An optimistic widow invites special guests to an unusual
gathering spot, but will everyone attend?

Link to Google Doc Version

FADE IN:

INT. HOTEL ROOM IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN – NIGHT

A weathered man, SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE, is asleep in a
small hotel room. He lies fully clothed on his back,
snoring, the tips of his mustache moving every time he
breathes. An alarm clock sits on the table near the window.
The time it displays is 7:29pm.

An obnoxiously loud noise pierces through the snoring,
startling Conan Doyle from his slumber.

CONAN DOYLE
What in the…who’s th…oh.

Conan Doyle throws a shoe at the alarm clock, hoping it will
stop screaming at him. He misses his target and lazily
climbs out of bed.

INT. TAXI CAB – NIGHT

Conan Doyle is holding a newspaper clipping and reading it
silently by streetlight and moonlight. His eyes move across
the words, reading:

“Harry Houdini, world famous as a magician, died at 8:07pm
on the 31st of October, 1926, after a week’s struggle for
life, in which he underwent two opera-

The TAXI DRIVER yells at Conan Doyle, interrupting his
reading.

TAXI DRIVER
Hey Mister! What’d you say the
address was on St. Aubin Street?

CONAN DOYLE
Oh, uh, let me check my itinerary,
my good man.

Conan Doyle ruffles through unorganized papers in a
briefcase. After several minutes of searching, he finds the
address but has difficulty making out his own handwriting.

CONAN DOYLE
Let me see here. Could you drop me
off at 11…1103 please?

Upon hearing the address, the Taxi Driver gives Doyle a
strange look.

TAXI DRIVER
You sure that’s the right address?

Conan Doyle puts on his reading glasses and checks again, to
make sure his aging eyes have not failed him.

CONAN DOYLE
Yes, 1103 is the correct address.

TAXI DRIVER
Whatever you say, Mister.

EXT. STREET OUTSIDE 1103 ST. AUBIN – NIGHT

Conan Doyle looks back at the taxi as it drives off,
wondering why the driver questioned him about the address.
Upon reading the sign above the doorway, he realizes why.

CONAN DOYLE
Dietrich Funeral Services? What has
Bess gotten me into?

On cue, BESS HOUDINI emerges from the large doorway, wearing
a long flowing gown. She is holding a candle in one hand and
a book in the other. While she is not a young woman, she is
not as old and worn out as Conan Doyle.

BESS
Arthur! I was beginning to worry
about you. How wonderful of you to
attend on such short notice. I
apologize, but it was of the utmost
importance that you be present.
Won’t you come in?

CONAN DOYLE
Despite my reluctance, I certainly
can not stay here in the street.
Would you be so kind as to help an
old man up the stairs?

INT. DIETRICH FUNERAL SERVICES – NIGHT

CONAN DOYLE
Can I be so bold as to ask why on
earth we’re in a funeral home on
the night of Halloween?

Before Bess can answer his question, DR. WILLIAM STONE, the
family physician, enters the foyer and greets Conan Doyle.

DR. STONE
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle! What a
pleasure to meet you. I am a great
fan of your work. I could only hope
to be as astute an observer as that
Sherlock Holmes!

BESS
Arthur, this is the man who kept my
Harry safe and healthy for so many
years. Meet Dr. Stone.

The two men exchange pleasantries as Bess ushers them into
the next room. There is a round table in the center of the
room, surrounded by three seats and holding a large brass
candelabra. There are candles lit all around the room.

CONAN DOYLE
Is this what I think it is, Bess?

BESS
Knowing your mind, Arthur, this is
very probably what you think it is.

DR. STONE
Oh, she did not tell you why you
were invited here tonight, Mr.
Conan Doyle?

BESS
I have brought you both here
tonight in the hopes that we can
contact Harry. I’ve been reading
about séances and I’m hopeful Harry
will communicate.

CONAN DOYLE
Why have you only asked the Doctor
and I to attend?
Bess looks down at the book in her trembling hand. It is
thick and the pages are worn.

BESS
I wanted to have a trinity
representing mind, body and soul.
Though you had your differences of
opinion, your creative influence
stimulated his mind. Dr. Stone
cared for his body, and I
invigorated Harry’s soul. Or at
least I would like to think so.

