BUY THE SCRIPT BETWEEN AS A PAPERBACK BOOK ON AMAZON
a feature screenplay
by Cynthia Troyer
LOGLINE
The Reynolds family moves into a centuries old house along the New England coast. Leila Reynolds struggles to adapt to her new school in her senior year, and becomes obsessed with learning the secrets of her new house. As the puzzled truth is pieced together, supernatural occurrences plague the house in increasing frequency. In order to put centuries of ghosts to rest forever, Leila must face her own destiny and learn the 13 powers of a witch.
SYNOPSIS
In 1881, at the height of the Spiritualist movement, the inhabitants of a New England house hold a seance and conjure Abby, 17, died 1763 of a witch hanging. When the Captain, an angry entity, follows Abby, a magic incantation banishes him. The price is a high body count.
Diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, Leila Reynolds has lived her whole life seeing things others can’t. When her family moves into the same centuries old house she comes face to face with the reality she’s not your average teenager. But is she crazy?
Settling in to her senior year she makes friends fast. In this alternative high school, the Goth kids are popular. There is instant chemistry with Troy, the hot tatted football player. And Melissa the Goth cheerleader is soon Leila’s new BFF. One night after school, the girls play Ouija.
The board game conjures Abby and she leads Leila to her diary in a hidden room. Leila is hit with the reality her ghost are real. She has a special gift to see beyond the veil.
When Leila stops taking her medication, a whole new world opens up to her.
Leila reads Abby’s diary and she is able to transport herself back in time. In 1763, Abby, a descendant of a witch hung at Salem, is learning to harness the 13 Powers of a Witch.
When Leila comes out of her reverie, she realizes she too possesses the 13 powers and sets out to hone her skills, using Abby’s diary as a road map.
As the supernatural occurrences in the house begin to increase in frequency, Leila fears for her family’s lives. She searches for answers as to why so many souls are trapped in the house.
The pieces all fall in to place on All Hallow’s eve. Or Samhein, the witch’s new year. Leila finds the only woman who has ever survived after living in the house. He tells her of the evil, and its connection to Abby.
Leila realizes Abby was deeply in love with Jacob O’Leary a sea captain. He built her this castle, but before they could wed, while he was out to sea, she was hung for being a witch. Pushed to the limit, Leila gains clarity and her powers grow. On this day, the veil is peeled back and all can see the ghosts.
Leila’s Halloween party turns into a battle to stay alive. The Captain wants blood.
Leila merges with Abby’s 1763 self, and experiences the horrors of witch torture. But she learns that when the Captain returned from sea to discover his one true love dead, he went on a rampage and all the powers of darkness overtook him.
Can Leila harness her powers and put a century’s old evil to rest, before the Captain destroys everything she loves.
ARTISTIC STATEMENT
I wanted to tell an adult ghost story that would tantalize and thrill the horror loving audience. The story has an underlying theme about the acceptance of personal power. It also delves into the world of Wicca, and the power of white magic.
AWARDS
WRITERS ON THE STORM 3
quarterfinalist
October 2008
SCRIPTSHARK INSIDER SCREENPLAY CONTEST
semifinalist
December 2007
Copyright (C) Cynthia Troyer
