:::::RECURRING:::::
1. Jeremy Hill ( Indiybomboo)
2. Declan Cho ( Flamey9999)
3. Kinsley Jensen ( tkoj555)
4. Kevin Richards (Shaunyboo2001)
5. Zale Fields ( lliiaamm)
6. Eden Tran ( rawr121)
7. Nate Kinsey (AintItFun)
8. Chandler Parks (coolKat)
9. Miles Scott (rawr121)
10. Sage Peizer ( Logie56)
:::::SCENE 1:::::
*June 1, 2017*
**50% voted for Meredith to join Trent’s group. Tie broken by Carly**
Walking up a trail, Meredith and Trent see the closed iron gates guarding a mansion. Trent walks up to the gate and unlocks the side door leading into the property. Meredith looks around and takes in the quiet, isolated environment amongst the trees.
TRENT: You coming in?
She looks at him as he holds open the gate’s side door and makes her way beyond the fence. The two head towards the mansion where light can be seen inside. Almost as if untouched from the chaos of the new world.
Trent unlocks the front door and ushers Meredith inside. Looking around, she notices the elegant decor along with two large staircases on either side of the foyer.
MEREDITH: How did you manage to get this?
MILA: A lot of hard work, glass ceiling breaking and charisma.
Meredith turns in the direction of the voice as a with a woman with a familiar look walks towards her.
TRENT: Mila, this is Meredith. Crossed paths while on my run for supplies. Pretty good with a knife. Doesn’t say much, but from what I gather she is willing to contribute. Oh and, Meredith, this is Mila.
Mila looks Meredith over with a serious look before stretching out her hand.
MILA: Welcome to your new home.
Meredith looks at Mia with caution before reaching out and accepting the handshake.
:::::SCENE 2:::::
Leading Trent and Meredith into the living room, Mila gestures to a group of people sitting around the room.
MILA: Thanks to my generators, we managed to keep the lights on. These are your new fellow survivors. Everyone, this is Meredith.
The group stops what they're doing and looks at her with curiosity and slight confusion.
TRENT: It’s ok, she doesn’t bite. From what I gather anyways.
He drops his bag on the floor and makes his way to a table set up with alcohol. He pours himself a glass and swallows it in one gulp. Reina gets up from the couch she is sitting on and waddles her way over to Meredith with a smile.
REINA: Always nice to see a new face. I’m Reina.
MEREDITH: Nice to meet you. So, all of you live here?
REINA: By luck and faith we all ended up here. Come sit down, you look exhausted.
Reina leads Meredith to the couch and has her sit. Over in the corner sitting at a chess table, Jude and Declan look between Meredith and Trent. Jude gets up and walks over to his dad.
JUDE (whisper): Can we really trust her? What if she brings others?
TRENT (whisper): Only time will tell. If she can’t be trusted, I’ll take care of it.
Reina walks over to a bag in the corner, takes out a first aid kit and sits next to Meredith.
REINA: Let’s get you cleaned up. I’m a nurse by the way. What is it you do?
MEREDITH: I. I used to be a chemist.
REINA: That could come in hand for sure.
KALISTA: So it’s just you? No one out there waiting for you to report back?
BRAXTON: Kalista, stop.
KALISTA: What? I want to know what to expect. There’s only so many rooms in this place.
MEREDITH: It’s just me. No one else. Not anymore.
She looks off in the distance and a hush falls over the room. Reina continues to clean up Meredith’s wounds as Mila clears her throat.
MILA: I suppose this is a good time to introduce ourselves formally. I’m Mila Patel.
MEREDITH: The talk show host?
DECLAN: The one and only.
MILA: That’s Declan, my friend and former cameraman.
He nods at Meredith.
KALISTA: Well I’m Kalista. Not interested in your backstory, so I’m going to head up.
She gets up from a chair and heads for the foyer stairs. Braxton shakes his head and stretches out his hand to Meredith.
BRAXTON: Don’t mind her. My future sister-in-law isn’t one for conversations that don’t focus on her.
MEREDITH: Is your fiancé here too?
BRAXTON: No…she’s. We got separated during the outbreak.
MEREDITH: I’m sorry.
BRAXTON: I know she’s out there. Surviving. I’ll find her one day.
