INT. CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE – EQUIPMENT SHED – DAY
The door to the pitch black shed opens, revealing a dark silhouetted figure standing there. As the figure steps inside and turns on the light, we see that it is Jeff himself.
As Jeff begins looking around, in search of something amongst all the lanterns and cans of fuel and hibachis, he comes across a peculiar find: a half-dozen hunting knives, all sheathed, hung up neatly upon one of the walls.
PROWLER’S P.O.V. – EQUIPMENT SHED
The Prowler has wandered deeper into the camp. Concealed in some spot safe from direct observation, it observes the shed with the door standing open – open and inviting.
CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE – EQUIPMENT SHED – DAY
As Jeff continues his search, a new human silhouette fills the door behind him. Slowly, the owner of this silhouette steps inside and walks up to Jeff. Reaching out, it lays a hand on Jeff’s shoulder. Startled, Jeff whirls around, eyes wide. It is only Sandra.
SANDRA: (nods to knives) What are those for? An Indian raid?
JEFF: Steve’s got a wood lore program. You see any life rings?
Looking behind some piled up equipment, Sandra quickly finds two ring buoys.
SANDRA: Here.
PROWLER’S P.O.V. – EQUIPMENT SHED
Jeff and Sandra leave the shed, buoys in tow. The Prowler watches them go, then leaves itself, creeping over to the Arts & Crafts cabin.
INT. CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE – ARTS & CRAFTS CABIN – DAY
A one-room cabin, there are a few easels set up here-and-there, though the interior is dominated by long tables and rough-hewn benches for the most part. Alice, hair held up in a bandana, is busy sweeping the dusty floor.
PROWLER’S P.O.V. – ALICE
Looking in through one of the cabin’s dirty windows, the Prowler spies on Alice, whose back is turned to it.
INT. CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE – ARTS & CRAFTS CABIN – DAY
Alice stops her sweeping. Feeling as if she’s been watched, she spins around. The windows behind her are all blank.
As Alice turns back 'round, Bill enters the cabin.
ALICE: (startled) AH!
BILL: God! Sorry!
Alice just laughs it off.
BILL: I’m Bill. (offers hand) You’re Alice, right?
ALICE: (shakes hand) I’m Alice, right. (beat) Did you want something?
Bill points to one of the tables, atop which is lined several newly arrived, sealed cardboard boxes.
BILL: Steve wants me to take inventory.
ALICE: Oh, by all means….
Crossing over to the table, Bill takes out a pocketknife and cuts open one of the boxes. Fishing out the invoice, he then consults his list of items. Alice resumes sweeping.
BILL: Where’re you from, Alice?
ALICE: California.
BILL: What inspired a pretty Californian girl like you to come to the sticks?
ALICE: Why so curious?
BILL: (smiles) Just am.
ALICE: I wanted to make a change.
BILL: Just that? A change?
ALICE: (cocks eyebrow) Does a pretty Californian girl need a better reason?
BILL: (shrugs) I can live with that answer.
The two return to their silent chores.
BILL: So …
ALICE: What?
BILL: Aren’t you going to ask me for my life story?
Alice puts a hand on her hip, nonplussed. Bill just cocks an eyebrow and gives a sly smile.
ALICE: (grins) Alright. What’s your story?
BILL: Not much to tell. I’m from Tacoma; my dad’s an investment banker and I have five brothers and a sister.
Alice finds something in the way Bill relates his nondescript background funny. She LAUGHS.
BILL: (grins) What?
EXT. CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE – SHORE – DAY
It is now late afternoon – close to the golden hour – yet everyone is still hard at work. Carrying a wooden swim raft, Steve and his six employees carry it across the shore down to the lake. After getting the raft on the lake, they drag it away from the shore, anchor it in place, then return to dry land.
STEVE: (looks at sky) Let’s call it a day.
Everyone is relieved to hear that.
INT. CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE – MAIN CABIN/DINING ROOM – EVENING
Steve, Bill, Brenda, Jeff, Sandra, and Ted are arranged around the rectangular dining table, poised over their empty place mats, eagrely anticipating their dinner.
INT. CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE – MAIN CABIN/KITCHEN – EVENING
Alice has finished placing tonight’s dinner on the seven plates: steak and mashed potatoes for herself, Sandra and the boys, mashed potatoes and a salad for Brenda. With practiced expertise, Alice takes up six of the dishes and balances them on both her arms.
INT. CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE – MAIN CABIN/DINING ROOM – EVENING
Alice pushes open the dining room door with her foot and enters, sauntering up to the table laden with the plates. Without fumbling, she distributes each of the plates to their respective diners.
ALICE: Dinner is served.
SANDRA: (awed) Wow!
BRENDA: (impressed) I see cooking is only one of your many talents.
