This document is an opening screenplay about a boy named Tommy who follows a glowing Luna moth into the woods near his home one night. He is led to a clearing where he sees small, hairy creatures drumming on human skulls by a small fire. The unusual events of the night are set against the backdrop of Tommy's father, a scientist, who believes strange things may happen this particular night of the blue moon described in an old manuscript.

1. TOMMY AND THE BUTTERFLY
an opening to an original screenplay by
Chuck Loch
Chuck Loch
14314 Summertime Lane
Culver City, CA 90230
(310) 713-5480
chuck9@sbcglobal.net

2. FADE IN:
INT. TOMMY LARSEN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
RAY LARSEN, mid-forties, glasses dangling from a cord around
his neck, bursts into the bedroom of his son, TOMMY, 12.
He's followed by the family's padding beagle, FRANKLIN.
Tommy sits up in bed reading a book: Ancient Creatures of
Appalachian Forests. His dad's name appears on the cover:
Ray Larsen, Ph.D.
RAY
Caught ya! Time for lights out.
TOMMY
You think these things lived around here?
RAY
A long time ago. I don't write what
I don't believe in. Now, go to sleep.
He gently pries the book from Tommy's hands.
RAY (CONT'D)
Some bad weather's on its way.
He walks over and closes the window.
RAY (CONT'D)
Keep it closed tonight, okay?
He kisses Tommy good-night on his forehead.
RAY (CONT'D)
(to Franklin)
C'mon, let's leave our little scholar
to his dreams.
(to Tommy - as he
tickles him)
Good night, son.
BOBBY
(laughing)
Stop! I'm too old to tickle. Night, dad.
DOOR
Ray leaves the room, followed by Franklin. He takes the
book with him.
BED/WINDOW

3. 2.
As soon as the door closes, Tommy glides over to the window,
opens it, looks out onto a rural wooded landscape under a
bright full moon. Not a cloud in the sky.
ROOM/BED
On his way back to bed, he passes an easel holding a colored
pastel drawing of a beautiful Luna moth. Photos and drawings
of moths and butterflies decorate the walls.
Tommy sleeps but tosses and turns.
ABSTRACT NIGHTMARE SEQUENCE -BED
Colorful butterflies and moths with menacing human skulls
for heads, float above him as lies in bed.
END NIGHTMARE SEQUENCE
WINDOW/BED
A LUNA, like the one in his colored drawing, but with an
eerie glow around it, flits in his window, lands on his nose.
In his sleep, Tommy wrinkles his nose and brushes at it with
his hand. The Luna flits away just before he's touched.
Tommy wakes. Sees the moth
BED/DOOR
which flits to his bedroom door, flaps against it.
BED
TOMMY
You're beautiful! You want out?
DOOR
Tommy goes to the door, opens it, and almost steps on Franklin
who's lying asleep just outside the door. Franklin also
tosses, turns, and WHINES in his sleep.
DOOR/HALL
The Luna flits through the doorway, down the hall and down
the stairs. Tommy follows, but his foot brushes Franklin
who stirs, wakes up, and pads after Tommy.
INT. LARSEN HOME - NIGHT
RAY'S STUDY
The trio slip past the doorway. Inside, Ray's on the phone

4. 3.
RAY
I'm trying to tell you Dr. Crater,
this is the night of the blue moon
foretold in the old manuscript.
I'll be up all night, waiting,
watching.
EXT. LARSEN HOUSE PORCH - NIGHT
The Luna, Tommy, and Franklin, slip outside into the bright
night. The SILENCE is deafening. No crickets, frogs, other
night noises. No cars on the dirt road in front of the house.
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
The Luna leads them into the woods. Off on all sides, faint
glows among the trees flare up then die out. Branches CRACK;
the wind WHISTLES, MOANS; far-away DRUM BEATS rise and dissolve.
Franklin looks around nervously, WHINES.
TOMMY
What is it, boy? There's nothing
out here to hurt us. You've seen it
in daylight. It just looks a little
different tonight.
Suddenly Franklin points in the direction of a faint DRUMMING
SOUND.
Tommy stops, listens, peers into the trees.
The Luna continues on its course. Tommy turns and creeps
toward the DRUMMING.
Franklin holds his ground, GROWLS.
At the GROWL, the Luna turns, flits back to Franklin. Then,
flies faster and faster after Tommy. Franklin follows.
The DRUMMING SOUND grow louder as Tommy pushes through brush.
He spots a clearing dead ahead.
CLEARING
As he peers inside, Tommy sees a small fire that casts shadows
from the hairy arms of several small creatures drumming human
femurs on human skulls that sit before them.
Tommy freezes. The Luna flits in behind him, stopping dead
in its flight, like it hit a glass wall.