Shadows

by Lachlan Carsburg

Short Film
Email: [email protected]

A group of university students find them selves running for their lives as night fall across the university.

FADE IN

EXT. UNIVERSITY. QUADRANGLE. DAY

A group of three university students are leaving class

the groups sits down to go over their class notes.

FADE TO

EXT. UNIVERSITY. QUADRANGLE. LATE AFTERNOON

The group are casually chatting amongst themselves,suddenly

they hear a scream in the distance.

RACHEL
Probably just the acting students
practicing.

EMMA
yeah, just the acting students.

Suddenly another scream rings out in the cold afternoon air.

ANDIE
I don't know guys, I think we
should check it out.

EMMA
Um, maybe we should just stay here.

RACHEL
Come on, don't tell me your
chicken.

EMMA
No, it's just....it's probably
nothing.

ANDIE
Then whats the problem, come on
guys, i think it came from near the
refectory.

The group looks in the direction of the refectory, it's

lights appear to be dimmed.

EMMA
Um, guys why are the lights so dim,
its only five o'clock, it should
still be open.

Suddenly a chill runs the trios spines and they hesitate for

a minute.

ANDIE
Come on, whats the worse that could
happen.

INT. REFECTORY. LATE AFTERNOON

The trio enters the refectory and look survey the room,

there is no one in sight.

EMMA
Where is everybody.

ANDIE
I'm sure they just went home, it is
getting dark after all.

Emma begins to look worry, she panics.

EMMA

But this is uni, people don't go home when it gets dark,

something isn't right.

RACHEL
Don't be an idiot, whats the worse
that could happen.

Andie gives the girls a reassuring look, it makes Emma calm

down a bit.

ANDIE
Come on, the cafe should still be
open, lets go grab some coffee.

INT. CAFE. NIGHT

The girls enter the cafe and immediately notice that there

is no one in site.

RACHEL
They must of shut early.

ANDIE
I doubt it, the windows are still
open.

Emma begins to become panicky.

EMMA
Where is everyone, they should be
here, where are they.

ANDIE
Calm down I'm sure they are around
here somewhere.....

Andie suddenly has a thought.
I know, I bet someones trying to
play a prank on us.

She shouts out.
Come on guys, we know your around
here, come on out.

Rachel see's a shadow out of the corner of her eye.

RACHEL
(whisper)
There, I see a shadow over there,
behind the wall, come one let's
sneak up on them.

ANDIE
You girls stay here, I'll go.

Andie creeps towards the wall where the shadows are.

She jumps around the corner.

ANDIE
Surprise!....wait, there's no one
here.

RACHEL
What do you mean no one there, I
can see their outlines.

The trio start to look worried.

ANDIE
I see them to, but there's no one
here, its strange.

Emma panics.

EMMA
Get out of there now.

RACHEL
What's your problem.

EMMA
I don't like it guys.

ANDIE
It will be... what the hell?

Andie sees movement int eh corner of her eye, suddenly one

of the shadows begins to growl, it reaches up and grabs

Andie's ankle, she screams.

RACHEL
What is is?

ANDIE
One of the shadows, it just grabbed
me, I can't get it off.

EMMA
Don't be stupid, shadows can't grab
people, stop it you were starting
to freak me out.

ANDIE
I'm not joking guys.

Suddenly Andie is pulled to the ground, a sense of pain

crosses her face.

ANDIE
Oh god, it hurts.

Rachel and Emma begin to approach Andie to help, Andie

raises her hand.

ANDIE
Go, just go.

EMMA
But, your our friend, we can't
just....

ANDIE
Just go.

With sorrow in her eyes Andie watches her friends start

running away, she hoped that they make it.

INT. HALLWAY. NIGHT

The girls round the corner into a hallway.

 

EMMA
We have to go back, we can't just
leave her.

RACHEL
We didn't have much choice.

EMMA
But shes our friend.

RACHEL
Don't you think i know that, but if
we go back none of us will make it
out of here.

EMMA
But we.....

a scream echos up the hallway,the pair immediately know

their friends fate, knowing that the shadows would soon turn

their attention on them the girls begin to sprint.

INT. CHASE. HALLWAY. NIGHT

Two girls running down a hallway being chased by the

shadows, Emma starts to fall behind.

RACHEL
Quick they're coming.

EMMA
I'm going, I'm going.

The girls turn left into a stairwell slamming the door shut

behind them.

INT. STAIRWELL. NIGHT

EMMA
Will it hold?

Emma looks worried.

RACHEL
Doubt it.

EMMA
Up?

Irritated Rachel responds.

RACHEL
nowhere else to go

Irritation turns to frustration when she notices they are on

floor one of 12.

RACHEL
Come on we still have a ways to go
before we are out of this.

The companions begin running up the stairs.

 

 

They stop on the seventh floor to catch their breath.

EMMA
God, this is going to kill me.

Suddenly the door on the the first floor smashes open and

the sounds of savage animals begins to rise up the

stairwell.

RACHEL
not if they do first, lets go.

With a new wave of adrenaline pumping through them, the

girls begin to sprint.

EMMA
They're gaining.

RACHEL
We're almost the...........

Rachel slips, her ankle twisted.

RACHEL
Fuck.

EMMA
come on.

The noises creep closer.

RACHEL
Just go.

Rachel shuts her eyes tight and waits for the inevitable.

Emma thinks to her self "I could just go, that way someone

makes it out, I've got to go now... No, what I'm I thinking,

shes my friend and I'm not leaving her.

A hand grabs Rachel and she expects the worst

EMMA
Get up.

Rachel looks up, her eyes wide in disbelief.

EMMA
come on

Emma picks Rachel up and carry's her the last few steps, the

noises now only meters behind, Emma quickly lowers Rachel to

the ground and slams the door shut, barring it with a nearby

crate. The creatures begin to bang against the door, both

Emma and Rachel hold their breaths and watch with intent,

but the door holds and they both relax.

EMMA
Hows the foot?

RACHEL
Why did you stay.

EMMA
In these dark days we need everyone
we can to survive.

Rachel's heart sinks with the logic in Emma's words.

The sun begins to rise.

Emma smiles.

EMMA
and more importantly, your my
friend, and i would never leave you
behind.

Rachel's heart soars, though the circumstances were grim,

they both knew that no matter what happens they would always

have each other.

Download Script

Script Submission Form

Sponsored Links