THE COMING by Katrina Rodriguez - mypeoplepc.com

THE COMING
by

Katrina Rodriguez

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 337-463-7029
Registration# R692-8050

FADE IN

EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT

SEVERAL PEOPLE throw rocks and chairs through store windows.
They scream and brawl over food, clothes and electronics.

TWO MEN play tug of war with a cash register, until a THIRD
MAN hits one of them with a baseball bat, grabs the register,
and takes off down the street.

EXT. FLOODED NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY

PEOPLE wade up to their hips through water. Some paddle by in
small boats. A THRILL SEEKER flies by on a Jet Ski.

EXT. FOREST HILLS - NIGHT

Fire rages out of control, consumes acre after acre.

INT. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Occupants absent. A sermon plays on the radio.

PREACHER (ON RADIO)
My brothers and sisters, the time
is near. You’ve seen the signs.
This world will be reborn and
cleansed through Christ. Are you
ready for judgement day? Will you
be spared by the rapture, or fall
by the wayside to suffer with your
neighbor? Repent your sins, and lay
your soul in God’s hands. He is the
only one who can save you now.

MONTAGE

A huge mushroom cloud billows into the air.

Tidal waves and earthquakes ravage the Earth.

A WOMAN wanders aimlessly, hair falling out. Sores cover her
body.

A MAN sits in the middle of the street, stares blankly as he
rocks back and forth.

2.

PEOPLE fight in the street for scraps of food and clothing.

The windows of a town store are broken out. The street is
riddled with litter and broken down cars. Trees and foliage
are dead and dry.

SUPER: INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI 2018

A sign entering the city shows an original population of
several thousand, marked out time and again as the population
grew smaller.

CHASE (V.O.)
God is dead, or maybe he was never
real - just a figment we created.
Years ago I sat in a church pew,
listening to some preacher blab
about how merciful God is. Well he
must be dead, because mercy doesn’t
exist here.

INT. BUNK ROOM - MORNING

Dimly lit. Two sets of bunk beds sit on opposite sides,
photos on the walls here and there, windows protected by
security bars.

On a bottom bunk, CHASE (25), lean and fit, tosses and turns,
the sheet wrapped around his legs.

He wears a patch over one eye.

SETH a skinny man in his early twenties, stands over Chase,
shakes him.

SETH
Wake up man. Time to make the
doughnuts.

Chase bolts upright, covered in sweat. He runs his hands over
his face, plops his feet down on the floor.

SETH
You all right?

Chase nods.

3.

Seth pats Chase on the back of the shoulder as he leaves the
room.

INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING

It’s a mess, maps strewn about. A H.A.M radio sits on a desk,
near a boarded up fire place. Pieces of paper and empty
liquor bottles litter the floor and end tables.

GERALD, (65), scruffy beard, sits on a tattered recliner. He
sharpens arrow heads with a sharpening stone.

The arrow heads are large and jagged around the sides, each
with a raised cross. He uses a small stone to work in between
the teeth.

STEVEN, (24), handsome and muscular but stocky, loads a sawed
off shotgun with shells, then stores extra rounds in his
pockets.

On a nearby table are loaves of homemade bread.

Chase enters the room and Steven tosses a big chunk to him.
He catches with one hand.

STEVEN
Well there she is, sleeping beauty
herself.

Chase grins.

CHASE
Eat me.

From supply shelves, he grabs a backpack, canned foods,
clothes. He straps on the pack and arms himself with several
weapons, then unbolts several locks on the front door.

GERALD
Watch your asses out there.

CHASE
Always.

Steven does a quick, mock salute to Gerald, then grabs his
backpack off a nearby chair and follows Chase.

4.

INT. BARN - CONTINUOUS

It’s rustic and dilapidated. Old hay bales and animal bones
everywhere.

Chase kicks the door open. He and Steven file in to see
several dirt mounds, the length of a human body, like shallow
graves.

STEVEN

Bingo.

One of the mounds tremors. Dirt rolls down the side of it.

Chase and Steven shoot at the mounds with shotguns.

Gruesome, VAMPIRE-LIKE CREATURES sit upright, screech.
They’re fanged, with yellow-green eyes, prominent facial
bones, elongated hands with dirty, twisted nails.

Chase decapitates one of them with his sword. The eyes blink
and the head rolls across the ground.

Steven fires, hits one of them high on the shoulder. It leaps
into the air.

Steven tries to fire again, but the creature knocks the gun
from his hand. A roundhouse kick is cut short when the
creature grabs Steven’s leg and throws him to the ground.

It pounces on Steven, leans in to take a bite of his neck. He
struggles to push the creature’s chin away from him.

STEVEN
A little help here!

Chase kicks the creature in the ribs, then finishes it off by
slicing the sword sideways through the neck, far into the
shoulder.

The head and part of the shoulder fall to the ground.

EXT. STREET - AFTERNOON

Steven and Chase walk in the middle. Steven pulls out a
perfume bottle and sprays it at the air in front of him, then
walks through the vapor.

5.

STEVEN
Ummm... Man, what I’d do to smell
this on a woman right now.

CHASE
Better hope you don’t find one. You
smell like a French whore.

Steven shoots him a “give me a break” glance.

Chase spots a small, run down house, door ajar. He tips his
chin in that direction.

Chase removes his sword from the sheath behind his back, and
Steven pumps his shotgun.

INT. HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Pieces of the door frame hang to the ground. Huge sections of
the floor are gone, revealing the earth beneath.

STEVEN
Honey I’m home!

CHASE
Shut the fuck up. Are you crazy?

STEVEN
Probably. Just dicking around. You
need to lighten up.

Chase and Steven make their way stealthily through the house.

INT. HOUSE HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

They approach some of the familiar mounds of dirt, visible
through the broken floor.

STEVEN
God damned parasites.

Just then, Steven’s boot slips through a weak board. A piece
of wood impales his leg. He’s stuck, screams out in pain.

Chase looks around nervously. He goes over to Steven, tugs at
the other side of the floor, and breaks the board.

The piece that impaled Steven still remains though. Chase
takes a quick look at it.

6.

STEVEN
Just do it!

Chase nods.

Steven clinches his teeth together, groans as quietly as he
can mange when Chase jerks the sharp piece of wood from his
leg.

A creature suddenly appears behind Chase, where only Steven
can see him.

STEVEN
Look out!

Chase turns, the piece of wood still in his hand.

The creature lunges. Chase buries the wood deep in its chest.
It screeches, flails about.

Other creatures sprout from the ground. Steven blasts them.
Chase decapitates them with his sword.

O.S. Wood crunches underfoot.

