By
Laura Marterere
BEN and MIKE are seen goofing around the stall while girls explore vintage jewellery stall, BABUSKHA that owns the stall admires girls. Across the street stands a mysterious man
spectating them.
EXT. VINTAGE STALL - EARLY MORNING
REBECA
(Brushing her golden locks away and tries to put on the earings) Do you think these earrings are worth it? I would love to get something from here as a souvenir and if I can wear it, even better.
LIV
Oww, those look very unique! You
should definitely get them, they suit your eyes! Ohh and look at these blue little stones! I want to get this vintage camera strap.
Mike and Ben approaching MIKE
Alright girls, can you make up your mind already? We want to get going and explore the rest of the town while the day is young.
BEN
It will be better if we just leave them alone and find something to do around here.
MIKE
You sour puss, it's finally our last summer adventure break, before we all go our separate ways to college. It's going to be weird not seeing all of you in our weekly geeky history
sessions, haha. We came here for the thrill, adventure and diaaamonds!
THE MAN FROM ACROSS THE STREET STARTS TO APPROACH FRIENDS. STARTS TO SMILE AND WAVE.
MYSTERIOUS MAN/IGOR (Friendly)
MIKE
Sorry, we don't want to buy anything from you!
IGOR
(Presenting and selling his services)
I am Igor the guide! I heard that you guys want to explore my lovely village Yakutia! I am a freelance tour guide. Here! This is my business card, all legit! I would be more than happy to show you around, I can take you to the Mir mine! I offer you an amazing
immersive tour! Reasonable prices too! I will be your friend, yes? I know the place like the back of my hand!
Hahaha!
Babushka gives Igor a stink eye BEN
That does sound better than exploring the village blind. Hey, girls! Listen up! We have a cool opportunity to have a personal guide in the village.
Before the girls join the boys, Liv stays a bit behind near the stall and babushka grabs Liv's hand and warns her.
BABUSHKA (Serious)
Be careful, solntse. People go missing after his tours.
(Lighter note)
He takes my clients away, haha! Have fun!
Liv is quite shaken by this sudden mood change and runs after Rebeca.
MIKE
Listen up, we could have this guy - Igor as our guide! It would be very easy to orientate around here and he could show us more cool spots! Most importantly, he will take us to the diamond mine.
3.
LIV (Doubting)
I am not quite sure that I would want a stranger to show us around, also the old lady didn't like him. She said people go missing and then said have fun. Weird.
IGOR (Encouraging)
I am Igor, the guide! Haha, the old baba can't stand that I get her
clients away from her, huh? I know the village very well!
REBECA (Concerned)
Yeah, I am not so sure either. What is the company you work for? How much would it cost?
IGOR
I am a proud freelancer! I have done many tours before. How about you guys pay me after the tour, huh? If you no like, then you don't have to pay. I also have a van, so I can take you to places faster.
Guys start to agree, but Liv has more doubts. LIV
I don't know if this is a good idea. REBECA
(whispers to Liv)
We could use a ride around here and he knows what to show us around here. Don't worry!
BEN
(impatiently)
Listen, Liv, if this is about the money, I can cover you.
LIV
(Gets more annoyed)
This is not about the money, I can pay for it myself. This is about trusting a stranger.
MIKE (Teasing)
The strong independent woman here! Hey, Liv, we are together here, it's going to be fine, we got you.
LIV
Fine, we can do the tour. But it better be worth it!
FRIENDS Alright, let's go!
CUT TO INT. IN IGOR'S VAN - AFTERNOON
The group has gathered cosily in Igors van and they are driving by different landscapes, friends take a lot of
photos, while Igor chats them up about villages history and questions them about their plans. Friends get a bit impatient as the drive gets longer.
IGOR
You know kids, there is a lot of interesting legends about Yakutia...
MIKE
Hey, Igor! Are we closer to the Mir Mine?
IGOR
Yes, yes. You know, Yakut is a corruption of zhaqut which means a 'precious stone', it is meant to be a ruby diamond as I have heard in my days.
BEN
I heard that it takes an hour for a truck to drive down the mine and that in winter it can drop to -55 degrees Celsius down there.
IGOR
Yes, mammoth mine is planned to re-open soon, most of the townspeople used to work there. Ai, it was chaos when they shut it down.
5.
REBECA
(rolls her eyes)
Who cares, smartypants, they will keep destroying the place until it is
sucked out dry. IGOR
We need to make a quick detour to a place, I think you will find very fascinating!
LIV (concerned)
Detour?! I don't think that's a good idea.
The van suddenly stops and Igor steps out. The group has arrived at a massive building that looks abandoned from the outside. Nothing else, except a forest that's nearby. Ben checks his phone for service.
EXT. AT THE ABANDONED RESEARCH FACILITY - LATE AFTERNOON FRIENDS
(whispering)
Where are we? We aren't there yet, are we? What is this place?
IGOR
Friends, we are here! I want you to check this place out! I found it in one of my tours with a group of people I was guiding before.
Friends getting out of the van and gathering in front of the building, while Igor grabs flashlights from the truck.