ALICE: (smiles) My father runs a restaurant out of Concord. He had me waiting tables since I was twelve.
TED: You’ve got to teach me how you do it.
JEFF: Don’t you have enough tricks in your little bag?
TED: (points at Sandra) That’s what she said.
Taking a forkful of mashed potato, Jeff scores a direct hit in Ted’s eye.
STEVE: (raises hand) Okay, okay. There’ll be enough opportunity for food fights once the campers arrive, alright?
ALICE: I’ll be right back.
Alice returns to the kitchen. In less than a minute she returns with her own plate and takes a seat between Brenda and Bill.
STEVE: Everyone’s here. Bow your heads and let’s say grace.
Some of the newcomers appear perturbed by Steve’s request.
STEVE: (half-smiles) Kidding. How about a toast?
TED: What should we toast to?
STEVE: Let’s make a toast to Camp Crystal Lake’s grand reopening. (raises glass) To the reopening of Camp Crystal Lake.
Everyone takes their glass of water and makes the toast. Alice notices that Brenda only half-heartedly makes the toast, looking none too enthusiastic while doing so.
INT. CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE – MAIN CABIN/STEVE & BRENDA’S BEDROOM – EVENING
Steve and Brenda have retired to their shared bedroom for the night. Steve, having already stripped down to his underwear, checks himself out in the dresser mirror while Brenda gets out of her clothes and into a nightgown.
STEVE: What do you think of our new hands?
BRENDA: I’m trying not to.
STEVE: (turns to Brenda) You still want to leave.
BRENDA: It would be best for everybody.
STEVE: You may not care a lot about this place, Brenda, but I mean to make it my whole life. It’s been my whole life.
BRENDA: Precisely why I’m leaving. This obsession of yours with the Christy family curse nonsense – I’ve tried to live with it, tried to make peace with it. It’s exceeded my tolerance.
STEVE: Don’t be ridiculous. You know perfectly well there isn’t any curse.
BRENDA: That’s right. I know it perfectly well and you know it perfectly well, so why isn’t that enough? Why do you have to prove it to the people in this town? Who cares what they think?
STEVE: It isn’t that. You don’t understand –
BRENDA: (interrupts) And I never will. (beat) For heaven’s sake, Steve, write it off. Put the camp up for sale, cut your losses, and let’s do something with our lives.
STEVE: I can’t.
BRENDA: Then I’m taking that Monday bus out of town and you’ll never see me again.
Brenda turns away from Steve. Approaching her, he rests his hands on her shoulders.
STEVE: Gimme another chance. Stay another week. Next Friday, if you’re still not happy, I’ll put you on the bus myself. I’ll be grateful.
Brenda turns back to face her lover. She looks into his eyes, searching for a future together, but can make nothing out.
BRENDA: I’ll think about it. You’ll have an answer on Sunday.
STEVE: Thanks, Brenda.
Brenda turns off the light and climbs into bed. As Steve goes to removes his briefs, she raises a hand.
BRENDA: Leave them on.
Steve complies. With his nether regions still hidden, he climbs under the covers with her. He puts his arm over her; she is unresponsive.
INT. CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE – ALICE’S CABIN – EVENING
Alice is her one-room cabin, nestled under the covers of her slim bed. Asleep, her face is serene, innocent as a child’s.
CHILD: (O.S.) Help me….
The voice, light, in the distance, almost inaudible, rouses Alice from her rest.
CHILD: (O.S.; cont’d) Help me….
Frowning, Alice pushes the covers aside and rises from her bed.
EXT. CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE – ALICE’S CABIN – EVENING
Alice steps outside and looks about. Very little can be made out in the darkness.
CHILD: (O.S.; cont’d) Help me!
ALICE: Hello?
CHILD: (O.S.; cont’d) Over here! Please, somebody, help me!
The voice appears to be coming out from the woods. Leaving her cabin, Alice begins walking towards the trees.
ALICE: (worried) Hello? Hello‽
CHILD: (O.S.; cont’d) Come quickly! Please, come quickly! Help me!
ALICE: Where are you‽ Hello‽
EXT. FOREST – EVENING
Alice is in the woods now, the camp grounds already obscured in the trees behind her. She begins to run, heedless of the rough objects she steps over with her bare feet. The child continues crying out for help.
ALICE: (frantic) Where are you‽
Eventually Alice stops, exhausted, panting, eyes bulging. The forest surrounds her on all sides, seemingly endless and impenetrable, the cries of the child falling upon her ears from all directions.
ALICE: (crying) Annie!
CUT TO
Alice bolting upright in bed.
Breathing rapidly, Alice looks about her. She is back in her cabin and back in her bed. The child crying out to her, her fruitless search through the forest – all just a terrifying nightmare.