JUST BEFORE DAWN
by William C. Martell
INT. JACK'S APARTMENT - KITCHEN
JACK LOWRY buttons up his shirt and enters his kitchen.
Attractive, easy going, Jack is a perennial bachelor. His
shirt has en emblem: "METRO AMBULANCE - Paramedic".
He pours a bowl of cereal, adds milk, closes the fridge
with his hip, eats on his way into the living room.
INT. JACK'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM
Jack watches the news on TV as he eats his breakfast.
The 11 PM news.
REPORTER (V.O.)
Day Of The Dead celebrations on the
East Side were topped off by
fireworks, but it wasn't part of the
traditional celebration. The lights
in the night sky was NASA's Odyssey
2 Mars Probe which broke up re-
entering Earth's atmosphere.
Jack's girlfriend, DAWN, half dressed in a nurse uniform
enters the living room, blocking Jack's view of the screen.
REPORTER (V.O.)
According to John Carter of the Mars
Project, the Odyssey 2 was launched
three years ago to explore the ice
caps of Mars in search for signs of
life.
Jack tries to look around her, can't see the screen.
DAWN
Zip me, Jack?
Jack sets down his cereal and zips up her uniform.
She kisses him, but doesn't move out of the way.
Jack goes back to his cereal.
REPORTER (V.O.)
It had successfully completed its
mission and was returning to Earth
with soil and ice samples which may
contain signs of life. This is the
third disaster for NASA, following
the Challenger and Columbia shuttles.
DAWN
Maybe we should move in together.
Jack stops trying to watch the news.
JACK
Do we have to talk about this now?
DAWN
I spend half the week here, you spend
half the week at my house. It just
seems like a waste of money paying
rent on two places.
JACK
I don't think this place is big enough
for both of us, and your place is --
DAWN
So we find a new place.
JACK
This place is rent controlled. You
know how much apartments cost?
DAWN
There'll be two of us paying rent.
JACK
Dawn... Why can't we just keep things
as they are. You have your place and
I have mine.
DAWN
Don't you want this relationship to
progress?
JACK
Where is it progressing to? What's
the destination? All relationships
end, Dawn. That's the destination.
Why do you want to speed up the
process?
DAWN
Why do you always have to look at
the dark side? You have us splitting
up before we even get together.
JACK
Look, I've got to go to work.
DAWN
So do I...
JACK
We'll talk about this later, okay?
He kisses her, but she doesn't kiss back.
JACK
Dawn, I just don't want to rush into
something this important.
He kisses her again.
JACK
Okay?
DAWN
Okay.
This time she kisses back. He dips her, she giggles.
DAWN
You're going to be late for work.
He kisses her again - one hell of a kiss.
JACK
We could call in sick.
DAWN
Both of us? We'd be looking for
work by the end of the week.
He swings her back upright, kisses her again, leaves.
The door closes behind him.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
The ambulance door closes behind Jack.
His partner and best friend STEWART hands him a cup of
coffee, notes his worried expression.
STEWART
What happened? Dawn dump you?
JACK
Worse. She wants to move in.
Where Jack runs wild, Stewart is thoroughly domesticated -
tamed and possibly neutered. Wedding band on his left hand.
He pulls a cookie from a zip-lock baggie.
STEWART
Chocolate chip with walnuts -
Caroline made them yesterday.
Jack shakes his head. Stewart carefully zips the baggie
closed and replaces it in his lunch box.
JACK
You could have just thrown it in
the lunch pail, she'd never know.
Jack starts up the ambulance, pulls it onto the street.
STEWART
What's wrong with living together?
JACK
It might lead to marriage.
STEWART
Best thing that ever happened to me.
With or without a license, you can
finally relax. Sex whenever you
want it. No more hunting for women,
no more expensive dates that lead
nowhere, no awkward mornings when
you're trying to remember her name.
JACK
No more doing your own laundry.
STEWART
Well, I wouldn't go that far.
JACK
She makes you pick up your clothes
doesn't she?
STEWART
A small price to pay.
JACK
You guys are still newlyweds - wait
'til the honeymoon is over and you
only have sex when she wants it -
which is never.
STEWART
Caroline has a healthy sex drive.
JACK
What if you get tired of her? Want
to date a blonde for a while?
STEWART
She can dye her hair.
JACK
Even down there?
STEWART
Benny, Chris, Rob, Donald...
Everyone has settled down. Buying
houses in the suburbs --
JACK
Which they can't afford.
STEWART
You want to be the last man standing?
The only single guy left? Half the
time when we have dinner together
you come stag --
JACK
Footloose and fiance free.
STEWART
Do you want to spend your life alone?
JACK
I want to spend my life with a series
of women who get younger as I get
older.
STEWART
Why are you such a horn-dog?
JACK
I was born in bed with a naked woman.
STEWART
Yeah, but she was your mother.
JACK
No reason to Springerize this.
STEWART
Look - you've been with Dawn for
almost a year, why not save a little
on rent? Marriage can be a good
thing - home made cookies.
JACK
Marriage is an institution that
requires commitment - and you've
gotta be crazy to be committed to an
institution.
STEWART
Are you calling me crazy?
JACK
No - I'm calling you tamed. You
used to be a wild man, and now...
STEWART
Now I'm a happy man.
JACK
I'm just not ready to be tied down.
Tied up - maybe.
STEWART
Try it. Make a deal with Dawn that
you'll live together for six months
and see how it works out.
JACK
If it doesn't work - how do I get
rid of her?
STEWART
Move in to her place.
JACK
What if I meet some hottie and want
to take her home?
STEWART
Have you taken any stray women home
since meeting Dawn?
JACK
No - but I *can* if I want. If I
move in with Dawn, that's not an
option anymore. I *like* options.
STEWART
Jack, you need to --
The radio squawks.
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
Unit 27, Unit 27.
Stewart grabs the radio mic.
STEWART
This is unit 27, come in.
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
We have a man with chest pains,
apparent heart attack, at twenty
five seventeen Santa Fe Avenue --
JACK
The bario.
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
Patient's name is Manual Lopez, his
wife Maria phoned it in.
STEWART
Let's rock-and-roll!
Jack hits the siren and flashers and they zoom away.
EXT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
The ambulance zooms down the street.
EXT. BARIO APARTMENT BUILDING -- NIGHT
The ambulance pulls up in front of a building decorated
for the traditional Day Of The Dead celebration. Paper
skeletons, candles in paper bags on the street.
MARIA LOPEZ, a hefty Hispanic woman, stands on the sidewalk
waving at them.
Jack and Stewart roll out of the ambulance with their
medical equipment including a portable defribulator.
JACK
Mrs. Lopez?
MARIA
Hurry! The maggots have my husband.
STEWART
(whispers to Jack)
When did he have the heart attack?
Six months ago?
JACK
I think we're gonna get stiffed.
They follow Maria into the building.
INT. LOPEZ APARTMENT -- NIGHT
Maria leads them into a run down apartment.
A dog yelps, spooked by something, stays close to Maria.
MARIA
The maggots have him.
JACK
Where is he, ma'am?
MARIA
In there. On the bed.
IN THE BEDROOM
Maria stays by the door, yelping dog
cowering next to her.
Jack and Stewart approach the bed, where MANNY lays
unmoving.
Jack sets up the defribulator while Stewart uses his
stethoscope to examine Manny. The dog keeps yelping and
whining in the background - going crazy.
Stewart feels for a pulse. Keeps feeling. Finds nothing.
STEWART
No pulse.
Stewart uses his stethoscope to search for a heartbeat.
STEWART
He's cold.
JACK
Mrs. Lopez, how long has your husband
been like this?
MARIA
With the maggots?
JACK
How long has he been in bed?
MARIA
After dinner we were on the street,
watching the lights in the sky. One
of the lights fell to the street.
Manny thought it might be worth
something. Sell it on e-bay.
STEWART
This was tonight?
MARIA
Si. Manny wasn't feeling well...
And then the maggots got him.
Jack gives Stewart a look. The dog keeps yelping.
Stewart puts his hand on Manny's chest.
STEWART
He's ice cold, Jack. No pulse, no --
Manny bolts upright in bed. Eyes pop open.
Stewart yanks his hand away, jumps back.
MANNY
(mile a minute Spanish)
MARIA
(responds in Spanish)
Manny and Maria are having an animated argument in Spanish.
The dog bolts out of the room.
Jack looks at Stewart.
JACK
If he's talking, he must have a pulse
somewhere.
Manny swings out of bed, still talking mile a minute
Spanish.
STEWART
Mr. Lopez, you should take it easy.
You may have suffered a heart attack
or a stroke.
Manny smiles at Maria and pats the bed next to him.
Whatever he says, it makes Maria leave the room.
JACK
Mr. Lopez - we'd like to take you to
the hospital, have them run a few
tests on you.
Manny says something to Jack, his breath is awful. Manny
wipes something from his mouth, then has a convulsion.
Another convulsion.
Manny drops to the bed, murmuring.
EXT. BARIO APARTMENT BUILDING -- NIGHT
Jack and Stewart wheel Manny out on a stretcher as Maria
continues to yell at them in Spanish. Manny murmurs.
MARIA
The maggots have him! The maggots!
Jack and Stewart close the ambulance doors and zoom away.
EXT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
The ambulance zooms down the street, sirens and flashers.
EXT. MERCY HOSPITAL -- NIGHT
The ambulance pulls up to the Emergency Room.
INT. MERCY HOSPITAL - EMERGENCY ROOM -- NIGHT
Wham! The emergency room doors crash open as Jack and
Stewart wheel in Manny. Hippie-dippy emergency room
physician Dr. BANNISTER helps them bring him in.
BANNISTER
What have we got?
STEWART
Hispanic male, mid-forties, I can't
find his pulse and he's ice cold.
BANNISTER
Get him a blanket, dude. We're busy!
JACK
It may be a heart attack or a stroke,
Doc. The guy was out cold when we
rolled up - we thought he was dead.
When he came to he had some sort of
psychotic episode.
BANNISTER
Okay - we'll run some tests on him.
They wheel Manny to an examination area. The emergency
room is full of patients - people screaming in pain.
Jack looks at Stewart.
JACK
Can you handle the paper work on
this? I want to check on Dawn.
STEWART
Sure.
Jack leaves the crowded emergency room.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Jack walks through a maze of hallways to the Maternity
Ward.
The sounds of screaming patients become echoes in the empty
hallways. A dozen doors. As Jack passes one of the doors -
WHAM! a face slams into the window slot: a PATIENT watching.
Jack quickly turns the corner to another hallway.
The echoes of screaming are replaced by echoes of crying
babies as he gets closer to the Maternity Ward.
INT. MATERNITY WARD -- NIGHT
Jack spots Dawn at the Nurse's Station - she's filing out
a chart on a clipboard, back to him. He touches her
shoulder. Dawn jumps.
JACK
Sorry - didn't mean to scare you.
DAWN
I'm just a little jumpy - all of the
weirdos are out tonight.
JACK
Tell me about it.
DAWN
Every woman who's come through
those doors tonight has been crazy.
JACK
Crazier than usual?
DAWN
We had the most extreme case of post
partum depression I've ever seen.
This woman literally tried to eat
her baby. We had to restrain her
and call Psych Services.
JACK
Don't some animals eat their young?
DAWN
But not humans. The one I had after
her completely freaked out and ate
the placenta.
JACK
Yech.
DAWN
I swear - they're all attracted to
me. I'm a weirdo magnet.
JACK
You calling me a weirdo?
She kisses him. He kisses back.
JACK
Have time for a break?
She leads him to an empty room.
DAWN
What do they call a nooner when you
work the graveyard shift?
JACK
A fourer?
INT. EXAMINATION ROOM -- NIGHT
Jack and Dawn make love on an examination table.
Afterwards they lay next to each other.
DAWN
Are we just fooling around, or is
this something serious?
