WOMAN (CONT’D)
There. I came out this morning to feed ‘em and that’s what I found.
Gina moves forwards and then stops, she turns around, with her pale face being caught on Chaz’ camera. Gina pushes past Chaz, bends over, and vomits.
Chaz moves up and PANS the area with his camera. He stops, focusing on three dead goats. Anthony moves closer and looks down at the goats, seeing that they’ve been torn apart, with their intestines laying to the side, but the cut marks look very precision; not from another animal.
WOMAN (CONT’D)
Sheriff says it was coyotes, but all the coyotes I know, they all leave tracks.
The students PAN the area, with their cameras, with the POV alternating. There’s only signs of goat tracks and some shoe tracks.
WOMAN (CONT’D)
Most coyotes take what they kill. Gina has recovered and moves over to Woman. GINA
What makes you think that it was aliens?
WOMAN
Last night, I was woke up by a bright light comin’ through my window. It went out as quick as it came on. Figured it was maybe a helicopter or maybe headlights from a car. Didn’t hear no noise.
Woman moves closer to the dead goats, putting her hand to her mouth. WOMAN (CONT’D) Came out this mornin’ and that’s...that’s what I found.
The students look around the area, seeing that it’s enclosed with high, tight knit metal fencing, with no open gates. Chaz moves closer and films the three dead goats, focusing on the bloody remains.
WOMAN (CONT’D)
Lived here for almost fifty years. Seen their damn spaceships flying overhead, but figured they were just passing through, like people. Heard stories about cattle being cut up, mutilated, but...never figured they, they’d touch my poor goats.
Woman turns around and walks inside her house, as Chaz and Anthony move closer, looking at the dead goats. ANTHONY
Look at the cut marks. It’s like whatever was used, not only cut the goats open, but cauterized the wound at the same time.
YASMINE
The sheriff was probably right. Just coyotes.
CHAZ
Coyotes wouldn’t have been able to get through that fence.
Chaz films the fence, showing the tight metal weave and the height. He then focuses back on the dead goats. CHAZ (CONT’D)
And, they would have taken pieces of meat.
ANTHONY
And, there would be bite marks. Anthony looks closer at the goats’ throats. ANTHONY (CONT’D)
And, a coyote probably would have went for the throat, but...
Anthony takes a closer look. ANTHONY (CONT’D)
I don’t see any marks around the their throats. Probably cut the goats open, while they were still alive. The goats then died from blood loss.
Anthony slowly PANS from goat to goat, seeing the horrific scene.
ANTHONY (CONT’D) What a way to go. Christina suddenly appears in the screen of a camera, as she puts on some rubber gloves, reaches into a pocket and pulls out a small baggy, along with some large tweezers.
Christina bends down over one goat and takes a sample of some tissues from around one of the cut marks, carefully placing it into the baggy.
Christina moves to another goat and does the same thing, while everyone just watches her with amazement. Christina moves to the third goat and does the same thing. She then straightens up and sees that everyone is looking at her. She sees puzzlement in their faces.
CHRISTINA What?
They looks down at the baggies and Christina’s rubber gloves. Christina follows their look and then looks back up at them. CHRISTINA (CONT’D) I was a Criminal Justice
major...For a semester. I have a friend, who works in a lab.
(MORE) CHRISTINA (CONT’D) I’ll have him check these samples for D-N-A, see if it came from animals or...
GINA Aliens?
Gina slowly gets the point and then becomes excited. GINA (CONT’D)
We’ll have proof. Scientific proof.
YASMINE
(unconvinced)
I’m betting it was coyotes. GINA
Let’s go back into town and see if we can find any other WITNESSES.
The students aren’t too excited and Gina notices they’re lack of enthusiasm. GINA (CONT’D) We can’t just stop with one witness, with one...
Gina looks at the goats. GINA (CONT’D)
Incident of...of Alien
visitation...mutation. We need more.
MONTAGE: BEGINS
EXT. TOWN - DAY The students interview several PEOPLE. Some are obviously crazy and others appear to be ordinary people. Occasionally, the students will pose with the PEOPLE, with photographs being taken.