Steven turns, sees it’s a creature, fumbles for shotgun
shells in his pocket and drops several of them on the floor.

Chase pulls a shotgun from behind his back.

CHASE

Duck!

Steven ducks. Chase fires over him - a blast so close that
the creature’s head explodes and pieces of it rain down on
Steven.

They make their way to the door. Steven pauses, wipes the
remnants of the creature off of his face, spits on one of the
bodies as he walks by.

EXT. STREET - LATE AFTERNOON

Steven has a limp, and a piece of bloody cloth tied around
his wounded leg.

They both take a seat on the roadside, under a sparse tree.
Steven fishes food out of his pack.

7.

Chase takes a note pad from his pocket and adds another tally
mark to a sheet that’s full of them. He sighs, shoves the pad
back in his pocket.

CHASE
Come on. Maybe we can get a couple
hours of sleep.

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE - BEDROOM - LATE AFTERNOON

Steven wakes to the sound of FOOTSTEPS. He scratches his
head, yawns, and groggily makes his way in that direction.

INT. ABANDONED HOUSE - CHILD’S ROOM - SAME

Chase stands in the doorway. The predominantly pink room is
long abandoned, with dust and cobwebs galore. Toys of the
female persuasion litter the floor and bed.

He surveys the room, then leans against the door facing and
begins to softly cry.

O.S. A floorboard creaks.

Chase spins around. Seeing that it’s Steven, he quickly dries
his eyes.

STEVEN
You all right?

CHASE
Yeah. Let’s get outta here.

INT. GERALD’S LIVING ROOM - DUSK

Gerald whistles a tune, aims his bow, loaded with his
homemade arrows, around the room.

Seth walks in, toothbrush in his mouth and Gerald has him in
his sites.

Gerald lets the arrow go. It flies across the room, sticks
into the wall inches away from Seth’s head.

He gasps. The toothbrush falls from his mouth. He ducks
behind the corner.

8.

SETH
Shit...
Gerald cackles.

GERALD
Now that’s a perfect arrow.
He picks up his liquor to take a swig.
O.S. A knock on the door.

GERALD
Get that will ya?
He takes another sip.

SETH
So you can shoot at me again?

GERALD
I wasn’t gonna hit ya. My arrows
are always straight.
Seth stares, concerned as Gerald finishes what’s left in the
bottle then begins a semi-frantic search for another one.
O.S. Knocking on the door, louder and faster.
Seth trots over to open it.

EXT. GERALD’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Steven and Chase each carry full bags of food and other
supplies. Chase also has a gas can.

STEVEN
Come on. Come on!
Seth opens the door.

INT. GERALD’S LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
STEVEN

Took your sweet time getting to the
door.
Seth leers at Gerald.

9.

SETH
He was taking pot shots at me
again.

CHASE
Did he talk you into putting the
apple on your head?

Steven reaches down and rubs his injured, sore leg.

SETH
What? Oh... real funny. Fucking
hilarious.

Chase places the canister of fuel near the radio.

Gerald looks under the sofa, on his knees. He finally locates
a bottle of liquor there, and smiles. When he rises, he
notices Steven’s leg.

CHASE
That’s all the diesel we could
find.

Seth bolts all the locks on the door.

GERALD
How was it out there?

CHASE
Same shit, different day.

He tips his chin in Steven’s direction.

CHASE
Grace here messed up his leg.

Gerald sighs.

GERALD
Let me take a look at it.

Gerald goes to the supply shelves, while Steven makes his way
to the sofa.

In seconds he’s back with peroxide and bandages. He kneels
down, pushes Steven’s pant leg up.

STEVEN
My size thirteen went right through
the floor.

10.

GERALD
Probably feels worse than it is.
You’ll live.

INT. BUNK ROOM - NIGHT

Steven snores loudly on his bunk.

Chase intermittently stares at the ceiling, then back over to
Steven, with an irritated look.

INT. GERALD'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Gerald drinks from a fancy glass. He talks to the liquid,
swishes it around.

GERALD
Times sure are rough. But we’ll
make it through, won’t we? Yep.

There’s a knock on his door. With an irritated look, Gerald
puts his glass down, goes to the door. When he opens it,
Chase stands there with a troubled expression.

GERALD
Oh hell... don’t just stand there.

Chase enters. Gerald closes the door and pours a glass, holds
it out to Chase.

CHASE
No thanks.

Gerald hands it to him anyway.

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE - FRONT LAWN - SAME

MELISSA, a frumpy woman in her twenties, obviously pregnant
yells at her husband BEN, (25), jock type. She won’t let him
get near her.

MELISSA
Look Ben, just go away. I don’t
like you right now.

BEN
Fine, but come back in the house -
please!

11.

MELISSA
Why? There’s nothing in the house -
no food, no water. I’m tired of
being hungry. We’re starving to
death. Our baby is starving.

She cradles her belly.

In the bushes nearby, vampires stalk them.

INT. GERALD’S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Chase stares at Gerald, sullen. He leans forward on the
chair, hands clasped together around the glass.

CHASE
It's like a never ending fucking
battle. Sometimes... I don’t want
to do it anymore.

He stares at the floor, as if deep in thought.

CHASE
Then I think about what happened to
Gina.

FLASHBACK

INT. BASEMENT - NIGHT

CHASE, mid-twenties, tall and lean, works out with free
weights. Sweat rolls down his face. He moves to his punching
bag, gives it several punches and kicks.

Swords, daggers, and various martial arts weapons hang on the
wall.

A photo frame with a picture of Chase, sparring in a Karate
tournament sits on a table.

There’s a weight bench and a generator. Loud rock music
plays.

Chase’s wife GINA, early twenties, blonde and attractive,
opens the door, watches him.

She slips in and turns down the music. Gina is six months
pregnant.

12.

Chase stands, grabs a towel hung over the weight bench, and
wipes his face. He leans down to rub and kiss Gina’s belly.

CHASE
Hey. How’s my little guy?

GINA

Girl.

CHASE
Remember the morning sickness? Only
a man could cause that kind of
misery.

Gina giggles. Chase plants a soft kiss on her lips, wraps his
arms around her.

She pushes him away gently, goes over to the bed.

GINA
I’ve been thinking about it more
and more. We should get a mid-wife.
The clinic is nothing near what it
used to be.

Chase follows her, rubs her hair as she lies her head in his
lap.

CHASE
Nothing is. You know I don’t like
the idea of having the baby at
home. What if something goes wrong?

Gina yawns.

GINA
You’re a worry wart.

CHASE
Maybe, but I’d be happier if there
are doctors around - just to be
safe.

