Dawn of the Dead
Writers: George A. Romero
DAWN OF THE DEAD (The working draft 1977) by George A. Romero 1 We see the face of a young woman. She is asleep. It is very quiet at first, as credits appear. The woman's face begins to twitch, as though she is having a bad dream. She moans slightly and her expression grows more desperate. A mix of subtle sounds begin to fade in. As they get louder, we can discern what sounds like a busy office area. It is actually a frantic television studio with the hum of panic in a national emergency. The woman's moans get louder and more desperate as the background sounds reach full volume and the credits stop. The woman sits up, snapping awake. 2 She lurches forwards into the arms of a strong young man. She is Francine, twenty three years old and very attractive, although she is gritty with dirt. Her hair is hanging, dishevelled and sweaty. Her jeans and blouse have been worn for several days. She is sitting on the floor, where she has slept the last several hours, covered by an old overcoat. Tony: YOU OK? Fran stares at the young man. She is shaking. She doesn't speak. Tony: THE SHIT'S REALLY HITTING THE FAN. The girl tries to clear her head as the young man moves on to where others sleep on the floor. He wakes them up one at a time. We begin to hear voices over the busy hum of the studio. They have an electronic tinniness, as broadcast over a monitor. Fran looks about. She is still shaken from her dream. 3 We see the television studio. Reporters buzz about madly. Everybody looks dishevelled and exhausted. Technicians man monitors, and we see people on the little screens, arguing emotionally. 4 Voice: WHAT'S MAKING IT HAPPEN? WHAT THE HELL DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE, WHAT'S MAKING IT HAPPEN. Voice: YES, BUT THAT'S... Voice: THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER STUDY. THEY'RE TRYING... Voice: BUT IF WE KNEW THAT, WE COULD... Voice: WE DON'T KNOW THAT! WE DON'T KNOW THAT! WE'VE GOTTA OPERATE ON WHAT WE DO KNOW! 5 The room is pandemonium. People run in with wire copy; others organise the stacks of bulletins as they arrive. Others trip over cables and generally get in each other's way. 6 Francine stares at the madness, still trying to clear her head. Man's voice: I'M STILL DREAMING. Fran turns her head. Another young man sits next to her on the floor. He is one of the ones Tony awakened. Fran: NO YOU'RE NOT. Woman: MY TURN WITH THE COAT. Fran looks up. A young woman is offering her coffee in a paper cup. She is next in line for the overcoat and a few hours sleep. Fran takes the coffee and struggles to her feet. Woman: THE GUYS ON THE CREW ARE GETTING CRAZY. A BUNCH OF 'EM FLEW THE COOP ALREADY. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER WE'LL BE ABLE TO STAY ON AIR. 7 Fran staggers over to the control consoles. The technicians are at the end of their ropes. Technicians: (all at once) WATCH CAMERA TWO...WHO THE HELL'S ON CAMERA TWO, A BLIND MAN... WATCH THE FRAME...WATCH THE FRAME... ROLL THE RESCUE STATIONS AGAIN. Technicians: WE GOT A REPORT THAT HALF THOSE RESCUE STATIONS HAVE BEEN KNOCKED OUT. SO GET ME A NEW LIST. SURE, I'LL PULL IT OUTA MY ASS. Fran focuses on the monitors. She is incredulous... stunned by the madness which surrounds her. She realises the hopelessness of the situation as she zeroes in on the televised conversation. 8 We begin to listen over the din of the news room. TV Man 1: I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, DOCTOR, AND I DON'T BELIEVE... TV Man 2: DO YOU BELIEVE THE DEAD ARE RETURNING TO LIFE? TV Man 1: I'M NOT SO... TV Man 2: DO YOU BELIEVE THE DEAD ARE RETURNING TO LIFE AND ATTACKING THE LIVING? TV Man 1: I'M NOT SO SURE WHAT TO BELIEVE DOCTOR! 9 Suddenly we cut into the studio, and we see the argument as it is being shot. TV Man 1: (con't) ALL WE GET IS WHAT YOU PEOPLE TELL US. AND IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO BELIEVE... TV Man 2: IT'S FACT... IT'S FACT... TV Man 1: IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO BELIEVE WITHOUT YOU COMING IN HERE AND TELLING US WE HAVE TO FORGET ALL HUMAN DIGNITY AND... TV Man 2: HUMAN DIG... YOU CAN'T... TV Man 1: ...FORGET ALL HUMAN DIGNITY... TV Man 2: YOU'RE NOT RUNNING A TALK SHOW HERE, MR. BERMAN...YOU CAN FORGET PITCHING AN AUDIENCE THE MORAL BULL SHIT THEY WANT TO HEAR! TV Man 1: YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ABANDONING EVERY HUMAN CODE OF BEHAVIOUR, AND THERE'S A LOT OF US WHO AREN'T READY FOR THAT DOCTOR FOSTER... 10 A great cry of assent goes up from the studio floor. Doctor Foster is flustered and frustrated. The stage hands and cameramen are all screaming at him, swearing and ridiculing. We notice Police guards, armed, at the studio doors. They control the traffic in and out of the big room. 11 Back at the control panel. Fran stares at the screens. Confusion still reigns. Man: FRANNIE, GET ON THE NEW LIST OF RESCUE STATIONS. CHARLIE'S RECEIVING ON THE EMERGENCIES... Fran pulls herself away from the monitors as the argument rages on screen. 12 She fights through the heavy traffic and reaches Charlie, a harassed typist who holds the receiver of an emergency radio unit under his chin... Charlie: (into receiver) SAY AGAIN...CAN'T HEAR YOU... Fran: RESCUE STATIONS? Fran leafs through sheets of paper on Charlie's desk. He writes notes as he listens on the receiver, and he speaks to the woman. Charlie: HALF THOSE ARE INOPERATIVE ANY MORE. I'M TRYIN' TO FIND OUT AT LEAST ABOUT THE IMMEDIATE AREA. WE'VE HAD OLD INFORMATION ON THE AIR FOR THE LAST TWELVE HOURS. Fran: THESE ARE RESCUE STATIONS. WE CAN'T SEND PEOPLE TO INOPERATIVE... Charlie: (into receiver) SAY AGAIN, NEW HOPE... Charlie makes more notes and hands them to Fran. Still listening on the receiver, he speaks to the woman again. Charlie: I'M DOIN' WHAT I CAN. THESE ARE DEFINITE AS OF NOW. SKIP AND DUSTY ARE ON THE RADIO, TOO. GOOD LUCK. Fran snatches up the sheets and moves across the room. 13 She stops at the consoles... Fran: I'M GONNA KNOCK OFF THE OLD RESCUE STATIONS. I'LL HAVE THE NEW ONES READY AS SOON AS I CAN. Technician: WE'RE SENDING PEOPLE TO PLACES THAT HAVE CLOSED DOWN. I'M GONNA KILL THE OLD LIST. 14 Fran moves toward another control room. An armed officer stops her. A young man rushing through with copy intercedes. Man: HEY, SHE'S ALRIGHT. Officer: WHERE'S YOUR BADGE? Fran reaches instinctively for the lapel of her blouse. Her badge is missing. Fran: JESUS! Man: SHE'S ALRIGHT. Fran: I HAD IT...I WAS ASLEEP OVER THERE... She makes a move toward the corner where she was asleep. Man: SOMEBODY STOLE IT. THERE'S A LOT OF 'EM MISSING. (to officer) SHE'S ALRIGHT. LET HER THROUGH. The officer reluctantly steps aside. 15 The young man and Fan move down a crowded hall and into a small camera room. The foot traffic is solid. They talk as they walk. Fran: I DON'T BELIEVE IT. Man: ONE OF THOSE LITTLE BADGES CAN OPEN A LOT OF DOORS...YOU AVOID A LOT OF HASSLES IF YOU GOT A BADGE...ANY KIND OF BADGE... Fran: IT'S REALLY GOING CRAZY. 