The Skinman

During their service as peacekeepers for the New Zealand army, three soldiers inadvertently cause the horrific death of an innocent family. Although the soldiers are greeted with a hero’s welcome upon their return home, the guilt about their actions in the Middle East begins to fuel flashbacks and nightmares. Therapists tell them that everything they are experiencing is classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. But when Sergeant Averill’s house is burnt and family skinned, the soldiers begin to believe that their secret is catching up with them.
Police believe the murder of Averill’s family was a random act of violence by an unknown sadistic killer in the community who the media label” The Skinman”.
But for the soldiers the flashbacks start to make more sense than the therapists explained they would. Everyone soon gets the chilling feeling that they haven’t returned home alone.

A “Fraser Gibson” FILM
WRITTEN BY Fraser Gibson - Co Writer Barret Helander

“And those who, when an oppressive wrong is done to them, take revenge.”
The Quran, Chapter #42, Verse #39

New Zealand soldiers Beverley Stevens, Harrison Peart, and James Averill return home from duty in The Middle East, welcomed as heroes. However, a dark secret lurks that begins to torment them…
During their deployment in the Middle East for the New Zealand army as peacekeepers, the soldiers helped the U.S army locate a member of a rebel group who had attacked a platoon of allied soldiers.
Advising the U.S army to the location of the rebels’, the U.S soldiers then missile and destroy a small district of residential housing, said to be containing prominent members of the rebel group. However the mission turns sour and a family of innocent civilians are burnt alive with seemingly no survivors.
Having been responsible for the horrific death of an innocent family, the three New Zealand soldiers return to a hero’s welcome that they feel is undeserved.

The soldier’s guilt begins to fuel flashbacks and nightmares. Upon discharge they are designated therapists to help them cope with transitioning into normal life. They are told everything they are experiencing are classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

One night, restless from lack of sleep, Averill is dozing upstairs whilst his family enjoy their favourite television series in the living room. Mysteriously, fire erupts from the basement and the downstairs area of the house is quickly engulfed in flames. Half asleep Averill does not take action until too late and barely escapes the fire himself. Unable to find his family and with the flames too intense to bare he retreats in despair. Crawling to safety he emerges outside in the garden. Looking skyward in prayer he is greeted by the chilling sight of three, skinned corpses; his Wife, son and daughter swinging from a tree.

Police believe the murder of his family was a random act of violence by an unknown sadistic killer in the community who the media label” The Skinman”.
But for Beverley, Harrison and James the flashbacks start to make more sense than the therapists explained they would. Everyone soon gets the chilling feeling that they haven’t returned home alone.