BESPREN NI RENREN

DIEM JUDILLA Email Mobile djudilla@yahoo.com 0917.549.8576 0932.456.6038

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EXT. GARDEN-YARD, HOUSE AFTERNOON. THE CAMERA IS A CREATURE, small and stealthy, that slinks on the ground behind the dense foliage within the confines of a welltended garden, complete with lawn furniture. ON THIS ANGLE The lawn is littered with toys. RENREN, an energetic 7-year old schoolboy, comes, dumps his schoolbag on the ground, quickly engages in imaginary games with his toys. WOMAN (OS) Renren, dong! Saan ka? Mag snacks muna RENREN Yaya, nandito ako-! Renren continues to play while YAYA, a sisterly 20-year old, arrives carrying A TRAY of small sandwiches and orange juice. YAYA Renren, kain muna tayo. RENREN Mamaya muna, yaya. YAYA Sige, iwan ko dito ha. Tapos pag alas kuwatro traynta, bibihis tayo at gagawin natin ang homework mo, bago mag-hapunan. The boy nods absent-mindedly. Yaya places the food-tray on the small table, picks up, eats a sandwich and heads back inside. RENREN Kailangan mag ingat tayo, nararamdaman ko malapit ang Dilim... mga Aninong Sundalo! Laban, mga kaibigan! Ren continues playing, saving imaginary friends from dangers, slaying invisible enemies. RENREN Sige, sugod! Tumatakbo na sila! Ingat! Lumabas ka rin, Haring Dilim! Ayaaah! He fights an epic battle but his imaginary foe takes him by surprise. His toy sword gets flung close to the hedge.

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He dramatizes hes blasted to his near-doom, but his weapon lies within his reach. Acting wounded, Renren reaches for his sword and stops. His eyes mark something within the foliage, something more extraordinary than his imaginary game. Its something real, its watching him with interest. RENREN (smiles) Hello ano ka? LIKE A CRITTER, THE CAMERA slinks back and moves to hide but the child follows with interest, making soothing sounds. RENREN Hintay muna, saan ka? Hindi kita saksaktan. (looks with wonder) WOW. The boy beams with an idea and heads to the table to return back with a sandwich in his hand. He offers the sandwich in friendship. Seeing that his offer is being resisted, he places the food on the grass and crawls back and waits. THE SANDWICH is being viewed. SOMETHING moves closer to it slowly, sniffs it and then it pulled and eaten off-screen. The boy Renren watches, mouth open in awe. He gets up and returns with more of the sandwiches and places these on the safe spot, taking some steps back. The food is inspected then summarily devoured. As the food is devoured, Renren reaches a hand over carefully, as if hes been itching to touch. A SMALL GROWL holds Renrens hand back but the boy is bolder than his small stature. He changes tactic and offers his palm slowly. SOMETHING slinks back into the foliage but Renren pursues, laying out his open palm, his innocent face brims with hopeful expectation. SOMETHING creeps out cautiously, to the outstretched fingers of Renren. They touch. The boy is tickled. Confident, Renren rubs something. A COOING PURR (OS) rises in the air. RENREN Gusto mo iyan? Good boy ka no, yah good boy. Gusto mo maging pren ko? Prens tayo. Bespren tawag ko sa iyo. The boy smiles a toothy grin then laughs. A high-note screech (OS). IT lunges at the boys grinning face.

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INT. CARPORT, HOUSE NIGHT. A CAR rolls to a stop, its bright headlights turned off. Getting out is MARIO, a 30-year old manager. He stops and stretches out his weary limbs before heading to the house. INT. HOUSE NIGHT. As Mario enters the house, he is approached by his wife, SYLVIA a mother younger than her years, whose pretty face frowns with concern. SYLVIA Hon, mabuti nandito ka...ah, kamusta ang araw mo? Mario frowns a bad face. MARIO Anong nangyari? Sylvia shrugs, smiling but under the stern gaze of her suspiscious husband, she crumbles. SYLVIA Eh kasi si Renren... DINING ROOM. Husband and wife move towards the dining table where Yaya is placing warmed dishes on the tabletop. YAYA Magandang gabi po, Kuya. Kain na po kayo habang mainit pa. Mario acknowledges Yaya. He takes his usual seat. MARIO Anong ginawa naman ng bata? Sylvia and Yaya share a look. Sylia leans on a chair for support. SYLVIA Meron dinala si Renren sa bahay... INT. HOUSE AFTERNOON. Attired for work, Sylvia enters through the front door. She checks the days mail laid near at a table close to the door. Bills, bills, oh a honeymoon postcard from sister... SYLVIA (calls out) Renren, Yaya... (no answer) Renren? FLASHBACK TO:

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Yaya hurries to her, worry lines creases the househelps face. YAYA Ate, mabuti nandito na kayo, si Renren SYLVIA Ano Yaya, anung nangyari kay Renren? RENREN (OS) Mommy... Mommy...! The delighted boy comes, holding SOMETHING SIZEABLE in his hands. RENREN Mama, meron akong bagong pren. Alaga ko siya ha? (raises IT) Sylvias eyes are wide with surprise and confusion. A LOUD BURP (OS) blows hot air that stings her eyes and offends her nose. Shes torn between staring at IT or averting her eyes. FLASH CUT TO: INT. DINING ROOM, HOUSE NIGHT. Mario spoons some food on his plate, half-listening to his wifes account of what happened earlier. SYLVIA Sa tingin ko, pusa iyun dala, kuting. She turns to Yaya for corroboration but the other woman just looks confused and inclined to disagree. YAYA Parang hindi kuting iyon ate... tuta iyon dala ni Renren. SYLVIA Yaya, malaki ang mga mata, pang pusa ang mata. YAYA Oo Ate, pero mataas ang panga po, paano maging pusa iyon? (wrings hands) Baka daga iyon ate, kasi ang laki ng paa. MARIO Daga?! Saan nakadampot ng salot iyun bata... Yaya...!

