An untrained recruit arrives at a secret facility to help monitor a deep pit which holds a malevolent entity that has been bound in chains for over 250 years, unaware it is about to awake.

SYNOPSIS:

A young woman, Tom, is taken out of training and sent to a remote site to help monitor The Pit, in which is held a dangerous entity. When the other Observers learn that Tom hasn’t completed her training, they are shocked and worry about what it means.

The Pit chamber is located deep underground. Once inside, it is sealed from the outside by a heavy, steel door. At the centre of the chamber is The Pit itself: a deep hole surrounded by a complex magic circle (aka C-Ring). Light in the chamber is provided by gas lanterns, because electrical devices fail when in close proximity to The Pit.

It is not known what is in The Pit, but they do know something is in there, because every few decades or so, Observers report hearing chains rattling. A large lever is mounted to the wall, and is fixed in place by two padlocks. Tom is told that The Lever can only be pulled in an extreme emergency. In 250 years, The Lever has never been pulled.

Over the next few weeks, the Observers monitor The Pit, despite being plagued with illnesses, horrific dreams and other issues. Tensions rise among the support Staff when rumours spread that the entity in The Pit, is awake. Morale deteriorates further when suspected cultists emerge from the forest and attack the site.

The arrival of the Regional Controller with a small, paramilitary force, makes matters worse, when their helicopter crashes, killing an Observer, Tom’s only close friend. And so, with cultists massing in the forest and the site cut off from all assistance, Tom and her teammate must enter The Pit chamber for their shift, unsure if they will see the dawn.

• script can be found here: https://www.scriptrevolution.com/scripts/rattling-chains