TEXT over footage - “Footage from our Inside Man”

True crime style 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 moaning, chanting, and leaning on each other. A drone of ‘palabras, palabras, palabras’ chills the air.

We hear the voice of a matter-of-fact investigative journalist. Her name is JESSICA (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.”

Jessica 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 topless women, who writhe to the beat of drums. The women take clay chalices and pour blood all over their open mouths, letting it overflow and soaking their chests.

As the room chants ‘palabras’ louder and louder, the two women lean over to the shaman and whisper something into his ears, which makes his eyes glow.

The shaman takes out a quill and dips it into the cups 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” do not create the death sentence, but rather receive it from “la voz de la muerte” - The sentence comes from the voice of death, even though they are the ones who communicate it to a shaman, who is the one who internalizes the message and commits it to writing.

Now we see Jessica 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 rug under a toasted couch. This is a room that’s seen some chaos.

CHIRON - ‘March 3, 2026 - Three days after our first interview’

The footage you’re about to see was obtained over the course of several weeks, and tragically took the lives of five 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. Jessica 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 in one hand and looking at his phone in the other. He trips with it, dropping his phone, but Jessica quickly reacts to catch him and the light as the phone clatters.

Hey buddy, you all good? Nervous?

She smiles at him sweetly, picking up his phone and looking at it. She hands it back.

Ye-Yeah, sorry. I got new shoes and they’re messing me up.

No problem. Just be more careful. Maybe we don’t look at topless hot twins when carrying equipment, yea?

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 Jessica. Jessica looks up at the unseen camera man and drops her sweet pretense. Rolling her eyes.

Miguel, Please 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 and I want him off our crew as soon as possible.

Jessica pulls more from her weed vape.

Shit is this sativa? Come on Miguel, you know this stuff makes me more anxious.

Oh sorry.

We, as the camera man, shuffle around in our pockets and produce a different vape pen. Jessica takes it from ‘us’, aka Miguel.

I’m sure he’s trying his best.

I don’t care, I want him gone.

Jessica pulls the second vape pen.

Jessica 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 ROY, the burly and stout audio engineer.

I bet you think it’s bullshit, right?

Jessica looks up from her index cards where she’s going over the questions she’ll ask.

I’m Sorry?

Las Palabras. The Death Sentence. Los voz de la muerte. All that. I mean, who would believe it’s possible to know the exact last sentence you’ll hear before you die, right? It just sounds so far out. Right?

Well 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.

Sounds like brainwashing to me.

Mike leans forward and pulls down Jessica’s index cards she’s reading. He stares into her eyes.

They gave me my sentence and I saw the ritual. Hell, I was there and saw someone else’s sentence handed to them, and then one day I was there. I heard someone say it and then I saw them die. With my own. Two. Eyes.

Mike’s pointing to his eyes in an intense way. Jessica isn’t convinced. She rolls her eyes and goes back to her notes.

Oh yea, what was their sentence

Mike leans back and replies with great satisfaction.

Here comes the bus.

Jessica looks up, deadpan.

So he got hit by a bus?

Do you believe me now?

Jessica shoots mike a derisive look and goes back to reading her papers. Roy the audio guy finishes wiring up Mike and retreats back to behind the camera. He gives a thumbs up to ‘us’ - Miguel - behind the camera.

We’re all set.

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 I do... 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? Don’t you wanna know what it is?

An almost silent ‘whisper’ rings through the room. Jessica looks around before replying.

Well yes. I guess I am curious to know what it is--

My Death Sentence was the best thing that ever happened to me. Up til then I was so afraid of death. Fixated on it. 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 own death sentence. It was only then I realized that death was 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 Jessica.

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

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.

Jessica grunts in frustration and uncrumples the piece of paper. Tyler leans over to comfort Mike, puts a hand on his shoulder.

Hey sorry about that buddy.

Mike smiles, almost relieved.

Oh. Oh my god...Is it actually 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 smiling mouth. Tyler and Jessica have been SPLATTERED with it.

Mike’s BODY FLOPS onto the floor.

(to herself)

Oh sorry ab-- OH GOD.

Jessica 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”

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

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

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 in earnest, 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.

Jessica, 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 a teleprompter or something? -- The insurance? Oh fuck. They’re gonna fucking MURDER ME--

She pulls the weed 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 Jessica and the rest of the crew with a scolding look. An old lady loudly bursts into tears at this.

Jessica looks up, directly at the camera.

Miguel, dude, turn that thing off.

Yea sorry.

The camera switches 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. His new responsibilities included running errands like getting lunch and coffee, and never, ever, coming back onto a live set ever again.

