Don’t Let the Riverbeast Get You! 2012

Neil returns to Rivertown for his cousin's wedding

Disgraced tutor Neil Stuart travels back to his hometown, Rivertown, to attend his god cousin's wedding. He is haunted by his previous exile after claiming a riverbeast lived in the woods and by defamatory articles written by Sparky Watts. He also moves back in with his former bandmate Teddy Hollingsworth, setting the stage for a tense homecoming.

Exile and riverbeast claims shape his past

Prior to his return, Neil's reputation has been shattered and he has been exiled from Rivertown due to his riverbeast claims and Sparky's articles. The town remembers him as delusional, complicating his attempt to restart his life. The wedding marks a fragile opportunity to reclaim some standing.

Reunion with Teddy and moving back in

Neil reconnects with his former bandmate Teddy Hollingsworth and moves back into Teddy's home. The two old friends navigate town gossip and Neil's tarnished reputation as they resume their shared life. This reunion anchors Neil's plan to rebuild his life in Rivertown.

Emmaline is engaged to Danny O'Grady

Neil discovers that his ex-fiancée Emmaline Price is now engaged to the volatile Danny O'Grady. They plan to raise Danny's son Bradley together, which deepens Neil's resolve to repair his own life and win Emmaline back. The revelation stirs old emotions and new tensions in Rivertown.

Reconnecting with Milly and Troy; tutoring Allie Stone

Neil reconnects with fellow Rivertown tutors Milly Jensen and Troy Keil. He starts taking tutoring jobs around town, including Allie Stone, a perceptive yet lazy local teenager and aspiring journalist who struggles with finishing school. This new work helps Neil reintegrate into the community and rebuild trust.

Allie inspires Neil to prove the riverbeast exists

With encouragement from Allie, Neil resolves to restore his reputation and win back Emmaline. He teams up with famed big game hunter Ito Hootkins to prove the existence of the riverbeast. The plan reframes Neil's purpose from reputation repair to concrete demonstration.

Teddy falls for Pamela; kitty litter gift

Teddy begins busking in a local park and falls in love with Pamela Gladwell, a free-spirited vagabond and dancer who joins him. Pamela gifts him a packet of kitty litter, claiming it is one of the world’s most versatile materials. The quirky gift foreshadows an odd but pivotal tool later in the story.

Riverbeast terror begins; Danny and Sparky killed; Pamela disappears

The riverbeast begins slaughtering citizens who enter the woods, including Danny and Sparky Watts. Pamela goes missing, devastating Teddy and spreading fear through Rivertown. The town shifts from doubts to fear as the threat grows bolder.

Hanson turns to arrest Neil; Allie vows to prove the beast

Sheriff Paultique Hanson believes Neil is responsible and enlists Allie’s stern father Frank to conduct a citizens’ arrest, locking Neil in the town jail. Allie pledges to prove the riverbeast’s existence and teams up with Ito and Troy to do so. The town’s fear pushes ordinary people into extreme measures.

The plan to prove the riverbeast goes awry

Allie, Ito, and Troy venture into the woods to gather proof of the riverbeast. The plan goes awry when the beast attacks, killing Ito and Troy in a brutal confrontation. The trio’s effort collapses under the sheer danger of the creature.

Bradley’s witness shifts the balance

Bradley testifies that he witnessed his father’s death at the hands of the riverbeast, a confession that persuades Hanson to free Neil on one condition: Neil must kill the riverbeast. The town leans on Neil to take decisive action now that the plan has failed.

Neil, Teddy, and Milly rescue Allie; Frank is alerted

Neil joins Teddy and Milly into the woods to rescue Allie, who has been hunted by the riverbeast. Allie escapes and alerts Frank to the beast’s presence, drawing the whole town into the looming confrontation. The stakes are higher as the rescue attempt becomes a hunt.

Confrontation in the woods; Frank dies

In the ensuing battle, the riverbeast knocks Teddy and Milly unconscious and kills Frank, the man leading the town’s counterattack. Neil fights desperately to survive and protect Allie as the creature targets him next. The town’s resistance seems to collapse under the beast’s onslaught.

Dehydration kill: Kitty litter weapon triumphs

Neil uses Pamela’s kitty litter, provided by Teddy, to dehydrate the riverbeast, a decisive and unusual method that ends the creature’s rampage. The woods fall silent as the monster collapses, marking the end of the immediate threat. The town begins to process the cost and the cure of fear.