The Greater Good/Transcript

*“Soon enough we’ll be lounging like kings.”* *—Nathaniel*

**Starring:**

Jon Hamm as JON MATTHEWS

Robert Pattinson as WILLIAM REYNES

Robin Lord Taylor as EDWARD REMAR

Kenneth Branagh as CLYDE ROLLINS

Nick Frost as RANDALL FORSTER

Ben Mendelsohn as BENJAMIN TAYLOR

Steve J. Palmer as AUSTIN KINGSTON

David Emge as ALDUS PAXTON

Tom Payne as ALBERT HANSON

Stephen Gevedon as DEAN HOWARDS

Dave Fennoy as DAMERAE BADRICK

**Also Starring**

Daniel Sharman as DANIEL ROCKWELL

Jared Leto as JARED KELLINGS

Paul Rudd as SOLOMON REED

Scarlett Johansson as REBECCA DAWSON

Tom Holland as LLOYD WALLER

Keira Knightley as CLAIRE NOBLE

Thandiwe Newton as ANGELA JAEGAR

Paul Bettany as NATHANIEL SHEPARD

**Guest Starring**

Joe Morton as ISAAC MOSES

David Boat as LAYTON ZIMMERS

Daniel Bruhl as ALEX WEISS

Viola Davis as VIVIAN FINKLING

Tim Wersan as KYLE DOUGLASS

Nico Bustamante as BERNIE ORTAN

Shawn Hatosy as NICK PARKER

Michael McElhatton as MICHAEL HALL

Kevin Spacey as WILBUR WRIGHT

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**Scene #1**

**FOOTBALL STADIUM - CELL BLOCK A**

***Alex:*** *Oh… Hello.*

ALDUS PAXTON looks over at him, raising an eyebrow.

***Aldus:*** *How’d you find yourself here? And how did you survive out there to get here?*

***Alex:*** *I’ve wandered around… trying to find some kind of shelter and supplies. Some days after I got myself comfortable in my area, I heard voices. I thought that it were some kind of travelers but…* ***(He sighs)*** *It was a group of people that stole everything I had and then they dragged me forcefully out - and put me in here. I don’t know how long I’ve been here for. As you see, the light in this cell is rather weak. I assume that I’ve been here for a few days.* ***(He grins slightly)*** *But why are you here? Trying to visit me?*

***Austin:*** *Huh…? Am I the only one that doesn’t recognize this guy?*

***Aldus:*** ***(To Alex)*** *Still give the creeps I see. We got captured, and they are some method actors, I’ll give ‘em that.*

***Alex:*** *Mmm…*

JON MATTHEWS slides his shoulder along the wall, stopping next to ALEX WEISS.

***Jon:*** *So what do you know about this place? What can you tell us about these assholes?*

***Alex:*** *Oh, well what do you expect me to know about a place I’ve been forcefully dragged to? I can tell you that they are assholes.*

***Jared:*** *I actually know a lot about this place. See - it’s a, uh, it’s a concert hall, people like Madonna even performed in it. It’s a legendary setting.*

Jon sighs, giving up and turning around.

***Aldus:*** *Alex, do you know how the guard shifts work? Any of that stuff or no? Because we’ve gotten out of situations before, and it’s only a matter of time before something happens again.*

***Alex:*** *They are coming once in a while to check if I didn’t commit suicide. But I’m too smart for that.*

***Jared:*** ***(Continuing to ramble)*** *They have control over the main office. And as we’re talking right now they’re watching and listening to us. It’s really just like one of them Big Brother scenarios, because we can’t really put ourselves in an incriminating spot. You don’t wanna be caught jacking off on film unless you’re the one filming. You know?*

***Alex: (He laughs)*** *Seriously? Of course. There will be a voice and it will tell us what to do.*

***Jared:*** *Absolutely.*

***Alex:*** *Hilarious.*

***Jared:*** *Just give it a couple of days, it’ll be a game of simon sa--*

JARED KELLINGS stops, watching as WILLIAM REYNES slowly walks over to Alex, before grabbing him by the scruff of his shirt, and slamming his back against the wall.

***Jared:*** *Oh for fuck’s sake.*

***Alex:*** *Ow… Please. We are all friends, right?* ***(He grins)***

***William:*** *Give me one reason not to snap your neck, you piece of weasel shit.*

***Jared:*** *Pfff. Weasel.*

***Albert:*** *Can everyone just calm down… We can’t be fighting each other.*

***Alex: (To William)*** *It would be a mess, and the group would come to check out what happened.*

***Aldus:*** *William, I’m just gonna say it now, but there’s no reward for killing him right now. It’d only remove a prisoner. As much as I hate to admit, there’s no point in killing him.*

***William: (To Alex, ignoring Aldus)*** *You’re a liar. And a psychopath. I don’t trust a word that comes out of that mouth of yours.*

***Aldus:*** *I recommend saving that anger on him for later and for Badrick.*

***Albert:*** *William - step back and calm down.*

***Alex:*** *I am a psychopath? Aren’t you the aggressive one right now?*

William reluctantly lets go of Alex, turning away. He looks towards the cell bars, where he sees NATHANIEL SHEPARD approaching from one end, flanked by two armed guards. He taps onto the makeshift iron bars to get everyone’s attention.

***Nathaniel:*** *Greetings… I’m sure you all have… a lot of questions for me. It is my duty as your host, and the one who is in custody of you, to oblige and answer those questions.*

***Jared:*** *You look like a faggot.*

***Nathaniel:*** *And you look like a man who’s locked up. In my possession.*

***Jared:*** *Good one. I like this guy.*

***Nathaniel:*** *The next time this one speaks, one of you punch him in the face. I’ll double your rations.*

Jared sticks up his middle finger at him.

***William:*** *Here’s a question for you…*

***Nathaniel:*** *Please… ask.*

***William:*** *Why are we here?*

***Nathaniel:*** *Very good question, I reckon it’s important to know. Welcome to the start of your journey* ***(He swings his arms out)***. *You’ve been rescued, and the opportunity of a lifetime… awaits you. A paradise across the ocean awaits you all.*

***Aldus:*** *London?*

***William: (He glances back)*** *Shut up.*

***Nathaniel:*** *You’ll be shipped off there, you’ll get to work there.*

***Alex:*** *We will work? Haha! Great joke, mister!*

***William:*** *Then why cage us like pigs?*

***Nathaniel:*** *Oh, well not everyone embarks on their journey willingly. It’s not a* ***choice***, *but you should be grateful.*

***William:*** *If you offer paradise and good work, then why not free those willing?*

***Nathaniel:*** *Those who are willing have been freed* ***(He points back to one of his guards)***. *They are tested on their loyalty, whether or not it is true. And now, they join the cause. What we are doing here, is for the greater good.*

***William: (He nods slowly)*** *Then when do we get - tested?*

***Nathaniel:*** *I only test those who I think are genuine. I judge things on behaviour. I am a very… observant person. And this here is simply your induction process… you’ll get plenty of time to stretch your legs while here with us. You’ll get yard-time daily, where you can help work various tasks that need done. Monitored… of course.*

***Alex:*** *Could we also get some tea? What about food?*

***Nathaniel:*** *People earn their rations based on their behaviour.*

Jared raises his hand, as if asking for permission to speak.

***Nathaniel:*** *Speak, my friend.*

***Jared:*** *My lord, I’d like to ask - can we fuck in here? Serious question. I’ve been so fucking deprived of female company.*

***William:*** *Not the time…* ***(He shakes his head)*** *We’re in the hands of - fuck knows - and you ask of female company?*

***Jared:*** *I’m talking about you, William. You’re the female of the scenario.*

William turns slowly to face him.

