Jackson (Part II chapter)/Transcript

The following is the full transcript of "Jackson", the first chapter of The Last of Us Part II.
== Transcript ==
=== Prologue ===
[Joel and Tommy sit in an abandoned house. Joel is cleaning the frets of a guitar with a moth inlaid on the fretboard.]
Joel: I don't know what happened. I was supposed to take her to the Fireflies and walk away. You go halfway across the country with someone… 
[Cut to a flashback of Joel and Ellie walking through Pittsburgh.]
Joel (voiceover): She needed her immunity to mean somethin'.
[Cut back to the present.]
Joel: Maybe I was starting to buy into that whole… cure business. Maybe I just wanted to do right by her. And then we made it.
[Cut to Saint Mary's Hospital in Salt Lake City.]
Joel (VO): We found the Fireflies. And because of her…
[Cut to Ellie, unconscious on an operating table. A doctor lays out surgical implements.]
Joel (VO): They were actually going to make a cure.
[Cut to present.]
Joel: The only catch… it would kill her.
[Cut to the operating room. Joel bursts in the door as the doctor and nurses prepared to operate.]
Doctor: Sweet Jesus.
Nurse: Doctor?
Doctor: What are you doing in here? [He grabs a scalpel from the table and holds it up as a weapon.] I won't let you take her. This is our future, think of all the lives we'll save.
[Cut to present. Tommy stares at Joel.]
Tommy: Jesus Christ, Joel. What'd you do?
Joel: I saved her.
[Cut to the hospital. A hallway is strewn with Firefly bodies. In the operating room, the doctor is dead on the floor. Joel detaches the monitor and ventilator from Ellie.]
Joel: C'mon, baby girl. I gotcha. I gotcha.
[Alarms sound outside the operating room. Joel picks Ellie up.]
Firefly 1: Cover the exits!
Firefly 2: Don't let him get away!
Joel: Oh shit.
[He exits the operating room through a back door with Ellie in his arms. Cut back to the present.]
Tommy: Goddamn. That's… That's a lot. What does Ellie know?
Joel:I told her they just ran some tests.
[Cut to Ellie, laid in the back seat of a car. She is still in the hospital gown after Joel escaped the hospital.]
Joel (VO): I told her… her immunity meant nothin'.
[Ellie closes her eyes and rolls over, facing away from Joel. Cut to present.]
Tommy: And she believed you?
[Cut to Ellie in the final scene of The Last of Us. She looks at Joel for a long beat, then looks down, her expression unreadable. Cut to present.]
Joel: Didn't say otherwise.
Tommy: We should head back.
[Tommy and Joel gather their gear and exit through the garage. A few dead runners lay in an otherwise abandoned street. Tommy and Joel mount their horses and ride back to Jackson in silence. They dismount at the stables just inside the gate.]
Joel: C'mon.
Tommy: It's okay, I got 'em. You go on.
Joel:You sure?
Tommy: Yeah.
Joel: All right. [He grabs his backpack off the saddle and starts to walk away.]
Tommy: About what we were talkin' about earlier… I can't say I'd've done any different. I'll take it to the grave, if I have to.
Joel: I'll see you later, Tommy. [He continues down the street while Tommy leads the horses to the stable.]
[Cut to Ellie's apartment. Ellie sits at her desk, drawing in a notebook and listening to music on her walkman. Joel knocks, then opens the door.]
Joel: Hello? Ellie?
[Joel enters and nudges Ellie's chair with his foot, making her jump. She takes off her headphones.]
Ellie: Jesus. You almost gave me a heart attack.
Joel: I tried knocking but…
Ellie: [An awkward beat.] Hey.
Joel: Hey.
Ellie: What's up, Joel?
Joel: Just checking in. Folks are… y'know, talking about how impressed they are with you and how well you're helping out.
Ellie: That's good.
