ANNABELLE written by Gary Dauberman - HorrorLair

ANNABELLE written by Gary Dauberman

09.24.13 - 10.07.13

INT. ST. MONICA'S CATHOLIC CHURCH - MORNING

A MONSTROUS GARGOYLE. Sculpted in stone. A WARRIOR ANGEL. In stained glass. CHRIST ON A CROSS. Carved in wood.

And that's FATHER PEREZ -- late 40s, of flesh and bone -standing at the pulpit --

FATHER PEREZ God honors sacrifice. And our sacrifices touch God's heart and move his hand. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you..."

And while you will no doubt throw this up ON SCREEN:

LOS ANGELES, 1970

You could already tell that by the hairstyles and wardrobe of the congregation. Among them are --

MIA and JOHN FORM. 20s. Holding hands. Seem to be enjoying the sermon. But as the camera pans down we see they're actually engaged in --

An intense thumb war battle.

PEREZ "...Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his loved ones."

Mia almost has him but John -- sneak attack -- extends his pointer finger and pins her down --

PEREZ (CONT'D) Let us pray.

One... two...

MOMENTS LATER

Organ BLARES. Congregation rises. A murmur of conversation. John and Mia walk down the aisle. Out in the

NARTHEX

They're greeted by PETE HIGGINS, early 50s. He was the man seated next to them in the pew.

Who won?

PETE

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MIA John. But he cheats.

John squeezes Mia. His hand over the small bump of her belly.

JOHN It was two against one. I had to do something...

Mia blushes. Embarrassed.

Pete smiles but looks past them at the congregation still leaving the church...

PETE Now where'd Sharon get off to?

Mia moves John's hand away.

MIA I'll go find her.

INT. CHURCH - SIDE ALTAR - MOMENTS LATER

THE VIRGIN MARY looks down at --

SHARON HIGGINS, late 40s. Looks older. She kneels at the side altar. Lights a votive candle. Prays.

BEHIND HER

Mia walks in, searching. Stops when she sees Sharon. Watches her for a bit too long because ---

Sharon turns, getting to her feet.

Mia not sure whether to stay or leave. Doesn't matter anyway because --

SHARON Pete send you after me? I swear one day he thinks I'll just...

She takes Mia's hand. Nevermind....

SHARON (CONT'D) Men. What would they do without us? I mean, honestly...

They leave.

INT./EXT. CONTINENTAL - HIGGINS' HOUSE - LATER

A Lincoln Continental pulls into the driveway. Parks. As the Higgins' and the Forms' exit the car --

3.

JOHN We appreciate the lift, Pete.

SHARON You just make sure to take care of this wife and baby of yours...

John and Mia smile.

SHARON (CONT'D) Did we ask about names yet?

PETE Sharon...

SHARON What? That's not prying. That's conversation...

MIA We're still working on them anyway.

JOHN But we're pretty sure John if it's a boy and we were thinking Gertrude if it's a girl...

MIA We were?

JOHN You said you liked it.

MIA I never said that.

JOHN But it's my grandmother's name...

MIA And I can't stand your grandmother...

SHARON Oh dear...

MIA It's not just me. No one can stand her. Tell them, John.

JOHN She's right. Everyone hates her.

Pete laughs.

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PETE C'mon, Sharon. Let's get inside. Sounds like these two have a lot to talk about...

MIA Thank you again.

SHARON Think nothing of it. And remember, children are a blessing...

PETE They are indeed. Then they learn to talk...

EXT. FORM HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

Hand in hand, John and Mia walk next door and up the path toward their front porch.

JOHN So that's a no on Gertrude?

Mia looks back at the Pete and Sharon entering their home.

MIA You shouldn't talk so much about the baby in front of them. It's... it isn't right...

JOHN What? Why not?

MIA They only lost their daughter two years ago...

JOHN They didn't lose their daughter, Mia. She ran away and joined up with the hippies. By now she probably has three husbands and calls herself Star...

MIA Well, even Star is a better name than Gertrude...

John turns the knob and opens the Front Door.

MIA (CONT'D) You didn't lock it?

5.

JOHN Why would I?

As she enters --

MIA We need to start locking it. It's a different world now, John...

NEWS REPORTER (O.S.) ....death count continues to climb in Vietnam. On our shores....

INT. FORM HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

ON TELEVISION --

News footage. Vietnam. Student Protests. Manson Family.

NEWS REPORTER .. a so-called religious cult has had three of its followers arrested in the investigation of --

TchnkTchnkTchnkTchnk!

Mia sits in front of her SINGER SEWING MACHINE. Threading a green piece of fabric.

Her fingers move precariously close to the needle as it goes up and down and up and down a million times a second.

JOHN (O.S.) Honey, can you shut the TV off? It's making it a little hard to concentrate...

Mia gets up.

Gathers up the fabric at the sewing machine.

Switches off the television.

Goes into the

KITCHEN

Where John sits at the table.

Drowning in MEDICAL BOOKS open to various chapters. We catch glimpses of Cadavers, skeletons, gross anatomy.

Mia rubs his neck.

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JOHN (CONT'D) You shouldn't be watching that stuff anyway. You could upset the baby. There's been some new research...

MIA Oh Gosh... More new research...

JOHN It's true. They're learning that babies in utero experience much more of the outside world than they ever thought possible. They recognize voices... noises... songs...

MIA I bet the men who did that research spent millions when they could have just asked a mother for free...

She sits on his lap. Flips through his books.

MIA How's it going in here anyway?

JOHN I'm trying my hardest to enjoy it. Everyone keeps reminding me that when you're in your residency it gets a million times worse. I don't even mention the fact I'll also be a new father...

MIA Why not?

JOHN I don't know. Sometimes you just don't want to hear it...

MIA Hear what?

JOHN How difficult things can be.

MIA Difficult...

JOHN Maybe difficult isn't the word. Challenging?

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MIA Are you talking about the residency or me and the baby?

JOHN I don't know. All of it, I guess.

Mia gets up from his lap.

Uh-oh...

What?

JOHN (CONT'D)

INT. NURSERY - MOMENTS LATER

Some people choose animals as a theme. Others choose the moon and stars. Mia clearly chose --

DOLLS.

Of all sorts. Like she's been collecting them for awhile. On the rocking chair. On the shelves. In the crib.

Mia folds the fabric. drapes it over the chair.

John appears in the doorway. Apologetic.

JOHN (CONT'D) Look, I didn't mean for that to sound like it did. I'm sorry...

MIA How'd you want it to sound?

JOHN Not like that. But it's not as if difficult or challenging are bad things anyway. Look at what you put me through before you said yes to our first date...

MIA But wasn't it worth it?

JOHN I still can't believe it worked.

Mia sighs.

JOHN (CONT'D) But I am sorry, Mia. I know sometimes I can get a little caught up in my own world...

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