At the Mercy of Faith - Terror Version: At the Mercy of Faith

By Samuel Lee Taylor

A 14-year-old preacher renounces his faith in God in the wake of a terrifying and traumatic encounter.

​

18 years later, the psychopathic demons from his past viciously return to wreak havoc on his home, and to rip out his soul for the god of their hell.

 

A screenplay more than 30 years in the works, At the Mercy of Faith is a highly visual and groundbreaking faith-based screenplay in the vein of "The Pursuit of Happyness" meets "Drag Me to Hell" in "The Twilight Zone."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Samuel Lee Taylor
• Release date: Apr 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223637660

Samuel Lee Taylor

Samuel Lee Taylor served as Associate Minister at Lubbock Street Church of Christ in Lufkin, TX from 1980 to 1984. During this time, he wrote and published 2 gospel booklets ("Somebody Help Us Find the Way" and "What Choice Would You Make in a Slippery Situation?"), as well as recorded a gospel album ("What Train Will You Ride").

Book preview

AT THE MERCY OF FAITH

By

Samuel Lee Taylor

-------------

Terror Version

WGA Registration #1992569

SAMUEL TAYLOR

[phone]

[e-mail]

SUPER: BELSTONER TEXAS - NIGHT - FALL - 1985

EXT. RED BRICK CHURCH BUILDING

A congregation sings and worships God inside the church.

INT. CHURCH - NIGHT

YOUNG MARVIN TAILOR, 14, wearing a 2 piece grey suit, black shirt, white tie, stands at the podium in the pulpit. His face beams with devout FAITH. The church is largely filled by a white audience.

In the back sits a group of seventeen blacks. The singing ceases.

YOUNG MARVIN

Praise the Lord!

(beat)

Sisters and Brothers, I feel so

energized by God's holy spirit, I'm ready to preach tonight! Can I preach tonight, sisters and brothers?!

BLACK MEMBERS

Preach, Pastor Tailor! Preach!

YOUNG MARVIN

I wanna tell y'all tonight, that I --

Marvin TRIUMPHANTLY lifts his arm and Bible upwards.

YOUNG MARVIN (CONT'D)

-- LOVE THE LORD! And you wanna know why, church?!

BLACK MEMBERS

Why?!

YOUNG MARVIN

Because our almighty God, high in the heavens above --

FADE TO BLACK SCREEN:

YOUNG MARVIN (CONT'D) (OFF-SCREEN)

-- is a just and merciful father, who answers the prayers of his believers, and delivers our souls from the pains of the enemy!

2.

FADE IN: BELSTONER TEXAS - SPRING - 1988

EXT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM

Sounds of a basketball game - a ball bounces, sneakers screech against a slick floor, a ball swishes through the net.

BOY (O.S)

Boom! That's for your face, Larry!

Other boys heckle and laugh.

INT. GYMNASIUM - CONTINUOUS

A group of black, white and Hispanic boys play half-court basketball. Half of the boys wear gold jerseys reading

Property of Belstoner High P.E. Dept. The others are shirtless.

One of the boys on the shirtless team misses a jump shot.

LARRY, a tall boy with braided hair, grabs the rebound and slam-dunks the ball through the hoop with a loud grunt, then mocks the HISPANIC BOY, 17.

LARRY

That's for your whole team's face.

Several boys on the side cheer and high-five one another in celebration of the dunk. A 17-year-old Marvin, 6'1", solid build, with Jheri-curled hair, sits in the bleachers behind them.

Marvin's focus is on the girls' volleyball game on the other half of the court.

SYLVESTUS (O.S.)

Hey, Marvin! Marvin!

MARVIN

Why you bugging me, Sylvestus?

SYLVESTUS, 6'3, tan skin, wavy hair, muscular physique.

Despite his boxer's nose, he is quite handsome.

SYLVESTUS

I got next. Wanna play?

MARVIN

Nah, man.

3.

Standing next to Sylvestus is BILLY, a white boy, 5'9" with reddish blonde hair. Billy waves his hand in disgust towards Marvin.

BILLY

Man. You know better than to be asking

El Weirdo to play.