Joel: Yeah. Tommy and I went out riding the other day and he, uh… he told me a joke and I thought about you, it's, um… Oh shoot, now I forgot it, uh… It was somethin' about a clock… how do you--
Ellie: Joel. It's, uh, it's pretty late, and I gotta get up in a few hours--
Joel: Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, and I'm gonna get out of your hair, I just, um… I wanna show you somethin'. Just gimme one second. [He steps outside and returns with the guitar.]
Ellie: What's this?
Joel: Some folks call this thing here a gee-tar.
Ellie: Funny.
Joel: Do you wanna hear something?
Ellie: Okay.
Joel: [Sits down and gets ready to play.] Promise me that you won't laugh.
Ellie: I won't laugh. I won't.
Joel: I'm trustin' you… [He takes a deep breath, strums a few chords, and sings.]
:If I ever were to lose you
:I'd surely lose myself
:Everything I have found here
:I've not found by myself
:Try and sometimes you'll succeed
:To make this man of me
:All my stolen missing parts
:I've no need for anymore
:'Cause I believe
:And I believe 'cause I can see
:Our future days
:Days of you and me
Joel: There you go.
Ellie: Well… that didn't suck.
Joel: [chuckles] I'll take what I can get. [He stands up and proffers the guitar to Ellie.] She's yours.
Ellie: No. No, no, no. I don't know the first thing about this.
Joel: I promised that I'd teach you how to play.
Ellie: [taking the guitar] You did.
Joel: So what do you say, tomorrow night, first lesson?
Ellie: Deal.
Joel: Okay. Okay. [He heads for the door.]
Ellie: Did… Did you remember the joke?
Joel: Um… [chuckles, remembering] What is the downside to eating a clock? [Ellie shrugs.] It's time consuming.
Ellie: [chuckles] That's so dumb.
Joel: Yeah. [He reaches for the doorknob and hesitates a beat.] G'night, kiddo.
[Joel exits. Ellie looks thoughtfully after him and plucks at the guitar.]
=== Waking Up ===
[Ellie is woken up by knocking on her door. Screen reads "4 YEARS LATER".]
Ellie: [looking at the time] Oh, shit. Fuck. [She answers the door.] Hey.
Jesse: Morning!
Ellie: Sorry, I totally overslept. Just give me a minute, and I'll get dressed.
Jesse: I heard you had quite a night after I left.
Ellie: I… She kissed me. It was just Dina being Dina. She didn't mean anything by it.
Jesse: I was talking about your fight with Seth. Wait… you kissed Dina?
Ellie: Oh. I thought that's--
Jesse: [annoyed] We're broken up one week and you make a move on my girl?
Ellie: No… She was probably just trying to make you jealous. I didn't… I would never… Oh, fuck, this is awkward.
Jesse: I'm messing with you, man. I don't care. Get dressed.
Ellie: You're the worst. [She starts to shut the door on him, but he holds it open.]
Jesse: It's kind of fucked up you did that. [Ellie scoffs and shuts the door.] Get your stuff together, we're already late!
Ellie: [sniffs her sweatshirt] Smells fine. 'Kay. [She grabs her coat and packs her handgun, walkman, and notebook in her backpack.] Eh, sure. [She picks up her switchblade from the table and puts on her boots.] Hey, is Joel up?
Jesse: We got reports of infected out north. Maria sent him and Tommy out early to scout.
Ellie: That sucks.
Jesse: Yep. Can't imagine they got much sleep. Definitely not as much as you.
Ellie: Shut up. I was just about to get up.
Jesse: Mm-hmm.
Ellie: [exiting the apartment] I was.
Jesse: You got everything?
Ellie: Yes. [She follows Jesse past the greenhouses.]
Jesse: Heads up, you're the talk of the town this morning.
Ellie: Ugh. What?
Jesse: Let me see if I got this right: you kissed Dina--
Ellie: She kissed me.
Jesse: Which triggered Seth to call you a… not-so-nice word…
Ellie: Yep.
Jesse: Then Joel decked him--
Ellie: More of a push.
