Six US Forestry Service investigators are called to inspect a new logging operation in Eastern Oregon. The thirty-five-thousand-acre plot in question was owned by a mysterious private family for over two hundred years until recently, when the last family member passed away and it was purchased by a large timber conglomerate.
Once the logging operations begin, one of the managers goes missing and mysterious deadly accidents begin to plague the site. Because of these deaths, most of the employees quit, leaving only the forestry officers, three managers, and five mess hall employees.
A search of the Red Forest quickly results in the discovery that these deadly "accidents" are murders, after one person is shot and another is killed by a bear trap.
The search becomes a man hunt when a clue leads them to realize the killer is the missing logging manager.
The forestry officers decide to head back for reinforcements, but their trucks have been sabotaged, stranding them in the Red Forest. Things become frantic when one of their own is fed into a wood chipper while still alive.
They finally catch up with the missing logging manager and he acts possessed. He speaks with a demonic voice and says he is a host for a sentient population of ancient microbes trapped in a sealed underground cistern.
His goal?
Infect humanity and take over the world before humanity kills him.
The possessed logger escapes. He continues hunting and killing people in horrible ways then feeds the bodies into a wood chipper to scare the survivors.
It works.
After all but three of them are dead, a major chase scene erupts and they manage to catch and kill the possessed logger. They think the mission is complete and let their guard down,
But the entity possesses one of the remaining forestry officers and a last-minute rescue mission develops.
After a fiery dirt bike chase through the forest with lots of gunfire, they poison the well, kill the entity inside it and release the forestry officer from possession.
Of course there is a loose end, providing a sequel opportunity.
Semifinalist in InkTip's Pitch to Page Screenwriting Contest 2023