Arthur remains silent as he touches Bess on the arm. He
gives her a tender look of sympathy.

DR. STONE
That’s very kind of you to say,
Bess. It is true that we all
nurtured a different part of
Harry’s being.

CONAN DOYLE
I know this must be very difficult
for you, Bess. I must know, though,
why are we in this funeral home? I
see the artistic merit of the
setting, but -

BESS
I’m sorry I waited this long to
tell you, Arthur. There is
something you must know. Harry
didn’t die in the hospital from
peritonitis.
Bess struggles to continue. Her skin becomes pale and her
voice trembles.

BESS
He died while attempting a stunt in
this very funeral home. He called
it The Casket of Death.

CONAN DOYLE
Oh my! That IS ironic, is it not?

DR. STONE
You could not have written it
better yourself, I suspect.

CONAN DOYLE
Harry is far and away the most
curious and intriguing character
whom I have ever encountered.
Though our friendship disintegrated
due to our disagreements pertaining
to spiritualism, I am thankful you
requested my presence.

BESS
I know how you feel about such
things, and thought that your being
here may incite some action on
Harry’s part.

Conan Doyle turns his back to his two companions, and begins
to pace. He wrings his hands as he walks back and forth.

BESS
Arthur, it’s 8 o’clock. I would
like to begin now, in case Harry
wants to contact us at his time of
death.

CONAN DOYLE
So, that much is true? At least it
was not ALL lies.

DR. STONE
I can confirm that, Sir Conan
Doyle. I was present that night,
though I sometimes can not believe
it really happened.

CONAN DOYLE
Bess, if anyone can escape the
restraints of death, it is most
certainly Harry Houdini. Despite
his insistence that supernatural
phenomena were fraudulent, I
suspect his desire to escape the
ties that now bind him will
overcome.

BESS
I certainly hope you are correct,
Arthur.

INT. SIR CONAN DOYLE’S HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT
The ticking of a clock can be heard. Every second, another
tick. The room is then filled with the clamor of the clock’s
clanging bells. Though nobody is there to hear it, the sound
beckons the awakening. The time is 8:07pm.

In the midst of a flu epidemic, three men seek refuge from
the chaos. In the process, they face their own humanity and
mortality.

FADE IN:

EXT. STREET – NIGHT

Three men, COOLIDGE, BROWN and BIGELOW, are wandering in the
streets in search of shelter and food. Brown is being
carried along by the other two men. All around them, the
city is in the throes of an influenza epidemic. A shortage
of the vaccine, along with overwhelmed medical facilities,
has led to widespread sickness, violence, desperation and
death.

BIGELOW
We have to get him into a safe
place so he can rest. He’s really
not doing well.

COOLIDGE
You don’t think I know that? Geez,
look at the guy! Not that we’re
doing so hot either.
Yelling can be heard nearby, and distant explosions/gunfire
signal that the city has become an outright war zone.
Coolidge is on edge and begins to fall apart.

COOLIDGE
This is just nuts, man. I can’t
believe this is happening! If it
was 2012, maybe I’d accept it but
we’re a whole year away from that
and…

Bigelow interrupts Coolidge’s conspiratorial ramblings.

BIGELOW
Listen, man, you need to get a
grip. Right now we have to get
inside and away from all the
crazies out here. Lord knows I
don’t wanna get shot at again.

Brown is in and out of consciousness. During a moment of
lucidity he chimes into the discussion.

BROWN
Where are we? I’m cold. I…I wanna
lay down.

BIGELOW
Hang in there, buddy, we’re trying
to find a place.

The nearest building is a veterinarian’s office. The window
has bars in it but the front door does not.

COOLIDGE
Hey, check it out. What about in
there? Looks easy enough to break
into.

BIGELOW
Finally, Coolidge. A useful idea.
Help me get him over there, would
ya?

INT. VETERINARIAN’S OFFICE – NIGHT
The office is small and appears to have been abandoned in
haste, as there are loose papers and trash strewn about.

COOLIDGE
Man, do I need a smoke! Food would
be nice but I think a cigarette
would be even better.

