Gary stands in the ditch, watching Cameron catch his breath.
CAMERON
Okay, up we go.
Cameron picks Gary back up. He walks on.
CAMERON
I coulda had a husky with really
cool eyes, ya know? Probably
would’ve loved ridin’ in trucks.
EXT. CAMERON’S HOME - DAY
Cameron carries Gary up to a single-story with vinyl siding
and dented garage door. The only thing that’s been cared for
is the lawn, which is impeccable.
He sets Gary on the porch. Unclips a CARABINER OF KEYS from
his jeans. Flips through them to find his door key.
Gary watches wind chimes clink and clang. Then, something
else catches his attention. Past the chimes, in the window of
the house next door --
A PAIR OF EYES.
Staring directly at Gary through the blinds. Bloodshot.
Unblinking.
Gary doesn’t like them. He whimpers. Backs up.
Cameron opens the door.
CAMERON
C’mon, boy.
Gary looks back at the window. The eyes are gone.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
A Gentle Gesture
INT. CAMERON’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Gary tentatively enters. Peers into the living room. Worn
hardwood floors. Popcorn ceiling stained from a leaking roof.
Dusty 37” Vizio. A red Lowe’s Home Improvem ent vest and
toolbelt hanging up in the hall.
Cameron kisses Gary on the top of the head. Leaves. Gary
listens to him lock the front door.
A silent beat.
Gary looks around the house.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
Gary's Adventure in the Woods
INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
Gary enters, tentative.
Sniffs.
His nose leads him to the breakfast nook.
He hops up onto the bench. Sniffs a plate of toast crust.
Eats the crust. Continues on...
Sniffs his way to a framed photo of a BORDER COLLIE on a
shelf. A faded leat her dog collar with “BOOMER” on the tag is
wrapped around the photo.
Gary intently sniffs the WHITE HAIRS on the collar. Learning
all about Boomer.
Gary looks down into the corner and spots a basket of dog
toys. A kong, a rope tug, tennis balls.
Next to it, there’s a DOGGY DOOR.
EXT. BACKYARD - DAY
Gary pushes through the doggy door. Steps out onto the porch.
Looks around the yard. Manicured grass. Met iculous
landscaping.
Limps over to a bush. Pees on it.
As he does, he sniffs the air.
Smelling something in the wind.
Something interesting.
Gary continues along the fence line, following the scent to a
WOODEN GATE at the back of the property. Paws have dug up the
soil underneath it. No doubt the work of Gary’s predecessor.
Gary sticks his nose under the gate. Sniffs. The scent is out
there.
Then, he turns and carries the shoe off. Back to the
UTILITY CLOSET
He drops it. It falls into the heap of blankets.
Cameron enters, fumbling to get his carabiner of keys out of
the door.
CAMERON
Hey buddy.
Cameron crouches in front of Gary with a shopping bag.
CAMERON
You do okay here by yourself?
He pets Gary, not not icing the shoe.
CAMERON
Picked something up for ya.
Cameron pulls a ventilated dog KNEE BRACE out of the bag.
Gary sniffs it.
Cameron heads into the hallway and grabs a pair of gardening
shears out of his toolbelt. He returns and cuts off Gary’s
cast. Peels the bandaging and plaster away.
CAMERON
Good riddance to that itchy thing.
He slides the new brace over Gary’s leg. Velcros it in place.
Gary looks at the brace. Moves his leg. It feels good.
Really good.
He looks up at Cameron, surprised. Cameron beams back.
CAMERON
(nods to TV)
See this kid? That’s J.T. Elliott.
He runs a four three. We like him
cuz he’s got two German Shepherds.
(adds)
And cuz he runs a four three.
Gary rests his head on Cameron’s lap. His eyes grow heavy as
Cameron scratches.
CAMERON
Maybe I call you Elliott?
He can call him whatever he likes, as long as he keeps
scratching.
Gary can’t hold his eyes open any longer. He closes them.
Black.
Sil ence.
A long beat.
A SHRIEK.
LATER
Gary opens his eyes. He’s still on the couch. The TV is on
but Cameron is gone.
Another SHRIEK. Followed by a CRASH. Coming from Cameron’s
bedroom.
Gary gets up. Passes the TV. A picture of a NURSE (32) is on
the local news. We catch the chyron --
SEARCH FOR SHELBYVILLE WOMAN CONTINUES
Gary crosses the hallway, heads into
CAMERON’S BEDROOM
A LAMP lies on the floor. COVERS pulled off the bed. PILLOWS
scattered everywhere.
