Strangers, The: Chapter 3 (2026)

[bunniefuu]

(SOUNDS OF SILENCE

BY SHELBY CARTER PLAYING)

Hello, darkness,

my old friend

I've come

to talk with you again

Because

a vision softly creeping

Left its seeds

while I was sleeping

And the vision

That was planted

in my brain

Still remains

Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams,

I walked alone

Narrow streets

of cobblestone

'Neath the halo

of a street lamp

I turned my collar

to the cold and damp

When my eyes were stabbed

(CONTINUES PLAYING ON RADIO)

By the flash

Of a neon light

That split the night

Hello?

Of silence

(SIGHS)

And in the naked light

I saw

(DINGS)

Ten thousand people,

maybe more

People talking

without speaking

People hearing without...

(RADIO TUNES OUT)

(DOOR CREAKS SOFTLY)

Can I help you?

Hey, uh, I'd like a room

for the night, please.

Sure.

(KEYBOARD CLACKING)

That'll be $119 per night,

plus a $75 deposit.

(KEY CLACKS)

Uh, do you know the best way

to get to downtown Venus

from here?

(CHUCKLES) Sure do.

-Born and raised there.

-(CHUCKLES)

It's not really a downtown.

We only have, like,

486 people,

so it's like a street.

Uh, take a right

and then a left

and you'll run right into it.

It's like seven miles

down the road.

Thanks.

Sign.

-Thank you.

-Mm-hmm.

You're number 24.

(KEYS CLINK)

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

And thanks for your help.

-(DOOR OPENS)

-See you soon.

(GAME SHOW HOST SPEAKING

INDISTINCTLY ON TV)

(CHUCKLES)

(CHUCKLES)

(EVENLY SPACED KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Uh, I already got the robe.

Thank you.

GIRL: Is Tamara here?

No, you have the wrong room.

(DOG BARKING)

(HOST CONTINUES SPEAKING

INDISTINCTLY ON TV)

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

GIRL: Is Tamara here?

(MOBILE BUTTON CLICKS)

(DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE)

(SIGHS)

(CLICKS)

(EXHALES)

(SIGHS)

(SCREAMS)

(GASPS)

(BREATH TREMBLING)

(BREATH TREMBLING)

Please.

(TREMBLING)

Don't hurt me.

(GASPS)

(WHIMPERING)

(GASPING SOFTLY)

(CRYING SOFTLY)

(SNIFFLES)

What did I do?

Why did you take me?

(SOFTLY) Because you're here.

What? What? (CRYING)

-(SQUELCHING)

-(SCREAMS)

(COUGHS)

(FLESH SQUELCHING)

(COUGHS)

(GROANING)

(WHIMPERING)

(GROANING)

(ENGINE IDLING)

(SLASHING)

(THUDS)

(PICKUP DOOR CREAKS AND CLOSES)

(GASPS)

(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)

(BIRD COOS)

(MUSIC NOTE PLAYS)

GREGORY:

You're still alive, huh?

This is the only way out.

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

A b*llet.

Relax.

Nobody has a mask here.

(EXHALES)

GREGORY: To the dead.

(GLASS THUDS SOFTLY)

Sit down.

It's for him.

His name was Ryan.

(SNIFFLES)

They k*lled your friends?

Yeah.

But I'll make new ones.

How long were you together?

Since the beginning.

Since we were kids.

Did you come here

to pray for her?

Do you really think

He'd listen to me?

Did you pray...

for Ryan?

You k*lled her.

I didn't mean to.

Yeah, you did.

I guess we're even.

What now?

Get the hell out of here.

Why do you think

God let Cain k*ll Abel?

I don't know.

Yeah, I don't know either.

Maybe He just wanted to watch.

(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

MAN: (OVER RADIO)

Sheriff, come in.

Go ahead, Tommy.

TOMMY: Uh, Maya's sister

Debbie called.

She sent an ambulance

to the lake house for Maya.

And it's disappeared.

Disappeared?

Ambulance company has

lost contact.

Driver ain't responding.

Sister's on her way

from Portland.

She's gonna be in Venus

by morning.

Go to the lake house.

