A story writing blog

Monday, May 27, 2013

DOPE - A ghost busting story

So, I am taking a little break from the horror because this little scene came into my head and I wanted to write it down. It's for a script idea I had worked on previously and it can either be molded into it's own little stand alone short, or it can find it's way as a scene in a longer script. Anyway, at least now I have it on the page. 

DOPE – The Department of Paranormal Events is the low level branch of the provincial government where Investigations and Removals specialists Rooney, Ervin and Randal are pitted up against ghosts, goblins, demons, vampires, zombies and more ghosts all for less pay than the city gives to their average parking enforcement officer.

ERVIN - Black male - Very large and put together, very physically capable and smart. Good at his job. A huge nerd.

ROONEY - Caucasian man - Tattooed, surly, strong. The human embodiement of every pissed off, underpaid worker.

RANDAL - An intellectual. Very small and meek.




2 Locations:


Rooney - Interior- An old, dark basement. 

Ervin - Exterior - A nearby cemetary



The two men are standing in different locations, Ervin at a cemetery and Rooney is in a dark basement carrying a computer/tablet which glows brightly in the blackened room. Rooney kneels in position and presses the radio button on his shoulder. Ervin responds.


Rooney
Ok, I am in the dead room. What did you want me to do with this?

Ervin
Easy, just set up your RASS.

Rooney has absolutely no idea what that meant but he'd rather try to figure it out on his own then lose face to Ervin. He looks all over the glowing tablet but can't find any clues, frustratedly he responds back to Ervin.

Rooney
 Say again.

Ervin
Your RASS, I need you to run a spectral. 

Rooney
STOP saying RASS. I don't know what that is. 

Ervin
THE THING YOU'RE HOLDING! Your Radial Analytical Spectral System.

Rooney
What, this little computer you gave me?

Ervin
YES! How do you not know this?

Rooney
I consider it unprofessional to use abbreviations!

Ervin
Rooney. Seriously, do you not know how to run a scan?

Rooney
I was never briefed on this equipment. 

Ervin
YES YOU WERE! I briefed you, we had an hour long training session last week. 

Rooney
When?

Ervin
LAST WEEK!

Rooney
We had FIFTY training sessions last week!

Ervin
We had 6!

Rooney
That's a lot! I don't EVER remember hearing about any RASS or seeing this thing before. There's no way I was at that session.

Ervin
Oh my god. You were there. 
Rooney, why did you agree to run the spectral analysis if you didn't know how to do it? That's why I asked you if you read the manuals. You said you did.

Rooney
I did say that. Yeah. 

Ervin
You messed up bad. When I tell you to do your homework; DO IT. This is dangerous.

Rooney
Why don't you just come down here and help me?

Ervin
I CAN'T. The client said he saw the boy's ghost in the graveyard. 

Rooney
Then why did you send me to a dark basement?

Ervin
Because you'll be able to get a reading from the room the ghost died in. We'll know what kind of spectre it is and we can set our guns to it.


Each is holding a hand held, glowing gun shaped phaser.

Rooney
Ok. FINE. What do I do?

Ervin
Open the start menu

Rooney
Done

Ervin
Chose your classification. What kind of ghost are we looking for?

Rooney
Some little kid ghost.

Ervin
MANIFESTED! As in it's here, it's crossed back over and can interact with things. It can touch stuff.

Rooney
Ok. Now I chose "vapor state being"?

Ervin
Jesus Rooney! Chose Ectoplasmic Identification...god...

Rooney
I WASN'T AT THE TRAINING SESSION!

Ervin
THAT'S IT. I am radioing the Department. I am going to get them to pull the attendance card that you SIGNED when you were AT the meeting.

This annoys Rooney but before he can fire back at Ervin his device starts to glow brightly. Ervin presses the radio on his shoulder, patching through to Randal who's working the desk back at the department. The shot bounces back between the 3 locations. 

Ervin - Cemetary
Rooney - Dark basement
Randal - Working the desk at the department


Ervin
Randal. I need you to pull the attendance sheet from last weeks RASS training session.

Randal
Why?

Ervin
I want to know if Rooney was in that session.

Randal
Rooney's in trouble again?

Back in the basement Rooney's machine is going haywire, he's trying to figure it out when a chilling looking ghost of a young boy bursts through the wall. Rooney is attacked. Ervin and Randal don't notice.

Randal
  Well he was definitely there. 

Ervin
You have the sheet?

Randal
I don't need one. He spilled coffee all over his RASS unit, the Department has to pay to have it serviced. I am filling out the expense report now.

In the basement the room is in chaos. The room is being pulled apart as though a tornado has touched down, Rooney is being pounced upon by the ghost. He's trying desperately to fight back. Over the radio on his shoulder he can hear the conversation between his co-workers.

Ervin
You're an idiot Rooney.

-DOPE-




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