Double Jeapordy

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Short Story by: Griff D. Con

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Status: Finished | Genre: Horror | House: Booksie Classic

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No good deed goes unpunished.

Submitted: November 08, 2017

A A A | A A A

Submitted: November 08, 2017

A A A

INt. doctors office - day

We pan from a previous video tape at the end of a woman stabbing herself while speaking to the camera. The t.v. is shut off.

Dr. Olivia Stall, mid-40's, attractive, sits sternly in a chair with a notepad in her lap.

OLIVIA

So tell me...have the nightmares been reoccurring?

woman (o.c.)

Every night.

OLIVIA

Same nightmare?

WOMAN (O.C.)

All I do is keep seeing the knife in and out over and over again.

OLIVIA

Do you recognize the woman in the video?

WOMAN (O.C.)

Yes.

CROSS FADE TO:

INT. BASEMENT-DAY

Fade in: In the distance we hear the wail of an infant. Close up of a woman Olivia, waking up. Groggy and delusional she tunes into the wailing. Confused as to her whereabouts, she begins to take in her surroundings. Suddenly overcome with fear which in turn becomes anxiety. She tries to move, but notices that she is chained to a support post. She calls out for help. No response.

Olivia

Hello! Is anyone there? Help!

She hears the wailing in the distance.

OLIVIA

Damien?

In the background the sound of a door creaking open and shutting. A masked figure enters. Olivia shoots back against the wall.

The masked figure lingers in the shadows.

(Magician o.c.)

Hello Olivia.

The figure walks into the dim light holding a glass of water.

OLIVIA

Who are you? Where am I? How do you know my name?

MAGICIAN

Not one to beat around the bush. I respect that as I am the same way.

Magician grabs a chair off to the side and slams it right in front of Olivia, causing her to jump at the very sound. Magician takes a seat. It takes a beat. Hears the distant sound of a baby crying, turns back to Olivia. Stares, then pulls a gun out from it's waistline.

MAGICIAN

Do you know what this is? (Beat) It’s rhetorical Olivia, of course you do. The question you’re asking yourself is:"Why does he have a gun?" Am I going to kill you with it? Perhaps. Truth be told , I haven’t really decided yet.

The magician gets up from the chair and sits beside Olivia.

OLIVIA

(CONTINUED)

You see, waving a gun has a certain effect on the human brain. It causes fear, nausea, and panic. Do you think i’d have the same effect on you if I was waving my finger in front of your face or my cock? (Beat)

Olivia and the Magician stare intensly at one another.

MAGICIAN

Are you thirsty? I’m parched. It’s like 100 degrees in here.

Magician stands. He turns to Olivia maintaining eye contact he lifts the water glass to his lips and takes a sip.

MAGICIAN

That was good. Bottled. You can’t trust tap water anymore. People are always cutting corners trying to save money. Even on this place in fact. This room seems smaller than it really is. Had to add about a foot of insulation. No joke. Any less and your "God, help me! Please don’t kill me!" starts, people will be calling the police. Interrupting our bonding.

OLIVIA

What do you want from me?

MAGICIAN

From you? You think this is all about you? Funny, you haven’t even asked about your husband. Not sure how he’d take that.

OLIVIA

(panicking)

You have...? What have you...?

MAGICIAN

Relax. He’s fine. He’s in another room. Good lookin...

OLIVIA

Dan!!! Dan!!!

OLIVIA

Olivia!

MAGICIAN

I told you he’s fine. But you won’t be doing him or you any good if you don’t calm down and do exactly as I say.

Magician turns and walks out of the room.

olivia

What have you done to him?!?! Come back here!

Fade out.

INT. DOCTORS OFFICE - DAY

OLIVIA

How are your sleeping habits? Have they improved?

WOMAN (O.C.)

Sorta. I still wake up in cold sweats shaking.

OLIVIA

That's normal for someone who has gone through such a trauma like you did. Have you been keeping up on your breathing exercises?

WOMAN (O.C.)

I've tried but..

OLIVIA

(BEAT) But what?

WOMAN (O.C.)

(whisper) She doesn't like when I do that.

OLIVIA

We discussed this. She does not control you. Say it with me.

The woman hesitates.

OLIVIA

She

WOMAN (O.C.)

She

OLIVIA

DOES NOT

WOMAN (O.C.)

Does not

OLIVIA

Control me!

WOMAN (O.C.)

(hesitates) Control...

The woman almost seems like she's having an ear infection.

OLIVIA

Say it!

CROSS FADE TO:

INT. BASEMENT-EVENING

Moments pass and we focus on Olivia fiddling with the chains trying desperately to free herself. After a few moments the door opens and we hear a slight muddled sound of someone trying to speak. Dan, her husband, is brought into the room by Magician, bound at the hands. His face is wet with tears, shirt torn. He’s shoved to the ground next to Olivia.

A small metallic object drops on the ground. Magician picks it up.

MAGICIAN

You know you could poke someone’s eye out with this.

He tosses it casually away where we hear it rattle in the background. Magician ties up Dan.

OLIVIA

Are you okay?

Dan, face covered in blood doesn’t answer her. She tries to put her arm around him for comforting but he pulls away.

