“In the labyrinth of vengeance, every step unleashes another echo of the Grudge. Can the curse ever be broken?”
Watch the original version of The Grudge
Prologue: “The Curse Unleashed”
In the quaint, quiet alleyways of Tokyo, a home sat silent and forsaken; its sinister tales cloaked behind an old wooden façade. This was no ordinary home – it was a dreadful dwelling of a curse borne from a tempestuous storm of desire, betrayal, and death.
Within its walls, a torrent of emotions stirred, seething beneath the deceptive tranquility. It was the birthplace of a deadly curse, birthed by deep-seated vengeance and unspeakable horror. A curse that lay dormant in the house’s dark corners, its wrath echoing through the cold wooden corridors. It was a supernatural entity that permeated the air, a chilling presence waiting for the unsuspecting to cross the threshold, systematically claiming one victim after another.
The embodiment of this curse was a woman and a boy, their ghostly figures etched forever in the tapestry of this haunted house. Each tragic demise triggered by the curse’s relentless hold added another layer to its diabolical strength. It was a story with no beginning. It was a story with no end. It was the story of ‘The Grudge.’
Chapter 1: “Intrusion of the Unknown”
In the metropolis of Tokyo, American nurse Karen Davis adapted to the customs, language, and rhythm of her new life. Her daily routine was soon interrupted when a peculiar case was assigned to her. Little did she suspect that her life was about to entwine with a chilling, supernatural enigma.
Tokyo Metropolitan Police, detective Nakagawa, was a man of action, hardly ever shaken, and trained to keep his emotions at bay. But what he encountered that rainy afternoon left him unsettled. It was a scene of a terrifying homicide, a silence so profound it was deafening, and a lingering sense of dread that even the hardened detective couldn’t shake off.
The crime scene: the home of the Williams, an elderly American couple. Emma Williams, once lively and cheerful, was found in a state of paranoid dread, unable to articulate what had invoked such terror. Her husband Peter, a renowned journalist, and their housekeeper Yoko were strangely missing.
Back at the hospital, Karen was briefed about Emma’s condition. She was informed about the strange circumstances of her current state and the disappearance of her caregiver. Undeterred, Karen took on the responsibility, determined to offer comfort and normalcy to the terrified patient.
As Karen entered the cold, unwelcoming house, an uncanny chill ran down her spine. The house seemed to hold its breath, observing, almost calculating. The creaking doors, the whispering winds, and strange occurrences were anything but normal. The deafening silence was sporadically broken by Emma’s strange mumblings, and the hair-raising line, “She’s coming,” seemed to echo repeatedly.
As daylight began to dim, turning the sky into a canvas of oranges and purples, Karen was set on a path she never chose. Her first encounter with the enigmatic curse left her heart pounding and mind racing. The inexplicable vision of a pale woman in white and a ghostly boy shook her to the core.
The mystery unfolded further when detective Nakagawa discovered a gruesome sight – Yoko’s remains at her apartment. The mutilated body bore the marks of sheer terror, echoing the same chill that pervaded the Williams’ house. As the divide between the natural and supernatural blurred, Nakagawa found himself drawn into the same vortex of dread that had ensnared Karen.
Their paths were yet to cross, but their destinies were bound by a powerful unseen force – a curse, born of a rage that transcended life and death, ready to write the next chapter of a relentless horror.
“The Grudge” was no longer a mere legend. It was real, and it was mercilessly mystifying its way through the unsuspecting, ready to claim its next victim.
Chapter 2: “The House of Death”
Karen Davis had been working and living in Tokyo for almost a year now. Nursing had always been her passion, being able to do it in a different culture? That was an added adventure. Her latest assignment, however, would soon turn that adventure into a nightmarish journey.
The task seemed simple: she was to provide care for Emma Williams, an elderly American woman who resided in a secluded traditional-style Japanese house. The house was essentially a picturesque monument standing in stark contrast with the city’s progressive skyscrapers. But there was something unsettlingly eerie about that place. A chilling sensation always prickled her skin whenever she turned the key, but she attributed the nervousness to the unfamiliar customs and her own imagination.
