<< OUTSIDE - UNIV. OF MARYLAND CAMPUS - SOUTH CAMPUS -- NIGHT >>

Taneisha walks alone down a dimly lit walkway between dorm buildings. As the wind blows, she clutches her jacket and large bag of hair products close to her chest.

There's a soft scraping noise coming from somewhere behind her. She turns around to look, but there's nothing there. No one is around in any direction. She walks faster.

She hears the noise again and cuts across a quad looking over her shoulders cautiously as she goes.

She walks up another path between buildings and as she walks looking over her shoulder, she bumps into someone in front of her. Startled, she jolts on the spot, but exhales relieved when she sees who it is.

TANEISHA

“Oh, shoot. You scared me. I was just going to-”

But her words are cut short as a look of shock takes over her face.

TANEISHA

“What are you doing?!”

Taneisha backs away, then drops her bag and runs at top speed screaming bravely.

TANEISHA

“No!!!”

She jets down a small street and through a parking lot. She runs towards a chapel with a tall steeple and no lights on. Heavy footfalls and scratchy breathing sounds get closer behind her.

She reaches the chapel door and grabs the door knob, jerking it desperately, kicking, and knocking loudly, shouting.

TANEISHA

“Hello?!  Hello?!”

Instantly, the stalker's shadow hovers over her and light reflects off of a large metal object, which slashes through the air slicing a large diagonal gash into Taneisha's back.

Taneisha cries out in pain as her wound bleeds through the slashed clothes.  Unparalleled terror washes over her face. Her voice breaks with fear.

TANEISHA

“Help!  Help!  Help!...”

She runs away from the chapel and down the empty street. The shadow stalks mere yards behind her.

Taneisha turns the corner and sees light on in a building ahead.

A professor with a briefcase under his arm comes out the front door of the building and turns to lock it behind himself.

Seeing the man ahead, Taneisha, cries out.

TANEISHA

“Help!  Hel-”

  As the man turns to look for the sound, the shadow tackles Taneisha to the ground, pins her down, and grips her around the throat.

The man at the door peers into the darkness, but does not see Taneisha below the slope of the grass in the absence of light.

She hits and kicks the stalker wildly, but the shadow grips her tightly, reducing her calls for help to breathy whispers.

A tear rolls down out of the corner of her eye. 

Straining to tilt her head back, she can see the man illuminated in the porch light just yards ahead walk towards his car.

The man takes another glance around, then gets into his car.

The shadow lifts one hand high into the air. 

Light from the car tail lights reveals the sharp metal hot comb in the stalker's hand as it swings down violently stabbing Taneisha in the stomach again, and again, and again!

Taneisha's howls of pain are drowned out by the sound of the man's car as it rumbles and drives away.

Tears streaming down her face, holding her stomach, as the blood pours through her fingers, Taneisha kicks the stalker with all her might.

She manages to break free and stagger into a run.

<< INSIDE - CENTREVILLE HALL - 4TH FLOOR HALLWAY -- NIGHT >>

Covered in blood, staggering, gripping her stomach, Taneisha stumbles down the hallway toward Erika's door.

She shields her eyes from the bright light at the far end of the hallway and slumps against Erika's door knocking faintly, pale faced and exsanguinated.

<<  INSIDE - KELLY AND ERIKA'S DORM ROOM -- NIGHT >>

Erika, asleep atop her bed covers, still fully dressed in her work uniform, startles awake by the knocks on the door. She looks at the clock, which reads "10:35", and rushes to open the door.

As Erika swings the door open, a limp Taneisha falls into her arms.

ERIKA

“Oh my God! Taneisha! What happened to you?!”

Erika lifts Taneisha and sets her into The Chair where she slumps to one side weakly, still clutching her bleeding stomach.     

Her eyes droop, as she slurs barely coherent words.

TANEISHA

“...The light is so bright in your hallway Erika…”

Erika's face goes ashen with fear.

ERIKA

“You're gonna be ok Taneisha, you're gonna be alright…”

She grabs her cell phone from the bedside table.

ERIKA

“We're gonna call... we're gonna call…”

Erika freezes. Looking confused, all emotion leaves her face. Blinking blankly, she sets the phone down on the bed, and speaks in a robotic monotone.

ERIKA

“Everything's going to be just fine Taneisha.”

Eyes glazed and stiff, Erika picks up a styling smock and wistfully whips it into the air and drapes it over Taneisha.

But as the smock comes down gently onto Taneisha, Taneisha disappears, absorbed into The Chair like a memory, and the smock falls gently, eerily onto a now empty chair.

Erika stares at the wall, fixed like a statue, still holding the edges of the smock.