FADE IN
EXT. INDIA HOUSE HOSTEL IN NEW ORLEANS, BACK PATIO - NIGHT
TOPHER (24) is slumped over in his wheelchair with a backpack on the back, a wine bottle propped between his scrawny legs.
A beach ball comes flying through the air and bounces off his head.
He pulls himself straight, one eyebrow raised high, smacks his lips and looks around.
FEMALE VOICE
Knock it off, guys. Hey Topher - you OK?
Topher whips the wheelchair around, and pops a wheelie - but ends up losing control and tipping backward. The wine in his lap spills all over his shirt and face.
Laughter (O.S.)
Inside the house, Topher sees the shadows of partiers on the walls, movement and dancing.
LEVI, a short guy with a trendy hair, looks down at him, and winds an unlit cigarette between his fingers. Without turning, he gestures for someone behind him
HIRO, expensive digital camera in front of his face, comes to the window. Levi whispers something in his ear.
Hiro lowers the camera, and gives Levi a playful punch.
Levi makes pistols with his fingers and shoots, "bang, bang" - not at Topher, but at someone nearby.
Hiro turns his camera in the same direction.
EMILY comes to his rescue and and lifts the chair back up.
EMILY
Those guys are jerks when they drink.
TOPHER
Me, on the other hand - I'm an amateur in the drunken asshatery department, but I think I've got a good start.
EMILY
Epic fail, dude. Next time aim the wine spillage in his direction.
She points up at Levi.
TOPHER
What's your name again?
EMILY
Oh? I may have to re-evaluate your amateur standing.
TOPHER
Oh come on. We just met. I would've forgot your name even sober.
EMILY
Well, that's reassuring. Emily.
Levi comes over with a drink in his hand.
LEVI
Topher my man, you seem to have run dry.
TOPHER
I don't think you could call me "dry."
He gestures to the spilled wine.
LEVI
One more. My signature cocktail.
Topher accepts the beverage, takes a sip.
Levi crouches down behind Emily, leans his chin on her head.
LEVI
Now, Em, if you don't get your rest, tomorrow I'm just going to kill you.
EMILY
Ha. Ha.
Topher nods off again.
INT. INDIA HOUSE, DORM ROOM - NIGHT
Topher is passed out, drooling on a pillow.
A scream somewhere in the building awakens him with a start.
TOPHER
Emily?
He sits up, and swings his legs over the side of the bed.
Woozy, he sways a moment. The room is dark. In fact, the whole place seems remarkably dark and quiet.
Another scream.
TOPHER
What the fuck? Hello? People?
His chair is parked at the foot of the bed. He scoots down to it, rummages through the backpack hanging on the back, and pulls out a flashlight.
He flashes it around the dorm room. No one is in any of the other beds. Hiro's camera sits on one of them, pointed at a spot in the middle of the floor, on and recording.
Topher rubs his face to wake up, and pulls his wine-stained shirt away from his body. He climbs into his chair, and wheels over to the camera.
He starts rolling, and then suddenly stops. Something wet and sticky on his hand. Something wet and sticky on the wheel.
He takes a deep breath, and shines the flashlight at his hand. Red. Not wine. Thicker. Visceral. Blood.
He shines the light around the room again. Stops on the camera. Looks in the direction it's pointed.
Face down on the floor, in a pool of dark wetness, is a body.
TOPHER
Oh shit.
He wheels to it, shining the light on it.
It's Hiro. And wet tracks lead back to Topher's bed.
Topher pulls his backpack into his lap, and digs through it. He pulls out his phone, flips it open, and gets a black screen.
TOPHER
No. No. I refuse to accept that.
He tried turning it on, and nothing happens. He throws it across the room.
Levi stands in the shadows at the doorway.
LEVI
Temper, temper.
TOPHER
We've got to call 911.
LEVI
No.
TOPHER
What?
He shines his flashlight on Hiro.
TOPHER
We've got to call 911, man.
Levi shakes his head. Walks away.
LEVI
Hey, man, where's your little girlfriend?
He disappears into the dark hall.
Topher's face drops.
FLASHBACK
Levi making a shooting gesture at someone, just before Emily picked up Topher's chair.
END FLASHBACK
Topher starts toward the hallway, but then pauses, and shines his flashlight around the room, desperately looking for something. He stops, then weighs the flashlight in his hands. It's got some heft. He swings it, then turns it off.
Closing his eyes for a moment, he adjusts to the dark. There is some light coming from outside, so it's not as pitch black as he first thought.
He slowly wheels into the hallway, flashlight in his lap, listening carefully.
HALLWAY
A squeak. The faint silhouette of Levi, who seems to be facing him.
He pushes forward.
Levi steps back.
COMMON ROOMS
They are in the common area now, with a little more light coming in from outside. Christopher stops and looks around.
There are people here - all sitting quietly, as if waiting, like they are waiting for a bus.
One of the party girls from last night sips a mug of coffee.
A guy nods to him.
TOPHER
Where is she? Where's Emily?
PARTY GIRL
It's her turn to die. I'm next.
No one reacts.
Levi continues to back away, leading him. In the dim light, Topher can see that Levi has another camera.
From under the door of one of the private rooms, a bright light shines.
Topher ignores Levi and rushes to it.
He slams the door open, and floodlights blind him for a moment.
PRIVATE ROOM
When they adjust, he sees Emily, gagged and tied to a leg of the bed, struggling. Her wrists are raw. Her clothes are slashed and bloodstained.
She sees Topher, and her eyes widen. She shakes her head no desperately.
Topher rushes in, but can't negotiate the small room.
A camera hangs from the ceiling, spinning, recording Emily's struggle.
Topher throws himself from the chair, and crawls to her.
Levi is behind them, recording them.
Emily looks at Levi, confused, then at Topher.
She reaches up, and pulls the gag out of her mouth.
EMILY
Dude. You ruined my scene.
Levi laughs.
Topher looks confused.
Levi walks over to the dangling camera, and turns it off.
He leans in close to Topher.
LEVI
Cut.
FADE IN
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