***Nathaniel:*** *I would never stop an act of* ***consent***, *so long as both are happy to engage in sexual activity. Now, I’m going to leave you all to it. Get excited everyone, things will really start to look up for you soon.*

Nathaniel grins, turning to walk away.

***William: (To Jared)*** *Say that again.*

***Austin:*** *Ohohoh, here we go.*

***William:*** *Say it.*

***Jared:*** *I’m talking about you, William. You’re the female of the scenario.*

William charges him, headbutting him to the floor. He then presses his boot onto Jared’s face, pinning him down.

***Austin:*** *Oh damn! He’s really going all in.*

***Alex:*** *Finally some entertainment!*

Jared grabs onto William’s leg and swings a fist into his crotch. As William stumbles back in pain, REBECCA DAWSON steps forward and kicks Jared across the head as he’s getting back up.

***William:*** *You dirty - fuck.*

***Rebecca: (She spits on Jared)*** *Asshole.*

***Austin:*** *Ohhh… interference.*

***Aldus:*** *At this point I’d be hopeful, but fuck that.*

William stands over Jared, and punches him once more.

***William:*** *Female…*

***Rebecca:*** *Why the hell did you guys ever keep him around? Seems like a waste of space.*

***William:*** *Jacob’s good will.*

***Austin:*** *Man-- Jared should have won the fight. That girl interfered.*

***William:*** *Perhaps you want a go too. Then we’ll see who would’ve won.*

***Austin:*** *Nah… I’m just a spectator. I just wanted to see a good fight.*

***William:*** *Then accept he wouldn’t have won.*

***Austin:*** *Okay…* ***(He coughs, sitting back)***

***Alex: (He claps)*** *Well done, William!*

ANGELA JAEGAR shakes her head at all the fighting, as she approaches the bars, looking out.

***Angela:*** *So how’re we going to get out of here?*

***Jon:*** *We’ll think of somethin’.*

***Austin:*** *We won’t.*

***Jon:*** *You seem rather certain.*

***Austin:*** *Let’s all just face up to it - we’re stuck in here. I mean-- I’m not certain, just 90% sure.*

***Alex:*** *The best way to escape would be during yard time.*

***William:*** *We’re not stuck* ***(He shakes his head)***.

***Aldus:*** *Well, we can have people keep notes of stuff. Then plan what to do with the mental notes we take. Like look at the guards, the solution is to overwhelm them. And if they have running cameras…*

***William:*** *This isn’t Jailbreak, overwhelming a guard won’t be easy. We will starve, they will have more rations and more strength.*

***Austin:*** *I just don’t think we should risk escaping. If we’re seen escaping--we’re all going to get shot.*

***Layton:*** *I just think it’s important we all have a little optimism… right… right?*

***Aldus:*** *I was in jail before, but this is worse.*

***William:*** *You’re wasting time devising schemes - the time will come.*

***Aldus:*** *Yeah, but that’s why we have backup plans. Incase the time fails us.*

***William:*** *Which if it does, we wait for another time.*

***Jon:*** *We’ve been here for ten damn minutes, we can’t piece together anything yet.*

***William:*** *They plan to release us. That’s all we know so far.*

***Austin:*** *I mean the guy said we were going to a paradise across the ocean. That sounds great to me.*

***Aldus:*** *And we’re doing labour work, Austin. That isn’t great, sadly.*

***Austin:*** *Then let’s just do the work for them until they release us. Just - be on good behaviour.*

***William:*** *If that’s what you want to do, then you do that. I don’t plan to be a slave, nor do most of us.*

***Austin:*** *When I get out alive, and you’re all dead because you tried to escape, just know that I told you so.*

***Jared:*** *Completely agree, Austin.*

***Jon:*** *Now I don't know 'bout all of you assholes, because I certainly shouldn't be the one bringing this up, but do you really want to risk getting shipped off across the fucking ocean when your friends are still possibly out and about in the area?*

***Aldus:*** *But we have no exit, Jon.*

***William:*** ***(To Aldus)*** *Then we wait. He’s right.*

***Jon:*** *My point isn’t a damn exit. I said if we bide our time, we’re gonna get shipped off across the fucking sea.*

***Jared:*** *Aldus… You have been so accepting about our fate. Maybe you set this all up. Maybe you’re a traitor.*

Aldus ignores the man, turning away.

***Austin:*** *In a few months when they release us, we’ll go back and find our friends.*

***Angela:*** *Are you going to swim, darling?*

***Austin:*** *We’ll find a boat. Or - make one, I don’t know.*

***William:*** *Now who’s optimistic? Why waste your time? If your eventual plan is to escape, why waste weeks, potentially months in a cell? We have immediate concerns we need to be here for.*

***Jon:*** *God fucking dammit. You people are all gonna drive me fucking insane. Let’s just sit in silence for a while.*

***Jared:*** *You know what? If you guys want to escape, there’s only one way you do it. We all fucking fall down and play dead.*

***William:*** *God, you all really are fucking annoying.*

LAYTON ZIMMERS sits down beside Alex, shaking his hand.

***Layton:*** *Nice to meet you, friend.*

***Alex:*** *Mmm. Nice to meet you, too.*

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**Scene #2**

**FOOTBALL STADIUM - PITCH - EVENING**

DANIEL ROCKWELL strolls out onto the football pitch, taking a sip from a mug of coffee. He saunters along, passing by a few guards, and a couple of prisoners chopping wood in the middle of the field. When he arrives at the head of the pitch, Daniel walks up a set of stairs, where he finds ISAAC MOSES overlooking the pitch, frowning slightly.

***Daniel:*** *Jeez, don’t smile too much, Isaac.*

***Isaac:*** *Wish I could. What we’re doing here-- Treatin’ people like they’re disposable here, putting them in cages like - zoo animals. No. No, I can’t agree with it. I didn’t sign up for this, man. I-- I’m a college professor.*

***Daniel:*** *Keep your voice low, my guy. Wrong pair of ears might not be happy with that.*

He nods to Isaac, before continuing on.

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**Scene #3**

**FOOTBALL STADIUM - COMMENTATOR’S BOOTH**

DANIEL ROCKWELL steps into the room, scanning the room with his eyes. He looks at NATHANIEL SHEPARD’s desk, before spotting the man himself standing by the corner, looking out a giant window sitting behind the desk overlooking the entire stadium.

***Nathaniel:*** ***(Jokingly)*** *I didn’t hear a knock.*

He turns around, approaching Daniel, who sits down onto a sofa to the side of the room.

***Daniel:*** *Must be your hearing.*

***Nathaniel:*** *I suppose so. Good job, by the way. You rounded up a fair few people on that last run.*

Nathaniel casually takes Daniel’s mug away from him. He strolls over to his desk, setting it down.

***Nathaniel:*** *Expensive sofa, a lovely fabric, I’d hate to see it stained with coffee.*

***Daniel:*** *I think we have more pressing concerns.*

Daniel stands back up, walking over to the desk. Nathaniel grabs the mug and offers it to him, but as Daniel goes to take it, Nathaniel brings the mug back to himself and takes a sip.

