by Mehul Desai
Hope stares at the shape, unable to move.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
-Go!
Hope retreats to the tree. The creature's eyes follow her.
Sebastian steps aside, blocking its view.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
Over here.
The creature LEAPS forward. Sebastian swings the spear, knocking it into the bushes.
He looks aside. More more “snapping” branches and “rustling” leaves are heard.
He spins around.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
(to Hope)
Cover your ears!
The “wails” start, sharp and piercing.
Sebastian drops the spear, already struck down by the sound.
Hope screams, pressing her hands to her ears.
Sebastian jumps into the tree just as a swarm of black shapes charge forward.
HOPE
PAPA!
Sebastian gets to her and pulls her close. Hope continues to scream as he locks his arms around her, pressing his hands over hers.
Below a dozen silhouetted red eyes have gathered, all “wailing” in unison.
HOPE (CONT'D)
PAPA!
CUT TO BLACK.
FADE IN.
EXT. FOREST - MORNING
The galaxies rise over the treetops.
Sebastian's arms are still around Hope, both asleep.
“Squawk”, Sebastian snaps awake.
A zebra striped bird sits at the end of the branch, watching them.
Sebastian squeezes his forehead, coming about, and slowly looks down
A pig-creature scavenges for food. Red eye footprints are everywhere.
He looks over the treetops. The forest stretches in all directions.
HOPE (O.S)
(low)
Have they gone?
Sebastian sees Hope staring up at him.
SEBASTIAN
Yes.
He squeezes her arm.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
They've gone.
HOPE
Will they come back?
He looks over the forest again.
SEBASTIAN
(beat)
Yes.
CUT TO.
EXT. FOREST - MONTAGE (DAY TO NIGHT)
Morning, branches are rounded up, Hope carrying as much as she can. Sebastian uses a blade to stripe them down.
Midday, Sebastian sets down stone markers.
Hope picks a dead rabbit struck by an arrow. She looks around and draws another arrow.
Afternoon, the sun and galaxies set. Sebastian prepares a campfire with dry grass but leaves it unlit.
Clearing, dead pig-creatures are thrown down, flies buzzing.
Evening, the sky turns orange, the sun fading.
CUT TO.
EXT. FOREST - EVENING
Sebastian helps Hope up a tree, a fire burning behind him.
SEBASTIAN
Got it?
HOPE
Yeah.
Sebastian steps back.
SEBASTIAN
Whatever happens, you stay up there, you
understand me?
Hope looks down and nods.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
(beat)
No matter what happens.
HOPE
Yes papa.
Sebastian grabs a torch by the fire and turns around.
Hope lifts some mud and presses it into her ears.
Sebastian looks into the forest ahead. The shadows are getting longer.
CUT TO.
EXT. FOREST - NIGHT
A skinned rabbit hangs from a short vine, Hope holds the other end.
Sebastian's eyes slowly scan the area, all that can be heard is the light crackle of the fire beside him.
It's now pitch black in all directions...
Hope glances aside, nervously waiting.
Sebastian slowly raises a hand. He holds up two fingers and points forward.
Hope quickly spins the skinned rabbit over her head and lets go.
The rabbit goes flying off...
Sebastian hears a soft “thump”.
Hope takes another vine and spins again, throwing another rabbit in the same direction.
Sebastian waits.
... A branch “snaps”... then another, and another.
Sebastian holds up five fingers and points forward again.
Hope throws more skinned rabbits.
“Thump. Thump. Thump”
Sebastian grips his torch... clenches his teeth... then RUNS TO THE SIDE.
Black shapes are gathered around the stack of dead pigs. They all turn their heads, red eyes glowing!
More skinned rabbits fall, several of the red eyes are distracted but three move off in Sebastian's direction.
Sebastian lights an unlit fire and runs on.
Hope throws more rabbits.
Sebastian turns his head just as a red eye jumps at him. He waves the torch and hears a sharp “screech”.