16 They reach a small camera installation. The camera is aimed at a machine which rolls out a list of rescue stations. The list is superimposed over the live broadcast as it goes out. Cameraman: YOU GOT NEW ONES? Fran: I GOTTA TYPE 'EM UP. KILL THE OLD ONES. Cameraman: GIVENS WANT 'EM... Fran: KILL 'EM, DICK. TELL GIVENS TO SEE ME! The man clicks off his camera. Fran moves toward the studio. 17 On the monitors, we see the rescue stations blink off over shots of the two men who still argue on the air. TV Man 1: WELL I DON'T BELIEVE IN GHOSTS, DOCTOR. TV Man 2: THESE ARE NOT GHOSTS. NOR ARE THESE HUMANS! THESE ARE DEAD CORPSES. ANY UN-BURIED HUMAN CORPSE WITH ITS BRAIN INTACT WILL IN FACT RE-ACTIVATE. AND IT'S PRECISELY BECAUSE OF INCITEMENT BY IRRESPONSIBLE PUBLIC FIGURES LIKE YOURSELF THAT THIS SITUATION IS BEING DEALT WITH IRRESPONSIBLY BY THE PUBLIC AT LARGE! 18 Another outraged cry goes up from the stagehands and observers. Doctor Foster tries to out-scream the cries... TV Man 2: YOU HAVE NOT LISTENED...YOU HAVE NOT LISTENED... FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS...WHAT DOES IT TAKE... WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE PEOPLE SEE? 19 Fran moves into the large studio area where the broadcasters argue. The commotion is maddening. Fran stares for a moment. 20 TV Man 2: (now distraught...almost pleading) THIS SITUATION IS CONTROLLABLE. PEOPLE MUST COME TO GRIPS WITH THIS CONCEPT. IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT...WITH FRIENDS... WITH FAMILY...BUT A DEAD BODY MUST BE DE- ACTIVATED BY EITHER DESTROYING THE BRAIN OR SEVERING THE BRAIN FROM THE REST OF THE BODY. Another outburst in the studio. TV Man 2: THE SITUATION MUST BE CONTROLLED...BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE...THEY ARE MULTIPLYING TOO RAPIDLY... 21 Fran moves through the crowded room of emotional people and finally reaches another emergency radio installation. Skip and Dusty are trying to listen to their receivers. They jot notes. Fran: OPERATIVE RESCUE STATIONS? Dusty: THEY'RE DROPPIN' LIKE FLIES. HERE'S A FEW. YOU KNOW, I THINK FOSTER'S RIGHT. I THINK WE'RE LOSIN' THIS WAR. Fran: YEAH, BUT NOT TO THE ENEMY. WE'RE BLOWIN' IT OURSELVES. She gives the rest of her coffee to the two men. Fran: NOT MUCH LEFT, BUT HAVE A BALL. The two men each slug eagerly from the paper cup. Fran rushes off toward a large teleprompter typing machine. 22 The broadcasters still argue emotionally. TV Man 1: PEOPLE AREN'T WILLING TO ACCEPT YOUR SOLUTIONS, DOCTOR, AND I, FOR ONE, DON'T BLAME THEM. TV Man 2: EVERY DEAD BODY THAT IS NOT EXTERMINATED BECOMES ONE OF THEM! IT GETS UP AND KILLS! THE PEOPLE IT KILLS GET UP AND KILL! 23 Handing the list of active rescue stations to the teleprompter typist, Fran rushes back toward the control room. 24 Around the monitor consoles, the commotion has been made even more frantic by an angered Dan Givens, obviously one of the station managers. Givens: NOBODY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT, I WANT... Givens spots Fran as she moves into the room. Givens: GARRET, WHO TOLD YOU TO KILL THE SUPERS? Fran: NOBODY. I KILLED 'EM. THEY'RE OUT OF DATE. Givens: I WANT THOSE SUPERS ON THE AIR ALL THE TIME. Fran: ARE YOU WILLING TO MURDER PEOPLE BY SENDING THEM OUT TO STATIONS THAT HAVE CLOSED DOWN? Givens: WITHOUT THOSE RESCUE STATIONS ON SCREEN EVERY MINUTE PEOPLE WON'T WATCH US. THEY'LL TUNE OUT. Fran stares at the red faced man in disbelief. Givens: I WANT THAT LIST UP ON THE SCREEN EVERY MINUTE THAT WE'RE ON THE AIR. Fran is about to say something in anger, but before she can, one of the technicians, having overheard Givens, gets up from the control panel and starts to walk away. Givens: LUCAS...LUCAS, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING... GET ON THAT CONSOLE...LUCAS...WE'RE ON THE AIR! Lucas: ANYBODY NEED A RIDE! 25 Two other men from various positions in the room snatch up personal effects and follow the technician toward the door. The door is guarded by a nervous Officer. 26 Givens: OFFICER...OFFICER...YOU STOP THEM...STOP THOSE MEN...LUCAS...GET BACK ON THIS CONSOLE... A frantic hubbub begins over the lack of console control. People rush in and out, the floor director's voice can be heard over a talk back system... Voices: WHAT THE HELL'S GOIN' ON IN THERE. SWITCH...SWITCH...THERE'S NO SWITCHER... WE'RE LOSING PICTURE... Givens: OFFICER...STOP THOSE MEN... 27 The young officer faces the men as they reach his post. He takes a grip on his rifles, opens the door and lets the group through. Then he runs out himself, deserting the losing cause. 28 Givens jumps toward the console. He frantically tries to work the complex dials and pots... Givens: GET SOMEBODY IN HERE THAT KNOWS HOW TO RUN THIS THING...COME ON...I'LL TRIPLE THE MONEY FOR THE MAN THAT CAN RUN THIS THING...TRIPLE THE MONEY...WE'RE STAYING ON THE AIR... Fran moves slowly off toward the studio. 29 In the big room, the tension is thicker than ever. A few of the newsmen still earnestly try to perform their various functions, but most of the crew are reduced to emotional polarisation over the broadcast which still rages. 30 TV Man 2: THEY KILL FOR ONE REASON. THEY KILL FOR FOOD. THEY EAT THEIR VICTIMS, DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, MR. BERMAN. THAT'S WHAT KEEPS THEM GOING. 31 Fran stops to listen to the argument. She falls back into the shadows of the studio. People rush past her, some leaving the studio in disgust. 32 TV Man 2: IF WE'D LISTENED...IF WE'D DEALT WITH THE PHENOMENON PROPERLY...WITHOUT EMOTION... WITHOUT...EMOTION... IT WOULDN'T HAVE COME TO THIS! Foster wipes his sweat with a dirty hanker chief. He pulls his tie away from his tight collar, and pops the shirt button open. He is desperate now, shivering with anger and frustration. TV Man 2: THERE IS A MARTIAL LAW STATE IN EFFECT IN PHILADELPHIA...AS IN ALL OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN THE COUNTRY... CITIZENS MUST UNDERSTAND THE...DIRE...DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS PHENOMENON...SHOULD WE BE UNABLE TO CHECK THE SPREAD... BECAUSE OF THE EMOTIONAL ATTITUDES..OF THE CITIZENRY...TOWARD...THESE ISSUES OF... MORALITY... IT IS THE ORDER OF THE O.E.P. BY COMMAND OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT...THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES... CITIZENS MAY NO LONGER OCCUPY PRIVATE RESIDENCES, NO MATTER HOW SAFELY PROTECTED OR WELL STOCKED... A murmur in the studio begins to build to an emotional crescendo. Foster tries to talk over the noise... TV Man 2: CITIZENS WILL BE MOVED INTO CENTRAL AREAS OF THE CITY... 33 Technicians abandon their posts. A few others jump in to take their places, but pandemonium reigns. A cameraman whips off his headset and breaks for the door. His camera spins on its liquid head, and on the monitors, we see a whirling blur as Foster continues to speak. Fran moves quickly for the spinning camera. She aims it back at the sweating Foster, and she stares through the viewfinder not believing what she is seeing. 