IT'S JUST A GAME
FADE IN: INT. PAINTBALL AND PARK OFFICE - AFTERNOON, 20 s, overweight wearing a name tag plays a computer game at the front desk.,, and, early 20 s, enter the store carrying backpacks. Good mornin. Can I help you? Yeah, we re signed up for paintball. Sure, what s the name? Todd leans over the front desk. (condescending) Hey Buddy. It s Rabinawitz. Don t you remember me? We went to high school. Buddy squints at the three men through his glasses. I think I remember... (smirks) Yeah, we were in the same graduating class. I was on the lacrosse team, Buddy. The star athlete. How can you forget? Grant rolls his eyes and steps in. It s under my name too. Grant Thompson. Sure thing. Buddy looks through some papers on the desk and pulls a sheet from the pile.
2. (CONT D) Here s your registration. Let me get your gear. It ll take just a minute. Wait here. Buddy leaves for the back room. Blake slaps Todd on the back. Blake laughs. I can t believe he s working here after high school. He s still a whale. I m surprised he can fit through the door. Shut up guys. He can hear you. No he can t. Grant looks around the paintball shop. Why didn t we do this sooner? Probably cause we were too busy getting drunk at the frat house. And trying to get laid. The men laugh. Todd runs up behind Grant and slaps him on the back. You don t need to worry about that anymore. Now that you re permanently off the market. Damn straight. I m a lucky man. (sarcastic) Yeah, I don t know what Miranda sees in you.
3. Maybe cause he s going to be a doctor and make a boatload of money. Grant shoots Todd a hurt look but quickly recovers with a smile. Buddy returns with the gear. The men stop clowning around. So, here s your guns, the pellets, masks, the map to the field... Grant looks up at the shelf behind Buddy filled with helmets. Buddy, how about helmets? Grant looks at a promotional flyer on the desk. (CONT D) Let s get the Avatar. It s got a built-in camera. Sure. But that ll cost ya extra. Let s do it. Buddy turns and gets the helmets from the shelf behind him. This here helmet uses the same technology as the army to catch terrorists. Really? Yeah. You can record the action and download to any computer for posterity. Todd grabs the helmet and tries it on. He wanders the store taking footage with the camera in the helmet. (CONT D) Oh, I forgot the safety instructions.
4. We don t need safety instructions. We got our own doctor here. Blake slaps Grant on the back. Really? You re a doctor? No, he s just kidding around. Oh. Well, you need to be careful out there. You re bringing guns to a desolate area. But they re only paintball guns. It s just a game. Accidents happen. In fact, a guy died out in the forest last year. Todd wanders back to the front desk and aims his helmet camera on Buddy. How did he die? View of Buddy from Todd s viewfinder. Got me. He got separated from his friends during a game. Never found his body. There s a memorial rock where he was last seen out at the forest. Todd takes off the helmet. A memorial rock? Where? Don t know exactly. I ve only been working here a few months. But my manager told me he helped the family put that rock out in the forest in the guy s memory. Now everyone wants a memorial rock to remember a loved one.
5. Really? Yeah, we just put a few memorial rocks out in the forest this past week. No one goes to cemeteries anymore. It s all about getting back to nature. The men look at each other and shrug. (CONT D) Oh yeah, I forgot. You need to sign the waiver. That you won t sue us if you die. (sarcastic) Oooh, I m scared. (beat) Let s get this over with. Blake grabs a pen from the desk and signs the waiver. The other men do the same. The men put their gear in their backpacks. We close at 5pm. So, if you come any later you re going to be charged for an extra day. Sorry guys, that s the rule. Sure thing. The men turn to leave with their gear. As they head out, Todd turns to Buddy. (sarcastic) Bye Buddy. (sarcastic) See ya at 5pm Buddy. The men leave laughing. Buddy watches on shaking his head. EXT. PAINTBALL AND PARK OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER The three men leave carrying their gear and guns.
6. Hey, give me your helmet. I want to see if I can really play it on my computer. Todd gets the chip from his helmet and gives it to Grant who inserts it in his mini laptop. Footage of the shop displays and then it focuses on Buddy. Todd s voice can be heard from the laptop. (O.S.) How did he die? Got me. He got separated from his friends during a game. Never found his body. There s a memorial rock where he was last seen out at the forest. Grant stops the video and shuts off his mini laptop. Looks like it works. Grant gives the chip back to Todd and puts the laptop in this backpack. Todd puts the chip back in his helmet. Let s go. (CONT D) The men walk down the path. EXT. FIELD - LATER Aerial shot of expansive field. Three moving objects come into focus. The three objects get bigger finally revealing Grant, Todd and Blake standing at the field carrying their backpacks and paintball guns. Grant looks at a map. Sounds of birds can be heard. This is it. Okay, so who wants to mark the boundaries? I will.