GINA
Safe? Maybe we shouldn’t be
bringing a baby into this wor...

Chase cuts her off.

CHASE
And you call me a worry wart.

13.

Gina turns her head up to look into his eyes. Hers have bags
and dark circles.

CHASE
You look tired. Why don’t you go to
bed? I’ll cut the workout short.

They smile at each other. Gina makes her way to the door.
Chase follows.

GINA
I love you, you know.

She holds out her pinky, and they connect their pinkies
together.

Chase gives her one more quick kiss, and pats her on the butt
as she turns to leave.

GINA
Watch it. That’s how I got in this
shape.

Gina rubs her belly. They grin at each other. She exits and
Chase goes back to his weights.

MOMENTS LATER

Glass SHATTERS and Gina screams.

Chase grabs a sword from the wall and runs upstairs, several
steps at a time.

CHASE
Gina! Gina!

As he reaches --

THEIR BEDROOM DOOR

The screams stop. The house is dark. Chase flings open the
door.

INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

In the dim light, he can barely make out the silhouette of a
large SHADOWY FIGURE hovering over Gina.

14.

He runs toward it with the sword held over his head, screams
with rage and fear.

The creature lunges and swings at Chase, knocks him off
balance. He staggers backward.

As the creature goes in for the kill, Chase cuts off its arm
at the shoulder.

It flees through the window, already shattered, but with
large shards still intact, then quickly disappears from the
lawn.

Gina is too quiet and still.

CHASE

Gina?

END FLASHBACK

INT. GERALD’S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

CHASE
I thought it would get easier, but
it doesn’t.

GERALD
Gettin’ over somethin’ like that...
it isn’t supposed to be easy.

CHASE
It’s not just that. It’s them...
that hunger they've got... you know
as well as I do, it's not gonna
stop.

EXT. BEN AND MELISSA’S STREET

Ben leaves Melissa standing alone. He shouts over his
shoulder on the way to their front door.

BEN
I’m so sick of you making me feel
worthless! You’re the one who
doesn’t care about the baby
Melissa, standing out in the open
like this.

15.

MELISSA
Oh! Don’t you turn this around on
me!

A FLYING CREATURE lands behind Melissa. She turns around
slowly, frightened.

Ben runs toward her, tackles the creature.

BEN

Run!

The creature tosses Ben off of him, but Ben throws a serious
of punches at it.

ANOTHER CREATURE joins the first and they drag Ben to the
ground.

MEANWHILE...
Melissa runs, panicked, cradles her belly with one arm.

INT. GERALD’S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

GERALD
You gotta stop blaming yourself for
what happened to her one day.

Chase stares into space. He nods, then empties the glass of
liquor in one gulp.

EXT. GERALD’S STREET

Melissa stops running when she’s across from Gerald’s house.
She’s out of breath and sweaty.

Five CREATURES circle around her. She screams. The flying one
circles overhead like a vulture.

MELISSA
Help... Please... GOD!

INT. GERALD’S ROOM - SAME
They hear Melissa scream - faint and distant.
Gerald and Chase rush into the --

16.

LIVING ROOM
Seth unlocks a metal flap over the door’s small window, and
looks --

OUTSIDE
Nothing but darkness.

INSIDE
Steven dashes in. They all meet in the center and listen.
Another scream, louder and clearer.
Chase grabs his sword, and then a small pistol from the wall.
Steven takes a shotgun and Seth grabs a crossbow.
Gerald puts a hand out to stop Seth.

GERALD
No. Just watch the door.
Seth purses his lips, looks disappointed.
Chase throws Gerald a rifle, and they all head outside.

GERALD
Stick close.

EXT. GERALD’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
As one of the creatures nears Melissa, Gerald strikes it in
the throat with an arrow. It shrieks, gurgles but doesn’t
fall.
Arrows and bullets whiz through the air, taking out creatures
left and right.
The flying one swoops in, lands in front of Melissa.
Steven sees it first. Shock spreads across his face.

STEVEN
What the fuck...

17.

He takes a shot, hits the creature in the stomach. It
recovers immediately.

MELISSA
Please don’t kill my baby! Please!

Chase charges forward.

The flying creature picks up a big piece of sheet metal and
throws it.

It misses Chase, hits Gerald. He grabs his arm, drops down on
one knee. Blood flows through his fingertips.

More of the creatures swarm the place.

The flying one grabs Melissa by the neck and spins her
around.

Chase’s eyes dart to her swollen abdomen. He freezes.

The creature snaps Melissa’s neck, spreads his wings and
flies off with her.

Seth screams from the --

DOORWAY

SETH
Get out! Get out, there’s too many!

EXT. ON THE ROAD - CONTINUOUS

After a quick assessment of their dire situation, they all
flee for the house.

INT. HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

They all drop their weapons, frantic and out of breath.
Gerald holds his wounded arm.

STEVEN
What the hell was that?

SETH
Did you get bitten?

GERALD
(shakes his head)
I ain’t that easy.

18.

CHASE
It was like them, but huge and it
was fucking flying.

GERALD
A Monarch. I think I got a shot in.
Big ugly bastard.

Chase just looks at him, confused.

CHASE
A what?

STEVEN
You’ve seen one of them before?

Gerald nods.

CHASE
When were you gonna decide to tell
us?

Seth hands Gerald a bottle of whiskey first, then begins to
dress his wounded arm. Gerald winces, takes a big swig.

GERALD
I thought it was the bottle talking
to me - maybe I was seeing things.

STEVEN
That woman was pregnant. God
Dammit!

O.S. A big thud outside.

Chase grabs his sword and opens the door.

EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT
Melissa’s body lies lifeless. Chase approaches.
Seth yells from the --

DOORWAY

SETH
You’re fucking nuts man!

19.

INT. HOUSE - SAME

Steven grabs the closest weapon and heads off after Chase.

EXT. GERALD’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Chase kneels down over Melissa. He strikes a match, holds it
over her.

Entrails are strewn over her abdomen. There is no baby.

Chase holds her hand, sullen. He sets the match down on the
ground where it starts to burn a bit of dried grass,
illuminates a small area around them.

He pulls a crucifix from around Melissa’s neck and drapes a
bandana over her face. He places the crucifix over the
bandana, and screams at the sky.

CHASE
You’re all dead - every last God
damned one!

INT. BUNK ROOM - HOURS LATER

Chase lies on the bed, plays with his wedding ring, turns it
around in circles on his finger.

Steven snores.

Gerald enters, wobbly, speech slurred.

GERALD
You gonna be all right?

Chase sighs.

CHASE
Guess I have to be, huh?

