With The Boxtrolls

Prologue

At Cheesebridge Alley, with the sky covered in darkness, lighting strikes illuminating a vine covered wall and the camera moves to a dark alley filled with cardboard boxes and crates. Footsteps are heard as a man runs on the cobblestones breathing heavily from running. "No. Not my boy!"

Lightning strikes again highlighting the boxes and rubbish in the alley, something is coming and whatever it is, its breath is hurried and animalistic as the baby cries out in the night. Stumpy clawed feet wrapped in rag runs past a box and to the end of the lane. The creature pauses under an arched entryway and turns, revealing its glowing eyes, a large mouth full of wonky teeth, and a baby shaped bundle held in its arms.

Lighting crashes as the baby wriggles and cries at the sound produced by the night sky he's heard.

♤♤♤♤♤

The scene changes to the Cheese guild at the entrance hall in the same night, a fist pounds its door.

A man wheezing from the long run says from the outside, "Wake his lordship." And series of locks being unmatched on the door is heard by the man on the outside until it opens reaveling a butler who opened the double doors frowning at the man before him. He starts to close the door but the man pushes against the effort. "The unspeakable has happened." He takes a gasp of breath before resuming. "We must speak of it immediately!"

A voice calls out from behind the butler. "What is it, Snatcher?" Hearing the lord, the butler moves aside to reveal a regal man with a white hat on at the top of an ornate marble staircase. The regal man known as Lord Portney-Rind, looks on from the mezzanine.

From where he gazes is the man in the red hat who casts a long shadow across the gleaming checkered floors of the Cheese Guild. "Boxtroll monsters have stolen a child."

Lord Portley-Rind looks perfectly groomed and perfectly horrified at what he's heard. "No."

The camera goes back to the man wearing red hat known as Archibald Snatcher standing by the door, backlit by streetlights, sheets of rain falling behind him. He's a big man, but out of shape with all belly and no butt, and with long shreds of greasy hair sprouting from beneath his crooked hat. He nods at the lord. "They're no doubt picking their teeth with his adorable baby bones by now!"

"A horrible tragedy." Portley-Rind says unbothered by it looking the side he notices his eldest daughter hidding behind the doors so he decided to end the discussion. "Let's deal with it in the morning! (Name), daughter, what are you doing out here?"

Snatcher watches as Portley-Rind turns to go towards his daughter and he yells the man to stop! The Butler closes the door, but Snatcher shoves his foot in the way to keep it from shutting on him. "Oh, oof! That's not the worst of it! Next they'll come after..." Before he can continue the Butler shoves at the door, slapping and shoving Snatcher's face until the door slams shut. The man looking for another way for his message to be heard, opens the mail slot and yells through it. "...OUR CHEESES!"

Lord Portley-Rind gets horrified, forgetting all about his daughter', and gasps turning around. "My Gouda!?"

Snatcher gets happy that he's caught his attention and says in a lowly tone. "They'll stop at nothing."

Portley-Rind runs to the door suddenly flinging them open, staring wide eyed at Snatcher who is crouched on the ground near the mail slot. "You're the town exterminator. I'll pay whatever it takes."

Snatcher stands slowly looking at the horrified man in front of him. "Oh, I don't want money." He steps into the house and into the light, reaveling his greedy face and he smiles an oily smile. "I want one of those."

Portley-Rind follows where the man is pointing at which leads to his white hat on his head causing him to grab it protectively. "A White Hat? You?! Absurd!"

Snatcher hears his answer so he turns to leave, moving towards the damp Market Square in front of the guild. "Alright then. But prepare to say bye bye to your Brie. Cheerio to your Cheddar. Goodbye to your..."

Portley-Rind's resolve disappears and he raises his hand as if to stop Snatcher from leaving, desperately he speaks to protect his precious cheese. "Very well. Every boxtroll gone. With proof!"

Snatcher hearing this stops halfway down the stairs in the pouring rain, his back still turned to Portley-Rind. "For a white hat?" Snatcher grinning face is shown as he turns back toward Portley-Rind. "I will destroy every last boxtroll in this town!"

Lighting crashes as Snatcher laughs maniacally causing the little girl who has been watching them this whole time to gasp and quickly run back to her room.