***Nathaniel:*** *Ah* ***(He smiles)***. *Did I ever tell you that you make good coffee?* ***(He hands it to him)***

***Daniel:*** *No.*

***Nathaniel:*** *You make good coffee.*

***Daniel:*** *We’ve got a lot of people in our cells right now. When do you want to -- ship them off?*

***Nathaniel:*** *Whenever the ship returns, you know how it goes.*

***Daniel:*** *And… it’s been gone a while now.*

***Nathaniel:*** *Please don’t tell me you’ve come here with more of your doubts, Daniel. I’m not in the mood for them today.*

***Daniel:*** *When was the last time they contacted you? The lack of communication is really becoming a problem.*

***Nathaniel:*** *To who? Just you? Soon enough we’ll be the ones going over there, we’ll be the ones enjoying all that we’ve worked for. I’ve helped make the very foundations of this project, of a future for all of these people, why don’t you see that?*

***Daniel:*** *It’s not amounting to anything. We’re dealing with something that’s across the fucking ocean, and we don’t know what’s going on. Food is running out. Supplies are low in general. Motivation of everyone here is goddamn diminished.*

***Nathaniel:*** *Because we’re putting everything into the mission, Daniel. A paradise will be awaiting us all when it’s done.*

***Daniel:*** *Oh Jesus Christ, listen to yourself. Are you that eager to get to your damn sun-lounger so you can sit on a beach drinking from a fucking coconut? You have to be realistic and consider us for a moment.*

***Nathaniel:*** *You sound like one of them, Daniel…* ***(He approaches the window)*** *One of them out there. The ones who are sitting in cells, the ones who need to-- see it to believe it. Are you one of them?*

***Daniel:*** *Some people need to see things to believe they exist. I believed in this until I stopped hearing from it. I believed in it when our ship was coming back from the trips it was making.*

***Nathaniel:*** *We’re so close, don’t you see? One final trip, and we’ll be there, I assure you. But I need you and your boys to stay keen, to stay strong.*

***Daniel:*** *Yeah… course you do.*

***Nathaniel:*** *I think it’s about time I introduce you to our guest. One that will truly… seal the deal for us.*

***Daniel:*** *What?*

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**Scene #4**

**FOOTBALL STADIUM - INFIRMARY**

NATHANIEL SHEPARD approaches the infirmary, leading DANIEL ROCKWELL down the hall.

***Nathaniel:*** *I came into contact with him earlier this week. He’s interested in joining us, in getting access to Banoi. I told him that wouldn’t be easy, but he remained determined to prove his usefulness to us. And useful… is what he will be.*

***Daniel:*** *Uh-huh? So what? You’ve kept them here this whole time and yet I’ve not met them?*

***Nathaniel:*** *Oh no, they only came into our care here this afternoon, they have a certain condition.*

Nathaniel opens the infirmary door.

***Nathaniel:*** *Come on in.*

Inside the infirmary, VIVIAN FINKLING wraps layers of bandages around DAMERAE BADRICK’s upper arm, before gazing up at his burnt, rotten face. She notices a couple of tiny pieces of metal shrapnel sticking into his flesh.

***Badrick:*** *Do you like what you see?* ***(He smirks)***

***Vivian:*** *I see third degree burns and shrapnel damage.*

Vivian grabs a pair of tweezers.

***Vivian:*** *This will sting a bit.*

Badrick impulsively slaps her hand away.

***Badrick:*** *No.*

She drops the tweezers, watching it slide under a cabinet and out of sight.

***Nathaniel:*** *Now, now, Mr. Badrick. I ask you do not mistreat nurse Vivian. We have provided you with her care, she knows what is best.*

***Badrick:*** *I do not want her to mess with it, I just want her to cover it. We all know there is nothing that can be done for this.*

Vivian grabs another strip of bandages.

***Vivian:*** *Lift your arms.*

Badrick lifts his arms, and Vivian starts wrapping bandages around his side, also suffering from burns.

***Nathaniel:*** *How is his condition?*

***Vivian:*** *Not--adequate.*

***Badrick:*** *In other words, she is saying I am fucked. Is that not right, sweetheart?*

Vivian looks up at him, but stays silent. Suddenly, Badrick starts coughing loudly. He looks down, coughing blood out onto the bed and floor, before falling down to the floor, still coughing. As Badrick calms down, Vivian crouches down and lays Badrick onto his side, and ensuring he is still breathing.

***Daniel:*** *Well that’s fucking disgusting.*

***Vivian:*** *He’s been having fits-- If I cannot treat him properly, I can’t guarantee his survival.*

***Nathaniel:*** *It’s okay, nurse - take a break for a moment, I need to talk with him.*

***Vivian:*** *I’d like to. Thank you.*

Vivian helps Badrick back up onto the bed, laying him back onto his side.

***Vivian:*** *Make sure he remains on his side. Otherwise he’ll choke on his own blood.*

She glares at Badrick, before turning and walking out of the room.

***Nathaniel: (To Badrick)*** *Enjoying the safety of our stadium? The care of our nurse?*

***Badrick:*** *It is just fine.*

***Nathaniel:*** *And it’s just a taste of what Banoi would bring you. I came to ask, do you know when your people are due to arrive?*

***Badrick:*** *I called my people before I received this makeover, I have lost contact with them s--S-SS*

Badrick breaks into a coughing fit again, before calming down.

***Badrick:*** *I have lost contact with them since, but I would reckon if you keep your scouts at the docks, you will see their ship arrive soon. I have no doubt that they would make it their top priority to come here at my request.*

***Nathaniel:*** *You must be confused, Daniel.*

***Daniel:*** *Just a little disgusted, to be honest.*

***Badrick:*** *Why don’t you come and say that to my face?* ***(He grits his teeth)***

***Daniel:*** *Sure… which side?*

***Badrick:*** *AGH--*

He tries sitting up, but falls back to his side almost immediately.

***Nathaniel:*** *Gentlemen please, we need not act like we are in a playground. Mr. Badrick has an operating gang that has survived the change, it still operates now, Daniel. He is willing to bring them to us as a show of force, to prove he is worthy of joining our project. I am sure they won’t think too different of him with his… condition.*

***Badrick:*** *My men are loyal. When they arrive… I want you to take us all to your island. I want to see it when they are here.*

***Nathaniel:*** *Absolutely… as soon as we can move off, we will. We’ll be packing up here and leaving. I’ll keep my scouts watching for your men’s arrival, we have people a few miles out still at the Willamette docks. Or… what’s left of it. Get some rest, Mr. Badrick. Your deteriorating condition could use it.*

Daniel follows Nathaniel out of the room.

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**Scene #5**

**FOOTBALL STADIUM - HALLWAYS**

NATHANIEL SHEPARD steps out into the hall, with DANIEL ROCKWELL trailing behind him.

***Daniel:*** *The hell was that? You didn’t tell me you were storing Frankenstein’s Monster inside the infirmary.*

***Nathaniel:*** *You’re right. I showed you. Look at him, Daniel. He’s sickly and dying, he’s harmless. But if we can get him to bring his gang here, have them find out about the paradise in Banoi that awaits them. Their loyalties will surely shift… and we will turn up to Banoi with an entire group of loyalists… Our job would be done. We’d have done so much for the project, just think about this. We just need Badrick himself to vouch for it when they get here.*

***Daniel:*** *I don’t like this…*

***Nathaniel:*** *You don’t have to. You just have to go along with it. Soon enough we’ll be lounging like kings. Remember that.*

He smiles at Daniel, before walking down the hall and turning a corner.

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**Scene #6**

**FOOTBALL STADIUM - CELL BLOCK A**

REBECCA DAWSON walks across the cell, sitting down next to WILLIAM REYNES. It’s late at night, and most people are fast asleep.

