N1BW — Where new stories find their audience

TRAD

Written by

Jared Battaglia

ii.

INT. AIRPLANE IN THE AIR

Morning sunlight streams through the business class cabin. As a comely FLIGHT ATTENDANT in a tight-fitting blue uniform heels down the aisle, serving coffee to the passengers.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT (thick accent) Fresh coffee?

She arrives at a private pod where FLYNN is seated, the well- groomed founder of a cryptocurrency exchange brimming with confidence -- perfectly coiffed hair, a cashmere sweater and comfy grey sweatpants on.

FLYNN Yes, please.

He flashes her a smile. She pours coffee from a carafe into his cup.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT Cream? Sugar?

FLYNN Cream’s fine. No sugar. I’ve got all the sweetness I need right in front of me.

Somehow, he pulls it off. She blushes slightly.

FLYNN (CONT’D) But don’t forget Toby over there. He should be caffeinated, too.

In the next pod over is his travel companion, TOBY, a good- natured algorithmic trader, staring out the window listening to a fin-tech podcast on his phone with AirPods in his ears.

FLYNN (CONT’D) (calls out) Toby -- coffee time.

He reaches over, tapping his friend’s shoulder like a little kid. Toby jolts, swings a look at the Flight Attendant.

TOBY Oh, thank you.

Toby takes a cup of coffee and creamer from her hands.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT The plane is landing soon. I hope you enjoy my country.

Flynn gives a crisp nod and locks eyes with her, turning on his irresistible (or so he thinks) charm.

FLYNN We have every intention of doing just that.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT It’s a small nation, but we welcome tourists with an open heart.

As she continues down the aisle, Flynn dumps a nip of whiskey in his coffee and the rest in Toby’s cup.

FLYNN Did you hear that? She basically said that they’ll be ready to fuck us right when we get off the plane.

Toby removes the AirBuds in his ear.

TOBY What was that?

FLYNN I said - ARE. YOU. READY. FOR. THIS?!

Flynn gestures devil horns. Toby nods, smiles as best he can. Life has not been kind lately.

TOBY Yeah, it’ll be fun.

Flynn throws him a skeptical look.

FLYNN You need to get into the passport bro headspace for this to work. I mean, look how excited my boy Spoof is to be here with us, even though he had to fly coach.

They look back down the aisle. Flynn throws a wave at SPOOF, a stoner-type hanging out in the front row of the coach cabin - over-ear headphones on, dons a tracksuit.

TOBY You invested in that guy’s company?

Spoof sees them, bites his lower lip, puts his elbows up and moves them from side-to-side to the beat of whatever song he’s listening to.

FLYNN Yeah, it was this energy drink -- Mega Charge. Didn’t pan out. But he hooks me up with the best coke.

Toby raises an eyebrow.

TOBY So, he’s your drug dealer?

FLYNN In a way, yeah. Loosen up though. I know you’ve had a bad couple months, but you need to get past that shit already.

TOBY Don’t worry, I’m not going to be a buzzkill on this trip.

FLYNN You know I’ll hold you to that.

TOBY You won’t have to.

FLYNN Good. I just don’t like to see you moping around all the time like you’ve been doing in the city.

TOBY My fiancée broke off our engagement, Flynn. I’m sorry if I wasn’t doing a happy dance.

FLYNN You got dumped. It sucks. I found out I was adopted a year ago. You get over these things.

Toby’s eyes widen at Flynn.

TOBY What? You never told me that.

FLYNN I’m not a “let’s talk about our feelings” kind of guy. (MORE)

FLYNN (CONT’D) I mean, I always suspected I must’ve been since I’m taller than my parents and a lot better looking than them.

TOBY Wow. Anyway, I’m ready to enjoy myself on this trip.

Flynn flashes his eyebrows.

FLYNN Then get off the lame train, drink up that coffee and put your game face on.

Toby carefully sips his spiked coffee. Makes a face (realizing the obvious), but continues drinking it anyway.

INT. RURITANIA AIRPORT - (ZOOM CUT)

Flynn, Toby and Spoof emerge from the jetway. Sunglasses on, with their rolling carry-on suitcases, making a swag entrance into the main terminal.

FLYNN Wes and Bernard got in last night, said they’ll meet us at the Inn before the tour guide from Tradition Travel picks us up.

ON THE MOVE --

TOBY Who’s Bernard again?

FLYNN Just this promoter dude Wes met at a Diplo show over New Year’s. They were partying together all last week in London.

SPOOF I am so ready to do it up big with you guys and find me a nice trad wife, or at least a woman that will let me motor boat her without hearing about how I’m the “oppressor” - like fuck off, right?

He pantomimes vomiting. Flynn consults a packet sent from their bespoke small group travel tour company.

FLYNN It’s said no other place on the planet has more would-be traditional wives than Ruritania. The women here are born for it. Rumor has it they’re also firecrackers in bed.

He gives them a knowing smile.

FLYNN (CONT’D) Plus, there’s supposed to be a big gender gap that works in our favor. Less cocks to contend with is always a good thing.

SPOOF We can more than make up for their lack of peen. The dating pool in the city is all dried up these days. I can’t wait to hose down some local Ruritanian women and show em’ what they’ve been missing. Know what I mean?

FLYNN Oh, we certainly do.

TOBY (to Flynn, on the sly) He might want to turn it down a notch.

FLYNN Spoof’s right though. Every girl you go out for drinks with these days, it’s the same old topple the patriarchy bullshit. Blah, blah blah. Suck it. Like what do you want from us? We gave you the right to vote.

SPOOF Big mistake.

FLYNN The women in Ruritania are different. They appreciate men like us.

TOBY Maybe we’ll find wives or girlfriends, maybe we won’t. I’m just here to have a good time.

FLYNN You will, I’ll make sure of it. This is going to be the best trip of our lives.

He slaps Toby and Spoof on the back.

E./I. TAXI CAB - ROADWAY - (TRAVELING)

All packed in, the guys soak up the gorgeous springtime countryside. The cab drives over a brickwork bridge.

Spoof pokes his head out the window, dramatically opening up his arms to their surroundings.

SPOOF Look at this place, it’s like a nature screensaver come alive. I love Ruritania already!

His voice bounces off the quiet hills.

EXT. LAKE VERIDIA, RURITANIA - ESTABLISHING

A charming and picturesque town rings the shores of a pristine lake. It’s a place of natural beauty. Lush forests and rolling hills. But sparsely populated.

EXT. LAKE VERDIDIA - TOWNSCAPE

The taxi passes quaint, colorful cottages, cobblestone streets, and a central square adorned with a grand fountain.

E./I. TAXI CAB - (TRAVELING)

Toby notices the empty streets and boarded-up storefronts, void of any pedestrians in sight.

TOBY Where is everyone?

Flynn scans the passing scenery; hardly any cars and even fewer people around.

FLYNN Sleeping in after a long night?

The Driver glances in the rearview mirror.

DRIVER The Spring Rusalia Festival begins tomorrow.

Flynn shrugs, looks at Toby.

FLYNN See? They’re all getting ready for a festival. I had no idea there even was going to be one. Great timing for us, dontcha think?

SPOOF Maybe there’ll be some bands playing that we know.

TOBY I doubt it’s that kind of festival.

FLYNN Either way, I’m sure it’ll be a nice cultural experience for us.

EXT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - ESTABLISHING

The taxi pulls up in front of a centuries old two-story farmhouse strangled with ivy by the lake that looks like a storybook cottage.

The guys get out of the backseat, grab their bags from the trunk, and check the place out.

SPOOF Doesn’t look like it’s goin’ off here either.

Toby tips the driver. Their surroundings exude a serene and idyllic ambiance.

FLYNN I’m sure this place gets more lively at night.

Toby checks a text.

TOBY Wes said he and that Bernard dude are about to start day drinking before the tour guide picks us up. Wants us to meet them in the bar- restaurant downstairs after we drop off our bags in the rooms.

FLYNN All right, then let’s get this party started.

They head inside.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - GROUND FLOOR

Flynn opens the door, leading his friends into the rustically furnished entrance & lobby area. Their eyes flick around the quiet space. Not a soul in sight.

FLYNN Way to roll out the welcome mat for us.

SPOOF Seriously.

They step onto a bearskin rug with its head intact.

TOBY Hello? Anyone here?

No response. The trio walks up to the empty front desk.

FLYNN Is there a bell or something?

Toby peers across the dimly lit cherry wood desk.

TOBY I don’t see one.

FLYNN I’ll call the guys to come down.

Flynn whips out his phone, about to dial. They turn around -- startled to see a quietly intense MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN standing under an archway across the room.

Tightly braided greying hair with an apron over her plain clothes and an expressionless face.

SPOOF (under his breath) Damn, she scared me.

TOBY Excuse me ma’m, do you work here?

Beat. She studies them.

INNKEEPER’S WIFE Yes, this property has been in my husband’s family for over three centuries. I’m sorry he is not here to greet you. My name is Oksana, lovely to meet you all.

Oksana produces three old-timey room keys from the front pouch of her cloth apron.

OKSANA I have your keys here, so please let me show you to your rooms.

FLYNN Great.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - CORRIDOR

The guys follow Oksana upstairs to their lodgings.

OKSANA All rooms are equipped with Wi-Fi and running water.

FLYNN Both must-have essentials.

OKSANA Please do not hesitate to contact front desk for any troubles.

TOBY Thank you, Oksana.

She nods, heads back downstairs. As they unlock their rooms -- a door slowly cracks open at the end of the hallway.

REVERSE to an UNKNOWN POV observing them.

INT. GUEST SUITE - CONTINUOUS

Toby steps into a wood-beamed room and puts his bag down. He clocks: a patchwork quilt on the bed, handmade furniture and a lake view.

Then moves towards the window. He adjusts his eyes. Blinding sunlight reflects off the crystalline waters.

Makes out THREE YOUNG WOMEN swimming by the shore. Long unbraided hair covering their nude bodies.

FLYNN (O.S.) LET’S GOOOO! Time to rally --

Flynn swings open the door. Startled, Toby turns around.

TOBY Be right there.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - TAVERN

The village’s sole restaurant and rustic bar attached to the Inn. The cozy medieval-style tavern serves local wines, beers, spirits, and authentic cuisine.

Oksana is behind the bar, making copious notes in a red- leather journal.

WES Hey Oksana, can we get some refills over here?

WES, 30s, a recently divorced sports agent, sucks on a vape pen at a standing wood table with a stein of beer in his hands. He’s athletic himself, has chiseled features and a bulletproof confidence.

OKSANA Yes, of course.

She pours two fresh drafts of beers for her only two patrons. The other being BERNARD, late-20s, a charismatic sky-high tall promoter with a messy beard, long wavy blond hair and a colorful stylish retro aesthetic (Think: Yung Gravy).

BERNARD Oksana is kind of like low-key hot, man. I’m not gonna lie. She’s got this air of mystery to her and I’m all about it.

Wes glances over his shoulder, seeing Oksana coming over with two steins.

WES If that’s what turns your crank. But yeah, I guess I’d take her for a spin if nothing else was around.

She places the beers down. Bernard gives her a wink.

BERNARD Thank you kindly.

As Oksana leaves the table, Flynn, Toby and Spoof enter across the room. Wes throws his hand up.

WES Ayy, there they are!

FLYNN Let the games begin, fellas! Ruritania is officially on notice.

Flynn heads over to them doing the Milly Rock dance, while adding his own flavor to it.

WES Everyone, this is my homie Bernard. Bernard, over here’s Flynn and Toby. I’ve known em’ both since college. And was it Spliff?

He regards Spoof standing behind them.

FLYNN No, it’s Spoof.

Wes snaps his fingers.

WES My bad.

SPOOF All good.

They ad-lib hellos, shake hands and exchange fist bumps.

FLYNN (PRE-LAP) To Ruritania!

Cut to everyone raises a shot glass of schnapps.

BERNARD So, y’all ready to scoop up some trad wives up in here or what?

Loud: Yeah! They cheers. Throw back shots. Goes down hard. Squints, letting it roll down their throats.

A truck horn blows outside. Flynn stretches his neck towards the window.

FLYNN Looks like our ride’s here.

EXT. OPEN-AIR TOUR TRUCK - SOON AFTER

Parked outside the Inn is an old roofless tour truck painted green. The cohort finds seats in the back.

Their jovial tour guide, VADIM stands at the front, eager to get started. He wears a Tartar sheepskin cap.

VADIM I am Vadim. So glad you are here with Tradition Tours to explore this wonderful land. And maybe find true love in the process, yes?

He smiles.

SPOOF I wouldn’t say no to that.

VADIM Well, you’re in luck. The women in Ruritania are raised to be good dutiful, obliging wives. They’re loyal like dogs. That I can assure you of. It’s why you come here, am I right?

Bernard shrugs.

BERNARD Basically.

FLYNN We’re all keeping our options open.

WES And glad to be in a place where masculinity isn’t considered toxic.

VADIM You will not find women who say such things here. They like their men strong and find masculinity to be quite appealing in fact.

The guys hoot and holler (except for Toby).

BERNARD Fuck yeah, that’s what I’m talking about.

VADIM The local women know that the secret to a happy marriage is putting the husband first.

WES Hear, hear!

