FADE IN:
EXT. INSIDE A BARN - NIGHT



A lantern light shines on ELIZABETH and JOEL as they start
to exit the barn. Their shadows cast upon the house that is
completely dark.


















ELIZABETH
Whoa, stand still!



















JOEL
Why? What is it?



















ELIZABETH
As the light on the dashboard ran
along the bushes at the
roadside-it was a man's face. Did
you see it, you must have?



















JOEL
I didn't see anyone. You're sure-














ELIZABETH interjects


















ELIZABETH
I'm most positive it was!



















JOEL

(Joking)
You're eyes must be playing.
There's not enough light to see
but fifteen paces in front of you.



















ELIZABETH
I know what I have seen and it was
a man's face! I have to have a
look, Joel. I must! Before I enter
the house.














ELIZABETH begins to walk out of the barn. She grabs the
lantern and heads to where she had seen the face as JOEL
follows.


















ELIZABETH
It won't help to leave such a
thing like it unsettled. Even by
having the doors locked and
curtains drawn will make little
difference.



















JOEL
Oh, come off it, Elizabeth.














JOEL grabs for ELIZABETH'S arm, but she shakes away while
continuing to walk toward the bushes where she had seen the
"face."


















ELIZABETH
I will not! What if I happen to be
right, Joel? What if it has been
someone all the time-I have always
felt uneasy whenever we return
from such a long absence.



















JOEL
Elizabeth, calm yourself, it's
possible it's just someone
passing.



















ELIZABETH
Do you forget where we are? You
speak as if it were a commonly
traveled road, Joel. And at such an
hour for him to be traveling on
foot!



















JOEL
It's just dark. And did he look-














ELIZABETH again interjects


















ELIZABETH
He looked much like any man, but I
won't rest until I know for sure.














ELIZABETH quickens her pace and JOEL jogs behind to keep up.


















JOEL
Elizabeth, please give me lantern
and let's reside in the house
there's no need for this. And to
know what for sure?



















ELIZABETH
No, Joel! Please, you are not to
come, go back to the house and
wait for my return. The time's
come to face this and make it
right. He wouldn't dare-














A sound like a stone being kicked across the road emerges
from the place ELIZABETH saw the man's face. They both look
in the direction.


















ELIZABETH
He comes closer, Joel please go,
please I beg of you!



















JOEL
No I am staying with you-though
you can't make me believe it's
truly him.



















ELIZABETH
It could be someone else he has
sent to watch us. This is my
business Joel, not yours.



















JOEL
Then we shall face him as one, I
will not leave you alone to fend
for yourself.














JOEL grabs ELIZABETH by her arms and tries to persuade her
from further investigation.


















ELIZABETH
Let me go! I will only have brief
conversation with him I promise.














JOEL and ELIZABETH cross to the edge of the grass where it
meets the road and bushes.


















ELIZABETH
Who's there?














They both stand waiting for a response in the dim light of
the lantern, which there is no response.


















JOEL

(persisting)
See, there is no one. Now please
let us go inside.



















ELIZABETH
What do you want?














A voice emerges from a man named WILLIAM, startling
ELIZABETH making her almost let go of the lantern.


















WILLIAM
Nothing.














ELIZABETH reaches for Joel.


















ELIZABETH
What are you doing walking around
at this hour? By this house?



















WILLIAM
Nothing.














WILLIAM pauses but breaks silence moments after.


















WILLIAM
Apologies, I did not mean to
frighten you.














WILLIAM begins to move closer to the lantern, to reveal his
face. His broad figure emerges from the dark as his blonde
hair shines in the lantern light. ELIZABETH feels
un-easy and begins to push herself in front of JOEL as
WILLIAM moves closer.




















WILLIAM
My name is William and I am here
with my son, Thomas.














WILLIAM brings THOMAS around from his back and the light
from the lantern emits both of their faces.


















WILLIAM
A thief would not dare have his
family with him.



















JOEL
What is a child doing at this time
of night?



















WILLIAM
We are out for a walk. Every child
should have but at least one
late night walk memory. My father
did the same with me; I am just
passing the memory along.














THOMAS nudges WILLIAMS side and WILLIAM drops to one knee to
tend to his son.


















JOEL
Well then you'd better try and find
somewhere to walk-














WILLIAM cuts in, rising from his knee.


















WILLIAM
The highway actually. I thought
we'd stop down at Dean's for the
fortnight.














ELIZABETH smirks at WILLIAM’S response, in which he returns a
glare.


















ELIZABETH
Curious...



















WILLIAM
Why is that?



















ELIZABETH
It's quite peculiar why a father
and a son would travel without any
change of clothes or bags to carry
them in, let alone for 14 days.



















WILLIAM

(Instinctively)
We left our sacks at Dean's. Light
travelers we are.














ELIZABETHS hand starts to shake along with the lantern as
she realizes that WILLIAM and THOMAS mean no trouble. She
starts to rock back on her heels away from WILLIAM and
THOMAS as their faces go in and out of the lantern light.


















ELIZABETH

(hushed)
But if that is all, Joel, you
realize that we must be extra
cautious. Look how easy it was for
them to walk upon such a lonely
place like this one.














ELIZABETHS hand starts to shake more, her voice trembling as
she continues to speak.


















ELIZABETH

(panicked)
Joel? Joel!














The lantern falls to the ground and glass breaks upon its
impact. ELIZABETHS body lies upon the ground, sweat breaking
on her forehead, the blood draining from her face. The light
from the lantern flickers a few times and then finally
dissipates.















FADE OUT.



CHARACTERS:
Elizabeth-Natalie Portman
Joel-Cam Gigandet
William-Daniel Craig
Thomas-A boy



















BIBLIOGRAPHY

Frost, Robert. The Poetry of Robert Frost. Edited by Edward Connery Lathem. NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1969.