***Rebecca:*** *Thought you were gonna burst a few blood vessels back there.*

***William:*** *I was. I don’t see how he did it…* ***(He shakes his head)***

***Rebecca:*** *Must be on your mind quite a lot. Hell, he’s on my mind a lot, I can’t imagine how that translates for you.*

***William:*** *How he - kept stable - dealing with all… this* ***(He waves his hand around the cell)***.

***Rebecca:*** *Were you ever much of a people person?*

***William:*** *Never. Jacob always did the talking. He always coaxed me out of stupid decisions, and got me out of dumb fights - like you did.*

***Rebecca:*** *Believe it or not, contradicting how I’ve been until now, I used to love talking to people. My social life was everything.*

***William:*** *A big contrast, then. But you adapted.*

***Rebecca:*** *I was a secretary. Always had the opportunity. My boss was a party-animal and there were always nights out with work.*

***William:*** *Sounds like you’ve had your fair share of fun, then.*

***Rebecca:*** *It was fun. Looking back it’s just sad, but I guess that’s the same with everything we look back on now. Except for things like taxes.*

***William: (He smiles)*** *Taxes - don’t remind me. I was three months due on rent.*

***Rebecca:*** *Safe to say you don’t need to worry about paying that anymore.*

Rebecca looks across the cell, at a sleeping ALEX WEISS.

***Rebecca:*** *Who’s he?*

William glares at Alex, gritting his teeth.

***Rebecca:*** *I noticed he sparked some anger in you. Hard not to.*

***William:*** *He - is a parasite. Back when this all began, he killed one of our group and went into hiding. He emerged again, but- We tried to be hospitable, but we had to keep him supervised. He used to drug and try to kill whoever was watching over him. Offered me a cup of tea one day - spiked it, and escaped.*

***Rebecca:*** *Glad I have some insights to your feud, never expected it to be so bizarre. Enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts, William. Get some sleep if you can, you need the time to cool down.*

***William:*** *You too. And - thank you.*

Rebecca nods, and gets up, walking to sit somewhere else.

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**Scene #7**

**FOOTBALL STADIUM - CELL BLOCK A**

Early the next morning, ALDUS PAXTON is up and talking with ANGELA JAEGAR and JON MATTHEWS.

***Aldus:*** *I think it’s funny I was locked up for doing a good thing this time.*

***Angela:*** *What did you do the first time you were locked up?*

***Aldus:*** *I stole a car and I accidentally drove into a cop car. And keep in mind, I was only seventeen and I had JUST got my license. But being a goofball, I did drink a little… so my parents had to bail me out, and I’ll never forget the quiet ride back. But then I got into check, and now I’m here.*

***Jon:*** *I’ve served my fair share of time. Shocking, I know. Can’t say it was something as outlandish as accidentally driving into a copper. More-so driving* ***away*** *from them. You know, because when you rob a bank, you usually have to flee from them. They tail you like crazy, the bastards. You certainly wouldn’t have been a good getaway driver at seventeen.*

***Aldus:*** *But were you in jail when this started?*

***Jon:*** *Naw. We were all just having finished a job. Got hectic pretty fucking fast. I had to spend a lot of my later years laying low, because I didn’t serve my last sentence in full. I was broken out.*

***Angela:*** *Speaking of… breaking out.*

She looks over at the bars, thinking.

***Aldus:*** *But what I said earlier. I think we gotta take mental notes of the land if we don’t do work here. That way it’d help with how we break out. Since I’m sure shoveling snow isn’t labour work in their eyes.*

***Jon:*** *Leave me in charge of the break out, I’ll get us covered once I’ve seen all there is to see here. If I can break out of maximum security where trained officials are monitoring us, I can probably escape some former baristas and store-assistants.*

***Angela:*** *They still have guns, darling.*

***Jon:*** *That’s right. But we’ll figure somethin’ out. Just gotta get a lay of the land.*

***Aldus:*** *I will say, the best thing about this is not worrying about trouble besides people like them. And the roamers. Like, you can do a lot more without having to use money. And you can take cars on joyrides without worrying. But the sad thing is how lonely the world has been since this started.*

***Angela:*** *It’s also sad that we’re trapped in this cell. Can’t go for a drive from here.*

***Aldus:*** *Yeah…*

Footsteps are heard approaching, nearing the cell. Jon looks up from the conversation to see NICK PARKER standing on the other side of the cell.

***Nick:*** *You three get up. It’s yard time. Only a few of you are coming out at a time.*

***Jon:*** *Bingo. Count us in, chief.*

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

**Scene #8**

**FOOTBALL STADIUM - PITCH - MORNING**

JON MATTHEWS steps out onto the snowy pitch, stretching his arms.

***Jon:*** *God it’s nice to get some damn fresh air again.*

***Aldus:*** *Yeah, it’s more breathable. And not sweat.*

Jon looks back at ALDUS PAXTON and ANGELA JAEGAR, lowering his voice.

***Jon:*** *Take it all in.*

He looks over at NICK PARKER.

***Jon:*** *So what are you gonna have us do, chief?*

Nick points to the middle of the pitch, where three axes are laying in the snow, and next to them is a huge pile of logs.

***Nick:*** *You’re chopping wood. Use the axes.*

***Angela:*** *Did you clear a forest?*

***Nick:*** *Just do the work.*

***Jon:*** *Anyone ever tried anything stupid with one of these?*

Nick ignores him and waltzes off to the side, leaning against a wall. Jon, Aldus and Angela step up to the axes, picking them up. Angela glances around the pitch, taking notice of several guards scattered around.

***Angela:*** *Well, stupid is certainly one way to put it.*

***Aldus:*** *I have to agree with that.*

***Jon:*** *Let’s get to work, if you catch my drift.*

***Angela:*** *You don’t need to be so on the nose my dear, we know what we came here to do.*

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

**Scene #9**

**WILLAMETTE HIGH SCHOOL - FOYER**

Some time after discovering DEAN HOWARDS inside the school, BENJAMIN TAYLOR and the others have all gathered inside the foyer, and are eagerly waiting for Dean to give them answers. Benjamin approaches the man, kneeling in front of him.

***Benjamin:*** *Badrick?*

***Solomon:*** *What happened to this place?*

***Dean:*** *I… told you…*

***Clyde:*** *Dean - hello, it’s me - Clyde. Do you want to tell us what happened?*

Dean looks up at him, looking at him, but is unable to say a word. Dean then looks past CLYDE ROLLINS, seeing EDWARD REMAR hobbling over hastily, his cane tapping off the floor.

***Edward:*** *Dean…*

***Dean:*** *I do-- I don’t know… who’s alive--*

Edward gets down next to Dean, staring at him.

***Edward:*** *You mentioned Badrick.*

***Claire:*** *Alright, everyone give the man some space. He’s clearly dealing with something terribly traumatic.*

Dean slides back, burying his face into his hands.

***Dean:*** *He made me… Jim-- Jim, he-- He made me. Jim - suffered…*

Dean weeps, continuing to look away from them.

***Edward:*** *Where is everyone else from the mall? Do you know? Are they dead? Did they die here?*

***Dean:*** *I…*

***Edward:*** *We know Badrick is alive, Dean. He is now - deformed.*

***Dean:*** *I know… He-he came in and-- It was all so fucking horrible… I don’t know what happened, there was so much… So much carnage. I just--*

***Edward:*** *He killed everyone? Jacob’s group?*

Dean finally looks up at him.

***Dean:*** *I… I don’t know.*

***Wilbur:*** *Well this is fucking useless. So much for getting some answers, this man is broken. Snapped in two in every way except the literal one.*

***Claire:*** *Do none of you have any sympathy? He looks scarred.*

***Clyde:*** *We need to give him some time. Some time until he’s ready to talk… we can wait here, right? I mean-- we can’t just leave him. And we have nowhere else to be. So I say we stay with him. Badrick must have traumatized this poor soul.*

***Benjamin:*** *Okay, we’ll stay a while until he remembers how to form sentences.*

***Edward:*** *Dean… Just know. I’m going to kill him. I’m going to make sure he* ***suffers***.

***Dean:*** *Please, I beg-- I beg that you do.*

***Edward:*** *I will take great satisfaction, waiting until his last breath is uttered.*

***Solomon:*** *That’s kinda, uh… I’ll just mind my business.*

After a short while, Benjamin once again approaches Dean.