GERALD
I worry about you. You’re not
sleeping worth shit... and I know
about all the nightmares.

CHASE
Worried? Why? We’ll all be dead
soon anyway.

20.

GERALD
Yeah, well we damned sure will, if
you think like that. We gotta try
to be positive.

CHASE
Okay. I’m positive... we’re all
just waiting to die.

Gerald smirks at him.

GERALD
Bull shit.

He sighs, strokes his beard.

GERALD
Look, it’s been a really long day.
Try to get some sleep.

INT. GERALD’S LIVING ROOM - MORNING

Seth, Steven, and Chase sit at a table, food laid out in
front of them.

Gerald enters, in the middle of their conversation.

STEVEN
Where do you suggest we start
looking? I mean, think about it.
It’s been months since we’ve even
seen another person around here.

CHASE
Doesn’t matter, as long as we start
now. I can’t stand much more of
this shit. I want it to stop. I
want them all gone, and I want it
yesterday.

Gerald scoffs.

GERALD
Hell, yeah. That’s the spirit.
Round up a thousand. We’ll have us
a little army!

Steven glances at Gerald, then back to Chase.

21.

SETH
I know what you’re getting at. It’s
just... I don’t know. I mean we’re
doing okay... right?

STEVEN
For today maybe. The problem is
food and ammo isn’t so easy to come
by anymore.

Gerald sits on his stool, and again grabs a bottle of liquor
near the H.A.M radio. He looks down at his arm bandage. A
small spot of blood seeps into the gauze.

SETH
Gerry, you always say if we stick
together...

GERALD
It's different when you're picking
them off the street, or killin' 'em
in the daylight. I'm in no shape to
be chasing 'em down. Shit, I ain't
even in the shape to run from 'em.

He cackles.

CHASE
I keep seeing her, gutted like a
deer.

Chase squeezes his eyes shut tight and shakes his head, as if
to dislodge the image.

STEVEN
Better she’s dead I guess, than one
of them.

Gerald’s hand shakes as he raises the bottle to his lips. He
sighs with satisfaction, leans back and lets out a huge
belch. He teeters on the stool.

GERALD
It’s still kinda hard to swallow
isn’t it - there’s something worse
than death?

Chase walks up and places a hand on Gerald’s back to steady
him.

22.

Gerald points the hand holding the bottle at the wall, sticks
out his index finger.

GERALD
There’s nuthin’ but evil out there.
Nuthin’ else left. It’s a God
damned mess, is what it is.

He heads for the sofa. A dust cloud arises when he plops
down.

GERALD
People on the radio talk about
signs of the Revelation - blood in
the river, frogs and the bugs.
Famine, pestilence...

EXT. RIVER BANK - DAY

FLASHBACK

The water is red with blood. Chase stares down in disbelief
at the reflection of his face in the crimson liquid.

Fish float belly up with the water, abundant with trash and
debris.

INT. LIVING ROOM - CHASE’S HOUSE - DAY

Gina shoves towels in the cracks in the door. Locusts
struggle to get inside.

END FLASHBACK

INT. GERALD’S LIVING ROOM

GERALD
I’m afraid...

(loud hiccup)
This is Custer’s last stand... And
we’re Custer’s boys. That one
didn’t end up too good either.

CHASE
What the hell is that supposed to
mean?

23.

Steven stands from the table and walks over to the radio desk
to pick up his shirt. He nods toward Gerald’s bottle, then
slips his shirt over his head.

STEVEN
You need to lay off that stuff.

Gerald swallows hard, brings the whiskey bottle to his lips
once more.

Chase snatches the bottle away, throws it hard against the
wall. It shatters.

Chase paces the floor, runs his hands through his hair.

Gerald stares forlornly at the splatter on the wall. A small
trail of whiskey drains down his chin.

GERALD
Shit. It ain’t like I can just run
down to the quickie mart and get
more of that you know. Piss ant.

CHASE
God dammit Gerry that shit’s gonna
kill you before they do.

Seth scoffs.

SETH
Keep drinking like that and your
brain will be mush.

Gerald smirks.

GERALD
Too late.

Chase pauses, picks up the microphone of the radio. He stares
at it.

CHASE
You believe any of that?

GERALD
I don’t know. I been doin’ a damn
good job of not thinkin’ about it.

He stares at the shattered whiskey bottle on the floor, with
a look of irritation.

24.

GERALD
We’re vanishing all right - one by
one. At least we’re taking some of
them with us.

Gerald laces his fingers behind his head, and leans back
against the sofa. He closes his eyes.

GERALD
Damn right.

Chase paces again.

Gerald opens one eye, watches as Chase wears a path in the
floor.

CHASE
How much good do you really think
we’re doing? We kill one of theirs
and they take another one of us.
Like cockroaches - infesting,
taking over.

He pauses for a second, then grabs his backpack, food,
supplies, and weapons.

AT THE FRONT DOOR

Chase turns to face Gerald, staggering up to him.

Seth watches, a confused look on his face.

SETH
Oh my God. You’re really serious?

Steven grabs the same items Chase did.

STEVEN
If there’s a chance we can stop em,
I’m taking it.

GERALD
Please... just stop and think for a
minute. We don’t even know how many
of them there are... or how far
they’ve spread.

STEVEN
Only one way to find out, huh?

25.

GERALD
But for what?

(clinches his jaw)
It’s not worth it.

CHASE
Maybe not, but if this is the end
of this puke we call a life, I’m
not going out like this.

Gerald sighs and rocks back on his heels.

GERALD
No... I don’t expect you would.

Chase eyes him quietly, then goes to open the door. He looks
over his shoulder to see Steven headed toward him.

SETH
Gerry, you just gonna let them go?
Do something.

Gerald grabs a pack off the shelf, quickly shoves some
supplies in it, and tosses it to Seth.

Seth stares at it for a moment, looks at Gerald, like a deer
caught in headlights.

GERALD
They’re gonna need all the help
they can get.

SETH

Shit.

Seth pauses, sighs and then follows the other two out of the
door.

Gerald stands in the quiet and empty living room for a few
seconds, stares at the closed door. A look of revelation
covers his face.

He rushes to another room in the house. In a moment, he’s
back in the living room, and opens the front door to yell.

GERALD

Seth!

26.

EXT. STREET - MORNING
They haven’t gotten far. Seth trots back toward Gerald.

INT. GERALD’S DOORWAY
GERALD

Take my bow. Those are the
straightest arrows I ever made.
He hands Seth a compound bow and a quiver filled with arrows.

SETH
I can’t...

GERALD
Just take the damned thing.
He shoves it at Seth, and Seth grudgingly accepts it.