Jeremy reaches out and pats Braxton’s back. Braxton, getting teary eyed, walks off to the kitchen as Jeremy does a slight wave to Meredith.
JEREMY: I’m Jeremy. Former engineer.
He walks off as Trent and Jude take a seat on the couch adjacent to Meredith.
TRENT: This is my son, Jude.
MEREDITH: Hi.
JUDE: Hey.
TRENT: Finally someone he has something in common with. Teenage angst.
MEREDITH: How old are you?
JUDE: Fifteen.
MEREDITH: You’re about my son’s age.
JUDE: Is he…one of them?
She looks away, struggling to keep her composure. Reina looks over at Mila with a sympathetic look.
MILA: Let’s get you up to your room.
The ladies help Meredith up and walk her towards the stairs. In the kitchen, Braxton wipes away single tears while looking at a photo of Krista.
BRAXTON: I will find you.
:::::SCENE 3:::::
In the middle of the woods, there is an isolated cabin. As light rain falls around them, Krista and Stacey cautiously make their way to the door with their guns at the ready. With a nod to each other, Krista turns the nob and opens the door.
The ladies make their way into the dark cabin. Krista works her way to the right and looks around, as Stacey takes the left side. Entering the kitchen area, Krista hears a scratching sound coming from the pantry. Fear and composure battle to take precedence in her mind as she reaches to open the door.
She flings to door open.
EEEK!!
Three rats dodge out of the pantry and Krista breaths a sigh of relief.
STACEY: Left side is all clear. You ok?
KRISTA: Yeah, just some damn rats.
STACEY: I’ll go signal the others.
The former cop heads outside and waves at three others hiding amongst nearby bushes. As the trio enter the cabin, Krista tries the light switch to no luck.
DANIELLE: Better to be inside in the dark than outside come dark.
KINSLEY: Agreed. This place doesn’t seem so bad.
Kevin sits on the couch and begins to cough as dust rises.
KEVIN: Yeah *cough* Not bad at all.
STACEY: After a month of dodging from place to place, this might be the best one yet.
DANIELLE: We just need to try and board up the windows.
KINSLEY: We could try and use some of the doors as barriers.
KRISTA: Might work for now. At least for the windows in here.
Danielle makes her way to the kitchen and starts to rummage through the pantry. Kinsley walks over and checks out the fridge. Krista walks towards the back bedroom as Stacey follows. Krista looks out the window and takes in the silence.
STACEY: This is ok for now, but I’m not sure we can fully survive here.
KRISTA: I know. We just have to stay alert.
Stacey walks over to the bed and lays down with a smile.
STACEY: Christ it’s been forever since I’ve had a bed.
Krista looks at her with a raised eyebrow.
KRISTA: What makes you think that is your bed?
STACEY: Finders, keepers and all.
The ladies laugh as Kinsley, Kevin and Danielle enter with smiles.
DANIELLE: We will take shifts.
STACEY: Fine, I’ll share.
KINSLEY: We managed to find some good stuff left over.
DANIELLE: It seems like we might be the first ones to ever come here.
KRISTA: Strange, right? A month into this shit and this place hasn't been touched.
STACEY: Some would call it a blessing.
KEVIN: I’ll just call it a reward for surviving amongst this much estrogen.
The group laughs, oblivious to the groaning sounds coming from within the cabin walls.
:::::SCENE 4:::::
A fire crackles as evening approaches and the sky turns to dark. Zale pokes at the fire as Eden rubs her hands to warm up. A few feet behind them Nate teaches Chandler some martial arts moves.
Chandler closes her fists and swings at Nate’s face. He ducks low and swings his leg around, knocking Chandler on her back. She lays down out of breath as he offers her a hand up.
NATE: You’re getting better.
CHANDLER: You call me busting my ass “better?”
NATE: You’re at least learning the proper motions.
CHANDLER: I know how to fight, Nathaniel.
NATE: You know how to street fight on video games. This isn't the same thing.
CHANDLER: As long as it kills those undead assholes, that’s all that matters.
ZALE: Perhaps, but he's just trying to keep you from wasting all your energy.
CHANDLER: I’ve already wasted it. I’m running on hope.
ZALE: Hope?
CHANDLER: Hope that one day I’ll get to have a burger again.
Eden gets up, walks over to one of the two tents nearby tents and gets in. The others watch her in silence. After Eden closes the tent behind her, Chandler and Nate make their way back to the fire and sit on the ground with Zale.