34 TV Man 2: THE BODIES OF THE DEAD WILL BE DELIVERED OVER TO SPECIALLY EQUIPPED SQUADS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD FOR ORGANISED DISPOSITION... 35 Suddenly a man darts out of the bustling crowd and comes up quickly behind Fran. Steve: FRANNIE...AT NINE O'CLOCK MEET ME ON THE ROOF. WE'RE GETTING OUT. Fran: (letting the camera slip slightly) STEPHEN...I DON'T BELIEVE THIS...WHAT... Steve: WE'RE GETTING OUT. IN THE CHOPPER. Another technician steps over to take the camera from Fran. Stephen talks more quietly in the other man's presence. Steve: NINE P.M. ALRIGHT? Fran: STEVE...WE CAN'T...WE'VE GOT TO... Steve: WE'VE GOT TO NOTHING, FRAN. WE'VE GOT TO SURVIVE. SOMEBODY'S GOT TO SURVIVE. NOW YOU COULD BE UP THERE AT NINE. DON'T MAKE ME COME LOOKIN' FOR YA. Stephen is gone in a flash. Fran nervously looks back at the cameraman. The argument still rages between Foster and Berman. The cameraman, without taking his eye from the viewfinder, speaks to Francine quietly and slowly. Cameraman: GO AHEAD. WE'LL BE OFF THE AIR BY MIDNIGHT ANYWAY. EMERGENCY NETWORKS ARE TAKING OVER. OUR RESPONSIBILITY... IS FINISHED, I'M AFRAID. 36 It is dusk, and the city of Philadelphia is surprisingly quiet. We see several large buildings. They are part of a low-income housing project, and their lack of grace is evident. They stand like tombstones as the first stars appear in the navy blue sky. 37 Under cover of the growing darkness, activities of the S.W.A.T. Unit go unnoticed. Grappling hooks grab against the lip around the roof and silent figures climb to the top of the building. Men in armour vests, clutching the latest in special weapons, take position here and there about the development. Other men strategically place their cars and trucks in the court below. 38 On the roof, at an entrance to one of the building's fire stairs, Roger squats silently alongside three other team members. The men check their weapons. Roger looks at his watch. The sweep hand reaches the 12... Roger: (to himself) LIGHTS. 39 In an instant, large searchlights bathe the side of the building. The troop commander, shielded with other Officers behind a large truck, shouts through an electric bullhorn. Commander: MARTINEZ...YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING...YOU KNOW WE HAVE THE BUILDING SURROUNDED... The electronically amplified voice echoes through the concrete caverns between the buildings of the project. There are only a few windows which glow with lights from inside. At the sound of the bullhorn, the lights all blink out one at a time. Commander: (not over the bullhorn) LITTLE BASTARD'S GOT 'EM ALL MOVED INTO ONE BUILDING...DUMB LITTLE BASTARD! Sergeant: LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GONNA TRY TO FIGHT US. Commander: (on the bullhorn again) MARTINEZ...THE PEOPLE IN THIS PROJECT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY...WE DON'T WANT ANY OF THEM HURT AND NEITHER DO YOU! 42 There is no sign of life in the building. The great concrete slab is silhouetted silently against the darkening sky. 43 Roger, and his team mates, crouch in readiness. The sound of the bullhorn rises to them easily and clearly. Roger: I'M GIVIN' YOU THREE MINUTES, MARTINEZ... Commander: (Bullhorn) I'M GIVIN' YOU THREE MINUTES, MARTINEZ... TURN OVER YOUR WEAPONS AND SURRENDER... Roger: THERE ARE NO CHARGES AGAINST YOU... Commander: THERE ARE NO CHARGES AGAINST YOU OR ANY OF YOUR PEOPLE... Roger: YET. Commander: THREE MINUTES, MARTINEZ. Roger: AND COUNTING. (he looks at his watch) There is a long silence. Roger: COME ON, MARTINEZ! One of the other S.W.A.T. team members is a big man, with a rough and vicious looking face. He is WOOLEY, a hardened veteran, and a red neck of the first order. Wooley: YEAH, COME ON, MARTINEZ...SHOW YOUR GREASY LITTLE PUERTO RICAN ASS...SO I CAN BLOW IT OFF... Roger looks over at the big man. He is distressed at the pent up violence in Wooley. Wooley: I'LL BLOW ALL THEIR ASSES OFF...LOW LIFE BASTARDS.. BLOW ALL THEIR LITTLE LOW LIFE PUERTO RICAN AND NIGGER ASSES RIGHT OFF... Roger is greatly concerned. He looks at one of the other men, a young, smoothed faced rookie. The boy doesn't know now to react. He is obviously nervous. Roger: KEEP COOL. JUST DON'T POP OFF IN THERE WHEN WE GO IN. The boy nods, grateful for a more human contact. Wooley: HOW THE HELL COME WE STICK THESE LOW LIFES IN THESE BIG ASS FANCY HOTELS ANYWAY? SHIT MAN. THIS' BETTER THAN I GOT. YOU AIN'T GONNA TALK 'EM OUTA HERE. YOU GOTTA BLOW 'EM OUT. BLOW THEIR ASSES! Roger: (to the boy) YOU GONNA BE ALRIGHT? The boy nods in the affirmative. Wooley: LET'S GET ON WITH IT. THIS IS A WASTE OF MY TIME! 44 CRASH! Without warning, the metal door to the fire stair bursts open and several figures rush out of the darkness. Shots are fired from hand guns. A bullet smashes through the skull of the young boy next to Roger. He falls against Roger with a pleading expression on his face. Figures charge this way and that. More gunfire. The other S.W.A.T. men dodge and dive for cover. Wooley opens fire with his automatic weapon. 45 On the street, the Commander, hearing the gunfire, barks into the bullhorn: Commander: MOVE IN...MOVE IN... GODDAMMIT! Sergeant: (into walkie talkie) ALL UNITS... FULL OPERATION! 46 On the roof, Roger struggles under the dead weight of the young man. He tries to free himself and his weapons. Shots ring out. A handful of Black and Puerto Rican youngsters charge about the rooftop. Another S.W.A.T. patrol appears from behind a large elevator housing. The young civilians retreat. Several are mowed down. Another bullet smashes against the dead S.W.A.T. man's back. Just as Roger frees himself, a bullet catches him squarely in the chest, but his armour takes the impact. He is thrown back off balance, and he struggles to catch his wind as he scrambles over to recover his weapon which skitters away across the roof top. Before he reaches the gun, he is cut off by the looming figure of one of the Black youths, pistol in hand. Roger freezes. The young man aims his hand gun, but hesitates. A sudden barrage of bullets rips through the young Black and he falls in a pool of blood. It was Wooley's gun that killed him. Wooley: COME ON YOU DUMB BASTARDS... COME AND GET 'EM... He fires again and again, even though the skirmish is winding down. Roger charges for his weapon, snatches it up, and runs for the cover of an incinerator housing. He startles a young civilian who was hiding there, trying to load his gun. The boy makes a break... Roger: HOLD IT... The boy freezes for a moment, then, thinking, breaks into a run across the roof. Roger: HOLD IT, KID...DON'T RUN OUT THERE! The boy is mowed down in a crossfire. 47 Inside the building, other S.W.A.T. teams along with units of the National Guard are crashing through hallways and breaking into apartment units. People are herded into the halls where they are held at gun point. Some men, although armed, surrender willingly. Others retaliate against the invading force, and little skirmishes develop on every floor of the complex structure. 