See if the EMT is there.

Copy that.

Out.

Maya.

We've been looking

all over for you.

You look like

you've been through hell.

I know where they are.

Where are they?

Get me out of here

and I'll tell you.

Where do you want to go?

Wherever my sister is.

Your sister's on her way here

from Portland.

(POLICE RADIO CHIRPS)

Okay.

Take me to her,

um...

and let me use your phone.

I never get any service

out here.

(CHUCKLES)

Okay.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER ON RADIO)

(INHALE, EXHALES DEEPLY)

(CHUCKLES)

God, sorry. Um...

Do you have a first aid kit?

My hand really hurts.

(MAYA WINCES AND GROANS SOFTLY)

Yeah. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Yeah, I got one in the back.

(MAYA GRUNTS IN PAIN)

TOMMY: (OVER RADIO)

Uh, Sheriff,

I'm en route to the lake house,

and it looks like we have

a 1249, multiple homicides.

Still no sign of the girl.

How would you like us

to proceed?

-Over.

-(RADIO CHIRPS)

-(HORN BLARING)

-(GASPS)

(GROANS SOFTLY)

(GROANS SOFTLY)

-(SEATBELT LATCH CLICKS)

-(GRUNTS)

No, no, no!

(SCREAMS)

No, no, no! No.

No, no, no, no!

(MAYA GRUNTING)

(GRUNTING)

(ENGINE REVVING)

(MAYA'S BREATH TREMBLING)

(PICKUP BED CLANKING)

(PHONE CHIMES)

JUDGE: Typically...

due to your son's young age,

the state would prefer

to attempt rehabilitation

through the parents,

along with regular counseling

and measured progress updates.

However,

due to the heinous

and cruelly brutal nature

of these acts,

he should be incarcerated.

Sheriff Rotter, please rise.

I have given this

great consideration,

but due, in no small part,

to your impeccable record

in law enforcement,

this court

has decided to allow you

to retain custody of your son.

(WOMAN GASPS) What?

JUDGE: But one infraction

and I will order incarceration

until at least 18 years of age.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I mean it, young man.

What happened, boy?

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(MAN SCREAMS AND GRUNTS)

(GROANING)

(BOTH GRUNTING)

(BOTH CONTINUE GRUNTING)

That's your first one.

You made a real mess here.

I prayed

this would never happen again.

Somehow I knew it would.

I'll fix it.

No more townsfolk,

you understand?

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

SHERIFF: Come on,

let's clean this up.

(CART RUMBLING AND CREAKING)

(RAPID SQUELCHING)

(BREATH TREMBLING)

(THUDS)

(AMONG MY SOUVENIRS PERFORMED

BY CONNIE FRANCIS PLAYING)

There's nothing left

For me

Of days that used to be

They're just a memory...

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

Among my souvenirs...

You found the girl?

Not yet, Carol. We will.

(DOOR OPENS)

MAN: Excuse me, everyone.

My name is Howard Granick,

and this is a picture

of my sister-in-law, Maya.

As I'm sure you're aware,

her boyfriend was m*rder*d here

a few days ago.

And now she's missing too.

Does anyone have any information

about where my sister is?

Anything at all?

I met your sister.

She seemed like a good person.

She doesn't deserve

any of what happened to her.

(WHISPERING) What is she doing?

Anyone else?

Hey, Annie.

Hi.

I got the sense

you had more to say,

but you didn't want to do it

back there.

It's just us now.

I just feel bad

that it's happening again.

But nobody talks about that.

What are you saying?

People have gone

missing here before?

Mm-hmm.

But not people from here.

I should get back.

Wait. No, no, hold on.

Look, how many others?

And what happened to them?

Sorry,

I really don't know anymore.

Come on, Annie.

This is my sister.

Please,

help me.

The sheriff,

he knows everything

that happens here.

He'll know where she is.

(MACHINE BUZZING)

(BUZZING)

(CONTINUES BUZZING)

Not too close, Marcus.

TOMMY: Found these three

at the lake house.

Nurse Danica,

her girlfriend,

and her roommate, Wayne.