CHANDLER: A month later and that girl still gives me major creep vibes.
ZALE: It’s just the situation. It’s hard on all of us.
NATE: It’s just how she copes with it all.
CHANDLER: By closing herself off? Being anti-social?
ZALE: Eden just likes to keep to herself.
CHANDLER: She used to make coffee for a living. The girl needs to perk up and deal with it.
NATE: That’s harsh don’t you think?
She rolls her eye as the moans of the undead linger in the background.
ZALE: We should probably move again in the morning.
NATE: Yeah, this overpass isn’t going to keep us safe for long.
ZALE: Chandler, get some rest. Nate and I will keep watch.
CHANDLER: Alright. Night.
Chandler gets up and heads towards the tent Eden got into. Once closed, Zale stands and makes his way away from the camp, looking out at the deserted road ahead. Moments later Nate stands next to him.
NATE: Looks like we have two choices. Continue down the road or head into the woods.
ZALE: We’ll decide in the morning.
The guys turn to face each other. Their eyes meet and linger for a few moments before turning back to face the road ahead.
:::::SCENE 5:::::
Walking down a dark road in a suburban neighborhood, Miles whistles a tune as Sage looks around cautiously. The groans of the undead echo amongst the deserted houses.
He continues to whistle as Sage stops and looks suspiciously at a car parked outside a house.
MILES: What’s up?
SAGE: I thought I saw something move in there.
MILES: Probably one of those freaks. Come on, keep up.
Miles continues down the road, but Sage inches closer to the car with his hand on his gun. Just as he goes to open the driver’s door, he feels the chill of a gun touching the back of his neck.
MAN: Back away, boy. We don't want any trouble.
Sage slowly backs away with his hands up as an elderly woman sits up from in the backseat of the car. Fear in her eyes.
MAN: Turn around.
Sage slowly turns around and faces an elderly man. Sweat pours down his face as his eyes dart around searching for Miles.
MAN: Now get on. No need for you to overstay your welcome.
SAGE: I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…
BANG!
A gunshot rings out and Sage falls to his knees, eyes tightly shut. Blood runs down his face. He slowly opens them to see the elderly man on the clutching his shot arm. The elderly woman screams out and dashes from the car to her husband.
WOMAN: Oh my God! No!
Sage looks on in horror and turns his head to see Miles reaching for him.
MILES: Let’s go!
Miles pulls Sage up and drags him to run down the street. Sage looks back and the couple clinging to each other as three undead come into view.
SAGE: We can’t leave them! We have to help them!
MILES: Like they were going to help you!? Fuck that, let’s go!
Miles runs down the street as Sage continues to look back. His heart races and his mind flips between choices until there is no other choice left but to follow Miles. Sage sprints down the street as the screams of the elderly couple ring out.
:::::SCENE 6:::::
In bed, Meredith tosses and turns. Sweat clings to her face as she whimpers in her sleep.
————ONE MONTH EARLIER————
Meredith runs into her son’s room and slams the door shut. As she locks it, she hears the screams of her zombified teen while he scratches at the door. She sinks to the ground, tears flow from her eyes as she grabs her phone. She dials a number.
MEREDITH (phone): Hello? HELLO!? I need you! Jason he…he’s…
BOOM!
The door breaks and Meredith drops the phone as she scrambles back. Jason charges at her and tackles her to the ground. She struggles to keep him from scratching her as she screams out.
MEREDITH: Jason! Stop! Please!!
He screams and in the moment her mind goes blank.
——Cut To——
As the moon shines in through her son’s window, Meredith, covered in blood, sits on the floor - knees to chest - sobbing and rocking back and forth. Jason’s body lays still on the ground as his head exposes blood and brain.
————PRESENT DAY————
Meredith sits up with a start to find Reina sitting at the edge of her bed with a washcloth.
REINA: Shhh. It’s ok. You’re safe here.
Reina dabs the cloth on Meredith’s face as tears slowly fall from her eyes.
MEREDITH: My…my son.
REINA: It’s ok. Just breathe.
MEREDITH: My…my so…son is…g…gone.
Meredith weeps as Reina pulls her into a tight embrace and rubs her back. Trent looks on from the hallway, fighting back tears of his own.
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