The Nine Mile Road

Fade in:

EXT. DESERT. NINE MILE ROAD. NIGHT

Its dark, quiet. A tumbleweed scuttles across the dry cracked road, lit dimly by a sliver of moonlight. If it was day you would be able to see it looks like an old western town: endless expanse of desert, a gas station and its dull neon sign flickering, a run down motel, a sheriffs building, a diner and a few other buildings and a crooked SMOKY THE BEAR sign reading, FIRE WARNING TODAY: HIGH. Of course, its the fucking desert. Instead we see darkness and the darker outlines of buildings the only light the flickering neon sign and the moonlight. Running through all of it until the eye can't see, THE NINE MILE ROAD. A low RUMBLING breaks the silence of the night as headlights slice through the dark, illuminating the road. An RV ROLLS into the frame.

INT. RV. NIGHT

Its dark inside the vehicle. The lights from the dash illuminating the stressed face of BILL, the FATHER. His hands grip the wheel tightly. Beads of sweat dot his creased forehead, causing specks of gray hair to stick to his face. His wife is slumped up against the passenger window, sleeping. Bill shakes her shoulder gently whispering-

BILL

Nancy, Nancy wake up

She groans and shifts a little but still doesn't wake. Bill more aggressively and louder now

BILL

Nancy get up!

She jerks awake clearly annoyed

NANCY

What Bill? Whats so important?!

BILL

I think we....

She cuts him off still annoyed

NANCY

We what Bill? And can you keep your voice down JACE is trying to actually sleep back there

Bill finally being able to speak again

BILL

Well if you'd let me finish I was about to say I think we took a wrong turn somewhere

NANCY

What do you mean we took a wrong turn! You took a wrong turn. Where the hell even are we?

She looks out at the scenery as they pass by the smoky the bear sign. Gesturing to the sign

NANCY

Didn't we already pass that a while ago

BILL

Yes Nancy that's what I've been trying to tell you. We're lost.

NANCY

Don't start with me Bill You're the one driving

BILL

Oh really, thanks I didn't realize

NANCY

Clearly you took a wrong turn somewhere Bill

BILL

I didn't Nancy, I've been listening to the directions! We're supposed to stay on this road for idk...

Points to his phone GPS which is propped up against the cup holder

BILL

...124 more miles

NANCY

Well clearly that's not right

BILL

Yeah, I kinda figured Nancy

NANCY

Just pull into this gas station up ahead we need gas anyway

EXT. NINE MILE ROAD. GAS STATION. NIGHT

The neon sign flickers dully as the dirty RV pulls in coming to an abrupt halt next to one of the pumps. Bill hops out of the RV and proceeds to pump the gas

INT. RV. BEDROOM. NIGHT

Inside the back bedroom of the RV a child sleeps, he's about 11 or 12. As the RV jerks to a stop the kid is rustled awake. Groggily he calls down to his mother

JACE

Why are we stopping

NANCY

We just needed to stop for gas Jace

JACE

How much longer

NANCY

I don't know sweetie we'll probably be there sometime tomorrow

Jace rolls back over burying his face in his pillow trying to fall back asleep.

EXT. DESERT. GAS STATION. NIGHT

Bill is at the pump trying to get it to work. He continually swipes his card in frustration, rapidly pressing the trigger on the nozzle to get it to work. It doesn't, the numbers on the pump still read zero.

BILL

Goddamit!

Nancy rolls her window down calling out

NANCY

What is it?

BILL

This fucking pump won't work

NANCY

Try going inside and paying

BILL

Its 3am Nancy its not gonna be open.

DONG DONG, the sound of the gas station door opening. An elderly man walks out. He's mid 60's, greasy hair that falls over his face and a dirty bush of a beard. His face is a maze of wrinkles and grease. He gives us a feeling of dread. His cane THUDS on the pavement

NANCY

Told you it was open

In a drawling country like accent the GAS STATION WORKER calls out

GAS STATION WORKER

What can I help y'all with

BILL

This pump over here not working

GAS STATION WORKER

You uh, tried another pump yet

BILL

Nah I was just about to if I couldn't get this thing working

GAS STATION WORKER

Well why don't you come pull up to this one it usually works

INT. RV. NIGHT

Bill hops back into the RV sticking the keys into the ignition and looks out the window while it purrs to life. The gas station worker is standing still, looking into Bills eyes, a smile full of broken teeth. Bill has a bad feeling as he pulls into another pump and the mans face disappears from the frame.

