James B Brandt

(WGA-WEST Registration #1624861)

 

Logline:  HAZELTON wants revenge... and the crime chain stops at the White House, outside Hazelton's reach. MERETSEGER, an Egyptian Goddess, wants to eliminate people She sees as a threat to order. But when the kill list includes 16-year-old AMBER, even a Goddess's help may not be enough.

 

Synopsis:  The story opens with HAZELTON (~35) hunting JENNIFER, a young co-ed, through the woods of Northern Arizona. He herds her into a trap using bow and arrows. That is when Jenny learns his motives are more sinister than just rape.

 

How sinister is revealed when Hazelton delivers Jenny's still beating heart to SAHARA, an exotic dancer who performs with a large Boa named MERETSEGER, the Egyptian Goddess of death and mercy... and snakes. Hazelton seeks revenge against the men who conspired to steal the family's property; a conspiracy killed his parent and that includes businessmen, a senator, and the President's Chief of Staff. These are people beyond his reach, so he agrees to kill those that the Goddess has determined are a threat to the natural order. While they appear to be ordinary people, something about them, their future actions, or their progeny, will result in Chaos and the Goddess wants them removed from the equation. An exchange: the death of a chaos source in exchange for the death of a high profile target on Hazelton's list. All he has to do is bring Meretseger the still beating heart of the prey she sends his way.

 

Jenny's heart is payment for the death of SENATOR MONROE ARNOLD. But Hazelton is impatient. He wants to reach the Chief of Staff and several others more quickly than just one a month. Meretseger is obliging. She wants one heart for each of the next four on Hazelton's list, but the one for the Chief of Staff must be the heart of a virgin. Hazelton is not to worry: the goddess will point him toward the victims. And a few days later, Hazelton meets up with AARON, LINDSEY, RICKY, ASHLEY, and the whiny AMBER, a 16-year-old eager to unburden herself of the weight of virginity.

 

The group fall into a trap set by Hazelton on a lonely back-mountain road. He strands them and tricks them into staying with their RV as he releases them off one-by-one for his hunting game. But Ashley, who is the most athletic of the group, fails to escape. They remainder plan an ambush for Hazelton that leaves Ricky dead, Aaron with a fractured skull, and with Lindsey forced into being the next prey.

 

Not taking chances, Hazelton ties Amber and Aaron before setting off after Lindsey. While Hazelton is occupied with Lindsey, Aaron regains conscious and Amber manages to free their bonds. They race to the woods, avoiding the camp where Hazelton is storing Lindsey's still-living heart in a box right next to Ashley's still-beating heart, already in the box. The Goddess gives Hazelton a sign and he hurries back to the RV to discover Amber and Aaron missing. The final chase begins.

 

Hazelton catches the pair and subdues Aaron and ties him to a tree. Before leaving he hits Aaron again on the head... a blow that - unknown to Hazelton - leads to Aaron's death. Hazelton catches Amber but she manages to wound him and escapes again. The chase leads through the woods until Amber manages to trip Hazelton right at the edge of a cliff... and he goes over but not before he tosses the knife and strikes Amber in the side.

 

But is Hazelton's death the end of the game? Not for Meretseger. She just needs to be patient. Before long, a mousy accountant, SWINSON, comes to her for help... and the culling continues.