges at the handles and shakes the doors aggressively. Between each attempt, he whips around to check behind him as shadows move in the dim light. He gives the doors one final shove. No luck, they’re locked tight.

Disheartened, Jeff turns back towards the door. At the end of the hallways, he sees fast movement. Frightened, he runs the opposite way. He sprints for what feels like miles, crashing into walls on sharp turns. Footsteps stomp loudly behind him, muffled yelling barely registers over the pounding of his heart.

He stops and turns around, breathing heavy. Jeff crouches and raises his fists. He waits for the shadow to reach the final corner. Then, he charges at the monster, yelling incoherently. Jeff crashes directly into a SECURITY GUARD who catches him.

SECURITY GUARD

Woah, you okay? Thought I heard someone down here.

JEFF

(out of breath and clutching his chest)

You scared me! I got locked in.

SECURITY GUARD

(laughing)

Well, let’s go let you out then. Be more careful next time, huh?

Relieved, Jeff follows the security guard back to the front, and is let out of the building.

EXT. SIDEWALK OUT FRONT OF UNIVERSITY – NIGHT

Waving goodbye to the guard, Jeff turns the corner and enters the alley next to the university.

EXT. ALLEY BESIDE UNIVERSITY – NIGHT

In the alley, three thugs lean casually against the wall, lit up by streetlights. Jeff, overconfident now that he’s out of the shadows, walks past them with head held high, nodding and smiling in greeting. Two arms wrap around Jeff’s neck, a hand over his mouth, dragging him into the dark.

END