Upon entering, she was greeted by silence. The silence wasn’t peaceful; it was choking, the type that screams something is very wrong. Karen called out for Emma, and as she turned around, she saw her. Emma, frail and sickly, was sitting in the corner, whispering nonsensical phrases to nobody. Her eyes held a hollow look of fear and disorientation.
The house’s interior was as peculiar as the desolate silence that filled it. Shadows cast by the aged wooden architecture swayed hauntingly, even when there was no wind. The rooms were dark, and every corner seemed to hold an untold story. But the strangest thing was the rhythmic, grating sound that seemed to echo all around the house. It was faint but insistent, like a far-off lullaby sung by a mother to her child.
Days turned into weeks, and the paranormal incidents intensified. Objects were misplaced, doors opened of their own volition, and there were strange noises in the middle of the night – a meek child’s whispers and a woman’s wailing. Despite the mounting evidences, Karen decided to believe logic. It was an old house with eccentric features and sounds. That’s simply all there was.
However, the unsettling occurrences couldn’t be ignored for long. Late one night, while tending to Emma, she noticed the old woman mouthing a word over and over again – “Kayako”. It was an unfamiliar name and it unsettled her. Emma’s eyes were wide with terror, focused on something in the room’s dark corner.
Against all logic, Karen moved towards the corner, the chilling sensation getting worse with every step. As she reached out, something icy closed over her hand, and she screamed, pulling back. The room was empty, but the atmosphere told another tale. It was that night when Karen decided to dive into the history of the house she had come to dread.
Her investigation led her to old newspaper articles, police records, and whispered tales, shrouded in fear and disbelief. She was horrified to learn about the house’s ill-fated past – the place she was standing in was a ground zero for a horrific series of murders, committed by a man named Takeo Saeki. His victims were his wife, Kayako, their son Toshio, and their pet cat, Mar.
She looked around the house again, this time with newly informed eyes. The once charming Japanese abode was now an omniscient symbol of a terrible crime of passion. The rhythmic, grating sound she used to hear was no lullaby, but a death rattle – a symptom of Kayako’s brutal end.
The night had fallen outside, and the house, once again, was filled with the hollow silence. Images and tales of the deceased Saeki family whirled in her mind, creating a vortex of terror. The echoing sound of the death rattle seemed louder now, and the whispered chants of “the grudge” was clearer.
Drawn into the tragic tale of the Saeki family, Karen now understood the nature of something she had been brushing off as mere superstition. It was a curse that promised to take away the peace of anyone who dared to step foot into the house, including hers. But was the realization too late? The mysterious horror was already released, ready to claim its next victim.
Chapter 3: “The Ghostly Encounter”
Karen had long dismissed local folklore as mere tales spun by superstitious minds, but her first day at the Williams’ old Japanese house defied all her rational beliefs. The brooding atmosphere, coupled with the gnarled wizened trees and the eerie silence, seemed to reflect a terror that pulsed through the veins of the house, creeping into its very fabric and staining it with dread.
Emma, the woman she was caring for, was an enigma herself. She was silent most of the time, her eyes vacant yet filled with a terror Karen could not comprehend. She would often mumble incoherently about a ‘woman’ and a ‘boy’ – their presence, their rage. It was deeply unsettling.
One evening, as Karen was helping Emma into bed, a strange noise echoed from the attic, a guttural sound that was neither wholly human nor animal. Startled, Karen paused, her heartbeat quickening in her chest. Emma’s eyes widened with an unreadable expression, her frail body trembling.
Convincing herself it was just the normal noises of an old house settling, Karen continued with her duties. Yet, the strange occurrences increased in frequency and intensity — objects mysteriously moving, eerie shadows playing tricks of the mind, and the palpable sensation of being watched.