***Benjamin:*** *Are you ready to tell us what’s happened here?*

***Dean:*** *Could I have a swig of something liquor? No? That’s-- that’s fine, I knew that we wouldn’t have any-- Yes, I’m ready. He kidnapped me, Ted, and-- Jim… We were all together, in a warehouse of sorts. He tortured us, beat us, tore us down.*

***Edward:*** *It was just the three of you after the mall?*

***Dean:*** *Yes-- Just the three of us.*

***Edward:*** *Nobody else made it?*

***Dean:*** ***(He shakes his head)*** *Not - that I know of.*

Edward looks down briefly, before looking back up.

***Edward:*** *Continue.*

***Dean:*** *Jim decided that - if we lied about where you were all at-- Maybe, maybe just maybe - we could give you time. And so we went--to the ruins of the mall and-- Curtis was there, a group of others…*

***Edward:*** *Where* ***we*** *were all at?*

***Dean:*** *Most people were here* ***(He nods)***. *That’s why I-- God, I hope they all got out okay. Please, God…*

***Benjamin:*** *I thought you said only three of you made it out of the mall.*

***Clyde:*** *I’m confused… They- they are alive?*

***Dean:*** *We were kidnapped, I don’t know. I know some of us were here--*

***Edward:*** *So Jacob and the people from the mall, they were here? They came here after it fell?*

***Dean:*** *I think so.*

***Wilbur:*** *Talk about an unreliable source.*

***Dean:*** *I’m sorry, alright. I really am, I’ve just… Please. All I can remember is that - we three were kidnapped. Curtis and them were at the mall, people I didn’t recognize. He gunned as many of them down as he could. Curtis didn’t make it.*

***Wilbur:*** *Van Horn? Curtis Van Horn is dead?*

Dean nods, frowning.

***Wilbur:*** *Fucking hell.*

***Dean:*** *Shot to bits. It was horrible. We didn’t think they’d be there, we were only trying to preserve the people here… We were trying our best to-to try and save what we could but-- Dammit.*

***Wilbur:*** *You know where the rest of my people are? Did you see the rest?*

***Dean:*** *They’d escaped elsewhere, they were about to be captured.*

***Wilbur:*** *Quincy? Monica? Jon?*

***Dean:*** *I’m not sure where they went. They were able to fend them off. I think--they’re okay. Badrick has his way almost with - one of them. A lady. Black lady. But-but we were taken back, shortly after. We finally made the decision to try to escape. When we did, we made it to the fences and-- Teddy… he was decapitated. Right next to me, right fu--* ***(He shakes his head)***

***Clyde: (He frowns)*** *Don’t describe it. Just… keep going.*

***Wilbur:*** *This guy is a goddamn looney. His narration is all over the place. You saw Curtis die?*

***Dean:*** *Yes…*

***Wilbur:*** *Now look me in the eyes and promise me the others made it. Quincy, Monica and Jon.*

Dean opens his eyes wide, remembering.

***Dean:*** *Monica… Quincy…*

***Wilbur:*** *What?*

***Dean:*** *I… Oh, God-- I’m sorry. I am so sorry-- They… No, they didn’t make it. Not--Quincy and Monica.*

WILBUR WRIGHT frowns, turning around in anger.

***Wilbur:*** *That’s just fucking great. This is fucked. What happened to them?*

***Dean:*** *Monica was--blasted by hundreds of guns. Quincy took a last stand. He took as many as he could with him. He just - couldn’t hold on.*

***Wilbur:*** *Took as many of… what? Where and what the hell was going on?*

***Dean:*** *There were hundreds of men… It was a siege. They were killing us.*

***Wilbur:*** *Stop speaking like you’re reading from a goddamn prophecy! What siege?!*

***Dean:*** *They had an army. A lot of men. Now, he’s one man--we took them out. Badrick has none left. None that I know of. We killed them.*

***Clyde:*** *I think Dean - hit his head. We should let him rest.*

***Edward:*** *No. He just started talking about Badrick. Where is Badrick now, Dean? Where did he go?*

***Benjamin:*** *I’m sure if he knew that he’d have told us.*

***Wilbur:*** *God - what has he fucking told us?! He’s given us some subliminal fucking messaging, that’s what! I don’t trust his narration. He says Quincy and Monica died in a fucking siege! What fucking siege--*

Wilbur looks over at Dean, as he sees him slowly standing up, looking around, confused and dazed.

***Dean:*** *Where is Jim? Wher-- Where?*

Clyde slowly approaches him.

***Clyde:*** *Dean… You said Jim - suffered?*

***Wilbur:*** *God fucking dammit.*

***Claire:*** *Wilbur, calm down. The man is delirious.*

***Dean:*** *He died, he-- oh no, no--* ***(He grabs his head)*** *I didn’t want that to happen…*

***Claire:*** *Guys… he needs to rest for now. We can muster up the patience and talk to him later.*

***Wilbur:*** *Fine!*

***Clyde:*** *I’m going to find him somewhere to rest. Dean… why don’t you come with me?*

***Dean:*** *I’m not ready to sleep, please… Please.*

***Clyde:*** *I’m sure there’s some lovely places to sit down…*

Clyde starts escorting Dean off towards the library, while Dean rambles to himself.

***Dean:*** *Handshake… You missed-- the- the beginning… I wanted it. A ha-handshake.*

Clyde takes him into the library.

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

**Scene #10**

**WILLAMETTE HIGH SCHOOL - LIBRARY**

CLYDE ROLLINS guides DEAN HOWARDS over to a couch within the library.

***Clyde:*** *Now - just take a seat here my good chum, we’ll be able to catch up when you’re all… better.*

Dean sits down slowly, then looks back up at Clyde.

***Dean:*** *Wait-- The baby… The baby is-- Was it born?*

***Clyde:*** *Dean I-- don’t quite understand what you’re getting at…*

***Dean:*** *I was excited, I really, really was. I wanted kids. I always have. I--I’ve never told anyone, but I’m sterile. I’ve tried with my wife, I did once-- I wish I could. I really did. I wanted to be a father so bad. I’d be there to help, I promise. Wai-- Wait, no, no, no…*

Dean looks down, burying his head into his hands, his body shaking.

***Dean:*** *No, please, God, why. Why her-- to him. Jacob - he didn’t deserve that.*

***Clyde:*** *Dean, I, uh… really thing you need some, uh, rest. Erin-- You are remembering what happened to her and - her baby.*

***Dean:*** *I’ve always wanted kids. Jim was a mentor to me. He lived it all. I wanted to be like Jim.*

***Clyde:*** *Dean just - stay put for now. I’ll get someone to watch over you. Does that sound good? And-- you can rest easy… I’m sure you’ve - been through a lot, my friend.*

***Dean:*** *I can’t remember…*

Dean blinks rapidly, starting to remember Clyde.

***Dean:*** *I appreciate you helping me. I recognize - your face. I’ve seen you.*

***Clyde:*** *Of course… who wouldn’t recognize Clyde Rollins himself…*

Clyde smiles, but he frowns after seeing a reflection of himself in a broken piece of glass next to the couch.

***Dean:*** *The makeup-- the eye piece, why do you have it on?*

***Clyde:*** *Just… rest, my friend.*

Clyde turns away, leaving Dean, as he rolls over onto the couch, falling asleep.

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

**Scene #11**

**WILLAMETTE HIGH SCHOOL - FOYER**

Inside the foyer, BENJAMIN TAYLOR and EDWARD REMAR are pacing around, talking.