GERALD
And do me a favor. Take care of
those two. They got more balls than
they got sense.
Seth nods and then hugs Gerald. At first he seems surprised,
but then returns the hug.
Seth trots away to catch up to the other guys.

INT. GERALD’S DOORWAY
GERALD

Watch over ‘em Lord.
EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS
Chase briefly glances at Melissa’s body. Gerald walks toward
her, a shovel in his hand.
Chase looks disgusted, then turns away and shrugs it off.

EXT. PARKING LOT - MORNING
The three guys spot some abandoned cars strewn about. A
quick, visual survey shows they all have problems - no doors,
no tires or no engine.

27.

They plot down on an old truck tailgate.

STEVEN
Thank God. We keep walking much
longer and I won’t have nuthin’ but
nubs left.

Seth and Steven dig food items out of their packs, while
Chase has a cigarette.

Steven throws his trash all over the ground.

CHASE
You gonna pick that up?

STEVEN
Why? You gonna give me a ticket
officer?

CHASE
Smart ass.

Chase quickly grabs Steven’s bag of food and supplies.

Steven and Seth chase him around for a few moments, laughing.

Something in the distance catches Chase’s eye. He squints,
shoves the pack at Steven.

CHASE
Come on.

EXT. BICYCLE SHOP - MOMENTS LATER

In front of a building is a tall sign with a bicycle mounted
on the very top of the sign post. They stand beneath the
post, stare up.

CHASE
Probably some good stuff left in
there.

Chase shoves on the door a few times. It drags across the
floor like nails on a chalkboard.

INT. BICYCLE SHOP

Bike parts litter the floor. Dust covers everything.

They all rummage about for anything useful.

28.

EXT. STREET - DAY

The three travel down the road, as the sun seeps lower and
lower into the horizon.

Chase rides an ordinary looking ten speed bike.

Steven rides a bike which looks like it was made for a ten
year old, so his knees are pushed up, and near his chest.

Poor Seth rides a pink girl’s bike with a banana seat and a
plastic basket on the handlebars.

Chase and Steven are within whispering distance. They glance
over at Seth and giggle.

STEVEN
(to Seth)
Hey, you’re looking kinda sexy over
there.

STEVEN
(to Chase))
I ain’t too picky anymore.
(to Seth)
I think pink’s your color.

Chase laughs.

SETH
Piss off. It’s the best I could do
with what you two left me.

Steven and Chase continue to laugh. Seth smirks at them,
mumbles to himself.

SETH
Dickheads.

EXT. STREET - ANOTHER MISSOURI CITY - EARLY EVENING

Steven and Seth park their bikes near a tree, and plop down
on the ground.

Chase removes his backpack, sits down next to the bike. He
grabs a can of Vienna sausages and opens it, turns it upside
down. A disgusting jelled substance runs out of the can.

Steven grimaces.

29.

STEVEN
You know what’s in that stuff?
Hooves, testicles, probably an
asshole in there somewhere too.

Chase stares into the distance. Night is creeping up fast. He
hurriedly scarfs down the rest of his sausages, and turns to
close his backpack.

CHASE
We better get moving.

He starts to mount the bike, but realizes something is very
strange.

The sun is setting at an unusually rapid speed.

Seth and Steven notice it too.

SETH
Awww man... what is this shit?

They all glance at each other, confused, apprehensive. They
grab their packs and shove items inside.

The sun completely sets.

Their eyes dart from side to side, and all around them.

There are broken out windows, kicked in doors and destroyed
buildings - nowhere to hide. It’s almost pitch black,
difficult to even distinguish outlines.

Seth clutches his weapon tightly. All three eyeball the area,
particularly a clump of bushes.

CHASE
We gotta find somewhere safe.

STEVEN
Yeah, like now.

SETH
How? We can’t see shit.

O.S. Heavy breathing. Gravel crunches beneath feet.

They pick up the pace to a jog then a full out run. They look
to all sides of the road, behind, and in front of them, then
over to the median, where something catches Seth’s attention.

30.

He blows out a quick, soft whistle, points to a grouping of
trees in a median.

STEVEN
Wha... Oh shit!

A bright red pair of eyes glow from sparse branches.

CHASE
Blood suckers!

They ready their weapons. Chase pulls out his sword.

Creatures suddenly appear, screeching and growling in a
twisted chorus.

SETH

Run!

Steven aims his shotgun, and shoots into the darkness.

They run for their lives, slowed by the heavy backpacks.

A small church, door intact, waits just ahead.

Steven fumbles in his breast pocket, pulls out a mini-
flashlight. He shines it at the creatures, then pulls a
pistol from his side holster. He aims it at his own temple.

SETH
What are you... nuts?

Steven laughs like a mad man, yells at the creatures.

STEVEN
You want me, you can have me dead!

He removes the gun from his temple, fires on the creatures.

STEVEN
Come on you bitches!

Steven drops his pack, pulls out two weapons.

Rampant gunfire ensues, swords slicing away at the creatures.

Just when everything is quiet and they’re sure they’ve killed
off the last one, they lower their weapons and take a moment
to just breathe.

Steven holds his arms up over his head victoriously.

31.

STEVEN
Yeah. Woo hoo! They ain’t nothin’.
You hear me blood suckers? You
ain’t shit!

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, the flying creature swoops
down.

Extremely long claws shoot out from its fingers, and it
slices off Steven’s head.

It disappears into the dark sky.

Steven stands for a few seconds, his arms still held up in
the air, before his body flops to the ground.

SETH
No! Nooooo!

Chase and Seth are horrified and shocked.

A couple of dozen more creatures materialize and close in
fast.

The flying one makes another swoop, barely missing them.

Seth hurriedly readies the bow and arrows that Gerald gave
him and takes a shot at it. The arrow goes through the flying
creature’s long overcoat, but fails to strike flesh.

Chase turns to face the creatures approaching on foot. He
stands ready with his sword.

Seth has taken off toward the church. He’s near the steps
when he calls out to Chase.

SETH
In here! Come on! Chase!

Chase, too caught up in the adrenaline of the moment, doesn’t
seem to hear. Seth heads back to help Chase.

CHASE
(mumbles)
You really shouldn’t have done
that. You done pissed me off now.

Seth grabs Chase by the arm. Chase whirls around, nearly
slices Seth’s head off.

Seth ducks out of the way, fear and shock on his face.

32.

SETH
Jesus!... Come on!

They move steadily, hold off the creatures, wounding and
killing as many as possible.

They fire rounds decapitating and wounding creatures left and
right. Those which don’t die right away shriek like wounded
cats and flop around on the ground.

