Read Online Crampton by Thomas Ligotti, Brandon Trenz - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Thomas Ligotti, Brandon Trenz
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WOMAN (O.S.)
(in a British accent)
Excuse me, could we take your picture?
Brady and Helen are a little startled--they didn't know there was anyone else in the lobby. Standing across the room from the agents is the OLD COUPLE from the diner.
HELEN
I'm sorry?
TOURIST WOMAN
We, my husband and I, are on a photographic excursion. We'd like to take your picture--you and your husband.
BRADY
We're not married.
TOURIST MAN
(also in a British accent)
But you make such a lovely couple. So natural together.
TOURIST WOMAN
May we take your picture? We're on a photographic excursion, you see. My husband and I.
TOURIST MAN
It would go so nicely in our collection. You make such a lovely couple.
HELEN
I'm not sure that's--
Too late--the woman's camera FLASHES, an explosion of white light. Brady and Helen blink in the glare. By the time they've gotten their vision back the tourist couple is gone, the door slowly closing.
The MANAGER appears from a back room. He's wearing a drab suit with a drab tie. He speaks in quiet, sonorous tones, like an undertaker speaking to the bereaved.
MANAGER
Good evening. How can I help you?
HELEN
We'd like two rooms please.
MANAGER
Certainly. Would you like them adjoining?
Helen looks at Brady, who is fiddling with the gumball machine, trying to get a gumball without paying.
HELEN
That won't be necessary.
MANAGER
All right. Have you stayed with us before?
BRADY
Sweeten...
Helen looks toward Brady. He's holding up a leaflet, an advertisement for the magic show. There's a stack of them on a small table near the entrance.
MANAGER
Ah, yes. Our little magic show. You don't want to miss that. It's the only show in town ... so to speak.
(Flipping open a large ledger book)
Would you please sign here? I'll get your keys.
The manager disappears through a curtain into a back room. Helen takes the pen that is chained to the counter and starts to write in the ledger, then stops.
HELEN
Wells, come look at this.
Brady steps over to the counter.
CU LEDGER - the pages are stained and wrinkled, like someone once spilled water on them. Many of the signatures of past visitors are blurred or smudged to the point of illegibility. The names we can read are all suspiciously anonymous--lots of Smiths, Joneses, and Johnsons.
HELEN
Seems a little odd, don't you think?
BRADY
I'm too tired to tell anymore. Can we just get checked in?
The manager returns. He hands them each a room key.
MANAGER
If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask me. I'm always at the disposal of my guests.
EXT. OASIS MOTEL
Brady and Helen, tired as hell, trudge up the stairs to their second-floor rooms. They reach their doors--numbers 207 and 208.
BRADY
This is my stop.
HELEN
Yep.
BRADY
I should warn you, I like to have the t.v. on at night. It helps me sleep. I'll try to keep the volume down.
HELEN
That's okay--if it's too loud, I'll just come over there and kick your ass.
They unlock and open their doors. The rooms are like mirror images of each other--a sagging bed, an old t.v., a small nightstand supporting a crooked lamp and a clock.
They step into their respective rooms.
INT. BRADY'S MOTEL ROOM
Brady dumps his overnight bag on the bed and turns on the television.
INT. HELEN'S MOTEL ROOM
Helen surveys the room, not looking too happy. She switches the television's ON-OPF switch to ON. Nothing. She snaps it back and forth a few times. No deal.
CUT TO:
INT. BRADY'S MOTEL ROOM - LATER
Brady is lounging on the bed watching television. Through the thin wall, the RING of Helen's phone can be heard. Brady doesn't seem to notice.
INT. HELEN'S MOTEL ROOM
From the amount of steam in the room and the sound of RUNNING WATER, it looks like Helen is finally taking that shower.
The phone is still RINGING. It's an ancient princess model with a ring like a fire alarm. After five or six RINGS there is a MUFFLED CURSE from inside the bathroom. The WATER STOPS.