***Benjamin:*** *Can we trust anything he’s said?*

***Edward:*** *I hardly doubt he’d make anything up. He’s just delirious. Delusional and scarred. We’ll have to wait until he stops being a vegetable and is able to speak properly again.*

CLYDE ROLLINS stumbles out of the library, approaching them.

***Clyde:*** *I think he’s finally going to pass out. Can one of you watch over him? I have to swap out my bandage. Just, uh-- in there* ***(He points to the library)***.

***Solomon:*** *I can.*

***Clyde:*** *Thanks, he’s out cold so you can just grab a book or something. Uh-- have fun.*

SOLOMON REED approaches the library.

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

**Scene #12**

**WILLAMETTE HIGH SCHOOL - LIBRARY**

SOLOMON REED enters the library, heading over to find a beat to read. After finding an interesting book, he chooses a seat and sits down, starting to read. He takes a quick glance at DEAN HOWARDS, seeing him passed out on the couch, before going back to his book.

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

**Scene #13**

**WILLAMETTE HIGH SCHOOL - COURTYARD - LATE AFTERNOON**

CLYDE ROLLINS steps out into the courtyard, walking past all of the destruction, and out onto the road. He heads across the street, to where he sees a parked truck. On his way there, Clyde spots a zombie crawling across the ground, the lower half of its body missing. He looks at it with pity, while slowly pulling out his knife.

***Clyde:*** *I’m… sorry. Nobody deserves a fate such as this. I’m sure whoever you were… you didn’t deserve to rot eternally. There’s a special place in hell for people like that. I don’t even know if I believe in heaven and hell, I always thought that zombies were fiction too, but hey--*

The zombies reaches its hand out, grabbing Clyde’s boot.

***Clyde:*** *Whatever happened to you, I am truly sorry.*

He stabs it in the head, killing it. As Clyde stands up, exhaling loudly, he hears the sound of a foot scraping across the pavement beside him. Before he can fully turn his head, a zombie pushes him over, making him drop his knife. Clyde grunts, struggling to hold it off him for a few seconds until CLAIRE NOBLE runs up, jamming a machete into the back of its head. Disgusted by the blood, Clyde pushes the dead zombie off him.

***Claire:*** *You okay there, movie star?*

***Clyde:*** *Uh-- well, I wasn’t, but-- I am now… thank you.*

***Claire:*** *I take it you didn’t do your own stunts, huh?*

She offers Clyde a hand and pulls him up.

***Clyde:*** *Well - I did.*

Claire narrows her eyes, not believing him.

***Clyde:*** *I… told people I did.*

***Claire:*** *Thought so. Must’ve needed some damn good wigs to replicate your hair though.*

***Clyde:*** *Oh they did* ***(He smiles)***. *I’m sorry - I often prove to be rather incapable when it comes to dealing with the dead. I’ve-- wanted to get better, be more brave - but we’d been on the move for so long and… Well… I lost my eye. Whatever happens now I’ll be useless no matter what. I suppose all I can truly offer is - cheery optimism.*

***Claire:*** *You can offer more than that. You can still train to become better, if you truly want to. Become capable of dispatching dipshits like this* ***(She kicks the dead zombie)''***.
***Clyde:*** *It was a person once.*

***Claire:*** *Once… Not anymore. There’s no person left in here, Clyde. They just want to tear you apart, flesh and bone.*

***Clyde:*** *You dispatch them rather simply - it’s impressive.*

***Claire:*** *You’d do just as fine a job if you were used to it.*

***Clyde:*** *I truly… wish that were the case.*

***Claire:*** *I can help you… If you want.*

***Clyde:*** *Well - I’d really like and appreciate that.*

***Claire:*** *We’re going to be here for some time anyway while your friend in the library recovers.*

***Clyde:*** *Well, show me where to start, my lady* ***(He bows)***.

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

**Scene #14**

**WILLAMETTE NEIGHBOURHOOD - BACK LANE - LATE AFTERNOON**

LLOYD WALLER stomps through the snow of a quiet back lane. KYLE DOUGLASS and BERNIE ORTAN follow behind him.

***Kyle:*** *It’s-it’s FREEZING out here, what are we supposed to do?! No jackets, no food - we’ll undergo symptoms of hypothermia and-and-- Well-well, we’ll grow frostbitten--perhaps on the nubs--fingers, toes?!*

***Lloyd:*** *Kyle…*

***Kyle:*** *And we’ll have to AMPUTATE. AMPUTATE!*

***Lloyd:*** *We’re - gonna find some shelter.*

***Kyle:*** *But - where?! It’s so misty, I could barely see a thing ahead of me! Oh, oh, we’ve done it now, Lloyd. Oh, no--*

***Lloyd:*** *Just…*

Lloyd exhales, looking down.

***Kyle:*** *Okay, okay, I’ve got enough to tell from your face. I know you’re tired too, and - worried. I will tone it down a bit, I assure you, my friend. Oh man, I’ve never seen the things out here before. You’ve dealt with them, I assume, correct? Yeah, yeah you have--you can help us, right? I don’t wanna touch them, I mean, I’m deathly afraid of it-- My  studies of their kind - I’ve done much, but-- I’m not strong enough just yet!*

***Lloyd:*** *We’ll find a house to stay in - before dark.*

Kyle’s eyes open wide, as he hears the sounds of something snarling far off in the distance.

***Kyle:*** *Oh-oh-- Oh, oh-- It’s like - it’s war, you know, World War 2. Imagine the pain of those--poor Jews, they had to hide away like rats - or flee from their impending dooms. This is exactly how I feel. I’ve always wondered, you know, my brain is specifically on and on about several different topics. It’s why I know so much, but I didn’t wanna know how this feels, oh, oh, no.*

Lloyd suddenly stops, looking ahead. Kyle stops just behind him, and Bernie, not realizing they’ve stopped, bumps into Kyle. Lloyd slowly points ahead, where through the mist, they can see a group of nearly a dozen zombies stumbling out onto the back lane.

***Lloyd:*** *Get down. I’ll-- Oh.*

Lloyd and the others rush to a backyard gate that’s frozen shut. Realizing this, Lloyd starts ramming his shoulder into the wooden fence.

***Kyle:*** *SHHH, SHHHHH! I know how to do this! Don’t worry! Do you have a knife of sorts? Anything - bladey? I’m not a delinquent, please don’t accuse me. I know my things, however.*

Lloyd takes out his knife and starts trying to open the gate himself by jamming his knife in.

***Kyle:*** *I perform excellently in any situation. No, not barbarically, wait, wait-- Give me it! The hinges, if you can unscrew it-- You could push it open! Hand me the blade, quickly, my friend!*

***Lloyd:*** *We don’t have the time!*

***Kyle:*** *Oh, no, then we ought to run!*

Kyle looks back, seeing the zombies stumbling towards them, growing more and more visible through the mist.

***Lloyd:*** *Go climb - I’ll try and keep them back.*

***Kyle:*** *But, ho-- Oh, oh no, you can’t be serious.*

***Lloyd:*** *No, no - climb over it! Do your best!*

***Kyle:*** *You’re gonna vault us up and--*

***Lloyd:*** *CLIMB!*

Lloyd grapples with one of the zombies, jamming his knife into its head. Meanwhile, Kyle starts helping Bernie over the fence.

***Kyle:*** *HOP UP!*

He cups his hands, and Bernie is able to climb over. He sits at the top of the fence and reaches down a hand.

***Kyle:*** *GRAB ME! COME ON, AHH!*

Kyle glances back, seeing Lloyd struggling to hold off the zombies. One of them pushes Lloyd into a tree. Dazzled, Lloyd stumbles back towards the fence, losing his knife in the process.