Vadim likes this crowd already.

VADIM Then let us get started. As we welcome all of you to beautiful Lake Veridia. One of Ruritania’s natural treasures. This is a most special place and I am confident that soon you will see why.

Flynn notices a shotgun placed snug between the driver and passenger seats (with the safety on).

FLYNN What’s with the gun?

VADIM We had a bear a few years back.

The tattooed Driver cocks his head to reveal a thick scar from a bear’s fierce claws running down the side of his face. Flynn recoils.

TATTOOED DRIVER Now he a rug.

VADIM You can never be too careful.

The tattooed Driver turns on the engine. The truck chugs down a dusty single-track road.

EXT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - (REVERSE REVEAL)

A YOUNG WOMAN stands by a second-story window at the end of the building watching them go.

Her appearance is different from the traditionally dressed townsfolk. A strong-willed natured, magnetic presence with a unique sense of style.

But we’ll soon learn she’s got a penchant for secrets, which includes fighting some personal demons from her past.

Just like our passport bros -- she’s not from around here.

EXT. OPEN-AIR TOUR TRUCK - (TRAVELING)

The Driver steers down a scenic road along the lake’s edge. Very few locals in this mountain village are out.

In fact, there aren’t any people to be seen at all. Vadim regards the tranquil lake on their right.

VADIM The lake is very much important to us here. The town relies on this enchanting body of water in many ways. Its vapors from it rise into the clouds, bringing moisture to the fields and nurturing the crops, so we have a healthy, robust harvest each season.

Spoof looks at Flynn, pretending to nod off.

FLYNN Is the harvest connected to this Spring Festival our cab driver told us you’re having tomorrow?

VADIM Yes, you are correct. The Rusalia Festival celebrates the Spring Harvest. It’s quite a good time and should not be missed. You must come. We will have great fun.

WES Oh, we’ll be there for sure.

TOBY It’s funny, I didn’t notice any mention of a spring festival on the itinerary.

BERNARD Who cares? Can they just show us some tits already?

FLYNN Relax man, we can’t just skip to the main course. This is an immersive experience, like fine dining at a Michelin three star restaurant. Get what I’m saying?

BERNARD Yeah, I dig it.

Wes looks at Spoof across the aisle.

WES So, Spoof, tell us about yourself. What made you sign up to join Flynn over here on this trip?

SPOOF The girl of my dreams left me after my energy drink company Mega Charge went under. Thought she was my ride- or-die and we were in it for life. But turned out she was just a cold- hearted gold-digger.

Wes waves him off.

WES Trust me, marriage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I just got divorced. My New Canaan-raised ex bait and switched me. She acted like such a sweetheart. Then morphed into a certified ice queen after the wedding. I couldn’t wait to reach a settlement.

BERNARD I say you get yo’self a hot-ass Ruritanian wife to make that girl who did you dirty jealous, Spoof.

Spoof’s face gets all serious.

SPOOF That’s the plan.

BERNARD I feel your pain though. I got a baby mamma back home, but she’s fuckin’ crazy. I pay for her Equinox membership and she won’t even cook me dinner. Wants me to just order PostMates every night. That’s why I became a digital bromad so I can travel the world and find me a good wife.

Flynn shakes his head. The story hits close to home.

FLYNN American women have all been brainwashed. Let’s face it, the West is a sinking ship. This is the solution, boys. The way to restore the natural balance between masculine and feminine energy.

The truck slows to a stop at a trailhead by a grassy hillside. Vadim smiles back at them.

VADIM First stop of the day.

They scan the area. This is not what the group thought they signed up for. Toby gives Flynn an unsure glance.

FLYNN Just roll with it, man.

EXT. HIKING TRAIL - DAY

TRACKING SHOT: the guys trudge up a trail, cutting through thick woodlands. Toby glances down at his shoes, frustrated.

TOBY These sneakers have the worst tread. Hiking boots weren’t on the packing list. If they were, I would’ve brought a pair.

FLYNN Not everything’s going to be on the itinerary. Just relax. (MORE)

FLYNN (CONT’D) Gotta open yourself up more to spontaneity and welcome whatever the universe throws at you sometimes.

TOBY I can’t help it. I enjoy planning ahead and having resources to guide me in making informed decisions. It’s what I do for a living.

FLYNN You’ll live.

Spoof wipes sweat from his brow with his elbow.

SPOOF (out of breath) How much longer? I ain’t one of those CrossFit bros.

VADIM We are close. I assure you, it will be well worth the workout.

Off Vadim’s in-the-know smile.

EXT. GLADE IN THE WOODS - DAY

Vadim leads them into a small clearing. They step into the picture-perfect meadow.

A picnic spread of roasted chicken, fresh fruit, bread and cheeses has been laid out on a colorful hand-woven blanket.

VADIM I hope you’ve brought your appetites.

FLYNN I could definitely eat. And holy shit, this looks amazing.

WES Not a bad setup at all.

BERNARD After that hike, I’m definitely ready to get my grub on.

Bernard pats his stomach.

VADIM But before we get started, allow me to introduce you to some local beauties who are anxious to make your acquaintance today.

FIVE YOUNG WOMEN step out from beneath a veil of trees. Ethereal beauties with long tresses.

They wear floral-embroidered white-linen dresses and wreaths of sedge on their heads.

BERNARD Oh wait, did I just die and go to Heaven?

The guys’ jaws collectively drop. The young women curtsy and smile politely as Vadim introduces them each by name.

VADIM This is the lovely Larisa.

LARISA, 20s, holds up her hand, a warm smile on her face and a comforting presence. Beautiful golden hair hanging down at her shoulders.

BERNARD (transfixed) Lovely she is.

VADIM Kind-hearted Veronika.

VERONIKA, 20s, exquisite looks with bright blue eyes and a radiant smile. A warm and loving soul with a heart of gold.

VADIM (CONT’D) Darya.

DARYA, 20s, lively personality, petite frame and an infectious laugh to match it. She’s drop dead gorgeous just like the rest.

VADIM (CONT’D) Nadia -- the embodiment of purity.

NADIA, 20s, poised with a natural elegance. She has a mysterious air about her that’s part of her appeal.

VADIM (CONT’D) And lastly, Magdalena.

MAGDALENA nods at them, a standout with high cheekbones and striking features. She’s got this hypnotic presence. As if she possessing some unknown power.

Flynn eyes her like an appraiser. She eyes him right back. A stone cold stare.

FLYNN (to Wes) I’m coming in hot on her. I got a feeling she’s not gonna make it easy on me, either.

VADIM These young women have lived in Lake Veridia their whole lives. They do not watch television programs like the Handmaid’s Tale.

Bernard gives the mention two thumbs down.

BERNARD Garbage.

VADIM Nor do they listen to girl power musical stars like Taylor Swift or read books by Western feminists such as Lena Dunham to corrupt their wholesome minds.

SPOOF That’s the kind of feminine purity I need in my life.

VADIM They are fluent in English. So they can find good husband. And as you Americans say, these women are “single and ready to mingle.”

Vadim grins big. The girls giggle. The guys clap their hands. Magdalena is clearly the leader of the group, she steps forward eyeing all her potential suitors.

MAGDALENA We do not get many visitors. It is always quite nice to see new faces at the lake.

She offers them a coy smile, while her sister Veronika flashes a cheeky grin.

VERONIKA Especially ones as handsome as yours.

Chuckles.

LARISA We did not expect to see such dashing men today.

Vadim’s mouth opens and his eyes widen --

VADIM Such flatterers.

FLYNN You ladies don’t get many visitors around here? That’s surprising. It’s like this hidden gem.

DARYA Not as many visitors as we’d like. And none like you.

Larisa goes over, stretches out her hand towards Bernard. He takes it.

LARISA Come on, you are strong men. You must eat well. We prepared some treats to nourish your stomachs. They are some of our favorite cheeses and meats from the farms.

The guys gather around the picnic blanket with them. Larisa passes out small plates. Nadia pours freshly brewed tea.

NADIA This tea is heavenly. You must try some. It will warm you up and make you feel so nice.

They each take a cup of tea and taste.

FLYNN That is some excellent tea and I’m not even a tea drinker.

The group gets to know each other, an easy rapport forming between them.

WES You mind if I --

Wes regards his vape pen.

MAGDALENA You do what you like. I’m not your mommy. I don’t wag my finger in men’s faces like schoolmarm, telling them what they should or shouldn’t be doing.

BERNARD God, you girls really are something else.

DARYA What can we say? We’re not like the women from your country.

The mood turns serious.

LARISA It actually upsets us to see how they treat you.

Veronika nods.

VERONIKA It’s not right. It’s not natural.

NADIA We believe in clear gender roles.

MAGDALENA You see, we understand men. Those Western women are so blinded by propaganda that they cannot see what we see.

DARYA The women where you come from think they are the rebels. But it is us.

She points to herself. Bernard looks around at his compadres.

BERNARD So, do we break out the engagement rings now or wait until the trip’s over?

Everyone has a laugh at that. Larisa gently places her hand on his thigh.

LARISA Just enjoy yourselves for now. This is one of the best times of the year that you can visit Ruritania. The flowers are all in bloom. It’s so magical.

MAGDALENA We can’t wait to show you our world. So, maybe you never leave.

Magdalena flashes her eyebrows conspiratorially, anticipating what’s ahead.

VERONIKA Let us take you out on the lake. Please?

She puts her hands flat together in prayer. The guys are all up for that.

FLYNN You read our minds.

EXT. LAKE - DAY

The guys take a private boat ride with their luminous beauties on the stunning sun-kissed lake.

E.I. PONTOON BOAT - (MOVING)

Vadim steers over the gentle waves. Bernard sits beside Larisa on cushioned seats in the back, wake trailing behind them and incredible views of the mountain vistas all around.

BERNARD I definitely feel a vibe with you. But I guess every guy does.

Larisa shakes her head.

LARISA No, that’s not true. I feel it too. You are special man and I love your quirky style. It’s like retro Burt Reynolds or something.

BERNARD He is one of my style icons. And just know, I’m a true romantic at heart.

LARISA I can already tell.

She pecks him on the cheek. He can’t get enough of her vibrant personality.

Darya is already sitting on Wes’s knee. Flynn and Toby move off to the side, sipping from cups of sparkling wine.

TOBY (discreet) So, what’s the catch?

Flynn looks at him funny.

FLYNN What do you mean?

TOBY You know what I mean. These women. They’re incredibly beautiful, supposedly single. It’s like they’re too good to be true.

Flynn considers his statement.

FLYNN I mean, there is the high likelihood that they’re planning on using us for green cards. But that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, would it?

TOBY Are we setting ourselves up for disappointment here? I’m just going with the flow but someone like Spoof, he’s invested.

FLYNN Remember what you said about not being a buzzkill?

TOBY Yeah.

FLYNN This conversation falls under the buzzkill umbrella.

TOBY Fair enough.

They watch the sunset.

MAGDALENA Meet us tonight. There’s a party. You have to come.

DARYA It’ll be so fun.

WES I believe it. Where’s this party?

MAGDALENA In the old castle.

FLYNN That sounds fun.

She gazes out at a medieval stone castle on the hilltop in the distance.

LARISA You’ll love it, it’s so beautiful.

SPOOF Can’t be any more beautiful than all of you.

DARYA Just come.

FLYNN Of course we will.

MAGDALENA We need to get ready, though. Vadim can make arrangements.

Bernard takes Larisa’s hand.

BERNARD Sure you can’t stay for dinner?

LARISA Not tonight.

MAGDALENA This party - they do it every year the night before the Spring Rusalia Festival. It’s a huge deal here.

FLYNN A few of us have gone to some of the most epic parties in the world. So, we’ve always got our eyes for those under-the-radar revelries in places you wouldn’t expect.

MAGDALENA This town will surprise you in more ways than one. Trust us, we like to go big. You will learn.

BERNARD All right then, that’s what we like to hear.

Dusk sets in.

EXT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE

The sun has set. Laughter and revelry are heard from inside.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - TAVERN

The place has gotten a lot livelier. As the others order food and drink more beer, Toby notices a YOUNG WOMAN sitting at the end of the bar alone. A glass of wine in her hands.

Hair pulled back, dressed in a t-shirt. Pretty and a little edgy, but not too edgy.

We recognize her. She was the one watching the guys depart in the tour truck earlier from her room’s window.

What the hell. Toby goes over and introduces himself to her. Who we’ll soon learn is Katie.

TOBY Guess everyone’s excited about the Rusalia Festival.

He regards the rowdy crowd, now loudly singing folk songs.

KATIE This place is an off-the-beaten track gem, isn’t it?

TOBY You’re American?

KATIE Sorry, does me being here take away from the “exoticness” of it all?

TOBY I mean, no. Not really. But Ruritania is such a small country and doesn’t really seem like it’s on many people’s bucket lists.

KATIE They seem like they keep a low profile, that’s for sure. But maybe that’s the point.

TOBY You’re just here by yourself?

KATIE Yeah, is that a problem?

Toby smiles. Her expressive eyes sure make an impression.

TOBY No.

She smiles back, extends her hand. He takes it.

KATIE I’m Katie. I just like out of the way places, I guess.

TOBY I’m Toby. Those are my travel companions over there, getting drunk and making a ruckus.