And in the middle of the bed...Cameron. Covered in sweat.
Tossing and turning. He mumbles in his sleep --
CAMERON
Whatta ya think...wanna come to
work with me today?
He’s not thinking about anything except how good those
scratches feel.
That TING TING TING of the water heater faintly fills the
room. Cameron groans: You gotta be kiddin’ me.
He wills himself out of bed. Grabs his toolbelt. Heads
downstairs.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
A Trip to Lowe's
EXT. CAMERON’S HOUSE - DAY
Cameron leads Gary down the driveway, zipping up his Lowe’s
vest.
Gary eyes Randy’s house. The shades are all drawn. Impossible
to see in. Then movement... One of the shades snapping
closed.
They were being watched.
Cameron doesn’t notice. He opens the passenger door of his
truck. Gary stops.
CAMERON
Still?
Gary looks up at Cameron. Still.
Cameron pulls a Ziploc of shredded salmon out of his pocket.
Pours it onto the passenger seat. He walks around the truck
and gets in the dri ver’s side.
Gary eyes the salmon.
INT. CAMERON’S TRUCK - DAY
Cameron starts the engine. Gary is now next to him on the
passenger seat, gobbling up the salmon.
CAMERON
(smiles)
Thatta boy.
Cameron scratches behind his ears. Reaches over, shuts the
door.
Gary’s leash is tied to a shelf of pool supplies in the back.
He lies next to a water bowl, watching Cameron stack bags of
chlorine with a tattooed co-worker in a STRAW HAT (38).
STRAW HAT
You asked Debbie about this?
CAMERON
‘Course. She was cool with it.
STRAW HAT
Seems that way.
Straw Hat nods to the MANAGER near the registers, who looks
about as uncool as you can look about any situation.
CAMERON
What am I supposed to do, leave him
alone all day in a new house? No
way.
STRAW HAT
He’s got your other one to play
with.
Cameron clenches his jaw, uncomfortable. Straw Hat clocks
this.
STRAW HAT
No... What? What happened?
CAMERON
Cancer.
STRAW HAT
Fuck man. I’m so sorry. He was like
super young wasn’t he...
A CRUNCHING fills our ears, drowning out the conversation.
Gary turns to see a shopper eating a peanut butter wafer
energy bar as she studies a row of plants. This is KAT (28,
overalls, blonde bob).
Gary smells the peanut butter and gets up. He heads over, his
leash just long enough to reach her.
The cries are coming from Cameron. His owner is in trouble.
Gary pushes his snout against the brown grille covering the
vent. It’s loose. He pushes harder, pulling one end out of
the drywall. Manages to nose past the grille.
Pushes his head into
THE VENT
It’s dark in here. A sliver of l ight coming from below us.
Gary looks down towards the light.
He’s seeing through the A/C duct straight down into the
basement.
His view is obscured by another grille, but he can make out
the cracked concrete floor.
Cameron’s cries are louder down here.
Gary turns his head. Trying a new angle. Looking for Cameron.
Spots a chest freezer. Turns his head again. More concrete
floor.
And then finally --
CAMER ON.
There he is.
Sitting on a metal chair.
Scratches on his neck and face.
Sobbing.
Gary shifts around to get a better view, and that’s when
something odd comes into focus --
We PUSH IN on Gary as he eyes Cameron. Impossible to tell if
Gary understands anything he’s seeing.
Or maybe he understands everything he’s seeing.
His tag hits the side of the vent again. Clang. Cameron looks
up.
Gary is gone.
Off Cameron, curious --
UTILITY CLOSET
Gary pulls his head out of the vent.
Listens to Cameron’s Carhartt boots making their way up
stairs.
They appear in front of Gary. Cameron lo oks down at him, then
over at the open bedroom door.
CAMERON
How’d you get out?
Cameron spots Gary’s tail tucked between his legs. He gives
Gary a warm smile.
CAMERON
It’s okay, bud.
He crouches down. Scratches behind his ears.
CAMERON
Everything’s okay.
Gary melts. His eyes grow heavy. Powerless to his spot.
CAMERON
Yeah. That’s a good boy.
His tail slowly starts to untuck.
Cameron stands. Reaches up to the t op shelf of the closet.