7. Wait, I want to record this. Todd puts on his helmet. Todd records Grant waving at the camera. We then follow Grant via the viewfinder waving at the camera and marking the boundaries on the field. There s the dead zone. Once you re hit, then you re dead and you come here. We follow Grant via the viewfinder as he walks from the dead zone to a rock at the edge of the boundary. Grant turns to the camera in the helmet worn by Todd. (CONT D) Blake, this is your base. Grant points to a log on the other side of the boundary. (CONT D) Todd, that s yours. Cool. (O.S.) We follow Grant via the viewfinder as he walks toward a patch of flowers. My base is here. Todd takes off his helmet. The three men get the gear from the backpacks. They put on their gear. Then they get their paintball guns and load them. They take their places yards away carrying their guns and face each other. Ready? Game on! Game on! The men rush each other and shoot. Grant takes out Todd and Blake within seconds. The men look at each other stunned. Blake is breathing heavily.
8. You haven t played in two years? I don t buy it. Must be the helmet. You re dead. The two men walk to the dead zone and shrug. This isn t fun. How can we play if we re both in the dead zone? Okay. Let s just play ten minute intervals and see how many hits we can get. So, run as far as you can in the forest for two minutes and then we hunt each other. Sound good? Todd and Blake shake their heads and leave the dead zone for their bases. Ready? Game on! Game on! (CONT D) The men rush into the forest in three different directions. Intercut with views from the helmets the men are wearing. The view looks like a night vision computer animated game. The men climb over logs, hide behind large trees and crawl over brush. Todd stumbles over a large rock. He brushes the leaves off the rock revealing a plaque. CLOSE ON PLAQUE Richard Kramer: March 5, 1988 - September 18, 2010 Blake hiding behind a tree sees Todd looking at the rock. He slowly makes his way toward him without making a sound and aims. Blake steps on a twig. Todd turns to see Blake. (CONT D) Wait, don t. You got to see this. Blake hits him with a paint pellet. Todd flinches. Paint splatters.
9. (CONT D) I told you to stop. Why? What s up? I found the memorial stone of the guy who disappeared last year. (shouts) Grant! Grant! Come here. Blake walks over to where Todd is standing. They both look up and see Grant in the distance. They wave over to him. Grant walks over. What s up? I found the memorial stone. You know, the one Buddy was talking about. Grant walks over and joins Todd and Blake. I guess we should pay our respects and find another place to play. You d think they would ve marked off the area. Yeah, let s go. I think we re in that direction over there. The men walk away from the rock toward the dead zone and bases they established earlier. The afternoon light dwindles as it gets later in the afternoon. The trees appear tall and imposing. Instead of birds, the sounds of nocturnal animals readying for night can be heard. When s fantasy football starting? Why? You want in?
10. Not again. You totally suck at it. No I don t. As the men walk down the trail, Todd notices a big rock on the side of the path. Todd approaches it and reads the plaque on the rock. He turns to his friends and looks like he has seen a ghost. Uh, Blake? Yeah? When s your birthday? June 8, 1988. Why? (worried) Oh, nothing. Blake approaches Todd who blocks the rock. What are you doing? Blake pushes Todd aside and reads the plaque. (CONT D) What the hell? Blake turns to Grant. (CONT D) What the hell is this? Is this some kind of joke? Grant walks over and reads the plaque. CLOSE ON PLAQUE Blake Campbell: June 8, 1988 - April 23, 2011 Maybe there s another Blake Campbell with the same birthday as you.