Jesse: And then you got mad at Joel? That part confused me.
Ellie: It was a strange night, man.
Jesse: Sounds exciting. Sorry I missed it.
Man: Be safe out there!
Jesse: We always are. [To Ellie] Maria wants a word with you.
Ellie: Where is she?
Jesse: The diner.
Ellie: Is this about Seth?
Jesse: No clue.
Ellie: Just tell her you never saw me.
Jesse: Nope.
Ellie: Where's your fucking loyalty?
Jesse: Excuse me?
[They pass through a gate onto the main street.]
Ellie: Hey, so… We're okay, right?
Jesse: You and me? Yeah, of course. Dina and I are done.
Ellie: I know. I just didn't want you to think--
Jesse: Ellie, we're cool. Promise.
Ellie: Thanks.
[They continue down the street. Passing the Copper Peak Inn, Buckley the dog barks at Ellie and approaches her.]
Ellie: [chuckling and petting him] Hey, old timer. Yeah, get a good scratch.
Woman: Hey Jesse.
Jesse: Oh, hi. [He and Ellie enter the Tipsy Bison] Want to grab some breakfast?
Ellie: No. Where's Maria?
Jesse: In the back. [They push through the crowd inside]
Ellie: Excuse me.
Maria: Ellie! There you are. C'mere. Seth's got something he wants to say to you--
Ellie: I don't want to hear what that bigot has to say.
Maria: Do it for me. Please.
Ellie: [sighs] Fine.
Maria: Seth! Seth, c'mere.
Ellie: [sotto voce] Fuck me.
Seth: [approaches from the kitchen, holding a small parcel.] Hey. [Ellie shrugs in reply.] Look, last night… I was drinking too much.
Ellie: Sure.
Seth: I'm trying to say I'm sorry. Maria tells me that you and Dina are headed out. I, uh, made you some sandwiches. [He sets the parcel on the bar.]
Ellie: Okay.
Seth: They're steak.
[Ellie makes no move to pick up the sandwiches.]
Maria: Thank you, Seth. [She picks up the sandwiches and hands them to Ellie.]
Seth: Yeah. Well, uh… You be safe out there. [He returns to the kitchen.]
Ellie: Yup.
Maria: [To Ellie] I appreciate that.
Jesse: What you got there?
Ellie: [pushes the sandwiches at Jesse] Bigot sandwiches.
Jesse: Mm. Smells good.
Ellie: They're yours.
Jesse: You sure?
Ellie: It's fine.
Maria: Let me walk you out.
Jesse: Okay.
[They exit the Tipsy Bison and follow Maria down the street toward the stables.]
Maria: [To Jesse] When you go out, I want you to trade off with Tommy and Joel. Those boys have been up for far too long.
Jesse: Where do I meet them?
Maria: If you go up to the northwest lookout, they're scheduled to arrive later today. Watch yourself. I mean, there's too many sightings of infected recently.
Jesse: Of course. I was gonna check out the creek trails. I'll need someone else to cover it. 
Maria: Ellie… You know the creek trails?
Ellie: Not really.
Jesse: Dina's done it a bunch. I'll have the two of them take it.
Maria: That solves that. Ellie, can I talk to you for a sec?
Ellie: 'Sup?
Maria: Look, I don't know what's going on with you and Joel…
Ellie: [exasperated] Maria.
Maria: The guy really cares about you. And I'm sure he didn't mean to--
Ellie: We're fine.
Maria: Yeah?
Ellie: Yeah.
Maria: Okay. Okay. Sorry to pry. Be safe.
Ellie: Thanks.
[Ellie and Jesse continue past the playground. Dina is having a snowball fight with some of the kids.]
Jesse: Yo, Dina, assignments!
Dina: Just gimme a minute!
Jesse: [To Ellie] Will you get your girlfriend to the stables please?
Ellie: Oh my god. Hey, Dina! Can I talk to you?