***Kyle:*** *BERNIEEEEEEEEEE!*

Bernie starts pulling Kyle up, as one of the zombies sneaks its way past Lloyd, and towards Kyle. As Kyle is getting pulled up, the zombie grabs Kyle’s foot, trying to pull him down. He screams in fear, until he manages to stop the zombie by jamming a pen into its ear. Kyle falls over the fence onto the other side, landing in the snowy backyard. Bernie hops down after him.

Meanwhile, Lloyd, still being pursued by the zombies, jumps up onto the fence.

***Kyle:*** *HURRY WILL YOU, HURRY! OH, NO, I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU GET EATEN - PLEASE!*

One of the zombies grabs Lloyd’s shoe, yanking him back, though Lloyd hangs onto the top of the fence.

***Kyle:*** *IT’S BENEATH YOU!*

Kyle runs forward and grabs Lloyd's hand, trying to pull him down. He looks back at Bernie and mouths the word ‘HOLD’, which Bernie understands. With Kyle and Bernie’s help, they pull Lloyd over the fence. Bleeding from his hands, Lloyd slowly stands up, stumbling towards the back door of the house.

***Lloyd:*** *In- inside. See if the back door is open.*

Kyle and Bernie follow him to the back door, and try the door, to find that it’s unlocked. Kyle smiles, peering into the dark house, seeing nothing. Then Kyle looks back to the fence, hearing the zombies banging on it, and seeing wood chips flying off.

***Kyle:*** *LLOYD! LLOYD, THE FENCE! IT’S-IT’S A MATTER OF TIME! WOOD CAN’T HANDLE THAT MANY OF THEM, IT’S OLD--FALLEN AND RICKETY. No, no, it’s gonna fall, Lloyd, this place isn’t--*

Lloyd puts one of his bloody hands over Kyle’s mouth to shut him up. The three of them quickly enter the house and close the door, shutting the curtains.

**Scene #14 Cont.**

**WILLAMETTE NEIGHBOURHOOD - HOUSE**

***Lloyd:*** *Shh… We just… have to be quiet. Until they leave… okay?*

Bernie opens a kitchen drawer, pulling out a knife. He turns back to Lloyd and Kyle.

***Lloyd: (To Bernie)*** *Keep the knife on you.*

Bernie nods, having read his lips.

***Kyle:*** *The gate, you know it’s not sturdy enough. I-I-I-- At least can we place something against it? Please, if we don’t we’re doomed! If we give it added support, perhaps we’ll have more time.*

***Lloyd: (Whisper yelling)*** *Kyle! We just… have to be quiet… trust me.*

***Kyle:*** *But - you don’t understand, this is-- Oh, this is bad, oh no. We need a light at least, is there any way? It’s so dark.*

***Lloyd:*** *We can-- maybe light some candles.*

***Kyle:*** *Where? We don’t have any?*

***Lloyd:*** *I’m just - thinking… The house might have some. If not - don’t worry…*

***Kyle:*** *And your wounds, Lloyd, we have to treat them. If you keep bleeding, and leave it off in the air like that, oh no-- The infection could turn you into them just as easy, I know how it works.*

***Lloyd:*** *I’ll… I’ll deal with them* ***(He looks at his hands)***.

***Kyle:*** *You need to deal with them as soon as possible.*

***Lloyd:*** *Kyle… I know you’re stressed - but the best thing you can do is - sleep until this blows over. We can get you in one of the rooms upstairs, okay?*

***Kyle:*** *I know, but I’ve studied battle wounds - and biology.*

***Kyle:*** *You’ll be safe, out of reach of the zombies, you won’t hear them. Me and Bernie - will keep watch down here.*

***Kyle:*** *Wounds, if you leave them untreated - it could provide many illnesses!*

***Lloyd:*** *Kyle - shh!*

Bernie writes down a message onto a notepad, showing it to Lloyd, telling him to bandage his hands.

***Lloyd:*** *I- I will. Can you help Kyle get upstairs and go to sleep?*

Bernie nods and puts away his notepad and pen. As Bernie and Kyle walk off together, Lloyd starts going through drawers and cabinets, looking for anything to bandage himself up with.

***Kyle:*** *Oh this is one show of despair. Who do we have to help us? We’re all on our own here… How are we supposed to do much of anything? Oh, who am I kidding, you can’t understand me… You poor soul, you probably don’t know much of what’s going on. If only you weren’t cursed at birth.*

Bernie and Kyle arrive at the top of the stairs, and slowly start looking through the different rooms.

***Kyle:*** *You know, this reminds me of the story of Anne Frank. She had to hide in the attic and stay quiet at certain times of the day due to the Nazis parading outside.*

Bernie peers into one of the rooms, seeing that it was a girl’s bedroom.

***Kyle:*** *Oh, I’m not sleeping in here, this is a girl’s room.*

Bernie looks at Kyle while pointing at the bed.

***Kyle:*** *Can we - check another room?*

Kyle attempts to do sign language, but fails miserably. Luckily, Bernie can read his lips, and nods his head.

***Kyle:*** *I did it?*

Grinning proudly, Kyle follows Bernie to the next room, which is a bathroom.

***Kyle:*** *I think I'll take the other room.*

Bernie closes the door and heads to the last door at the end of the hall, the master bedroom. Inside, the two of them can see something laying on the bed, but because the blind are closed, they can’t tell what it is.

***Kyle:*** *Huh, what’s that? You have a light?*

Bernie shakes his head.

***Kyle:*** *Hm… You know, I did go to summer camp quite a bit. I’m not sure if this will really work.*

Kyle pulls a coin out of his pocket, looking over at Bernie.

***Kyle:*** *Can I, uh, borrow a page from your notebook? I know it’s important to you, I have one myself.*

Bernie looks at him, confused.

***Kyle: (Slowly)*** *Notebook paper. Just one. Wait, WAIT. I’m wrong, it won’t work. No, you need tinder… It doesn’t just work with paper. I suppose the mystery will be solved another time* ***(He sighs)***.

Kyle suddenly hears a low groaning noise coming from the bed. He looks over, terrified, seeing the bed beginning to shuffle, the thing on top of it moving around. Kyle grabs Bernie’s arm, forcing him towards the door, but Bernie, upon seeing the zombie flop onto the floor, stops. The zombie pulls itself along the floor slowly, leaving a trail of blood behind it. Kyle and Bernie look at its face in horror, seeing half of its head blown off, though the brain is still intact. Kyle once again tries to leave with Bernie, but Bernie opens the bedroom door fully, letting the zombie crawl up to him.

***Kyle:*** *Get it--over with, man…*

Bernie raises his knife and jams it into the zombie’s head, finally ending it. Frowning, Bernie stands up with his knife, looking back at Kyle.

***Kyle:*** *You did the right thing, my friend.*

He pats Bernie on the shoulder, before closing the master bedroom door, hiding the zombie away.

Kyle and Bernie head back to the girl’s bedroom, and although disgusted by the pink walls, Kyle plops down onto the bed, tired.

***Kyle:*** *Night, don’t let the-- hopefully no bed-bugs bite. Or -- undead. Or… rats. Or… dust mites…*

He yawns, turning over, away from Bernie.

***Kyle:*** *Or polar bears… bears in general. Or…*

Bernie steps out of the room, closing the door, and letting Kyle fall asleep.

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

**Scene #15**

**WILLAMETTE NEIGHBOURHOOD - HOUSE**

BERNIE ORTAN walks back downstairs, where he finds LLOYD WALLER resting in the living room, his hands all bandaged up. Tired, Bernie goes to sit down next to him. Lloyd looks over at him, speaking clearly.

