Nate
I’m at the cabin – finally.
Nate
Took longer than I thought to make sure the woods was clear.
Nate
I just gave the group their safety orientation. Seems like a wild bunch.
Brad
Yeah, lol. I worked hard to rile them up before I left.
Nate
There were more people at the cabin than on the signup sheet. Has everyone paid?
Brad
Yeah. We had a few last-minute requests to join. Friends of friends.
Nate
I hope you checked them out.
Nate
You don’t worry enough. One false move and we’ll end up in jail.
Brad
Relax. I have everything under control.
Brad
What is that supposed to mean?
Nate
I don’t know. I have a bad feeling about all of this.
Nate
As soon as I gave the okay to start, people started shooting all over the place.
Nate
I yelled at them to stop firing at random shit. That someone was going to get hurt.
Nate
And they laughed at me—laughed!
Nate
Then several wandered off alone.
Brad
Did you bring them back? Everyone needs to stay together…
Nate
I’m tracking the last one down now.
Nate
It’s like no one paid attention to my list of rules.
Brad
They’re excited. You don’t hunt such challenging game every day.
Nate
Hold on – I think I see the last member of the party up ahead.
Nate
Oh God. This is bad.
Nate
I found the last member of the hunting party.
Brad
Damn. How bad is he hurt?
Brad
Shit. That’s going to be messy.
Nate
Now I’m hearing footsteps all around me. I think people are wandering off again.
Nate
The party isn’t playing by the rules. It’s a free-for-all out here.
Nate
Are you crazy?? Someone got killed! How can I relax?
Brad
This hunting party has more money than hunting skills. I told you that.
Nate
We’ve never had a dead body before.
Nate
Other than the prey. But we know how to handle the prey.
Nate
This…this is different.
Brad
Just throw the dead guy under a bush. We’ll clean it up after the hunt.
Nate
What if someone from the group finds him? What if they tell the cops?
Brad
What are they going to say?
Brad
That they accidentally shot one of their own party instead of the young girl they were hunting?
Nate
I don’t like this. We need to call it off.
Brad
Everyone has signed waivers and is aware that stuff like this may happen.
Brad
It’s too late to back out now. They’ve already paid.
Brad
We’re at this rodeo together, my friend.
Nate
Some damn rodeo this is, you asshole.
Brad
Look, you have to just make it work. I have my hands full manipulating the prey.
Nate
Where is Lynn, anyway? Is she all right?
Brad
You know better than to use the prey’s real name at this stage of the game.
Brad
You haven’t gotten attached to her, have you?
Nate
What? No, of course not.
Brad
Good. Then get your act together and get rid of the body.
Brad
I told you – drag it under a bush while keeping our paying customers focused on the target.
Brad
I have to go. The prey is on the move.
Brad
Damn, she’s fast. I can’t catch up.
Brad
Gonna need some help getting her back within bounds.
Nate
Can’t you do one thing on your own? I’m dealing with these idiots over here…
Brad
No. You have the better relationship with her. She trusts you.
Nate
But the hunting party…
Brad
Fuck the party. If she makes it out of the woods and gets to the cops, we’re screwed.
Brad
Bring her back to the cars. I’ll meet you there with the party.
Nate
Fine. As long as we get to put an end to this game as quickly as possible…
Brad
She’s getting away, Nate. Contact her. NOW.
Sighing, Nate hits Lynn’s name in his call list and brings the phone to his ear.
Nate
Lynn, are you there?
Nate steps out of woods and sees two parked cars on a small dirt road.
Nate
Where are you? I found Brad’s car, but no one’s here.
Nate
No. Tell me where you are, and I’ll come get you.
Lynn
I went to the lake to try to orient myself.
Lynn
I think I was too exposed. They found me, so I had to run.
Lynn
Yes. Brad and several others.
Lynn
I can still hear their voices in the distance.
Nate checks his gun and finds he’s out of ammunition.
Lynn
It was awful. They started shooting at me, so I ran.
Lynn
Then I tripped and fell.
Nate puts the gun down on the hood of the car.
Lynn
Nate, I tripped over a dead body!!!
Lynn
Nate, I’m so scared. I don’t know what to do.
Lynn
I’m going to call the police.
Nate
Because the cops will only make things more complicated.
Nate
These people are crazy, Lynn.
Nate
Calling the cops might send them over the edge and put yourself in more danger.
Lynn
Oh. I didn’t think about that.
Nate
You don’t want to make these people angrier than they already are.
Lynn
Why would they be angry with me?
Lynn
What did I do to them?
Nate
Listen, I’ll take care of everything. Just tell me where you are.
Lynn
Shit. I think they found me again!
Nate
I don’t hear anything.
Nate
Can you get yourself back to the car?
Nate
I can help if you double back to the car.
Nate
Hurry, Lynn! I can’t help you unless I know where you are!
Lynn
Okay, I’m on my way.
Without ending the call, Nate drops his phone into the driver’s seat of Brad’s car.
He can hear gunfire and shouting in the distance as he takes his gun to the trunk and reloads.
Lynn emerges from the woods. Her hair is a mess and her clothes are torn.
She tucks her phone in her pocket and lurches toward him.
Lynn
Start the car, they're right behind me.
Nate steps away from the trunk of the car and raises his gun.
He points the firearm directly at her.
