shrrriiiippp. packing tape is pulled back from a roll.

julia finishes taping up a cardboard box. terry is packing some books into another box of her own.

terry

you thought there was a monster in the room? and you admitted it?

julia

i didn't know what else to say.

terry

advice. when you don't know what else to say, you lie.

julia

but i really did hear something.

terry

you're worse than my boyfriend.

julia looks towards the front door.

sam is sitting on the porch steps, sketching on his pad, oblivious to everything around him.

julia

he's in his own world, isn't he?

terry

that's an understatement. i have a sinking feeling that sex is out of the question for this trip.

this sparks something in julia. she hesitates, looking through an open doorway where paul can be seen packing some clothes. julia speaks to terry in confidence.

julia

do you fantasize about other people?

terry

if i haven't yet, i probably will by the time we're ready to leave.

hesitant beat.

julia

i've been fantasizing about a guy.

terry

anyone we know?

julia

blond. good looking. nice body.

terry

i'd like to know that.

julia

he has a superman tattoo on his shoulder.

terry's mouth drops. the girls move closer together.

terry

no.

julia

yes.

terry

no.

julia

yes.

terry

when did this start?

julia

sam's party. i walked out of the bathroom and he was changing out of his suit. he lost his tie, his shirt . and then he spotted me.

terry

what did you say? keep going?

julia

i got out of there. but i've been fantasizing about him ever since.

terry

fuck yeah. power to the people.

julia

but paul is the perfect boyfriend. top to bottom. he's gorgeous. he's smart. he's gonna be a doctor.

terry

he never gets upset about anything .

julia

what the hell is wrong with me?

terry

it's just a fantasy.

julia

yeah, but when i made love to paul on grad night . i thought of him.

terry stares.

terry

wow.

julia

i know. don't tell paul about this. i'd rather not test the whole "he never gets upset about anything" part.

terry

are you okay?

julia

i don't know. i think i'm flipping out. seeing things in pictures. thinking that there's a monster in my closet.

terry

you're being too sensitive. we woke up with our closet wide open and i'm not upset about it.

julia reacts.

julia

your closet was open?

terry

having to wash my hair without an all-natural conditioner. that upsets me.

she walks out. julia sits quietly in the living room, left alone with her own puzzled thoughts.

int. cabin -

blood trickles down over the superman tattoo.

int. fast food

terry looks beside herself. paul and julia are seated.

julia

he must have gotten out through the window. that's the only thing i can figure.

terry

we have to call the police.

julia

you looked everywhere?

paul

everywhere near the cabin. but we can't cover every square inch of forest out there.

terry

he might be sick. he might need help.

julia

i can't understand why he'd do something like this.

paul

he was acting nuts. really nuts.

terry

i need a phone.

paul

wait. i've got my cell.

paul fishes the cell phone out of his pocket. he hands it to her.

and the phone

julia is cleaning up. she kneels down and picks up some of the melted candles and beer bottles.

paul walks into room holding a broken picture frame.

paul

i talked to the movers.

julia

why didn't they show up?

paul

the company has no record of the order.

beat.

julia

what?

paul

i know. it's crazy.

julia

are they coming now?

paul

it'll take them a while to work us into the schedule -- get a van out here to pick up everything.

julia

how long?

paul

three days.

julia

shit.

paul holds out the mangled frame.

paul

i also found this in the guest bedroom. sam knocked one of the packing boxes over. this was inside.

julia takes a look at the frame. it's the same picture from her room of herself with her mother. the broken glass has torn the photograph.

paul

i wasn't sure if you wanted to keep it.

julia

no. i've got one.

beat.

julia

you know this is the only picture i have of my mother?

she was always taking pictures of us, but we never got any of her.

if i didn't have this, i couldn't prove that i had a mother.

paul

that's not true.

another beat.

julia

i'm so worried about sam.

julia drowns in her thoughts. paul touches her cheek.

paul

let's get outta here.

julia

good idea.

paul

i'll get my keys.

paul walks out. julia places the frame on the coffee table.

she notices something on the floor. julia squints. it's a small object resting in the corner . almost hidden from view. julia reaches into the shadows and picks up .

another piece of metal with strange markings.

paul is sitting on the couch, wearing a ucla cross country tank top and tying his shoes. julia enters from the basement. she's carrying a stack of developed pictures.

julia

paul, you have to see this. the picture came out, but there's something really strange in the middle of it. just like the other one of the shed.

he looks at the picture.

paul

looks like someone on the carousel.

julia

but there's no features. it's like a shadow.

paul

so there wasn't enough light.

paul rubs his forehead. julia is genuinely concerned.

julia

what's the matter?

paul

my head feels worse.

julia

maybe you should lie down.

paul

i have to go running.

julia

no you don't.

paul

of course i do. your body's like a machine. it needs upkeep.

julia

not when you're physically ill.

paul

i'll be okay.

julia

paul .

paul

i'll be okay.

is that it?

julia

not exactly.

when i saw this picture, i decided to look at the other one. just for comparison's sake.

paul

so?

julia takes out another photograph.

julia

i pulled this one by mistake. the picture of that little girl from the party.

she hands him the picture.

julia

look.

paul's face collapses into slack disbelief.

the little girl has disappeared from the photo. vanished.

paul turns to julia as she looks into his eyes with a mixture of fear and apprehension.

julia

what's going on?

this time, he doesn't have an answer.

ext. woods -

julia comes up from the basement. she hears coughing coming from the bathroom.

int. bathroom -