The creatures form a circle. Chase and Seth are caught in the
middle of it. They watch - frightened, nervous.

The two male creatures nearest to them leap into the air with
cat-like leaps, leaving a break in the circle.

They flee for the church and make it to the steps. A few
creatures are still very alive and closing in.

A MALE growls and shows its slimy fangs.

Its long twisted dirty nails reach out, and dig into Chase’s
arm. It tears his shirt and lacerates his flesh.

Chase yells out in pain and anger and drops his gun.

A SMALLER MALE CREATURE leans toward Chase’s neck.

Seth tries to fire, but is out of rounds.

The creatures are too close for him to reload, so he pulls
out a large hunting knife. He dives in front of Chase, throws
himself into the group of creatures.

The doors of the church suddenly spring open and a bright,
blue-white light floods into the darkness.

The remaining creatures wail, fling their arms up to cover
their eyes. They shrivel like wicked witches of the West into
the night.

A HAND grabs Chase from behind, by the collar of his shirt
and drags him into the church.

He snags the shotgun from the step as he’s pulled inside.

His eyes linger on the crowd of blood suckers. The largest
one takes control over the smaller ones. It growls and swipes
at them with its claws.

33.

FROM INSIDE THE CHURCH

The swoosh of an arrow flies through the air. It passes so
close by Chase, its trailwind blows his hair.

He watches it strike the largest creature in the back. It
howls and staggers to the side.

Chase lunges forward, grabs Seth and drags him inside.

INT. CHURCH - CONTINUOUS

A few candles light the room. Pews sit in rows. There’s a
small platform, with a pulpit in the center, and a piano at
one end. Banquet tables sit along one wall.

Seth lies on the floor, badly injured.

Inside is ABRAHAM, with a stiff white collar around the neck
of his black shirt. In his hand is a battery powered halogen
lamp.

There’s a salt and pepper haired woman (55), CELESTE.

Also, LARA, (26) attractive, greatly resembles Chase’s late
wife Gina. In her hand is a crossbow.

Chase stares into her eyes. His gaze wanders down to the
crossbow. He wobbles as he stands up - dizzy and disoriented,
leans with his hand on a nearby pew.

Lara walks over to Seth first. She lays her crossbow down on
the floor, and peels back his mangled shirt.

The wounds are deep and severe - deep bite marks and
lacerations.

Celeste kneels down next to Lara.

Seth is just barely alive. He looks into their faces. He
shakes and coughs, gurgles on his own blood.

LARA
Get me something to cover him up.

CELESTE
There’s nothing we can do for him.
You know it’s only a matter of time
before...

34.

Lara cuts her off with a look of irritation, and points to a
long buffet style table, against the far wall.

LARA
One of those table cloths.

Chase staggers to Seth, kneels down.

Lara watches the concern on his face.

CHASE
Seth? Seth?

Seth looks up at him, weak and pale. He gurgles a couple of
times and then dies.

Chase closes Seth’s eyes, lowers his head, and immediately
steps toward the nearest wall. He punches the paneling hard,
leaves a crack and an indentation.

He turns and leans against the wall.

Celeste grabs the white table cloth, shakes out the dust, and
places it over Seth.

ABRAHAM
I’m sorry for your friend.

Chase nods, wipes at his teary eyes.

ABRAHAM
You gonna make it son?

Lara stands, backs away from Seth.

CHASE
He was a good kid.

Chase is short of breath, exhausted.

Abraham approaches, grabs Chase’s wrist, twists the arm to
get a better view of the wound.

ABRAHAM
We better take care of that before
infection sets in.

(studies Chase)
What’s your name son?

Chase furrows his brows and takes his first look at the gash
on his arm. Then he looks up, to see Lara eyeballing him.

35.

CHASE

Chase.

Abraham nods his head toward the two women.

ABRAHAM
I’m Abraham. That’s Lara and
Celeste.

The two women nod to acknowledge Chase, then quickly turn
away and head for a piano bench at the back of the room.

AT THE BENCH

Lara flips open the top to retrieve a small box with a red
cross on top.

OTHER END - CONGREGATION ROOM

Chase still leans against the wall. He glances at his arm and
then at the two women, with a look of dread.

AT THE BENCH

LARA
(whispering)
I knew it. See? I knew it.

Celeste glances at Chase, a look of doubt and confusion on
her face.

OTHER END - CONGREGATION ROOM

ABRAHAM
Where you from?

CHASE
Independence - what’s left of it.

He looks around the church. The double doors are still open a
few inches. He gathers his remaining strength and goes to
close and lock them.

Before he gets back, Lara is there with the first aide
supplies in hand. He spots Celeste exit through a side door.

36.

ABRAHAM
It’s the same here. We haven’t seen
a soul in months - maybe close to a
year now.

Chase swallows hard. He can’t hold eye contact with Lara. He
sits on a pew, with Lara beside him.

Lara rips open Chase’s sleeve, pours peroxide on the wound.

He flinches and sucks in a quick breath through his teeth.

Lara sucks in a short breath of empathy.

LARA
Oh... sorry.

She layers his wound with ointment and wraps it in gauze -
tight enough to make him flinch again. Then she places an
oblong white pill in his hand.

Chase eyeballs the pill for a second.

LARA
It’ll help with the pain... and
sleep.

He swallows the pill dry. Lara flashes a weak smile then
exits the room the same direction as Celeste did.

Chase blows out a ragged breath, slumps in the pew.

CHASE
Tell me something preacher... why
didn’t they follow me in here?

Abraham shrugs.

ABRAHAM
The power of the good Lord that
keeps them out.

Chase glares, disbelieving.

CHASE
How long you three been here? It is
just three of you?

Abraham nods.

37.

ABRAHAM
The rest of the congregation filed
out after the evening service,
about a year and a half ago. Lara
and Celeste were staying late to
help plan a revival.

CHASE
So you’ve been holed up in here
ever since?

Abraham nods.

ABRAHAM
One of those things stepped inside.
Skin started to bubble like bacon
in hot grease. The wailing was like
nothing I’ve ever heard before.

Chase glares, incredulous, runs a hand through his hair.

Abraham walks over to the doors and opens them wide.

ABRAHAM
Why do you think it is they don’t
pass this threshold?

He holds the door open for several seconds, with the
creatures lurking just outside the door, finally closes it.

Chase stares at him in silence.

ABRAHAM
Lara’s had it the worst of all of
us. The only family she had was her
father and brother. Got them that
night. In her mind, it’s her fault,
no matter what I say.

Chase narrows his eyes and nods slowly.

CHASE
Yeah. There’s a lot of things I
blame myself for too.