JACK
I thought my parents were going to
be together forever - but they split
up when I was thirteen. Mom moved
away - I never saw her again.
DAWN
I didn't know.
JACK
I learned to protect myself. To
protect my heart. If you don't allow
yourself to become tangled up
emotionally, it won't hurt as much
when the relationship ends.
DAWN
If you don't open your heart, you
can't feel the pleasure...
JACK
I'd rather be numb than get hurt.
DAWN
I won't hurt you.
JACK
Not intentionally.
DAWN
Jack, I can't wait for you to figure
this out. I want the chance to be
in a room here someday.
JACK
It's over, isn't it?
DAWN
That's your call.
Silence between them. Dawn slips into her nurses' uniform,
turns so that Jack can zip her up. Jack puts on his clothes.
DAWN
I'll walk you out.
JACK
It doesn't have to end this way...
DAWN
You know a better way?
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Jack and Dawn walk down the hallway together. Jack keeps
looking at her - worried that he's made a mistake.
As they get closer to the Emergency Room, the screaming of
patients gets louder and louder. All hell has broken loose.
INT. MERCY HOSPITAL - EMERGENCY ROOM - NIGHT
Jack and Dawn step out of the hallway in time to see Manny
pick up a HUGE ORDERLY and throw him across the room. The
Orderly slams against an examination table - smashing
everything.
Stewart rushes at Manny, and gets tossed aside.
Dr. Bannister approaches Manny, hands raised.
BANNISTER
No reason to go hostile - we just
want to help you.
Manny roars like a beast and charges at Bannister.
BANNISTER
Shit!
Bannister dives out of the way.
Manny runs into a table of surgical instruments, they
clatter to the floor. Manny spots something shiny - a
scalpel. Scoops it off the floor and charges at Bannister.
Jack grabs a bedpan and SLAMS Manny as he runs past.
Manny stops, turns and thrusts the scalpel at Jack.
Jack blocks with the bedpan. Clang!
Manny keeps thrusting the scalpel at Jack, like a sword
fighter in a pirate movie. Jack uses the bedpan as a shield.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Dawn past them to a tray filled with hypos.
Finds a vial of Thorazine, fills the hypo.
Bannister grabs a crutch and charges at Manny.
Manny turns his head and projectile vomits a stream of
maggots at him. Like a firehose of squirmies.
Bannister dives out of the way, avoids being splashed.
BANNISTER
Holy shit!
JACK
Think it was something he ate?
Manny turns his attention back to Jack. Swings the scalpel.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Manny fakes a thrust, knocks
the bedpan out of Jack's hands. Jack dives out of the
way...
Just as Stewart gets back on his feet...
Manny is now lunging right at him!
STEWART
Where'd you go Jack?
Stewart doesn't wait for an answer.
Stewart grabs a bedpan and throws it at Manny.
Manny blocks the bedpan - but urine splashes in his eyes.
MANNY
Arggggggggg!
Manny staggers, blinded.
Stewart dives out of the way - slides across the floor.
Dawn has the hypo filled, sneaks up behind Manny.
Manny hears her, spins with the scalpel.
Dawn jumps back just in time.
JACK
Think fast, asshole.
Jack throws a bedpan at Manny's back.
Direct hit.
Manny spins, charges at Jack with the scalpel.
Maggots spilling from his mouth.
Dawn jumps on him, jambs the hypo into his arm.
Manny turns, growls at Dawn.
She jumps back - didn't have time to push the plunger.
The hypo dangles from Manny's arm.
DAWN
I didn't get him.
Jack slams Manny on the back of the head with a bedpan -
it doesn't even phase him.
Manny spins and slashes at Jack.
Jack jumps back.
Manny slashes again.
Jack jumps back - blade narrowly missing him.
Manny slashes again.
Jack jumps back... hits the wall!
Trapped!
Manny gets ready for the final lunge...
Dawn jumps in and presses the plunged on the hypo.
Manny starts convulsing.
Flopping like a fish.
Dawn and Jack step back.
Bannister whacks Manny with the crutch.
BANNISTER
Can somebody restrain this man before
I have to hit him again?
A pair of ORDERLIES move in.
Dawn turns to Jack.
DAWN
Told you I was a weirdo magnet.
Jack kisses her.
JACK
I'll probably see you later.
Looks down at Stewart on the floor.
JACK
Break's over, Stewart. Time to get
off your ass and get back to work.
EXT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
The ambulance cruises down the street.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Stewart drives, Jack looks out the window.
STEWART
What was that guy on? PCP?
JACK
Did you get a whiff of his breath?
Something inside had died.
STEWART
Too many of those Krusty McRibs -
the ones Homer Simpson was hooked
on.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
On the sidewalk, HOMELESS people push shopping carts piled
high with all of their possessions.
HOOKERS lean against buildings talking to potential JOHNS.
A BIG DUDE storms down the street muttering to himself.
BIG DUDE
I'm gonna kill that bitch! I'm gonna
kill that fucking bitch!
A BUSINESSMAN ducks into an alley and vomits.
The world has gone wild.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Jack watches all of this.
STEWART
The world has gone to hell.
JACK
Fast food, fast love, fast lives.
STEWART
When they look back on the events
that lead up to the end of the world,
it will all have started with the
invention of instant mashed potatoes.
JACK
I can't wait to hear this.
STEWART
Noodle on it - since the dawn of
time, if people wanted mashed potatoes
they had to peel potatoes, boil the
potatoes, add some milk, and mash
the potatoes. If you wanted mashed
potatoes you had to plan ahead. You
had to actually work to make them.
Mashed potatoes required planning
and patience.
JACK
And a team of engineers.
STEWART
But then they came up with the instant
stuff and you could have mashed
potatoes whenever you wanted them -
no work and no wait.
JACK
And that lead to world destruction?
STEWART
People began expecting everything
instantly. They lost their ability
to be patient, they began thinking
you could get things without working
for them. Now everyone is lazy and
angry and pushy.
JACK
I'll give you that.
STEWART
They don't want to work, they don't
want to wait. No work ethic, no
sense of society... eventually the
whole world crashes and burns.
JACK
All because of instant mashed
potatoes?
STEWART
Right.
Jack nods, looks out the window in time to see...
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
A HOOKER pulls a JOHN into her arms and kisses him on the
mouth. He pulls away in disgust and spits out maggots.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Jack isn't sure what he saw.
JACK
Stewart --
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
Unit 27, Unit 27.
Jack grabs the radio mic.
JACK
This is unit 27, come in.
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
Unit 27 - Single vehicle collision
at the corner of Vernon and San Pedro.
Injuries reported.
JACK
Let's rock and roll.
Stewart hits the lights and siren switches.
EXT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
The ambulance roars through the night.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
A luxury car is smashed into the front of a building.
Smoke rises from under the hood.
A woman dressed in an evening gown, let's call her SHERRY,
is slumped in the passenger seat. A man in evening wear,
BURT, staggers out of the driver's side.
A police car pulls up at the same time as the ambulance.
A pair of policemen spill out and approach the accident.
Jack and Stewart get out of the ambulance, grab their gear.
Burt staggers to the MOUSTACHE COP.
BURT
She had maggots in her mouth.
Maggots!
The BALD COP hears this and runs to the wrecked car.
Sherry is slumped over - maybe unconscious, maybe dead.
Her arm is twisted around - bone protruding.
Bald Cop pulls on the passenger door - it's jammed.
Smoke pours from under the hood.
BALD COP
Ma'am? Ma'am?
Moustache Cop wants to help, but Burt won't let go of him.
BURT
She tried to kiss me and there were
maggots on her tongue.
MOUSTACHE COP
Sir, let me help your wife.
Moustache Cop manages to disengage from Burt and heads to
the smoking car. Burt turns to Jack and Stewart.
BURT
We were at a party in Chevriot Hills -
a friend of ours just got divorced.
Celebrating her freedom.
Moustache Cop and Bald Cop use a crow bar and get the
passenger door open. Metal screams.
Jack attends to Burt's wounds, Stewart heads to the wreck.
Burt keeps talking - babbling in shock.
JACK
Any pain there?
BURT
Ouch! Driving home Sherry leaned
over to kiss me, and she had maggots
on her tongue. I tried to pull away.
She tried to spit them into my mouth.
My own wife!
Smoke billows from the car.
Bald Cop tries to pull Sherry out of the car - but she's
trapped by the seat belt.
BALD COP
Damn seat belt.
Bald Cop bends over her to unbuckle the seat belt.
Jack sits Burt on the back of the ambulance and dresses
his wound. He's still babbling.
BURT
I couldn't get away from her. She
kept trying to lick me. Maggots
dripping from her mouth. I pushed
her away, lost control of the car.
Bald Cop gets the seat belt unbuckled, when he raises up
Sherry's eyes POP open. She tries to kiss him.
BALD COP
Excuse me, ma'am...
Bald Cop moves his head back in shock.
Sherry moves in to kiss him again.
Twisted arm and protruding bone jutting at his neck.
SHERRY
Fuck me? Please. Fuck me.
She grabs Bald Cop's hand and presses it against her breast.
BALD COP
Ma'am, you've been injured. You're
in shock. Let us get you out of the
car and to the hospital, okay?
SHERRY
I need you to fuck me.
Bald Cop backs away from the car. She's crazy.
Sherry turns her head toward Bald Cop and projectile vomits
a stream of wiggly maggots. He's inundated in squirmies.
BALD COP
Shit! What the fuck...
Moustache Cop takes about five steps backwards.
Quickly.
Stewart stops dead.
Bald Cop screams in pain and falls to the sidewalk. He
twitches and flops on the cement.
Sherry gets out of the car, arm bone hanging, wipes maggots
from her mouth.
SHERRY
Doesn't anyone want to fuck me?
STEWART
Screw this.
Stewart jogs back to the ambulance.
STEWART
Jack!?
Jack starts throwing their equipment into the back of the
ambulance. Doesn't know what to do about Burt.
JACK
What do we do with this guy?
STEWART
We aren't putting him in the rig.
JACK
We're just gonna leave him here?
Sherry staggers towards the ambulance.
STEWART
He could be infected.
When Sherry is a few feet away from the car, Moustache Cop
moves in to help his fallen partner.
MOUSTACHE COP
Teddy? Teddy, are you okay?
Bald Cop is convulsing on the sidewalk.
Moustache tries to hold him down, yells at Jack and Stewart.
MOUSTACHE COP
Help me! He needs a doctor!
Neither Jack nor Stewart make any move to help.
Stewart closes and locks the back doors of the ambulance.
Sherry gets closer.
SHERRY
Honey? Do *you* want to fuck?
Burt shakes his head no.
Stewart and Jack race to the doors. Stewart fumbling with
the keys as he tries to unlock the driver's door.
Bald Cop begins coughing up maggots.
Moustache Cop pulls back - Bald Cop's breath is awful.
Bald Cop ROARS and FLIPS to his feet.
MOUSTACHE COP
Teddy?
Bald Cop grabs Moustache Cop and lifts him overhead.
He THROWS Moustache Cop across the street...
.....................he lands on a parking meter - skewered!
Stewart gets the door open, scrambles inside, locks the
door and leans across to pop open the passenger door.
Sherry gets closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Jack tries to get into the ambulance, but Burt grabs him.
BURT
You can't just leave me here with
her! Come one, man, I need to go to
the hospital.
JACK
Let go of me, okay?
Jack is half in, half out of the ambulance.
Sherry only a few feet away.
SHERRY
I'm so hot and juicy. I need you
inside me, Burt.
Burt pulls out his wallet.
BURT
Look, man, I'll pay you. You can
have all of my money, just don't
leave me here with her. Please.
Jack disentangles himself from Burt and climbs into the
ambulance, gets the door closed.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Burt grabs the door handle before Jack can hit the lock
button - pulls it open.
Jack pulls it closed.
A tug-of-war with the door!
Sherry gets closer.
SHERRY
I've got that itch, honey. Don't
you want to scratch it?