BIGELOW
Really? You’re surrounded by death
and sickness and you wanna suck on
a cancer stick?

BROWN
Water? Is there water?

BIGELOW
Coolidge, can you look around for
some water? I’m gonna help Brown
lay down somewhere comfortable.

COOLIDGE
Yeah, I’ll check this place out.
Coolidge walks into the next room, in search of something to
drink. In the process he realizes where they are.

COOLIDGE
Hey Bigelow! This is a vet’s
office. Maybe there’s medication we
can use!

BIGELOW (O.S)
Anything we find is gonna be for
animals, you dumb ass!

COOLIDGE
Have you seen what’s going on out
there? We’re ALL animals now!

Coolidge mutters to himself as he ignores whatever Bigelow
is saying to him.

COOLIDGE (CONT’D)
I warned you our treatment of
animals would kick us in the ass.
That’s how this damn swine flu
started.

Coolidge keeps looking around for water, but finds something
more interesting.

He talks to himself, as he makes his discovery.

COOLIDGE
Holy shit! What’s this?
Holding a vial in his trembling hand, he reads the letters
printed on its label.

COOLIDGE
H1N1…no way! What the hell are
the odds of -

Bigelow has come into the room to see what Coolidge is
muttering about.

BIGELOW
Are you talking to yourself
in here? What’s that?

COOLIDGE
Jesus! You scared the hell
outta me.

COOLIDGE (CONT’D)
It just says H1N1 on it. It could
be a vaccine, but what if it’s the
virus?

BIGELOW
Why would a vet’s office have the
virus? Lemme see it.

Coolidge pulls the vial away from Bigelow.

COOLIDGE
What happened to everything in here
being for animals, huh? And maybe
this place was testing the virus on
animals.

Bigelow has had just about enough of Coolidge’s paranoia.

BIGELOW
You listen to me, you freak! Our
friend is out there dying right
now. If this can help him then we
have to try it. Nobody’s coming to
help us.

COOLIDGE
If it’s the virus, then it’ll kill
him for sure. We should test it on
ourselves since we’re healthier.

BIGELOW
Oh what the hell is the use? It’s
probably for dogs. Wouldn’t work on
us anyway! Dammit!

Bigelow kicks a chair over, in frustration.

COOLIDGE
We’re not that different from dogs,
Bigelow. Haven’t you seen those
paintings of dogs playing poker?

Unexpectedly, Bigelow chuckles after hearing this statement.
He calms down and lightens up a little.

BIGELOW
Those things always creeped me out.
Seriously, dogs sitting upright
with cards in their paws. Drinking
alcohol.

Bigelow realizes how thirsty he is, and how long it has been
since life had any sense of normality.

BIGELOW (CONT’D)
Oh what I wouldn’t give for an ice
cold beer.

COOLIDGE
Do what you want with this stuff.
I’m gonna keep looking around.

Coolidge sets the vial down. Bigelow sits on the floor, with
his head in his hands. Coolidge goes to another room.

COOLIDGE
Where the hell is the light in
here?

The only light in the room is from street lamps outside,
which luckily are quite bright.

COOLIDGE
Is that…no way! Haha! A carton of
cigarettes? I can die a happy man
now.

The carton is open, with packs of cigarettes spread across a
table. Three chairs surround the table, and there are
playing cards scattered about. One seat has the majority of
cigarette packs.

COOLIDGE
Wow, someone was cleaning up!
Smokes are as good as money to me.
What do we have here?

Coolidge looks at the cards that sit in front of the
winner’s chair.

COOLIDGE
A pair of deuces? Haha. Unreal.

Coolidge calls back to Bigelow in the other room, as he
walks back in that direction.

COOLIDGE
Hey Bigelow, you’re not gonna
believe this. I found a whole
carton of cigarettes. They were
being used as poker money, and the
winning hand was this crazy …

Coolidge enters Bigelow’s room, to find him passed out on
the floor, covered in sweat. He doesn’t appear to be
breathing.

COOLIDGE (CONT’D)
… bold bluff.

Next to Bigelow’s body is the H1N1 vial. It’s empty, and a
needle lays on the floor nearby.

FADE OUT

THE END