FAR FROM THE TREE

Written by

Gary A. Jones

FADE IN:

EXT. SCHOOL - MORNING

Angle on a large black eyeball, not human, but amphibian. Reflected is an old brick and mortar school house. A GECKO crawls across a concrete wall, making its way toward the main planters on the other side of the walkway.

A loud bell RINGS out, stopping the little guy in his tracks.

Countless pairs of feet storm passed it as the gecko tries to evade multicolored shoes stampeding toward the front doors of the building.

THWACK!

And just like that, the gecko is flattened. A rock is pulled back to reveal a dark haired boy with cold eyes brandishing a hellish grin; this is BILLY, 13. He quickly admires his work, then hustles back with the rest of the STUDENTS.

We are left staring at a gruesome murder scene of one defenseless gecko. GILLIAN, 13, wears a generic plaid school uniform and unconventional fiery red hair.

Billy observes from a distance as Gillian gently picks up the carcass and places it into a small hole dug into the soft soil. Sending the gecko to a place of rest.

The last bell RINGS as...

INT. CLASSROOM - MOMENTS LATER

...Gillian sits in the center of an unruly classroom buried deep into a book designed with beautifully ornate foliage and gold leaf ink. The title on the front reads: Tales from the Mythic Forest.

CUT TO:

EXT. TRACK FIELD - DAY

Students sprint across a green field tossing balls, playing tag. Gillian sits perched against a tree, flipping through pages of old Celtic drawings depicting a man grown from the earth.

CUT TO:

EXT. SCHOOL - DAY

Gillian straddles a cement wall, rummaging through a brown paper sack. She pulls out a sandwich and unwraps it. A gentle breeze flows through her hair and for a brief moment she takes time to be present with Mother Nature.

Billy and a brood of his idiotic buddies, maybe 2-3, watch as Gillian feels the wind move all around her. It’s weird.

Different.

The moment passes and Gillian takes a bite of her sandwich. Immediately she springs to her feet spitting everything to ground. She looks to find a tail of the gecko on the floor.

Billy laughs uncontrollably, starting a chain reaction of giggles and pointed fingers throughout the yard.

CUT TO:

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY SMACK!

A ruler hits against a chalkboard held by a TEACHER wearing a tweed jacket and a greasy comb-over, his names not important, all that’s important is the word CHAMELEON written across the board.

TEACHER

Who can tell me how the chameleon manages to stay alive in the wild?

Rows of kids roll their eyes. Some asleep. Some glazed over looking off into nothing.

Agitated tapping is heard behind Gillian who's sketching flowers and vines onto paper.

The tapping develops into a loud and heavy rhythmic thud with ever stroke of her pencil. Gillian peers at the ticking clock on the wall. The second hand in sync with the tapping.

Quickly it builds momentum till aggravation sets in. She presses the lead deeper and deeper into the paper unit, snap!

She swiftly turns behind her to find the source of her angst coming from Billy who's staring right at her. His dirt infested fingers tapping on the desk.

TEACHER (CONT’D)

Gillian?

Gillian’s face turns red as she looks around the room to, everyone staring back at her.

She stands from her desk. All eyes on her.

GILLIAN

Camouflage.

TEACHER

What about it?

Gillian finds Billy glaring at her intently.

GILLIAN

It’s used to blend into an environment so it can be hidden.

Billy’s eyes are fixed on Gillian as she stands there. Uncomfortable in her own skin. Naked and in the open.

RING!

CUT TO:

EXT. SCHOOL - AFTERNOON

Gillian storms out of the school doors, rushing down the stairs as fast as her legs can move. She trips, falling to the ground, pages of floral drawings scatter everywhere.

Kids rush from behind, paying no attention.

Billy strides past Gillian, eyes beaming and a grin that makes her skin turn to R.L. Stein goosebumps.

The wind kick her pages into the air, blowing further away from her reach. She chases them down as each gust scatters them further into it the...

WOODS

She grabs the last drawing and finds herself far from the school. Isolated from anyone. Wind rushes through the trees.

Sounds of inaudible whispers creep from behind her. Gillian turns quickly to find nothing but rustling leaves and branches.

She takes notice to a beautiful autumn tree, splashed with vibrant orange, yellow and red fronds.

