TEXT over footage - “Footage from our Inside Man”

Black and white footage of a modern trendy cult in Los Angeles. Men in robes with vaguely Aztec themes sit in a circle inside a room all moaning and leaning on each other. Has a ‘true crime’ feel to it.

We hear the voice of a matter-of-fact investigative journalist. Her name is JENNIFER (30’s, news desk professional)

LAS PALABRAS. Also known as “the words” in Spanish, are an ancient aztec cult, known for their elaborate and gaudy rituals, courting the Hollywood elite--

Shaky cam style footage of the cult attending a stupidly fancy hollywood gala.

-- their anxious and fearful members --

Now we see some of their members on the streets of LA having mental breakdowns.

-- and their signature ritual: The Death Sentence.”

Jennifer is walking through the park as she speaks directly to the camera.

What is the “death sentence” you ask? We at channel 11 have obtained exclusive insight into this practice through secret undercover footage of their rites and interviews with their members. Tonight we present to you a special report “LAS PALABRAS: The Death Sentence”.

FREEZE FRAME with text - “LAS PALABRAS”

We now see hidden camera style footage of someone stepping inside a secretive tent, filled with incense and some sort of shaman that’s about to do a crazed ritual on two blood covered and largely naked women. As the room chants louder and louder, the two women lean over to the shaman and whisper something into his ears, which makes his eyes glow. These trancelike women faint and are immediately covered with fuzzy robes by cultists.

The shaman takes out a quill and dips it into the pool of blood and starts scribbling something down with it. He holds it aloft and everyone goes NUTS.

The members of Las Palabras believe that the scions of “la oracion” dont create the death sentence, but rather receive it from “la voz de la muerte” - The sentence comes from the voice of death.

Now we see Jennifer sitting on a chair, 60 minutes interview style, talking directly into the camera. She’s smartly dressed with a serious demeanor about her.

The interview room surrounding her seems to have been completely devastated from a fire, with blood seeped into a toasted couch.

The footage you’re about to see was obtained over the course of several weeks, and tragically took the lives of fourteen people to get to you. In honor of their memories please pay attention, learn the warning signs, and look out for the secrets of the most dangerous cult in the world. LAS PALABRAS. A note of caution to sensitive viewers, some footage might be disturbing.

We’re looking at the news station studio in a voyueristic ‘found footage’ style. Jennifer leans against the side of the studio building vaping and scrolling through her phone on break. One of the on set PA’s, a geeky looking 30’s guy (TYLER) is schlepping a light and trips with it, but Jennifer quickly reacts to catch him. She stares at him tensely.

Hey buddy, you good?

I almost dropped the light! Ye-Yeah, sorry. I got new shoes and they’re fucking me up.

No problem. Just be more careful.

FREEZE FRAME on TYLER with text - “TYLER DAVIDSON”

TYLER DAVIDSON, 33, a typical actor from Vancouver Canada, come to Los Angeles with a dream and a few dollars. He started as one of our production assistants, that’s PA’s for short - was acting erratically on the day of the shoot. As you can see from this hidden camera footage.

FOOTAGE CONTINUES and we as the camera move up to Jennifer. Jennifer looks up at the unseen camera man.

Miguel, Tell me you got that? I don’t give a shit if he’s the EP’s nephew I just get a bad vibe from that guy.

Jennifer pulls more from her vape, camera man’s voice is muffled.

I don’t care, I want him gone.

Jennifer is sitting down across from a man on a couch (MIKE). He’s bright and chipper in a colorful sweater as he’s being Mic’d up by an AUDIO ENGINEER.

You probably think it’s bullshit, right?

Jennifer looks up from her notes.

Sorry?

Las Palabras. I mean, who would believe somebody could tell you the last sentence you’ll hear before you die, right? It just sounds so far fetched. Right?

Yes, it does. You know it’s a hoax, right? But it’s gained such a large following that it’s newsworthy, or at least my producer thinks so.

She returns to her notes. Mike squirms in his seat. Tyler the PA sets up a ladder and climbs up and off frame.

Just gotta set this light and we’re ready to roll.

You probably think that I joined up for the lavish parties, right? To meet Alan Tudyk? I mean, that was all cool, and it did wonders for my career, but please rest assured it’s all real. I’ve seen it.

Mike leans forward and pulls down Jennifer’s notes she’s reading. He stares into her eyes.