SYLVESTUS

Stop your disrespect, Billy! Marvin ain't a weirdo.

BILLY

Yeah whatever.

Marvin is transfixed by SUSAN, a beautiful girl with cocoa brown skin and curly shoulder-length hair. The ball is hit above Susan's outstretched arms, landing in the bleachers a few rows from Marvin.

Susan retrieves the ball and notices Marvin eyeing her in a trance-like state. Marvin quickly looks away, embarrassed.

But Susan's admiring eyes and pleasant smile indicate the infatuation is mutual.

The sound of a whistle followed by the COACH'S baritone voice redirects her attention.

COACH (O.S.)

Check the balls in and hit the

showers!

EXT. STREET - EVENING

Marvin walks from school with his books tucked under his arms. Sylvestus catches up to him.

SYLVESTUS

Marvin! Why you leave me, man? I thought we were hanging out after school?

MARVIN

I decided to keep my appointment.

SYLVESTUS

Oh. Hey, man --

Sylvestus playfully punches Marvin's shoulder.

4.

SYLVESTUS (CONT'D)

I saw the way Susan was looking at you in P.E. She's digging you, Marvin.

(beat)

Our prom is next week. You got to nerve-up and ask Susan to be your date.

MARVIN

You know how messed-up my life is, Sylvestus.

Marvin chokes up. His voice quivers.

MARVIN (CONT'D)

If I asked Susan to the prom and she, laughed in my face. Wow.

Sylvestus and Marvin stop at a traffic light. They hear Susan shouting from across the street.

SUSAN (O.S.)

Y'all leave me alone!

Marvin and Sylvestus see two YOUNG BLACK MEN, early 20s, one sitting on a blue ten-speed bicycle, harassing Susan. The BICYCLE BOY blocks Susan's path with his bike.

BICYCLE BOY

You loudmouth bitch! You know you want us. That's why your fine-ass keep parading by here everyday.

YOUNG MAN #2

Yeah.

(grabs Susan's butt cheek)

We can get this popping right now.

Susan slaps the boy's FACE.

SUSAN

Take your filthy hands off me!!

Marvin's face and eyes, is distorted by extreme rage, as he hear the terrified pleas of a DIFFERENT GIRL, from a different time.

ANOTHER GIRL'S VOICE (V.O.)

Don't let them do this to me, Marvin!

Help me!

5.

MARVIN

(breathes anxiously, mutters)

Miriam.

Like a crazed maniac, he dashes across the street against the red light.

MARVIN

You take your hands off her!!

A passing car slams its brakes to avoid hitting him. The panicked driver pounds his horn.

SYLVESTUS

Wait for me, Marvin!

The two young men see Marvin wildly advancing. With a leaping football tackle, Marvin brutally slams Young Man #2 to the ground and delivers savage blows.

MARVIN

Keep your hands off her!!

Bicycle Boy jumps off his bike and bear-hugs Marvin from behind. Sylvestus, using the buckle of his belt as a weapon, attacks Bicycle Boy.

He slams the buckle against the back of the boy's head.

SYLVESTUS

Get off him!

BICYCLE BOY

AHHHHH!!!

Clutching his head, Bicycle Boy releases his hold of Marvin and falls to the ground.

Being overwhelmed by Sylvestus and the super-aggressive Marvin, the two young men retreat, leaving the bicycle behind.

Sylvestus helps Marvin up and brushes the dirt off his back.

SYLVESTUS

Damn, Marvin! I didn't know you could throw-down like that.

Marvin looks at Susan.

6.

MARVIN

You okay, Susan?

SUSAN

Thank you for rescuing me, Marvin Tailor.

MARVIN

You know me?

SUSAN

(smiles)

I do.

Susan walks away. The joyful Marvin hyperventilates.

Sylvestus wraps his arm around Marvin's shoulder.

SYLVESTUS

Didn't I tell you, Susan was digging you?

INT. OFFICE BUILDING - EVENING

With a happy face and a bright smile, Marvin hurries through the hallway, leaving his father MR. TAILOR, early 40s, average