(Lawrence walks into the gypsy encampment, looking around for Maleva. Finally, his eyes catch the old gypsy woman. She motions to him.)
Lawrence Talbot: I'm not planning on buying anything...
Maleva: Good, because I'm not selling anything. One of our own died the day you were bitten.
(Lawrence looks over to a ripped and torn tent. It is covered in blood. In the background, dreamlike, blood-curling screams are heard as well as animal sounds and the noises of tearing flesh)
Maleva (Sighs): More will die, nothing can stop that. I know why you came, it was only a matter of time. Follow me to the mausoleum, son. There's something you need to see.
(Maleva leads Lawrence into the forest, the only light being Maleva's torch. She pulls open the door of the mausoleum and walks deep inside. Finally, she stops upon a coffin. She kneels down, praying.)
Maleva: The way you walked was thorny, through no fault of your own, but as the rain enters the soil, the river enters the sea, so tears run to a predestined end. Your suffering is over, Bela my son. Now you will find peace.
(Maleva looks to Lawrence.)
Lawrence Talbot: Bela...He's the man in the dream. The one with the Silver Cane.
(Maleva closes her eyes as the screen cuts to a dream like flashback, where the events narrarated by Maleva are taking place on film)
Maleva (Narrating): Bela was a more successful man than I. Half-Indian and half-gypsy, he got the short end of the stick so to speak. However, he eventually became a doctor and graduated from Oxford. He ended up marrying a white woman, Evelyn Marshall. As he came here for my blessing, he was attacked by large wolf. The wolf killed Bela's sister and wounded Bela himself.,
Lawrence Talbot: But...But I wasn't attacked by a wolf. I would've known.
Maleva: The creature that attacked Bela goes through several stages. It starts out as a wolf, infected with disease. When the saliva of this wolf enters the bloodstream of a human, the reactions are rather...Gruesome. Anyways, at each full moon, Bela would take on the form of a monster, "a wolf-man", so to speak. Every night at the full moon, Bela would kill and devour the villagers of Duncester.
Lawrence Talbot: The Duncester Massacres...
Maleva: Yes, Bela. Bela went to me for guidance, but when he found there was no cure, he abandoned the one thing he truly loved, his wife, in order to protect her. Your father, John, led a hunting party after my son, like a wild animal. Father John shot and killed the beast...But his curse remains in another...And in you, Mr Talbot.
(Maleva grabs Lawrence's Silver Cane, staring at it. In the background, a great howling is heard as well as several gunshots. The screaming of men is heard as well, as it fades away from the dreamlike flashback.)
Maleva: A werewolf can only be killed by a silver bullet, another werewolf, or a stick with a silver handle.
Lawrence Talbot (Sweating and shaking): You're insane!
(Lawrence tries to leave, but Maleva grabs his hand)
Maleva: Whoever is bitten by a werewolf and lives becomes a werewolf himself.
(Lawrence get's up and begins to walk away, incredibly frustrated and a bit worried.)
Lawrence Talbot: Ah, don't hand me that. You're just wasting your time.
Maleva: The creature bit you, didn't he?
Lawrence Talbot: Yeah. Yeah he did!
(Maleva looks at Lawrence, almost backing away before gathering her courage.)
Maleva: Do you dare to show me the mark?
Lawrence Talbot: I...I...
Maleva: Do you dare...To show me...The mark...
(Lawrence is practically on the verge of tears as he pulls the right hand corner of his shirt back. It is clearly visible that there is a black mark of a crescent moon within a circle. Maleva backs away, terrified.)
Maleva: Go now...And
heaven
help you.
(Lawrence runs away, starting out slow and then going faster and faster. He keeps running through the woods as if he's being chased by an imaginary monster. Finally, he stops at Conliffe Castle. He stares at it. Gwen is looking out her window, the light in her house, the only light visible. Cut to Gwen looking out. She looks down with a startled noise as she sees Lawrence climbing up the vines of the wall.)
Gwen Conliffe (Laughing): Lawrence, what are you doing?
Lawrence Talbot: Gwen, I...I really want to talk to you.
Gwen Conliffe: Well, you could've just gone through the door to do that.
Lawrence Talbot: No I couldn't have. You've heard the rumors about me. They say I'm dangerous. That I'm a monster...Maybe I am.
(Gwen slaps Lawrence across the face, then grips his hands hard.)
Gwen Conliffe: Lawrence, don't listen to them! You're the only good man I've met since Jim, and you care only for the well being of those around you. They're backward and foolish!...Everything I hate about this place.
(Lawrence is about to respond, when he begins to hear the beating of Gwen's heart. Everything appears to be in slow motion, as a growling voice is heard. Lawrence looks up at Gwen's beautiful mouth as she is saying "You're a hero Lawrence" in what appears to be slow motion. Suddenly, Lawrence grabs Gwen's arm with a growl, pulling her slightly towards him. The slow motion is now clearly over as Lawrence has been kicked out of his trance. Gwen looks at Lawrence with a look of subtle fright. Lawrence now looks like he is about to cry.)
Lawrence Talbot: I have to leave...For good this time Gwen.
Gwen Conliffe: Lawrence...What are you afraid of?
Lawrence Talbot: Gwen, you're a strong woman. That's part of what makes you so special...But you're not ready for this. There's a full moon about 3 weeks from now. Lock the doors, bar the windows...And don't go outside no matter what you do.
(Lawrence Talbot drops down and walks away slowly. He is now bursting into tears, his face a mess of despair and sadness, as he walks into the forest.)
To be continued...
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