He cranes his neck back at Flynn and the rest of the gang, doing more shots at a corner booth. Katie sees Flynn stand up crooning along to the folk song without knowing the lyrics.

KATIE Your friend’s got major Main Character Syndrome.

TOBY That he does. What do you think of Lake Veridia so far?

KATIE It’s beautiful. Locals are friendly, but reserved. (MORE)

KATIE (CONT’D) They don’t say much if you start asking questions.

Toby raises a curious eyebrow.

TOBY What kind of questions?

KATIE I just like to get to know all the secret spots wherever I go. I’m a fan of out-of-the-way places.

TOBY Into dark tourism?

Katie entertains the question.

KATIE Not full-on, but I did go to that suicide forest in Japan.

TOBY Maybe you’ll hit Chernobyl next?

KATIE Maybe.

Katie notices that now all the guys in Toby’s group are singing along to the folk song with the rest of the patrons.

KATIE (CONT’D) So, what about you taking a little getaway with the boys?

TOBY Something like that.

Katie groans.

KATIE Don’t tell me you’re passport bros.

TOBY I mean, I don’t identify as a passport bro but this trip is sort of on-brand for that moniker.

Katie’s mood instantly sours.

KATIE Oh, don’t even get me started. That’s an ick for me.

TOBY What’s the problem?

KATIE (bluntly) It’s sex tourism.

TOBY I wouldn’t go that far.

KATIE It’s exactly what it is. And passport bros are incel-adjacent.

TOBY No, they’re not. They don’t hate women. They just want --

KATIE Patriarchal marriage?

TOBY I mean, I personally don’t need that. These guys aren’t looking for some mail-order bride. They’re just looking for a traditional wife.

KATIE A “trad wife”? The whole concept is regressive as hell.

TOBY It’s not some anti-women movement. They’re only going overseas to get exactly what they want. Everyone has their own thing.

Katie sips her wine.

KATIE And what is it that you want, Toby? What’s your thing?

TOBY I needed a vacation.

She can tell there’s much more to that statement but doesn’t press any further.

KATIE Got it.

Flynn sees them talking and calls out from across the room.

FLYNN Toby, what are you doing over there?! You have another shot to take! Bring your friend with you, we won’t bite!

Toby puts up a finger (not the middle one) to show he’ll be back at the table soon.

The others reinforce Flynn’s request by pounding their fists on the table, clapping and chanting, “Come back Toby! We won’t bite!”

KATIE That’s pretty obnoxious.

Toby pivots.

TOBY There’s this party at the Old Castle, we’re all going to tonight. You should come.

KATIE It’s not really my scene, but thanks. Plus, I literally have no interest in being around your friends.

TOBY They’re not all my friends. Two of them I just met. But I get it. Maybe some other time then.

She drinks down the last drops of her wine.

KATIE Yeah, maybe. You really don’t seem like the passport bro type honestly. But I wish you luck in your little sojourn.

Katie gets up, pays her bill, takes her purse and leaves. Toby watches her go, intrigued to know more.

EXT. MEDIEVAL HILLTOP CASTLE - NIGHT

A new moon hangs in the sky. The relatively small but still impressive castle structure stands on the hilltop surrounded by panoramic views of the town.

All lit up like a golden star shining in the dark night. The tour truck pulls up outside and drops the guys off.

FLYNN Never partied in a castle before.

WES Me neither. But I’m so ready to.

BERNARD Point me to the orgy tower already.

They check the place out.

SPOOF This is sick.

FLYNN Who was that girl we saw you talking to at the bar?

TOBY Her name’s Katie. Just here on vacation. She’s American too.

FLYNN Really? What are the chances?

WES She probably came to cock block us.

Spoof pantomimes clutching pearls.

SPOOF (dramatically) There will be no passport bros on my watch!

The local girls go over to greet the guys. They’re all dolled up but still dressed modestly enough to not diverge from the demure style of a future trad wife.

MAGDALENA We’re so glad you came.

FLYNN We wouldn’t miss it.

Magdalena takes his hand, guiding them onward.

MAGDALENA Come on, you’re going to love it.

Bernard saddles up next to Larisa.

BERNARD Hey baby, you are looking fine tonight.

LARISA You’re not so bad yourself.

INT. MEDIEVAL CASTLE - NIGHT

The group heads inside, following their guides down a long, tunneled corridor.

Their senses are soon assaulted by blasting strobe lights and deep Euro house music.

A small but youthful and very attractive crowd fills the main hall, moving their bodies to loud thumping infectious beats.

INT. MEDIEVAL CASTLE - MAIN HALL

The group takes more shots of schnapps at a neon-lit bar. Bernard and Larisa make out. Flynn, Spoof and Wes do doses of molly. Toby declines.

As everyone hits the dance floor with a DJ providing the beats. An EDM-remix of oops! by Yung Gravy fires up --

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - GUEST ROOM

After having a shower, Katie dries her hair and starts getting ready for bed. There’s an old vintage Ruritania guide book on her nightstand.

She picks it up. A photograph sticks out. She removes it. Katie takes the picture in her hands, overcome with emotion.

It shows her and a young man together posing by the Brooklyn Bridge from a few years back. They appear close in age.

Seeing the picture breaks her heart. But steels herself. Katie’s got no time for that. She’s here on a mission.

INT. MEDIEVAL CASTLE - MAIN HALL

Spoof goes absolutely wild on the dance floor with a series of wild, flailing dance moves.

Nadia tries not to laugh at him. Wes is hypnotized by Veronika’s intense beauty. She raises her arms above her head and snaps her fingers to the music.

WES You’re exactly what I’m into. I feel like I manifested you.

She looks at him strangely. And shouts over the music:

VERONIKA You did what?!

He leans in and says it louder in her ear --

WES I said, I feel like I manifested you!

VERONIKA I don’t know this word!

They laugh. Start passionately kissing.

EXT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - VERANDA

The group has found their way onto the Inn’s moonlit veranda overlooking the lake.

They all hang out on the outdoor seating, smoking a joint and coming down from their hit of molly.

Something doesn’t feel right though for Toby, even as Darya tries her best to flirt with him. He’s having a hard time being present in the moment.

DARYA Why don’t you smile and laugh like your friends? Are you not happy here in Ruritania?

TOBY I am. Think I’m just jet lagged.

Flynn narrows his eyes their way. A look of disapproval. Magdalena sits next to him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

FLYNN Don’t mind Toby, he just takes a little while to warm up.

Toby rises from his chair.

TOBY This was fun tonight but I’m going to go to bed.

Everyone boos. Darya appears disappointed.

DARYA Okay, sleepyhead.

TOBY See everyone in the morning.

Bernard clears his throat.

BERNARD Lame.

He coughs. Flynn watches him go, frustrated.

VERONIKA It is getting late. We must be home soon. We don’t want you to get the wrong idea about us. We are nice girls, you know?

WES Yeah, we know all about that life.

BERNARD Sure, you could break the rules and stay just a wee bit longer.

Nadia looks at Spoof, trying to be stealth.

NADIA Do you want to take a walk just us?

SPOOF I’d like that.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - GUEST ROOM

Moonlight streaks across the cold wooden floors. Toby goes to close the thick curtains.

Before he shuts them, Toby catches sight of Spoof and Nadia heading off down the lake shore.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - GUEST SUITE

Wes and Bernard lead Larisa, Darya and Veronika into their shared two-bed suite. The girls turn on some music on a pill- shaped portable speaker.

LARISA Let’s dance, sisters, let’s dance.

Never Too Much by Cellars seeps in. They dance together in the middle of the room.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - GUEST ROOM

Next door, Katie wakes up in bed and hears them. She rolls her eyes. Bangs on the wall.

KATIE Jesus Christ, shut up!

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - FLYNN’S ROOM

Flynn gets on his back in bed, peels off his shirt. Magdalena jumps in with him.

MAGDALENA You know, I’m saving myself for marriage. So, we can’t have too much fun tonight.

She runs her slightly elongated fingers along his bare chest.

FLYNN Really? I love that. And totally respect it.

MAGDALENA We can do other things, though.

She moves her hand down his torso. A smile appears on Flynn’s face. He glances down at her.

FLYNN Just know I always reciprocate.

EXT. LAKESIDE DOCK - LATE NIGHT

Spoof and Nadia walk together down a long wooden dock stretching out over the shimmering lake in a remote area.

NADIA This is my happy place.

He follows her gaze out at the surrounding mountains.

SPOOF It’s so peaceful. Nothing like where I’m from.

They arrive at the edge of the dock. She turns to him.

NADIA You and your friends are fun. I like you.

SPOOF I like you too. I mean, look at you. You’re so damn beautiful.

She stares out at the water, almost transfixed by it.

NADIA I’m more than just a pretty girl, you know?

SPOOF I know.

NADIA You sure about that?

A devil-may-care smile appears on her face. He’s completely entranced by her.

SPOOF Do you think I’m handsome, Nadia?

Nadia considers the statement.

NADIA In your own way.

The declaration makes Spoof smile.

SPOOF I’ll take it. Damn, you are so hot. I could never bag a chick like you back home though.

NADIA Don’t be so hard on yourself.

SPOOF You ever let someone motor boat you?

NADIA What? I don’t know this term.

SPOOF Forget it. You’re a nice girl. I shouldn’t be asking to do stuff like that with you.

NADIA I’m not always so nice.

A thick fog rolls in. Spoof sits down at the edge of the dock. He unties his shoes, removes them and dips his bare feet in the water.

SPOOF I don’t believe you.

Nadia seems unconcerned.

NADIA You don’t have to. This lake is everything to me. And I always love to take a night swim in the moonlight.

She lifts her dress over her head. Spoof’s eyes go big. Nadia dives into the water, disappearing under the surface.

SPOOF Nadia?

Silence. Then Nadia breaks the surface and reappears several feet out in the glimmering water. She calls back at him --

NADIA You coming? The water is perfect.

Spoof shakes his head, spooked. Feels a quiet breeze.

SPOOF Nah, not me. I, uh -- I’m not much of a swimmer. Almost drowned at Coney Island as a kid.

NADIA Okay. Suit yourself.

She smiles, swims farther out. Her pale skin reflected in the moonlight's glow, long unbound tresses trailing in the water behind her. Then Nadia disappears into the dense fog.

SPOOF (softly) I just feel so alone sometimes. A trad wife by my side would make everything better.

Spoof slowly unbuttons his pants, reaches his hand down and starts jerking himself off.

He sees a white butterfly fluttering in the air. It’s mesmerizing.

Then Spoof notices something floating upon the water near his feet, shaping into a dark aureole.

As it gets closer, the form brushes up against his foot and touches his toes.

He tries to kick it away but part of it clings to his big toe, curling around it like a symbiote.

Spoof glances down. Realizes it looks a lot like long strands of clumpy hair - almost dark green.

SPOOF (CONT’D) What the fuck...

His eyes dart from side to side.

SPOOF (CONT’D) Nadia?!

Then he realizes the long hair is attached to a cadaverous body face down in the water.

The clumpy hair swiftly works its way up around his ankle as if it’s alive and tugs at his leg.

Spoof tries to pull his leg away. But the long strands of hair that have entangled themselves around his ankle are unnaturally strong.

As if it’s trying to pull him into the water. Let’s face it, that’s exactly the aim of whatever the fuck this thing is. And Spoof knows it too.

He snaps into full panic mode. Freaked out, Spoof grabs hold of the edges of the dock.

Flipping his body around so he’s on his stomach, holding on for dear life.

But momentarily forgetting that he never pulled his pants back up.

That’s not good. He winces. There could be splinters. Sharp splinters. But the force keeps trying to drag him into the water with uncannily potent strength.

Spoof’s body is yanked hard, so that both legs are now dangling in the water.

The rest of the hair takes hold of his other leg, relentlessly pulling on him even harder. The water begins to churn all around him.

He releases a loud, guttural scream. Quick freeze frame: That feeling when... you realize a piece of jagged wood at the edge of a dock has pierced through a very sensitive area.

The corpse-like body has now completely disappeared below the surface. As the mass of dark greenish hair now weaves itself all the way up to Spoof’s knee caps.

Its pull is now impossibly strong. It’s clear he won’t be able to hold on much longer.

He starts to slide off the edge, crying out in pain as splintered wood drives deeper into what we could only imagine is his scrotum.

SPOOF (CONT’D) No!

Spoof’s body falls straight down into the water, giving him a brief moment of realization to register that his dick and junk have been totally ripped off.

The complete set now hangs from a bloodied, sharp piece of splintered wood protruding from the dock’s edge.

Spoof's body is dragged beneath the surface, (probably) never to be seen again. The water is calm. As if nothing happened.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - FLYNN’S ROOM - NEXT MORNING

Flynn wakes up in bed under the covers. Magdalena’s gone. He sees a note on his bedstand.

He reaches for it and reads: “I was a bad girl. Please don’t tell ;).” Flynn just smiles and gets out of bed.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - SECOND FLOOR

Flynn notices the Do Not Disturb sign on Spoof’s door. Right when Katie steps out of her room. Their eyes meet.

FLYNN Oh, hello.

She’s definitely got his attention. Katie brushes past him.

KATIE Your friends are assholes. They kept me up half the night.