One night, she heard Emma screaming. Rushing into the room, she was taken aback by the sight. Emma was pointing frantically to an empty corner of the room, her eyes filled with terror, shrieking, “They’re here! They’re here!” But there was no one, nothing. That was the moment when Karen’s skepticism started to wane, replaced by a dread she had never experienced before.
The house itself seemed to hold its breath as the strange occurrences took a sinister turn. Days turned into nights filled with dread as Karen started to unravel the mystery behind the eerie happenings. The defining point was the day she saw ‘them’ for the first time.
She was in the kitchen, brewing coffee, when a shiver ran down her spine. She turned around to find herself face to face with a ghostly apparition. It was a woman with deathly pallor and long, lank hair covering her face. Next to her stood a small boy with hollowed eyes, their gaze locked on Karen, filled with vengeful wrath. Their mouths moved as if saying something, a low whisper that resembled – “The Grudge.”
Frozen in terror, Karen could feel every hair on her body standing on end. She watched, helpless, as the figure of the woman drifted towards her with an eerie glide, her hair fluttering like tendrils in an unseen breeze. The boy followed in tow, his voice mingling with the woman’s in a chilling harmony.
The room seemed to darken as the figures moved closer. The air turned suffocating, the walls closing in. Karen could feel her heart hammering against her chest, each beat echoing the bone-chilling whispers of the ghostly figures – “The Grudge, The Grudge.” It was a symphony of dread that filled every corner of the room.
This was the curse. The terror that locals whispered about was not just folklore but a horrifying reality she was now a part of. The encounter was a chilling revelation that marked the beginning of a terrifying saga. The supernatural had marked Karen, pulling her into a deadly web, a curse that was as real as the dread coursing through her veins.
From that day, the house was no longer just a building. It was a breathing entity, imbued with an unseen force that harbored a vengeful rage, eager to claim its next victim. The plight of Emma Williams was no longer a medical mystery but the consequence of a horrifying curse that had chosen its next prey – Karen.
Karen was trapped, enmeshed in a terror that was not limited to the physical realm. The supernatural had bared its fangs, its icy grip tightening around her, leaving her with a chilling realization — there was no escape!
The chapter ends with Karen, standing alone in the eerie silence of the house, her gaze locked on the spot where she had seen the spectral figures. Somewhere in the depths of the house echoed the chilling, guttural sound, a constant reminder of her ghostly encounter. The reality had shifted, the realm of the supernatural invading her existence, painting an ominous portrait of what lay ahead.
Chapter 4: “Unraveling the Curse”
The medical files are stacked neatly inside the cabinets, yet the mysteries buried within echo untold stories. Karen finds herself drawn into a realm of research that no nurse training could ever prepare her for. The pages are cold under her fingers, a sharp contrast to the chills running down her spine as she delves deeper into the house’s murky past.
Once a home filled with laughter and family warmth, it was now nothing more than a mausoleum harboring a deadly curse – A grudge that was born from hatred and betrayal. Karen stumbles upon the name Saeki, recurrent like a haunting refrain in the heartrending chronicle. The Saeki family, who once resided in the very house where Emma Williams now lived, seemed to have fallen prey to an inexplicable tragedy.
Takeo Saeki, Kayako Saeki, and their young son Toshio. Their smiling faces in a faded photograph are a stark contrast to the grim fate they had met. Kayako, a woman wronged in love, and Takeo, a man frenzied by jealousy, painted a grotesque tableau of a family destroyed from within.
The entire saga unfolded before Karen like a chilling horror film. It all traced back to the one fatal day when jealousy blinded Takeo to reason, and love was traded for anger. The serene household was stained with the blood of the mother and son, their lives cruelly snuffed out in a haze of passionate rage.
The curse was born that day, from the force of Kayako’s marred love and Toshio’s innocent despair. It locked their souls in a perpetual cycle of wrath and revenge, turning the once homely house into a ticking time bomb. Anyone who dared enter the house was cursed, condemned to become a part of this cycle, experiencing the same virulent rage before meeting their untimely demise.