As the sun starts to set, they run out of PEOPLE to interview, with the lights of the town starting to FLICKER. MONTAGE: ENDS EXT. TOWN - DUSK
The students are loading the equipment into the CAR, as the sun starts to drop behind the horizon, with Chaz filming. GINA
All those interviews and no one else has witnessed a mutilation.
YASMINE
If you would just listen to me...It was coyotes.
Yasmine wipes her brow. YASMINE (CONT’D)
I can’t wait to get back to Vegas. Take a nice hot shower, a cup of hot cocoa, then to bed.
CHAZ
(moving closer to Yasmine) Sounds good to me. Although, I think a nice soak in a bathtub, with a little wine, would be more romantic, but hey, whatever you want.
GINA
I think we should spend the night here.
Everyone stops what they’re doing and looks at Gina. GINA (CONT’D)
Look, we came all this way to do a documentary that would blow Professor Simmons’ mind.
CHAZ
We have a couple of hours of interviews with REAL people, eyewitnesses to several U-F-O encounters...
ANTHONY
An interview with the author of an U-F-O book...
CHRISTINA
Possible evidence of mutation by visiting aliens. We won’t know, until...
YASMINE
(whining)
What more is there left to do? GINA
(smiling)
Catch a U-F-O on film. The others aren’t convinced. YASMINE
Yeah, right... (looking at Chaz)
Let nerd boy create a U-F-O and edit it into our film.
CHAZ
I resent being labelled as... ANTHONY
You don’t even believe in U-F-O’s. GINA
(ignoring Anthony)
Come on, it’ll be fun. We have the camping equipment, we can stop by the store and pick up some food. A little cookout, then watch the U-FO’s light up the night sky.
They still aren’t convinced. GINA (CONT’D)
Okay, we catch a U-F-O on film, we could make some money.
CHAZ Count me in. CHRISTINA Me too.
YASMINE Money?
They all smile. SCENE CUTS TO BLACK: FADE IN: EXT. FIELD - DUSK
Chaz is filming the other students (excluding Christina), as they get out of the car, which has parked in a small camping area. Chaz has setup the cameras to cover the campsite and the surrounding hills. Anthony looks around, then shines a flashlight on the pamphlet, being held by Gina.
GINA Is this the spot? ANTHONY
Yeah, according to the sign guy’s map.
They look around at the destitute area, not seeing any other campers. Yasmine holds her camera. Yasmine and Chaz begin to PAN around the area, with the POV switching from one to the other, focusing on the area, as well as their faces.
YASMINE Kinda scary. CHAZ
Yeah, like a scene out of some horror movie.
YASMINE
Like I suggested, I say Chaz shoots some video, then he can edit it, adding some spaceship lights and then...
GINA
This is a documentary, not a fictional film. There will be no editing and no creation of
spaceships.
(pause - looking at
&nbs
p; everyone)
Understand? CHAZ
Wow, I can totally see you as a C-EO, doing a hostile takeover.
GINA
(softening)
We’re already here. It’s Wednesday night, which everyone we’ve talked to, says is the night when most of the U-F-O sightings occur.
ANTHONY
Gina is right. Besides, if we actually get footage of a U-F-O, it’ll guarantee us an A on the project. I’m in.
GINA Great. Chaz? CHAZ Yeah, okay.
GINA Yasmine?
YASMINE Sure, why not. GINA Christina?
No response. GINA (CONT’D)
The last interview? We didn’t leave her, did we?
They look around. CHAZ
Come on, let’s check. Gina, holding the keys to the car, starts to open the door, when she comes face-to-face with Christina. They both SCREAM, with Gina dropping back to the ground and dropping the car keys.
PAUSE. Christina opens the door, as Gina starts to get up from the ground, with Chaz having moved up to her. Chaz looks down at the car keys and picks them up, putting them in a pocket.
CHRISTINA
You scarred the shit out of me. GINA
Me? I scarred the shit out of you? Christina looks around. CHRISTINA Is this the place? GINA
Didn’t you hear us? CHRISTINA
Looks like the kinda place you’d see U-F-O’s.