The red eye falls to the ground and rolls around, its black fur on fire.
Hope reaches for another when she accidentally kicks the remaining rabbits off the ledge.
Sebastian lights another fire.
Hope sees the third fire lit but also the remaining red eyes retreating into the forest.
HOPE
No...
She looks around, panicking.
Another fire is lit, Sebastian runs...
Hope pulls herself together. She backs up, fists clenched, and jumps down, landing on her feet and knuckle.
She grabs her bow and arrows and runs aside with another torch, going in the opposite direction to Sebastian.
A red eye “screeches”, backing away from Sebastian's torch.
Sebastian pushes on. More “wails” and “screeches” rise off-screen, all overlapping.
Hope lights a fire and runs on.
Sebastian does the same.
From above we see what's happening, the fires are creating a circle, trapping the red eyes within.
Sebastian reaches the last fire and sees Hope already lighting it.
SEBASTIAN
Hope??
Hope raises her bow and begins firing into the circle.
The red eyes are in a frenzy, drowning in the firelight.
Hope aims and fires, cutting them down one by one.
The red eyes “squeal”, clambering over each other.
Sebastian watches as she slaughters them, her blue eyes filled with venomous rage.
The last red eye cries out as an arrow shoots through its side. It tries to hide behind the pile of bodies but falls over.
Hope draws her last arrow and smiles, savoring the moment.
“Thwuck!”, the rat-like creature is struck in the eye and drops dead.
The wails and screeches fade... All that can be heard is the crackle of fire.
Hope throws down her torch and continues to smile, out of breath.
HOPE
We're stronger.
The black bodies of the red eyes burn up.
HOPE (O.S) (CONT'D)
We're stronger than them.
She shakes her head and begins to laughs, adrenaline pumping.
HOPE (CONT'D)
We're stronger than ALL of them!
Sebastian looks at her.
Her young face full of life.
FADE TO BLACK.
FADE IN.
INT. LIVING ROOM - SMALL APARTMENT - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
Blue eyes concentrate. A painting of a tropical island, the ocean beyond. A thin brush adds some detail to a black and white bird.
Alana pauses, studying the painting.
HOST / TV (O.S)
“The popular perception at the time was
that terra-forming was working, so what
DID account for the boom in '82?”
Alana glances at the TV. A host and three guests are sitting around a table.
GUEST #1 / TV (O.S)
unemployment then, just as it is now, was
lower than any place here on Earth. Life
expectancy is still no higher than 36 for
90% of the colonies.”
GUEST #2 / TV
“Lets not forget that ten years ago Earth
and Mars were at their closest alignment for
nearly eighty years. It's natural there would
be a increase in immigration.”
Alana moves on to a silhouetted figure sitting on the beach.
GUEST #3 / TV
“So what are we saying? It'll be another 80
years before the current number can be sent
back?”
Alana glances at the TV, anger in her eye.
GUEST #1 / TV
“If we start shipping Martians back the
Red2Greens will take that as a sign of
hostility, that we don't see Martians as
equals.”
GUEST #3 / TV
“What's the alternative? Let millions stay?
The majority of polls have shown that these
people are not integrating into society,
neither are their children. They're used to
living off the state. In fact crime has gone
up in-
ALANA
-Off.
The television cuts off. Alana wipes her hands on a rag. There's a knock on the door. She puts down the rag and makes her way over.
INT. HALLWAY - APARTMENT BUILDING
The door opens. Sebastian stands, wearing a long coat over his suit.
SEBASTIAN
I wanted to apologize. If there's been any misunderstanding.
Alana looks at him, already feeling bad.
ALANA
No, I... I was rude to leave like that.
SEBASTIAN
No, don't apologize. Look, I want to ask
you something but I don't want you to feel
like you have to say yes. If you say no I'll
walk away and that'll be it, I won't be
offended.
Alana nods.
Sebastian takes a deep breath. Nervous.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
(beat)
Would you... like to have dinner with me?
