Synopsis/Details
It is late when Mr. Hobson, a funeral director, welcomes Mr. Weems to his parlor. The odd man is carrying a bag with him and tells Hobson he wants to arrange a funeral for his uncle Gustav. Hobson becomes confused when Weems informs him that he wants a cheaper casket, no flowers, and that there will be no mourners. When Hobson asks where the body is, he is told that it should be right along.
At that time, Hobson sees smoke and warns Weems that there is a fire. Weems assures him that there is no fire. It is merely Gustav coming to visit. Gustav appears from the mist. He is an elderly vampire who has grown lonely from his immortality. He longs to feed from his nephew - his only living relative - and has been following him around for some time, waiting for the right moment to pounce. Weems, weary of constantly being on guard for his life, produces a mallet and stake from his bag. After a struggle, he drives the stake through Gustav's heart.
Weems pleads with Hobson for help, which the funeral director unwisely provides - putting the body in a coffin. Weems tells Hobson just how Gustav should be buried to prevent his return. He tells Hobson that he is now implicated in the "murder," having been caught on the security cameras. Hobson realizes that his visitor is right. Weems leaves, happy that Gustav's money - with Uncle finally truly dead - will come his way. He warms Hobson to stand guard over the body until sunrise. Gustav, he believes, may find a way around the whole death by a stake in the heart thing.
The ending finds Hobson nervously sitting by Gustav's corpse, growing panicked by his own heartbeat, and praying that Gustav stays dead.
**2026: Quarterfinalist in the Creative Screenwriting Short Screenplay Competition.
