Volunteers
Page 8
Eunice doesn't respond.
EUNICE
(beat)
Get ready and come down.
Caleb watches her go then closes his eyes and drops back on the bed.
CUT TO.
INT. GRAND DINING HALL - MORNING
Eunice stands in front of the others, all seated and looking demoralized.
EUNICE
They're using this place against us, playing us for fools. We can't let it get to us. No matter how tempting.
Her eye crosses Caleb. Caleb notices.
CHRISTOPHER
So what is our plan? They can't see our point of view and they don't see what they're doing is wrong.
Eunice looks away, trying to think.
EUNICE
Our species is young, we need more time to prove ourselves, to develop, that's the only card we have to play.
Caleb taps the table.
CALEB
What if we ask them to take us back? We can tell everyone to pull their shit together.
Eunice looks at him and reluctantly considers.
SUCHIN
(beat)
If the human race unite out of fear it will just prove that we are what they think we are. Weak.
Eunice nods, she's right.
Alleiram enters.
ALLEIRAM
(beat)
It is time.
CUT TO.
INT. COUNCIL ARENA
Silloh stops in front of Marika.
SILLOH
(to the council)
None of us believe humans are just animals. They are conscious beings, like all of us. Able to think, feel and reason. This is not a fact that has been overlooked. To terminate Man in the manner that was taken before would be... unethical.
Eunice watches Silloh, suspicious.
SILLOH (CONT'D)
The Great Council cherish consciousness as much as you cherish your own off-spring.
EUNICE
So you've changed your mind? You'll spare them?
Silloh smiles.
SILLOH
(turns away)
We never intended to cause any pain to your species. The creatures that came before you were of the lowest order. The action taken against them was acceptable. It was also at a time when your star was young.
Eunice's suspicion grows.
SILLOH (CONT'D)
We don't seek to damage the Earth as we did before, we only seek to free it of Man.
CALEB
(to Belac, low)
What they gonna do, teleport us off?
SILLOH
Mankind will remain on the planet but they will be the last of their generation.
EUNICE
What?
SILLOH
It is a method that has been taken on other worlds. Focused and - as you say - humane. Your species will be sterilized, the planet remaining untouched by our hand.
Marika draws back, quiet.
EUNICE
What kind of life is that gonna be??
SILLOH
Within a hundred of your years the Earth will be cleansed.
Eunice turns to Alleiram, desperate.
EUNICE
They can't be serious?
Alleiram looks back at her, sadly.
Marika pauses.
MARIKA
You guarantee you won't hurt any of them.
Eunice turns to Marika.
SILLOH
(to Marika)
Seven billion lives will continue as they are. Death will come through time and age, as it always has.
Eunice shoves past Christopher and grabs Marika's shoulder.
EUNICE
-We have to talk. Now!
Caleb sees Silloh smile.
CUT TO.
INT. EUNICE'S BEDROOM - SUNSET
Marika sits at the end of the bed, head low, Eunice is knelt in front of her.
EUNICE
You're being manipulated. You have to be strong
MARIKA
Am I? Or are the rest of you just being stubborn?
EUNICE
-Your son, think about your son.
MARIKA
Who else do I ever think about?? Ever since was I was 17 all I've thought about is my son!
EUNICE
That's because you love him and you want him to be happy. Think about what will happen to him if they do this.
MARIKA
-Nothing! Nothing will happen to him. He'll have a life of luxury, he'll have everything he'll ever want.
EUNICE
You're kidding yourself. He won't have everything.
MARIKA
-He will! He will have everything! I'm the one who was left with nothing! You have no idea how much I lost because of him, how much I had to sacrifice. I didn't want to be a mother, I wanted to have my own life! He robbed me of my own life!
Eunice takes her hands.
EUNICE
You don't mean that.
Marika snatches her hands back and looks away, trembling.
MARIKA
(beat)
He's going to have a full life. They all will.
She looks at Eunice and tries to smile, tears running down her cheeks.