Burt gives up on the ambulance door and runs.
Jack gets the door shut and locked SECONDS before Sherry
gets there. She pulls on the door handle, smiling at Jack.
SHERRY
Let me in and I'll let you in.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
Burt stops running, looks back at the ambulance. He's safe.
WHAM!
Bald Cop tackles him to the asphalt. They roll down the
street, stopping with Bald Cop on top - straddling Burt.
BALD COP
Do you like men in uniform?
BURT
Get off me!
BALD COP
Want me to suck you off? I'm not
gay, but I know the way.
Bald Cop licks Burt's face, leaving a trail of maggots.
Burt SCREAMS.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Sherry sees Bald Cop rip off Burt's clothes, turns back to
Jack with a smile. She licks the window.
SHERRY
You know you want it.
Sherry lowers the strap of her evening gown, exposing a
breast... and more of her broken arm.
She winks at Jack and lowers the other strap.
The evening gown falls from her shoulders.
She fondles her breasts, licks her lips, smiles at Jack.
He can't take his eyes off the bone sticking out of her.
SHERRY
Please fuck me.
She starts rubbing her body against the ambulance.
STEWART
I think she likes you.
She licks the window, leaving a stream of maggots.
JACK
You can have her, she's not really
my type.
STEWART
I'm married. You're the one who's
available. Take her.
JACK
You'd need a full body condom for
something like that. Let's get out
of here.
STEWART
You don't want to take her with us?
Stewart starts the ambulance and pulls away...
Leaving a half naked Sherry on the street behind them.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Stewart and Jack cruise down the street - world gone wild.
A man with ROTTING flesh peeling from his face pounces at
the ambulance, pressing his face against the window. He
spits maggots at the window, falls off the ambulance.
Others PEOPLE on the street are spitting torrents of maggots
or tearing off each others clothes... and a few are eating
bloody raw meat right off the bone. Human bones?
STEWART
Something is seriously wrong.
JACK
You think?
Jack grabs the mic.
JACK
Base, this is unit 27, come in.
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
Base, Unit 27.
JACK
We have a situation out here. Some
sort of epidemic.
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
Are you requesting more units?
STEWART
Hell, no.
JACK
Negative. We're worried about our
own safety. Has there been any CDC
advisory? Any information?
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
Negative.
STEWART
It's night of the horny dead or
something - everyone's gone crazy.
JACK
Dispatch, we're going to be code 4.
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
Didn't copy that Unit 27, something's
going on here... Sounds like
gunfire... Hey! Wait the hell are
you doing in here? What is that? A
vibrator? Put that down --
The radio goes dead.
JACK
Dispatch? Dispatch?
STEWART
Jack - I'm worried about Caroline.
Mind if we drive over and make sure
she's okay?
JACK
Good idea. I'm going to call Dawn.
Jack pulls out his cell phone, dials Dawn's cell.
INT. MATERNITY WARD -- NIGHT
Babies crying.
Dawn is running down a hallway when her cell phone rings.
She flips it open.
DAWN
Hi, Jack - I'm kind of busy.
JACK (V.O.)
Did they ever find out what caused
that guy we brought in to go crazy?
DAWN
Some sort of parasite. They haven't
identified it, yet. It kills the
host, then secrets some sort of
hormone that keeps him functioning.
JACK (V.O.)
So that guy was dead when we brought
him in?
DAWN
No pulse. No heart beat. The
parasite was controlling him.
JACK (V.O.)
Weird.
DAWN
Look, Jack, the shit's really hit
around here. Just had a mom lactate
an inch of milk on the floor of her
room. We were ankle deep. Can you
call back later?
JACK (V.O.)
Not sure there will be a later. I
think we have an epidemic, here.
Some kind of space herpes.
DAWN
Space herpes?
JACK (V.O.)
The guy we brought in saw that Mars
probe blow up. His wife said he found
a piece of it in the street.
DAWN
Should I call NASA or the CDC or
both?
JACK (V.O.)
Looks like it's transmitted orally.
DAWN
I won't kiss any strangers.
JACK (V.O.)
Don't let anyone vomit maggots into
your mouth, either.
DAWN
I'll try to remember that.
JACK (V.O.)
We're driving over to check on
Caroline. Stay safe, okay?
DAWN
You, too.
She flips her phone closed and slams open the doors to a
delivery room.
INSIDE: A DOCTOR having sex with a PREGNANT WOMAN while a
pair of NURSES watch and cheer.
DAWN
Um, wrong room.
Dawn backs out of the room quickly.
As she zips down the hall, she passes a tray of instruments
and grabs a weird looking vaginal spreader as a weapon.
A DOCTOR comes out of a door in front of her, she points
the vaginal spreader at him.
DAWN
Back off, doc. I know how to use
this.
He ducks back inside room to let Dawn pass by.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
The ambulance cruises through the world gone wild.
PEOPLE roam the sidewalks, tearing off their clothes and
demanding that passers by have sex with them. Many have
open wounds, flesh hanging from their faces...
Others seems to be chewing on each other - love bites that
end with tearing flesh and spurting blood.
Some jump at the ambulance as it cruises by.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Stewart and Jack can't believe how fast the disease has
spread. Everyone seems to be infected.
JACK
It's like the whole world's been
Springerized.
STEWART
I hope Care's okay.
JACK
Want to call her?
Stewart holds out his hand, Jack gives him the phone.
Stewart dials, Jack looks out the window at...
EXT. NIGHTCLUB -- NIGHT
SWINGERS pick up SWINGETTES for an evening of casual sex
and cannibalism.
HOOKERS spit maggots into the mouths of JOHNS, speeding
the epidemic along.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Stewart gets through to Caroline.
STEWART
Care, are you alight honey?
INT. STEWART'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT
The most domestic bedroom in Los Angeles - almost a parody
of classic suburbia.
CAROLINE is the 2004 version of June Cleaver, peaches &
cream, dressed in PJs and a bathrobe.
CAROLINE
Is something wrong?
STEWART (V.O.)
Care, I want you to stay in the
Apartment. Lock the door and don't
let anybody in except me.
CAROLINE
Who'd come over at this hour?
STEWART (V.O.)
Just don't open the door, okay?
We're on our way over right now.
CAROLINE
Don't you have to finish the shift?
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Stewart sees a WOMAN on a bus bench casually gnawing on a
human arm.
STEWART
It's done, honey.
Stewart hangs up the phone and hands it back to Jack.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
Two MEN play tug-of-war with a woman - tearing her in half.
A GANG OF WOMEN march down the street, looking for meat.
A MAN drags a kid's red wagon filled with body parts.
WOMEN drag a pair of SCREAMING POLICEMEN out of their car.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Jack plays with the radio - every frequency is nothing but
static. Police band - static. Fire Department - static.
He finally hears something...
The Emergency Frequency, broadcasting a recorded message.
VOICE (V.O.)
This is the Emergency Broadcasting
Network. A state of emergency is in
effect for the entire Los Angeles
area. Please stay in your homes with
the doors locked and bolted. Avoid
contact with anyone who seems to be
infected, including family members
and rescue workers.
(beep)
This is the Emergency Broadcasting
Network. A state of emergency is in
effect for the entire Los Angeles
area. Please stay in your --
Jack switches off the radio.
They drive for a while in silence.
EXT. STEWART'S BUILDING -- NIGHT
A suburban section of Los Angeles.
The ambulance pulls up in front of a nice older building -
The Homewood. The sign says "Couples Welcome! Kids Okay!"
But there's no sign of kids at this hour.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Stewart turns off the engine. Jack starts to get out,
Stewart stops him - touching his arm.
STEWART
How long we been partners?
JACK
I don't know. Six, seven years.
STEWART
We've been through a lot of shit
together. Delivered a lot of babies,
saved a lot of lives, lost some
people.
JACK
I'm not kissing you.
STEWART
You always keep it light, even when
the shit's coming down.
JACK
No matter what happens in there,
Stewart, we're partners.
STEWART
We ride together, we die together.
They touch fists, then climb out of the ambulance.
JACK
That movie sucked.
STEWART
But it was a really good line.
They shut and lock the ambulance doors.
EXT. STEWART'S BUILDING -- NIGHT
They open the back of the ambulance and grab anything they
can use as a weapon - a stretcher pole, a pair of shears,
a backboard for use as a shield and oxygen bags to protect
them from maggot spray.
They walk to the lobby doors, ready for action.
INT. STEWART'S BUILDING - LOBBY -- NIGHT
Stewart opens the front door and they slide inside.
The lobby is empty.
JACK
It's quiet.
STEWART
Too quiet.
They creep up to the elevator and push the UP button.
JACK
How much you pay for this place?
STEWART
About twelve hundred.
JACK
Not bad.
STEWART
It's mostly young couples. Maybe
you and Dawn can move in here.
JACK
Don't think that's going to happen.
We may have broken up.
STEWART
Since when?
JACK
She's the best thing that ever
happened to me, and I'm just going
to let her go. Walk away.
Bing!
THE ELEVATOR DOORS OPEN...
A Couple steps out. Zombies or uninfected?
LUCY and RICKY have just come from a Halloween party, both
carry mixed drinks and wear masks and costumes.
LUCY
You're late! The party's over.
JACK
You can say that again.
RICKY
Nice costumes - you might have won
the competition.
LUCY
You two a couple?
STEWART
No.
LUCY
Great! You wannna be part of a
threesome? Help us spice up our sex
life? Ricky and I wanna swing.
Lucy grabs Jack, opens her mouth to kiss him and maggots
dribble out. Yech! Jack pushes her away, pulls down his
oxygen mask, swings up his shield and his shears.
RICKY
You and me and Lucy make three!
Ricky attacks Stewart - trying to bite him.
He gets his mask down just in time.
Swings up his stretcher pole, using it as a bo.
While Ricky attacks Stewart, Lucy dives to her knees and
starts unbuckling Jack's pants. Jack kicks her away and
pushes her back with the shield.
Stewart swings his bo, knocks Ricky back. Ricky does some
kung fu fighting, knocking the bo out of Stewart's hands.
He scoops up a lobby chair, uses it like a lion tamer.
Jack gets cornered by Lucy, only the shield protecting
him. Lucy grabs the oxygen bag dangling from Jack's mask
and squeezes it empty - strangling Jack.
Jack jabs at her with the shears, cutting her arm.
Ricky smells the blood and attacks his wife...
Forgetting about Stewart long enough for him to escape.
Ricky tears a flap of skin off his wife's arm.
Stewart dives into the empty elevator car.
INT. ELEVATOR -- NIGHT
Stewart presses the door closed button.
STEWART
Jack - you going to stay and play?
JACK
I'm right behind you.
Jack presses Lucy against the wall with the chair, kicks
Ricky in the head and dives into the elevator just as the
doors are closing.
Ricky reaches in after them - grabs Stewart by the neck.
The elevator doors hit Ricky's arm - bing - and reopen!
Ricky and Lucy charge the open elevator!
Stewart hits the Door Closed button, the doors zip shut.
They close on Ricky's wrist...
The elevator starts to ascend...
Stewart's neck is dragged down to the floor!
STEWART
Help! Help!
Jack tries to pry Ricky's fingers off Stewart's neck.
Can't.
Ricky's head hits the floor of the elevator.
There's a THUNK and a SCREAM.
Jack pulls Stewart to his feet.
The severed hand scurries across the elevator floor.
The severed hand scurries across the elevator floor to
Jack, who kicks it over to Stewart.
JACK
Here. Let me give you a hand.
STEWART
Hey, don't palm that off on me.
They avoid the crawling hand in the cramped elevator until
they get to Stewart's floor.
JACK
First rule of zombies: You are what
you eat.
When the doors open, they jump into the hallway and wave
goodbye to the severed hand. It doesn't wave back.
INT. STEWART'S BUILDING - HALLWAY -- NIGHT
The hallway is empty except for a wandering man named
HAROLD.
