Silent Film Script

A Deadly Charade

Script

A Deadly Charade

By: Kendrel Dickerson, Caroline Downer, Will Edwards, Allison Emery, Luke Fegenbush, and Taylor Gilliam

As the scene opens, a hand appears in a kitchen, after having poured drinks for a group of people who are playing charades in the living room. Holding an ominous bottle of poison, the hand empties its contents into a cup containing a drink which will soon be served.

Next scene: The aforementioned group plays charades in the living room. The scene is light, happy, and friendly.

Will stands, selecting a folded paper on which is inscribed the act he is soon to perform as part of the game. The paper reads “BEING POISONED,” so he proceeds to act it out, not realizing that he really has been poisoned from drinking the cup offered by his host. His act provides a laugh for all his friends; he falls to the ground. Soon his comrades discover that it’s not an act and that he is dead. The game is over. Deducing that he has been poisoned by someone in the house, Taylor, the host, walks to the door and locks it, announcing,

“No one is allowed to leave until one of you admits to killing him.”

Taylor covers the body of Will with a blanket so as to not have to look at it henceforth. Everyone is frozen with fear until from outside, a thunder crash and lightning flash which causes the electricity in the house to go out and each person to scatter, hoping to find his/her own hiding place in the house.

Caroline runs down to the basement where she hides behind the washer and dryer. She doesn’t know that The Killer has followed. She pulls out her phone to dial 911. The Killer creeps up to Caroline and snatches her phone away. Caroline screams. The Killer draws a knife and attacks Caroline, adding her to the victimized.

Taylor, having heard Caroline’s screaming, runs down the stairs toward the basement to help, but as he reaches the top of the stairs to the dark and dismal basement, The Killer approaches from behind with knife in hand. Taylor is stabbed in his back from behind and falls, arriving to join the dead at the bottom of the stairs into the basement.

Luke emerges on the scene, finding Allison, with the knife, standing in the doorway leading to the deceased below. Luke’s surprise coincides with that of the audience as The Killer’s identity is revealed.

Allison backs away in horror at her now-thwarted plot to kill all present in the house.

Shocked, yet pleased with himself at solving the mystery, and escaping certain death, Luke addresses the murderer,

“I didn’t want to believe it was you. But I must ask:  why?”

Allison defends herself,

“You just don’t know what it’s like to live without love.”

Luke retorts, “Oh, but I do.”

The camera resumes on Luke and Allison in the hallway. Allison, having been enlightened and now hoping to offer penitence over the heartache of Luke, entreats,

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you felt this way. Maybe it’s not too late.”

Luke, unmoved by her forged regret, firmly replies,

“You had your chance.”

Luke raises his arm, holding a revolver pointed at Allison. Thunder crashes, lightning flashes, and the scene ends.