GINA
What were you doing in the car? Why didn’t you...
Gina moves closer, as the interior LIGHT from the CAR slightly illuminates Christina. Gina sees that Christina has earphones in her ears.
CHRISTINA
Yeah, well, I think I’ll sleep in the car...Wake me if you see any UF-O’s. If they want a specimen, I suggest they take you. That will ensure that they won’t come back.
Christina starts to turn back to the car, as Gina pulls out one of the earphones, with MUSIC blaring. GINA
(with authority)
We’re all sleeping out. No one is sleeping in the car. And...
(pulling out the other
earphone)
This is serious. Everyone needs to be alert.
(looking at everyone)
Understand?
Christina stares at Gina. CHAZ
(to Anthony)
She says that one more time and I’m going to tie her to a stake, pleading any passing U-F-O to take her away.
ANTHONY
I’m with you, brother. GINA
Chaz? Setup a camera, facing... Gina slightly spins around, then looks at Anthony. GINA (CONT’D)
What direction did that old guy say the U-F-O’s typically appear?
ANTHONY South.
Gina looks at Anthony, who points in the direction of South, where the outline of a slight hill comes into view. GINA
Oh, okay. Chaz, setup a camera, focusing on that hill.
CHAZ
(with sarcasm) Si, comandante. Chaz moves and sets up a tripod and then sets up a camera, as the others begin setting up camp. CHAZ (CONT’D)
(to himself)
Chaz, set up the camera. Chaz, load the car. Chaz, unload the car. Chaz, do this, Chaz, do that.
Chaz looks through the camera and sees Yasmine. CHAZ (CONT’D) Yeah, Chaz want that. Chaz spins the camera around, making some adjustments. He starts to look through the viewfinder.
CHAZ (CONT’D) (excited)
Hey, hey, we’ve got movement. Everyone looks up, as Chaz points up into the sky, but still looking through the camera. CHAZ (CONT’D)
Get the other cameras rolling. It’s getting close.
Chaz senses that no one is moving and he looks away from the camera, seeing everyone looking up into the sky.
CHAZ (CONT’D)
What the hell are you waiting for? ANTHONY
Uh, Chaz, buddy, that’s a passenger jet.
Anthony points up to the sky, with Chaz slowly looking in that direction, seeing FLASHING LIGHTS of a passenger jet. ANTHONY (CONT’D)
It’s moving too slow for a U-F-O and the flight pattern doesn’t fit what eye witnesses have said about U-F-O’s...They don’t travel in straight lines.
Chaz looks into the sky, as the jet continues to slowly move across the sky. Chaz looks back into the camera viewfinder and slowly PANS the sky, failing to see anything. As Chaz bumps the camera, moving it to ground level, a BLURRED SHADOW moves between some trees, without Chaz noticing.
CHAZ
This is a waste. The only aliens out here are...
Chaz PANS the camera around, with Gina, Yasmine, and Christina coming into view. Anthony is building a small campfire, as the girls take items out of some ice coolers.
CHAZ (CONT’D) Chicks from Vegas.
Chaz ZOOMS in on Christina, who is leaning over, getting into an ice chest, with her cleavage coming into view. Chaz moves the camera, ZOOMING in on Yasmine, who is bending over, with her buttocks towards Chaz. Chaz ZOOMS in on the swaying buttocks.
CHAZ (CONT’D) Yeah...
Suddenly, Gina’s face ZOOM into view, looking directly at Chaz, and startling him. GINA
Quit wasting film. Set the cameras up.
Chaz turns the camera back towards the hill and then looks up into the sky. POV switches to behind Chaz, watching him, then looking at the other students.
POV moves, as though someone is circling the camp. Chaz moves to the campfire and sits down, with Christina handing him a hotdog.
CHRISTINA A wiener for a... Christina smiles, with Chaz taking the hotdog. CHAZ
I get it. Very funny. Chaz moves and sits down and starts to eat, as the others also eat. They all nervously look around, eating in silence. Anthony finishes and picks up the book. He thumbs through some pages and then stops, reading. He seems to have memorized the words, as he then looks up into the sky.