Dina: [To the kids] Hey, guys? I'm tapping out!
Child 1: Come on!
Child 2: For how long?
Dina: [shrugs and walks over to Ellie] Hoo! Hey.
Ellie: Hey. Um, I just wanted to say sorry for running off last night. 
Dina: Oh, that's-- it's okay. I totally get it. I just, I felt bad.
Ellie: Why?
Dina: 'Cause I started the whole thing. I just, I shouldn't have kissed you in front of all of those people and I--
Ellie: You were drunk, it's fine.
Dina: Well, still. I don't want you to think--
Ellie: No, I'm not reading into it or anything.
Dina: You know what I love about you? How you let me finish my sentences.
Ellie: All right… well, we should probably get going.
Dina: Yeah.
[Suddenly, Ellie is hit by a snowball.]
Ellie: Ow!
Dina: What the fuck?
Ellie: I'm not even playing!
Child 2: 'Cause you're a chicken? Ha ha!
Child 1: You're a chicken!
Ellie: I hate this kid so much.
Dina: You want to fuck him up?
Ellie: Yeah, I do. [She jumps the fence into the playground.]
Dina: You asked for it!
Ellie: You better run, you little shits!
Child 2: Holy shit, get to cover! Go, go!
Ellie: [hits a kid with a snowball] Gotcha!
Dina: We're on the board, suckers!
Child: You can't get me!
Dina: I'm coming for you, tiny!
Ellie: [gets another hit] Eat that!
Child: Aww, dang it!
Dina: [lands a shot] Fuck yeah! I mean frick. Don't tell your mom.
Ellie: [is hit by snowball] Damn. The arm on that kid.
Child: [on last hit] No fair!
Dina: Eat it, shrimps!
Children: Hey!
Dina: How's it feel? [The kids dog-pile Dina.] Noo!
Child: Get her!
Dina: Help me! You'll never get away with this!
Ellie: [starts pulling children off of Dina] Get off of her, you monsters!
Child: Hey, Ellie, Ellie! Hey!
Ellie: All right! All right, we actually have some work to do. Scram!
Children: Aww! Aww man!
Dina: I guess I asked for that, huh?
Ellie: Yep.
Dina: Let's go. [She leads the way to the stables.]
Ellie: So, Jesse wants us to do the creek trails. He's gonna relieve Joel and Tommy.
Dina: Oh. It's nice he assigned us together. You're gonna like this route.
Man: Morning, girls.
Dina: Morning!
Man: Hey ladies! I'll bring 'em in.
Dina: Thank you!
Man: [holding the horses' reins] That's a good girl. Look who's here!
Ellie: Thanks. [To Shimmer] Come on.
Dina: [To Japan] All right. [They walk their horses out to the gate where the patrols are preparing.]
Ellie: Hey, Shimmer.
Jesse: Ahh! Look who decided to join us.
Ellie: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jesse: [hands Ellie and Dina their rifles] One for you. And one for you. [To the gatemen] Open it up! [To the patrols] Settle down, children. All right. You all know the drill. Run your routes. Mark your logbooks. Clear any infected you see. You run into anything you can't handle, you come back. Be smart about it. All right, get goin'.
[The patrols mount up and disperse from the gate.]
=== The Overlook ===
[Cut to the Baldwin mansion. Inside, we see several sleeping men and women. One woman starts awake with a gasp. She sits up and looks around, noticing one of their group standing by the window. She gets up and crosses to him.]
Abby: Hey.
Owen: Hi. What were you dreaming about?
Abby: Was I talking?
Owen: You were doing your teeth grinding thing.
Abby: [Brushes snow off his coat] Where've you been?
Owen: Grab your gear. I wanna show you something.
Abby: What?
Owen: Trust me.
[They exit the manor through the garage.]
Owen: Come on. This way.
[They start hiking into the woods, following Owen's previous tracks]
Abby: You sure you don't wanna do this when the sun's out? And it's warmer?
Owen: No… Can't wait. 
