Chapter 11 (Episode I)

**Chapter 11** is the eleventh chapter of The White Shapes: Episode I - The Rise of the Shapers. It was written by Donald Newton.

## Plot

We are introduced to Wexler and his gang, who uses the end of the world to their advantage with vicious crimes against survivors.

## Full Chapter

NOTE: This chapter takes place a week after chapters 9 and 10.

EXT. SURVIVOR'S CAMP - DAY

We see the dead bodies of multiple people who survived the initial invasion attack by the Shapers. But these people weren't killed by Shapers.

We PAN OVER to a LARGE FREIGHT TRUCK.

INT. FREIGHT TRUCK - DAY

A man, wearing black jeans and a long black trench coat, similar to the Lead Shaper, slowly approaches a man tied to a chair. There are two gunmen on each side of the tied up man.

When the trench coat man reaches the tied up man, his victim lifts his head up. He's all beatened and bloodied up. He's crying and pleading for his life.

BEATEN MAN: Please...you got what you want. Please, don't hurt me.

We finally see the man in the trench coat; WEXLER (48), a rough looking man, unshaved, and mean. He has dark hair, turning gray, and an obvious drinker. This man is the leader of the gang that attacked the dead people outside the truck.

WEXLER: Do I?

BEATEN MAN: I told you where my camp was. I told you about the armed men and the women you wanted. You got all of our food and supplies. What more do you want?

WEXLER: Total control of the world. You see, before the world fell to these freaks, me and my boys...we were the only thing that this town feared. We had to, of course, stay in hiding because of the pigs looking for us. But we had so much fun. We robbed banks, homes, restaurants. You name it...if they had money, food, or cool shit...we stole it. Then, Deputy Anthony Lopez shot and killed one of my boys. Another one was arrested. I was ready to kill that bastard in broad daylight even if meant me getting caught. But then something interesting happened...the very next day after Lopez becomes Sheriff...these whatever the fuck you call them...took over the world. Probably killed him. After a few days of hiding, we realized that there is no police, no military, no FBI, no law. Nothing. It was the best damn thing that could have ever happened to us. Because now...without any fucking pigs to track us down...we can take what we want, kill who we want, fuck who we want, and do whatever the fuck we want. And there is not one single person on this earth who can stop us. Isn't that fucking sick?

The Beaten Man is terrified. He can see that Wexler has no remorse for those that he's hurt and that he's enjoying the advantage of no law to stop him. This man knows that he may about to be killed without any consideration of being spared.

BEATEN MAN: Please. I did what you asked me to. I'll do anything. I'll help...I'll join you. You could use me. You said one of your guys were killed and another was arrested. You're short of two. I can take one of their places.

Wexler smiles and chuckles. Perhaps his victim could be of use to him.

WEXLER: That sounds like a good idea. You did come through after all, right?

The Beaten Man nods his head.

WEXLER: I could use you alright. You did good to us by sacrificing your own group to survive. After all, isn't that what these days are all about now? Survival. We all have to do that. And I admire you for that.

Wexler smiles at him, giving the Beaten Man a glimmer of hope. The Beaten Man smiles back at him, hoping that he's reached through to the gang leader.

Intense music plays in the background as Wexler's face turns serious and unfriendly.

WEXLER: But you did show disloyalty to your own group. You put yourself before your own group. And if there is anything that I value most of all in my team...is loyalty. The fact that you easily squealed and turned against your friends shows that you're untrustworthy. If you were able to do this so easily to your friends...how can I trust that you wouldn't do that to me? I'm sorry. But you're not trustworthy enough for my team. And I'm afraid that I'm gonna have to...cut you out.

Wexler pulls out a LARGE KNIFE. The Beaten Man realizes what is about to happen.

BEATEN MAN: NOOOO!

Wexler swings the knife across the Beaten Man's neck and a waterfall of blood spills out of the wound. The Beaten Man starts chocking to death on his own blood as Wexler watches with sick delight.

The Beaten Man dies.

WEXLER: Ooh! That's some nasty shit.

Wexler turns to his gunmen and laughs. The two gunmen laugh with their leader. They enjoyed this.

EXT. SURVIVOR'S CAMP - DAY

Many of Wexler's men are looking around the camp site for goods. They check the pockets of their dead victims, looking through vehicles, boxes, and takes everything that they find.

Wexler steps out of the freight truck and looks around. He's satisfied by their accomplishments today.

WEXLER: This was a good hit, huh, boys?

GANG: YEAH!!

Approaching Wexler is his right hand man; ERNIE (late 30s). He hands him a pistol.

ERNIE: We lost one of our own. Shot with this gun.

WEXLER: Who?

ERNIE: Billy.

WEXLER: Who is the asshole that shot Billy?

Ernie points to a dead person.

ERNIE: That bitch over there.

Wexler turns to see a beautiful young woman. Dead.

WEXLER: Really? I was hoping we could spare her to have some fun with her. She looks delicious.

ERNIE: Had no choice. She was fighting us.

WEXLER: Well, you know how it is. When c\*\*\*ts start fighting with the men rather than staying in their place...you gotta do what you gotta do. Good job, Ernie.

ERNIE: Thanks, Boss.

Ernie walks away. Wexler just stands there, smiling, and admiring his gang's work on this survivors' camp site. It's obvious that this is just the beginning of Wexler's Gang's reign of terror on various of survivors.

EXT. LOPEZ RESIDENCE - DAY

The lawn has been cleaned up of the dead bodies of Shapers. It almost looks like nothing has happened with the exception of the grass growing longer.