48 On the ground, the Commander barks into the bullhorn: Commander: MASKS... Sergeant: (into walkie talkie) MASKS FOR GAS...MASKS FOR GAS. 49 Tear gas canisters crash through windows and the halls are filled with clouds of gas. Civilians trying to escape, are choked as they attempt to shoot their way out. 50 The teams on the roof charge down the fire stairs into the building. S.W.A.T. 1: WORK YOUR WAY DOWN. A FLOOR AT A TIME. HOLD 'EM IN THE HALLS 'TIL WE CAN WORK 'EM DOWN THE STAIRS. Roger and Wooley and the men in their unit, snap on their bizarre looking gas masks. 51 The troopers break into an apartment on the floor. An old couple kneels in prayer at a small alter, while their children and their children's children huddle in a corner. The young husband surrenders his gun to a trooper, and Roger watches as the group is led into the hallway. Suddenly, a young Black man charges out of one of the apartments. A woman appears at the door, screaming for him to stop. He breaks through a cloud of gas and Wooley fires his automatic. The black man crashes to the floor. Wooley is crazed. He kicks in the door of another apartment and fires randomly into the room. The flurry of action causes panic among the civilians in the hall. The younger ones try to escape while the older people kneel or fall against the walls praying. S.W.A.T. 2: WOOLEY'S GONE APE SHIT, MAN... Roger: WOOLEY! (shouting) Wooley kicks in the door of another apartment. Roger charges at him and grabs him around the shoulders. The big man resists. His gun fires and bullets fly wildly. He struggles against Roger, but Roger manages to hold on. Roger: GIMME A HAND...SOMEBODY... Another S.W.A.T. Trooper steps up out of the cloud of gas. He is very tall and he looks mysterious in the fog as he speaks in a deep voice. Trooper: STEP AWAY FROM HIM. Roger: GIMME A HAND. Wooley throws his body around and slams Roger against the wall, but Roger grabs him again just as the crazed man is levelling off his gun at the open apartment door. Roger: GODDAMMIT...HELP ME...HE'S CRAZY! Trooper: STEP AWAY FROM HIM! Just then, Wooley wrenches free and pushes Roger across the hallway. The Trooper carefully aims his weapon and fires one shot through Wooley's head. The big man falls back violently. The mysterious Trooper turns and hurries away down the hall. Other S.W.A.T. Officers face him threateningly. He stares at them through his mask. They let him pass. He disappears through the smoke as other officers begin to restore order among the civilians. Women scream and cry over their dead-loved ones. Roger is helped to his feet by another Officer. Roger's eyes are wide and staring through the insect-like lenses of his mask. They are locked on the sight he sees through the door of the apartment which Wooley kicked open. The other Trooper looks and his eyes widen as well. 53 In the apartment, lying in a pool of blood, are the partial remains of what was a human body. It has been ripped to shreds. Roger staggers against the door frame. The other trooper moves inside. Another corpse, also mutilated, one leg missing, one arm badly mangled. It is trying to move. To reach the Troopers. 54 A sudden loud scream. Roger startles and spins around. A woman in the hall has seen the grisly sight, and she runs screaming down the corridor. More confusion, as civilians push through the Troopers who try to hold them back. 55 The Trooper in the apartment is revulsed... Trooper: JESUS...HOLY JESUS... A third officer enters the apartment. He speaks to the Trooper which is closest to the writhing corpse on the floor. Trooper 2: SHOOT IT...SHOOT IT THROUGH THE HEAD. The young officer is too dumb struck to respond so the third Officer pulls out his pistol. Then suddenly, from out of the shadows, a spectre-like figure lunges at the third Officer, flailing and biting at his arms. It is a wild-haired woman. There are several bleeding wounds over her body. She is one of the walking dead. The Trooper struggles to free himself, and Roger darts into the room. Although the Zombie is weak, she manages to hold on to the Trooper. Another creature suddenly appears in the bedroom doorway. A male, it staggers out into the room. The young Trooper struggles with his holster trying to free his hand gun. Suddenly, he feels something on his leg. The dismembered corpse is clutching his ankle, pulling itself closer, it's mouth open. The boy tries to pull away, but falls onto the floor, crashing over a table and lamp. He tries to crawl away, but the frail corpse keeps its hold and drags along behind the young Trooper, who still cannot free his pistol. Roger and the third Officer fling all their weight against the woman Zombie. She flies against a wall, but bounces back immediately, and attacks again. The third Trooper's rifle fires. A slug tears through the woman's chest but it doesn't stop her onslaught. Another shot rips through her neck. Still she comes. The boy on the floor manages to level off his pistol. He fires at the ghoulish head which draws closer to his leg. The thing's skull blows open and its grasp relaxes. The boy is shaking violently. His arm and gun stay in the air, still poised. He fires again...and again...and again. 56 In the hall, the male Zombie appears, and the crowd panics. The Troopers try to keep things calm. S.W.A.T. 3: IT'S ONE OF THEM...MY GOD...IT'S ONE OF THEM. S.W.A.T. 4: SHOOT FOR THE HEAD. Woman: NO! NO! MIGUEL...DIOS MIO...MIGUELITO... The woman pushes through the crowd. The Zombies advances. Before the Trooper can stop her, the woman throws her arms around the creature. Woman: MIGUEL...MI VIDA...MIGUELITO... S.W.A.T. 3: GRAB HER...GET HER OUT OF THERE... (his gun is levelled off, but he can't get a shot) The Zombie clutches at the woman. It bites at her neck...her arm. She screams with terror. She tries to pull away, but the creature holds her. It bites again. A Trooper comes up from behind and tries to wrestle the creature away. Another Trooper grabs the woman and tries to free her. She is screaming insanely. The Zombie pulls another piece of flesh off her arm. S.W.A.T. 3: STAND CLEAR...FOR CHRISSAKE...STAND CLEAR! 57 In the apartment, the female Zombie lunges at the third Trooper and the two tumble to the floor. Roger wrestles her free and, with all his might, throws her against the wall. She advances again. Roger raises his gun, She is just about to reach him. He fires. The bullet drops her. 58 In the hall, a Trooper brings his gun butt slamming against the male ghoul's head. The creature loses his grip on the screaming woman. The Trooper who is holding her, pulls her free across the floor. S.W.A.T. 3 fires. The bullet tears through the Zombie's shoulder...another shot...through his neck...another...through the skull. It falls. 59 There is finally a calm. A few of the citizens murmur prayers. Troopers and befuddled old people seem to drift through the clouds of gas in a totally dazed state. 