Pulls down one of those red Lowe’s shopping baskets full of
CLEANING SUPPLIES... bleach, plastic gloves, gardening tarp.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
The Harvester's Encounter
INT. HALLWAY - LATER THAT NIGHT
Cameron cleans up broken glass and pieces of lamp.
Gary watches from the other end of the hall, still a little
uneasy. He’s next to a broken picture frame. The picture is
of a TEENAGE CAMERON. His FATHER (43, balding) and MOTHER
(39, petite, blonde pixie cut) have their arms around him in
front of a Christmas tree.
Cameron picks up the photo. A warm memory. He delicately
removes it from the broken glass. Precious to him.
INT. GARAGE - LATER THAT NIG HT
Gary watches Cameron load a human-shaped COCOON of gardening
tarp into the bed of his Chevy. Cameron crosses over to a
work bench. Grabs that rose-colored sneaker.
He tucks the sneaker inside the cocoon next to A SECOND ROSE-
COLORED SNEAKER. A complete pair.
Cameron opens the passenger door of the truck. Smiles at
Gary.
CAMERON
C’mon, we’re goin’ for a ride.
Gary brightens. He likes the truck.
INT. CA MERON’S TRUCK - NIGHT
Gary has his head out the window, tongue flapping in the
wind.
Cameron wipes blood from his face with his sleeve.
EXT. FARMHOUSE - NIGHT
Cameron pulls the truck up to an abandoned farmhouse with a
collapsed roof. A rotting BARN sits in the back.
Both buildings have been completely neglected. Oddly, the
landscaping has not. The grass, hedges, vegetable
garden...all carefully cared for.
Cameron gets out of the truck. Gary follows him. They walk
along the edge of a CORNFIELD.
Gary sniffs the air.
Something odd out here.
Gary follows Cameron to a ‘98 Case COMBINE HARVESTER. Cameron
gets in the cab. Pats his leg.
Scene
14 -
Gary Discovers Something Sinister in the Basement
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
Gary finishes a bowl of kibble. Looks up --
Cameron snores on the couch in front of SportsCenter.
Over in the hallway, the basement door is open. Our first
look at the back side of it. It’s no ordinary door. Three
inches thick and covered in soundproofing with a steel
deadbolt.
Gary’s eyes drift to the staircase beyond it.
INT. BASEMENT - MOMENTS LATER
Click. Clack. Click. Clack.
G ary descends the stairs. The walls are lined with SOUNDPROOF
INSULATION. Far newer than anything else in the house.
Gary stops on the last stair. He sniffs.
It smells weird.
He peers into the darkness. No windows. Just concrete walls,
all around us. Impossible to see anything down here.
At least for a moment. Gary’s eyes begin to adjust and so do
ours. Like someone raised the brightness 10%.
The power of the canine retina.
Gary moves forward. Past the chest freezer. Under the vent.
Comes to a patch of concrete stained red. A puddle of blood
was here.
He looks further into the basement --
Another red stain. And another. And another.
They’re all over the basement.
Gary spots something stuck in a crack in the concrete.
It hits the vent cover and rolls into the corner next to the
other.
KAT
Is that all you do?
Gary whines: play with me.
KAT
Great job. Real helpful.
He stares at her. Waiting for her to throw it back. Finally
realizes she’s not going to. Pulls his head out of the vent.
We STAY ON Kat studying the tennis balls. Something striking
her.
Genres:
["Thriller","Horror"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Escape Attempt
INT. UTILITY CLOSET - MOMENTS LATER
Gary naps against th e washing machine.
Clang.
His ears perk up.
Clang.
It’s coming from the vent. He noses his head back into
THE VENT
He looks down at a pair of dirty Converse. Kat’s shoes. She’s
on her tippy toes on that metal chair.
The vent is rattling back and forth.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
The vent cover swings open. The tennis balls bounce to the
floor.
Kat’s head pokes into view. She peers up at Gary. He stares
down at he r. Getting a full look at each other’s faces for
the first time since Kat was taken.
If the vent were bigger, Kat could crawl right through it.
But it’s not.
Gary bursts out of the doggy door. Stands on the patio.
Barks.
Randy appears in the yard next door.
RANDY
What’s wrong? Huh?
He unlatches Cameron’s gate. Cautiously enters the yard,
looking around for any sign of Cameron. Then turns his eyes
back to the distressed Gary.
RANDY
What happened? What is it?
Gary continues to bark.
Randy approaches the door.
RANDY
Someone in there?
More ba rking. Gary heads back inside through the doggy door.
Randy crouches down. Opens the flap. Peers inside.