The revelations come thick and fast, overwhelming Karen with their intensity. It’s a chilling realization as the dots connect and a clear image begins to form. She understands now why Emma’s behavior was so strange, why the atmosphere of the house was so unsettling, and why she felt a creeping dread every time she stepped over the threshold.
The stories she unraveled were not just of the past but lingered around her in the present. She could see it in the deathly pallor of Emma’s face, hear it in the eerie silence surrounding the house, and taste it in the fear that clung to the back of her throat. She realized the murders she’d read about in the newspapers were not isolated incidents but were all echoes of the same monstrous grudge, the same force that was now inching towards her.
Now, she was not merely a nurse serving her patient; she had become the solitary warrior against a malevolent spectral force. The dread was creeping closer, yet there was no escape. The haunting figures of Kayako and Toshio were not mere apparitions; they were pleads for closure, for an end to the eternal curse that chained them.
The realization was not a beacon of relief but a foreboding shadow of the looming danger. The curse, once unleashed, was relentless, its appetite insatiable. It clung to its victims, filled them with ungodly fear, and led them to their impending doom. Unraveling the mystery of the Grudge was just the beginning. The real game was survival.
Driven by an overpowering will to survive and an underlying compassion for her patient, Karen knew she had to defy the odds. She had to break the curse that had doomed every other person who had dared to step inside the house. With newfound determination, she prepared herself to face the spectral entities that lurked within the haunted walls of the house, unaware of the terrifying showdown that awaited her in the relentless pursuit of truth.
Chapter 5: “The Beckoning Shadows”
The city of Tokyo was bathed in the cool, shivering light of the moon. The night was tranquil, but not for Karen Davis, her life now entwined in the thorny branches of an ancient curse, her every thought consumed by a mysterious and sinister force known as the Grudge. The horrors she had witnessed at the old Saeki house had fractured the rational world she knew, revealing an undercurrent of shadow and terror.
A series of seemingly unrelated deaths were creating ripples across the city. Each victim had one thing in common—they had all, in some way, been connected to the haunted house. The spectral figures of a woman and a boy were no longer confined to the Saeki house’s decrepit walls. Instead, they began to infiltrate the lives of anyone who dared to enter their domain, their visages becoming symbols of impending doom.
Karen was scrambling to assemble the fractured pieces of what was happening, consumed by an urgency that left her breathless. The curse was spreading like wildfire, and it was getting harder to predict who the next victim would be.
Her days were spent pouring over ancient folklore and dusty records, her nights fraught with nightmares of the ghostly specters on a relentless pursuit. The chilling sound of spectral moans intermingled with the creaking of the old Saeki house echoed in her dreams, growing louder with each passing night.
Kazunari, a young teacher who had ventured into the house on a dare, was the latest victim. The police found him convulsing, his eyes wide with unspeakable fear, his last breath spent on a horrified scream. The curse had claimed yet another life, further reinforcing Karen’s terrifying realization—the Grudge was untamed and unrelenting.
The spectral entities—Kayako, the woman with a deathly pallor and Toshio, the eerie child—were becoming more aggressive, their appearances more frequent. The curse was taking a stronger hold, its root entrenched in the heart of Tokyo, feeding off people’s fear and confusion. Their dark, silent rage was palpable, threatening to swallow up everything and everyone in its path.
But Karen was not the type to give up. The more the curse tightened its grip around her world, the stronger her resistance grew. She was determined to break the cycle, to emancify herself and the others from the curse’s deadly grip. The knowledge of the curse’s relentless pursuit only steeled her resolve. She sought the help of a Japanese exorcist, hoping his expertise and understanding of the spiritual world could offer a way out.
The exorcist, a grizzled man named Takeo, had seen many supernatural occurrences. But the Grudge was unlike anything he had encountered before. An air of unease surrounded the story of the Saeki family, caution edging into his expression. The exorcism ritual was dangerous and could go wrong in a hundred different ways, he warned Karen, but the flame of determination burning in her eyes convinced him to proceed.
