The Shadows
A scared woman takes to the City's shadowy alleyways to escape her pursuer, but something lingers in the dark.

The nature of deceit in the animal kingdom has been around for millions of years. Take for example, the Reduviidae – or, as it is better known: ‘The Assassin Bug’. Among other hunting tactics, this clever predator can make itself look like an ant, to attract other ants, which it will then trap and kill. Likewise, if it spots a Spider-web, it will use its legs to tap on the silk thread of the web, to mimic a vibration that tells a spider that they’ve trapped a fly. Alas, when the Spider comes out, dressed in their Sunday Best for supper, they discover that the only thing on the menu, is themselves.

The subverted hunter and hunted story trope is effectively put to use in Mathew Taylor’s clever short screenplay: ‘The Shadows’. He draws us in to the story immediately, by landing the reader in the middle of a chase sequence:

Panicked panting (O.S) draws closer. Two bare and dirt feet SPLASH through the puddle.

They belong to TABI (22), wearing a cocktail dress and a fearful look. She grips a pair of high heels and wallet.

Like an imposing predator, the writer draws the reader in to their story by baiting us at the beginning with what appears to be perilous pursuit of a young, frightened woman, evading the attention of a mysterious antagonist. And as she scrambles deeper and deeper into a menacing maze of foreboding alleyways and dark dead ends, the more likely it is that her dogged assailant will invariably catch-up to her. And have their wicked way. Or, so one would assume. But then the heart-pounding hunt takes a most unlikely turn.

Tabi hits an abandoned pallet, smacking into concrete.

She scrambles back to her feet and reaches a junction -- left of right -- she chooses right, hided behind a large dumpster.

(Her) pursuer reaches the junction and comes to a stop - - Left or Right – he looks right, takes a step – change of mind, he heads left.

Tabi watches him head away, spots and empty CAN on the floor, kicks it. The can rattles across the concrete.

At this moment, we are disoriented. A clever misdirect by the writer has persuaded us that whom we thought was the hunter, perhaps is not who they appear to be. What follows next is exhilarating and frightening. As our would-be damsel in distress, turns out to be a damsel in cahoots, with the true antagonist of the story; Leading unsuspected man in to a web of horror, to be eventually consumed by the human version of an Assassin Bug.

This eerie story can be easily filmed with limited cast and crew. Making it perfect for a new filmmaker looking to get their feet wet. The script has an audience-pleasing twist, and will allow for the director to exercise their creative craft. They can use a cleverly subverted narrative, and develop a creepy, unsettling aesthetic -- where the horrors the audience assume to be in the shadows, turns out to be nothing close to what they expect.