60 Roger and the third Trooper from the apartment drift to the hallway. The third Trooper moves into the crowd, but Roger stands against the open door jamb for a moment. A sudden, loud gunshot makes Roger duck and spin around. He looks into the apartment. The young Trooper has shot himself through the head. 61 In the dark firestair, it is very quiet. Roger bursts through a metal door from one of the halls and falls against the stair railing. He is retching. He breathes heavily to contain himself. He removes his mask and coughs slightly from the gas mist which still clings in the air. Voice: YOU'RE NOT ALONE BROTHER. Roger tightens, grabbing for his gun. The voice is present; very nearby. Roger looks up. Sitting on the stairs above is the Trooper who shot Wooley. His rifle is aimed at Roger. Voice: YOU WAS IN WOOLEY'S UNIT. Roger: I DIDN'T SEE NOTHIN. I DIDN'T SEE HOW HE DIED. Roger slings his rifle, so the Trooper relaxes and lowers his gun. He removes his gas mask. He is Black. Roger: YOU RUNNIN? The Black man shrugs. He hasn't decided. Roger: I DON'T JUST MEAN 'CAUSE OF WOOLEY. I JUST MEAN 'CAUSE OF... Voice: YEAH. I KNOW. Roger: THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE RUNNIN'. I COULD RUN. Roger stares up at the grim faced Black. Roger: I COULD RUN RIGHT TONIGHT. The black man just stares levelly into Roger's eyes. Roger: FRIEND OF MINE GOT A HELICOPTER. HE DOES TRAFFIC FOR J.A.S. GOT A HELICOPTER AND HE'S RUNNIN' OUT WITH IT. AS'T ME T'COME. The Black man smiles. Roger: YOU THINK IT'S RIGHT TO RUN? The Black man shrugs again, then he stands and walks down the stairs. HE turns past Roger on the landing and continues down into the lingering gas mist. Roger follows. 62 A few landings down...a noise. The two Troopers freeze. The stairwell is dark. The noise grows louder. The Troopers ready their weapons. The sounds are little scraping thumps, like the weary foot falls of someone...something...trying to negotiate the stairs...There is the low, wheezing sound of laboured breath. The men stare at the landing below. The Black man steps forward slightly, trying not to make a sound. Suddenly, a figure pops out of the darkness. It falls against the wall below. Both Troopers raise their guns. The figure pulls away from the wall. In the mist, it's shape is ghostly... robed...in black...is sees the Troopers... Figure: SENORES... PLEASE TO LET ME PASS... The voice weakens into a low wheezing cough. The figure slumps and sits on the steps, clinging to the railing. It is an old Priest, obviously from a local Puerto Rican Parish. Roger stoops next to the old man, who is struggling to keep his breath. He is weary. He seems to be near death. He clutches at his chest. Roger tries to support him. Roger: LET'S GET HIM TO THE MEDICS... Priest: NO...NO...NO...PLEASE. JUST...LET ME PASS...MY SISTER...I GO UP TO SEVEN FLOOR...TO FIND MY SISTER... Roger: THEY'RE TAKIN' EVERYONE DOWN...THEY PROBABLY BROUGHT HER DOWN...COME ONE... Priest: MY SISTER...SHE IS DEAD...THEY TELL ME... THE DEAD THEY DO NOT BRING DOWN. Roger and the Black Trooper shoot glances at one another. Priest: JUST LET ME PASS. MARTINEZ IS DEAD. THE PEOPLE OF 107 WILL DO WHAT YOU WISH NOW. THESE SIMPLE PEOPLE... BUT STRONG...THEY HAVE LITTLE...BUT THEY DO NOT GIVE IT UP EASILY. AND THEY GIVE UP THEIR DEAD...TO NO ONE! The Priest goes into a coughing fit. The Troopers look on. Roger wants to help in some way. Priest: MANY HAVE DIED ON THESE STREETS IN THE LAST WEEKS...IN THE BASEMENT OF THIS BUILDING YOU FIND THEM... The Troopers are shocked. The Priest struggles to his feet. Priest: I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE LAST RITES. NOW...YOU DO WHAT YOU WILL... The old man starts up the stairs. Roger moves to help him, but the big Black man stops him. The Priest weaves up through the gas mist, coughing. Priest: YOU ARE STRONGER THAN US...BUT SOON, I THINK...THEY BE STRONGER THAN YOU... The old man's voice trails off up the stairwell as he disappears in the cloud... Priest: WHEN THE DEAD WALK, SENORES...WE MUST STOP THE KILLING...OR WE LOSE THE WAR... 63 In the basement of the large building, S.W.A.T. troopers pry at the boards which are nailed over the entrance to the storage area. The rest of the riot troops stand at the ready, weapons raised...high powered rifles...flame throwers... The nails creak loudly as they are pulled free. The men are silent, not knowing what to expect. There are three boards left...then two... With a great, tearing sound, the door flies open before the men remove the last boards. The boards fly and the door almost rips off its hinges. Like flood waters, a small army of Zombies pushes into the hall. They are wide eyed and terrifying. In life, they were mostly Blacks and Puerto Ricans from the neighbouring buildings. They are all ages, from the very old to the very young. The riot troops are stunned. They cannot react quickly enough, and the squeeze is so tight in the little hall that it is impossible to shoot accurately, or without the bullets injuring other troopers. The men fight back, wrestling and trying to back away. In the front line, Zombies bite at the flesh of the humans. Teeth tear into arms and hands. Some men are trampled in the crush. Commander: BACK OFF...BACK OFF...SPREAD OUT... The rear lines retreat into the wider vestibule, and as the mass of struggling bodies spreads out, shots begin to fire. Some Troopers, at close quarters, are able to fire off accurate rounds with their hand guns. Others fall and are lunged at by clutching ghouls. Roger and the Black Trooper are in the middle of the battle. They fight off several of the creatures. The battle spreads into little skirmishes through the dark hallways. The highly organised Troopers are scattered and confused by the mindless onslaught. 64 As the main action moves away from the entrance to the storage area, several Troopers move into the room. The walls are dank and grey. There is a dripping sound. All around lie remnants of human civilisation. Baby buggies and bicycles chained to pipes which ring the area. Large trunks and cartons of every size and shape; old beds and other furniture. And here and there throughout the large area lie the remains of corpses. They have been eaten away. Most of them are still moving, their heads uninjured. Two of the Troopers retreat, revulsed. The sound of the gunfire and screaming can be heard from the hall. The big Black man walks calmly into the room. Roger watches him. He walks up to the writhing creatures one at a time, and fires carefully aimed shots into their heads with his hand gun. Tears roll down his cheeks. Some of the creatures are without arms and legs. Some have been eaten away about the neck and shoulder. They moan with a gurgling, gutteral sound as they try to move. A young Black Zombie, pulling itself along the floor with one arm, draws close to the Black Trooper. The big man aims his pistol. It clicks...empty. He quickly and efficiently reaches for more ammunition and begins to reload. The Zombie pulls closer, its mouth wide. Roger steps up behind the other Trooper and fires into the creatures head with his automatic rifle. The Black man brushes tears from his eyes and continues to load the pistol. Roger disposes of several other creatures. he comes to a place where several are piled together. Some lie still, others writhe about. Two on the heap, although they cannot move about, are eating at parts of other bodies. Roger shoots them. They never look up. They don't seem to notice him at all. A loud creaking sound breaks the mood suddenly. Roger looks up. 65 In the ceiling, a double set of loading doors has been opened. Several other Troopers look down into the storage area. Trooper: JESUS CHRIST. He shines a light beam down towards Roger. Trooper: YOU OK DOWN THERE? 