The following days were a blur. Karen felt the weight of the city’s fear on her shoulders, heavy and relentless. The world she once knew was now a terrifying labyrinth of shadows and uncertainties. Yet, she trudged on, armed with her disbelief in surrender, her hope for a curse-free world shining bright in the engulfing darkness.
Chapter 5 ended with an intensified dread, the Grudge now a palpable presence in Tokyo, its victims increasing, and its thirst for revenge unquenched. As the city teetered on the edge of chaos, Karen prepared for the inevitable confrontation, ready to risk everything to break the curse’s deadly cycle.
The shadow of the Grudge loomed large, its rage echoing through Tokyo’s neon-lit streets. The chapter closed on a cliffhanger, the tension nearly unbearable as readers brace themselves for the impending storm. In Karen’s world, the specter of death was omnipresent, but so was her resolve to fight. And fight she would, until the very end.
Chapter 6: “In the Eye of the Storm”
The air was thick with tension. No birds sang, even the sun seemed to shy away from the house that held an unnatural chill within its walls. Tokyo, a city that never slept, was eerily quiet around the Williams residence.
Karen Davis, the unsuspecting American nurse, was now trapped in a vortex of unrelenting horror. It hadn’t taken long for her to realize that she was the next victim of the curse that had mercilessly claimed so many before her. The same curse born from the rage of a woman scorned and a child robbed of life too soon. A curse, it seemed, that hungered for souls.
Her heart thudded against her chest, palms sweating, as she approached the ominously quiet house. Inside, the atmosphere was electrified by the anticipation of the forthcoming confrontation. The ghostly figures of Takeo and Toshio Saeki were no mere apparitions; they were embodiments of a rage so potent it defied death, poised to strike.
She ventured into the house, every creak of the old wooden floor echoing ominously through the silent rooms. It was as if the house were alive, bearing witness to her desperation. Shadows stretched long and distorted, their grotesque forms dancing on the walls. The air seemed thicker, the darkness more intense as she moved deeper into the house.
The spectral figures of Kayako and her son Toshio began to materialize – their faded forms shimmering in the gloom. Their eyes, brimming with fury, fixed on Karen. The two ghosts gradually drew nearer. And in this moment, the house no longer felt like a house. It felt like a stage set for a furious, supernatural showdown.
Suddenly, the room plunged into darkness. A guttural growl echoed, reverberating through the spectral silence. Then, an unholy screeching noise, like nails on a chalkboard. Karen could feel her sanity teetering on the edge. The terrifying figures of the mother and son advanced towards her, their eyes blazing with age-old rage.
With a gulp of courage, Karen held her ground, staring right back at them. She was not just fighting for her own life, but for all the souls who had fallen victim to the Grudge and those who might in the future. She could feel the terror crawling under her skin, but she knew she had to stand her ground.
The spectral forms lunged at her, but Karen was quick. She chanted the ancient verses she had learned, the ones she hoped would put the vengeful souls to rest. Light from her amulet sliced through the darkness, causing the spirits to recoil. An unearthly shriek filled the room, amplified by the heavy silence of the house.
The battle was far from over. Rage surged within the ghosts, their form distorting with fury. They attacked relentlessly, their horrific voices creating a symphony of terror that echoed off the walls. But Karen stood her ground. She fought back, her voice steady as she chanted the verses meant to disrupt their energy and bring peace to their souls.
The duel between the living and the undead raged on, a ballet of horror and courage. With each passing moment, Karen’s strength seemed to wane. But just as the spectral entities prepared for another assault, a soft glow enveloped Karen. It was the combined energy of the spirits finally finding peace, a stark contrast to the darkness around her.
With one final, resounding verse, the house trembled as though in pain. It was followed by an absolute silence that seemed to stretch for an eternity. The spectral figures wavered and then faded, their mournful eyes staring at Karen one last time before they disappeared.