A set PA walks into the background and lights several decorative candles as in walks a rather nervous woman (DIANE, 50’s Elegant). As soon as she sits the Audio Engineer begins his task of applying the microphone to her.

Just 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.

She grips a rosary tightly in one hand and performs the sign of the cross, kissing the rosary.

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

Jessica, going through her index cards again in preparation for the interview, shoots a look at Roy.

Oh lighten up Jessica. It’s not like it’ll kill ya.

Diane grips her beads tightly.

What's all this about?

Nothing.

Jessica straightens herself in her chair

(announcing)

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

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

POV’s up.

Miguel walks off frame. We can see from Jessica’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. A small whisper rings in the room.

Just please, my life is in your hands.

Jessica 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 turned out I was gravely mistaken.

UNFREEZE.

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

Tyler! What the fuck man! It’s not even close to lunchtime--

Okay, I got one turkey wrap with no mayo?

Diane sucks air and belts out:

OH GOD NO!

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

Oh Shit!

We see from Jessica’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.

WHY DID YOU SAY IT?! AHHHHHHHH!

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, who’s running around the set knocking things down.

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. Jessica 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 guess Las Palabr--

Jessica puts her finger over Tyler’s mouth.

Shhhhhhh-ut the fuck up.

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. However this reporter was still skeptical. So far there was no mystical or magical nature to things, just a single, bumbling, deadly, moron.

We’re in Miguel’s POV. Jessica frustratedly paces around on the phone, almost shouting. She looks over and requests the vape pen from Miguel with a gesture, he hands it to her and she puffs it before continuing on.

Yes Bradley, yes! 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?

Jessica covers the mouthpiece of the phone.

What the FUCK is going on Miguel?

She’s back on the phone now.

F-- Fire me?! You fucking wouldn’t dare... The WORDS I’m putting on air? Yes - I am aware of -- An insurance liability? Bradley you know that would totally ruin me.

She pulls the vape and tries to calm herself, is instantly triggered.

You can’t!.. Cancelled?.. YOU should know who he is you’re the producer! -- Come on Bradley, don’t be like--

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

He fucking hung up on me. That prick!

She fumes and throws the vape on the ground. ‘We’ bend down to pick it up, turning around to run after Jessica, who is racing off into a news van.

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’ get into the van too, just in time for it to SQUEAL off.

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

Hey, Jessica. Hold up.

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

Are you okay?

This whole thing is just a bunch of stupid coincidences and I’m going to SERIOUSLY fuck that dumbass motherfucker. I don’t give a single monkey fried fuck if he’s someone’s nephew or NOT.

She slams her hand on a nearby trashcan. Clattering it. We swap to Jessica’s POV, seeing MIGUEL in earnest for the first time. He’s a short and balding man with a cherubic and kind face.

Just calm down.

Jessica lunges at him and he lets out a small shriek.

Don’t you tell me to fucking calm down. Dont you EVER tell ANY woman to calm down. EVER! I swear to got all these incompetent ass testosterone monkey fuckass men don’t do SHIT.

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 Jessica by the arm throwing them into the bushes.

Hey? Is somebody there?

(hushed)

Don’t you touch me.

(hushed)

Don’t you wanna see what’s going on? Investigative journalism, right?

She huffs, but relents.

(muttering)

Must be the Goddamn Santa Ana Winds.

He turns and goes back into his apartment as we follow him, sneaking towards the apartment window with Jessica 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 living room, only wearing underwear. He takes a big toke out of his bong.

In from the other room comes the two women from the opening BTS footage of the Las Palabras cults - the scions of “la oracion”! They’re in satin pajamas, giggling to each other as they play ‘pull my finger’ together.

(whispering)

Those are the girls from the cult footage! La Oracion or whatever.

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 topless and blood covered, look at Tyler’s and approach him.

Uh.. Hey.

I’m Suerte.

I’m Oro.

What’s your name?

They grab him and the scene freezes.

Tyler was part of Las Palabras.

Back to the present.

Jessica 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!

Suerte and Oro are wrapped around Tyler sexily, who is now wearing nothing but his underwear.

Uhh. Hey Guys.

(muttering)

Fuck! Miguel. Don’t you dare cut.

Jessica 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 Jessica 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.

Tyler who’s this? Are they joining us in bed?

I was hoping it was going to be the three of us again tonight.

It’s all right ladies, this wont take long.

The steel grated door slams shut behind them with an ominous THUD.

The interior of Tyler’s apartment is decorated in a generic Mexican/Aztec garb and decor. Very ‘Latin pride’ even though Tyler is whiter than mayonnaise.