I’ve seen someone’s sentence. I was there when they heard it and saw them die. It’s all real.

Jennifer isn’t convinced. She rolls her eyes.

Oh yea, what was it.

Mike leans back and replies with relish.

Here’s comes the bus.

Jennifer looks up.

So he got hit by a bus?

Exactly.

Jennifer rolls her eyes again and goes back to reading her papers as the audio engineer finishes wiring up Mike and retreats back to behind the camera. He gives a thumbs up to Miguel off camera.

I think we’re ready to do a rehearsal take.

Oh. Okay? Then let’s roll it--

Mike interrupts her.

You don’t believe me, do you?

Sure... So we'll start off the interview with some basic questions about who you are then then I'm going to ask you about how you got involved in the cult and--

-- and about my death sentence, right? Aren’t you curious what it is?

Well yes. I guess I'm curious to know what it is. Do you mind--

Oh not at all. My Death Sentence was the best thing that ever happened to me. Up til then I was so afraid of death. I just had to know what it was that I would hear before I die so I could prepare myself for it. I was anxious all the time. Until I actually saw - read really, my death sentence. Then I realized that death was always all around me the whole time, and I just had to release my feelings of fear and live in the moment, you know? Here..

Mike fishes around in his pocket and pulls out a folded, bloodied piece of paper and hands it over to Jennifer.

Tyler still up the ladder, drops a wrench and it falls on the ground next to Mike.

Ah shit. Sorry guys! I dropped the wrench!

Tyler climbs a few steps down the ladder into frame.

Yes Tyler we can see that. You don’t have to announce everything!

Well, that could have been bad. Jeez.

Jennifer grunts in frustration and uncrumples the piece of paper.

Oh sorry about that buddy.

Oh.. Oh my god...Is it happen--

The light CRASHES into frame and SPLATS onto Mike’s head, crunching his skull into a bloody, spurting mess.

Everyone GASPS as blood pours out of mike’s eyes and mouth. Tyler and Jennifer have been SPLATTERED with it.

Mike’s BODY FLOPS onto the floor.

Jennifer turns and the camera zooms on her blood soaked face as a drip drops off the paper she’s holding. We see it says “Oh sorry about that buddy”

Jennifer lets out a delayed and enormous HOWL, but before she can get the whole scream out --

FREEZE FRAME of a news style chiron - “THE FIRST VICTIM”

We roll b-roll of the chaos outside the studio after the incident from a cop’s POV cam. A gurney is being taken away. Tyler is being questioned by police.

But before we could begin our interview, Mike was crushed beneath a fresnel light on the Channel 11 soundstage.

Freeze frame on a police report document with a big STAMP on it that says ACCIDENTAL DEATH.

The whole affair was officially ruled an accident. Though believers of Las Palabras would claim otherwise.

Jennifer, still splattered in blood, is pacing around outside the studio vaping like a chimney. Miguel’s POV Cam

Yes Bradley. Yes I fucking know. Channel 2 is going to have a fucking field day with this. Unsafe reporting? Bradley, the new guy just dropped a fucking light on him. Well I don’t know how he used to do shit in Orlando but got no damn common sense. I swear. Can’t we just replace him with an robot or something? -- The insurance? Oh fuck. They’re gonna fucking MURDER ME--

She pulls the vape but it’s empty. She throws it on the ground in frustration.

Despite our best efforts that day. Gravity was undefeated.

The interview crew is at Mike’s funeral, where Tyler, and the rest of the crew are lined up with all Mike’s friends and family as they shuffle through and take a handful of dirt and scatter it on the coffin.

Despite our setback, we had a mission to uphold, and so we did what any good journalist would do, and kept digging.

When it’s Tylers turn, he grabs a shovel nearby and tries to put a whole scoop on to the coffin. He’s stopped by Jennifer and the rest of the crew with a scolding look. An old lady loudly bursts into tears at this.

Jennifer looks up, directly at the camera.

Miguel, dude, turn that thing off.

We’re back in the interview room, which is being hastily cleaned from the blood splatter with turpentine by a single PA.

A couple other PA’s gently place a large rug overtop the still visible bloodstain on the floor, and the turpentine is placed next to the interview chair.

Thankfully we demoted Tyler from working on ladders anymore. He was now only running errands like getting lunch and coffee.

