In the high school darkroom…
Peter and Alyson are developing film.
Alyson
Peter, stop making that noise.
Alyson
That thudding noise. It’s not funny.
Alyson
Look, it’s scary enough being at the school this late.
Peter
Well, if you hadn’t blown off our photography project…
Peter
We wouldn’t be here doing it at the last minute.
Alyson
I told you I was sorry about that.
Alyson
My boyfriend needed me for something.
Peter
I don’t want to hear about your sex life with Michael.
Alyson
That’s not what I meant!
Alyson
I told you to knock it off, Peter!
Peter
And I told you I’m not doing it.
Peter
It must be the wind.
Alyson
Let’s just finish developing your batch of photos.
Peter
What do you mean, “my batch?”
Peter
These are the ones you took.
Alyson
No, they’re from your camera.
Peter
Yeah, the camera I loaned to you.
Alyson
Look in the developing tray, Peter.
Alyson
The picture is coming into focus now.
Alyson
It’s from your bedroom, so obviously you took it.
Peter
Maybe you took it last week when we were…
Alyson
I told you not to mention that!
Peter
Why? Michael’s not here.
Alyson
Look, it didn’t mean anything, okay?
Peter
Do you say that to all the boys you—
Alyson
Stop it! I told you, it didn’t mean anything.
Peter
That’s not what you said that night.
Alyson
I was confused that night.
Alyson
Michael and I had a bad fight.
Peter
All you two do is fight, apparently.
Alyson
Can we just finish developing the—
Alyson
Peter, look at the photo in the tray.
Peter
Yes, Alyson, that’s the yellow sweater you were wearing…
Peter
The night you came over.
The wind howls as they stare at the photo.
The thudding continues in a distant hallway.
Alyson
Maybe the camera just clicked by accident.
Alyson
We did have it next to the bed, after all.
Peter
You’re right. It’s probably a coincidence.
Peter
Should we develop the next photo?
They both lean over the developing tray.
Alyson
Okay, this isn’t from your room.
Alyson
It’s from the lunchroom a few days ago.
Peter
Is that you and me?
Alyson
Yes. Wait a second…it’s coming into focus.
Alyson
It’s when you touched my back as you were passing by me.
Peter
I didn’t think you noticed that.
Alyson
Peter, who took these photos?
Peter
You were the one who had the camera!
Alyson
Wait a second. Peter…
Alyson
Look at the next photo in the tray.
Peter
Is that a picture of you?
Alyson
It’s just a close-up of a hairband.
Alyson
Wait, that’s my hairband.
Peter
Hang it on the line next to the others.
Peter
I’ll put the next pictures in the tray.
The thudding continues to grow closer…
As Alyson hangs the photos on the line.
Peter looks closely at one of them.
Peter
What the heck is this?
Alyson
Let me see. Move over.
Peter
It looks like…a curtain.
Alyson
It’s not just a curtain, Peter.
Alyson
It’s a shower curtain.
Alyson
My shower curtain.
Alyson
It looks like it was taken through the door crack from my room.
Peter
Is that you in a towel, getting out of the shower?
Alyson
I’m scared, Peter. Someone was in my room!
Suddenly, the door to the darkroom CLICKS.
Peter
I don’t know. I’ll check the door.
Alyson
What is it, Peter?
Peter
Don’t panic, but the door won’t open.
Peter
I’m telling you, it’s stuck.
Alyson
Dang it, Peter, this isn’t funny!
Peter
It wasn’t me! Obviously!
Peter
I was standing next to you.
And now the thudding returns…
Alyson
There it is again. What is it?
Alyson
It’s getting closer, Peter!
Peter
Back away from the door, Alyson.
Alyson
Hold on, look in the developing tray!
Alyson
The other pictures are coming into focus.
Peter
Let’s take a look at them.
Peter
Is that you on your bike?
Alyson
Yes, it must have been taken this afternoon.
Alyson
I’m wearing the same outfit!
Peter
And here’s one of me…asleep in my bed.
Peter
Does Michael know about us?
Alyson
Not unless you told him.
Alyson
Look, the next photo is clear now.
Alyson
Oh God, it’s us again.
Peter
It’s when I kissed you in the stairwell yesterday.
Alyson
I told you it was too risky to do that!
Alyson
Michael’s gonna kill me.
Peter
We don’t know that Michael took these.
Alyson
Who else could it have been?
Peter
Did you loan the camera to anyone?
Alyson
It was in my backpack all week.
Peter
So literally anyone could have taken it!
Alyson
No one took it, Peter.
Peter
It could have been the Hatchet Man for all you know.
Alyson
The Hatchet Man does not exist.
Alyson
That’s just a rumor some kids started to scare us all.
Peter
I’m telling you, Alyson, he’s real.
Peter
He’s been breaking into houses up and down the coast.
Alyson
Not you too, Peter. It’s just a story.
Peter
He killed a girl up where my cousin lives.
Peter
The news said it was just a home invasion.
Peter
But he left his mark next to her dead body.
Peter
A blood stain in the shape of his hatchet blade.
Alyson
You’re freaking me out, Peter! Stop it.
The thudding has made it to the hallway.
They can now tell that it’s heavy footsteps.
Alyson
Peter, I’m so scared.
Peter
It’s okay. The door is locked.
Peter
Yes, but just to be safe…
Peter
Back away, and stand in the corner.
Alyson
Was that the last photo, Peter?
Peter
No. There’s one more.
Alyson moves to a corner.
They stare at each other through the dim red light.
Alyson
What do you think is on it?
Peter
I don’t know. But I’ll develop it to see.
Peter
I can’t do it any faster. It needs to soak.
Alyson
This is ridiculous.
Peter
What are you doing?
Alyson
What does it look like I’m doing?
Alyson
I’m taking out my phone.
Peter
Are you calling the police?
Alyson
No, I’m calling Michael.
Alyson
I’m just going to ask him.
Peter
The last photo’s coming into focus now.
Alyson
Come on, come on, answer!
Peter
I see it now. It’s…
Alyson
It’s just ringing and ringing.
Alyson
Hold on, it’s still ringing.
Peter
Alyson…you need to hang up the phone now.
Alyson
Oh God, why isn’t he answering?
Peter
Hang up the phone, Alyson.
Peter
Michael’s not going to answer it.
Alyson
How do you know that?
Alyson
What’s in the photo, Peter?
Peter
No! Alyson, don’t come over here.
Alyson
Show me the photo.
Peter
No, don’t look at it. You don’t want to see.
Alyson
I said show me the photo!
Alyson pushes Peter aside and looks at the last photo.
Alyson
Is that — is that—
In the tray, the last photo is now completely clear.
It’s of a young man, blood seeping from his mouth.
And next to his face is the bloody imprint of a hatchet blade.
Peter
My cousin was right.
Alyson
It’s just a story. It’s just a story!
Peter
The Hatchet Man is real.
Peter
And he knows where we are.
Peter and Alyson turn to face the door.
They hear a deafening sound…
It’s a hatchet banging away.