Found the EMT van overturned

about three miles down

the main road.

No Maya,

no EMT driver...

and no Gregory.

(INHALES AND EXHALES DEEPLY)

I'm gonna call in

the state police.

You know, I always had

a hard time with this

and I've been with you

a long time, but...

these are our own.

They've never k*lled

our own before.

There was never supposed

to be anyone from Venus.

That's the deal I made.

If only that f*cking girl had

just died,

none of this would

have happened.

What?

(TOOL RATTLING)

(TOOL CONTINUES RATTLING)

(DRAWER THUDS)

(TOOL RATTLING)

Sorry, Tommy.

(DOOR OPENS)

(GASPS)

(SIGHS)

Don't f*cking touch me!

Don't f*cking touch me!

(MAYA'S BREATH TREMBLING)

(MAYA GRUNTS)

(EXHALES)

(BREATH TREMBLING)

MAYA: Get off of me!

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

(MASK THUDS)

Is that her?

We don't know that.

-Uh-uh.

-(TRUNK DOOR OPENS)

It looks too big.

He's leaving.

-Marcus...

-(SUV ENGINE STARTS)

...please don't lose him.

MARCUS: I won't.

(CAR ENGINE IDLING)

(MAYA GRUNTS)

(GROANS)

(CAR DOOR CLOSES)

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

What about them?

Too big.

Too old.

I'm hungry.

Want anything?

(COLD HARD b*tch BY JEPLAYING OVER P.A.)

Pretty girl,

what are you doing?

-Getting something to eat.

-(PLASTIC CRINKLING)

(CHUCKLES) Sounds good.

You want any help

picking something?

No.

Maybe I could help you

with something else then.

Oh, yeah. Like what?

Pretty good with my hands.

So am I.

WOMAN: What are you doing?

Oh. Hey, baby. Uh...

We were just talking.

I wasn't doing nothing.

You said you'd never

do this to me again.

(VOICE SHAKING) You promised.

Um, I'm not doing

anything, okay?

If you're gonna be paranoid,

just go wait outside.

Babe, hey. Babe.

Wait. She came up to me.

You're such a f*cking liar.

I'm not lying. Okay?

Let's just go back to the motel.

Okay?

I have a surprise for you.

I saw them inside.

He's a d*ck.

MAN: Come on.

I like them.

Let's go.

Okay.

Is... Tamara here?

Is Tamara here?

(DOORKNOB CLICKS)

(THUDS)

He promised

he'd never do it again.

(PLASTIC CRINKLES)

You hungry?

(ENGINE IDLING)

(ENGINE TURNS OFF)

(COUPLE LAUGHING)

(BREATH TREMBLING)

(ENGINE STARTS)

(ENGINE IDLING)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(WOMAN LAUGHS)

(MAN LAUGHS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

(MUFFLED DANCE MUSIC PLAYING)

-(MAN LAUGHS)

-(MAYA'S BREATH SHUDDERING)

(MAYA GASPS AND WHIMPERS)

DOLLFACE: Knock three times.

(BREATH TREMBLING)

WOMAN: (LAUGHING) Hello?

DOLLFACE: Is Tamara here?

WOMAN: (CHUCKLES)

There's no Tamara here.

DOLLFACE: (GRUNTS) Again.

(MAYA'S BREATH TREMBLING)

MAN: What?

DOLLFACE: Is Tamara here?

WOMAN: No. I told you.

(MAYA WHIMPERS AND GRUNTS)

(WOMAN GASPS AND SHRIEKS)

(SHRIEKING) No!

MAN: Who the f*ck are you?

-(GROANS)

-(THUDS)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(BREATH TREMBLING)

(WHIMPERS SOFTLY)

(CRYING SOFTLY)

WOMAN: (CRYING) Please don't.

(WHIMPERING) Please.

Please.

Please.

(CRYING)

I'm sorry. I don't know.

What did we do?

What did we do? What did we do?

I don't know.

MAYA: Huh?

(MAYA GASPS)

(WOMAN CONTINUES SOBBING)

(MAYA WHIMPERS SOFTLY)

(SOFT RASPING)

(WOMAN WHIMPERS)

Please, please, please don't...

