Info
A folklorecon entry by doctrinator and
scutoid studios.
English title: The Woman on Apartment 2000
Written by doc and scutoid
Kram is by doc
CSS is by scutoid
Art is by doc
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Content warning ⤴
FADE IN:
INT. LEVEL 13 - APT. 2000
The apartment is lit by a dim and flickering set of wall lights, plus a 3-bulb overhead light of which one actually functions. Everything is silent.
MALINDA (early 20s, long black hair, freckles) lies feverish on the bed, covered in sweat and breathing raggedly. She clutches the room's first aid kit.
KRAM (early 20s, stocky, muscular, army haircut) drags the room's old, dusty electric heater into the middle of the room. Taking some pillows from the couch and bed, he sets up an electric campfire of sorts.
EOGHAN (mid 20s, ginger, tall, thin, glasses) eyes the setup with some concern.
Eoghan
(concerned)
KRAM huffs, sits down and warms his hands over the heater.
Eoghan (CONT'D) Aren't you listening?
Kram Look, we've got bigger problems. Malinda's sick. Can't you just sit?
EOGHAN shivers and decides it's probably worth it to relax. He gives one last worried glance to the heater before settling into its warmth.
KRAM eyes MALINDA with concern.
MALINDA suddenly groans and sits up abruptly. She clutches her stomach and looks around, eyes scrunched up in pain.
Malinda
(strained)
She tumbles off the bed and stumbles over to the bathroom door, her body heavy with nausea at every step. She shakes the door handle violently, but it won't budge.
Malinda
(confused, to self)
She pushes at the door and bangs it with her foot in frustration.
Malinda
(groaning)
Suddenly, she doubles over in pain before vomiting with a splash outside the locked bathroom. She collapses to her knees and grunts, still clutching her sides.
EOGHAN and KRAM get up from their coziness.
Eoghan Jesus Christ! What'd you have to do that for?
KRAM groans at EOGHAN's response.
MALINDA's eyes don't quite turn to look at the two, like something's not right.
Malinda
(soft, disconnected)
Suddenly, we focus on the door to the bathroom. A sudden hum fills the air, starting low but rising to a whistle before it transforms into a shrill UNKNOWN VOICE.
Unknown Voice
(singing in Irish)
Is níor chreideas riamh dod mharbh
Gur tháinig chugham do chapall
Is a srianta léi go talamh,
Is fuil do chroí ar a leacain
Siar go t’iallait ghreanta
Mar a mbítheá id shuí ’s id sheasamh.
Thugas léim go tairsigh,
An dara léim go geata,
An triú léim ar do chapall.
EOGHAN looks around, alarmed.
Eoghan What the hell? Do you hear that?
KRAM steps back, relying on his instincts. He seems to search his side for a gun, but quickly remembers he's dressed for a holiday, not a mission.
Kram
(gruff, defensive)
EOGHAN doesn't respond — he seems fixed on the door.
Kram
(slightly worried)
After a second more of listening, EOGHAN runs over to KRAM.
Eoghan Dude. Listen. I think I've figured out what's making all that noise.
Kram
(confused)
Eoghan
I… don't know for sure, but it's singing in Irish. I think it's a banshee.
Kram
(surprised)
Eoghan
Well, I don't know everything, alright? I'm not usually as obsessed with this stuff as you are.
KRAM crosses his arms, but doesn't deny it. He's always blaming his bad luck on spirits.
Eoghan
But what I do know is, banshees are the ghosts of grieving women. And when they come to sing, it usually means…
There's a beat. He doesn't want to say it.
Eoghan
(quietly)
KRAM's eyebrows furrow.
Kram
(to MALINDA, tentative)
There's no response. The two look over at MALINDA, but she's lying down on the bed, facing away from them. Is she asleep?
Kram Malinda? Please-
Suddenly, MALINDA begins to sing. Her voice fills the room, harmonising with the banshee's, though her body remains perfectly still, as if dreaming.
Malinda & Unknown Voice
(in unison)
Is do bhaineas as na reathaibh
Chomh maith is bhí sé agam,
Go bhfuaras romham tú marbh,
Cois toirín ísil aitinn,
Gan Pápa gan easpag,
Gan cléireach gan sagart
Do léifeadh ort an tsailm,
Ach seanbhean chríonna chaite
Do leath ort binn dá fallaing—
Do chuid fola leat ’na sraithibh;
Is níor fhanas le hí ghlanadh
Ach í ól suas lem basaibh.
Do leath ort binn dá fallaing—
Do chuid fola leat ’na sraithibh;
Is níor fhanas le hí ghlanadh
Ach í ól suas lem basaibh.
EOGHAN walks closer to MALINDA, slowed by fear but creeping closer and closer…
SNAP. MALINDA jolts upright and breaks sync with the singing banshee. Instead, she stares at EOGHAN and begins her own chant:
Malinda
(chants slowly)
Oscail an doras.
