A Death in Stanardsville

By Paige Hildebrand

Sequel to Maggie Brookmans

Chief enters the movie theater. Abby is dead by the wall and a police officer walks up the chief. Camera is a medium neutral, shots are going between Chief and Officer.

Chief of Police

What seems to be the problem here?

Police officer

One female dead on scene, age 17, name Abigail Taylor.

Chief

Do we know how she died?

Officer

Multiple wounds to the head, looks like blunt force trauma.

Chief

Any suspects?

Officer

Two,(the camera cuts to Joanna and Jack while he is saying this) the best friend and the best friend's boyfriend; we found them both trying to run from the scene when we arrived.

Chief

Well, lets go talk to them.

Walks over to the couple

Cuts to the couple talking before the chief gets there.

Joanna

Jack, she seduced you, she deserved to die.

Jack

Jo, that doesn't mean it's right.

Chief enters

Chief

It's late and all of us just want to go home, so why don't you just tell me what happened.

Camera goes to Jack and Joanna, shot from the chest up. They look at each other.

Joanna

Abby had been acting strange the past few days. She said she was seeing a new guy , but I didn't believe her, I guess I should have. Jack and I were going into another movie when we saw her come in here. It was when we were leaving that we heard the commotion.

Camera zooms into Joanna for a close up while she is saying this.

Chief

Thank-you, if you think of anything else let me know.

Chief exits camera goes to full shot of Jack and Joanna.

Jack

Why did you lie Jo?

Joanna

I had to, so you wouldn't get in trouble.

Jack

Jo, it's not right, I'm going to tell them what happened.

Joanna

Jack! No! If you do that neither of us will look good. Even though I was the one who killed her, you would look guilty too.

Close up on Jack

Jack

Then I'm leaving. Joanna I don't ever want to speak to you anymore.

Jack exits. Joanna sits down and starts to cry, Abigail's ghost appears.

Abigail

Why Jo? (Joanna looks up at Abby, doesn't believe what she sees.) Why did you kill me?

Joanna

What? Who are you, this isn't funny.

Abigail

It's me Abby, you know the best friend you just killed. Don't you remember me?

Montague of shots of Abby and Jo on the phone, in the theater, and other things from movie before.

Joanna

How are you?

Abigail

Alive? I'm not, I'm just (pauses) a ghost.

Joanna

Why are you here?

Abigail

To tell you that either you are going to confess now, or I'll haunt you till you do.

Joanna

I will never. You took him from me, you knew he was mine, and yet you still took him from me.

Joanna burst into tears and Abigail exits. Cuts to a scene of Joanna taking a test when Abigail appears standing beside her, pan shot.

Abigail

The answer is the square root of x.

Joanna

What the?

Everyone looks at Joanna

Abigail

Did you miss me? I know you did. I saw all the attention you were getting, is that why you killed me?

Abigail exits

Montague of scenes with Abigail and Joanna in random places

In the lunch room Abigail and Joanna sitting at a table. Joanna doesn't see Abigail, close up coming out.

Abigail

Did you miss me?

Joanna playing the piano

Abigail appears

High angle on Joanna

Abigail

Did you miss me?

Joanna screams

In the library, Joanna is reading a book. Low angle on Abby when she appears.

Abigail

Did you miss me?

Joanna

Okay, I admit it. I killed you, I'll tell the cops everything. Just stop. I can't take this anymore.

In the police department. The chief is working at his desk. Long shot zooming in as if from Joanna's point of view until it is just a full shot. Joanna comes into shot.

Joanna

I did it.

Chief

Did what?

Joanna

Killed her, I killed Abby. I wrote it all down here.

Camera zooms out to show chief arresting Joanna. Chief leads Joanna out of the room, suddenly Abby pops up in the door way.

Abigail

Did you miss me?

Door shuts, black out.

THE END