(MAYA GASPS)

(BREATH TREMBLING)

k*ll one.

(WOMAN SOBBING)

(MAYA GRUNTS)

WOMAN: (SOBBING) I'm sorry,

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

(MAYA WHIMPERING)

(WHIMPERS)

No.

(MAYA SHRIEKING)

-(SCARECROW GRUNTS)

-No!

(SOBBING)

Oh, my God!

What did we do? What did we do?

(SHRIEKING) No, no, no!

(SOBBING) No!

-Oh, no, no! Oh, no!

-(SQUELCHING AND CRACKING)

WOMAN: No. No! No! No.

(MUFFLED SLASHING)

(DOLLFACE GRUNTS AND SCREAMS)

(CRYING) No!

-(MAYA GRUNTING)

-(SQUELCHING)

(WOMAN SOBBING)

WOMAN: (CRYING) I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

(WOMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

(SHUSHES)

(WOMAN CONTINUES

SOBBING QUIETLY)

(CRYING)

(CRYING, SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

(MACHETE SCRAPES ACROSS FLOOR)

(WOMAN CONTINUES CRYING)

(WAILING)

(MAYA BREATHING WEAKLY)

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

(SQUELCHING)

(WOMAN GASPING AND GRUNTING)

(WOMAN GASPING AND GRUNTING)

(GASPING)

SCARECROW: Felt good, didn't it?

(MAYA WHIMPERS)

(BREATHING WEAKLY)

(DRIPPING)

(CRAZY ON YOU BY HEART PLAYING)

(MAYA BREATHES WEAKLY)

(MUSIC INTENSIFIES)

We may still have time

We might still get by

Every time I think about it

I wanna cry

With bombs and the devil

And the kids keep coming

No way to breathe easy

No time to be young

But I tell myself

that I'm doing all right

There's nothing left to do

at night

But go crazy on you

Crazy on you

Let me go crazy,

crazy on you

(MUSIC FADES)

(LINE RINGING)

SCARECROW: Yeah.

Her sister's here.

I'm leading her to the sawmill.

-(RADIO CHIRPS)

-(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)

(ENGINE REVS SOFTLY)

HOWARD: Where'd he go?

I don't know.

He must've sped up.

I think we should

keep going this way.

(ENGINE STARTS)

You think he's in there?

No.

His SUV isn't here.

So now what?

It looks abandoned.

(SEATBELT LATCH CLICKS)

We'll make sure it's clear.

You'll stay here

and I'll find him.

You know how to use this?

You'll be safer with this

inside that trailer.

Okay. Clear. Hurry in.

Here.

Lock the door behind me.

Open it only for me.

sh**t through it

for anyone else.

On it.

(DOOR CLOSES)

(SOFT CLATTERING)

(MECHANICAL SQUEAKING)

(CLATTERING

AND SQUEAKING CONTINUE)

(CLATTERING CONTINUES)

(MACHINERY SQUEAKING

AND CLATTERING)

Drop your weapon.

-(g*nsh*t)

-(MARCUS GROANS)

Howard, I'm scared.

Hey, hey.

We're gonna get out

of here, Deb. I promise.

We'll get out when we find Maya.

What the f*ck is happening?

I don't know.

This is

one f*cked-up small town.

(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)

(PICKUP DOOR CLOSES)

(CLANKING)

(DEB SIGHS) I need a Xanax.

-(BANGING)

-DEB: What?

(g*n c*ck)

HOWARD: I've got a g*n!

-(BANGING AND CLATTERING)

-(BOTH GASP)

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

(DEB WHIMPERS)

HOWARD: Where is that?

Where is it?

-(CLANG)

-(METAL SCRAPING)

(SOFT CLATTERING)

(DULL SCRAPING)

-(GLASS SHATTERS)

-(DEB SHRIEKS)

-(HOWARD EXCLAIMS) f*ck!

-(DEB SHRIEKS)

-(THUDS)

-(HOWARD GRUNTS)

(DEB WHIMPERS)

-(g*nshots)

-(DEB EXCLAIMS)

HOWARD: (GASPING)

It's all right.