Tyler retreats into back room as Oro and Suerte make margaritas with a loud blender at a bar in one corner.

There’s a side bar cart that’s covered in lit candles around a carved scull on top of a large stone. There’s various various carved Anima statuettes next to bottles of Jack Daniels.

Jessica, looks around, then looks at the camera directly.

Please tell me you’re getting all this bullshit Miguel. It’s like a fucking Spencer’s gifts in here.

Miguel nods and the camera shakes

Please! Have a seat Jessica.

Whip pan to see Tyler, now with a farcical attempt at Aztec ceremonial dress on, still in underpants.

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

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

But you should keep standing. You’ll wanna get a good shot of this.

Uhh. Sure dude.

We see this mostly from Jessica’s POV now as the two hot scions of the cult step forward again, topless, with mason jars full of BLOOD in their hands.

Tyler.. Are you working with the cult? Do you believe in Las Palabras? And... Why do the women have to be topless?

Oh We just dont want--

--to get blood on our clothes.

They shrug in unison.

It’s practical.

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

What do you think ladies?

The two women sniff and grind onto Miguel like two horny squirrels.

This one?

Shall know?

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

He looks over a Jessica, hoping she’s impressed.

We shall become the conduits.

To hold within us--

The voice of death--

Then they both take a huge swig from their jars, blood pouring down their chests and their eyes light up with a red glow! Tyler cackles.

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

WHISPERS begin to form in the background as a mist seems to creep into the room. Tyler’s attention snaps over to Jessica and he drops a stunned Miguel to the floor with a thump

Yea, YEAH. Why you? Why NOT you?

He points at Jessica - ‘us’ and kneels down in front of us, crawling towards us on all fours. Clearly unmasked insanity now.

You don’t believe do you. But.. You want to know I think. Right? You want to feel the sweet release from all that anxiety and the warm bloody comfort of knowing the ending. Huh? Always one to skip to the last chapter and read ahead weren’t you Jessy?

He chuckles and stands up languidly, making out with the blood soaked women.

So. What do you say? Don’t you want to know Jess jess? It’s beautiful. So pleasurable. So pure. It almost makes me sad mine will soon be erased. To complete three sentences is to lose your own, you know. As soon as you have yours, it’s just a matter of saying it to you I’m sure.

Tyler points to Jessica and the two scions creep towards her.

We hold within

The life of death

LA SENTANCIA DE LA MUERTE.

And they clamber over to her, straddling her on both sides.

Do you wish to know--

How it will end?

Jessica hesitates, closes her eyes, and then relents.

I.. I want to know.

They cup their bloodied faces against her ear and whisper as Tyler digs his hands into his pants, playing with himself.

Jessica’s eyes GLOW as the two women whisper to her it. She instinctively takes out marker and writes it down on the back of one of her index cards.

TYLER CACKLES!

Close to the side table Miguel has edged himself away and over to the skull. He reaches up and grabs a bloody strip of paper off it, reads it aloud.

.. Sphynx of black quartz --

Tyler freezes mid hands in pants.

--Wait, STOP! DONT.

Judge my vow!

Suddenly from the side table... A Black Quartz Sphinx starts to GLOW and HOVER!

Shit.

The sphinx rises in the air and LASERS shoot out of it and SLICE TYLER INTO RIBBONS! He flops onto the floor like gory DELI MEAT.

It was his SENTENCE! I KNEW IT!

The room Devolves into chaos as the sphynx lasers everything. We’re in Jessica’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 Miguel rushing to the window only to be LASERED through his eyes and shatter through it, slumping over it.

FREEZE FRAME.

TITLE CARD - DEATH SENTENCE.

We’re sitting behind a silhouetted editor, putting the finishing touches on a final export of the investigative report on ‘death sentence’. Someone comes up from behind and sits a cup of coffee down in front of our editor.

It’s JESSICA! She’s looking over the exports with the EDITOR (50’s greying with grace).

Welp. Not sure I still quite believe it, but it’s all there. Just like you requested.

Thanks. I owe you one.

She turns to leave.

Are you sure we should air this? Do you need to run it by Bradley?

I don’t need to know what he’ll say.

She strolls out.

Jessica breaks through the stage doors and clacks out on the pavement to the studio wall for her vape break. She settles in between ORO and SUERTE, who hand her a vape pen. She pulls the pen, sighing.

It’s done. It’s out there finally.

Jessica puts the vape pen back into her pocket and drags out something else. A bloody index card, which she grasps in her hands, unwavering.