Dialogues / Thriller
One Set Coming Back
Dev went out for firewood almost an hour ago and the snow is getting worse. Caleb volunteers to go look for him. Tess wants to know why his boots are already wet.
The main room of a rental cabin. A wood stove burning down. One lamp. Snow against the window. TESS stands at the window holding her cell phone up, looking for a signal. RENEE is on the couch under a blanket. CALEB sits in an armchair, boots on.
TESS
Nothing. Not one bar.
RENEE
There wasn't one bar when we got here. That's the whole point of this place.
TESS
Well, the point of this place sucks.
RENEE
How long's it been?
TESS
Fifty minutes.
CALEB
It hasn't been fifty.
TESS
He went out at ten-forty. It's eleven-thirty-two.
CALEB
The woodpile's like a hundred feet.
TESS
I know how far the woodpile is.
RENEE
Maybe he's splitting some. There was an axe out there.
TESS
For fifty minutes? In that?
Wind. Everyone looks at the window.
RENEE
He does this. He wanders. Remember the lake, he went to get ice and came back with a fish.
TESS
That was daytime.
RENEE
He's fine.
TESS
Stop saying that.
RENEE
Okay.
TESS
Say something else.
RENEE
Okay. Then somebody should go look.
Silence. The stove ticks.
CALEB
I'll go.
TESS
No.
CALEB
What do you mean no.
TESS
I mean you were out there already. You and him. You went out on the porch after dinner and you were both yelling.
CALEB
We weren't yelling.
TESS
I heard you through the door, Caleb.
CALEB
We were talking about the truck. He wants to leave a day early.
RENEE
Why?
CALEB
Because he does. Ask him.
TESS
I can't ask him. He's not here.
CALEB
Okay. Then I'll go find him and you can ask him.
He stands. TESS steps between him and the door.
TESS
Renee should go.
RENEE
Me?
TESS
Or me. One of us.
CALEB
You don't know the trail.
TESS
It's a hundred feet. You just said.
CALEB
In the dark it's different.
TESS
Then why do you wanna go alone?
CALEB
Because I'm the one with boots on.
Beat. TESS looks down. RENEE looks down.
RENEE
Caleb.
CALEB
What.
RENEE
Why are your boots wet?
CALEB
Because I was on the porch. Earlier. You just said.
RENEE
The porch is covered.
CALEB
Snow blows in.
TESS
There's mud on them. Up to the laces. There's no mud on the porch.
CALEB
I went to the truck. To get my charger.
RENEE
When?
CALEB
I don't know. After.
TESS
After what?
CALEB
After dinner. Jesus. After dinner, I went to the truck, I came back, I sat down. You were both in the kitchen.
RENEE
(quietly)
We were in the kitchen for like two minutes.
CALEB
Then it was two minutes.
TESS
Where's the charger?
CALEB
What?
TESS
The charger. From the truck. Where is it?
CALEB doesn't answer. He looks at the door. Then at the window.
CALEB
Something's out there.
RENEE
Don't.
CALEB
I'm serious. When I went to the truck. There was something by the tree line. I thought it was him. I called out. It didn't move.
TESS
And you came back inside and sat down.
CALEB
I didn't want to scare you.
TESS
And then Dev went out. And you didn't say anything.
CALEB
I thought I was seeing things.
TESS picks up the fire poker from beside the stove. She doesn't point it at anyone. She just holds it.
TESS
Renee. Get the flashlight from the kitchen. The big one.
RENEE
Tess.
TESS
Get it.
RENEE goes. TESS and CALEB face each other.
CALEB
You think I did something.
TESS
I think you're gonna sit down.
CALEB
Tess. He's my best friend.
TESS
Then sit down and wait with me for him.
CALEB slowly sits. RENEE comes back with the flashlight. It's on. She's shaking.
RENEE
There's footprints.
TESS
Where?
RENEE
Off the kitchen door. Going out toward the trees. One set.
(beat)
And one set coming back. Dev went out the front.
Everyone looks at CALEB's boots. Outside, a long way off, someone calls a name. It might be Dev's voice. It might not.
End of script
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