INT. OUTSIDE THE CONGREGATION ROOM DOOR

Lara stands at the corner, eavesdropping.

38.

INT. CHURCH KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Lara sits in the dim kitchen of the church. Celeste stands
behind her and brushes Lara’s hair.

LARA
We’re running out of time. What if
he doesn’t help? Or what if we
can’t make him see?

She turns her head, to stare up at Celeste.

Celeste stops brushing for a moment.

CELESTE
Stop worrying child. It’s in God’s
hands now.

INT. MAIN CONGREGATION ROOM - SAME

CHASE
I’ll be outta here in the morning.
I’m sorry I don’t have anything to
offer - somehow to thank you.

ABRAHAM
Maybe you can.

Abraham pauses, stares into Chase’s eyes.

ABRAHAM
Take Lara with you.

Chase looks at Abraham like he’s lost him mind.

CHASE
What? I mean... you don’t want to
send her out there? Like you said,
she’s safe here.

ABRAHAM
That she is. But she’s not gonna
stand by and just watch you leave
anyway.

CHASE
Then I’ll be gone before she wakes
up.

39.

Abraham shoots Chase a “you’re a smart ass” look.

CHASE
Look, I’m sorry. It’s just... I got
enough trouble trying to keep
myself alive.

ABRAHAM
Lara can take care of herself.
Besides, she can help you. Show you
things you’d miss on your own.

Chase shoots him a sideways glance.

CHASE
No, thanks. I do okay on my own.

Abraham pauses for a moment, takes a deep slow breath.

ABRAHAM
You don’t understand. She’s got
something special. Call it... like
a gift of foresight.

Chase rolls his eyes, leers at Abraham.

CHASE
Please tell me... you’re not about
to tell me she’s psychic?

Abraham nods slowly, a dead serious expression.

ABRAHAM
It was the same with her mother.
Folks say her grandmother too.

Abraham turns and looks toward Seth’s body. His eyes widen.
Then he shoots a concerned glance at Chase.

Chase turns, brows furrowed, stares for a moment.

An arm with long twisted nails pops from beneath the table
cloth.

Chase grabs his sword, walks over to Seth’s body, and pauses,
a sad look on his face.

Suddenly, Seth sits straight up. He growls and shows fangs
and the eyes of a blood sucker.

40.

Seth’s skin begins to smoke, then melt away from the bone. He
screeches in agony,

Chase closes his eyes, slices Seth’s head off. He takes a
couple of shallow, shaky breaths and then covers the body
back up.

When Chase turns back around, Abraham is behind him.

Chase takes several steps back, drops the sword, then he
crumbles to the ground on his knees.

Abraham places a gentle hand on his shoulder.

ABRAHAM
Don’t beat yourself up. This is
hallowed ground. He wouldn’t have
lasted long in here anyway.

Chase just stares at him, cold and stoic.

ABRAHAM
You know it’s the only way. The
soul’s already dead.

INT. MAIN CONGREGATION ROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT

Chase changes positions on the pew often, trying to find a
comfortable spot.

As a large clock on the wall ticks away, he grows
increasingly groggy from the pain pill Lara gave him, and
finally falls asleep.

INT. LARA’S BEDROOM - NIGHT

It’s dark, very little furniture, a camping cot, a small
table with a few drawers, and one wooden chair.

Lara sleeps on the cot. Her eyelids flutter.

DREAM

She sees a large metal building with shattered windows and
pieces of rusty tin peeling back.

There’s a huge group of the blood sucking creatures.

41.

She sees a MAN with the number 666 on his forehead - smiling.

Then, the same man, transformed into one of the creatures.

There’s a city sign which is fuzzy. It looks like the first
few letters are possibly “MAN”, the rest is unclear.

There’s the sound of a baby crying.

She sees Chase covered in blood, walking away from a huge
fire.

END DREAM

Lara’s eyes open. She pulls her blanket tight around her neck
and rolls over, staring blankly at the wall.

INT. MAIN CONGREGATION ROOM - NEXT MORNING

Lara sits on the pew in front of Chase, watches as he sleeps.
She smiles, reaches out to brush hair from his face, as if to
get a better look at him.

She runs her finger along the scar near his eye, then over
his eye patch.

Colors spill inside the church, from the sunlight outside,
against the stained glass windows.

Chase tosses, mumbles incoherently, still asleep.

Lara quickly pulls her hand from his face.

CHASE’S DREAM

INT. BEDROOM - TWO YEARS EARLIER

Chase stands over his bed.

CHASE

Gina?

He places his sword across the bedside table, fumbles for a
match. When he lights it, he can see that Gina is dead,
horribly disfigured, and her throat ripped open.

42.

The floral papered walls drip with blood. The remains of the
creature’s arm lie on the floor, twitch inside a severed
jacket sleeve.

Chase stares in shock at all the blood on their floral
papered walls.

Another large figure lurks in the room. It suddenly jumps
from a dark corner.

Chase grabs the sword, struggles with the attacker, and
crashes through the half broken window.

As Chase, the creature, and several large shards of glass
fall outside and onto the roof, he can clearly see the
creature, by the light of the full moon.

He screams a scream of shock and horror as they struggle and
tumble to the ground below.

When he rises from the ground, the creature has vanished. He
mumbles to himself in utter shock.

CHASE

Gina.

He drops to his knees, and begins to weep.

Blood drips from his eye, and there’s a long gash down the
side of his cheek - the wound which causes him to wear an eye
patch.

He screams in agony and heartbreak.

CHASE
No! God!

EXT. HOUSE - DAY (DREAM)

Chase pours gas around the perimeter and inside the front
door of his home. He tosses a match inside, watches the fire
rage with a blank stare.

END DREAM

LARA

Chase?

Lara’s shakes him lightly.

43.

He opens his eyes, groggy, trying to focus on her face.

CHASE

Gina?

Chase sits up slowly, winces from the pain in his arm. He
rubs his good eye.

CHASE
Shit. What do you want?

Lara furrows her brows.

LARA
There’s breakfast if you’re hungry.

As she walks away, Chase blows out a ragged breath, half
asleep and half in disgust with himself for being a jerk.

He looks over to the spot where Seth’s body had been, but
it’s gone.

Nearby, sits a mop in a bucket, but the blood stains are
still on the floor.

INT. HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER

Chase follows several feet behind Lara. Sunday school
classrooms sit eerily empty, dark and desolate. Cobwebs and
dust cover the chairs and tables.

INT KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

It’s stocked well, with food and water bottles.

Celeste cooks on the burner of a gas grill, with a covered
grilling area and a burner to one side. A propane bottle is
hooked to it, and several more sit on the floor.