***Lloyd:*** *Is he finally out?*

Bernie nods. Exhaling in relief, Lloyd looks down briefly, before looking back up, his eyes filling with tears.

***Lloyd:*** *I dunno what to do.*

He wipes the tears away, as Bernie frowns, putting a hand on his shoulder.

***Lloyd:*** *You’re so calm* ***(He shakes his head, confused)***.

Bernie takes out his notepad and pen.

***Bernie (In Writing):*** *Be brave. Don’t be scared. We will find the others.*

***Lloyd:*** *I’m gonna do my best* ***(He nods slowly)***. *I just… Tony was someone I knew we felt safe with. And he’s gone now. I’m not good enough to keep you guys safe, I’m just some - dumb kid.*

***Bernie (In Writing):*** *You’re doing good. You’re a better leader than me or Kyle would be. Be strong.*

***Lloyd:*** *Thanks, buddy* ***(He smiles)***.

Lloyd takes his note, pocketing it.

***Lloyd:*** *You should get some sleep, too. I can keep watch overnight. I can’t sleep.*

Bernie nods, standing up. He pats Lloyd on the back, and waves goodbye, before walking off into another room. When Bernie’s gone, Lloyd leans back into his seat, staring up at the ceiling. Outside, he hears the occasional bang from zombies at the fence.

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**Scene #16**

**LAUNDROMAT**

RANDALL FORSTER saunters through the building, staring at the washing machines, tired and bored. He approaches an open window, where a zombie is trying to crawl through. Randall swiftly stabs it in the head, before wiping his face, and turning around.

MICHAEL HALL emerges from the backroom, his shoulder weakly bandaged with old clothes.

***Randall:*** *You need to find something proper to get that shit stitched up, mate. Those old rags ain’t gonna do you well forever.*

***Michael:*** *They aren’t. The horde is still looming outside?*

***Randall:*** *Around the corner, yeah… They won’t fuck off. They are making slow progress through the street, but one of the pricks will then wander into a fucking bin. It’ll clatter over and create some noise and suddenly they all circle it with interest and have a little rave.*

***Michael:*** *What do you want to do, then?*

***Randall:*** *The sooner we head back to the quarry, the sooner we can find and get Jim back.*

***Michael:*** *You want to pursue Badrick without weapons? We barely made it out with our lives back there, it’d be suicide. We’d have no chance of saving Jim.*

***Randall:*** *We ‘ave to try, I’m not leaving him. It was your idea to have us take the damn shortcut through the quarry in the first place. If we hadn’t, maybe Jim would still fuckin’ be here with us.*

***Michael: (He frowns)*** *You’re scared for him, I understand.*

***Randall:*** *I’m not scared, you prick. I’m angry.*

***Michael:*** *You discovered your friend Dean was alive, did you not?*

Randall exhales quietly, looking down.

***Randall:*** *Sorry for being a dick. I don’t exactly like you, but Jim respected and trusted you… hell, you saved us. I just can’t turn my back on him. I have to go to the quarry.*

***Michael:*** *Then let’s move.*

***Randall:*** *Nah, nah, not you. You won’t make it, you’ve lost enough blood. Stay put and scavenge around for something proper, we can meet back here.*

***Michael:*** *It’s stupid for us to split up, especially if they are still at the quarry. They could just get you, too.*

***Randall:*** *I have to try. And if they do, you can come to our rescue when you feel better.*

Randall turns, heading for the door.

***Michael:*** *Remember I dropped my sniper back there. If you see it--*

***Randall:*** *No.*

***Michael:*** *Think practically.*

***Randall:*** *It killed Clayton. I won’t be touching it.*

Randall walks out.

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**Scene #17**

**FOREST - WOODS - AFTERNOON**

Having quietly left the laundromat and made it into the woods, RANDALL FORSTER finds himself coming up to a familiar line of trees, having followed his and Michael’s footprints in the snow. In the area, there are still a few zombies. Randall takes down a few of them with his knife, until the area is clear. After taking a breather, he continues through the area, finding a sniper rifle sitting in the snow. Randall stares at it, refusing to pick it up. However, after consideration, Randall sighs and picks up the gun, marching on through the forest.

**Scene #17 Cont.**

**QUARRY - AFTERNOON**

Randall grips Michael’s sniper rifle as he slowly walks through the area, discovering that the only thing left of Badrick and his truck are faint tire marks in the snow and gravel. Sighing, Randall approaches the quarry pit and looks inside, seeing nothing but a few straggling zombies wandering about.

***Randall:*** *Fuck…*

Randall turns, heading back the way he came.

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**Scene #18**

**WILLAMETTE STREETS - AFTERNOON**

As RANDALL FORSTER emerges from the woods, he stops in his tracks, seeing something happening in the alleyway across the street. He scopes in with his rifle, seeing a large group of zombies swarming around a dumpster. On top of said dumpster: MICHAEL HALL.

***Randall: (Quietly)*** *The fuck have you done, guy?*

Michael notices Randall standing out across the street. He looks at him, seeing Randall lowering the rifle. For a moment, Randall thinks about walking about, but he sighs, and points the sniper rifle in the air, firing one of the two remaining bullets. Most of the zombies in the alleyway turn their bodies, beginning to stumble over to him instead. With the distraction, Michael hops off the dumpster, trying to squeeze his way out of the situation. However, one of the zombies that didn’t leave ends up grabbing him, pushing Michael against a wall, digging its hand into Michael’s shoulder wound. Randall hears him yelling in pain, and instinctively aims in with his rifle. He steadies the gun and fires the last bullet, killing the zombie grappling with Michael.

Slowly, Michael makes his way out of the alleyway, avoiding zombies. Randall ditches the empty sniper rifle, running past the zombies and over to Michael.

***Randall:*** *Come on!*

He throws an arm around Michael’s shoulder and helps him around a corner and over to an open manhole that they had used before when they were with Jim. With the zombie horde trailing behind them, the two men climb down into the sewers as past as possible, pulling the manhole lid back over.

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**Scene #19**

**SEWERS**

RANDALL FORSTER drops down after MICHAEL HALL, looking around the dark but familiar sewer. He then looks back over at Michael, specifically at his shoulder, which is bleeding through the rags.

***Randall:*** *You’re spilling like a fountain, mate. The hell happened?*

***Michael:*** *After you left, I decided I’d try to move to the next building over. The horde spotted me, I was forced down the alley, in short. You didn’t find them?*

***Randall:*** *I didn’t find them dead… or alive. I think Badrick drove off with them, the prick* ***(He grits his teeth)***. *We’ve spent enough time going around the sewers, this last while all we’ve done is go in damn circles.*

Randall huffs, taking a seat towards the side of the sewer.

***Randall:*** *I miss the mall, man. Back when my group was altogether. Since then it’s just been fucked. We’ve all been separated. We’re all gettin’ killed off. Sucks.*

***Michael:*** *That’s one way of putting it. Thank you.*

***Randall:*** *For what?*

***Michael:*** *Saving me. You could’ve left. You could’ve seen the last of me.*

***Randall:*** *I’m not that stupid. While I’ll never be able to forgive what you did… you’re alright.*

Michael nods slowly.

***Randall:*** *We need to get you some proper bandages, or else you’re gonna pass out on me. Come on* ***(He stands up)***. *We’re gonna have to battle through a bit of sewer water before we find a way out. One far enough away from this fucking horde.*

Michael nods, beginning to walk along slowly, using the wall for support.

***Randall:*** *You look pale. Paler than usual, I mean. You were always pale.*

***Michael:*** *You used my sniper.*

***Randall:*** *Thought I’d be… practical.*

He walks off down the sewers with Michael.