#tcimm

[Chelsea arrives home]

Johnny: Chelsea? What are you doing home?

Paul: We thought you were staying at Matilda’s.

Chelsea: Well…I lied. Matilda and I made a bet with a boy at school that we could stay all night at a spooky house in Moonwood Mill. 

[Paul DiMarco-Haim: Chelsea's Papa]

[Johnny DiMarco-Haim: Chelsea's Dad]

Johnny: Chelsea! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Something could’ve happened to you and we wouldn’t even know you were there.

Chelsea: Believe me, I know. I’m really sorry I lied. 

Paul: It better not happen again. I take it you two got too scared?

Chelsea: No! Well, yeah. But it’s not what you think. We saw some sort of creature. It started to chase us but then it went right past us.

Paul: It was probably some sort of big dog or something.

Chelsea: No, it wasn’t! There was a man, and he turned into this…thing. Like a werewolf! We both saw it. You have to believe me!

Johnny: If you say you saw it, then I believe you.

Chelsea: Thanks, Dad.

Johnny: I know what it’s like to tell an adult about something harmful and have them not believe you. I don’t want you to ever feel that way.

Paul: I believe you, too. But Chelsea, you have to promise you’ll never do something like this again. You could have…well, I don’t even want to say it.

Chelsea: Trust me, I learned my lesson. Next time George tells me girls are too scared to do something, I’ll just punch him in the face.

Johnny: That’s our girl!

Chelsea: This must be it.

Matilda: It doesn’t look THAT scary.

Chelsea: Let’s park our bikes here. The lights will help us see in the dark. Not that we NEED a light or anything.

Matilda: R-r-right. 

Matilda: What was that sound?

Chelsea: What sound? I didn’t hear anything.

Matilda: It sounded like footsteps.

???: What are you doing here?

Chelsea: So, are you about ready to head to Moonwood Mill?

Matilda: Not yet.

Chelsea: Why not? You’re not chickening out, are you?

Matilda: No way! I was just waiting for someone to ask me to dance.

Chelsea: Who?

Matilda: [quietly] George…

Chelsea: George??? You’re kidding right? After all he said about girls being too scared?

Matilda: He’s not that bad. Besides, maybe if we prove him wrong, he’ll change his opinion about girls being cowards.

Chelsea: So that’s why you wanted to do this. To impress gross George.

Matilda: That’s not the only reason! I think it’ll be fun. 

Chelsea: Whatever.

Matilda: Look, let’s just go now. Forget about George, this is all about us.

[The man begins to transform…into something grotesque.]

Chelsea: Matilda!!! RUN!!!

Matilda: [unintelligible screams]

Matilda: [screaming continues]

[The creature runs past the girls]

Chelsea: W-w-what???

Chelsea: Did he–did he leave?

Matilda: Yes, look! He’s way ahead of us!

[The girls hear more howling in the distance]

Chelsea: We’d better get out of here. It sounds like he’s not alone.

Matilda: What time is it?

George: Have you heard about the spooky abandoned house in Moonwood Mill? People say some sort of creature comes out at night. Kids have been trying to see who can stay overnight the longest. Legend has it, no one has made it past midnight without getting too scared.

[Hopewell Hills High School: Sometime in the future...]

[Chelsea DiMarco-Haim: High school freshman]

[Matilda Wood: Chelsea's bestie]

[George Waves: Classmate (and Matilda's crush)]

Chelsea: That’s it? You just have to stay past midnight? Big deal. I could do that easily.

Matilda: Yeah, me too!

George: Yeah, right! 

Chelsea: What makes you think we couldn’t do it?

George: Well, you’re girls. Girls get scared way too easily. 

Matilda: Not us! We’re braver than any of you boys.

Chelsea: We’ll prove you wrong. I bet we can make it all night. Right, Matilda?

Matilda: Yeah! But how are we going to stay out all night without our parents finding out?

Chelsea: I’ve got it. The night of the dance, we’ll tell our parents we’re staying at each other’s houses afterward. We can ride our bikes to the dance, and then we’ll leave early to head to Moodwood Mill. We can bring a change of clothes so we don’t have to get our dance clothes dirty.

George: Typical girls, thinking about their clothes! You two won’t make it past midnight.

Chelsea: Yes, we will! And we’ll take a picture to prove it.