HAROLD
Stewart! How are you? Missed the
big Halloween party.
Harold moves towards them with a smile.
STEWART
How you doing Harold?
HAROLD
Never better! I'm wide awake -
never had this much energy before.
Halfway down the hall, Harold stops and vomits a stream of
maggots at them.
With a sudden burst of energy, Harold reaches out and grabs
Jack by the shoulders, lifting him up, and yelling:
HAROLD
Wanna fuck me? I've never been with
a man, but I think you're sexy...
Harold pulls off Jack's mask and gets ready to kiss him.
Stewart throws his shield at Harold.
Wham! Direct hit to Harold's head.
Harold drops Jack and turns to Stewart.
Jack hits the floor and starts crawling away.
HAROLD
Jealous? We can get together later
if you want. Lori and I have an
open marriage, you know.
A door opens behind Jack and a female voice calls out.
LORI (O.S.)
In here, quick - before he comes
after you.
Jack dives through the open door.
INT. LORI'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT
A beautiful woman in a sexy evening gown, LORI, locks and
bolts the door behind him.
LORI
I see you've met my husband. He
isn't quit himself today.
JACK
I gathered that.
LORI
Looks like you've had a hard day.
Want a drink?
JACK
Why not?
Lori moves to the bar.
LORI
What'll it be?
JACK
How about a brandy?
She pulls out a bottle of Martell Cognac and a snifter,
pours him a drink, hands it to him.
JACK
Nothing for you?
LORI
I just came from a party. One more
drink and I'll be out like a light.
JACK
We wouldn't want that.
INT. STEWART'S BUILDING - HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Harold chases Stewart down the hallway.
HAROLD
It's no use playing hard to get,
Stewart - you're on the fourth floor.
Stewart breaks open the firehose locker, pulls out the
axe.
HAROLD
That makes you look homophobic.
STEWART
Just stay away from me, Harold.
Find someone else.
HAROLD
But you're the one that I want.
Harold grabs at Stewart.
Stewart swings the axe...
Cutting off Harold's left arm.
HAROLD
You didn't have to do that.
While Harold is recovering his fallen limb, Stewart runs
to his apartment. He pounds on the door.
STEWART
Caroline? It's me, honey.
Harold charges after Stewart.
Stewart pulls out his keys.
Harold gets closer.
Stewart gets his keys into the door.
Harold only a few yards away.
Stewart gets the door open.
Harold grabs at him.
Stewart dives into the apartment.
Harold gets the door slammed in his face.
INT. LORI'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT
Jack and Lori are sipping cocktails and making small talk.
The oxy mask and weapons on a table,
LORI
At first I didn't thing it was going
to work. I was a career girl -
Marriage was only going to get in
the way. But I found a balance.
JACK
I don't think balance is my problem.
LORI
Then you need another drink.
She takes his empty glass and mixes him a new drink.
JACK
Trying to get me drunk?
LORI
(smiles)
You know how much time I spent
going out on pointless dates?
People who weren't compatible from
the moment I met them?
She hands him a fresh drink.
JACK
You don't have to stay, you can walk
away.
LORI
Most of the time it's some kind of
set up - a friend of a friend - and
you don't want to be rude.
JACK
Now that you're married you can be
as rude as you want?
LORI
You don't have to do all of the work
of dating. Putting on make up, acting
like a catch, pretending to be someone
you aren't.
JACK
You've stopped wearing make up?
LORI
I've stopped living a lie. I can be
me, be comfortable. I can let down
my defenses, act like myself.
JACK
But you have a nice self.
LORI
That's the one thing I miss - there
were always dozens of men to choose
from.
JACK
And now you only have Harold.
LORI
I do miss the variety.
JACK
That's my problem with marriage.
It's like eating the same meal for
the rest of your life. Even if it
was your favorite food, eventually
you'd get tired of it.
She pulls him close.
LORI
You like to eat?
JACK
What's on the menu?
Her hand drifts down to the front of his pants.
LORI
Now that Harold is off on his own,
maybe I can have a little fun, too.
Spice up my love life.
Lori takes off her clothes as she crosses to the bedroom.
Heels kicked off. Spaghetti straps drop one by one.
Jack sets down his drink and follows.
INT. LORI'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT
Jack enters - but the bedroom is empty.
Lori's bra is on the floor, her panties on the bed.
Where did the woman go?
WHAM! The door slams shut behind Jack.
Lori springs from behind the door and tears his shirt open.
Buttons fly across the room.
Lori kisses Jack's chest as she pulls him to the bed.
She unbuckles his pants, kissing his shorts.
Kissing back up his chest as she guides him to the bed.
Before they get to the bed, Jack sees a maggot on his chest.
JACK
Get your mouth off me, bitch!
Jack pushes her off him, runs.
LORI
You don't know what you're missing!
Jack doesn't go back to find out.
INT. STEWART'S BUILDING - HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Jack flies out of the apartment, mask and weapons in hand.
Races past Harold who holds out his severed arm.
JACK
Picking up arms is a good idea.
Harold chases down the hall after Jack.
Jack runs down the hall.
BLAM!
A gusher of maggot-spray blasts at him - splattering off
the wall next to him.
Jack turns to see Harold not far behind him.
JACK
Why pick on me, Harold? Don't you
have a wife at home?
BLAM! Another geyser of maggot-spray.
Jack spins a corner in the hall - sees Stewart's door.
Jack pounds on the door like a mad man while Harold
advances.
JACK
Stewart? It's Jack. Please let me
in. Harold's out here. I think he
wants me to go the gay way with him.
Please let me in!
Harold comes around the corner, arm raised in his other
arm like a club.
He slams his arm at Jack.
Jack deflects it.
Stewart opens the door, sees Harold, slams it shut.
STEWART (O.S.)
Come back when you don't have company.
Harold slams Jack again.
Jack grabs the arm, pulls it out of Harold's hand...
Throws it.
Harold watches his arm fly down the hall, bounce off a
wall. He chases after his arm like a dog after a stick.
JACK
Now! Now!
Stewart opens the door and lets him in...
Just in time...
Harold scoops up his arm and charges back to the door.
The door slams in his face.
INT. STEWART'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT
Stewart locks all of the locks.
CAROLINE
Coffee?
Caroline has a fresh pot of coffee in hand, cups and saucers
and a plate of home made cookies on the table.
The apartment is filled with doilies and nick-nacks. Showing
more of Caroline and none of Stewart. Domesticated.
JACK
Sure.
She pours him a cup.
CAROLINE
Jack, will you tell me what's going
on? Stewart isn't making any sense.
Jack looks from Stewart to Caroline - are they infected?
When she moves towards him, Jack steps back.
JACK
Caroline, how do you feel about me?
CAROLINE
I like you - you're funny.
JACK
Do you want to fuck me?
Stewart steps away from Jack.
CAROLINE
What a jerk!
She moves in and slaps him.
Stewart grabs her, pulls her far away from Jack.
STEWART
Do you want to fuck Caroline?
CAROLINE
What kind of pervert are you?
JACK
No.
Stewart lets go of Caroline, moves closer to Jack.
Caroline looks from Stewart to Jack - confused.
CAROLINE
I know I've gained a few pounds, but
I'm not hideous, am I?
JACK
If you weren't married to Stewart
I'd sleep with you in a heartbeat.
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
Pounding on the door.
HAROLD (O.S.)
Come on out and join the party! Why
be loners? You can be one of us!
CAROLINE
What's wrong with Harold?
JACK
I think he woke up on the wrong side
of the dead.
STEWART
I've been trying to tell you - there's
some sort of plague. People die,
then they come back to life, horny
and spitting maggots.
CAROLINE
Jack, what's really going on?
Jack grabs the TV remote, turns on CNN.
ON TV
A CNN REPORTER speaks over a graphic of the United States.
A wide band across the South-West is colored red.
REPORTER (V.O.)
At this point in time only the
highlighted areas of the South-West
have been effected by the plague.
Hospitals have been unable to keep
up with the widespread epidemic, and
police seem powerless.
A video clip of POLICEMEN locked in their car as ZOMBIES
surround the car and rock it back and forth.
Another clip shows POLICEMEN fighting a CROWD with clubs.
REPORTER (V.O.)
The National Guard has been called
in, and the President may decide to
declare Martial Law and quarantine
the effected area.
More clips of the world gone wild...
Then back to the United States graphic.
REPORTER (V.O.)
If the plague spreads at its present
rate...
The red area slowly covers the map.
REPORTER (V.O.)
The entire country will be effected
within forty-eight hours.
Jack clicks off the TV.
CAROLINE
They didn't say anything about horny
maggot-spewing zombies.
JACK
I should have clicked on FOX.
STEWART
I think we should get out of the
city. The more people around us,
the more chance of infection.
JACK
Okay.
CAROLINE
My uncle has a cabin in Big Bear.
You want me to call him?
STEWART
I don't think he'll care, hon.
RING! Jack's cell phone rings unexpectedly.
He flips it open.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Dawn runs down a hallway - screams in the background.
DAWN
Jack? Are you okay?
JACK (V.O.)
I'm at Stewart's. Caroline's okay,
but this place has gone to hell.
DAWN
You need to come get me.
JACK (V.O.)
Okay.
Dawn runs past a door just as a splash of blood covers the
window and someone screams.
DAWN
You know how I keep telling you
this place is like a soap opera -
everyone sleeping with each other?
JACK (V.O.)
All you need is a guy named Scotty.
DAWN
Well, the disease has spread through
the hospital like wildfire. There
isn't a doctor, nurse, or
administrator who isn't infected.
JACK (V.O.)
A staff infection.
DAWN
I'm going to find someplace to hide
in the maternity ward - a closet or
something - call when you get here.
JACK (V.O.)
We're on our way.
Dawn opens a door marked "Janitor" and dives inside.
A ZOMBIE DOCTOR runs past the door a moment later.
INT. STEWART'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT
Jack flips his phone closed, puts it in his pocket.
JACK
Can we swing by the hospital to pick
up Dawn on the way to Big Bear. Seems
like she could use a vacation, too.
CAROLINE
Sure.
Stewart comes in with an arm-load of weapons.
STEWART
Brought some goodies.
Stewart inventories his treasures as he lays them on the
couch.
STEWART
We have a .38 Smith & Wesson, a 9mm
Baretta, a 30-30 Winchester, a
firepoker, and a full set of Williams-
Sonoma knives.
CAROLINE
Wedding gift from my mom.
JACK
The knives?
CAROLINE
No - the rifle.
STEWART
Second rule of zombies: if you want
them dead, you've got to shoot them
in the head.
JACK
Why is that?
CAROLINE
Maybe they have no heart.
JACK
What's in the backpack?
STEWART
Binoculars, compass, snake bite kit,
matches, some other stuff.
CAROLINE
Bota-bag of vodka. For emergency
use only. And two loaves of freshly
baked bread. Do you want some now?
JACK
Let's save it for Big Bear.
CAROLINE
It won't be warm.
Stewart takes the 9mm, the firepoker, a knife.
Caroline takes the .38 Smith & Wesson and two knives.
Jack takes the Winchester and a couple of knives.
They fill their pockets with spare ammo.
There's no spare shells for Stewart's 9mm.
JACK
Ready to meet the neighbors?
CAROLINE
Who's going to be up at this hour?
STEWART
You'd be surprised.
Jack moves to the front door - looks through the peephole.
INT. STEWART'S BUILDING - HALLWAY -- NIGHT
A FISH-EYE VIEW of Harold pacing back and forth.
When Harold gets to the far end of the hall...
INT. STEWART'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT
Jack unbolts the door and yanks it open.
JACK
Now!
Stewart, Caroline and Jack swing outside, ready for action.
INT. STEWART'S BUILDING - HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Harold runs at them at warp drive.
HAROLD
Hey, Stewart! You're place or mine?
Wham! Stewart SLAMS him with his poker. Harold flies
backwards, hits the wall, and BOUNCES back at them.