64 Roger nods. 65 Trooper: THIS MUST BE WHERE THEY DUMPED 'EM IN. 64 Roger looks down at the pile of corpses beneath the opening. 65 Trooper: YOU NEED MORE MEN? 64 Roger shakes his head "no". 65 Trooper: JESUS CHRIST. The trooper leaves the opening. He is replaced by two others who just stare down into the storage room through the weird, round lenses of their masks. 66 The distant sounds of the battle in the hall flare up again. The big Black man snaps his loaded clip into his pistol and takes a few steps forwards. He sees a corpse wrapped in a bed sheet and tied securely with clothes line. It looks like a mummy. It is writhing, trying to free itself. he shoots it through the head. Nearby, a small corpse, that of a very young child, is also writhing, but the end of the shroud, where the child's feet should be, has been torn open and is bloody. A stump kicks around the blood where a foot has been eaten off. The Black man fires into the thing's head. Roger: THEY...ATTACK...EACH OTHER... Black: JUST THE FRESH CORPSES...BEFORE THEY REVIVE... Roger: WHY DID THESE PEOPLE KEEP THEM HERE? WHY DON'T THEY TURN THEM OVER...OR...OR DESTROY THEM THEMSELVES...IT'S INSANE...WHY DO THEY DO IT? Black: 'CAUSE THEY STILL BELIEVE THERE'S RESPECT IN DYING. The big man fires into the head of another squirming Zombie. 67 In the halls of the building, Troopers fall and are pounced on by ghouls. Other Troopers fire their automatics through the heads of attacking Zombies. The riot troops try to stay organised, but the onslaught is so mindless and random that it is turning into a riot. 68A The buildings of Philadelphia loom in the moonlight. What few lights remain lit reflect in the waters of the Delaware. 68B It is quiet except for the slight sounds of lapping water and an occasional wooden creak as the floating docks strain against one another. There are a few big Police launches still docked in the marina. They bob about silently. The chain, which normally restricted the area, is broken and dangling. The sign, which reads: CITY OF PHILADELPHIA - POLICE - NO ADMITTANCE clangs against the broken chain in the wind. Halfway down the long dock is a little guard house. Inside, sitting at a radio transmitter, is the corpse of a uniformed guard. Nearby is a separate floating dock on which is painted a large square pattern. It is a landing bay for Police helicopters. Alongside, afloat separately but securely chained fast, is a small fuel barge, with pumps and hoses for refueling the chopper and launches. The other bodies lie bleeding on the bobbing docks, another officer and a civilian. A bell buoy rings in the distance and we begin to hear the sound of an approaching helicopter. The blades of the J.A.S. Traffic Copter whine as they gear down for a landing. The whirlybird settles like a hummingbird on the gently bobbing heliport. 69 With the blades still spinning loudly, Stephen hops out of the cockpit. Steve: COME ON...I NEED YOU. Francine unbuckles her safety belt and jumps out of her side of the machine. Steve runs, ducking under the blades, around to the woman's side of the cockpit, grabs her hand, and they make for the fuel pumps. Steve: I DON'T SEE ROGER. WE'LL GIVE HIM TEN MINUTES. Fran: OH MY GOD! 70 The woman freezes in mid stride, and her action brings Stephen's eyes around to see what she is staring at. The two bodies which lie near the fuel pumps. Steve: YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OUT IN IT AT ALL. IT'S TOUGH TO GET USED TO IT. He pulls her quickly along. They have to actually step over the civilian corpse. Fran freezes again. She can't bring herself to walk over the body. Steve lets go of her hand and checking the tank gauge, he pulls the hose with him as he moves quickly back to Fran. The long hose is heavy, and it bobbles the civilian corpse, almost rolling it over. The back of the bodies head has been blown out by the exit wound of a powerful bullet. Blood still runs. The wound is fresh. Steve does not see this as he tugs the hose over the corpse and moves to the helicopter with Fran following. 71 At the side of the machine, the blades still spinning overhead, Steve jams the hose nozzle into the fuel tank receptacle. He pulls one of Fran's hands into the nozzle mechanism. Steve: JUST LIKE THIS...LIKE A CAR... Fran responds, getting the feel of the nozzle trigger. Steve: THAT'S IT...JUST HOLD HER THERE 'TIL SHE SPITS OUT AT YA. The woman takes over and Stephen trots away toward the guard shed. The propeller blades still spin. They make an eerie, whispering sound as they pass over Fran's head. She can hear the lapping water now, and the creaking moans of the shifting docks. She looks this way and that, fear in her eyes. 72 At the guard house, Stephen rushes in to find the dead radio operator. A signal is coming over the receiver in Morse Code. The corpse is slumped over the desk and it is covering the send key. A small entry wound is barely visible in the back of the dead man's head. As Stephen pulls the body up to an erect posture in its chair, he sees that the exit of the bullet all but obliterated the corpse's face. Again the wound is still running and bits of flesh and blood are splattered about the desk and the radio unit. Stephen clicks on the send switch and he quickly begins to send a message in Morse: OPERATOR DEAD...POST ABANDONED... 73 Back on the fuel dock, the long hose brushes over the civilian corpse. A shadow moves nearby, making is aware of a presence other than Fran's. 74 The woman switches hands on the pump nozzle. The blades still whoosh overhead. Then she hears the sound of another engine. She looks towards the mainland. The headlights of an approaching vehicle can be seen. 75 At the guard house, Stephen, hearing the approaching engine, steps into the doorway and looks up the dock. He calls to Fran. Steve: I HOPE IT'S ROGER. 76 Fran: WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Steve: I'LL BE RIGHT THERE. 77 He ducks back into the shed. He snatches up a First Aid Kit and throws it into a khaki knapsack. He rummages in the darkness. He finds a toolbox. As he stands up, he backs into a tall figure which stands in the shadows. Feeling something sharp and hard against his back. Steve recoils and spins to face the figure. It is a uniformed officer. His rifle is levelled off at Steve's chest. From out of the shadows, a second Policeman appears with a hand gun cocked and aimed. 