MIKE
Wow, you guys! Check it out, it looks soo spooky! Hey, Liv, take a snap!
LIV
(Grabs her camera to capture a shot)
Yeah, yeah. Come on, you goofball, strike a pose!
Liv starts to take photos of her friends and small things that are found on the ground near the facility. She notices something that looks like an ID card, but Igor shouts.
IGOR
(handing out flashlights)
Hey, friends! Stay together! We don't want to go missing. We will go quickly in and explore the research facility. It's the part of the tour to Mir Mine.
The group starts to enter the building and exploring the rooms. Igor leads them through the lobby and towards
downstairs. There are old photos on the wall and the group observes them while walking by.
BEN
So what exactly is this place? IGOR
Oh, yes. You see, not everybody could work in the mines. Some people weren't in such great shape to work there and earn money to support their families, so they were looking for other ways. This research facility was kind enough to offer them jobs back then.
LIV
(Looking at the photos on the wall) I can't even imagine how it was back then.
REBECA
I read somewhere that in those times, people even had to queue at the store for like an hour or more to get a banana, can you imagine?
Igor leads the group in a big dark room with different things inside, although it's hard to see at first - bookshelf with old books, newspapers, photos, old canned food and a few old pillows. While the group is exploring things in the room, Igor quickly steps outside and locks the room.
INT. THE WHITE ROOM
The bright light and white room dazzle friends and they all are in panic mode. They just now notice a huge double-sided mirror up the wall. It looks like a quarantine room.
FRIENDS (panicking)
NOOOOOOO! Hello? What is going on here?
7.
MIKE
Let's get out of here, guys help me break down the doors!
REBECA (Panicking)
I can't believe this is happening right now!
They unsuccessfully tried to break down the doors. BEN
Let's try the mirror!
The mirror turned out thicker then they expected and they kept banging on it.
BEN AND MIKE
Igor!! Let us out!! What is the meaning of this? Igor??!
LIV
Oh noo, this is what the old lady was warning me about.
REBECA WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
LIV
She said not to trust the guide and that people go missing. But hey, you guys wanted to have this tour in the first place!
REBECA
I can't believe you, why didn't you say anything before?
LIV
But I did! I did tell you that she doesn't trust him!
MIKE
Ladies! Let's not start fighting between us now.
BEN
Yeah, let's try to clear our heads and think of a way to get out.
circles. Igor turns on the speakers. FRIENDS
What is happening here?! LET US OUT!! IGOR
I'm sorry my friends, but I can't do that for you right now. You have to help me out first, there is no other choice.
BEN
What do you want from us?! IGOR
Help me with my research! I promise I will let you out after the experiment, my friends. I don't wish you any harm!
REBECA
Listen, you creep! We don't want to be part of your crazy fantasy! Let us out now or we are calling the police! Oh my, THE POLICE? GUYS, do we have a service here?
BEN (sights)
No, we are in the middle of nowhere, Rebeca.
Liv starts to have anxiety and she sits down on the floor. Mike tries to comfort her.
MIKE
It's going to be okay, take deep breaths. We will find a way out of this mess.
IGOR
It's harmless, I promise. I will fill the room with gas that makes you not sleep, make my notes and you will be free to go! I need my job back, I must do it and I must prove that my
research works. FRIENDS (screaming) NOOO!
9.
Slowly gas and silence start to fill the room. Friends are sitting down, covering their faces. Ben has thrown out all of the books from the shelf. Rebeca is in shock. Mike and Liv are trying to comfort each other. Nobody heard from Igor after that.
LIV (powerless)
Guys, what are we going to do? BEN
(sights)
I don't know, we just wait.
They all sit in silence. They have been breathing the gas for five days now. None of them has fallen asleep. Paranoia is taking them over and they don't talk to each other anymore. They whisper into build-in microphones near the glass mirror and want to arrange deals about getting out and leave others behind. They all face their own nightmares and they barely ate the canned food. Nine days later all of a sudden
-REBECA
(screaming in shock) AAAAAAAAAAA!!!
LIV (confused) What's going on?!
Rebeca kept screaming for several hours until her vocal cords were torn. She tries to scream but sounds more like a
whisper, she has a blind stare at one point in the room. Nobody else reacts to the incident or moved from their places. Hallucinations take place. Few more days later,
during the night, while Igor had fallen asleep, Ben starts to tare pages from newspapers and books. For a while, he stared at the mirror and then started to cover it with papers and canned food/faeces. Nobody whispered anymore.
INT. RESEARCHERS ROOM
Igor wakes up to the covered mirror. IGOR
What is the meaning of this?! Oh god, it has been ten days, I should
consider letting them out now. What do you think comrade?
BABUSHKA
Whatever you say, boss. I am here to serve and help our country achieve greatness.
IGOR
I know, let me check if they are still alive. Breathing levels seem to fit. No whispering either, maybe they blocked the microphones?
IGOR
(speaking into a microphone) Hello, my friends!
Silence.
IGOR
I am done with my experiment and wish to let you out now if you cooperate! Please step away from the doors and you will be set free.
FRIENDS
(whispering in creepy voices) We no longer wish to be freed.