Tonight.
Alana looks aside, a hint of a smile on her face.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
-You can say no. I won't cut off your
funding, I promise.
Alana looks back at him, now blushing.
ALANA
(beat)
Can you give me a few minutes to get
ready?
Sebastian smiles.
SEBASTIAN
(nods)
Take all the time in the world.
Alana opens the door, still blushing.
CUT TO.
EXT. ROCKY COVE - BRIGHT MORNING
A flock of green birds fly over the ocean. Sebastian works on a simple raft.
EXT. FOREST
An arrow is set alight.
Hope aims a bow, face marked with crude war paint.
“Thwuck!”, the arrow shoots into a cave. She quickly draws another arrow and waits.
There's a “shriek” from within.
A red eye runs out, its black fur on fire.
Hope aims the arrow and fires.
The “shrieking” stops.
She lowers the bow and smiles.
EXT. ROCKY COVE
Sebastian struggles with the raft.
SEBASTIAN
Damn it.
He glances back into the forest.
EXT. FOREST - NEARBY
Hope climbs down off a horse-creature.
HOPE
Easy boy.
She lifts a dead red eye off horse's back.
HOPE (CONT'D)
(low)
Stay here OK.
The horse grunts and moves for some berries.
Hope swings the dead red eye over her shoulder and leaves the forest.
CUT TO.
EXT. CAMP - ROCKY COVE - NIGHT
The red eye's teeth and claws are cut out. Hope puts them to one side.
SEBASTIAN (O.S)
I don't want you hunting these things.
Hope checks the tip of one of the claws.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
They're still dangerous, even in the day.
Hope glances at him but doesn't respond.
Sebastian finishes his meat.
HOPE
I was thinking. What if we just leave the
boat.
SEBASTIAN
How else are we going to get across?
HOPE
There are ways.
Sebastian looks at her, knowing where this is going.
HOPE (CONT'D)
I've done it before, it'll be a lot faster. If I
find anything I can come straight back for
you.
SEBASTIAN
It's too dangerous.
HOPE
-But I did it before.
SEBASTIAN
-And you almost got yourself killed.
He lies down.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
We're taking the boat, that's final.
Hope's face tightens.
She kicks aside the remains of the red eye and storms off.
Sebastian exhales and rubs his forehead.
ALANA (O.S)
“Were you close with your father?”
He turns his head and looks out over the ocean.
CUT TO.
INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
Sebastian sips some wine and shakes his head.
SEBASTIAN
Not really, we were very different. Maybe I
took more after my mom.
Alana smiles, looking radiant in a blue dinner dress.
ALANA
What was she like?
SEBASTIAN
She died when I was pretty young. Maybe
that's what caused problems between me
and my dad.
ALANA
How'd you mean?
SEBASTIAN
I don't know, maybe I just reminded him
too much of her.
ALANA
That means he really loved her.
SEBASTIAN
Perhaps, but you can't let your past dictate
the present. Or future.
Alana nods to herself.
ALANA
Love is a strange thing. It can really effect
people.
Sebastian pours some more wine.
SEBASTIAN
(beat)
Anyway, what's the latest with your “HDS”
“cell rejuvenation”?
ALANA
(laughs)
Ah I see you did your homework.
SEBASTIAN
(smiles)
Well I didn't want you thinking I was
complete idiot.
ALANA
It's all going good. I mean putting a subject
into any duration of stasis and bringing
them back is actually the easy part. It's
what happens afterwards that's the
problem.
SEBASTIAN
What happens?
ALANA
Memory loss is the first stage, occurs right
away, but then every cell just seems to
weaken and collapse. It's like...
SEBASTIAN
What?
ALANA
(smiles)
It's like time knows it's being tricked.
SEBASTIAN
But isn't this whole technology, I mean the
stasis part, about re-energizing cells.
ALANA
That's right.
SEBASTIAN
So why not just put them back into stasis