Exhausted, Karen collapsed to the floor. The curse was broken, but at a great personal cost. She was a changed woman, scarred by an experience that straddled the fine line between life and death. She was a survivor of the Grudge, a witness to an ancient curse, a battler of wrathful spirits, and the breaker of the cycle of rage and death.
Her battle was over, but the memories of her encounter with the Grudge would forever linger, a chilling testament to the time when she stood firm in the eye of the storm. As she left the house, she carried with her a tale of courage in the face of indescribable horror, a tale as old as time, and as terrifying as the darkest corners of the human soul.
Chapter 7: “The Aftermath”
In the dim light of dawn, Karen stands alone in the room of the old house. The echoes of the past night’s battle with the supernatural resonate in the eerie silence. Her eyes flit around, cautiously gauging the calm. But the chill remains, a grim reminder of the horror that had transpired and the curse that had claimed countless lives.
Karen’s mind drifts back to how the evening had unfolded. The violent confrontation with the ghostly specter of Kayako, the relentless rage in her eyes, had reached a terrifying climax. Kayako had lunged with murderous intent, her ghastly form contorted with hate. Karen, her heart pounding in fear, had confronted her, armed with nothing but courage and a sacred talisman gifted by an old Shinto priest.
The grueling hours that passed had seen the battle shift dramatically, like a deadly dance between the ethereal and the mortal. The house had come alive, shadows twisted into menacing forms, the air thick with dread. But Karen stood her ground, the imprint of the curse scalding her soul but not breaking her spirit.
As the first light of dawn peeked in through the crumbling window, Kayako’s form had waned. Her spectral wails echoed with a diminishing fervor. The talisman, with its ancient symbols gleaming in the frail light, seemed to subdue the relentless spirit. The night of terror had ended, leaving behind a weary victory and a haunting silence.
But now, standing amidst the aftermath, Karen feels the unmistakable chill of unease. She senses a lingering presence, a residue of the curse. Her heart sinks as she realizes the magnitude of what this means – the Grudge is not entirely gone. The curse may have been held off, but it isn’t broken. The cycle of rage and death may repeat, the specter may rise again, its wrath unquenched.
As she steps outside, leaving behind the house that saw unimaginable horrors, she feels the grave weight of what lies ahead. She is a survivor, but she is also a prisoner to this eternal horror, forever living in the shadows of the Grudge.
Life slowly limps back to normalcy, but the haunting memory remains. Karen continues to navigate the labyrinth of life in Tokyo, her duty as a nurse bringing her solace. But the nights are a different story. Every creaking door, every flickering light, every whisper of the wind brings with it a shiver of anxiety. The city, with its neon glow, hides dark corners where fear resides.
As the months pass, a new American family moves into the Saeki house, blissfully oblivious of the curse that dwells within. The cycle of terror is poised to begin anew, and Karen is trapped in a helpless dread. She realizes that the Grudge, like the house itself, is a looming edifice of hatred that can’t be demolished easily.
Karen is the last woman standing, forever haunted by the curse of the Grudge, and her story is a chilling testament of an unresolved nightmare. The undercurrents of fear and apprehension persist, a stark reminder that some horrors are eternal, always lurking in the shadows, forever waiting for the right moment to strike.
The story closes on this unsettling note, leaving readers to grapple with the terrifying reality – the mystery remains unsolved, the Grudge unbroken. Karen’s saga is a chilling echo of the harsh truth that sometimes, darkness prevails. The sense of lingering horror is inescapable, and the readers are left holding their breath, distrusting the calm, waiting for the horror to strike again.
After all, the Grudge remains, forever etched in the labyrinthine abyss of the unknown, endlessly weaving tales of terror that leave even the bravest hearts trembling in the wake of its horrifying reality.
Some scenes from the movie The Grudge written by A.I.
Scene 1
FADE IN:
EXT. TOKYO CITY – DAY
A bustling Tokyo street, people rushing by with UMBRELLAS. Rain pours down.