Stewart raises the poker again.
Harold vomits maggots at them.
Stewart grabs Caroline and pulls her away from the spray.
Maggots splash on the wall where they were standing.
Caroline screams.
HAROLD
You know you want me!
Harold charges at them.
Jack swings into the hall and BLASTS Harold with the rifle.
Harold is hit, bleeding maggots, keeps moving.
Jack twirl-cocks the rifle (RIFLEMAN style), fires again.
Harold goes down, bleeding maggots from his head.
STEWART
Thanks.
JACK
De nada.
Caroline seems to be in shock.
Stewart grabs her, holds her close.
STEWART
We're gonna get through this, Care.
Okay?
CAROLINE
Okay.
They kiss.
Jack shakes his head.
JACK
Let's get to the cabin before we
celebrate, okay?
Jack sneaks up to the hallway corner, uses the knife blade
to see around the corner...
REFLECTED ON THE KNIFE BLADE:
Over a dozen zombies between them and the elevator.
JACK turns to Stewart and Caroline.
JACK
It's hallway of the living dead.
STEWART
On three?
JACK
Three!
They roll around the corner ready for action.
THE HALL is filled with PARTY GUESTS in costumes - all
young couples. The costumes are sexy and simple... showing
a fair amount of rotting flesh. Music blares from an open
apartment door - some zombies are dancing.
Jack has his rifle ready.
Stewart raises his poker like a samurai sword.
Caroline looks at the zombies and shakes her head.
CAROLINE
I'm not sorry I missed that party.
STEWART
You had a costume...
CAROLINE
I didn't want to go without you.
A husband in DEVIL HORNS spots Stewart and Caroline.
DEVIL HORNS
Stewart! Buddy! Wanna swap wives?
Devil Horns attacks with his pitch fork.
Stewart blocks with his firepoker.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Stewart and Devil Horns engage in a sword fight right out
of an Errol Flynn / Basil Rathbone flick.
DEVIL HORNS
You could do Betty, I could do
Caroline? Come on, it'd be fun!
STEWART
Over my dead body.
DEVIL HORNS
If that's the way you want it. The
dead can still get head.
A door opens behind Jack.
He spins, aims the rifle at...
FRED & ETHEL (not in costumes) - armed with all kinds of
small appliances from their kitchen.
FRED
We're the Vances - Fred and Ethyl.
We don't want to screw, we just want
to get the hell out of here.
JACK
Join the club.
CAROLINE
We're going to my uncle's cabin in
Big Bear.
ETHYL
Room for two more?
CAROLINE
It's kind of small. Do you mind
sleeping on the floor?
Jack is approached by a young couple in costume.
HUSBAND #1
Want to join us for a key party?
BLAM! Jack blasts the husband off his feet, twirl-cocks
the rifle and aims it at the wife.
WIFE #1
Be part of a daisy chain?
BLAM! Jack blasts the wife off her feet, twirl-cocks the
rifle in time for the next approaching couple.
HUSBAND #2
Join us in a three way?
BLAM! Jack blasts the husband off his feet, twirl-cocks
the rifle and aims it at the wife.
WIFE #2
Go to a hot tub party at Terry's?
BLAM! Jack blasts the wife off her feet, twirl-cocks the
rifle in time for the next approaching couple.
HUSBAND #3
I like to watch.
BLAM! Jack blasts the husband off his feet, twirl-cocks
the rifle and aims it at the wife.
WIFE #3
I have a pound of butter in the
refrigerator.
BLAM! Jack blasts the wife off her feet, twirl-cocks the
rifle and aims it at...
Lori - dressed only in panties... flesh starting to peel.
LORI
Why'd you run out on me, Jack? You
know you want me. By now you need
me. You need the release.
Jack pulls the trigger on the rifle.
Click.
Out of shells.
STEWART continues sword fighting with Devil Horns.
Devil Horns presses Stewart up against the wall...
Spits a maggot at him!
Stewart moves his head to the side quickly.
The maggot hits the wall, crawling.
He kicks Devil Horns back and they continue sword fighting.
CAROLINE aims the Smith & Wesson in shaky hands at an
approaching HUSBAND #4.
CAROLINE
Please don't come any closer Mr.
Brick. I don't want to hurt you.
Husband #4 CHARGES at Caroline...
She fires - blasting him against the wall. He bleeds
maggots, slides down the wall leaving a maggot trail.
CAROLINE
I'm sorry, Mr. Brick.
She almost bends over to help him up, remembers the rest
of the zombies, raises up to see WIFE #4 coming at her.
CAROLINE
Sandy, I'm sorry I didn't return
your Tupperware.
BLAM! She blasts Wife #4, who bleeds maggots.
CAROLINE
Sorry!
Caroline aims the gun at the next victim in her shaky hands.
Fred and Ethyl use an electric carving knife and an electric
mixer on the Zombies. Double teaming.
Whenever they kill one they kiss each other.
FRED
Good one, honey!
They pounce on the next zombie. Whirrrr! Whirrrrr!
JACK backs away from Lori.
LORI
I can see how tense you are.
Wouldn't you rather let go?
Jack takes another step back, fumbles in his pocket for
ammo.
LORI
Give in to temptation? Quit fighting
and relax? Become one of us?
All of the Zombie in the hallway chant...
ALL ZOMBIES
One of us. One of us. One of us.
Then go back to battling the others. Weird.
Jack looks back at Lori.
JACK
Stay away from me.
She takes another step closer.
LORI
Pants a little tight?
Jack tries not to look down at his crotch.
Lori projectile vomits a stream of maggots at him.
Jack spins away, and they splatter on the wall.
LORI
Isn't this what every man wants?
Free sex? An open relationship.
JACK
Open to what? Cannibalism?
LORI
You eat me and I'll eat you.
Lori vomits another stream of squirmies at him.
Jack moves away just in time...
But is backed into a dead end.
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.
STEWART sword fights with Devil Horns.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Devil Horns presses Stewart back against a wall again.
Uses his foot to HOLD Stewart against the wall, as he...
Places the tip of his trident against Stewart's right eye.
DEVIL HORNS
You look good enough to eat. These
things inside me need to feed. What
I can't fuck, I eat...
As Devil Horns gets ready to skewer Stewart's eye, Stewart
rams his firepoker through Devil Horn's chest. Screaming
as he runs the poker and Devil Horns across the hall and
into the opposite wall... Where he hangs, bleeding maggots.
STEWART
I am not food.
Stewart pulls out the Browning 9mm and starts blasting
ZOMBIES on his way to the elevator...
CAROLINE aims the Smith & Wesson at a GUY with slinky-eyes,
a joy buzzer on his hand, a wacky costume.
GUY
I'm here! Let the fun begin!
Caroline pulls the trigger.
Click.
Out of shells.
The Guy laughs and rushes towards her.
BANG! Stewart blows him away before he gets to Caroline.
STEWART
The death of the party.
Caroline and Stewart hug and kiss.
Then work as a team, shooting their way down the hall to
the elevator. Doors open, ZOMBIES pop out, get shot dead.
FRED AND ETHYL use a variety of electric appliances on the
Zombies as they make their way to the elevators. After
every kill they peck each other on the lips.
FRED
Good one, hon!
A ZOMBIE gets ready to attack Stewart and Caroline...
Fred and Ethyl jump on him, Cuisinart him to death.
STEWART
Thanks.
FRED
Good one, hon!
They peck each other on the lips and all four make it to
the elevator. Stewart presses the down button. They wait.
JACK is backed into a dead end. Lori smiles at him.
LORI
You could be my second husband.
JACK
That's big of you.
LORI
Big of me.
She moves closer.
LORI
Just one kiss. One kiss and you'll
be free.
She opens her mouth to kiss him...
There are maggots on her tongue. Jack swings the rifle
like a club, knocking her back.
Lori slams against the wall.
Jack runs to the elevator.
Through a gauntlet of ZOMBIES, reaching out for him!
Lori bounces off the wall and races after him.
Stewart hits the elevator button again.
They wait.
Jack bolts down the hall to the elevator.
A GROUP OF ZOMBIES blocks his way.
Jack DIVES over them to the elevator...
The doors are closed - he's going to smash into them.
STEWART
Jack?
INT. ELEVATOR -- NIGHT
The elevator doors open and Jack flies inside, rolls onto
his feet, rifle up. Pulls bullets from his pocket, spilling
a few on the elevator floor, quickly loads the rifle.
Stewart, Caroline, Fred and Ethyl jump into the elevator.
They push the "door close" button...
The doors SLOWLY move closed.
INT. STEWART'S BUILDING - HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Lori races down the hallway to the elevator.
LORI
You want me, Jack. If you don't
take me, I'll take you!
She jumps into the elevator before the doors close!
Bing - the doors bump her and re-open.
INT. ELEVATOR -- NIGHT
Lori jumps into Jack's arms, mouth open, tongue maggoty.
Well, almost into Jack's arms.
The rifle is in the way.
The barrel presses into her naked chest.
JACK
Goodbye.
BLAM! He blasts her out of the elevator.
INT. STEWART'S BUILDING - HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Lori lands on the floor outside the elevator, bleeding
maggots from her chest.
LORI
I always get hurt in relationships.
Then her eyes close.
INT. ELEVATOR -- NIGHT
Just as the elevator doors begin to close...
A ZOMBIE DUDE reaches in and snatches Ethyl out of the
car. She screams as he drags her down the hallway.
The doors are slowly closing.
Fred watches his wife being pulled down the hallway.
FRED
I'm coming, hon!
Fred dives out SECONDS before the doors close.
The doors close, the elevator begins to descend.
Jack, Stewart and Caroline look at the doors for a moment.
Fred just gave up his life for his wife.
CAROLINE
That's love.
JACK
Or stupidity.
STEWART
We'd better get ready.
Jack nods, grabs the fallen shells from the elevator floor.
He reloads the rifle.
JACK
I've only got seven shells and the
knives.
CAROLINE
Ten rounds, and cutlery.
STEWART
I'm empty.
JACK
Take my knives, please.
Jack gives Stewart his two knives...
Then studies him for a moment.
JACK
You okay?
STEWART
Lips that touch maggots will never
touch mine. Care?
CAROLINE
You guys weren't kidding. Horny maggot-
spewing zombies. What'll they think
of next?
Bing! The elevator doors open at the lobby.
INT. STEWART'S BUILDING - LOBBY -- NIGHT
They cautiously creep out of the elevator, guns ready.
A noise from the left.
Jack spins, aims the rifle at...
The crawling hand.
It scurries across the lobby.
CAROLINE
Eeewwww!
A noise from the right.
Jack spins, aims the rifle at...
Ricky and Lucy entwined in each other.
Lucy is munching on Ricky's stump.
Ricky is munching on Lucy's wounded shoulder.
STEWART
How romantic.
JACK
Love bites.
Caroline shakes her head in disgust.
Ricky and Lucy pull themselves away from each other.
RICKY
You're next!
They start to charge the trio.
Jack fires, twirl-cocks the rifle, fires again, twirl-cocks
the rifle - ready to fire again. No need.
JACK
The ambulance is right outside.
They move to the front doors, ready for action.
EXT. STEWART'S BUILDING -- NIGHT
Jack, Caroline and Stewart race down to the ambulance.
A ZOMBIE pops out of the bushes, races toward them,
growling.
BLAM! Jack fires, twirl-cocks the rifle.
ANOTHER ZOMBIE blasts out of the shadows at them.
BLAM! Caroline fires at him - takes him down.
CAROLINE
Sorry.
MORE ZOMBIES pop from the shadows and race at them.
BLAM! Twirl-cock.
BLAM! Twirl-cock.
BLAM! Twirl-cock.
BLAM! Twirl-cock...
Click!
Out of shells!
A ZOMBIE races right at them.
Stewart throws one knife after another.
All three knives zip through the air - about forty feet -
and land in the Zombie's chest. He goes down.