She takes in the breeze, gently closing her eyes feeling it as it passes through her body.

OVER BLACK

The sounds of the wind moves through the trees all. In the distance, birds chirp at the sun. All of it, together, transforms into one harmonized symphony. Then...

VOICE (O.S.)

(whispers) Hide.

Gillian snaps out of her trance to find Billy standing nose to nose.

Billy shoves her against a tree. Gillian's frightened but not quick to run. Billy reaches into his pocket and pulls out a KNIFE. He thrusts it against her thigh.

BILLY

Let’s see if you’re really a redhead, huh?

The knife glides along her leg and up her skirt. Gillian stands strong, eyes fixed on his. She gasps as the knife slowly digs into her skin. Not too deep. Just enough to get Gillian to squirm.

BILLY (CONT’D)

I don’t see you stopping me.

Blood cascades down her leg as the knife sinks deeper...

BOY (O.S.)

Billy! Come on...

A group of BOYS, 2-3, stand in the distance. Billy puts his knife back into his pocket.

BILLY

See you around.

And just like that, he disappears into the woods. Gillian wipes the tears from her cheeks.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Gillian sits at a cluttered vanity mirror, studying herself. She pulls up her skirt to find a puncture mark.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Wedged between her disconnected PARENTS Gillian stares off into a television her FATHER channel surfs through. Nothing but bullshit advertisements for cookware and golf equipment.

He leaves the channel on an old black and white Creature Feature: Creature from the Black Lagoon.

ON SCREEN:

The gray sea MONSTER bursts out of the water, grabbing it’s victim and dragging them into the depths of the sea.

LIVING ROOM

Gillian’s eyes come back to life. She leans in closer to the screen.

INT. GARAGE - NIGHT

Gillian rummages through old boxes of COSTUMES, uncovering an old ghillie suit and a box of leaves from a production of something with tree’s.

INT. SCHOOL - DAY

Billy glares at Gillian’s empty desk.

EXT. WOODS - AFTERNOON

Billy and his group kick rocks and light firecrackers as they make their way through the woods.

The wind picks up and a gentle howl moves through the trees. Billy takes notice.

BILLY

Quiet.

The Boys stop and all listen. Another faint HOWL in the distance.

BOY 1

What the hell is that?

BOY 2

A wolf?

BOY 3

No wolfs out here.

BOY 2

Yeah there is. My dad told me--

BILLY

Shut up.

A gust of wind blows through the trees and the Boys turn behind them to find a LARGE GREEN MAN, ten feet tall with hands the size of a bears and face like vines.

The Boys escape to the woods for dear life, squealing.

Billy slips over his feet and nose dives into a rock, knocking him out cold.

The Green Man stands laughing watching the Boys shriek in terror and high tail out. Gillian takes the mask off.

GILLIAN

(laughing)

You should have seen your face.

Her eyes widen as she looks at Billy's who’s not moving. She quickly turns him over, revealing a blood soaked mouth.

Gillian peers around for help, but the Boys are already too far. She looks back to Billy who leaps from his unconscious state and wraps his hands around Gillian's neck.

Gillian fights with everything she has, gasping for any bit of air she can.

Gillian's hands fumble to find anything to defend herself with.

BILLY

You like playing games...

She reaches into Billy's pocket, pulling out his KNIFE.

Billy smacks it out of her hand. A brief moment of air. Gillian takes a large gasp before Billy’s hands regroup around her throat. This time tighter.

Gillian’s eyes flutter as life begins to flee. She takes comfort in the wind and the rustling tree branches.

A strong gust blows leaves through the air, revealing a large rock.

Gillian’s fingers stretch toward it and in an instant she pulls up the rock and smashes it again Billy’s head.

Quickly, Gillian straddles Billy and begins to shatter his face into unrecognizable pieces. Blow after blow. She screams out in fear.

With one final THUD, Billy’s body goes limp.

Gillian gazes at the lifeless body. She moves to her feet as the tree’s begin to sing. Wind blows through her, she can feel its energy.

The wind blows leaves that begin to covering Billy’s body. Camouflaging it with the earth.

Gillian stalks past the mound, and blends into the beautiful autumn trees as we...

ROLL CREDITS.

FADE OUT.