MARIKA (CONT'D)
And so will we.
She stands and walks to the balcony.
EUNICE
Marika wait!
Marika looks back at her. She now appears as her perfect fantasy self.
FANTASY MARIKA
Don't waste your time here. Start enjoying it.
She turns and disappears as she walks onto the balcony.
Eunice looks away.
In the mirror's reflection she sees her mother sitting on the bed with her 12 year old self, teaching her how to play the guitar.
Eunice grabs her guitar off the bed and swings it at the mirror.
The guitar disappears before it makes contact.
CUT TO.
INT. HALLWAY - MARIKA'S BEDROOM
The door opens. Eunice steps out. Caleb, Christopher and Suchin stand waiting.
EUNICE
(beat)
She's gone.
Caleb looks away, shaking his head.
CALEB
Perfect.
Suchin turns and heads off to her room.
CALEB (CONT'D)
(turns)
-Hey hey where'd you think going?
Suchin stops and looks back
SUCHIN
(beat)
Nowhere.
Eunice nods at her, assuring.
CALEB
(beat, points)
I tell you she'll be the next to bail on us.
Eunice looks at Caleb, ready to punch him down.
EUNICE
Fuck you.
She shoves past him and leaves.
CUT TO.
INT. GRAND DINING HALL - NIGHT
A glass of red wine is poured. Eunice sets down the bottle, sitting alone.
CHRISTOPHER (O.S)
We drink we stumble.
Eunice looks up. Christopher sits down opposite.
EUNICE
Join me, it's Chateau Margaux.
Christopher smiles.
He pulls over a glass a pours orange juice from the same bottle.
CHRISTOPHER
Orange and mango. My favorite.
EUNICE
Not a drinker?
CHRISTOPHER
I was once.
(smiles)
In a previous life.
EUNICE
I don't think you have to worry about getting drunk here.
She finishes her glass and pours some more.
EUNICE (CONT'D)
How'd you do it?
CHRISTOPHER
Do what?
EUNICE
Stay so strong.
CHRISTOPHER
We all find a way.
Eunice looks at him.
EUNICE
You don't see things?
/> CHRISTOPHER
I see a lot of things. I see you now.
EUNICE
That's not what I meant.
Christopher sighs.
CHRISTOPHER
I see them. And I see them for what they are. Lies. All the things we want, or believe we want.
He sees the torment in her eyes.
CHRISTOPHER (CONT'D)
This storm will pass. Have faith.
EUNICE
How can you be so sure?
CHRISTOPHER
Because God will see us through.
Eunice looks down at her glass.
EUNICE
(smiles)
Right.
(raising her glass)
Here's hoping He still cares.
She finishes the drink.
CHRISTOPHER
If He didn't care we would not be here.
EUNICE
What about the billions of others? Don't they matter to Him? Why spare us? Why are we so special?
CHRISTOPHER
I suppose the day will come when we will find out.
Eunice looks down at her glass, quiet.
CUT TO.
INT. SUCHIN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The wind gently blows. Suchin's hair and nightdress sway as she approaches the balcony.
CUT TO.
EXT. RICE FIELD - THAILAND - SUNSET
Her bare feet touch damp soil.
She shields her eyes from the fading sun and makes out figures in the distance.
Silhouetted men and women in straw hats, still working away.
Suchin pauses.
A child approaches one of the women.
Suchin steps forward. The child can be made out a little girl. The woman holding her smiles.
It's Suchin herself.
She stares at the two, quiet.
SUCHIN
(Thai, subtitled, to herself)
She lives...
SUCHIN'S MOTHER (O.S)
Of course she lives.
Suchin turns and sees her mother heading home with a full basket.
SUCHIN'S MOTHER (CONT'D)
We took her to the new hospital, remember.
She continues off.
Suchin turns back to the field, tears forming She stares at the little girl and finds herself smiling with her.
CUT TO.
INT. COUNCIL ARENA - DAY
Two chairs are empty.