PAN TO: Nurse’s Station Sign saying “AMERICAN NURSING SERVICES”
INT. NURSE’S STATION – DAY
KAREN DAVIS(30, American, striking but unaware of it) is adjusting her nursing uniform. She’s in Tokyo providing healthcare for international residents. She’s nervous, but resolved.
INT. DETECTIVE’S OFFICE – DAY
DETECTIVE NAKAGAWA (50s, stern, experienced) peers at a murder case file, an air of mystery in his eyes. Crime-scene photos scatter his desk.
INT. KAREN’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Karen on her laptop, researching about her new patient, EMMA WILLIAMS (70s, delicate yet stubborn), she lives in an old Tokyo house. Unaware of the ominous future.
INT. TOKYO POLICE DEPARTMENT – NIGHT
Detective Nakagawa at his desk, staring at a haunting photo from the murder scene – an old house. His brows furrow in confusion and dread.
INT. KAREN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Karen lays down, eyes wide open. The silence of her room is palpable. She rolls over, picking up a photo of her and her boyfriend. She clutches it to her heart before drifting off.
FADE OUT.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Scene 2
INT. HOSPITAL – TOKYO – DAY
Karen, a young American nurse, receives her assignment from her SUPERVISOR (50s, stern).
SUPERVISOR
Karen, you’ll be looking after Emma Williams. She lives with her son and daughter, but they’re away.
KAREN
Alright, I hope she’s nice.
SUPERVISOR
She’s a little… quirky. Hasn’t left the house in a while.
INT. WILLIAMS HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – EVENING
Dark, cluttered with ancient Japanese artifacts. EMMA (80s, frail) sits in a corner, muttering to herself. Karen enters, trying to mask her unease.
KAREN
(cheerful)
Hello, Mrs. Williams. I’m Karen, your new nurse.
Emma doesn’t respond. Karen settles in, noticing the eerie noises – soft WHISPERS, strange THUMPS upstairs.
LATER:
Karen finds a PHOTO ALBUM – pictures of a happy Japanese family, THE SAEKI’S. The last page has newspaper clippings about a murder in the house.
Suddenly, a door SLAMS shut upstairs. Karen startles. Emma smiles for the first time.
EMMA
They’re here.
KAREN
Who, Mrs. Williams?
But Emma only smiles wider, her gaze fixed on the ceiling above, as the strange noises grow louder.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Scene 3
INT. EMMAS ROOM – NIGHT
Karen enters the room. It’s dark. The only light is from the MOONLIGHT that seeps through the frail, moth-eaten CURTAINS. She sees Emma sitting up in her bed, her eyes glazed, staring into the abyss.
KAREN
(whispering)
Everything okay, Emma?
No response. The tension grows. Unexpectedly, the SOUND OF A CAT MEOWING echoes around the room. Karen scans the room, sees nothing. She turns back to Emma and freezes. Emma’s attention is now fixated on the closet. It’s slightly ajar.
KAREN
(with a gulp)
I guess I’ll check on that.
She crosses the room. Each step creaks under her weight. The meowing gets LOUDER, more AGITATED. Karen reaches the closet and throws it open. Inside is DARKNESS.
Suddenly, a GHOSTLY FIGURE steps forward – A WOMAN with long hair covering her face and a LITTLE BOY by her side. Their eyes, filled with RAGE. The boy has a black cat in his arms.
KAREN
(yelps)
What the…?!
The ghostly figure lifts her head, revealing her deathly pallor. She starts to murmur something.
GHOSTLY FIGURE
(in a whisper)
The grudge…
Karen stumbles back, terrified, as the woman and the boy advance, their spectral hands reaching out. The screen goes black.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Scene 4
INT. HOSPITAL – DAY
Karen, a bright American nurse, sits at a computer. Eeriness surrounds her as she clicks onto the search page. She types “Saeki family” and starts scrolling through the numerous results.