RANDY
Hello...?
BASEMENT
Kat looks up at the vent. Did she just hear something?
She limps to the chair. Painfully pulls herself onto it.
Stands. Cranes her neck to the vent. Listens. Ever so
faintly, echoing across the sheet metal --
Cameron sits on the floor next to Gary in his Lowe’s vest. He
holds an ELECTRIC COLLAR in his hand. Tests it by pressing a
button on an app on his phone.
VRRRT!!!
It shocks Cameron so much he drops the collar.
CAMERON
Shit.
He checks the intensity setting on the app: forty milliamps.
Dials it way back. Tests it again.
Vrrt.
Better.
He goes to fasten the ELECTRIC COLLAR onto Gary. Gary
re sists. Fidgets.
CAMERON
I know. I’m sorry, buddy. But that
gate was wide open.
He manages to get it on. Pets Gary lovingly.
CAMERON
I can’t lose you, too.
He kisses Gary on the head. Stands. Grabs his carabiner of
keys off that hook.
CAMERON
Be good, boy.
Gary watches Cameron leave.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
Salmon Training
INT. VENT - DAY
Gary peers down into the basement. Spots Kat slumped next to
the freezer. Cameron’s given her that BOOMER dog bowl with
leftover chicken Gary didn’t eat. She ignores it, staring at
the far wall.
Numb.
She hears Gary above her and looks up. Sees the red light on
his collar.
KAT
Never understood it...why everyone
loves you guys. My neighbors had
this pitbull when I was growing up.
Big mother fucker. Twice the size
of you. Used to bark at me on the
way to school. Such an asshole.
Gary listens.
KAT
I was so scared of him I’d run past
his fence. ‘Till one day he got
out. Chased me down. Had to g et
twelve stitches in my hand.
Kat shakes her head.
KAT
I don’t care how cute any of you
are, I don’t trust you. No offense.
Gary stares at Kat, none taken.
KAT
I shouldn’t have to apologize for
that, right?
Gary can’t offer her an answer. Only compassionate eyes.
She sighs: I can’t believe I’m talking to a dog.
She looks around the basement.
KAT
I’m running out of time.
Talking to herself now more than Gary.
She peers up at Gary. The only friend she has in this place.
Her only chance out of it.
He holds it out for Gary. Cameron spots the letters written
on the ball.
He snatches it from the officer.
CAMERON
(explaining)
You don’t want to touch his toys.
So much slobber.
Cameron wipes his thumb across the ball. SMEARS THE MESSAGE.
The officer studies Cameron.
OFFICER
You should take a look at that
cheek.
The officer leaves. Cameron shuts the door. Looks down at the
smeared message on that tennis ball.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Escape Plan Revealed
INT. BASEMENT - NIGHT
Kat yanks against the zip ties with all her weight. They bite
into her wrists, but she keeps tugging until...
Snap.
The ties break. She rips the tape off her mouth. Pulls
herself to her feet. Turns around. Cameron is there at the
bottom of the stairs. Gary is next to him.
Cameron holds that tennis ball.
CAMERON
Do you kno w what they would’ve done
to me if they found this?
Cameron STRIKES her in a flash of rage. She collapses to the
ground.
As he does, Kat looks at the CARABINER OF KEYS jingling from
his belt loop right in front of her. Then her eyes drift over
to the pouch of salmon near the freezer...an idea forming.
CAMERON
Everything’s okay.
Cameron scratches behind Gary’s ears. But this ti me, Gary’s
eyes don’t grow heavy. They stay wide open, focused on
Cameron. Distrusting.
CAMERON
You almost got us in big trouble
today. I love you but you gotta
listen to me, ‘kay?
Cameron stands and sees that Kat is now in the corner. What
he doesn’t see is her wiping salmon off her hand behind her
back.
He stares at her, no longer filled with hope but with
disappointment. Knowing what he has to do.
C AMERON
C’mon, boy.
Cameron heads for the staircase.
Gary glances at Kat, then dutifully follows Cameron. As they
head upstairs, we ANGLE ON: Cameron’s carabiner. It shimmers,
greasy.
Tiny pieces of salmon stuck in the keychain.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
Gary Protects Kat
INT. UTILITY CLOSET - NIGHT
Gary sits next to the washer.
Cameron rummages around on the shelf above him. Pulls down
that Lowe’s SHOPPING BASKET filled with the bleach and the
gl oves and the tarp.