In walks a rather nervous woman (DIANE, 50’s Elegant). As soon as she sits the Audio Engieer begins his task of applying the microphone to her.

To reiterate, I agreed to do this on the condition that you'll keep me as safe as possible. Lord knows that cult is still trying to kill me.

The Audio Engineer lets out a grim chuckle as he tapes the microphone to Diane.

(muttered)

Roy, come on man. Not the time.

What's this about?

Nothing.

(announcing)

Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES is anyone allowed to speak anything except the business of filming! Okay?

They sit in silence for a bit. Jennifer is reviewing her notes. MIGUEL crosses over to Jennifer and fiddles with something on her shoulder.

POV is up.

Miguel walks off frame. We can see from Jennifer’s POV now too.

Do you still have the sentence on you? It’s a piece of paper, right?

Of course I do. I keep it as a reminder to myself.

Diane fiddles with a locket necklace.

Would you.. Mind?

You promise to not read this out loud, right?

Of course.

She reaches her hand out, Diane winces, relents, hands over the paper.

Just please, my life is in your hands.

Jennifer takes the paper and hesitates with it. Diane looks around, sniffing.

What’s that smell?

FREEZE FRAME text - “THE SECOND VICTIM”

Until this point I had been mildly impressed by the cult’s ability to instill loyalty and fear in their members. A fear that this reporter thought was 'unreasonable'. I was gravely mistaken.

UNFREEZE.

DIANE opens the locket and hands a bloodied strip of paper to Jennifer just as TYLER slams open a door and waltzes in with bags full of lunch, clearly interrupting the shoot. He knocks over several decorative candles surrounding the set in a ‘spooky’ way.

It’s not even close to lunchtime Tyler. What are you--

Okay, I got one turkey wrap with no mayo?

OH! OH GOD!

The candles that Tyler knocked over have caught fire on the rug and turpentine and interview seat, Diane BURSTS into flames!

Shit!

We see from Jennifer’s POV cam, we can see very clearly on the paper “I got one turkey wrap with no mayo?” which trails off, written in blood similar to the opening scene.

WHY DID YOU SAY IT?!

At this point everyone screams, scrambles, and the camera is tipped over. We see horrified crew members rushing to find a fire extinguisher and try to put out poor Diane.

Tyler sits at a break room table, face and shirt charred, nervously stirring a coffee. A bag full of sandwiches is THUMPED down on the table in front of him. Jennifer sits down next to him, wordlessly defeated. Staring at him.

She pulls out a turkey sandwich and starts chewing on it. Never taking her eyes off Tyler.

I burned her Ali--

Jennifer puts her finger over Tyler’s mouth.

Shhhhhhh.

She goes back to blankly chewing her sandwich.

We were now two for two on dead interview guests. Perhaps there was some validity to the curse.

We’re in Miguel’s POV. Jennifer paces around on the phone.

Look Bradley. Your stupid fucking nephew from Orlando just killed my second guest by burning her ALIVE... What do you mean he’s not actually your nephew? What? Then.. Who is he?.. No I thought you brought him on?

Jennifer covers the mouthpiece of the phone.

What the FUCK is going on?

She’s back on the phone now.

Fire me?! You fucking wouldn’t dare... An insurance liability? Bradley you know that would totally ruin me. You can’t!.. Cancelled?.. But you should know who he is you’re the producer! -- Come on Bradley, don’t be like--

Jennifer shrieks in anger and looks at her phone. She looks at Miguel.

He fucking hung up on me. That prick!

She fumes.

At this point we had come to suspect our hapless PA, Tyler was part of some sort of grand conspiracy to undermine our reporting, or in the very least get our whole station blackballed by every insurance agency in town.

We’re back in the shaky camera view, following Jennifer around, she’s pissed off and marching up to an apartment complex.

Hey, hold up.

She turns and stops and Miguel puts ‘us’ down on the ground while he clips the action camera to Jennifer again.

Are you okay?

This whole thing is a bunch of stupid coincidences and I’m going to fuck up that stupid candadian PA.

She slams her hand on a nearby trashcan. Clattering it. We swap to Jennifer’s POV.

Just calm down.

Don’t you fucking tell me to calm down. As a matter of fact never EVER tell ANY woman to calm down.

She storms off, Miguel picks the camera back up and marches after her, coming up to the front door of an apartment where Tyler is already walking out.