CUT TO:
INT. KAREN’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Karen is huddled on the couch, reading through old newspaper articles. She looks terrified but determined.
INSERT – NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
Pictures of the Saeki family, headlines reading MURDER SUICIDE AT SAKEI RESIDENCE, FAMILY TRAGEDY IN TOKYO.
BACK TO:
Karen’s face reflects the horror of what she’s discovered.
KAREN
(to herself)
The house… it harbors their rage.
Suddenly, her phone RINGS. Startled, Karen jumps. She picks up.
KAREN
(into the phone)
Hello?
MYSTERIOUS VOICE
(hissing)
The grudge…
Karen drops the phone, eyes wide, heart pounding.
FADE OUT:
INT. HOUSE – NIGHT
Karen’s standing in front of the haunted house with the printouts. Its eerie silence sends a chill down her spine.
KAREN
(whispering to herself)
I have to break the cycle…
As she steps forward towards the house, a shadow looms behind her. The ghostly figures of a woman and a boy appear, their eyes filled with vengeful wrath.
FADE OUT:
TO BE CONTINUED…
Scene 5
INT. HOSPITAL – NIGHT
Nurse KAREN DAVIS is sitting at the desk, her eyes reflecting fear and resolution. She’s researching, frantic, papers scattered everywhere. Enter fellow nurse, LISA.
LISA
(Karen, are you okay?)
KAREN
(Startled)
Something’s wrong, Lisa. It’s the house, the Williams’ house.
LISA
(Laughs nervously)
You mean that old haunted place?
Karen turns the computer screen towards Lisa, showing news articles about the Saeki family murders.
KAREN
Look at this, Lisa. It’s not just stories.
FADE TO BLACK
EXT. WILLIAMS HOUSE – NIGHT
Karen stands in front of the ominous house, heart pounding but determined. She takes a deep breath and walks in.
INT. WILLIAMS HOUSE – NIGHT
Karne begins to sense a hostile PRESENCE. Suddenly, a PHOTO ALBUM falls from a shelf.
INSERT: A photo of the Saeki family: mother, father, young boy.
WHISPERING VOICES fill the room. Karen picks up the photo. The boy’s eyes move. Karen drops it, horrified.
CUT TO
INT. KAREN’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Karen sits in her dark living room, phone in hand.
KAREN
(Into the phone)
Detective Nakagawa, it’s Karen Davis. Something’s happening.
FADE OUT.
TO BE CONTINUED…
[NEXT SCENE: KAREN ENGULFED IN THE CURSE’S WRATH]
Scene 6
INT. THE WILLIAMS’ HOUSE – NIGHT
KAREN, a nervous but determined American nurse, stands in the dimly lit room, clutching an old Japanese talisman tightly in her hand. Something SHRIEKS in the darkness. She turns, her flashlight revealing nothing.
Suddenly, the GHOSTLY FIGURE OF A WOMAN, her face filled with RAGE, emerges, standing just inches away from Karen.
GHOSTLY FIGURE
(The voice is chilling and echoes)
You should have left.
Karen steps back, swallowing her fear.
KAREN
(Whispering)
I’m here to stop this… this curse.
Suddenly, the ghostly figure launches at Karen, but is pushed back by the talisman’s power. The figure screams in agony.
The SMALL BOY appears from behind the furniture, his eyes burning with wrath.
SMALL BOY
(Hisses)
You can’t stop us!
Karen, trembling, moves towards him.
KAREN
(Whispering)
Your pain… I can feel it. But this… this isn’t the way.
With a ROAR, the ghostly woman lunges at Karen again. Karen raises the talisman just in time, pushing the ghost back.
Suddenly, the house SHAKES VIOLENTLY. Pictures fall from the walls, furniture slides across the floor.
KAREN
(Shouting)
I release you from this curse!
The violent shaking STOPS. The ghostly figures DISAPPEAR. Karen falls to her knees, exhausted but relieved.
FADE OUT.
TO BE CONTINUED…
