Curse of the Unborn Screenplay

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CURSE OF THE UNBORN

BARRY F. DOWLING

FADE IN:

1. EXT. TALABASAO’S VILLAGE – NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

A remote jungle village. Huts ablaze. Smoke coils into the black sky.

Screams echo. Blood glints in fire light.

TALABASAO (four0s), a native shaman, storms through the chaos, covered in blood, eyes blazing with grief and madness. He clutches a wrapped bundle in his arms — a baby wrapped in cloth, lifeless.

He stumbles beside a burning hut, drops to his knees.

TALABASAO

(sobbing, shouting)

They let you die… they let you BOTH die…!

He lifts his face toward the trees, howling in rage.

He presses the dead baby to his chest, then sets it gently on the ground.

He begins a violent ritual, chanting in an ancient tongue, slashing his palm with a blade, blood dripping onto the earth.

Behind him, VILLAGERS try to flee the burning huts. Some collapse, choking on smoke.

A flash of dark energy surges around Talabasao. His eyes glow.

CUT TO:

EXT. LONE TREE – NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

Talabasao kneels before a lone gnarled tree on the beach. He digs frantically, places the baby’s body in the shallow hole, covering it with soil.

TALABASAO

(hissing)

You will stay here now… Poison and destroy their worthless lives…

CUT TO:

EXT. JUNGLE PATH – NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

Tattered VILLAGERS FROM KAEL’S property run past a burning hut, terrified.

A SHAMAN (30s), also tattered and exhausted, clutches sacred cords, face grim. He is staggering his way toward the tree.

SHAMAN

(urgent whisper)

I must bind the evil… before it damns us all…

CUT TO BLACK.

TITLE CARD:
GENERATIONS LATER

2. EXT. BACKSTREET – 2AM

Eerie dissonant score. Slow, purposeful pacing. The silence isn’t empty — it pulses with grief and danger.

A narrow, dark street glistens with puddles under flickering yellow streetlights. Humid, oppressive quiet. A PACK OF DOGS sniff around them dangerously, eyes glinting in the shadows.

A pile of backpacks and bags sit on wet concrete. The GROUP — KAEL, MAYA, RAFE, SARAH and JESSA — huddle in the damp chill, half-awake.

They scan the shadows, speaking in cautious whispers.

MAYA

(hugging herself, teeth chattering)

How long until the van arrives?

KAEL

Shouldn’t be much longer.

RAFE

(checking his phone)

It’s 2:30 already.

SARAH

I’m cold.

RAFE moves close to SARAH. He gives her a quiet loving smile. He pulls out a little pouch and hands it to SARAH.

RAFE

(cuddly)

For you.

SARAH looks at RAFE coy and shy and takes the bag and opens it. She takes out a a small fluffy TURTLE key ring. SARAH looks deep into RAFE’S eye.

The spell is broken by JESSA talking.

JESSA

Keep an eye on those dogs.

KAEL looks at the dogs then at his watch.

HEADLIGHTS sweep around the corner. The VAN approaches.

FX: The DOGS vanish into the shadows, like demons dissolving in the light.

FADE TO BLACK.

3. EXT. VAN – ROAD – PRE-DAWN – B-ROLL SEQUENCE

Credits roll.

The VAN snakes along a lonely road, headlights carving tunnels through early morning darkness. Overhead shot of the lights trailing through the trees that cover the road.

INT. VAN – CONTINUOUS

Credits roll.

It is quiet except for the rumbling noises of the Van in the background. KAEL looks intensely through the window into the darkness. MAYA leans against KAEL and stares off into space. SARAH is cuddled up to RAFE looking and smiling at her new TURTLE. RAFE is asleep.

EXT. VAN – ROAD – B-ROLL SEQUENCE

Credits roll.

The van drives along the road, looking like a small time-capsule, trapped in its own bubble of light. The lights make it look like it is the only thing that exists in the dark.

Credits roll.

End of credits.

CUT TO:

4. EXT. ROADSIDE SHOP – EARLY MORNING

The sun climbs. Humidity shimmers off the road. Muted colors give the scene a dreamlike haze.

A SMALL SHOP sits beside the highway. It looks just like a hut with a window in the front. It is buried amongst the trees. Grass roof, rattan walls. Old

A WIRE MESH over the window guards the SHOPKEEPER, a quiet middle-aged woman.

The VAN has been unloaded, it is running and the driver is ready to drive off. Before he leaves, the DRIVER gives a long look at them and crosses himself, then dives off.

MAYA, JESSA and SARAH are walking toward the SMALL SHOP.

KAEL and RAFE stand and watch the van drive off.  They watch it disappear, uncertain and still.

They look around at the isolated location. There are trees everywhere. KAEL hesitates as he looks at the trees across the road. RAFE lightly grabs KAEL’S arm and they look at each other.

RAFE

How many hectares did you buy?

KAEL comes back to reality and thinks.

KAEL

Six.

RAFE

With a beach?

KAEL looks at him and smiles. RAFE looks at the trees again.

RAFE

(thinks)

How far do we walk?

KAEL

About half an hour.

RAFE

Come on then.

The GIRLS approach the shop window. It has open wooden shutters and a wire mesh over it for protection. There are a few things hanging around the window. A few strange things hang in the window: talismans, feathers, bones.

SHOPKEEPER

(Subdued. Distant. Protective)

Morning po!

MAYA

Morning po.

Do you have any cold bottled water?