Magician pulls the chair up again.

MAGICIAN

I was talking to your husband earlier and it never occurred to me that I never asked how the two of you met.

Silence.

MAGICIAN

How old were you?

Silence.

MAGICIAN

Do I need to do this whole charade again?

He pulls the gun out and waves it comically in front of the couple.

dan

18.

MAGICIAN

18. High school sweethearts?

DAN

College.

MAGICIAN

Say again.

OLIVIA

We met in college.

MAGICIAN

Wow! You guys are still pretty young. I bet the sex is still pretty good then. How is she? (to Dan) Does she still fuck like she did when she was 18?

Silence.

CORDERO

Does she still fuck? Or is she the quiet type? What does she like? She’s a beautiful woman. Well, she was.

Silence.

MAGICIAN

(Louder)

Does she fuck?!? (Beat) She probably doesn’t now with the little one and all.

Dan springs to his feet to attack Magician from behind. Magician cracks him in the face with the butt of the gun. Olivia checks on Dan after he’s struck.

MAGICIAN

Dr. Stall I told you everything would be fine as long as you cooperated. Now look what happened.

A baby starts crying in the distance. Dan and Olivia both recognize the cry.

MAGICIAN

Right on time.

OLIVIA

Damien!

DAN

(crying)

Damien...

OLIVIA

You son of a bitch!

MAGICIAN

Shut up!!!

Magician's eyes bulge as he stands face to face with Olivia.

MAGICIAN

What you need to understand. You have nothing. I have the gun! You are chained up. I have your son and I am going to kill him.

DAN

What?

MAGICIAN

I’m going to kill your son. I’m going to kill your son unless one of you kills the other. Mummy kills daddy. Or daddy kill mummy. It doesn’t make a difference to me. One body stays here. The other leaves with that squealing little prick.

Magician reaches into his pocket and produces a key. He walks behind the couple and unlocks Olivia.

MAGICIAN

You run for that door and I’ll make you watch as I put a bullet right through your husband’s fucking head, then through your baby’s head and then you.

Magician then unlocks Dan.

CORDERO

(to Dan)

Make a move and I shoot you. Then i’ll see if your wife knows how to fuck.

OLIVIA

You sick fuck!

Magician drops a gun by the door as he leaves.

MAGICIAN

One minute after I close this door. If I don’t hear a gun shot, i’m going to snap that little guy’s neck.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cassette tape.

CORDERO

Oh before I forget, you guys want to listen to anything while you decide? It’s a mixtape. No?

Dan stands, helping his wife up. They stare at the gun and are overcome by anxiety.

OLIVIA

(sobbing)

He’s going to kill him.

Dan walks to the door and tries the door handle.

DAN

It’s locked. Shit!

OLIVIA

He’s going to kill him.

DAN

Fuck!

OLIVIA

He’s going to kill him Dan.

XAVIER

I know. Fuck-alright I know.

Dan continues to try the door. Olivia bends down and shakily picks up the gun, holding it upright.

OLIVIA

You have to shoot me.

Dan turns around.

DAN

What?

OLIVIA

(crying)

You have to shoot me. He’s going to kill Damien. He’s going to kill our little boy.

DAN

(sobbing)

I can’t.

She’s shoves the gun into his hands.

OLIVIA

He’s going to kill our baby...Shoot me. Shoot me! Shoot me! You have to save him.

DAN

I can't..

OLIVIA

You have to. (sobbing) For our son.

DAN

(sobbing) I love you.

OLIVIA

I love you.

Silence.

We hear the sound of a gun going off. Dan falls into Olivia's arms. They fall to the ground, Olivia clutching Dan in his arms. An unintelligible moan in anger escapes her lips. She cradles his head close to hers. After a moment Oliva staggers to the door. The door opens and Magician enters with an infant being held in one arm. The other carries a gun pointed at Olivia. Olivia raises her gun and pulls the trigger. The gun clicks on an empty chamber.

OLIVIA

(sobbing) Why? Why are you doing this?

Magician pulls off the mask revealing it being the patient from her session earlier.

OLIVIA

(shocked) You! Why?

WOman

Why you ask? I would think after this reveal it would be obvious.

INT. DOCTORS OFFICE - DAY

OLIVIA

Say it!

WOMAN

She does not control me.

Olivia takes a deep breathe and sits back in her chair.

OLIVIA

Now...doesn't that feel better?

SMASH TO:

INT. BASEMENT-EVENING

OLIVIA

I was trying to help you. You're sick.

WOMAN

(hysterical) I've never felt better! I'm much more clear.

OLIVIA

You need help. This isn't the real you.

WOMAN

How would you know? Because you tell people day in and day out how to live their lives! You're the one that needs help. Do you have any idea what it's like to lose someone that's a part of you?

Woman looks at Dan's lifeless body.

WOMAN

Oh. I guess you do.

OLIVIA

(sobbing) I was trying to help you.

WOMAN

No. You wanted her to get rid of me.

Olivia is taken back by that comment.

OLIVIA

Her? (BEAT) You mean you're..... Margaret.

Margaret

You'll never harm her or us ever again.