The Hearse From Beyond
On Halloween night, a young trick-or-treater is visited by a ghostly wagon driven by a sinister old man.

Do our earliest Halloween memories mold our view of it as we age?

What do you recall about your first evening of “Trick-or-Treat?” Were you thinking candy, candy, candy? Candy corn, Tootsie Rolls, jack-o-lanterns and more?   Or... were you terrified by the ghastly creatures roaming the nightt?

“The Hearse From Beyond” by Jason K. Allen delves deep into those memories and fears; and what makes Halloween an extraordinary experience for one particular man---a now long-distant night that changed his world for his whole life.

EXT. SUBURBS - NIGHT
A lit pumpkin flickers on a porch.

Three kids wearing Halloween masks excitedly approach a house. They ring the doorbell.
When the door opens, they yell: "Trick or treat!"

SUPERIMPOSE: “October 31, 1973”

After receiving their candy, they happily move on to the next house.

Nearby, eight-year-old DANIEL TAYLOR, wearing a Casper the Friendly Ghost mask, wanders across a lawn. He removes his mask, peers into his bag of candy.

MOTHER (O.S.)
(from afar) Daniel? Daniel, it’s time to come in, hon!

He glances toward a house.

DANIEL
Okay, mom!

He looks around the neighborhood. All is quiet. Most everyone has gone inside for the night.
Rummaging through his bag of goodies, he samples some candy.

In the distance, the faint CLICK-CLACK of horseshoes on pavement. Slow, methodical steps.

Daniel looks down the road, but sees nothing. He reaches back into his bag.

The click-clack sound draws closer. Daniel glances up and detects some movement -- a silhouette in the darkness. He steps toward the road to get a better look.

Emerging from the darkness is a horse pulling a wagon. Seated atop the wagon: a shadowy figure wearing a top hat. Daniel watches, curious.

The wagon comes closer, finally pausing in the road -- directly in front of Daniel.

All is deathly quiet. With wide eyes, Daniel studies the wagon and the massive black horse.
Daniel's eyes follow the horse's reins, which lead to pair of pale, slender hands.

The DRIVER -- with his long, grim face and a splash of silver hair peaking out from under his hat -- stares ahead, motionless.

The horse WHINNIES, causing Daniel to jump. Slowly the Driver turns his head in the direction of Daniel. He glares at Daniel with cold, hollow eyes.

Daniel steps backward. Finally he turns and runs for home. Glancing back, he notices the Driver still staring.

Daniel leaps up onto his porch and hurries inside.

What does the dark stranger want? And does he intend to communicate to this child?  

With its rich description and spine-chilling effects, “The Hearse From Beyond” delivers a spooky bag of treats that will satisfy any director craving a short, effective Halloween scare.