FLYNN Apologies. Let me make it up to you. Buy you a mimosa?

KATIE They don’t have mimosas here.

She continues towards the balustraded staircase. He follows.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - STAIRWAY/ENTRANCE HALL

Flynn and Katie head down the steps.

FLYNN I’ll make sure we keep it down tonight. If you’re staying another night, are you?

She stink-eyes him.

KATIE That’s none of your business.

FLYNN Woah, easy now. Put the claws away. I’m just trying to be friendly.

KATIE Your charms won’t work on me. I’m not like the girls in Ruritania you came here for.

FLYNN What’s that supposed to mean?

KATIE I met Toby at the bar last night. I know all about your passport bro mission. I called it the moment you got here.

FLYNN Why do you care about guys going out of the country to engage in some victimless pleasures and maybe finding a wife?

KATIE (defensive) Full stop, I don’t care. I just know your type. You’re so predictable.

FLYNN So, now you’re reducing me to a type? Nice.

KATIE You’re trying to entrap some innocent small-town girl impressed with your money into your 1950s housewife ideal. It’s so gross.

FLYNN A lot of people were happy in the 1950s.

KATIE And a lot of people weren’t happy.

FLYNN Just like now. And every other time period throughout human history.

Katie’s had enough.

KATIE I’m not interested in bantering with you. Or hearing you make a case for trad wives. I’m just trying to get to the breakfast buffet before they take it away. It’s really good.

FLYNN Then I’ll join you.

He motions for her to go first, trying to win points with his chivalrous nature.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - TAVERN

Flynn follows Katie in. A little breakfast buffet has been set up near the bar.

Oksana places down a chaffing dish full of steamy eggs in a food warmer.

FLYNN Let’s start over. You’re obviously American. We’re all abroad in a different country. We can be civil.

They each grab a plate from the pile and start placing different food items on them (fluffy eggs, crisp bacon, sausages, pastries, fresh fruits and breads of all kinds).

KATIE Forgive me, I didn’t sleep well - because of your asshole friends.

FLYNN We’ve established that. And that you’re a master of wit and sarcasm.

Katie smiles just a bit at that.

KATIE The bacon is evil-good here.

FLYNN I know it’s none of my business, but where in the U.S. are you from?

Still guarded, but attempting to be civil --

KATIE I live in New York.

FLYNN You don’t say. So do we.

Katie plays along.

KATIE Where in the city are you?

FLYNN I’m in Murray Hill.

She rolls her eyes.

KATIE Figures. Aka Frat City. Full of finance bros. Lemme guess you work on Wall Street?

FLYNN I was at a hedge fund but left to start my own crypto currency exchange last year.

KATIE It just keeps getting worse.

Flynn takes the dig in stride.

FLYNN What about you? Somewhere south of Houston, I’m guessing?

KATIE I’m in Williamsburg.

FLYNN Figures. And you majored in man- hating at Brown?

KATIE No, I did FGSS studies at Wesleyan.

FLYNN What the hell is that?

KATIE (isn’t it obvious?) Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

FLYNN Oh, of course -- that’s what FGSS stands for. I should’ve known.

KATIE Hey, are these like blintzes?

He looks over. She coyly gives him the middle finger.

FLYNN Lovely. And what job did that FGSS degree get you? Do you work at some non-profit grassroots activist organization or something?

KATIE I write for New York Magazine. Well, I freelance technically.

FLYNN That seems about right. I’ve never read it though.

KATIE Of course you don’t, you only read the Wall Street Journal.

FLYNN And The Economist. Did my postgrad at London School of Economics. So, are you here with Tradition Tours?

They sit down together with their food at an empty table.

KATIE No, I didn’t do a tour. And that company caters to passport bros. Not single women.

FLYNN You’re single, that’s good to know. You still could’ve signed up. Depending on what you’re into.

KATIE I’m not into that. And no, I’m not a lesbian, if that’s what you’re implying.

FLYNN Just checking. It’d be totally cool if you were.

KATIE Oh believe me, I know you’d be totally cool with that. So, it seems they’re celebrating some sort of spring agricultural rites today?

Katie consults a print-out from her purse.

FLYNN I guess, there’s some festival. It’s not really my bag. But I pretended to be interested when the tour guide brought it up.

She studies him for a moment, trying to make sense of it.

KATIE I don’t understand. Why come here? Can’t you get dates in New York?

FLYNN Of course, I can. I’m one of the most-swiped men on Tinder.

KATIE Really? You seem like more of the Raya type.

FLYNN I’m on all of them.

KATIE Gotta cover all your bases.

FLYNN If you think trad wives are so awful, what’s your alternative? You want a guy you can call on his shit and tell him to take his feet off the table?

KATIE I believe men and women are at their best when they work together as a partnership. With of course some romance and a lot of great sex in the mix.

She holds his gaze. Flynn is certainly intrigued.

FLYNN I hear ya. I just wanted to see where this adventure takes me.

KATIE Well, good luck to you then.

They continue eating. Meanwhile, Toby steps into the restaurant-bar area and sees them sitting together. A hint of jealousy in his eyes.

EXT. BANKS OF THE LAKE - DAY

The guys are sprawled out on the sand. Colorful swimsuits and tinted shades on.

Relaxing and basking in the sun with cans of beers in their hands. But Spoof is noticeably absent.

FLYNN Has anyone seen or heard from Spoof at all this morning?

Flynn checks his watch.

TOBY Nope.

WES I think he’s in the room.

BERNARD The guy was in rare form last night. Let him sleep it off.

FLYNN I don’t know, it’s just kind of weird. Did any of you get the girls’ numbers or did they say how we can reach them?

BERNARD Not yet, I just figured Vadim had the hook up.

Wes mulls this.

WES You think he’s their pimp or something?

BERNARD Hey, those are our potential future trad wives you’re talking about.

WES What else am I supposed to think?

TOBY The magic’s wearing off already, huh Wes?

WES I wouldn’t go that far.

Flynn gazes out upon the water.

FLYNN You notice no one’s like fishing or anything on that lake?

TOBY Seems kind of weird.

FLYNN I know, right?

BERNARD Let’s rent some paddle boards and take em’ out on the water.

WES I’m down.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - KATIE’S ROOM

The room is bathed in a dim, moody light. Shadows dance across the walls, casting an air of secrecy.

Katie sits cross-legged on the bed, surrounded by a chaotic sea of RESEARCH MATERIALS.

She’s a picture of determination and curiosity, her eyes locked onto a cryptic document in her hands.

The bed is a maze of open books, scattered photographs and scribbled notes.

Katie’s fingers trace the faded ink on the document, her expression a mix of frustration and fascination.

A gust of wind rattles the curtains, and she glances nervously towards the window, as if sensing unseen eyes watching her.

The silence is broken only by t the ticking of an antique clock, its rhythmic beat echoing like a heartbeat of the unknown.

The camera slowly pans across the room, highlighting scattered clues: a tattered map, a newspaper headline, an enigmatic symbol drawn in a book.

Katie knows she’s running out of time but won’t stop until she’s discovered the truth about this place.

EXT. LAKE VERIDIA - DAY

Blue sky dotted with wisps of clouds. The guys glide out across the glittering water on paddle boards, taking in the postcard-worthy views.

FLYNN Spoof’s going to be pissed he missed this.

TOBY I think that’s them.

Up ahead, they see Magdalena and the girls frolicking by the shoreline. The young rural women each take turns swinging on a thick willow branch and leaping into the water.

WES That looks like fun.

The guys paddle onwards, nearing closer to the girls. They see them coming and wave.

MAGDALENA Hi boys! Come join us!

She beckons them over. Larisa combs Darya’s hair in the water, wearing modest white dresses.

LARISA Isn’t the lake wonderful?

BERNARD From where I’m standing, it just got even more so.

Flynn regards Nadia swimming in a circle on her back. Unbound tresses hanging loose.

FLYNN Hey Nadia, you were with Spoof last night. Have you seen him?

She shakes her head.

NADIA No, I tried to get him to take a swim with me, but he wouldn’t go in the water.

Flynn and Toby exchange a look. Should they be worried?

WES Everyone gets a bad hangover every once in a while.

MAGDALENA You better find him. Rusalia begins soon. It’s going to be so much fun.

Across the way, Katie paddles through the water in a canoe. She spots them at the edge of the lake and slows her speed.

Katie removes a camera from her bag and stealthily snaps a few pictures of the group. She feels this unsettling undercurrent that something isn’t right.

EXT. LAKESIDE - DAY

Roughly two dozen TOWNSFOLK have gathered. All dressed in plain white.

The RURAL WOMEN wear crisp white chemise. Oksana is among them. She stares out at the water with great admiration.

OKSANA (subtitled) We thank you for your presence here and give you this humble offering, but please know, it is only the beginning.

They offer baskets of flowers and roses to the spirits, which they place in the water -- all while singing a folksong -- Come, come, -- Come, come.

EXT. BANKS OF THE LAKE - DAY

Katie pulls her canoe back onshore. Vadim and the Tattooed Driver step out from behind a tree.

VADIM Give me the camera.

Katie sees them, tenses.

KATIE No.

VADIM We see you here. We know you’ve been sneaking around here for nearly a week. And now you’re taking pictures without permission.

KATIE I’m just a tourist.

VADIM You’re a liar. And a bad one at that. I asked nicely.

Vadim grabs her by the arm and tries to drag her closer to shore. She breaks free.

Katie pushes the canoe back towards the water to escape. Vadim and the Tattooed Driver grab the front of the boat to stop her.

Katie swings the paddle and cracks Vadim over the head with it. Then jabs the Tattooed Driver hard in the chest. The canoe juts out into the water and she jumps in.

Katie loses her balance and falls backwards. Cracks her head on the side of the boat.

But the canoe drifts safely enough away from the banks of the lake for her to paddle away.

Vadim and the Tattooed Driver recover -- standing with their eyes fixed on her.

Now all the suspicions Katie had about this place are confirmed. Something seriously fucked up is going on here.

EXT. LAKESIDE - SOON AFTER

The guys pull their paddle boards onto the sand, while the local girls dry off their bodies and loose hair with towels. Magdalena gets an idea.

MAGDALENA We should play Come Find Me.

Flynn looks over at her.

FLYNN Come Find Me? I don’t think I know that one.

DARYA Oh, come on, you mean, all of you in America with your big fancy cars and high-speed internet have never heard of Come Find Me?

Toby shrugs.

TOBY It doesn’t sound familiar.

WES Tell us about it.

Larisa volunteers to explain the game to them.

LARISA Okay, this is how you play Come Find Me. My friends and I go into the woods. We become very elusive. Maybe we hide somewhere behind a tree or something and get real quiet. So you don’t know where we are. Then you come find us.

DARYA If you do, you win the game. If you don’t, then we win.

Bernard glances at the guys, a grin on his face.

BERNARD Oh? You mean like Hide & Go Seek?

They can’t help but find humor with the lost in translation of it all.

VERONIKA Okay, good, so you know this game.

MAGDALENA We go first. You wait five minutes.

FLYNN Sure, that’s not a problem. We’ll play the game.

EXT. RIPARIAN FOREST - MOMENTS LATER

Magdalena, Larisa, Nadia, Darya and Veronika run off in different directions into the woods next to the lake.

EXT. LAKESIDE - CONTINUOUS

Flynn checks his watch. Wes seems a bit annoyed.

WES Why do they want to play hide-and go-seek with us? It seems a bit childish, don’t you think?

BERNARD I figure they’re pretty sheltered; they don’t get out much.

FLYNN Let’s just humor them.

BERNARD Right. We can turn it into the adult version of hide & go seek.

WES How does that go?

BERNARD When we find them, they give us you know a “reward.” I mean, I’m pretty sure that’s what they’ve been hinting the game will turn into. You see, the looks they were giving us, they were practically begging us to have our pants down around our ankles when we “come find them” in the woods.

Bernard smiles suggestively.

TOBY Let’s hope that’s what they mean because if you just pull your pants down Louis C.K.-style and expect them to go to town, hate to break it to you, but indecent exposure is considered a sexual offense.

BERNARD Wes, where did you find this guy? And why is he here?

WES It is a bit “look at my halo” virtual signal-y.

FLYNN We get it Toby, you’re a feminist bro icon.

BERNARD And for the record Toby, I’m smart enough to know the rules of society nowadays as to not get myself cancelled. Plus, I don’t need to take my pants off and flash women. Have you seen me? They consensually do it for me because they know I’m much better in bed than a fancy luxury, Maude Vibe.

TOBY Copy that.

FLYNN We can all go in different directions and have fun with the game. When in Rome, or in Ruritania in our case, right?

TOBY (unsure) Right.

EXT. RIPARIAN FOREST - SOON AFTER

The guys head off in opposite directions through the dense woodlands, trying to find their future trad wives. But before he takes off, Flynn looks over at Toby.

FLYNN What is it?

He can tell something’s on his friend’s mind.

TOBY Nothing. I mean, I don’t want to be a buzzkill.

FLYNN You think we’re being fucked with?

TOBY I didn’t say that. The trip’s just not turning out the way I expected it would.

FLYNN I feel ya. Oh, and I met that Katie girl at breakfast this morning.

TOBY Yeah, I saw that.