(DEB CRYING QUIETLY)

-(GLASS SHATTERING)

-HOWARD: Come on.

-This way! This way!

-(DEB GRUNTS)

-(GLASS SHATTERING)

-(g*nshots)

(MURMURS) sh*t, sh*t.

I'll sh**t again!

It's okay, it's okay, it's okay.

It's okay.

It's okay, it's okay.

Oh, f*ck.

(ENGINE STARTS)

-(GEAR CLUNKS)

-(ENGINE REVS)

(ENGINE REVVING)

(BOTH GASP)

-f*ck!

-Oh, sh*t!

-(CRASHING)

-(HOWARD EXCLAIMS)

HOWARD: Debbie.

Are you okay?

-You okay? Are you okay?

-(HOWARD GROANS)

I can't get up. (GROANS)

Howard, we gotta go.

-(HOWARD GROANING)

-(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

(DEB SCREAMS)

-(g*n CLICKS)

-HOWARD: Get away!

-(WHIMPERING) Howard!

-HOWARD: Get away!

-(HOWARD GROANS)

-(SHRIEKS)

-(SCREAMING)

-(SQUELCHING)

(ENGINE IDLING)

(DEB GASPING)

(DEB GRUNTING)

(DEB GRUNTS)

Maya.

(DEB WHIMPERS AND GRUNTS)

(CRIES SOFTLY)

-(SLASHING)

-(DEB SHRIEKS)

(PICKUP TAILGATE OPENS)

(BODY THUDS)

(PICKUP DOOR OPENS)

(SUV DOOR OPENS)

(THUDS)

(SUV DOOR CLOSES)

(BREATH TREMBLING)

(BRAKES SQUEAK)

(ENGINE IDLING)

(INTENSE MUSIC PLAYS)

MAN: (ON RADIO) Though sinners

may try and hide

their corruption

under honeyed words,

Lord Jesus sees

these servants of the pit

for the evil that lurks

within their wicked heart.

Because no matter how far down

you bury your sin,

it don't stay buried

with the worms of guilt.

It won't rest

until the Lord plunges you

into that all-consuming pit

-called Hell.

-(SOFT SQUELCHING)

PREACHER: (ON RADIO)

And best believe...

(g*n c*ck)

PREACHER: ...hell is

hungry for you.

-(g*n RELOADING)

-(SHELL CLINKING)

PREACHER: ...raise you

high enough

where the Devil

can't reach you.

Now, together, let's exalt him.

Please join our choir

in singing...

(CHOIR SINGING ON RADIO)

(WATER DRIPPING)

(METAL SCRAPING)

(METAL SCRAPING)

SCARECROW: There's only pain

in you now.

There's nothing

in me now.

I freed you.

Take off your mask.

I want to see you.

All these years,

you're the only one

that survived.

She was pure.

My only light in the darkness.

It's quiet in the dark.

Serene.

I came here to k*ll you.

So do it.

Everything I've ever

cared about is gone.

You took it from me.

You're all that's left.

(SOFT RASP)

It's empty.

(NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN

BY THE MOODY BLUES PLAYING)

Nights in white satin...

(SNIFFS)

Letters I've written...

(SNIFFS)

Beauty I'd always missed

With these eyes before

Just what the truth is

I can't say anymore

'Cause I love you

Yes, I love you

Oh, how I love you

Gazing at people

Some hand in hand

Just what I'm going through

They can't understand

Some try to tell me

Thoughts they cannot defend

Just what you want to be

You will be in the end

And I love you

Yes, I love you...

(SLASHES)

Oh, how I love you

Oh, how I love you

(GREGORY GROANS)

(GREGORY GROANS SOFTLY)

(AXE SCRAPING)

Nights in white satin

Never reaching the end...

We're the same now.

Never meaning to send

Beauty I've always missed

With these eyes before

Maybe.

Just what the truth is

I can't say anymore

'Cause I love you

Yes, I love you

Oh, how I love you

Oh, how I love you

(OMINOUS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

PLAYING)

(MUSIC STOPS)

(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

(OMINOUS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

PLAYING)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)