78 Fran's eyes strain to discern the approaching vehicle, but suddenly she catches a movement in the corner of her vision. Through the open sides of the helicopter bubble, she notices a Police van. It has been there all along, it's doors flung wide open, as though abandoned hurriedly. Now one of the rear doors move. A figure appears carrying a large packing carton. The figure is uniformed, with two rifles strapped to its back. It rushes toward the launch docks. Voice: JUST STAY COOL. Fran, already startled by the running figure, is now doubly shocked by the calm voice behind her. She spins and the fuel nozzle clatters out of it's receptacle to the wooden dock boards. She is facing another "Policeman", to aims a rifle directly at her head. Officer 1: IF YOU DIE...IT'LL BE YOUR OWN FAULT. The Officer who is running with the carton shouts toward the Guard House. Officer 2: COME ON SKIPPER...THEY GOT FRIENDS COMIN'. 79 In the Guard House, Steve is held at bay by one of the Officers while the other uniformed man moves to the door to check the progress of the approaching vehicles. Officer 3: WHO ARE YOU? Steve: WE'RE WITH J.A.S...WE... Officer 4: (at the door) ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF. (referring to the arrival time of the vehicle) Officer 3, the Skipper, pushes Steve with his gun barrel. Steve spins out through the open doorway. He looks up the dock and sees the vehicle which is just turning onto the pier which is almost a mile long. 80 Officer 1 has moved around Fran and he reaches into the helicopter bubble pulling out Steve's rifle. 81 Steve: NOW WAIT A MINUTE...WE'RE JUST HERE TO REFUEL... THESE MEN WERE ALREADY DEAD...YOU WERE HERE... YOU KNOW THAT...IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY WAS AFTER THE LAUNCHES...WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH... Officer 3: (looking at the insignia on the helicopter) HEY...J.A.S. TRAFFIC WATCH... STEVE ANDREWS. Steve: (trying to capitalise on his minor celebrity power) RIGHT...THAT'S ME...I'M STEVE ANDREW... Officer 3: NO SHIT. 82 Officer 1: (shouting from the helicopter) WE'D GET A LOT FURTHER IN THIS BIRD, SKIPPER. 83 Steve freezes again, sensing that these are not law enforcers. 84 The man who was carrying the carton is now rushing back up the dock having deposited his load in one of the motor launches. Officer 2: CAN'T ALL FIT. 85 Officer 3: (directly to Stephen) HOW MANY WILL THAT THING HOLD? Officer 4: HEY, MAN, I AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE IN NOTHIN' I CAN'T DRIVER MYSELF! 86 Officer 2 has returned to the van and is carrying out another carton rushing back to the launch. Officer 2: THAT'S TRUE...SOMETHIN' HAPPENS TO HIM AND WE'RE STUCK. STAY WITH THE LAUNCH! Officer 1: GET A LOT FURTHER IN THIS BIRD! 87 Suddenly, above the two white headlights of the approaching vehicle, we see a third light in red. It is the spinning "bubble-gum-machine" of a Squad Car. It is heralded by one blast of the car's siren. 88 Officer 4: HEY, THAT'S A BLACK AND WHITE! 89 Officer 1 still holds his rifle aimed at Fran. Officer 1: THEY SEEN US! 90 Officer 3: IT'S ALRIGHT...WE'RE POLICE... 91 Officer 2 dumps his carton at the edge of the dock and pulls one rifle from his back. Officer 2: BULL SHIT...LET'S GET TO THE BOAT! 92 Officer 3 stares hard at Stephen. Then at the Squad Car. Then back at the nervous young pilot. Officer 3: YOU'RE RUNNIN', AIN'T YOU, FLY BOY? Steve does not respond. He is terrified, not knowing what answer to be the safest. Officer 3: YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS IS RUNNIN' OFF IN THE J.A.S. TRAFFIC BIRD... The man starts to grin with knowing. He suddenly feels in more control. Officer 3: SIT TIGHT, BOYS...THEY'RE RUNIN', TOO. 93 It seems to take forever for the Police Car to pull down the dock. Stephen takes a few steps forward, squinting to see, but he is threatened by the "Policeman's" gun barrels. 94 The car screeches to a stop and two armed S.W.A.T. Troopers immediately pop out of the front seat on either side. They are Roger and the Black Trooper. Roger: WHAT'S THE PROBLEM, OFFICER? 95 Officer 3: CAUGHT YOUR FRIENDS HERE STEALIN' COMPANY GASOLINE. 96 Roger: WHAT DO YOU MEAN FRIENDS? Roger is trying to play dumb, assuming that the other Policemen are on official business... 97 Steve: THEY KNOW, ROG... THEY'RE TRYIN' TO GET OUT, TOO. Officer 3: IT'D BE CRAZY TO START SHOOTIN' AT ONE ANOTHER, NOW WOULDN'T IT? 98 Roger: SURE WOULD. 99 Officer 1: ALRIGHT, LET'S LOAD UP... He slings his rifle and tosses the other gun back to Fran. She bobbles it and it falls, skittering across the dock. Officer 1: YOU BETTER LEARN HOW TO USE THAT THING, WOMAN. TIMES IS TENSE. 100 The policemen start to unload crates and cartons from their Van. The big Black Trooper pulls a few supplies from out of the squad car and carries them toward the helicopter. 101 Fran trots over toward Stephen. He is just coming back out of the guardhouse where he picked up the toolbox and the knapsack full of supplies. The woman falls into his arms. Roger trots up. Roger: YOU OK? Stephen: (nods) WHO'S HE? (referring to the big Black) Roger: HIS NAME'S PETER. HE'S ALRIGHT. The three are already moving toward the helicopter. Roger: LET'S HUSTLE. 102 Peter has stowed the supplies in the rear of the cockpit, and he has noticed the fuel hose lying on the dock. He tries the nozzle in the receptacle on the chopper and holds it in until the tank fills. 103 The other "Policemen" are still moving cartons of supplies from their van down the dock. Roger: (to the other Policemen) YOU GUYS BETTER MOVE IT. THERE'S A RADIO REPORT ABOUT THE DOCK BEIN' KNOCKED OUT. 104 They reach the cockpit. Fran climbs in and crouches on the floor in the rear of the bubble. Fran: YOU SURE THIS'LL CARRY US ALL. Steve: LITTLE HARDER ON THE FUEL, BUT WE'LL BE OK. 105 As Peter climbs aboard, one of the other policemen, carrying a final carton, speaks to Roger. Officer 2: HEY...YOU GOT ANY CIGARETTES. Roger looks at the others one at a time. Fran shakes her head "no". Roger: SORRY. (he trots around to the passenger seat) Steve: WHERE YA HEADED? Officer 2: DOWN RIVER...GOT AN IDEA MAYBE WE CAN MAKE IT TO THE ISLANDS. Steve: WHAT ISLANDS? (he starts the engine) Officer 2: ANY ISLANDS...WHAT ABOUT YOU? WHERE YOU HEADED? Steve: STRAIGHT UP. 106 The Policeman rushes off with his two cohorts. As they untie one of the launches from the dock, the J.A.S. helicopter whines loudly. Then it lifts off the dock with a smooth motion. The Police launch starts without a problem, and it pulls out onto the dark river. 107 The lights on the helicopter blink as the metal bird swoops low over the Philadelphia skyline. We see an empty city. Independence Hall...Betsy Ross' House, which flies the original American flag...the oldest American heritages stand coldly in the night. The whirring engine fades overhead. 