FLYNN Do you like her or something?

Toby is instantly defensive.

TOBY What? No.

FLYNN She’s actually not that bad. Comes off a bit tightly wound, then you realize it’s all a defensive mechanism.

TOBY Well, I’m glad you two hit it off.

FLYNN I wouldn’t say that. Anyway, she seems more your type than mine.

TOBY You don’t know my type. You said Amber, and I were an odd match when you got drunk during that St. Paddy’s Day Wall Street charity boxing match.

Flynn levels with him --

FLYNN You know I have no filter.

TOBY That’s a truth.

FLYNN I say tomorrow we all ditch the tour, hop on a train and go somewhere else. We tried the passport bro thing, it just wasn’t for us.

TOBY Sounds good.

They exchange a diplomatic nod, then separate and head off into the woods alone.

Cut to Bernard on moving from tree-to-tree on a barely there path near the river’s edge.

He thinks he sees Larisa up ahead. But the FIGURE IN DAYLIGHT SHADOWS quickly disappears behind a tree.

LARISA (O.S.) (whispers) Bernard...

He cocks his head, then follows the unearthly beauty’s voice.

BERNARD I’m getting close. Come out, come out where ever you are.

Bernard hears more voices in the air, like rustling leaves. He swings around, every which way, -- suddenly becoming disoriented.

LARISA (O.S.) You would be such good husband.

Now it’s like her voice is actually in his head.

BERNARD I’d like to think that’s true.

LARISA I would work so hard for you, Bernard. Carry out all your wifely tasks and be completely submissive like I Dream of Jeanie episode.

A smirk appears on his face.

BERNARD It sounds amazing.

Then Larisa now appears up ahead in the distance - she sings a familiar tune that the townsfolk sung at their ritual by the lake.

LARISA (singing) Come, come. Come, come.

She hurries out of hiding, running barefoot ahead over a bridge-like platform built on a rocky area.

Bernard steps onto it, but his weight doesn’t hold. The rotten wood below his feet breaks apart and he falls through.

BERNARD God damn it!

Bernard smacks the ground below. He’s out like a light.

EXT. LAKESIDE - LATER

Toby searches for Darya through a patch of woods near the lake. But he’s not making much of an effort. He checks his phone. There’s no service.

Then, Toby sees something odd that catches his attention. A round object bobbing in the water between the rocks.

Spurred by curiosity, he carefully steps onto the banks of the lake.

Then picks up a long, sturdy stick from the ground and uses it to poke the discolored object drifting along the shallow rock shore.

As he turns the mysterious object over, Toby makes a horrific discovery: it’s Spoof’s detached head -- entangled in wet clumps of dark greenish hair and seaweed.

Toby staggers back, freaked. He leans over and starts throwing up.

EXT. RIPARIAN FOREST - DAY

Flynn searches for Magdalena in the woods. He hears her up ahead. The sound of faint laughter and giggling.

But Flynn can’t decipher what direction the noises are coming from. They’re so quick, like a buzzing hummingbird in the sky.

MAGDALENA (O.S.) Come on Flynn, come find me.

But just like what happened to Bernard, it’s as if her words are heard inside his head.

Then Flynn’s attention is stolen away by the sight of Katie quickly paddling along the edge of the lake.

She’s looking worse for wear. Still rattled by the attack. It’s enough to draw his concern.

INT. UNDERGROUND CAVERN - SOON AFTER

After the dust settles, Bernard’s eyes flutter open. He awakens and jerks up right in a cathedral-like cavern.

Bernard touches his head, sees blood on his fingers. There’s a nasty cut on the side of his forehead.

He stares up at the sunlit hole several feet above him. Recovers his senses.

BERNARD Larisa?! I’m down here!

No response. Just the faint sound of chirping birds. He gets up off his feet, trembling slightly.

Bernard panics but then notices a shimmering underground lake.

LARISA (O.S.) Isn’t it beautiful?

He’s mesmerized by the wondrous sight. But there’s still no sign of Larisa. Bernard turns his head in every direction.

BERNARD Where are you?

LARISA (O.S.) In here.

Bernard steps towards the lake. He removes his shoes, dips his toes in the shallow water.

EXT. LAKESIDE - SOON AFTER

Toby staggers back to shore, feeling at a total loss. He hears something.

KATIE Toby!

Then turns to see Katie desperately calling out from her canoe drifting in the water.

TOBY Over here!

He waves his arms at her. She paddles over to him.

KATIE Please, I need your help!

TOBY Get out of the water!

She peers at him strangely. He’s white as a ghost.

KATIE What?

TOBY I don’t think it’s safe.

EXT. BANKS OF THE LAKE - CONTINUOUS

Katie pulls her canoe out of the water, carefully trying to make sure Vadim and the Tattooed Driver are nowhere around.

TOBY We have to go. We have to get out of here.

KATIE I know I was attacked.

TOBY By who?

KATIE I think one of them’s your guide.

TOBY Vadim?

Katie nods, still rattled by what happened.

KATIE Right.

TOBY Why would he attack you?

KATIE I saw you and those girls. He caught me taking your pictures.

Toby becomes instantly suspicious.

TOBY Why were you taking our pictures?

Flynn climbs down to see them. He nearly loses his footing and comes close to falling in the water, but quickly recovers.

FLYNN What’s going on?

Toby blurts out --

TOBY Spoof’s dead!

Flynn is shocked. On Katie, as if all her fears about Lake Veridia are being realized.

FLYNN What do you mean he’s dead?

TOBY It was his head. Nobody. I saw it. Floating by the rocks. It’s him. I swear to God.

Flynn shakes his head, feeling sick to his stomach.

FLYNN No fucking way.

TOBY He’s dead. I’m sorry. Someone killed him. Or something.

FLYNN We have to get his head. Take it back to his family at least, right?

TOBY I don’t know how it works, -- I’ve never been on a trip where someone loses their head.

FLYNN This is so fucked.

Then Toby shoots an accusatory look Katie’s way.

TOBY And why were you taking our pictures?

Flynn does a double-take at her.

FLYNN You were taking our pictures?

TOBY Why are you really here, Katie?

Katie comes clean.

KATIE Last year, my younger brother Austin came here. He signed up for Tradition Tours to find a docile trad wife, just like all of you. He flew here, but they claimed he never arrived. My family hasn’t heard from him in over a year. (MORE)

KATIE (CONT’D) He had recently graduated law school, there was a job lined up for him at a top firm in the city. I know my brother. He wouldn’t have got up and left it all. He had the goofiest laugh and was always smiling. I wanted to look for him.

Flynn and Toby do their best to unpack this shocking development. But deep down inside, they were both feeling like something wasn’t right.

TOBY What is this, then? Are they some kind of blackmailer sextortionists or something?

FLYNN Could be. Happened to a guy, I know. Thought he was DM’ing this hot girl from Instagram. She wanted pictures of him with a cucumber in his butt. Turned out it was a dude from Nigeria. Then the sextortionist threatened to send the photos to all his family members and friends if he didn’t pay up.

Katie and Toby look at each other. Is Flynn the guy that happened to? But they have much more pressing issues to address right now.

KATIE I don’t know. I came here to figure out what happened to my brother. And the more I investigate, the stranger this place gets.

FLYNN What did you find out?

KATIE Not much. But something’s not right. There're no children or school houses I’ve seen.

TOBY We need to go. We should just get out of here. The police. The whole town could be in on this.

FLYNN Okay, I’ll call Wes. Tell him to get Bernard and let’s leave.

Flynn pulls out his phone. But just like Toby, he’s not getting any reception.

FLYNN (CONT’D) No signal.

TOBY My phone won’t work either.

Katie checks hers. Same deal.

KATIE Neither does mine.

FLYNN I still don’t know what to do about Spoof’s head.

KATIE Trust me, just forget about his head. There’s obviously nothing we can do to save him at this point.

FLYNN Obviously.

KATIE But we can do our best to make sure we get out of this town alive.

TOBY We have to find Wes. Tell him what happened. Come on.

They head back up the banks and into the woods --

EXT. BANKS OF THE LAKE

The fiery sun sets. The moon rises like a bad omen.

The townsfolk sing and dance in the moonlight. As Oksana leads them in their chant - “Come, come. Come, come.”

Nearby, Magdalena, Nadia and Darya are doing frenzied dancing in a circle wearing their white dresses.

Their eyes become trance-like, staring out at the water. They clap their hands.

Causing a whirlwind to stir up leaves around them. White butterflies appear in the air.

Oksana now holds a cup of honey in her hand, while vigorously beating her chest with her fist. The others place a white sheet down behind her on the sand.

OKSANA (subtitled) The harvest will be rich and fertile.

Oksana lies down on her back against the white sheet, removing her chemise and rubbing honey on herself in a pagan- like ritual.

INT. UNDERGROUND CAVERN - CONTINUOUS

Bernard is now waist deep in water. He looks around for Larisa but can’t find her anywhere.

LARISA (O.S.) The water feels so nice, doesn’t it Bernard?

BERNARD Yeah, it really does. But where are you? I wanna touch baby. You get me so turned on. Know that?

LARISA (O.S.) You have to come find me. Those are the rules of the game.

He looks around with a mischievous grin on his face. Then notices what appears to be human bones hanging in the shelf stone above. Bernard snaps out of his euphoric trance.

BERNARD Jesus fuckin’ Christ, what is this place?

From the still, dark waters, a ghastly hand, pale as death itself, claws its way into the moonlight from above.

Long, skeletal fingers, like talons, extended towards an unsuspecting Bernard.

The nails grotesquely elongate and sharpen to deadly points, glistening with an otherworldly sheen in the dim light.

The hand moves with a dreadful grace, its ghostly skin shimmering with a sinister, watery glow.

As it nears Bernard, the air grows heavy with an oppressive chill, and he feels an icy breath of dread on his neck.

In a nightmarish instant, the hand lunges forward, its cruel talons slicing through flesh and sinew, leaving behind a trail of crimson down Bernard’s neck.

His horrified screams silenced in a gurgling gasp as his lifeblood pours into the dark abyss, mixing with the cursed waters from whence the malevolent hand emerged. Bernard’s body is then dragged under the surface.

EXT. WOODS - NIGHT

Wes comes upon Veronika kneeling in the moonlight by a small creek connected to the lake.

WES Found you.

She glances up at him. A blank stare on her face.

VERONIKA So what are you waiting for? Take your pants off.

He smiles.

WES Really?

VERONIKA You think I’m whore. That’s why you’re here, right?

WES No, I don’t think you’re whore.

VERONIKA I don’t even like you. I don’t like any of you.

Wes stiffens.

WES Fine. You don’t have to do anything. If I wanted sex, I could easily hire a prostitute or fly to Montreal for the weekend.

VERONIKA Then why come you?

WES I guess I really was sold on the traditional wife thing. My last wife hated my guts.

VERONIKA Maybe she had good reason to.

WES I did cheat on her a lot.

Then he hears his friends shouting his name and turns around. When he looks back at the small creek -- Veronika is no longer there.

EXT. RIPARIAN FOREST - NIGHT

Moonlight gleams through the trees. Flynn, Toby and Katie hurry through the woods, trying to go undetected.

FLYNN It’s like we’ve been lured into a trap.

KATIE I think they’re all in on it.

FLYNN Like they’re some secret cabal or something?

KATIE I don’t know. There’s all these legends and rumors about the lake.

TOBY Like what?

KATIE It holds these ancient secrets or something. I just know it’s important to them.

Flynn adjusts his eyes ahead, -- sees a SHADOWED FIGURE emerging from a grove of trees. Then realizes who it is. He breathes a sigh of relief.

FLYNN Wes, thank God you’re okay.

He looks more annoyed than anything.

WES I’m fine. But Veronika turned out to be a real bitch.

TOBY They’re trying to kill us!

WES What?

A pair of SPINDLY HANDS reaches down from the long branches of a curling birch tree from the lakeside.

Grabs Wes’s head, twists it and snaps it off with astonishing strength. Blood squirts down his headless body.

FLYNN Wes!

Toby and Katie can’t believe their eyes. A quick-footed FIGURE scampers off on all fours, carrying Wes’s head.

It performs a mind-boggling somersault in the air and dives into the lake waters below.

His headless body rolls down the hillside and splashes into the lake. They hear faint laughter. A look of dazed bewilderment on his face --

TOBY (struck cold) What are these things?

Breathing hard. The trio search their eyes every which way as if they’re being hunted like prey.

KATIE We have to go. Now.

Flynn nods his head.

FLYNN Stay close. We stick together. And try to stay away from the trees.

They press on, trying to get as far enough away from the lake as they can. Making their way through the silvery mist.

DARYA (O.S.) Toby, where are you off to? Do you not like me?

Toby pauses, glances at Flynn and Katie.

TOBY Darya’s nearby. Do you hear her?

FLYNN No, I didn’t hear a thing.

KATIE Neither did I.

DARYA (O.S.) Who’s the girl? You sneaking around on me already. Tsk, tsk.

Toby is dumbfounded.

TOBY It’s like she’s in my head.

They look at him strangely.

DARYA (O.S.) Why do you spoil surprise?

Then faint laughter is echoing ahead in the woods.

FLYNN I heard that.

KATIE Me too.