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The woman cringes. YAYA Kuya, diretso po kami sa bahay galing paaralan. Dumiretso po si Renren sa hardin. Naghahanda po ako para hapunan sa kusina... FLASHBACK TO: INT. KITCHEN, HOUSE AFTERNOON. At the kitchen sink, Yaya washes the vegetables for tonights dinner when the kitchen door opens and Renren comes, all excited and giggling, cradling something in his arms. RENREN Yaya, yaya, meron akong nakita sa hardin! Bespren kami! Holding a wet tomato, Yaya looks down and is stunned with shock. IT eyes the tomato in the womans hand. Reaches for it. Yaya shrieks, pulls her hand away. A CHOMP (OS) then SCARLET PULP sprays Yayas face, blinding her. RENREN Bespren huwag mo kagatin si Yaya! Maliligo ako kasama ni Bespren. The boy leaves. Yaya could only stare, pulp on face. YAYA FLASH CUT TO: INT. DINING ROOM, HOUSE NIGHT. The women wait as Mario deliberately chews his food and swallows. He looks very displeased. MARIO Saan iyun bata? YAYA Nasa kuwarto po niya, ginagawa niya ang iyang homework.

Renren...!

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Mario gets up from his half-finished meal. SYLVIA (pleads) Mario, pakiusap, huwag kang magalit... maliit pa Mario raises a finger, silencing his wife. MARIO Sylvia, panahon na matututo ang bata ng disiplina, hindi siya mag harihari dito sa pamamahay ko. Mashado kayong konsentidor. At puwede ba, tawagan niyo siya sa pangalan binigay ni Dad, EFREN...! He leaves the stunned women. INT. RENRENS BEDROOM, HOUSE NIGHT. IT lies within the shadowy confines underneath the bed and watches the boy Renren lies on his stomach writing on his workbook for his days assignments. The door opens, Mario strides in, closing the door behind him. His shiny, hardtip shoes stop by his sons bowed head. Reluctantly, Renren looks up. RENREN Hi, Papa. MARIO Efren, sabi ng mama at yaya mo meron kang dinala mula sa hardin. Renren gives an involuntary start, glances at IT under the bed, shakes his head in silence. MARIO Efren, ayaw ko sa nagsisinualing. Saan na iyon? Renren looks to IT, then moves toward his bed. RENREN Huwag kang magalit Papa, malinis po si Bespren. Niligo ko po siya. Irritated, the man moves the boy and checks under the bed.

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When he sees IT, his eyes grow large with shock and confusion which turns to revulsion and hate. IT gives off a reptilian hiss(OS). Mario recoils. MARIO Anong dinala mo sa bahay ko?! (curses) Lintik-yawa. Mario searches around, finds an aluminum bat, a toy of the boys. Forcefully, he jabs the bat at IT. IT hisses and squeals(OS), an infernal symphony of cries(OS). Renren tries to stop his father from attacking IT. The boy jumps the man, wrapping his small arms around the mans throat. Surprised, Mario rises, the boy clings to him tightly. RENREN Papa, plis! Plis po, huwag niyo saktan siya. Bespren ko siya! Red-faced with fury, Mario pulls his son easily from his back and overthrows the small body onto the bed. He raises the bat and nearly jabs it at the boys crying face. MARIO Peste ka! Kailan ka ba titino? He grabs the boy by chin, with the raised bat pressed against the boy as a threat. MARIO Kailangan kang tamaan para tumiwid ang ulo mo. Huwag kang umiyak Efren! Kalalaki mong... A LOUD GROWL (OS)grabs Marios attention. Something pulls Marios feet from under the bed, making the man fall on his back in painful shock. Something drags Mario under the bed. Mario screams! Renrens bed suddenly becomes alive like a young wild horse, jumping, shaking with explosive tremors. Renren has to cling on to dear life as a STORM of DEMONIC GROWLS, PAINFUL SHRIEKS, MESSY BONE-CRACKS (OS) rages under his bed. Then the storm, as well as the bed subsides, just as Sylvia and Yaya come inside, their faces made pale by fear. They find the boy crying, hugging his pillow tightly, cowering at the corner of his bed.

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The women look around. There isnt a trace of Mario anywhere in the boys bedroom. SYLVIA Mario? Mario...? Renren looks haunted. He knows. SYLVIA Ren-- si Pa...? AN UGLY SOUND (OS) interrupts her, the gross retching of a large cat gagging on and coughing up a hairball. A LOUD RETCH bursts out from under the bed, almost raising it, startling everyone. A SMALL BLACK OBJECT flies out from under the bed and lands by Sylvias feet. Sylvia stares down, completely rapt. She reaches down and lifts it up. IT IS MARIOS SHOE, slick and wet. She turns it over and out pours, from its inner sole, A THICK MIX OF BLOOD AND SPIT. As a puddle of crimson forms on the floor, some of the liquid flows back to the darkness under the bed as if heading to its source. WITHIN THIS SEEMINGLY ABYSS-LIKE DARKNESS, A PAIR OF LARGE, FELINE-LIKE EYES GLOW with a malevolent light. The silence within is filled with A SATISFIED PURR-SNEER(OS). FADE TO BLACK. FADE UP MUSIC. FADE UP TITLE: BESPREN NI RENREN ROLL CREDITS.