11. And that same Blake Campbell with my birthday happens to die today? I bet it s that guy from the paintball shop. He s playing a game with us. Let s get out of here. I don t really feel like playing anymore. Me neither. This place is giving me the creeps. Blake and Grant keep walking. Todd remains at the rock. He is mesmerized by the plaque. Let s go. Todd joins them on the trail as they walk hurriedly. Blake looks around as if expecting someone to jump out from the bushes. They see an even bigger rock in the distance. They appear uncomfortable as they approach it. Do you see what I see? Don t look at it. Just keep going. They are about to pass the rock. Blake walks over to it and reads the plaque. He is silent. What does it say? Blake does not respond. Todd rushes over to Blake, trips on a root and falls on top of the rock. He lifts his head at the exact level of the plaque. CLOSE ON PLAQUE Todd Rabinawitz: September 24, 1988 - April 23, 2011. Todd gets up with a start but falls to the grounds holding his ankle. He tries to get up but his ankle gives way. He groans in pain. He looks at his hands and there is blood. Looks like Todd s going to die today too.
12. Are you okay? Shit, I cut myself on something. And my ankle kills too. Blake looks at Grant with a worried expression as Grant examines Todd s ankle. You definitely have a nasty cut. I don t think you broke it but it s getting swollen. Grant looks to Blake. (CONT D) Run to the bases and get my backpack. I have a first aid kit. It should just be a few yards in that direction. I don t think that s a good idea. Buddy said the guy disappeared when he was separated from his friends. We gotta take care of Todd and then get the hell out of here. It s just a few yards away. You ll be fine. (smiles) Okay. I told Buddy we re safe with a doctor around. Be right back. Blake runs off in the direction of the bases. Grant looks in his jacket and pant pockets. He pulls out a napkin and applies it to Todd s ankle. You're going to be a great doctor. I didn t get into med school. But you only applied to one school. You can try other schools. I just wanted to get into THAT one.
13. I have a feeling we re never going to get out of here. It s nothing. Blake s right. It s probably just a trick. But let s say it s not a trick. Let s say the killer has come back to the forest and we re his next victims. Buddy didn t say the guy was murdered. Could have been an accident. Remember, Buddy said accidents happen and we should be careful. But how do you explain the plaques on the rocks? I don t know. If someone comes after us, I can t even run to get away with my ankle like this. Don t worry. No one is going to come after us. What s taking Blake so long? Grant is silent. The sound of nocturnal animals gets louder. After a couple of minutes, Todd breaks the silence. (CONT D) Let s play truth or dare. What? Now? Yeah. Let s say you were on your deathbed and you had to repent. What s the worst thing you ve done? What would you say?
14. I can t really think of anything. I ve led a pretty decent life so far. Besides, I m tired of games. Todd looks down from Grant s gaze. The worst thing I ve done? (beat) I slept with Miranda. What? Stop kidding around. I m not. Todd is silent. You mean before I met Miranda. Like some drunk hook up Freshman year, right? No, not really. (angry) What do you mean? When? When?? (CONT D) Tears well up in Grant s eyes and he clenches his fists. (CONT D) When did you sleep with her? Last month. Grant grabs his gun and aims it at Todd s face. Todd looks fearfully at Grant. (CONT D) I m sorry. I had to tell you. The guilt was killing me. Blake carrying the backpack runs in the direction of Todd and Blake.
15. Grant, what are you doing? Stop. I dare you to stop me. Thunder can be heard and lightening strikes. INT. PAINTBALL AND PARK OFFICE - SAME Buddy plays a computer game at the front desk. The lights flicker. Thunder can be heard and a flash of lightening can be seen from the window. Suddenly the electricity goes out. Buddy is in the dark. Shit. Then as suddenly as it went dark, the lights come back on and the computer powers on. Buddy looks at the computer screen. A computer game titled Revenge in the Forest loads. (CONT D) What s this? EXT. WOODS - SAME Blake tries to stop Grant who aims and shoots Todd in the chest. The pellet explodes paint on his torso. Todd looks up in shock and then vanishes. Blake and Grant can t believe their eyes. A computer chip is on the grass where Todd had just been. What the hell just happened? I don t know. Oh my God. What the hell were you doing? (dumbfounded) He told me he slept with Miranda. Grant looks around scared. Blake picks up the computer chip from the ground. All that s left of Todd is this computer chip.