They circle up, go back to back, and scan the area.

TOBY They’re stalking us. They know we’re here.

Suddenly, a HUMAN HEAD launches from above behind the thick of trees and lands at their feet.

Blood splatters on their faces. Katie screams. Toby can’t look. Flynn eyes down at it, disgusted. Instantly recognizes the visage --

FLYNN It’s Bernard.

Toby takes a quick look. Sees Bernard’s signature blond perm and knows it’s him.

KATIE (lowers her voice) Run.

The trio rush ahead. The laughter echoes around them in every direction. No idea where it’s coming friend.

Disoriented, they’re thrown off course. Magdalena appears from behind a tree and steps into the moonlight.

Flynn freezes. Still unable to comprehend the bizarre nature of the situation --

FLYNN Hey Mags, whatchu up to?

She stares over at Flynn, trying to hold back her anger.

MAGDALENA Where are you going? What’s the deal? Do you not want to marry us?

Soon, the three find themselves surrounded. As Darya, then Vadim and the Tattooed Driver come out of hiding.

TOBY No, it’s not going to work out.

Darya points at Katie accusatorially.

DARYA Because of her? She turn you against us?

VADIM You are not smart. You do not want to upset these girls.

Vadim looks at them, a fair warning. But Katie holds her ground. Directs her attention at Magdalena.

KATIE What happened to my brother?

Magdalena glances at Vadim, trying to recall --

MAGDALENA Who is her brother?

VADIM The one with the goofy laugh.

Magdalena remembers.

MAGDALENA Oh. I drowned him in the lake and ate his heart.

Katie stares daggers at her. Unable to control herself. She roars and charges Magdalena, which only enlivens her enemy.

KATIE I’m going to fucking kill you!

MAGDALENA You want to play? Then let’s play.

Magdalena hurls herself at Katie. Their bodies collide in the air. Katie head butts her. Flynn and Toby look on, impressed.

Undeterred, Magdalena grabs Katie by the arms. She flips her over her shoulder and easily sends her spinning through the air with astonishing strength.

Katie strikes a tree, gets instantly knocked unconscious. Her body flops down a hilly incline into the lake. A loud splash!

Flynn and Toby take off running through the woods towards the lake to save her.

But then Oksana lurches out from behind a tree, holding a shovel in her hands.

She promptly clobbers them both with the back of the shovel. They’re knocked out cold.

EXT. LAKE VERIDIA - UNDERWATER

Katie sinks unconscious to the bottom of the icy waters. Then suddenly her eyes pop open.

Frightened, she sees an APPARITION appear in the water-- is it really her brother Austin?

Deathly pale, green eyes that seem to glow in the murky water. He looks at her and then mouths: “Go!”

Panicked, she quickly starts swimming back towards the moonlit surface.

EXT. LAKE VERIDIA - NIGHT

Katie breaks the surface, gasping for air. She swims towards the desolate banks.

Katie stares ahead, across the lake at the Inn. Revelers continue celebrating by a glowing bonfire on a sandy beach.

They dance around a tree in a wild frenzy and sing songs, unaware of the heinous bloodshed that has transpired tonight.

She sees the open-air tour truck pull up behind the Inn. Her instincts tell her Flynn and Toby might still be alive.

Then Katie’s eyes drift towards the moss-covered rocks by the shore several feet behind her.

She sees Nadia, Veronika and Larisa holding up a crown of birch, each kissing the other through it. As if performing some sort of secret rite.

LARISA (softly) Water of death to water of life. This lake’s sacred energy binds us. Our sisterhood is forever.

Katie slowly makes her way out of the water, staggering up a muddy incline.

The local girls’s eyes narrow in on her escape. Nadia releases a deathly wail and points at Katie.

EXT. RIPARIAN FOREST - NIGHT

Katie runs with everything she’s got, weaving through a gauntlet of trees at the forest’s edge.

Inconsolable over now knowing what happened to Austin. She tries to hold back her emotions but keeps thinking about her brother. Tears roll down her face as she flees.

EXT. LAKE VERIDIA - NIGHT

Quick pop: Katie imagines Austin going for a swim at night in the misty moonlit lake. The vision is strikingly clear.

As Austin swims carefree, suddenly he’s dragged under the water by an unseen force. A look of sheer terror on his face.

Austin resurfaces and cries out. Something’s got ahold of him. He thrashes around in agony before disappearing beneath the dark waters forever.

EXT. RIPARIAN FOREST - CONTINUOUS

Katie snaps out of it, hobbling across the dense. As she drives deeper into the eerie forest surrounding the lake.

A terrible feeling comes over her. Then Katie realizes she’s being pursued.

As if the local girls are darting in and out of the trees behind her.

She takes cover under a rocky outcrop, finds a long stick with a sharpened edge and picks it up off the ground. It’s fight-or-flight time.

The opaque fog from the lake thickens in the air. Katie makes a run for it, sprinting off in another direction - hoping to lose her pursuers through the mist.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - CELLAR

Flynn’s head dangles down at his chest, blood dripping from his temple. He slowly regains consciousness and realizes his hands are tied to a chair.

FLYNN Toby?

TOBY (O.S.) I’m over here.

He makes out Toby across the way in the shadows of the filthy cellar, his arms bound behind him in a chair.

FLYNN We have to get out of here. They’re going to kill us. I don’t know why they haven’t already.

Toby tries to loosen his bound hands, to no avail.

TOBY I don’t know. I’m tied up pretty tight over here.

FLYNN So am I. You think Katie made it?

TOBY I’m not sure.

VADIM This is nothing personal. Please know that.

Vadim steps out from the shadows. Flynn seethes.

FLYNN Of course, it’s not personal. You just heinously murdered our friends and ripped their heads off. No hard feelings at all.

The Tattooed Driver follows behind him with Oksana lingering nearby. Vadim watches as his henchman stalks over to Flynn and strikes him hard across the face.

VADIM You have an attitude that I don’t particularly care for.

Flynn spits out a wad of blood at his feet. Smirks.

FLYNN I get that a lot actually.

TATTOOED DRIVER You want more?

FLYNN Don’t tempt me with a good time, baby because I’ll always take it.

Toby stares up at their captors.

TOBY If you’re going to kill us, you could at least tell us why.

VADIM I don’t see what we do as murder. Frankly, we’ve all had to make sacrifices. It wasn’t that long ago around this time of year that Oksana slit her husband’s throat and threw his body in the lake.

He regards Oksana -- who doesn’t deny the claim.

EXT. RIPARIAN FOREST - CONTINUOUS

The wind stirs around Katie, doing everything in her power to reach the Inn in time.

Then she hears a familiar voice lingering in the ancient trees around her. Her lip quivers.

MALE VOICE (O.S.) Just leave them, Katie.

She recognizes the voice as her brother. Katie pauses, staring off at the swaying trees.

KATIE (weakly) Austin, is it really you?

A tear. She wipes it away. Withdrawn from reality.

AUSTIN (O.S.) Would they do the same for you? These men see you as destined to be childless at forty and living with a bunch of cats. I mean, maybe they’re right.

Katie stops herself, feeling unsettled. Austin wouldn’t say something like that.

AUSTIN (O.S.) (CONT’D) I know you think Toby is different, but he isn’t. They’re all the same.

She becomes more disoriented in the creeping mist, struggling to distinguish reality from deception.

AUSTIN (O.S.) (CONT’D) And yes, it’s true Flynn is kind of hot. But he only dates women with fake breasts and believes you are lesbian. Just leave them to die.

Katie holds the sharp-edged stick like a weapon. She knows it’s not real and someone is mimicking her brother. The mist thickens around her.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - CELLAR - AS BEFORE

The Tattooed Driver continues to pummel Flynn. Toby can’t stomach it any longer.

TOBY Stop! It’s enough!

Vadim gives his henchman the signal to wrap it up.

EXT. RIPARIAN FOREST - CONTINUOUS

Magdalena searches her eyes through the mist for Katie with a predatory gaze.

But the woods are quiet. Still, she instinctively knows her prey is out here.

MAGDALENA Why are you wasting your time trying to save them?!

Magdalena waits for a response but doesn’t expect one. She’s growing impatient and shouts down below at the lower ground:

MAGDALENA (CONT’D) They’re little boys! These men don’t care about you! They don’t care about anyone but themselves!

Katie quickly crawls into a hollowed-out tree. Her weapon of choice in hand.

Little does she know Darya is hiding at the top of the tree -- she hangs upside down and begins climbing down its thick trunk.

INT. TREE HOLLOW - CONTINUOUS

Katie scoops up a handful of muck at her side, starts covering her face and skin with it.

“Hey, it worked for Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator,” - she thinks to herself.

DARYA Surprise!

Darya pops her face in, upside down in the dark.

KATIE Surprise.

Katie drives the point of her sharp-edged stick into Darya’s eye socket and into her skull.

Darya shrieks in agony. Blood spills out everywhere! Katie wipes her face off.

Katie pushes her away, leaps from the tree hollow and takes off running.

Covered in blood, Katie escapes down a rocky path with the Inn now in plain sight.

EXT. LAKESIDE - NIGHT

Near-delirious, Katie hobbles out from the dark woods and uses all her strength to get to the Inn.

EXT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - MOTOR COURT

Katie spots the shotgun in the front seat of the open-air Tradition Tours truck.

She tries the driver’s side door. It’s open. Katie reaches her hand inside the truck and retrieves the gun.

Checks the chamber. There’s five shells inside.

Veronika wildly rushes out from the lakeside -- screaming and shouting. Eyes ablaze.

Katie turns around, holding the shotgun, pointing it at her.

KATIE The courtships over hon’. I’m getting the guys and we’re leaving. I suggest you back the fuck off. Unless you want me to blow your head off.

Katie looks at Veronika, as if it’s an option she might want to consider.

VERONIKA You just had to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. You Western women are all the same. So self-righteous! It’s why your men are leaving your countries!

Katie’s still not sure what these people are. She knows something’s off, but their humanity is convincing enough that it deters her from going full Linda Hamilton on them.

KATIE I’m going inside. If you follow me. I will kill you.

Veronika puts her hands up, then admits,

VERONIKA I can’t go inside.

Katie holds the shotgun steady while taking a step back towards the entrance of the Inn.

Then a thought occurs to her. As if this trip couldn’t get any weirder.

KATIE Lemme guess, you have to be invited inside?

Veronika shakes her head.

VERONIKA No, I’m not vampire. Oksana doesn’t like me. Her late-husband found me attractive and, well, things happen.

Katie backs up against the door and turns the doorknob, keeping her aim on Veronika.

Still not convinced she’s actually human, -- leaning towards some form of vampirism. As a strange glow burns in her eyes.

KATIE Just stay away.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - CELLAR

Vadim casts a glance towards the lake shore.

VADIM Not long ago, this village needed help. To revive what was lost.

Bloodied and bruised, Flynn does his best to stay conscious for the story Vadim’s about to tell.

EXT. LAKE VERIDIA - VILLAGE SQUARE - YEARS AGO

The lake town is thriving with families out and vendors selling produce, meats and trinkets on the streets.

VADIM (V.O.) Lake Veridia was once a bustling village with flowers that would bloom in every hue and color you could imagine.

Everyone in the flashback appears so happy and joyful.

VADIM (V.O.) The lake brought moisture and so much life to the fields. We had the most bountiful harvests every year.

EXT. LAKESIDE - DAY

Townsfolk perform a spring rites ritual at the green banks of the lake.

They place baskets of flower heads and rose petals with great care in the water.

EXT. VILLAGE SQUARE - DAY

Stern-faced SOLDIERS march into town. People are violently pulled from their homes. Town records are confiscated from a municipal building.

VADIM (V.O.) Then a dictator came to power in Ruritania with his sights set on our village.

EXT. LAKE VERIDIA - DAY

Warning signs are put up at the lake -- that translate to “no rituals allowed.”

Earthenware jars of dried herbs, candles and concoctions are taken from local spiritual women by force.

VADIM (V.O.) Even though this town was founded centuries ago by the Căluşari. All rituals were forbidden.

EXT. MOUNTAINS OF LAKE VERIDIA - DAY

Enormous machines dig deeper and deeper for copper high in the hill. As an expansive new open-pit mining operation is built into the earth.

VADIM (V.O.) An underground copper deposit was discovered in the mountains. (MORE)

VADIM (V.O.) (CONT'D) The Dictator and his men wanted to exploit it for all it was worth.

EXT. COPPER MINE - DAY

The workers set off explosives! More holes are drilled. Chunks of earth are broken off. Haul trucks carry away waste.

VADIM (V.O.) They dug and dug until there was nothing left.

EXT. LAKE VERIDIA - NIGHT

Toxic waste seeps down from the mining pit into the lake. Red and yellow sludge oozes across it. As the fluorescent waters glow.

VADIM (V.O.) The lake became a catch-basin for contaminated sludge from the mines. The water we used to drink and wash our clothes was soon filled with acidic cyanide.

EXT. LAKESIDE - DAY

A LOCAL WOMAN cries at the banks of the lake. She lifts her head to see nothing but murky red waters. Then she coughs up a rope of dark crimson blood.

VADIM (V.O.) They poisoned us.

