Henry's Catch 22 The Creepy Mansion Job

Henry’s Catch 22 the Creepy Mansion Day 1 

Colombus Ohio June 13th, 1998: Henry Baggins is low on money at least until payday next week. His friend Riley Miller calls him about a gig that will provide enough money until next week however there is a catch. 

"So, what's the catch?" Henry asked his friend Riley Miller. "Well, it's a bit of a strange gig," Riley replied, his voice hesitant. "But it pays well, and you're low on cash, right?" 

Henry sighed. He had just moved to Columbus, Ohio, and he was still adjusting to the cost of living. His paycheck was a week away, and he was down to his last few dollars. "Yeah, I need the money," he said. "What do I have to do?" 

"It's a house-sitting job," Riley said. "But it's not just any house. It's a really old, creepy mansion out in the woods. The owners are out of town, and they need someone to stay there and keep an eye on things." Henry's stomach churned at the thought of spending a week alone in a spooky old house. But he needed the money. "Okay, I'll do it," he said, trying to sound braver than he felt. 

Riley gave him the address and the instructions for getting in, then wished him luck and hung up. The drive out to the mansion was nerve-wracking. The road wound through thick woods, and the sky grew dark and ominous. By the time Henry pulled up to the mansion's gates, he was trembling with fear. 

But he had no choice. He opened the gates and drove up the long, winding driveway to the house. New night, new home. 

INT. DILAPIDATED MANSION - NIGHT 

Henry nervously stands in the living room of a dilapidated mansion owned by Earl and Barbara Malten, an elderly couple. Henry is surrounded by dusty furniture, cobwebs, and the eerie silence of the empty house. 

Suddenly, a voice message plays on Henry's phone. EARL (voice message) Hello Henry, this is Earl Malten. I'm sorry we couldn't be here to greet you in person, but we're on a short vacation and won't be back for a few days. Please make yourself at home, and if you need anything, don't hesitate to give us a call. 

Henry looks around the empty house and gulps nervously. He takes a deep breath and tries to calm himself. The mansion was even scarier than he had imagined. It was enormous, with dozens of rooms and hallways. The furniture was old and dusty, and the air was thick with the smell of mold and decay. 

But Henry tried to push his fears aside. He explored the house, turning on lights and making sure everything was secure. He found the kitchen and made himself a sandwich, then settled into a comfy armchair in the living room to watch TV. 

Just as he was starting to doze off, though, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold. It was a low, guttural growl, coming from somewhere deep in the house. 

Henry's heart raced as he tried to figure out what to do. Should he call the police? Should he run? But he knew he couldn't leave the house unattended. Gathering his courage, he stood up and slowly crept down the hallway, his ears straining for any sound. And that's when he saw it. A pair of glowing red eyes, staring at him from the shadows. Henry screamed and ran back to the living room, where he grabbed a poker from the fireplace and waited for the thing to come at him. But it never did. Hours passed, and Henry sat there in the living room, clutching the poker and waiting for the sun to rise. 

Elderly Couple's Memories FADE IN: INT. DILAPIDATED MANSION – DAY 2 

INT. MANSION Henry Baggins stands in the living room, dusting off the old furniture. The sun shines through the window, illuminating the room in a soft glow. He takes a deep breath, relieved that the creepy night is over. He walks over to the bookshelf and begins to rearrange the books when he notices a photo book that catches his eye. He pulls it out and starts flipping through the pages. 

HENRY: (smiling) Wow, this is beautiful. 

He looks at the photos of the couple, smiling and laughing together. He flips to the next page and sees a photo of the couple's wedding day. HENRY: (whispering) They look so happy. He continues to flip through the pages and sees photos of them traveling the world, celebrating anniversaries, and spending time with their children. 

HENRY: (whispering) 

They really lived a full life for sure. He then closes the Photobook and puts it back where he found it. Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. Henry jumps, startled. HENRY: (relieved) It's probably just Riley. He rushes to the door and opens it to reveal Riley standing there. RILEY: (smiling) Hey there, Henry! How's everything going? HENRY: (sighing) I made it through the night, so that's a win. 

RILEY (laughing) Yeah, I heard it was creepy. HENRY: (nodding) You have no idea. But I managed to clean up the place a bit. RILEY: (impressed) Wow, you've been busy. I see you found their photo book. 

HENRY: (nodding) Yeah, it's amazing. They lived such a full life together. RILEY: (sighing) Yeah, it's a shame they had to leave the house. But at least they have each other. HENRY: (smiling) That's true. Hey, I'm starving. Want to grab some lunch at Brinkley's BBQ? 

RILEY: (nodding) Sounds good to me. The two head out the door and make their way to Brinkley's BBQ.

INT. Sammy’s BBQ JOINT – DAY 2 

Henry and Riley sit in a booth at a local BBQ joint, enjoying the scent of smoky meat and the sound of blues music in the background. Kaley, a friendly waitress, approaches them with a smile. KALEY: Hey y'all, what can I get for you? HENRY: I'll have the brisket sandwich with a side of mac and cheese. 

