The Secret Beneath Her Name

Chapter 4: Revenar House

EXT. REVENAR HOUSE - DAY

The house looms. STONE WALLS split by BLACK VINES. CAPIZ WINDOWS yellow as dead eyes. A NEW BRASS LOCK on the gate — no keyhole, just a MOUTH-SHAPED SLOT.

OLD WOMAN, hanging laundry across the street, sees NYX. She CROSSES herself.

OLD WOMAN

(in English, rehearsed)

No Revenar lives long. They’re just replaced.

She goes inside. SLAMS the door. CLICK. CLICK. CLICK. Three locks.

Nyx walks into the dead garden. In the center: a BLACK TREE. No leaves. At its base: CHILDREN’S SHOES nailed to roots. All left feet. One NAIL is new. Shiny.

Nyx touches it. It’s WARM.

She goes to the gate. Inserts the SKELETON KEY into the mouth-slot.

The gate EXHALES. Cold air and the smell of OLD COINS.

INT. REVENAR HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

No furniture. DUST in the shape of furniture. SIX DARK SQUARES on walls where mirrors were. BROKEN GLASS ground to powder in corners.

DOZENS OF CLOCKS. Grandfather. Wall. Wristwatch. All stopped: 3:03. The second hands are BENT.

Nyx’s breath FOGS.

FROM UPSTAIRS: WHEELCHAIR CREAKING. One rotation. Stop. One rotation. Stop.

VOICE (O.S.)

(Old. Wet.)

You’re late, apo.

INT. MASTER BEDROOM DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS

There is no door. Blocking the entrance: a massive CHEST. KAMAGONG WOOD. BRASS BINDINGS. Hundreds of ROSARIES draped over it, knotted into a net.

The chest EXPANDS. CONTRACTS. BREATHES.

Nyx steps closer. The air TASTES LIKE COPPER.

FROM INSIDE THE CHEST, muffled:

VOICE (V.O.)

Aurelia means gold. Gold means price. What will you pay, child?

The WHEELCHAIR CREAKS again. Closer.

NYX

(whispers)

I’m not Aurelia.

VOICE (O.S.)

(closer now)

Then why did you come when the key called?

Nyx looks down. The SKELETON KEY around her neck is MOVING. Ticking. Like a second hand.