SILLOH
This is all? A pity.
He turns to the council.
SILLOH (CONT'D)
(beat)
I wish to ask the Chosen of Earth for their thoughts.
CALEB
Sure, I think you're an asshole.
Alleiram looks at him.
CALEB (CONT'D)
What?
Silloh ignores him and turns back to the others.
SILLOH
What will happen to Man?
EUNICE
You trying to be funny?
SILLOH
I mean I am curious what you foresee in the immediate future.
Christopher looks at Silloh and nods to himself.
CHRISTOPHER
“With the judgment you pronounce you will be judged. And with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
Silloh looks at him, confused.
SILLOH
I don't understand.
CHRISTOPHER
(smiles, confident)
And you never will.
Silloh smile, letting it go, and turns to Eunice.
SILLOH
(beat)
When it is discovered that no child will be born from another human being will your people unify? Will they strive to better themselves with the time they have left?
His eye passes Suchin.
SILLOH (CONT'D)
Or in the face of extinction will the true face of the human race show itself once more.
He pauses, holding on Suchin a moment longer.
SILLOH (CONT'D)
One question would surely be answered in this twilight hour. Is Man's “civilization” genuine or merely an illusion? When the last man disappears into the night will he be standing, or crawling?
(beat)
The first thought to cross the mind often contains much of the truth.
He looks up at the council, hands behind his back, and turns away.
SILLOH (CONT'D)
The Chosen may reflect.
EUNICE
-Hold on, we don't want to “reflect”.
Silloh ignores her and walks away.
EUNICE (CONT'D)
(to Alleiram)
He can't do that.
Suchin remains quiet, staring forward.
CUT TO.
INT. GRAND HALLWAY
Caleb and Christopher walk away, Caleb looks back as the golden doors close.
CALEB
That snake's playing at something. I mean what the Hell was all that about? Stand or crawl.
Two maids pass by and smile.
CALEB (CONT'D)
(low)
Eunice says to meet in the gardens but think it's better we go to one of our-
He looks aside and stops.
Christopher is gone.
CALEB (CONT'D)
Christopher?
He turns around.
CALEB (CONT'D)
Hello?
CUT TO.
INT. CHURCH - LAGOS - MORNING
Christopher stops. He's standing in the chapel.
He slowly turns around.
No one is there. Warm sunlight shafts down from the old windows.
He sees something on one of the benches and slowly makes his way over.
It's an open book.
He picks it up.
It's a Bible.
BLIND CLEANER (O.S)
(beat)
“If we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.”
Christopher slowly turns around.
The blind cleaner stands by the entrance, people coming and going outside.
CUT TO.
INT. HALLWAY
Caleb runs, almost tripping on the rug.
CALEB
(panicking)
Shit shit.
BLIND CLEANER (O.S)
(beat)
“People will come from east and west and north and south and will take their places.”
CUT TO.
INT. CHURCH - LAGOS - MORNING
Christopher looks down at the Bible.
CHRISTOPHER
(to himself)
This isn't real.
The cleaner's old hand touches Christopher's. He's now standing in front of him.
BLIND CLEANER
“Now is the judgment of this world.”
Christopher turns away and closes his eyes.
BLIND CLEANER (CONT'D)
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
CHRISTOPHER
-Stop it.
BLIND CLEANER
“There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain”
CHRISTOPHER
(shaking his head)
-Please.
BLIND CLEANER
“For the old order of things has passed away.”
Christopher stops, trembling.
BLIND CLEANER (CONT'D)
(beat)
“Now will the ruler of this world be cast out.”
Christopher nods, slowly.
Tears rolling down his cheeks.
He shakes his head, angry.
CHRISTOPHER
(softly)
How... how could I have been so blind?
The cleaner squeezes his shoulder.
BLIND CLEANER
You are only human.
CUT TO.
INT. CHRISTOPHER'S BEDROOM - DAY
The door bursts open. Caleb looks in.