He follows his nose to the breakfast nook. Hops up on it.
Looks up at that
CARABINER OF KEYS.
The tiny bits of salmon tantalizing his nose.
He cranes his neck.
Starts licking.
The keys jingle as he licks them and licks them and licks
them and...
CLANG!
The keys fall to the floor.
Gary hops down. Continues licking. Making sure he gets it
all. As he does, we RACK FOCUS to that BOTTLE OPENER sawing a
NOTCH into the bottom the basement door.
Then a pair of EYES stare through the notch, watching Gary.
It’s Kat. Lying on her stomach, face on the floor.
She whispers to him.
KAT
Good dog.
Gary sees her. She points at the keys. Five feet away from
her. Devastatingly close.
KAT
The keys.
Gary cocks his head. Just stares at her. Kat pushes a piece
of salmon through the notch.
KAT
Just like before. Remember?
Gary makes a beeline for the fish and scarfs it up.
KAT
That’s it. Now the keys. The keys.
Remember?
She points furiously back at the keys. Her energy excites
Gary. He gives a little bark.
CAMERON
All we wanted was love and they put
us in a cage.
CLANG.
CAMERON
I love you too much to let them do
that to you again.
Kat spots Cameron approaching the cage next to her. She looks
for Gary.
He’s gone.
WTF?
She scans the barn for him.
Spots a pair of eyes staring at her through a SMALL GAP under
the back wall.
It’s Gary standing OUTSIDE THE BARN. He’s crawled out through
the gap.
Big enough for Gar y, too small for her.
CLANG.
Cameron’s in the adjacent cage. Time’s up. No other option.
She BOLTS for that opening.
Cameron sees her. Gives chase. Ten feet behind. Closing.
Kat dives to the dirt. Claws her way under the wall.
OUTSIDE THE BARN
Gary barks as she pulls herself forward. The jagged wood of
the wall BITING into her back. Doesn’t care. Squeezing.
Kicking. Willing herself through. When --
She SC REAMS.
INSIDE THE BARN
Cameron’s SUNK THE SHEARS INTO HER CALF. Grabs her legs.
He EXPLODES forward. SINKS HIS FANGS into Cameron’s arm.
Cameron SCREAMS as Gary rips him to the ground.
Gary proceeds to maul Cameron. Systematically tearing him
apart. It’s the most horrific and cathartic mauling of a
serial-killing, dog-murdering asshole you’ve ever seen.
By the time Gary is done, Cameron is a blubbering, bloody
mess. Neck shredded. Face bitten apart. Missing an eye.
Gary backs up. No joy from that. Only duty.
He stands in front of Kat protectively. She looks shocked.
The weight of what Gary just did for her sinking in.
Cameron tries to speak to Gary, his neck gurgling and
bubbling. Can’t get any words out.
Kat crawls over to Cameron. Digs his phone ou t of his pocket.
Dials 911.
As she places the call, she turns back to Gary. Studies him.
His muzzle stained red. Concern filling her face.
KAT
You gotta go.
Gary doesn’t move.
KAT
Go. You can’t be here when they
show up. Go on! Get the hell outta
here!
He doesn’t move. Kat tosses a rock at him.
KAT
GO!!!
More rocks. Gary looks confused, but turns. Heads off into
the cornfield.
The barn is surrounded by POLICE CRUISERS and AMBULANCES.
Paramedics load Cameron into the back of an ambulance. Still
alive. Destined for another cage.
Beside him, Kat gets her leg attended to, surrounded by
concerned FAMILY.
We PULL BACK to find
Gary.
Watching the scene from under the harvester.
On his own again.
EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY
Gary noses around a ditch as cars whip past in the
bac kground.
He finds a beer bottle. A plastic bag. Suddenly perks up.
Sniffs the air.
Picking up the scent of something. Something really
interesting.
Follows his nose over to
A STYROFOAM BOX.
Long John Silver’s logo on the lid.
Jackpot.
He noses it open. Starts to lick up the scraps of fish.
Behind him, an ANIMAL CONTROL truck pulls to a stop.
PRELAP: Barking.
Genres:
["Thriller","Horror"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
A Glimmer of Hope
INT. GREENWOOD ANIMAL SHELTER/KENNEL AREA - DAY
Gary stares out at us from behind a gate.
He’s in the top kennel this time. Listening to the cacophony
of barks around him.
He watches a FAMILY walk past below him. They don’t stop.
It’s as if he’s not even there.