She tries to cover her mouth, but the woman can’t stop choking. As crimson red blood seeps through her fingers, dripping down her arm.

VADIM (V.O.) It became The Lake of the Damned.

EXT. LAKE VERIDIA - VILLAGE SQUARE - (TIME CUTS)

Rooftops are left to crumble into disrepair. Shops are boarded up.

The few villagers that remain appear despondent and emotionally hollow in the streets.

VADIM (V.O.) Some fled. But those who stayed got sick and died. Others starved.

A random bloke on the street keels over and vomits.

EXT. BANKS OF THE LAKE - TWILIGHT

FIVE YOUNG WOMEN walk towards the lake holding hands in the blue twilight.

Their faces are obscured by shadows. They step into the water together to drown themselves.

VADIM (V.O.) The lake became a place where the unquiet dead could dwell in the watery otherworld.

INT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - CELLAR

Flynn and Toby try to unpack Vadim’s story.

VADIM The Dictator’s men said it was shameful but necessary. We were defrauded. But we became determined to thrive again. The lake needed to be replenished. To moisten the soil like it had for years. So, the crops could ripen once more.

Flynn lifts his eyes up at Vadim, hungry for answers.

FLYNN What the fuck did you do?

A gunshot fires! Vadim’s head explodes like a pumpkin. Spraying blood and brain matter everywhere. His body flops on the floor.

TOBY Oh, my God!

Reveal, Katie standing behind him with the shotgun in her hands. Disheveled hair, but still looking great. Smoke blowing from the gun barrel.

FLYNN (relieved) No way! Katie, you’re alive!

SWISH PAN to the Tattooed Driver livid --

TATTOOED DRIVER My gun!

KATIE Yeah, you left it in the front seat, your truck with the doors unlocked, you fucking idiot.

She fires the shotgun, -- blasting a hole in his chest. The Tattooed Driver flies back against the wall.

OKSANA Bloody hell!

Oksana flees in a panic, running up a set of steps and breaking open the cellar door. Katie decides not to shoot her (maybe foolishly).

FLYNN (a bit shocked) You came back! You really came back for us!

Katie rushes over to Flynn and then Toby, using a Swiss Army knife from her pocket to cut the rope fastened around their wrists. She frees them.

TOBY A Swiss Army knife? You’re resourceful.

She smiles at Toby.

KATIE My brother gave it to me for my birthday. We used to go camping in Vermont as kids.

FLYNN I’m sorry he died.

KATIE So am I.

They follow her to the wooden steps leading up to the open cellar door with the moonlight shining down from outside.

The Tattooed Driver’s hands reach out from the darkness and grab Katie’s ankles -- causing her to lose her footing. She falls face first on the stairs. Cracks her head.

TATTOOED DRIVER You’re all going to die.

The Tattooed Driver staggers to his feet. But then Flynn barrels into him, knocking him into the wall.

Slamming his head against a drainage pipe hanging from the ceiling, -- over and over -- until his skull caves in.

TOBY He’s definitely dead now.

Toby looks on, horrified. The Tattooed Driver flops to the floor. Flynn glances at Katie as he helps her up.

FLYNN Guess sometimes “toxic masculinity” comes in handy, right?

Katie explains.

KATIE That’s not what we mean when we say toxic masculinity. I don’t have a problem with masculinity. Toxic masculinity just means like don’t beat your wife if the dinner’s a little cold when you get home from work. Stuff like that.

FLYNN Oh, well that sounds reasonable. Sorry I just can’t seem to keep up with all your never-ending fourth- wave feminism demands.

KATIE Flynn, I don’t want to banter with you. I just want to get the hell out of this god-forsaken town.

Flynn snaps his fingers.

FLYNN I’m right there with you.

He realizes he has brain matter on his hands. Makes a grossed- out face and quickly wipes it off in his pants.

Then Katie remembers. She points to the Tattooed Driver’s dead body motionless on the floor.

KATIE The boat they took you on yesterday. Find his keys.

Flynn reaches into the Tattooed Driver’s pant pocket. Pulls out a set of keys.

FLYNN Got em’.

Flynn catches a glance from Toby. A flicker of mischief in his eyes. He’s not sure what to make of it.

KATIE Come on, let’s go.

Katie grabs the shotgun off the floor and bolts up the steps.

EXT. OLD VERIDIA HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Flynn, Toby and Katie burst out from the cellar door. Their eyes dance all around their quiet surroundings.

No one’s around. Or at least it appears that way. If recent events are anything to go off, it’s probably the latter. Someone(s) is most likely lurking in the shadows.

FLYNN So what do we do now? Do we go to the police?

KATIE We can’t go to the police. The whole fucking town is probably in on it.

TOBY She’s right. We don’t need to get the police involved.

Toby rips the shotgun from Katie’s hands, cocks it and points the barrel at Flynn.

KATIE (stunned) Toby, what are you doing?

Flynn is a deer in headlights.

TOBY I came here to kill him.

Toby keeps the shotgun trained on Flynn.

FLYNN So you didn’t come on this trip to find a trad wife?

TOBY No. I guess I was open to the idea. If our potential wives hadn’t all turned out to be whatever the hell those things are.

FLYNN Yeah, we didn’t really get to the bottom of it.

Toby directs an annoyed look at Katie.

TOBY You could’ve waited until Vadim was done explaining the legend or whatever of The Damned Lake before you blew his head off.

KATIE (taken aback) I’m sorry for saving your lives.

FLYNN And if I recall correctly, he said it was The Lake of the Damned, not The Damned Lake.

Toby rages.

TOBY Just shut up! You can never just shut up!

Flynn puts two and two together.

FLYNN Oh, you found out. That’s what this is all about.

Toby cocks the shotgun.

TOBY Admit what you did.

KATIE Toby, whatever Flynn did. Don’t do this. It’s not who you are.

He ignores her.

TOBY Say it.

Flynn snaps.

FLYNN Fine! Yes, I blew your fiancée’s back out after the Christmas party while you were passed out on the couch. You knew Amber had a wandering eye. She told you on your first date.

Toby is incensed by Flynn’s cavalier attitude.

TOBY So, you saw that as an invitation to sleep with her? We had just gotten engaged.

Flynn grasps at straws --

FLYNN I don’t know; I was drunk. I thought we could do like a cuckold thing where you watch and everything’s cool.

TOBY That doesn’t interest me. In the least.

FLYNN How were you going to do it?

TOBY Do what?

FLYNN Kill me. I mean, if you hadn’t grabbed that shotgun from Katie. How were you planning on pulling the whole thing off?

TOBY I don’t know. Push you off a cliff or something and say it was an accident. Happens all the time.

Flynn considers his predicament. Beads of sweat blossoming on his forehead.

FLYNN It was my bad; I admit it. Okay? I know you had only dated mids before and getting together with Amber was a big deal for you.

KATIE You’re not making the situation any better, Flynn. He’s holding a shotgun on you.

FLYNN I just want to say. I’m sorry. Okay? Can we just be cool again?

TOBY It’s too late to apologize. Just like the lyrics of that song they used to play in high school during slow dances.

FLYNN So, now you’re just gonna shoot me?

TOBY No, you’re going into the lake. Turn around and start walking. You too Katie. Sorry, but I can’t have any witnesses.

Katie is shocked at just how wrong she was about Toby. But both she and Flynn do as they’re told.

Reverse to reveal an UNKNOWN POV hiding among the willow branches by the trees near the shoreline.

EXT. BANKS OF THE LAKE - NIGHT

The moon's feeble light barely penetrates the thick fog.

The air is heavy with an ominous stillness, interrupted only by the haunting croak of bullfrogs.

Flynn and Katie approach the lakeside. The moon hangs low in the sky.

Toby holds the shotgun steady behind them. Their feet touch the waters on the shores of the lake.

FLYNN You don’t have to do this, Toby. Just let Katie go.

TOBY I can’t do that.

A tree growing in the lake at its edges stirs as Toby moves past it. Its ghostly, luminous vines grow rapidly and crawl across the wet earth.

The vines curl up his legs. Toby soon becomes entangled as they wrap around him and lift him upside down. The shotgun flies out of his hand and lands on the sand.

Flynn raises his eyes up at the uncanny sight of Toby suspended in mid-air --

FLYNN You’ve got to be kidding me.

Toby struggles to break free but the vines twine around his neck, -- tightening throughout his body and constricting him until he's almost crushed to death.

TOBY (a frightful voice) Please, help me!

Toby turns pale before their eyes. Despite what he’s done, Katie can’t help but cry out for him --

KATIE No!

Then he’s dunked into the dark waters, released from the vines’ hold, but not coming up for air any time soon. He vanishes completely from sight.

FLYNN He’s gone. We can’t go in that water. We have to get to the boat.

She knows he’s right. Katie follows his gaze across the way at the pontoon boat tied to a wooden dock across the way.

But before they can get there, Oksana comes out of hiding on the other side of the crescent-shaped shoreline looking absolutely murderous.

OKSANA And where are you two off to? You’re booked for another night.

She holds a Bowie knife in her hand with malicious intent.

KATIE Change of plans.

Katie dashes for the shotgun on the green beach as Oksana charges them wild-eyed with the knife.

OKSANA Death to you, fiends!

Katie gets to the shotgun just in time and holds it on Oksana. She doesn’t flinch.

KATIE Back off, lady.

Magdalena, Larisa, Nadia and Veronika emerge from the water’s edge, standing waist-deep in the murky water. Eyes shimmering with an unnatural glow.

Their skin appears almost translucent now. Magdalena’s gaze falls on Katie.

MAGDALENA You can’t take Flynn. He’s mine. I claimed him last night.

OKSANA This is true.

Katie subtly glances over at Flynn near her side. He tries to come clean.

FLYNN There was some foreplay. But didn’t have sex sex.

Katie gives him a WTF look.

KATIE You don’t have to explain yourself, Flynn. We’re not dating.

FLYNN I would’ve had sex with her, but Mags said she couldn’t.

He takes in the sight of the women with a sense of disbelief. Katie isn’t sure what to make of it all herself.

MAGDALENA We have to keep with traditions. You only have sex on your wedding night. This is the rules.

Oksana fixes her eyes on Magdalena and points at Katie, losing her patience.

OKSANA She killed Vadim!

Magdalena lights up and looks at Kate like it’s a juicy piece of gossip.

MAGDALENA You did?

Flynn nods.

FLYNN Yeah, it was pretty gnarly. She shot his head clean off. Brains and blood everywhere. And she’ll probably do the same thing to you, if you don’t let us leave here in peace. So, we’re gonna just go.

Oksana loses it.

OKSANA No! There can be no peace if you leave! He was promised to the lake!

She gestures at Flynn, like everything will fall apart around here if they don’t sacrifice him.

NADIA We’ll let you go in pieces.

FLYNN Hey! Don’t I get a say in any of this? It’s definitely not what I signed up for.

Magdalena keeps her gaze fixed on Katie.

MAGDALENA We’ll let you go. You can go back to your lonely, pathetic life watching true crime shows on your couch with your wine-stained teeth. Hoping to wake up in the middle of the night to a serial killer standing over your bed to take you out of your misery.

KATIE Fuck. You.

MAGDALENA Either way, Flynn stays. That’s a nonnegotiable. And I’m not to be trifled with.

But Katie has had enough. It’s now abundantly clear that the seemingly young local women standing in the water are not human, or at least not fully human.

KATIE What are you?

She directs the question at Magdalena.

FLYNN Yeah, you could at least give us some more clarity on the situation. Vadim didn’t have time to finish explaining how you guys rid this lake of all the toxic sludge from the copper mine. It sounded like a real cautionary tale.

MAGDALENA The lake needed to be purified again after the men in this town betrayed us, thinking they would all become rich.

OKSANA When the Căluşari founded Lake Veridia, there were rumors that ancient powerful beings inhabited this lake.

FLYNN You talking about some sort of like evil entity?

OKSANA They don’t belong to the world of the living or the dead. Some of us became just like them.

Larisa smiles at them.

LARISA We didn’t drown. We continued to live, just under the water.

MAGDALENA But it was not a good thing to disrupt the natural balance here. (MORE)

MAGDALENA (CONT’D) Still, we found a way to correct the mistakes that had been made.

OKSANA So, the crops were revived and could ripen once again.

As if she doesn’t want to know --

KATIE What did you do?

OKSANA We just wanted to protect our town. And our people.

EXT. LAKESIDE - (INSERT: FLASHBACK)

During a village ceremony, the town folk take part in a trance-like body movements on the banks of the lake in a desolate area.

They dance uncontrollably to the melody of that unsettling “Come, Come” song.

EXT. LAKESIDE - AS BEFORE

The moon hides behind the clouds. Oksana stands before them as she continues her story.

OKSANA So, we made a pact to lure warm- blooded men here and sacrifice them to the lake. Once a year, during the one week that the inhabitants of this lake can leave the water.

Then Flynn spots Toby still upon the surface of the mist- covered water. Looking like a drowned corpse. His clothes soaked and clinging to his body.

FLYNN Toby...

He gasps for breath, his wide eyes scanning the eerie surroundings.

Suddenly, from the depths of the lake, emerges a humpbacked DARK SHAPE.

Her form is an unholy fusion of human and bullfrog, her grotesque visage unsettling.