ANTHONY
They sent us emissaries over the years. Every time they did, we either treated them like gods or tried to kill them...
GINA Like the Mayans. YASMINE
Egyptians. The pyramids. CHRISTINA Southern Baptist. They look at Christina. CHAZ Independence Day. Everyone looks at Chaz, who takes another bite of the hotdog. He looks back at them and then swallows. CHAZ (CONT’D)
Yeah, you're thinking that I'm stupid and shallow, but after aliens visited the Mayans, they started doing human sacrifices. After aliens visited the Egyptians, they used slave labor to build pyramids to bury their gods. I think there’s a pattern of aliens visiting and then people dying. Besides, who keeps track of
visiting aliens?
It’s not like aliens are checked by Immigration on their way in and...
ANTHONY
(evil smile)
Something to think about, while we’re waiting out here, in the middle of nowhere, for the miraculous appearance of aliens.
Anthony struggles and then takes out a cell phone, holding it up and moving it around.
ANTHONY (CONT’D) With no cell service... Yasmine and Christina suddenly remember their cell phones and they also pull them out, looking at the screens.
YASMINE No service. CHRISTINA
No service. Brian was suppose to call me tonight and...
GINA
No service either. ANTHONY
Think about this. You know what our Government has done with alien EMISSARIES?
GINA
Here we go, the alien conspiracy theory.
ANTHONY
They've killed them, dissected them, cut them up into little pieces, just to find out what makes them tick.
Anthony tosses the remains of his hotdog into the fire, with the hotdog starting to SIZZLE. ANTHONY (CONT’D)
Sometimes, the aliens were still alive, when they were dissected.
Everyone looks at the SIZZLING HOTDOG. ANTHONY (CONT’D)
Now, if that Emissary was your brother, father, uncle, or
whatever, do you think you'd be coming to Earth, in peace?
(pause)
Now, maybe you can explain one or two incidents away
, as maybe Earthlings are a bit jumpy about visitors from other solar systems, but what if every single time an alien comes to Earth, he ends up on a stainless steel bed, cut up into pieces...
Anthony looks at the still SIZZLING HOTDOG, which has now turned BLACK.
ANTHONY (CONT’D) Like pieces of a hotdog. Christina looks down at her hotdog, then tosses it into the fire. Yasmine does the same thing. ANTHONY (CONT’D)
No, there's no disagreeing that OUR space brothers are more
intellectually advanced than us, but how long do you think they're gonna tolerate our less then hospitable treatment?
CHAZ
My uncle worked oil rigs in the Amazon and he said dealing with the natives, who were just a couple of hundred years behind us, was almost impossible.
Chaz looks up into the sky. CHAZ (CONT’D)
Think about what it's like for these space travelers, who are millions of years ahead of us, to deal with us.
The others also look up into the sky, as POV switches to behind them, watching their silhouettes. YASMINE Okay, now I'm scared. Me too. Maybe, we should leave. I think we have enough for the project. Besides, it’s just a class, it’s not like it’s...
GINA
Well, in the research that I conducted, I don’t recall a single reported incident where an alien was hostile and...
CHAZ
Oh, yeah, let me replay our
interview of that old man. Getting beamed up into a spaceship, being prodded and poked, who knows where, and then dropped back down to Earth, like some laboratory rat, with a tracker in your finger. Yeah, that's not very hostile.
CHRISTINA
Yeah, and what about those goats? YASMINE That was coyotes. SFX: COYOTE HOWL. They all start to nervously look around. CHAZ
I go back to my original statement about Independence Day. Everyone believed that they were coming to Earth in peace, but...
(looking up into the sky) Think about it. You've spent millions of years trying to get Earthlings to wake up, quit being animals, where violence is more accepted, than the use of one's intellect.
(pause)
Maybe they've lost their patience, dealing with a planet that won't learn.
(pause) Maybe this time...
(pause)
They're coming to destroy us and
begin a new world.
Yes, well, hey Anthony, you’re the researcher, what do you say?
Anthony looks up at the sky, then slowly to each of the students, finally looking at Gina. ANTHONY
ARE WE ALONE? Page 4