EXT. LOPEZ RESIDENCE - BACKYARD - DAY

Nicole is roasting a hotdog over the fire pit.

NICOLE: Looks about done.

After a moment of it roasting, Nicole carefully removes the hotdog from the fire pit and places it in a hotdog bun. She grabs the ketchup. But only a small amount comes out. It has ran out.

NICOLE: Ugh! I need ketchup with my hotdog.

Chris approaches her, eating his hotdog with mustard on it.

CHRIS: Put mustard on it like I do.

NICOLE: I don't think so.

CHRIS: It's good.

NICOLE: Maybe to you. But not for me. I like ketchup with my hotdogs, burgers, and fries.

CHRIS: We'll just have to get more then.

NICOLE: Come with me?

CHRIS: Can I eat first?

NICOLE: Of course. But I'm not going alone.

CHRIS: I don't expect you to.

Chris takes a big bite from his hotdog.

NICOLE: Well, while you finish eating your mustard dog, I'm going to look around the kitchen and see if there are other things we should get at the store.

CHRIS: Okay.

Nicole walks inside the house.

EXT. WEXLER GANG CAMP - DAY

MURPH (40s) is eating a steak at a table when Wexler approaches him.

MURPH: Hey, Boss. What's up?

WEXLER: I am craving a Stella.

MURPH: Is that some chick that you want?

Wexler is astonished that his man doesn't know what a Stella is.

WEXLER: No, you idiot. It's a beer.

MURPH: Ooh! Then get one.

WEXLER: We don't have any. None of the camps and homes that we've raided had any. So I would like you to get off your ass and go with Ernie to the store and find some for me.

MURPH: Can I finish my steak, please?

WEXLER: No. Because it's mine now. Now get off your ass.

Murph doesn't want to argue with his boss.

MURPH: Yes, Wexler.

Murph gets up, shifting the plate of steak towards his boss, and walks off. Wexler takes a seat and proceeds to finish off Murph's steak.

WEXLER: Good stuff.

Wexler looks around the table for something.

WEXLER: Do we have any Steak Sauce?

One of his younger men runs up to the table and hands him a bottle of steak sauce.

WEXLER: Thank you, son.

Wexler pours some steak sauce over the steak before eating it.

EXT. GROCERY STORE - PARKING LOT - DAY

One of the police vans arrives at the store parking lot. The van parks at the front near the main entrance next to another car. Chris and Nicole exit it out of the van and stares at the car.

NICOLE: Looks like someone else is here.

CHRIS: That's good. We're not alone. Come on.

The couple walk into the store.

INT. GROCERY STORE - DAY

Upon entering the store, Chris and Nicole hear the voices of Ernie and Murph talking in the distance.

NICOLE: Sounds like two men.

CHRIS: Let's just get what we came for and go.

NICOLE: Okay.

They proceed to look around the aisle and grabbing stuff.

INT. GROCERY STORE - CONDIMENTS AISLE - DAY

They look around the condiments aisle and grab some stuff. Nicole finds the ketchup section and snatches one. Chris looks at a shelf that is mostly wiped out. Through the gap of the empty shelf, he sees something that horrifies him -- ERNIE AND MURPH. He recognizes them.

CHRIS: Oh, shit.

Nicole is alarmed by this and turns to him.

NICOLE: What?

CHRIS: That man over there...(pointing out Ernie)...His name is Ernie.

NICOLE: Do you know him?

CHRIS: Not personally. He's the right hand man of Wexler.

The name startles Nicole.

NICOLE: That gangster?

CHRIS: Yeah.

NICOLE: Anthony has been searching him for a few years.

CHRIS: If Wexler and his gang survived the attack and are close by...we're in some trouble here.

Nicole is scared now.

NICOLE: Let's get out of here before they see us.

CHRIS: Right.

They grab their bags and hightail it through the store, away from the two gang members.

EXT. GROCERY STORE - PARKING LOT - DAY

The couple storm out of the store and jumps back into their van. A frightened Nicole nearly trips as she reaches for the car door. Chris has already gotten in.

INT. VAN - DAY

Chris is trying to hurry them out.

CHRIS: Get in!

Nicole jumps in.

NICOLE: Let's get out of here.

Chris goes to put the key in the ignition. But before he can start the van -- ERNIE AND MURPH come out of nowhere and point their guns at them.

ERNIE: Get out of the fucking van! Now!

CHRIS: Fuck this.

Chris starts the van.

ERNIE: I'm not going to warn you again.

CHRIS: Fuck you!

Chris switches gear and STEPS ON IT. Ernie and Murph jump out of the way as Chris drives in their direction. Then he backs out and attempts to drive away from the store.

Ernie and Murph turn their guns at the van and proceeds to shoot it. Nicole screams as they're being under attack. Chris attempts to avoid the bullets. But Ernie shoots one of the tires, resulting in Chris losing control of the van.

CHRIS: (to Nicole) Hang on!

Chris tries to regain control of the van. But he is unsuccessful. The van CRASHES into a pole.

We SMASH TO Black.

## Deaths

* Beaten Man - Throat slashed by Wexler
* Billy - Shot by Beautiful Female Survivor (Off screen)
* Beautiful Female Survivor - Killed by Ernie (Off screen)
* Unknown Number of Survivors At Camp - Killed by Wexler's gang (Off screen)

## Trivia

* First appearance of:
	+ Wexler
	+ Ernie
	+ Murph
	+ The entire Wexler Gang
* First chapter where somebody (or something) else is a major threat besides the Shapers.
* First chapter to introduce a human threat.
* Author Donald Newton felt the need to censor a graphic word due to it being a derogatory slang towards women.