Miguel clocks it and grabs Jennifer by the arm throwing them into the bushes.

Hello? Is somebody there?

(hushed)

What the fuck Miguel?

(hushed)

Don’t you wanna see what’s going on?

She huffs, but relents.

(muttering)

Goddamn Santa Ana Winds.

He turns and goes back into his apartment as we follow him, sneaking towards the apartment window with Jennifer in sight. She stands up and looks into his apartment. We (Miguel’s camera) press right up to the glass of his apartment window.

What we found instead was far stranger than anyone could have imagined.

We see Tyler watching TV in his underwear. He takes a big toke out of his bong.

In from the other room comes the two hot babes from the opening BTS footage of the Las Palabras cults - the scions of “la oracion”! They’re in fuzzy white pajamas, giggling to each other.

(whispering)

Those are the girls from the cult footage!

FREEZE FRAME with image - Its a picture of the opening cult ceremony.

Roll footage from opening of the cult ceremony

It was only then, that we understood. It seems that Tyler, our inside man, who we had sent into the cult to get the behind the scenes footage you saw previously. Had apparently been compromised by the cult itself.

The BTS footage now continues on, and the hot babes from the opening ceremony both look at Tyler’s and approach him. They grab him and the scene freezes.

Tyler was part of Las Palabras.

Back to the present.

Jennifer is still looking into the apartment. She ducks back down and whispers to Miguel

Where’d they go?

The camera pans to the side and THERE THEY ARE. Outside watching US WATCHING THEM!

The two ladies are wrapped around Tyler, who is now wearing nothing but his underwear.

Uhh. Hey Guys.

(muttering)

Fuck! Miguel. Don’t you dare cut.

Jennifer stands up and straightens herself out.

Uhh. Hey Tyler.

What are you doing in my marigolds?

Tyler extricates himself from the scions and walks toward Jennifer and Miguel.

We just came to.. Uhh. Talk for a second?

Okay, well.. I guess you two can come in.

Tyler puts his arms back around his lovely ladies and everyone files inside. The steel grated door slams shut behind them.

The interior of the Tyler’s apartment is decorated in a generic Mexican/Aztec garb and decor. Very ‘Latin pride’ even though Tyler is whiter than mayonnaise. In one corner there are candles lit around a carved scull on top of a large stone. Next to the skull are various carved Anima statuettes.

Jennifer, looking around, looks at the camera directly.

Please tell me you’re getting all this Miguel.

Miguel nods and the camera shakes

Please! Have a seat Jennifer.

Whip pan to see Tyler, now with ceremonial dress.

NOTE: This dress should be as comical as possible without being terribly offensive.

Tentatively, Jennifer sits down. Tyler addresses ‘us’ as Miguel.

But you should keep standing. You’ll wanna see this.

Uhh. Sure dude.

We see this mostly from Jennifer’s POV now as the two hot scions of the cult appear again, in the nude, mason jars full of BLOOD in their hands.

Tyler.. Are you working with the cult? Do you believe in Las Palabras?

Tyler GRABS Miguel and his camera drops to the floor, providing a tilted shot for us.

The scions TEAR his shirt off and LICK him seductively.

What the fuck. I mean I get freaky but..

Then they both take a huge swig from their jars and their eyes light up with a red glow!

WHISPERS begin to form in the background as a mist seems to creep into the room.

Tyler. Who really are you? How did you find us? Why us?

The two hotties lean over to Tyler, cupping his ear, but he stops them.

No. Her.

He points at Jennifer (POV -> It’s US!)

And they clamber over to her, both whispering in her ear.

Wha? What?

Don’t!

Sphynx of Black Quartz, Judge my vow?

Jennifer’s eyes GLOW as she says it. From the side table... A Black QUARTZ Sphinx starts to GLOW and HOVER!

TYLER CACKLES!

The sphinx rises in the air and LASERS shoot out of it and SLICE MIGUEL INTO RIBBONS!

It’s his SENTENCE! HAHAHAHAHA!

The room Devolves into chaos as the sphynx lasers everything. We’re in Jennifer’s POV as she RUNS out of the apartment complex and then turns to face it. In the window we can see lasers, Blood splattering, and Tyler rushing to the window only to be LASERED through his eyes and shatter through it, slumping over it.

FREEZE FRAME.

TITLE CARD.