16. Maybe its a clue to where he is. Maybe you turned him into a computer chip. Grant opens his backpack and takes out a mini laptop. Here. Let me have it. Let s see if anything is on it. Blake gives Grant the chip. Grant inserts it into his mini laptop. The screen displays footage of Grant waving at the camera which Todd taped earlier followed by a message - The Truth Will Set You Free. (CONT D) What does that mean? Blake looks down at his shoes. The truth didn t set Todd free. You pulverized him. Grant walks around in a big circle on the trail looking up at the sky. He then walks around the path inspecting the trees. Maybe this is a magic forest. This is crazy. Yeah, like the forest has special powers. To help us deal with our guilt or something. Blake sits on the trail with his head in his hands. (moaning) We re never going to get out of here. Todd s gone and I m next. Just like the rocks said. We just need to figure out what it means. The truth will set you free. Maybe Todd was on to something. (MORE)
17. (CONT'D) He wanted to play truth or dare while we were waiting for you. You want to know the truth? What do you mean? It s my turn. Give me your gun first. What? What for? Give me your gun. Grant relents and hands his gun over to Blake. (CONT D) (nervous) You know how you never got an acceptance letter from med school? Yeah. You got in. (surprised smile) Really? How do you know? Yeah. The letter came in the mail to our apartment. I threw it away. (pissed) What? Why did you do that for? I was jealous. My father always talks about how great you are. How you are going to be an amazing doctor. That I was never that smart. How could you do that?
18. I thought you would ve called the school eventually to find out why nothing came in the mail. But you just let it go. My dad was wrong. You re a total wimp. Grant charges Blake and they wrestle on the trail. Grant s hands are around Blake s neck. Grant applies pressure as he looks into Blake s worried eyes. Suddenly Blake disappears. A computer mouse takes Blake s place in Grant s grip. He let s go with a start and jumps up away from the computer mouse. What the hell? What the hell is going on? Lightening strikes again and more thunder can be heard. Grant stares at the computer mouse on the trail. Grant reluctantly gets his laptop and plugs in the mouse. CLOSE ON COMPUTER SCREEN An icon pops up on the screen. A pointer without Grant s assistance clicks on the icon. A computer game titled Revenge in the Forest loads. A scorecard appears on the screen. Blake: 0 Todd: 0 Grant: 2 The computer screen blinks: Ain t Revenge Sweet? Grant looks up from the screen and looks around the forest with a worried expression. Lightening strikes again. Rain begins to fall heavily. INT. PAINTBALL AND PARK OFFICE - SAME Buddy plays a computer game at the front desk. DICK STEVENS, 50 s, walks into the office from outside wearing a raincoat. He is drenched. Dick takes off his raincoat revealing his name tag. DICK Buddy, how many times do I need to tell you? No computer games during office hours. Oh come on. This one is really awesome. The graphics look so real. It s about a guy who gets revenge on his two friends. (MORE)
19. (CONT'D) That s my character. They really screwed him. This guy s friend slept with this girlfriend. And the other friend screwed up the guy s chances for med school. DICK Yeah, like you ll ever have a girlfriend or get into med school. Buddy gives Dick a hurt look. DICK (CONT D) Just kidding. What did you say this game was called? Revenge in the Forest. His friends were real jerks. So I totally destroyed them in the game. Dick hurries over to Buddy and looks over his shoulder at the computer screen which shows computer generated imagery of a man sitting alone with his gun in the forest. DICK Oh no. It s happening again. (concerned) What? DICK Remember I told you about the guy who disappeared last year? Yeah? DICK That Revenge in the Forest game mysteriously appeared on this computer the same day he went missing. Something strange is going on. And I think we got hacked. Hacked? DICK The wrong names were put on the new memorial rocks. The plaque place said there was some kind of computer mix up. (MORE)
20. DICK (CONT'D) But I swear I sent them the correct spreadsheet. They got the names of the three guys signed up today. And now the game has reappeared out of nowhere. Dick shakes his head and looks at his watch. DICK (CONT D) (worried) Those three guys haven t come back yet? Not yet. But it s only ten minutes till closing. So what? DICK So what? Are you an idiot? Have you been listening to what I ve been saying? You said you killed the guys in the game. But it s just a game. DICK I got to call the rescue squad. Those guys might be in trouble. Remove the game from the computer and run the virus and firewall check, okay? I ll be right back. Okay, DICK. You got it. Dick give Buddy a pissed look at the way Buddy said his name. Dick rushes out of the office. Buddy returns to the game. (CONT D) I m just gonna play one more game first. The registration form with the names of Grant, Blake and Todd lies next to the computer on the desk. Buddy hits new game button. On the screen, a prompt for next revenge victim pops up. Buddy enters Dick Stevens. FADE TO BLACK.