EXT. NINE MILE ROAD. GAS STATION. NIGHT

THUD THUD, the gas station man walks towards the RV as it shuts off and Bill hops out.

GAS STATION WORKER

Where y'all headed

BILL

We're trying to get to her moms house but uh I don't know we seem to be lost. I've been following this stupid GPS thing but I coulda sworn we already passed through here a while ago

GAS STATION WORKER

I would've known if you passed through here. I see everything and we don't get to many visitors 'round here so I'd remember. The pump working?

Bill nods as the HISS of gas is emptied into the tank

BILL

So can you tell me which way we're suppose to be headed

GAS STATION WORKER

You haven't told me where your going

BILL

I-uh I did I said we're going to her moms

GAS STATION WORKER

Yeah, but you need to tell me which way

Nervously chuckling

BILL

Yeah right, uh sorry. We're uh we're headed north. It says to take a turn on North Falls Road.

GAS STATION WORKER

yeahh, Your just gonna head down this way for about 8 miles and then your gonna turn right. Its hard to miss its right by the bear sign.

BILL

We passed that already

The Gas Station Worker smiles again

GAS STATION WORKER

Yeah that's why your headed the wrong way

BILL

There wasn't a road there

GAS STATION WORKER

Then you weren't paying attention

CLICK, the sound of the nozzle finishing rattles Bill. The Gas Station Worker Chuckles smacking his cane into the pavement. THUD THUD THUD

BILL

Thank you for your help sir

GAS STATION WORKER

don't mention it

INT. RV. NIGHT

Bill gets back into the RV slamming the door behind him. He's scared something about that man got to him. Nancy looks over clearly worried about how her husband is reacting. Bill starts the engine forgetting to turn on the headlights and drives off looking into the rearview mirror. The Gas Station worker is there waving, that same smile on his face. Bill rubs his eyes and looks back the man is gone.

NANCY

So...

BILL

Yeah he uh said to make a right by the bear sign

NANCY

We came from that way Bill

BILL

I know but that's what the gas guy said

Bill continues down the road slowing as they come to the Smoky the Bear sign. And takes a left

NANCY

Bill I thought he said to take a right

BILL

Shit!

NANCY

Well maybe if your headlights we're on you'd be able to see

Bill looks down flicking on the headlights. Where before there was nothing now stands the Gas Station Worker smiling in the middle of the illuminated road. Bill slams on the breaks, scared shitless. So is Nancy

NANCY

What the fuck Bill

Bill is speechless he is filled with terror. The man still stands there. Smiling. THUD THUD THUD. Siri goes off startling Bill

SIRI

Rerouting... in 1 mile take a Uturn

Bill looks down for a second at the directions on his phone and looks back up, the man is gone again

NANCY

Bill you need to get us the fuck out of here

SIRI

Rerouting... in one mile take a uturn

NANCY

Bill fucking do something!

SIRI

Rerouting... in one mile take a Uturn

NANCY

Shut the fuck up!

Bill terrified goes to put the RV into reverse but not fast enough. BAM the cane smashes through the window. Throwing glass all over. Once again the cane comes crashing through the window hitting Bill over and over. Splashing blood all over the console, window and seats. Nancy's screaming wakes Jace.

INT. RV. BEDROOM. NIGHT

Jace is jolted awake by his mothers screams. The door to the bedroom is open a crack and through it Jace can see his father slumped over the wheel.

INT. RV. NIGHT

Everything goes quiet. Even Nancy. Bill is slumped over the wheel, dead, his head caved in. THUD THUD THUD. Then silence. Nancy's breath is shallow and then BOOM Nancy is yanked out through the window. Jace crawls out of the bedroom staying low. He peaks his head out through the windshield to see the man smacking the cane over and over. Blood covering his smiling face. Nancy goes silent. The Gas Station Worker looks up at Jace smiling. Jace ducks down quickly.

EXT. DESERT. NINE MILE ROAD. NIGHT

The gas station worker walks towards the RV his cane dripping with blood. Nancy's body is slumped in the road blood pooling. We see Bill's head bloody on the dash. We pull away revealing more and more of the scene. The man enters the RV. CLOSE UP on Smoky the Bear sign staring into our souls. We hear screams from Jace and..

SIRI

Rerouting...in one mile-