Stewart opens the doors of the ambulance, climbs in.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! Caroline shoots three zombies and dives
into the ambulance.
JACK
Wait for me!
Jack uses the rifle as a club, knocking a zombie out of
his way, and dives into the ambulance...
His cell phone falls out of his pocket...
Outside the ambulance!
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
AN ARMY OF ZOMBIES ring the ambulance, rocking it.
Stewart starts the engine.
JACK
My cell.
STEWART
Leave it.
JACK
How do we call Dawn? From a pay phone?
STEWART
Shit. Make it fast.
Jack runs the seat belt through the door handle and gives
it to Caroline.
JACK
Hold on to this.
She takes it.
Jack unlocks the door, bends down, opens the door a crack.
He reaches outside for the fallen cell-phone.
It's a few inches out of reach.
Jack reaches out a little farther.
His fingers touch the cell phone.
He starts to pull it closer...
WHAM! A zombie hand grabs Jack's wrist.
Tries to pull him out of the ambulance!
WHAM! Other zombies grab the door and try to pull it open.
The seat belt is almost yanked from Caroline's hands.
Stewart helps her pull on the seat belt, closing the door...
On Jack's arm!
Jack twists his hand around, breaking the zombie's grip.
He makes another try for the cell phone.
The zombie hand pulls the cell phone away.
Jack pulls his hand back inside.
Stewart and Caroline pull on the seat belt, closing the
door.
Jack hits the lock.
They're safe...
JACK
Didn't get it.
Stewart puts the ambulance in gear and hits the gas...
Plowing through zombies.
JACK
We'll just have to go to the hospital
and hope we find her.
CAROLINE
Before they do.
EXT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
The ambulance zooms through the world gone wild.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
Zombies vomit maggots in each other's mouths.
A PRETTY ZOMBIE drinks maggots from her cupped hands.
CAROLINE (O.S.)
That can't be sanitary.
The ambulance passes a Police Car - doors open, someone
having sex inside... dead POLICEMEN on the hood (dinner).
Zombies projectile vomit at them as they zoom past.
The world has really gone to hell.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
A group of ZOMBIES have parked their cars across the street.
When the ambulance comes towards them they cheer.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Stewart looks at the cars blocking the street.
STEWART
Shit.
JACK
Sidewalk.
Stewart nods, pulls the ambulance up onto the sidewalk and
creeps past the blockade...
EXT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
ZOMBIES grab hold of the door handles, mirrors, rear bumper
as the ambulance creeps past.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Caroline screams as a ZOMBIE looks through the window.
STEWART
Not enough room to shake them off.
EXT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
A few ZOMBIES projectile vomit streams of maggots on the
ambulance as it passes by.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
The front window is covered with maggots and milky fluid.
Stewart can't see anymore.
JACK
Make sure the windows are tight.
Caroline and Jack check the window handles, check the
weather stripping, make sure maggots aren't squirming in.
Stewart hits the windshield wipers.
Maggot & milky fluid is scraped off the windshield.
Stewart can see again.
EXT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
They ease past the blockade and move off the sidewalk.
A couple of ZOMBIES are still hanging on to the ambulance.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Caroline screams again as a Zombie looks through the window.
STEWART
Hang on.
(looks at zombie)
Not you.
Stewart hits the gas - the ambulance ROARS ahead.
EXT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Zombies are thrown off the ambulance, roll down the street.
The ambulance disappears in the distance.
EXT. MERCY HOSPITAL -- NIGHT
The ambulance pulls up in front of the Emergency Doors.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Stewart, Jack and Caroline look at the Emergency Doors.
What sort of hell is inside?
STEWART
Try the radio.
Jack grabs the mic.
JACK
Unit 27 to Mercy Hospital. Come in.
Nothing but static.
Jack turns the dial looking for a working frequency.
Nothing but static.
VOICE (V.O.)
This is the Emergency Broadcasting
Network. A state of emergency is in effect for the entire
Los Angeles area. Please stay in your homes...
JACK
Nothing. Hand me the binoculars.
Caroline pulls the binoculars from the backpack, hands
them to Jack. Jack looks through them at the Emergency
Room.
INT. MERCY HOSPITAL - EMERGENCY ROOM - BINOCULARS
Absolutely crazy.
NURSES, DOCTORS, PATIENTS, ADMINISTRATORS - vomiting
maggots, fooling around, eating body parts, acting wild.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Jack lowers the binoculars.
JACK
We have to find another way in.
CAROLINE
Why?
JACK
Staff infection.
STEWART
Regular admissions?
JACK
I don't think so.
STEWART
Loading dock in back?
JACK
Let's take a look.
Stewart starts the ambulance, pulls it around to the back.
EXT. MERCY HOSPITAL - LOADING DOCK -- NIGHT
The ambulance parks at the back of the hospital.
A loading dock with rolling door and a service entrance.
Not a single zombie in sight.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Jack looks through the binoculars again.
JACK
Looks okay.
He hands the binoculars back to Caroline.
STEWART
How many shells left?
CAROLINE
Five.
JACK
Keep the gun, if anyone tries to get
in, shoot them in the head.
CAROLINE
You're not going to leave me here.
JACK
Somebody has to guard the ambulance.
If we come out of there with Dawn
and we don't have a way to get to
Big Bear, we're screwed.
STEWART
It's going to be dangerous in there,
Care. Jack and I know the terrain
and we've made it this far.
CAROLINE
I just wait?
JACK
If we're not back in twenty minutes
take off without us.
STEWART
Go to the cabin and wait this out.
Stewart and Caroline kiss.
Jack sets the timer for 20 minutes.
STEWART
I love you, Care-bear.
CAROLINE
Love you, Stewart.
Jack and Stewart climb out of the ambulance.
Caroline locks the doors and watches as they go to the
service entrance, break the window, open the door.
Then they disappear inside and Caroline is alone.
The timer ticks down from 20 minutes.
INT. SERVICE HALLWAY -- NIGHT
A long Service Hallway - a half dozen doors on either side.
Dark.
Spooky.
Lights flicker.
Jack and Stewart creep down the hallway.
STEWART
Any idea where we are?
JACK
The hospital.
STEWART
I've never been back here before.
Jack pops open one of the doors...
INT. HOSPITAL BOILER ROOM -- NIGHT
Jack looks at the boilers and machines.
JACK
Dawn?
No Answer.
Backs out to the service hallway.
INT. SERVICE HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Jack turns to Stewart.
JACK
Machine room. No one there.
They creep down to the corner to the next section of hall.
INT. SERVICE HALLWAY -- NIGHT
This section of Service Hallway looks exactly like the
other one. A half dozen doors on either side of the hall.
Stewart pops one open, looks inside.
Jack looks down the hall - worried that someone may come.
Lights flicker. A noise in the distance - a scream?
Stewart pops back into the hallway.
STEWART
Laundry room - empty.
JACK
Should've brought my laundry.
They creep down the hallway to the next corner.
INT. SERVICE HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Another identical hallway.
STEWART
Should have brought bread crumbs.
Jack's turn to open a door and peek inside.
The door closes behind Jack...
Leaving Stewart alone.
Echoes of screams.
Stewart takes a step forward, looking into the shadows.
WHAM! A hand grabs his shoulder.
Stewart spins, brings his hands up to fight...
JACK
Hey, I'm on your side!
Stewart lowers his fists.
JACK
File room - we're getting closer.
Jack hands him a steel bar from a file cabinet.
Keeps one for himself - weapons... sort of.
Screams echo from BEHIND them.
They creep down the hall to the next corner.
INT. SERVICE HALLWAY -- NIGHT.
Jack and Stewart turn the corner into an identical
hallway...
Except for the HUGE ORDERLY standing on the opposite end.
Growling.
The Huge Orderly has a fire axe in his hands...
And maggots dripping from his mouth.
JACK
Shit.
STEWART
You can say that again.
The Huge Orderly swings the fireaxe from side to side.
Wooosh! Woooosh!
JACK
Shit.
Then he charges down the hallway at them, screaming.
Jack and Stewart grip their weapons...
And dive through the nearest door.
The Huge Orderly runs right past the door - unable to stop.
INT. HOSPITAL STORAGE AREA -- NIGHT
Jack and Stewart roll to their feet - safe?
INT. SERVICE HALLWAY -- NIGHT
The Huge Orderly runs out of momentum, stops, runs back to
the door Jack and Stewart dove through - fireaxe ready.
INT. HOSPITAL STORAGE AREA -- NIGHT
Jack sees the Huge Orderly coming towards the door and
quickly jambs his steel rod through the door handles.
Bolting the door closed.
The Huge Orderly shakes the doors, growling through the
window slot. Then he raises the fireaxe.
Jack and Stewart run across the storage area to another
set of doors, and blast out into...
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
A public hallway somewhere in the hospital.
STEWART
You know where we are?
JACK
Haven't a clue.
Halfway down the hall - a cart of used sheets.
Stewart uses his steel bar to bolt the doors behind them.
They creep down the hallway to the corner.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Jack and Stewart turn the corner at the same time a GROUP
OF ZOMBIES turn the corner at the other end.
The Group Of Zombies sees them and CHARGES.
Jack and Stewart have no weapons.
One of the Zombies stops and projectile vomits at them.
Jack and Stewart run back around the corner.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
When they run past the laundry cart, Jack skids to a stop
and Stewart stops a second later.
JACK
The sheets!
Stewart has no idea what he means.
Jack pulls out a sheet, gives Stewart one half, takes the
other, and they THROW THE SHEET over the first Zombie around
the corner.
The Zombie can't sees where he's going and runs into a
wall. Bam! He staggers blindly down the hall.
They grab another sheet, toss it over the next zombie.
The third zombie tries to projectile vomit at them...
But they throw a sheet over him just in time.
The zombie vomits against the sheet - yech.
The last Zombie gets sheeted...
Now there are four "ghosts" wandering down the hall, bumping
into the walls and each other.
Jack looks at the laundry cart, smiles, rolls it at them.
The laundry cart bowls over the four zombies.
They fall onto the floor in a heap.
JACK
Strike!
Jack and Stewart saunter down the hallway, pausing to slam
the ghosts in the head before rounding the corner.
All four zombies stop moving - out of the game.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
They continue down the hall.
A legend at the end of the hall has an arrow pointing to
Maternity.
JACK
Dawn?
No answer. They turn the corner to the next hallway.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
They pass a pair of empty gurneys...
Then stop.
The hallway in front of them is filled with PREGNANT
ZOMBIES.
STEWART
This must be the maternity ward.
JACK
Dawn? Dawn?
No answer... But the Pregnant Zombies take notice.
They waddle down the hall towards them.
Jack grabs a gurney.
JACK
Get on!
Stewart gets on the gurney.
Jack SHOVES the gurney down the hall at the zombies.
The Pregnant Zombies moves out of the way and Stewart zooms
through the herd, to the far end of the hall, where he
uses his hands and feet to turn the corner.
A few Pregnant Zombies waddle after Stewart, the rest waddle
towards Jack.
Jack hops on the other gurney, uses his feet to launch him
down the hallway at the Pregnant Zombies.
JACK
Coming through!
One of the zombies tries to projectile vomit on him, but
he zips past too fast and she vomits on another zombie.
The other zombie licks off the maggots - yech.
Jack zips through the zombies, gets to the corner and uses
his hands and feet to turn into...
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Bam! Jack bumps into Stewart's abandoned gurney.
Stewart breaks open an emergency cupboard to get the
fireaxe.
STEWART
Look what I found.
Jack rolls off his gurney.
JACK
Nothing for me?
STEWART
Fire extinguisher?
Jack takes the fire extinguisher, hears a noise...
AN ARMY OF ZOMBIE NURSES marches towards them.
JACK
Women in uniform seem to have a thing
for me.
Jack looks from face to face - making sure that none of
them are Dawn. One NURSE has hair in her face - the same
color hair as Dawn's. She even looks like Dawn. Is she?