Deathly pale scaly skin. Long greenish unruly hair, covered in algae and muck. Her eyes pale and pupil-less. Like glowing orbs.

She tosses one of her green-tipped nipple pendulous breasts over her shoulder. Her webbed fingers reach out, beckoning ominously.

TOBY (whispered plea) No, no, please...

Toby trembles with fear. Oksana marvels at the creature.

OKSANA Our protector - the first Rusalka. We thank you for your presence here. Let us honor your return.

The Rusalka approaches Toby with deliberate, languid movements, her sinister eyes fixed on him.

FLYNN Sweet mother of mercy.

Her hideous mouth gapes open, revealing rows of needle-like teeth. She effortlessly lifts Toby into her powerful, amphibious arms.

KATIE This is insane!

With a dreadful anticipation, she slowly raises him closer to her gaping maw.

TOBY (screaming) Help!

Suddenly, the Rusalka's slimy, bloated tongue shoots out like a harpoon, piercing his chest. He gasps in agony as his life force is drained away.

Toby’s face contorts in pain, his screams silenced as the color drains from his features.

She pulls organs and intestines out, then chews on them. His body withers, becoming a lifeless husk in her clutches.

The mist grows thicker, hiding the gruesome tableau from view. Toby’s cries grow quiet.

The lake returns to its eerie stillness, with only the sound of distant croaks and the rustling of unseen creatures.

KATIE Let’s get the fuck out of here.

EXT. LAKESIDE - CONTINUOUS

The moon rolls through the sky. Flynn and Katie head for the wooden dock, running with everything they’ve got. Their fear is palpable.

Oksana signals Magdalena and the otherworldly beauties in the water to attack.

OKSANA Stop them!

They sink below the surface, their prey-drive kicking in.

EXT. UNDERWATER - POV SHOT

Magdalena, Nadia, Larisa and Veronika undergo a monstrous transformation.

Their once beautiful features contort and twist into grotesque aquatic forms.

Each of their bodies becomes sinewy and agile, with elongated limbs and claws.

Their skin takes on a slimy, translucent texture, revealing glimpses of what lies beneath. Webbed limbs form, allowing them to glide through the water.

EXT. BANKS OF THE LAKE - CONTINUOUS

As Flynn and Katie jump over a fallen tree at the water’s edge. They make it to the wooden dock. Flynn looses his footing, splashing into the lake.

KATIE Flynn!

Toby’s body jerks out of the water, as if he’s possessed. His head twists unnaturally and turns -- eyes all white.

He barrels into Katie, knocking her onto the dock. The shotgun flies out of her hands.

Katie scrambles for it, but the shotgun tumbles off the edge and disappears into the water.

As Toby undergoes a horrifying transformation of his own, with his body contorting and his face morphing into a nightmarish visage.

Toby attacks Flynn with supernatural strength. He grabs him by the neck. His lips don’t move, but Toby’s voice speaks in Flynn’s head.

TOBY (O.S.) I always secretly hated you. You’re so fucking full of yourself, dripping with arrogance...

Flynn’s eyes bulge as Toby squeezes his neck.

FLYNN Then why were you friends with me?! It makes no sense!

Before Toby can answer, Katie takes a wooden gaff and plunges the steel hook at its end into his skull. He foams at the mouth.

She pulls the gaff out. He sinks below the surface. Katie quickly helps a shell-shocked Flynn onto the dock.

KATIE Hurry, let’s go.

EXT. WOODEN DOCK - CONTINUOUS

Flynn and Katie sprint towards the boat in full-on survival mode. She holds the gaff tightly in her hand.

Reverse to reveal submerged bodies in the water drawing closer to them like torpedoes.

FLYNN Where’d you find that gaff?

He flips her a look. Katie keeps her eyes steady ahead at the pontoon boat.

KATIE It was just on the dock.

FLYNN You mean someone just left it there?

KATIE I guess.

FLYNN Wow, that was great. You really came through for me. Again.

They hear whispers echoing all around. Flynn looks back, but nothing is there.

The top of Veronika’s head breaches the water. Then she flies into the air.

Veronika lands on the dock, breaking its planks and blocking their pathway to the boat.

VERONIKA We said we just wanted Flynn, but you don’t listen. So now, we kill you both.

Katie swings the gaff like a lance at Veronika. She grabs it, a struggle ensues. Veronika throws her claws in the air, slashing Katie’s shoulder.

Not knowing what else to do, Flynn delivers a quick sidekick to Veronika’s knees. She looks at him, shocked, as if he’s beating on a woman.

Katie takes the gaff and strikes Veronika in the heart with it. She gasps. Her eyes widen in shock.

Then Veronika falls off the edge of the wooden dock. Blood plumes as she disappears below the surface of the water.

Flynn and Katie get in a boat. Their eyes darting around in anticipation of another attack. They pull up the anchor.

KATIE Keys, keys, keys. Come on.

Flynn fumbles with the keys and quickly finds the right one. He sticks it in the ignition. Flynn pushes the throttle handle forward and shifts it into gear.

The boat moves. Flynn frantically spins the wheel, knowing they’re not out of the woods yet. He hits the throttle and speeds up the boat ahead.

KATIE (CONT’D) There’s a road across the lake that leads to a train station. We get there and we just go. And we don’t look back.

EXT. LAKE VERIDIA - NIGHT

A full moon casts a shimmering glow on the tranquil lake as the pontoon boat glides through the water.

EXT. UNDERWATER - (POV)

In her monstrous form, Magdalena becomes incredibly agile and predatory. She moves with unnatural speed through the water.

EXT. DARK CHOPPY WATERS - NIGHT

Rain pours down, and the pontoon boat rocks violently in the turbulent waters.

Flynn desperately guns the engine towards the other side of the lake. Thunder rumbles in the distance.

Fear grips Katie’s expression as she scans the water, knowing the rusalki could be lurking below.

EXT. THE BOAT

Flynn steers the boat with urgency. Katie finds a sharp- harpoon like weapon in a storage boat. Jackpot.

Suddenly, a CHILLING MELODY drifts across the water. Flynn’s eyes widen in terror as they hear the haunting song.

KATIE (whispering) They’re coming!

EXT. DARK CHOPPY WATERS

As if summoned by the eerie tune, FORMS begin to emerge from the water.

Their wet hair clings to their pallid faces. Eyes glowing with malevolence.

EXT. BOTTOM OF THE LAKE

The monstrous First Rusalka sits on the lake floor. A pained look on her face. Her mouth opens. She is the source of that haunting melody.

EXT. LAKESIDE - NIGHT

Oksana dutifully drags the bodies of both Vadim and the Tattooed Driver into the water.

She fills with emotion at the sound of the melody. As if it’s the most beautiful tune she’s ever heard.

EXT. SURROUNDING WATER

Magdalena gracefully LEAPS FROM THE WATER in an otherworldly display of supernatural power.

She approaches the boat with a relentless determination. Her claws inches away.

EXT. THE BOAT

Unaware that Magdalena is close, Katie clenches the sharp harpoon-like weapon ready for action.

FLYNN They’re getting closer, Katie!

He steers the boat through the driving rains.

KATIE Hold steady, Flynn! We’re almost there!

Flynn shifts gears, increasing the boat’s speed into overdrive. His heart pounding. He knows they're lurking in the dark waters.

EXT. SURROUNDING WATER

The rusalki close in, their fingers reaching out, nearly brushing the boat’s sides.

EXT. THE BOAT

The water ripples and a monstrous NADIA appears in a tattered dress, covered in seaweed with wet hair, and a creepy smile..

Nadia lunges at Katie with blinding speed, her agility allowing her to move effortlessly on the water.

But Katie reacts with lightning-fast reflexes.

KATIE Flynn, hold on!

Katie thrusts her harpoon into Nadia’s chest, and with a terrifying screech, the dissolves into water and vanishes beneath the surface.

FLYNN (astonished) How did you...?

KATIE (focused) I did my research.

FLYNN You knew they were rusalkas this whole time?

KATIE I had several theories that I was working on.

FLYNN It’s so much better that you’re kicking their asses and I’m driving the boat. So, it doesn’t come off like violence against women. The optics would look so bad if I was the one doing all that.

Katie thinks about his claim.

KATIE I mean, they’re not really women.

Before they can catch their breath, Larisa, looking even more menacing than Nadia -- surfaces.

Katie realizes she’s holding Toby’s head in her slimy arms. Then Larisa hurls it at Flynn.

KATIE (CONT’D) Flynn, look out!

Flynn ducks. Toby’s bloody head smacks the glass in front of him. Tumbles down and hits the boat stereo.

Beyoncé’s Best Thing I Never Had from Vadim’s playlist trickles in on the speakers.

Flynn catches glimpses of Katie with her harpoon-like weapon, anticipating Larisa’s next strike.

He likes this girl. She’s got grit. Suddenly, a trad wife is looking a lot less appealing.

QUICK SLO-MO shot - a realization as he subtly tilts his head back at Katie while driving the boat -

Flynn can’t help but feel like he dodged a bullet, not getting together with one of those local Ruritanian women.

Larisa now has elongated, eerie fingers and sings a haunting melody, hypnotizing Flynn. The boat veers off course.

LARISA (singing, seductive) Come, Flynn, into the depths.

Katie slaps Flynn hard and roughly shakes him - trying to snap him out of the trance. He breaks free from it.

KATIE (grabbing Flynn’s face) Stay with me, Flynn!

Katie finds a flare gun in the storage box and uses it to blast Larisa’s throat, causing her to gurgle and thrash before dissolving into water.

Flynn looks on impressed.

FLYNN Was your dad ex-military or something?

Katie shakes her head.

KATIE No, I just watched a lot of Buffy as a kid growing up.

FLYNN Nice.

KATIE Your girl’s still out there. Cover your ears or something if they try it again.

FLYNN (realizing) Got it. The “Come, Come” song... it’s their trap.

He steadies the boat again. Magdalena emerges. Regal and terrifying.

Magdalena appears to be walking on the water’s surface. Her beautiful facade distorts.

MAGDALENA (to Katie) Fool! You are so lost! You are so lost! He won’t want you!

Her features contort and shift, revealing her monstrous form. Still reeling from Magdalena’s dig from earlier --

KATIE For your information, I have a two- bedroom apartment! Not a one- bedroom. And I use the spare room as my home office.

MAGDALENA Okay, bitch, no one cares.

She looks at Flynn -- her eyes piercing his soul. Her limbs elongate, and her eyes turn into abyssal voids.

She stands stock-still, starts controlling the water around them, creating towering waves. They’re hopelessly outmatched.

MAGDALENA (CONT’D) (smiling) You cannot escape me, Flynn.

Katie stands tall, channeling her inner Linda Hamilton. Amid the splash of foam, Flynn looks at Katie in awe.

FLYNN She’s wrong. Any guy would be lucky to have you.

But Katie isn’t looking for validation at this moment.

MAGDALENA Get ready to die. I look forward to eating your heart. Like I did with your brother.

KATIE (defiant) We’ll see about that. And again -- Fuck. You.

Katie leaps onto the boat’s bow and, with all her might, hurls her harpoon into Magdalena’s heart.

Magdalena shrieks, and her control over the water shatters. The waves crash around them, but the boat remains steady.

With a final, eerie wail, Magdalena crumbles into water, defeated.

FLYNN (astonished) You did it, Katie!

KATIE (grinning) I told you I did my research. But it was a team effort. Sort of.

FLYNN Thanks.

He nods, appreciative.

EXT. SHORELINE - SAFETY IN SIGHT

Flynn and Katie glimpse the safety of the shoreline just ahead. Hope surges within them.

FLYNN We’re almost there! Hang on!

They hear a deep rumbling from the lake. A geyser shoots water straight up in the air.

But the First Rusalki closes in fast, her haunting song growing louder and more threatening.

EXT. THE BOAT

In a last surge of adrenaline, Flynn drives with all his strength. The First Rusalki is just inches away.

EXT. SHORELINE - ESCAPE

The boat REACHES THE SHORELINE just as the First Rusalki’s cold fingers graze the boat’s edge.

Flynn and Katie stumble out of the boat, gasping for breath, their clothes drenched.

EXT. THE WATER

The First Rusalki hovers in the water, her malevolent gaze locked on Flynn and Katie.

KATIE (wide-eyed) We made it.

Flynn and Katie retreat to safety, but the First Rusalki remains, her haunting melody fading into the night.

INT. PASSENGER TRAIN - (TRAVELING)

Flynn and Katie are huddled together. The vast forest is behind them. Glimpses back at the hauntingly beautiful town.

KATIE I realize all your friends are dead. But when we get to Paris, do you want to like grab coffee or something?

FLYNN Yeah, sure. That’d be nice.

He smiles at her. Katie nods.

KATIE Okay.

They start kissing. Very much into each other.

INT. PASSENGER TRAIN - ENGINEER’S CAB

The Conductor hums a familiar melody -- it’s that damn “Come, come” song again.

100

INT. PASSENGER TRAIN

The train comes to a halt. Flynn and Katie pull themselves apart, getting a bad feeling.

FLYNN Why is the train stopping?

They look at each other, disturbed.

KATIE I don’t know.

Off the alarmed expressions on their faces, we --

SMASH CUT TO:

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