INT. CRYPT – NIGHT

A deep underground crypt. Damp stone. Ancient coffins line the walls.

MAIDEN lies inside a sarcophagus.

Two GRAVEROBBERS enter.

SOUND: Dripping water. Footsteps echo.

GRAVEROBBER 1

What a grave, mate! Smells like old money!

GRAVEROBBER 2

(snorts)

Shut up and help me open this bloody thing.

They strain.

SOUND: Heavy stone lid scraping — THUNK.

GRAVEROBBER 1

(huffing, surprised)

Ah, madame! Bonjour! What a lovely masquerade mask you have!

GRAVEROBBER 2

The mask is mine!

GRAVEROBBER 1

Then the dress is mine.

SOUND: Fabric tearing under a dull knife.

GRAVEROBBER 1

These fancy duds must’ve cost a fortune!

GRAVEROBBER 2

(tugging)

Damn it, the mask is glued on. It won’t come off!

GRAVEROBBER 1

Not my problem. Look around, see what else you can grab...

GRAVEROBBER 2

Fine. Whatever I find in the next coffin is mine.

SOUND: Footsteps fade. Distant rummaging.

GRAVEROBBER 2 (O.S.)

Actually... she seems too fresh. You don’t think they’ve started dumping plague corpses in old graves?

GRAVEROBBER 1

(smirking)

No plague spots on her... Oh, look — someone stuck the little beauty with a dagger.

SOUND: Wet, sucking sound.

GRAVEROBBER 1

You don’t need all this anymore, pity.

SOUND: Clothes rustling. Pockets being turned out.

SOUND: Nails scratching on stone.

GRAVEROBBER 2 (O.S.)

Hey, twat, stop doing that! It gives me the shivers!

GRAVEROBBER 1

It’s not me. It’s... her!

SOUND: SUDDEN SCREAMS.

Both men stumble backward.

The MAIDEN rises from the sarcophagus.

GRAVEROBBER 1

No... no... no...

SOUND: Wet slashing. Gurgling.

MAIDEN

Oh, charmant!