INT. BRADY'S MOTEL ROOM
Brady flipping
(in a British accent)
Excuse me, could we take your picture?
Brady and Helen are a little startled--they didn't know there was anyone else in the lobby. Standing across the room from the agents is the OLD COUPLE from the diner.
HELEN
I'm sorry?
TOURIST WOMAN
We, my husband and I, are on a photographic excursion. We'd like to take your picture--you and your husband.
BRADY
We're not married.
TOURIST MAN
(also in a British accent)
But you make such a lovely couple. So natural together.
TOURIST WOMAN
May we take your picture? We're on a photographic excursion, you see. My husband and I.
TOURIST MAN
It would go so nicely in our collection. You make such a lovely couple.
HELEN
I'm not sure that's--
Too late--the woman's camera FLASHES, an explosion of white light. Brady and Helen blink in the glare. By the time they've gotten their vision back the tourist couple is gone, the door slowly closing.
The MANAGER appears from a back room. He's wearing a drab suit with a drab tie. He speaks in quiet, sonorous tones, like an undertaker speaking to the bereaved.
MANAGER
Good evening. How can I help you?
HELEN
We'd like two rooms please.
MANAGER
Certainly. Would you like them adjoining?
Helen looks at Brady, who is fiddling with the gumball machine, trying to get a gumball without paying.
HELEN
That won't be necessary.
MANAGER
All right. Have you stayed with us before?
BRADY
Sweeten...
Helen looks toward Brady. He's holding up a leaflet, an advertisement for the magic show. There's a stack of them on a small table near the entrance.
MANAGER
Ah, yes. Our little magic show. You don't want to miss that. It's the only show in town ... so to speak.
(Flipping open a large ledger book)
Would you please sign here? I'll get your keys.
The manager disappears through a curtain into a back room. Helen takes the pen that is chained to the counter and starts to write in the ledger, then stops.
HELEN
Wells, come look at this.
Brady steps over to the counter.
CU LEDGER - the pages are stained and wrinkled, like someone once spilled water on them. Many of the signatures of past visitors are blurred or smudged to the point of illegibility. The names we can read are all suspiciously anonymous--lots of Smiths, Joneses, and Johnsons.
HELEN
Seems a little odd, don't you think?
BRADY
I'm too tired to tell anymore. Can we just get checked in?
The manager returns. He hands them each a room key.
MANAGER
If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask me. I'm always at the disposal of my guests.
EXT. OASIS MOTEL
Brady and Helen, tired as hell, trudge up the stairs to their second-floor rooms. They reach their doors--numbers 207 and 208.
BRADY
This is my stop.
HELEN
Yep.
BRADY
I should warn you, I like to have the t.v. on at night. It helps me sleep. I'll try to keep the volume down.
HELEN
That's okay--if it's too loud, I'll just come over there and kick your ass.
They unlock and open their doors. The rooms are like mirror images of each other--a sagging bed, an old t.v., a small nightstand supporting a crooked lamp and a clock.
They step into their respective rooms.
INT. BRADY'S MOTEL ROOM
Brady dumps his overnight bag on the bed and turns on the television.
INT. HELEN'S MOTEL ROOM
Helen surveys the room, not looking too happy. She switches the television's ON-OPF switch to ON. Nothing. She snaps it back and forth a few times. No deal.
CUT TO:
INT. BRADY'S MOTEL ROOM - LATER
Brady is lounging on the bed watching television. Through the thin wall, the RING of Helen's phone can be heard. Brady doesn't seem to notice.
INT. HELEN'S MOTEL ROOM
From the amount of steam in the room and the sound of RUNNING WATER, it looks like Helen is finally taking that shower.
The phone is still RINGING. It's an ancient princess model with a ring like a fire alarm. After five or six RINGS there is a MUFFLED CURSE from inside the bathroom. The WATER STOPS.
INT. BRADY'S MOTEL ROOM
Brady flipping
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