RILEY: And I'll have the half-rack of ribs with a side of sweet potato fries. KALEY: Great choices. And to drink? HENRY: I'll have a sweet tea, please.  

RILEY: And I'll have a cold Mellets Ale beer. KALEY: Alrighty, I'll be right back with your drinks. As Kaley walks away, Henry lets out a sigh of relief. HENRY: That was a close one. RILEY: What do you mean? HENRY: Last night, at the mansion I'm house-sitting in was a nightmare. I heard all sorts of creepy noises and felt like someone was watching me. RILEY: That's rough, man. But you made it through, right? HENRY: Yeah, thankfully. But it got me thinking about all the crazy job gigs I've had in the past year. RILEY: Oh yeah? Like what? 

HENRY: Well, there was the time I had to dress up as a giant hotdog and dance around in front of a busy street corner. RILEY: (laughs) That's hilarious. What else? HENRY: And then there was the time I had to write an entire e-book in one night about the benefits of acai berries. RILEY: (grinning) That sounds like a blast. Kaley returns with their drinks and takes their order to the kitchen. KALEY: Your food will be out shortly. HENRY: Thanks, Kaley. 

As they wait for their food, Henry and Riley continue to reminisce about their past job gigs, laughing and enjoying each other's company. As they eat, they discuss some more about what happened the night before. HENRY: (exhaling) I don't think I've ever been that scared in my life. 

RILEY: (laughing) Yeah, I heard you were practically hiding under the covers. HENRY: (smiling) Hey, I had to do what I had to do. However, I'm just glad it's over at least for now just two more days he crosses his fingers. RILEY: (nodding) Well, let's just hope the rest of your house-sitting gig is less eventful. HENRY: (laughing) Yeah, I'll drink to that. 

INT. The Masion – Living room – Day 2 

Henry and Riley stroll into the living room of the opulent mansion, both of them visibly stuffed from their hearty BBQ lunch. HENRY (Plopping onto the couch) I'm telling you, man, that brisket was out of this world. RILEY (Agrees, flopping down beside him) You're not wrong. My mouth is still on fire. Henry reaches over to grab the remote, intent on finding something to watch, when his phone buzzes. 

HENRY (Holding up his phone) It's Earl. Riley(smirking) 

Uh oh, what's the old man want now? Henry chuckles and reads the message, his face falling as he does so. HENRY (grimacing) Apparently, some construction workers are coming tomorrow to replace all the windows in the mansion. RILEY (Raising an eyebrow) 

Damn, that sounds like a hassle. Is he making you oversee it or something? HENRY (nodding) Yeah, he wants me to be here bright and early to make sure everything goes smoothly. RILEY (sighing) Well, that sucks.

Don't worry about it, dude. It's not your fault. Besides, we'll hang out again soon. Henry nods, grateful for his friend's understanding. He settles back onto the couch, trying to enjoy the rest of their time together, but his mind is already starting to race with the logistics of tomorrow's construction work. 

INT. HENRY'S BEDROOM - DAY 3 

Henry Baggins wakes up to the sound of knocking at the door downstairs. He looks at the clock on his bedside table and sees that it's only 7am. He rubs his eyes and gets out of bed, putting on his robe and slippers. 

HENRY (to himself) Who could be knocking at this time? 

He makes his way downstairs, trying to shake off his grogginess. As he reaches the front door, the knocking becomes louder and more insistent. HENRY (irritated) Alright, alright, I'm coming. He opens the door to reveal a group of construction workers standing outside, looking up at him. 

CONSTRUCTION WORKER Tommy Valdez Good morning, sir. We're here to replace all the windows in this mansion. Henry looks confused and slightly alarmed. HENRY (surprised) What? All the windows? Why? 

CONSTRUCTION WORKER Tommy Valdez (apologetic) I'm sorry, sir. We were given orders to replace all the windows in this mansion. It shouldn't take us more than a day or two. Henry looks around and sees that there are already a few workers setting up ladders and equipment outside. HENRY (resigned) Well, I guess there's no use arguing. Come on in. 

He steps aside to let the workers in, and they begin to set up their equipment in the living room. HENRY (to himself) Great, just what I needed. More chaos in my life. He sighs and walks back upstairs to get dressed. As he gets ready for the day, he can hear drilling and hammering coming from downstairs. 

HENRY (to himself) This is going to be a long day. He finishes getting dressed and heads back downstairs to try and work around the noise. Despite the chaos, Henry is determined to get his work done. He spends the rest of the day typing away at his computer, trying to block out the sounds of construction. 

As the sun begins to set, the workers pack up their equipment and leave, leaving Henry alone in the newly windowed mansion. HENRY (to himself) Well, that wasn't so bad. I guess it's time to get some sleep and do it all over again tomorrow. 

FADE TO BLACK. 