JACK
Dawn?
The Zombie Nurse shakes the hair away from her face...
It's NOT Dawn. Jack is relieved.
NURSE
Need someone to take care of you?
Help you forget about your trouble?
She begins unzipping the front of her uniform.
All of the other nurses follow suit.
Slowly showing more cleavage.
More.
More.
More.
Rotting flesh hanging off their naked breasts.
NURSE
Do you wanna nurse?
She pops open her bra.
NURSE
Suckle on me?
Blap! She projectile vomits at Jack and Stewart.
Jack whips up the fire extinguisher and sprays it at them.
The foam hits the maggot-vomit, forcing it back at them.
The Nurses are drenched with maggot-vomit and fire foam.
They scream and cover their eyes.
JACK
Death control foam.
Jack and Stewart blast past the Nurses - spraying them
with foam to keep them at bay.
INT. MATERNITY WARD -- NIGHT
The nurse's station is unmanned.
Jack and Stewart look around the empty Maternity section
for some sign of Dawn.
JACK
Dawn? Dawn?
DAWN (O.S.)
Jack? Is that you?
Jack and Stewart look in the direction her voice came from.
Three doors - two examination rooms and a janitor's closet.
JACK
What do you think? Door number one?
Door number two? Or dooooor number
three?
STEWART
Let's make a deal.
Stewart opens Door Number One, labeled: NURSERY.
Stewart backs out quickly.
STEWART
Zombabies.
Jack takes Door Number Three, labeled: EXAMINATION #3.
INT. EXAMINATION ROOM -- NIGHT
Jack pokes his head in...
Doctors dancing with each other.
Jack leaves before they spot him.
INT. MATERNITY WARD -- NIGHT
Jack looks at Stewart.
JACK
All the dancing doctors.
They both try Door Number Two: JANITOR.
Locked.
Stewart uses the fireaxe to cut off the doorknob.
They pry open the door.
Dawn springs out at them.
She jumps into Jack's arms and tries to kiss him.
DAWN
Jack! Jack!
Jack pushes her away, keeps her at arms length.
JACK
How do you feel?
DAWN
Fine. A hundred percent maggot free.
Take a look.
She opens her mouth wide.
Jack carefully approaches.
Very carefully looks in her mouth.
Wondering if this is a trap.
If she's going to projectile vomit on him.
Nothing.
Jack is relieved.
JACK
Okay.
Now they kiss. A pretty good kiss.
STEWART
Caroline's in the truck. We're going
to her Uncle's cabin in Big Bear.
We really need a vacation.
Jack starts to leave and Dawn grabs him.
DAWN
Wait. There's stuff in here we can
use. Cleaning supplies like Drano,
contamination suits, hammers.
They start grabbing stuff from the janitor's closet.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Jack, Stewart and Dawn round the corner dressed in
contamination suits, carrying spray bottles and hammers.
STEWART
The full body condom offers 100%
protection against skanks and comes
in three exciting colors.
JACK
Do you know how to get out of here?
DAWN
The farther we get from maternity,
the more lost I become. Only
orderlies and maintenance staff use
the service door.
They turn the corner to the next hallway.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
The Army Of Nurse Zombies blocks their path.
They run the gauntlet - Nurse Zombies projectile vomiting
on them. Bthe contamination suits keep them safe - but
squirmies get on their visors making it tough to see.
Dawn sprays a charging Nurse with Drano.
NURSE
No! I'm melting! Melting!
Her flesh begins melting and she falls to the floor in a
puddle of goo and bones.
JACK
Just the thing for clogged hallways.
They spray Drano at the Nurse Zombies as they race past.
When they reach the end of the hallway they look back...
Nurse uniforms, skeletons, steam and goop.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Jack, Stewart and Dawn walk down an empty hallway.
WHAM! A ZOMBIE springs from a doorway and attacks.
Stewart uses the fireaxe on him.
The Zombie staggers back where he came from - axe stuck in
his chest - maggots spraying from his wound.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Ring! The timer goes off.
Caroline jumps - fires through the window.
Then realizes what the ringing is and turns off the timer.
She looks from the times to the doors.
CAROLINE
Should I stay or should I go, now?
She scoots over to the driver's seat of the ambulance,
grabs the keys in the ignition...
Takes a last look at the doors.
Turns the keys - starts the ambulance.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT
The gurneys on their end of the hallway.
Dr. Bannister and the Pregnant Zombies on the other end.
BANNISTER
Wanna play doctor?
DAWN
Dr. Bannister...
BANNISTER
Dawn? Love of my life, fire of my
loins. Do you know how many times
I've dreamed of waking up at the
crack of dawn?
JACK
Get on the gurney. Both of you.
Stewart and Dawn get on a gurney together - difficult with
the contamination suits - they have to hang on.
BANNISTER
Take off your clothes and we'll begin
the examination. Open wide.
Bannister charges them.
Jack pushes the gurney at him.
The gurney with Stewart and Dawn zooms down the hall...
...................Right at Bannister...
.................................Who doesn't move aside.
Bannister holds out his hands.
The gurney hits him.
He pushes it over.
Stewart and Dawn spill onto the floor at Bannister's feet.
Jack is zooming down the hall on his gurney.
Crashes into the other gurney and flies to the floor.
Pregnant Zombies rush past Jack and attack Dawn and Stewart.
BANNISTER
Strip them! Strip them bare!
Pregnant Zombies try to remove the contamination suits.
Dawn and Stewart fight them off.
But they're out numbered.
Bannister laughs and takes off his lab coat.
BANNISTER
Dawn, Dawn, Dawn, Dawn...
Jack looks from Stewart to Dawn. Who should he save?
JACK
Friend or lover?
Raising his hammer, he charges in to save Dawn.
Knocks Bannister aside, hammers some Zombies.
Jack grabs Dawn's gloved hand in his and pulls her away
from the fray. Slamming anyone that follows with the hammer.
Jack and Dawn reach safety.
JACK
You okay?
DAWN
Told you I was a weirdo magnet.
Jack looks at the Zombies and Bannister piling on Stewart.
DAWN
We have to get out of here.
JACK
He's been my partner for seven years.
I can't just leave him.
Jack raises his hammer and charges into the action.
Stewart kicks zombies off of him.
Then the zombies clear...
And Dr. Bannister swings his scalpel at him!
Stewart rolls out of the way.
The scalpel misses by a centimeter.
Dr. Bannister swings the scalpel again.
Stewart rolls out of the way.
The scalpel barely misses.
Dr. Bannister swings the scalpel right at his face!
Stewart tries to roll away, but the scalpel slices through
his contamination suit...
Dr. Bannister swings the scalpel at Stewart's face!
Stewart has nowhere to roll.
Wham!
Jack tackles Dr. Bannister.
They roll down the hall.
Stewart gets to his feet.
JACK
Run! Run!
Stewart runs.
Jack turns to face Dr. Bannister.
BANNISTER
No reason to go hostile - I just
want to help you. What are you
fighting for? Society? It's over.
Bannister attacks with his scalpel.
BANNISTER
Nobody cares anymore.
Jack blocks the scalpel with his hammer.
Bannister spins and slices at Jack's face.
BANNISTER
No reason to contain your urges.
Jack barely gets his hammer up in time to block. Clang!
Bannister twists and slices at Jack's chest.
BANNISTER
No reason to follow the rules.
Jack pulls the hammer down, blocking the thrust.
Bannister spins and strikes for Jack's face again.
BANNISTER
No reason to care about anyone other
than yourself.
Jack blocks with the hammer, then twists it around and
swings the claws at Bannister's face. The claws catch his
nostrils and yank his nose off. Jack brings the hammer
head down on Bannister's head - crushing his skull.
Bannister falls to the floor, maggots crawl out of his
head.
JACK
Ask me if I care now.
Jack kicks the Pregnant Zombies out of the way and rejoins
Stewart and Dawn.
JACK
Let's go.
The three march down the hallways to the service doors.
EXT. MERCY HOSPITAL - LOADING DOCK -- NIGHT
Jack, Stewart and Dawn leave the hospital.
Their contamination suits are covered with maggots.
The ambulance is gone.
JACK
Shit... How long were we in there?
There's a roar as the ambulance zooms up and stops.
Caroline is inside, munching on a cookie, gun in hand.
Stewart knocks on the ambulance window at Caroline.
STEWART
Open up, Hon. It's Big Bear time.
They carefully strip off their maggoty contamination suits.
Caroline unlocks the ambulance door and they climb in.
STEWART
You came back.
CAROLINE
I couldn't live without you, Stew.
STEWART
I love you, Care-bear.
They kiss.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Jack and Dawn are in front, Stewart and Caroline in back.
They cruise down the city streets.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
The world gone wild.
Lots of cannibalism.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Dawn looks in the rear compartment of the ambulance...
Stewart and Caroline are making out like crazy. Kissing,
fondling, hands all over each other.
Dawn turns back to the front of the ambulance.
DAWN
I guess the honeymoon isn't over.
JACK
Stewart said she's got an active sex
drive even after seven months of
marriage.
DAWN
It looks like the Minelli - Gest
wedding back there.
A moment of silence.
JACK
What if we're the last people on
earth? The four of us?
DAWN
There's got to be others. People
trapped in their apartments.
JACK
Caroline didn't even know anything
was going on - she slept through the
whole thing.
DAWN
How many people work night shift?
Most of the city is probably safe.
JACK
They'll get them eventually - you
know they will. No matter how strong
you are, eventually they'll wear you
down.
DAWN
If this was caused by the Mars Rover
disintegrating, this is probably the
only area of the country that's
infected.
JACK
Look how fast it spread. One minute
everything was fine, an instant later
the world went wild.
DAWN
We'll be okay in Big Bear.
JACK
Will we? Living in isolation. No
friends, no jobs, no TV, just the
four of us telling the same stories,
the same jokes for the rest of our
lives?
DAWN
You're already in isolation, Jack.
You've closed your heart.
Jack looks out the window for a minute.
JACK
Familiar territory.
(beat)
Should we stop at my apartment for
supplies? Got two cases of chili
and a freezer full of frozen food.
DAWN
Say goodbye because you're never
going back there again.
Jack waves as they pass his cross street.
DAWN
What's that?
Jack looks ahead - sees a military checkpoint ahead.
EXT. MILITARY CHECKPOINT -- NIGHT
A half dozen soldiers with machine guns.
A couple of jeeps...
And a TANK...
Block the road completely.
Barbed wire and wrecked vehicles fill in the blockade.
Only enough room for one car to pass - and it has to get
past the guys with machine guns.
The tank turret rotates slowly to aim at the ambulance.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Jack slows the ambulance.
JACK
Must have declared martial law.
DAWN
Don't stop.
JACK
I don't think we have any choice.
Dawn knocks on the partition.
Stewart and Caroline disentangle themselves from each other.
Stewart sticks his head through the partition.
STEWART
What's the problem?
JACK
Tank.
STEWART
Tank of what? We out of gas?
JACK
Army tank.
Stewart and Caroline straighten their clothes.
Jack pulls up to the checkpoint.
EXT. MILITARY CHECKPOINT -- NIGHT
A SOLDIER knocks on the window.
Gestures for Jack to roll it down.
JACK
Emergency vehicle. Let us through.
SOLDIER
Roll it down or I'll shoot it out.
Jack rolls down the window.
JACK
This is an emergency vehicle --
SOLDIER
Turn it around and go back. This
area has been quarantined. No one
from the infected area is allowed
past this point.
JACK
Look, we're not infected. And we're
trying to stay that way.
DAWN
If you make us go back, we won't
survive the night.
SOLDIER
The infection must be contained.
Turn it around.
JACK
We need to get out of town to survive.
Do you understand? It's a madhouse
back there.
DAWN
We made it this far. Please don't
send us back.
CAROLINE
We have a place we can stay in Big
Bear. We won't cough on anybody.
