the inside of the range rover is dark. only the faint glow from the dashboard lights provides any ambient illumination. sam and terry are snuggled together in the back seat. everything is quiet.

julia is thinking. finally, she breaks the silence.

julia

do you believe in monsters?

a beat. everyone else in the car trades looks.

paul

we've been in the car too long.

julia

i'm just asking.

paul

like what? the boogeyman?

julia

the boogeyman. the thing under the bed. the monster hiding in the closet.

terry

what made you think of that?

julia

a little girl at sam's house. she was convinced there was a monster trying to get her.

paul

you're saying you believe her?

julia is suddenly on the spot. she backtracks.

julia

of course i don't. there are no monsters. not really.

sam

sure there are. ted bundy. son of sam.

ed gein.

terry

who was ed gein?

sam

he was a mass murderer. this old hermit who'd kill people and take the parts he wanted. heads. livers. intestines. sex organs.

terry

why did he use the parts for?

sam

everything. the police found a skull that was used for a soup bowl. faces were stuffed and mounted like hunting trophies on the wall. bones were used for furniture.

paul

he also wore their skin. like clothes.

terry recoils into her seat. grossed out.

terry

sorry i asked.

sam

you wanted proof. there it is.

julia

but it's not like he's a monster under the bed.

sam

so?

julia

so why are kids afraid of that?

sam

because they live in a completely different world than we do.

think about it. why do kids pick up on things that we can't? . bumps in the night? . footsteps in the hallway? . a thumping inside their closet?

paul

overactive imagination.

sam

wrong. perfect awareness.

kids have a perfect awareness of everything around them. every sound. every shadow.

everything gets quiet.

sam

the boogeyman could be real. so could monsters. just because you've never seen them doesn't mean they aren't there.

silence. the car engine purrs softly. this is starting to make sense. and it's spooky.

paul

all right. i'm creeped out. but my bullshit alarm is going off.

sam

you just can't handle it.

paul

right. because it's bullshit.

julia

serial killers aside, my take on this subject is very simple. if i don't have a picture of it -- it's not real.

terry

okay, is this conversation like a radio station? can we just change the channel? because personally, i'd like to get to sleep tonight.

terry has just finished saying these words, when --

an animal runs out of the woods into the middle of the road. a black shape in the headlights. eyes flashing in the dark.

paul

jesus christ!

paul slams on the brakes. too late.

wham! the range rover smashes into it, throwing the shape into a ditch at the side of the road.

the range rover swerves and comes to a squealing halt.

inside the

the atmosphere is quickly turning into panic. paul jumps behind the wheel as both sam and terry close their doors.

sam

i want to know what that thing was.

paul presses the automatic door lock. thunk.

julia

paul, start the car.

paul

keys .

he searches his pockets. they're empty. he checks his jacket.

sam

i want to know what it was.

paul

will you shut up?

paul fishes out the car keys from his jacket pocket. he starts the ignition. the engine roars to life.

julia

go.

a heavy thump. right outside the back window. sam and terry instinctively look towards the rear hatch.

terry

there's something behind the car.

julia

go!

paul hits the gas.

ext. forest

julia drops the photos into the passenger seat. starts the car. the cell phone rings. she answers it.

julia

hello?

ext. san

intercut between julia and paul.

julia

then it's already started.

paul

what's started?

terrified beat. julia trains her eyes on the coffee shop.

julia

listen. there's not much time. they're watching me right now.

paul

who is?

julia

just listen to me. there were five of us at the cabin.

your best friend was with us. joey. he had blond hair. he had a superman tattoo on his shoulder.

paul

i don't know anyone named joey.

julia

that's because they erased your memory. if you remembered him . if you remembered what they did to him, you might run like sam. that would make it hard for them to hunt you down.

paul

where's sam?

julia

he's dead.

paul

what?

julia

they killed him.

paul

they?

julia

monsters.

paul can barely stand up. his skull is pounding.

paul

monsters?

julia

they really exist, paul. they use human beings for parts. like machines.

paul

i can't take this.

julia

what you saw in the forest wasn't a hallucination. they've been watching us the entire time. following us.

paul

i can't --

julia

there's a tracking device in your head. right where the scab is.

her words sound chilling in the night air. foreboding and deadly. paul is filled with dread.

paul

my head?

julia

they want us for parts. that's why they're tracking us. they take the skin and wear it.

paul

just let me think for a second.

julia

they already got sam and terry. and now they're making us disappear.

think about it. your wallet. your father.

paul

it can't be true.

julia

it is true! we're next!

paul becomes upset. he nods with grave understanding.

paul

what are we gonna do?

julia

we have to get back home. they're all over the place, but we can make it.

paul

okay.

julia

where are you?

paul

just below union square. right near the cable cars. where they turn them around.

julia

all right. there's a subway station near there.

paul

i can see it.

julia

wait for me. at the top of the stairs. i'll be there in five minutes.

paul

okay.

julia

i love you.

paul

i love you. please hurry.

paul hangs up.

int. range

julia tosses down the cell phone. the car engine stops.

julia

what now?

she tries to start the car, but it the engine won't turn over. just as she's about to try a second time, she looks out the windshield.

several dark