INT. SPOOKY MANSION – DAY 4 

Henry is sitting in the living room of a spooky mansion, surrounded by his laptop and papers. He's typing away furiously; Andrea pulls up in her car and parks in the driveway. She gets out of the car and looks up at the spooky mansion towering over them. She takes a deep breath and walks towards the front door. The doorbell rings. Henry gets up and opens the door to reveal his girlfriend Andrea Brooks, a home decor designer. She smiles and gives him a quick kiss. 

ANDREA: Hey, Henry! How's the house sitting going? 

HENRY: Good, good. It's a little spooky, but I'm getting used to it. ANDREA: (spooked) Spooky? What do you mean? HENRY: Oh, nothing. It's just an old house with a lot of creaks and groans. But I'm used to working in weird places. 

ANDREA: (laughing nervously) Yeah, I guess you are. Can I take a look around? 

Henry nods and Andrea starts exploring the mansion. She's impressed by the high ceilings, the vintage furniture, and the eerie paintings on the walls. But then she hears a strange noise coming from the basement. ANDREA: (turning to Henry) What's in the basement? HENRY: (shrugging) I haven't really explored down there yet. You can take a look if you want. 

Andrea heads to the basement and opens the door. She walks down the stairs, but as she reaches the bottom, she sees a family of opossums scurrying around. ANDREA: (screaming) Oh my god! Henry, there are opossums down here! Henry rushes down the stairs and sees the opossums too. HENRY: (laughing) Oh, don't worry about them. They're just some furry little friends I made on day one. 

ANDREA: (still scared) Can we get rid of them? They're giving me the creeps. Henry nods and goes to get a box. He gently scoops up the opossums and takes them outside, releasing them back into the wild. 

ANDREA: (relieved) Thanks, Henry. I don't think I could have stayed in the house if those opossums were still down there. HENRY: (smiling) No problem, babe. I'm just glad I could make you feel better. Andrea smiles and wraps her arms around Henry, feeling safe in his embrace. 

ANDREA: (shuddering) Oh, gross. Let's get out of here. 

HENRY: (reassuringly) Don't worry, I'll take care of it. Let's go for a walk and clear our heads. 

They walk out of the mansion and into the neighborhood. The sun is setting, casting an orange glow over the houses. They stop to talk to some of the neighbors, who tell them about the elderly couple that owns the mansion. 

NEIGHBOR: Wanda Spencer (smiling) Mr. Earl and Barbara Malten, are such lovely people. They've owned that house for over fifty years. 

ANDREA: (curious) Do you know them very well? 

NEIGHBOR Wanda Spencer: (shaking his head) Yes, we go to bingo every weekend. They have a lucky streak Henry won about 500 dollars last time. HENRY: (surprised) So, they are just rolling in the money so to speak NEIGHBOR: (nodding) They have a caretaker that comes by every now and then to check on them and help with errands and etc. 

Andrea smiles at him, taking his hand. ANDREA: (smiling) Yeah, it is pretty cool. And I'm glad we get to experience it together. Henry looks at her, feeling grateful. HENRY: (smiling) Me too, babe. They continue their walk, holding hands and enjoying the quiet of the neighborhood. 

FADE OUT. 

FADE IN: INT. SPOOKY MANSION – Final Day 

Henry sits at the dining table, savoring his breakfast of ego waffles, bacon, scrambled eggs, grits, and some strong coffee. He flips through his phone, checking his emails, when suddenly he hears a car pulling into the driveway. He looks out the window and sees Earl and Barbara, the owners of the mansion, stepping out of their car. 

HENRY: (to himself) Oh, they're back. He rushes to the door to greet them. 

INT. FOYER – Final Day 

Henry opens the door and greets Earl and Barbara with a smile. HENRY: (cheerfully) Welcome back! How was your trip? 

EARL: (smiling) It was great, thank you. BARBARA: (noticing the breakfast spread on the table) Did you make all this for us HENRY: (nodding) Yes, I wanted to thank you for letting me stay here. 

EARL: (grinning) Well, thank you for taking such good care of the place. We were worried about leaving it empty for so long. BARBARA: (taking out a checkbook) We brought your payment with us. Henry's eyes light up as he takes the check from Barbara. He can't believe how much they're paying him for the job which was over $2.345. 

HENRY: (grateful) Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. EARL: (smiling) It's the least we could do. You've been a great house sitter. BARBARA: (pausing) Actually, we were wondering if we could talk to you about something. HENRY: (curious) Sure, what is it? 

BARBARA: (serious) We're considering selling the house and moving to Palm Springs, California. 

HENRY: (surprised) Really? Why? EARL: (shrugging) We've been thinking about it for a while now. We're getting older, and we want to be closer to our family. BARBARA: (nodding) Plus, we don't really use the house that much anymore. It's just too big for us. HENRY: (understanding) I see. 

Earl and Barbara bid him farewell as he left the mansion. Henry stands there, holding the card and thinking about the possibility of owning the place. 

FADE OUT.