SOLDIER
I have my orders. Turn it around or
we'll be forced to fire.
STEWART
Gun it.
Jack smiles at the Soldier...
And JAMBS on the gas pedal.
The Ambulance roars away.
The Soldier raises his machine gun and fires.
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Jack sees the gun flare.
JACK
Down! Down!
Everybody ducks as bullets pummel the back of the ambulance.
Then the shooting stops.
Everyone is okay.
They're safe!
Jack looks in the rear view window to see...
EXT. MILITARY CHECKPOINT -- NIGHT
The tank turret rotates, aiming at them!
INT. AMBULANCE -- NIGHT
Jack hits the brakes.
DAWN
What's wrong?
JACK
Everybody out! Now!
Jack, Stewart, Dawn and Caroline grab their things and
scramble out of the ambulance.
EXT. MILITARY CHECKPOINT -- NIGHT
The tank fires...
Hitting the Ambulance and EXPLODING IT in a fireball.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
Jack, Dawn, Stewart and Caroline run from the burning shell
of the ambulance.
EXT. MILITARY CHECKPOINT -- NIGHT
The Soldier sees them running and barks orders to the other
SOLDIERS at the checkpoint.
SOLDIER
Find them. Stop them.
The SOLDIERS chase after the four.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
Jack checks every building door that he runs past.
Finds an open one... a Medical Supply Warehouse.
JACK
In here.
The four dive through the doorway, close it behind them.
The SOLDIERS run down the street, checking doors.
When they try the door the four dove through - it's locked.
INT. WAREHOUSE -- NIGHT
Jack gets the door locked SECONDS before it starts shaking.
The four stay VERY quiet.
They hear the soldiers walk away.
The warehouse is dark.
Shadowed.
Spooky.
Caroline pulls a flashlight from the backpack, shines it
around. Spots a door on the other side of the building.
They jog to it.
Stewart pushes the door open.
EXT. WAREHOUSE -- NIGHT
A completely empty street...
Mountains in the distance.
INT. WAREHOUSE -- NIGHT
Stewart eases the door shut, turns to Jack.
STEWART
We made it! We're out! No soldiers,
no police, nothing between us and
the rest of the world!
JACK
It's a long walk to Big Bear, buddy.
STEWART
We'll hot wire a car. Hitch a ride
on a produce truck. Who cares? We
can quit fighting and relax.
Stewart dances in celebration, then grabs Jack and gives
him a big hug.
Caroline gives Dawn a big hug, too.
Stewart holds Jack close, looks right in his eyes.
STEWART
You and me, Jack. We've been through
holy hell tonight, but here we are,
all the troubles of the world behind
us. Free! Nothing to tie us down,
nothing to stop us.
Stewart moves in to kiss Jack on the mouth...
Maggots dribbling from between his lips.
Jack pushes him away, jumps back.
Caroline tries to kiss Dawn on the lips...
Puts her hand on Dawn's crotch...
Gets pushed away.
JACK
Stewart?
STEWART
Why are you fighting it, Jack?
Stewart projectile vomits maggots at Jack.
Jack jumps back, maggots spattering at his feet.
STEWART
Third rule of zombies, Jack - we
always come back. People you love,
people you trust, people who've died:
They always come back to attack.
You can't keep a dead man down.
Caroline reaches in the backpack for the Smith & Wesson.
Dawn snatches the backpack out of her hands.
DAWN
I'll take that.
Caroline projectile vomits maggots at Dawn.
Jack grabs Dawn's hand and yanks her out of the way.
They crash through the door to the street.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
Jack and Dawn run away from the warehouse.
The warehouse door opens, Stewart steps out.
STEWART
We made a pact, Jack. No matter
what happens, we're partners.
Jack and Dawn run down the street.
STEWART
Partners forever, Jack!
Jack doesn't let Stewart guilt trip him into zombie world.
STEWART
Take my wife, please!
Jack and Dawn turn a corner, leaving them far behind.
STEWART (O.S.)
We're coming to get you, Jack!
Jack and Dawn keep running as Stewart's voice echoes.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
Ahead of them, the military checkpoint.
Behind them, Stewart and Caroline.
DAWN
Where can we go?
JACK
My place.
Jack pulls on Dawn's arm, she doesn't budge.
JACK
It's only six blocks away, there's
food, we can barricade the door and
windows. Wait this thing out.
DAWN
Okay.
This time when he pulls on her arm she follows.
EXT. MILITARY CHECKPOINT -- NIGHT
Jack and Dawn sneak up to the checkpoint.
A SOLDIER patrols ahead of them - no way to get past the
soldiers and tank and barbed wire.
The Soldier turns, heads RIGHT TOWARD THEM!
Jack and Dawn lay on the sidewalk, very still.
The Soldier is almost on top of them, when they hear...
STEWART (O.S.)
Jack! Dawn! You don't know what
you're missing. It's freedom!
The Soldier stops, turns to see...
Stewart and Caroline run around the corner.
Stop when they see the Military Checkpoint.
ALL OF THE SOLDIERS aim their weapons at them.
SOLDIER
Stop right there, sir! This is a
secured area.
Stewart and Caroline take another step forward.
SOLDIER
Stop!
STEWART
Come on, guys! Can't you feel the
love? It's inside me - squirming.
Caroline and Stewart start taking off their clothes.
BLAM! BLAM! The Soldiers fire.
Jack and Dawn use this as a diversion to get past the
checkpoint. Once past the checkpoint, Jack stops.
Looks back at...
The Soldiers all stand over Stewart and Caroline's bodies.
WHAM! Stewart and Caroline grab the Soldiers' ankles and
pull them off their feet. Once they're down, they vomit
maggots all over them.
Jack and Dawn take off running.
EXT. JACK'S BUILDING -- ALMOST DAWN
Jack and Dawn hide behind a car as they scope the building.
JACK
I thought Stewart's place was bad.
DAWN
Singles building.
THROUGH THE BINOCULARS: Zombie plague city! The lobby is
filled with swinging singles spitting maggots into each
others mouths. Casual sex and cannibalism.
JACK
We'll go though the garage.
INT. JACK'S BUILDING - GARAGE -- ALMOST DAWN
Spooky - flickering lights and pockets of shadow.
They make their way to the stairs...
Wham!
Attacked by a ZOMBIE when they get halfway across the
garage.
Jack and Dawn fight him off - setting off a car alarm in
the process. Alerting another zombie of there presence.
Jack grabs the bota-bag from the back-pack, sprays both
Zombies with vodka. The Zombies scream and fall back.
JACK
Stairs. Go! Go!
They make it to the stairs and slam the stairwell door -
closing out zombies.
INT. JACK'S BUILDING - BACK STAIRS -- ALMOST DAWN
Jack and Dawn climb the back stairs to Jack's floor.
Dark, spooky stairs.
They climb in the semi darkness, holding hands.
Keeping close to each other.
They may be the last two uninfected in Los Angeles.
Wham! A ZOMBIE jumps from the shadows and attacks.
Jack spins the Zombie around, pushes it down the stairs.
It tumbles down... bowling over a couple of other Zombies.
JACK
You okay?
DAWN
Yeah.
More dark stairs, more shadows. More zombies?
They keep climbing the stairs... suspense grows.
Another dark landing... nothing.
Another dark landing... nothing.
They turn the corner to climb the next flight, and the
door behind them pops open and ZOMBIES spill out.
Jack kicks the door closed, smashing zombie arms and heads.
One Zombie head pops open, spilling maggots.
The other Zombies jump on him and tear into his flesh.
Jack and Dawn make a break for it, racing up stairs to...
INT. JACK'S BUILDING - HALLWAY -- ALMOST DAWN
The hallway is filled with swinging single zombies.
JACK
Take the gun. Aim for the head.
Dawn pulls the Smith & Wesson from the backpack, Jack grabs
a hammer and the bota-bag of vodka.
A DISCO DAN saunters up to Dawn, tries his best pick up
line.
DISCO DAN
Are you a religious woman? Then your
prayers have been answered.
Bang! Dawn shoots him.
A LOUNGE LIZARD steps up to the plate and gives it a shot.
LOUNGE LIZARD
Is there a rainbow today? Because
I've found the treasure I've been
looking for.
Bang! Dawn shoots him in the head.
The door behind Dawn pops open and a STUDLY DUDE zombie
with a rotted face jumps out and grabs her.
Dawn screams and he tries to bite her neck.
She kicks him away.
He bounces against the hallway wall, pops back at her.
Tries his best pick up line as he zooms at her.
STUDLY DUDE
I'm an organ donor... Need anything?
Bang! Dawn fires away... misses.
He keeps on coming.
Only inches away.
STUDLY DUDE
If I could rearrange the alphabet
I'd put U and I together.
Bang! Dawn shoots him in the head.
Attractive WOMEN try their most seductive poses on Jack.
WOMAN
Wanna play cable and hook up?
She raises her skirt.
Jack sprays her with vodka, slams the hammer into her head,
maggots erupt, kicks her aside.
An ASIAN WOMAN tears off a piece of her arm and eats it,
asks Jack...
ASIAN WOMAN
Would you like to eat a little
Chinese?
JACK
Will I be horny an hour later?
He sprays her with vodka, blinding her enough to get past.
She wipes the vodka from her eyes and attacks. Teeth bared.
Jack pushes her teeth away from his neck.
She prepares to vomit maggots at him.
He uses a hand as a shield, moves in, slams the hammer
into her head. Maggots erupt from the wound.
When he turns around, a BAR BABE licks her lips...
BAR BABE
There are 265 bones in my body...
But I could use one more.
He sprays her with vodka from the bota-bag, slams her with
hammer, moves on.
A LAST CALL GAL struts up to Jack...
LAST CALL GAL
You can call me "Snowflake", because
I sure have fallen for you.
The bota-bag is empty...
So Dawn shoots her in the head.
Maggots spurt out of the head wound.
Jack and Dawn make it to the door, squeezing in to safety.
INT. JACK'S APARTMENT -- ALMOST DAWM
Jack slams the door shut and clicks all of the bolts.
He and Dawn are safe.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN:
INT. JACK'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM -- DAY
The doors and windows are reinforced - wood planks nailed
over them, keeping out any zombies.
The place has been turned into a fortress - furniture pushed
up against the doors.
Jack sits on the sofa, eating a bowl of cereal.
Clicks the TV remote - 500 channels and nothing on -
literally. Every station is static and snow.
Finally he gets a signal - CNN Headline News.
ON TV
A CNN REPORTER speaks over a graphic of the United States.
Most of the map is colored red.
REPORTER (V.O.)
Most of the United States has been
effected by the plague. Hospitals
have been unable to keep up with the
widespread epidemic, and the military
seems powerless.
A video clip of ZOMBIES surrounding a tank, rocking it
back and forth. The Zombies pull Soldiers out of the tank.
A zombie RUSHES at the camera, suddenly the image goes
blank.
THE CNN REPORTER in the studio.
REPORTER
Keep your doors locked. Remember
that anyone can be infected - even
those that you love. We're going to
remain on air as long as possible --
Suddenly ZOMBIES overrun the studio.
INT. JACK'S APARTMENT -- DAY
Dawn steps in front of Jack, blocking his view of the
screen.
DAWN
Honey, you forget to put the toilet
seat down again. And your socks
missed the hamper this morning.
She moves away, and Jack stares at the blank screen of the
TV, nothing but static and snow. He doesn't look happy.
Click: Snow.
Click: Static and snow.
Click: Snow.
Click....
FADE OUT.
FADE IN:
EXT. LOS ANGELES -- DAY
Overhead shot of the city.
STEWART (V.O.)
Fourth rule of zombies: Zombies rule.
The city looks normal... traffic is at a stand-still, except
everyone on the 405 is a zombie.
The zombies have taken over the world.
FADE OUT.
THE END.
JUST BEFORE DAWN by William C. Martell
FIRST STRIKE/LOST CITY PRODUCTIONS
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