Oscail an doras.
Oscail an doras.
She continues, causing both KRAM and EOGHAN to take a few steps back out of fear.
Kram She… She's possessed.
Eoghan Possessed?
Kram
(hushed)
We see a close-up of EOGHAN's fearful eyes as he listens to MALINDA's ceaseless chanting over the shrill singing of the banshee.
Eoghan
(loud whisper)
KRAM opens his mouth, but cannot come up with an answer. He pauses in thought for a moment.
Kram What's she saying?
Eoghan
(lips trembling)
As if a key had slid into place, MALINDA's eyes shut again and she collapses onto the bed as before. Her breathing remains labored, but she's back to sleep.
Kram
(to EOGHAN, urgent)
The two prepare to force the door open as the banshee's voice grows louder and louder, distorting by the second.
CREAK…
The two are hit by the smell of the bathroom first — BLOOD. That's the substance coating nearly every inch of the modest bathroom, spreading across the floor and seeping into the bathtub. Stepping in to investigate is a challenge, but the two manage to get a good look at the body that lies at the centre of the mess.
It's… MALINDA. Her face is pale and blank, eyes vacant.
Eoghan
(whisper)
KRAM's face twists as he takes a step back before turning to leave.
Kram We need to get out of here.
As they open the door to the bathroom, a SMOKE ALARM blares and the room fills with the incendiary smell of acrid plastic.
The living room is up in smoke, a fire spreading from the makeshift camp throughout the untreated carpet and unvarnished furnishings. KRAM stops to consider his route before carefully maneuvering himself to the door.
He tries it. Tries it again, wriggling the doorknob.
Kram
(under breath)
He tries some added pressure, still nothing. So he pulls back and rams his side into the door to break it down just as before.
Kram
Ow! Shit!
Eoghan
(hoarse, can't breathe well)
Kram
(frustrated)
The two sit in silence for a minute, reality sinking in. The smoke constricts around them like a serpent.
Eoghan Knew you shouldn't have used that bloody heater.
Kram
(pissed off)
Eoghan You heard me. I told you not to keep it on, and you did.
KRAM pauses before responding, giving EOGHAN a chance to back down. Then he starts to draw closer.
Kram
(gravely)
EOGHAN throws a punch, landing on KRAM's side. He's unfazed, grabbing EOGHAN's shirt by the cuff to drag his much taller frame to the ground.
EOGHAN quickly rushes back to his feet, snapping a leg off a burning chair. He wheezes for a moment as he struggles to breathe, before hitting KRAM with the stick.
Eoghan
(coughing out)
As the room gets more and more suffocating, EOGHAN's attacks become more frantic as the two men continue to struggle.
KRAM is enraged and shoves EOGHAN against the wall, pounding his fist into his chest.
Kram
(gritting teeth)
EOGHAN retaliates with a kick to KRAM's knee, causing him to stumble. EOGHAN struggles for breath, but shoves KRAM away into the collapsing walls.
Eoghan
(shouting)
KRAM's eyes are frantic and wild as he rolls up his sleeves, wiping sweat off his brow. But when KRAM charges into him, EOGHAN grabs him and throws him against the wall.
Eoghan Raaagh!
THUD. EOGHAN wipes sweat off his brow and tries in vain to regain some breath. His fired-up eyes scan for their target.
But all of a sudden… KRAM is simply gone. And the room is empty, save for EOGHAN and the fire alarm.
EOGHAN stares at the wall where he threw him, and then back at the bathroom door.
INT. LEVEL 0 - HALLS - MOMENTS LATER
The lights of Level 0 buzz overhead. The orange of the burning apartment is replaced by brown, beige, and an overwhelming expanse of yellow.
And KRAM can breathe.
He takes a deep breath as he jolts up and gathers his bearings. Where is EOGHAN? And MALINDA… can it be true?
There's nobody around, as usual on this level. He's all alone.
KRAM places a trembling hand on his forehead, wiping off the last bit of sweat and attempting to process what's just happened.
We see KRAM in the centre of the screen, staring into the lens of the camera, before—
EOGHAN (V.O)
(in right ear)
KRAM darts to the right and we see what he sees: Nothing in that direction.
MALINDA (V.O)
(in left ear)
KRAM darts to the left, but there's nothing.
MALINDA (V.O)
(simultaneously, getting louder)
Oscail an doras.
Oscail an doras.
Oscail an doras.
EOGHAN (V.O)
(simultaneously, getting louder)
Oscail an doras.
Oscail an doras.
Oscail an doras.
KRAM clutches the side of his head, covering his ears.
As the sound of his two friends increases in volume and incessance, we watch KRAM flee into the Level 0 distance.
FADE TO BLACK
THE END