Abby: And you don't want to just tell me?
Owen: You need to see it.
Abby: What are you doing wandering around out here by yourself?
Owen: Been restless.
Abby: You too?
Owen: Feels like the farther south we go, the prettier it's gotten.
Abby: You wanna keep going? Just drive all the way to Mexico?
Owen: I've thought about it.
Abby: We could see Manny's hometown.
Owen: [Chuckles] Yeah, I don't see that living up to his stories somehow.
Abby: Yeah, no, probably not. You did all this in the dark?
Owen: Yes. Now c'mon.
Abby: We keep going like this, we're going to be tired for today's trip.
Owen: It's not that far.
Abby: Hey, is Mel okay? She's seemed out of it these past few days.
Owen: She'll be fine.
Abby: Stop being weird, you're freaking me out.
Owen: I'm not being weird.
Abby: Are you breaking up with Mel?
Owen: What? No. You wish.
Abby: Uh, I've had my fill, thank you.
[Abby jumps for a ledge, hitting the cliff hard]
Owen: Ouch.
Abby: We can't all be as graceful as you.
Owen: Clearly.
[They approach a narrow ledge over a steep cliff]
Abby: What is that?
Owen: You'll be fine.
Abby: It's too high.
Owen: C'mon.
[As they cross the ledge, a chunk of snow crumbles away, making Abby stumble]
Abby: Shit! [She freezes, staring down the drop]
Owen: Hey! Eyes on me. Abby! [He grabs her shoulder] Stop looking down.
Abby: Owen… Do we have to go back this way?
Owen: Consider it an opportunity to work on your fears.
Abby: How about I work my foot up your ass?
Owen: Abby. Stop flirting.
[They climb a ledge, giving them a view of Jackson below.]
Abby: Is this it?
Owen: We made it.
Abby: Holy shit. It's a fucking city.
Owen: Yeah.
Abby: Have you told anyone else?
Owen: Wanted you to see it first. I saw an armed patrol go from town to an outpost over there. Few more outposts in between. They have electricity, guns… It's a lot of people.
Abby: We can figure it out.
Owen: Okay. Assuming he's in there, how do we get to him?
Abby: We can corner one of the patrols and get confirmation and then, I dunno, maybe find a way to lure him out.
Owen: Yeah, okay, I'm sure they'll be happy to offer that information up.
Abby: Well, then we make them.
Owen: Do you hear yourself?
Abby: [Annoyed] Okay, what do you want to do? What is going on with you?
Owen: Mel's pregnant.
Abby: Oh… Okay.
Owen: It's not just that, though.
Abby: Should I say congrats?
Owen: When everyone else sees this, they're gonna want to turn back.
Abby: We can convince them. Right? [He looks away from her and doesn't respond.] I fucking knew I couldn't count on you.
Owen: Abby. I want what you want, but not at any cost. Hey-- [He reaches out to grab her arm, but she yanks away.]
Abby: Don't!
Owen: I'll see you back at the lodge. [He exits.]
[Abby looks after Owen for a moment, then back to Jackson, and finally to the outpost.]
Abby: Fuck it. [She begins walking in the direction of the outpost.]
Abby: [Muttering to herself] I don't give a fuck… I'll do the whole thing on my own.
[She walks on for a while]
Abby: The lookout… just a short hike.
[She slips on an icy slope]
Abby: Oof… [walks on] He got Mel pregnant…
[She rounds a corner, finding a frozen runner]
Abby: [draws her handgun] Shit… [taps the body with her boot] You alive?
[She crosses more bodies, half-buried in the snow. Pushing her way through a crevice, she comes face-to-face with another frozen corpse.]
Abby: Oh shit! [She pushes the body aside, and continues. Suddenly she's grabbed by a runner that was still alive under the snow] Ahh! No!
=== Patrol ===
=== The Horde ===
=== The Chalet ===
=== Packing Up ===
Category:The Last of Us Part II transcripts