The SHOPKEEPER gestures dismissively to a cooler on the ground outside the shop, off to the side of the window.

MAYA looks at the cooler and then back to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper doesn’t blink, eyes locked on MAYA.

MAYA walks over to the cooler.

JESSA steps up to the window, trying to see what is available inside to buy.

JESSA

(to Kael)

We should get some food.

RAFE wanders up to SARAH and holds her hand. She acknowledges him with a coy smile. He returns it with a suggestive look. He looks at the few things hanging around the window.

RAFE

(Looks at a packet with what looks like a dead rat inside,

then looks at KAEL questioningly.)

Kael…

KAEL looks at RAFE in acknowledgement.

The SHOPKEEPER sees RAFE and answers his question.

SHOPKEEPER

Dried daga.

SHOPKEEPER sees RAFE doesn’t understand.

SHOPKEEPER

(Impatiently to Rafe.)

Rat!

RAFE recoils, smiles to SARAH and they move away.

KAEL pays for the supplies. The SHOPKEEPER bags them and hands them to SARAH and stands watching but says nothing.

KAEL

(nodding)

Thank you.

JESSA looks at how strange the SHOPKEEPER is.

JESSA

What’s with her?

They move to their bags stacked on the side of the road.

As they are getting ready to leave, SARAH looks back at the shop and sees the cooler gone. The SHOPKEEPER has removed it. She notices the shutters are now locked tight. Two colourful cords dangle from each.

SARAH stands staring, wondering as RAFE comes up.

RAFE

You ready?

SARAH looks at him intently and smiles.

The group picks up their bags and starts walking. As they pass the back of the shop, a big dog on a chain lunges out at them barking. They all jump in fright.

SARAH

(yells)

AHH!

RAFE

(holds Sarah)

I got you. You’re safe.

SARAH holds him.

They all look at the dog then start walking along the dirt track that leads to KAEL’S property. BACKPACKS on backs and BIG LUGGAGE held between the two girls. GEAR jostles on tired arms and legs.

Cicadas hum louder, ever-present.

A few metres from the shop, SARAH looks back at the dog, still shaken, and notices a man stands partly obscured in the shadows near the back door.

She looks to tell RAFE but decides not to. She looks back and the figure is gone.

SARAH stiffens.

PAUSE for reaction.

CUT TO:

The GROUP has been walking for a while. As they walk, they talk.

MAYA

(panting, wiping sweat, looks at Kael)

You ok?

MAYA smiles lovingly at him.

KAEL

You?

MAYA smiles.

JESSA

(grimacing)

This is killing me.

RAFE rearranges his backpack while walking. He notices SARAH and brushes the hair off her face and smiles lovingly. She smiles back with a little swaying of her shoulders.

They are quiet as they slog on.

KAEL lags behind slightly, glancing around warily. He wipes sweat from his brow but seems distracted. He feels something.

The cicadas are starting to get much louder.

A hint of unease flickers in his eyes.

ANGLE ON:

KAEL’S HAND — gripping the shoulder strap of his backpack too tight, knuckles white.

They part through the trees on the track and open onto a SHALLOW STREAM. Water glitters under sunbeams slicing through the canopy.

The others are standing looking at the stream as KAEL walks up. JESSA looks slightly distressed.

They begin to cross by stepping on the rocks in the water.

As they CROSS:

— The AIR suddenly COOLS.

— Sounds of cicadas and birds MUTE.

— Light flickers strangely as if something shifts in the air.

The group senses it simultaneously, slowing mid-stride.

KAEL

(frowning, scanning the trees)

Did it just… feel different?

MAYA

(breathing shallowly, seriously)

Yeah. Like someone opened the fridge door.

JESSA

(starting to sway a bit and looking down in distress)

I suddenly don’t feel very good.

RAFE glances at JESSA, but his attention quickly shifts to SARAH.

RAFE

(Trying to be reassuring and dismissive)

It’s probably because of the water in the stream.

MAYA wipes her brow and slowly looks around as if remembering something.

MAYA

(soft, strange)

It reminds me of the same feeling I had when I

traveled in the Daintree rainforest in Australia.

They all look at MAYA.

MAYA

(Slowly. thoughtfully)

I think the Aboriginal guide said it was some

dreamtime spirit saying hello or something.

JESSA looks around as if trying to find the spirit. Suddenly she throws up in the stream.

The others look at JESSA in surprise.

KAEL

Jessa what’s wrong.

JESSA

(Heaving and panting)

Don’t know.

(Steadies herself against KEAL)

I suddenly felt dizzy and needed to vomit.

They watch her as she collects herself. JESSA lifts her head, flushed and furious. Wipes her mouth hard and won’t look at anyone. She sways but won’t sit down.

JESSA

(pissed)

Fuck this. Let’s go.

JESSA starts striding over the rocks in the stream annoyed.

JESSA

(shaking her head to no one in particular)

I can’t believe this.

They all continue crossing but they are slightly tense now.

As they step onto the other side, KAEL glances back at the stream.

KAEL tenses, a visible shudder running through him.

A transitional sound signals that something has changed.

He stares intensely looking around.

MAYA glances at him, concerned. Puts her hand on his arm.

KAEL looks at her and smiles. He motions to keep walking.

As they walk off, the camera hangs, looking and waiting.

The stream still BURBLES gently the same. But something is different. The cicadas start quietly again. The forest tightens around them. Shadows deepen unnaturally.