Celeste’s robe is stuck in the crack of her butt.

Chase grimaces at the condition of her robe and sits down at
the end of the table. His chair rakes against the floor as he
slides in.

Lara takes the seat across from him.

Celeste mixes up a glass of half evaporated milk and half
water and plops some oatmeal into a bowl, then places the
oatmeal in front of Chase.

44.

CELESTE
We can’t keep butter.

Realizing that she’s put it near his wounded arm, Celeste
reaches out to move it closer.

He makes a show of taking a bite using his injured arm, but
is unsuccessful at hiding his pain.

Celeste looks at him, incredulous, leaves the kitchen
quickly.

A few moments of uncomfortable silence pass.

LARA
Trying to figure out why, aren’t
you?

Chase chews, then sighs.

CHASE
Why what?

LARA
I’ve been there and back. That’s
the worst part isn’t it - why them
and not me?

Chase slams his hand, palm up, on the table in front of Lara.

Lara stares at it, then back at Chase’s face, with a
questioning look.

CHASE
You want to tell my future. So...
go ahead.

His eyes roam over her body, lingering at her chest.

Lara slowly takes Chase’s hand. She studies it silently for a
few moments.

LARA
Let’s see. You’re telling yourself
this is bull - thinking it’s not
your problem.

Chase slides his hand away, and leans back in the chair,
crossing his arms over his chest defiantly.

45.

LARA
And I remind you of your wife.

Chase scoffs, glares at Lara.

CHASE
No. You just look like her.

Lara stares down at the floor, chews on the inside of her
cheek.

CHASE
You’ve got it in your heads that
this is some kind of twisted Holy
War. Don’t you?

LARA
Yeah... something like that.

Chase scoffs.

CHASE
Well, got news for ya’ll. I’m the
wrong man for the job. I haven’t
seen the inside of a church in...

(looks around the room,
thinking. )

Longer than I can remember.

LARA
Whatever it takes to talk yourself
out of it.

CHASE
I’m not trying to weasel out of
anything. I do want to kill the
fu...

LARA
Then you will.

Her voice softens. She reaches out, grabs Chase’s hand again.

His head jerks back, as if he is suddenly stuck by a bolt of
electricity.

Lara imparts her psychic vision to him.

PSYCHIC VISION

46.

EXT. CHURCH - NIGHT

People are torn apart by the creatures - large chunks of
flesh bitten from their necks, entrails pulled from bodies.

The vision centers mostly around a MIDDLE AGED MAN (Lara’s
Father), and a TEENAGE BOY, (Lara’s brother).

At the door of the church, Lara struggles to get outside,
while Abraham and Celeste hold her back.

She screams. Tears flow down her cheeks.

END PSYCHIC VISION

Chase pulls his hand away. He stares at Lara with pity and
confusion. Then he swallows hard - breathless. He rises from
the table, and steps backwards.

LARA
Believe me, I know pain and loss.
But we can end this. We can all
have lives again. Not the same...

Chase scoffs.

CHASE
The same? Not the same? What do you
think? You can just say “poof” and
it’s all okay now?

Lara springs form the table, yells with frustration.

LARA
We want to stop being afraid of
what hides in the shadows! Stop
running scared all the time! Can’t
you understand that?!

She stares into his eyes, a pleading look on her face.

Chase just stares at her for a few seconds, at a loss for
words.

Tears form in her eyes. She sobs so hard it seem she might
collapse.

Chase pulls her to him, her face against his chest.

47.

CHASE
I understand it better than
anybody. I’m sorry. I just... I
don’t understand what it is you
want from me.

Chase sighs, pushes Lara away gently, and leaves the kitchen.

INT. CHURCH - MAIN CONGREGATION ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Chase quickly gathers his things.

LARA
Where are you going?

Chase ignores her and she persists, follows him.

LARA
You don’t even know do you?

CHASE
Wherever they are.

Chase winces as he picks up his backpack and shotgun. He
keeps his eyes trained away from Lara’s face.

She stands there with a defeated look.

Celeste and Abraham enter, while Chase is packing up his
weapons.

LARA
We’re running out of time, Chase.

He giggles sarcastically, irritated.

CHASE
Time for what? Human extinction?
Look around. It’s too late. Nobody
can stop this - not even your God.
If I’d figured that out sooner, my
friends would still be alive.

LARA
No. Please.

Chase stares at her face for a few seconds, then turns with
determination to get out of the church.

48.

LARA
What about the baby Chase? Tell us.

CELESTE
Is that why you’re after them?

Chase stops and turns around slowly to face them. He narrows
his eyes at Celeste, a questioning look on his face.

CHASE
I watched the mother die, couldn’t
do anything to stop it.

He stares at them suspiciously. His voice softens.

CHASE
And you have no idea what I’m
after.

LARA
Revenge, justice. Tell me if I’m
getting warm.

Chase stares into Lara’s face silently.

CELESTE
Don’t you see? These creatures
didn’t just suddenly appear.
They’ve always been here - waiting.

LARA
The baby’s not dead Chase. She’s a
lamb.

Chase turns to Abraham, impatient and shouting.

CHASE
Jesus! Do any of you people ever
just say what you mean?

LARA
In a time of Satan’s reign, they’ll
call forth a strong spirit - an
evil unlike we’ve seen. They have
to prepare the way... with a
sacrifice.

Chase looks at her like she’s completely lost her mind.

Abraham shifts uneasily, stares at the floor.

49.

ABRAHAM
The book of Revelation tells a
different story. It’s not supposed
to happen like this.

Chase looks distraught, struggling to let it all sink in.

LARA
We believe this is the last great
plague - the final battle before
the coming of the Beast.

CELESTE
You’ve seen it. We’ve all seen it -
signs of the last days.

Chase snickers in disbelief.

CHASE
Oh okay. I get it. You’re all nuts.
I lost all my faith, even in
myself, a long time ago.

Abraham reaches for a bible from the back of one of the pews.
He opens it to the book of Revelation and reads.

ABRAHAM
Revelation 7. And I saw another
angel ascending from the east,
having the seal of the living God,
and he cried with a loud voice to
the four angels who were told to
hurt the earth and the sea. Hurt
not the earth, neither the sea,
till we have sealed the servants of
our God on their foreheads. And I
heard the number of them which were
sealed and they were one hundred
forty-four thousand.

He stops reading and looks up at Chase.

ABRAHAM
How many souls do you think are
left after the bombing and the
famine and the wrath of these
creatures?

Chase sighs hard and rubs his forehead. Abraham reads aloud
again.