108 In the cockpit, Fran lights a cigarette. So does Roger. No one comments, but Peter smiles slightly. The big Black looks down at the city. Peter: ANY OF YOU LEAVIN' PEOPLE BEHIND? Fran: AN EX-HUSBAND. Roger: AN EX-WIFE. Steve: YOU PETER? Peter: (still looking down) SOME BROTHERS. 109 The whirlybird cuts through the dark night sky. It flies over open country now, moving West. Some time has passed. 110 Roger is asleep in the passenger seat. Twisted in the cramped rear of the cockpit, Fran and Peter sit very close to each other. Peter still stares off into the night. Fran: REAL BROTHERS? Peter looks at her. He has a strong face. Fran: REAL BROTHERS OR...STREET BROTHERS? Peter: BOTH. Fran: HOW MANY REAL ONES? Peter: TWO. Fran: TWO. Peter: ONE'S IN JAIL. THE OTHER'S A PRO BALL PLAYER. BUT WE CATCH UP TO EACH OTHER ONCE IN A WHILE. Fran doesn't quite know how to respond. Peter: (nodding at Steve...the engine roars too loudly for the pilot to hear the conversation) HE YOUR MAN NOW? Fran is taken off guard. She smiles slightly. Fran: MOST OF THE TIME, YEAH. Peter: JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHO EVERYONE IS. Fran: YEAH. ME TOO. 111 Light downs on the horizon. The little helicopter chugs through the shades of blue. 112 Now Fran is asleep and Roger still snores. Peter stares at the back of the pilot's head. Steve nods slightly, then shakes himself. Soon, he nods again...falling asleep. Peter kicks him in the shoulder. Steve looks back, surprised that the big man is awake. Peter just stares at him. Steve rubs his face violently with his free hand. He pulls at his lower eyelids. Steve: ANY MORE WATER? Peter reaches into the supplies and produces a plastic container with water. Steve slugs some of it and pours a little onto his face. Then he passes it back to Peter, who also drinks. Suddenly, Fran stiffens and wakes up with a start. Peter looks over at her with a gentle expression. She takes a moment to orient herself. Peter: (to Stephen) YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE? Steve: I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE. Peter: HARRISBURG? Steve: PASSED IT ABOUT AN HOUR AGO. Roger finally wakes up from the loud talking. Steve: WE'RE PRETTY LOW ON FUEL. I'M JUST WAITIN' FOR FULL LIGHT SO WE CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE LANDIN' IN. 113 In the morning light, several fires can be seen on the ground, where buildings are burning. 114 The chopper flies over a National Guard convoy as it chugs up a winding country road. 115 Here and there on the ground, human activity can be seen. Search and Destroy units, made up of Police, Guardsmen and civilian volunteers move across the country side. Occasionally, a Zombie is seen staggering through the trees or over a field. Gunfire cuts the creature down. 116 Roger: JESUS. IT'S EVERYWHERE. Steve: WE'RE STILL PRETTY CLOSE TO JOHNSTOWN. WE'RE BETTER OFF AWAY FROM THE BIG CITIES. 117 A little country airfield lies quiet in the morning sun. There is no sign of life. A few private planes dot the area, but the tower is empty. The J.A.S. chopper buzzes very low just outside the tower windows. 118 As the whirlybird slowly sets down near the fuel pumps, its blades create a wind blast which raises great clouds of dust from the dry earth. Sheets of old newspaper and other light debris are sent flying through the air in all directions. 119 One piece of torn newsprint blows flat against a window in one of the little sheds. It sticks against the glass for a moment, as though glued there, then it flutters to the ground. As the paper clears the glass, we see the face of a badly scarred Zombie peering out through the window. 120 As the group scrambles out of the helicopter, Stephen immediately checks the fuel pumps. Steve: SHIT, MAN, DAMN NEAR EMPTY. Roger: LOTTA PRIVATE PLANES IN FARM COUNTRY LIKE THIS. GUESS THEY ALL HIT THE PUMPS AND TOOK OFF. Steve: TO WHERE? WHERE THE HELL CAN THEY GO? Peter: WHERE WE GOIN? By now, Steve has drained the dregs from the first pump into the chopper's tank, and moved to the second pump. It spurts with more force. Steve: THERE'S A GOOD BIT LEFT IN THIS PUMP. He stretches the hose toward the chopper but it doesn't quite reach. Steve: DAMN. I GOTTA GET IT CLOSER. 121 Steve jumps back into the cockpit and the machine lifts off the ground. 122 Fran is watching the action, walking slowly backwards to a small rickety hangar area. She turns and looks down to the private hangars. Most of them are open wide, the planes they housed long gone. One or two of the old wooden double-doors are still closed and locked with chains and padlocks. The wind from the chopper blades blows her hair and sends more debris flying. 123 Peter kicks open the door to the chart house. The room is dusty and dilapidated. A few small chairs surround an old wooden table. Several half finished cups of coffee sit on top of wrinkled flight charts leaving brown rings on the paper. Flies buzz loudly. An old window shade clicks against its window from the gusting of the wind and it makes Peter flinch. He readies his weapon. When he sees the shade, he steps over to it easily, pulls it and lets it roll up on itself. It makes a loud, flapping noise. 124 Outside, the chopper sets down. Roger is ready with the hose nozzle. Ducking under the blades he inserts the device into the tank receptacle even before Stephen has idled the engine. Stephen hops out of the cockpit and shouts over the engine noise. Steve: I'M GONNA SEE WHAT'S LEFT IN THE HANGARS. He trots off after Fran. 125 In the chart house, Peter idly drops a coin into an old coffee machine at one end of the room. The machine clicks loudly and spits out a cup. To Peter's surprise, the cup starts to fill with hot brown liquid. While he waits. Peter notices a series of notes taped to the machine and the surrounding walls. They are all written hurriedly in various hands and with all sorts of inks and colours. LUCY - GONE TO JOHNSTOWN. CHARLES - I HAVE THE KIDS. LEFT WITH BEN. COULDN'T WAIT. GONE TO ERIE - JACK FOSTER. There are dozens of such messages. Peter takes the full coffee cup from the machine. As he sips it, his eyes fall on a closet door just across the room. It is moving slightly. It is locked, but it bangs against the lock...once...twice...more regularly than if caused by the wind drafts. Peter steps closer. Now the door bangs violently with a loud crash, but it holds. Peter sets his coffee on the chart table and takes his rifle in both hands. Again the door bangs hard, and a skeleton key is knocked out of the keyhole. It falls to the floor with a metallic clang, and Peter notices a caked blood stain where blood recently ran out of the closet, under the door and onto the linoleum. Another bang and a gurgling moan. One of the living dead is trying to break out of the closet. Quite calmly. Peter raises his rifle and aims it at the door about head high. The rifle roars in the little room, and a splintery hole appears in the old wooden door. 126 Outside, Fran and Stephen snap to attention at the sound of the rifle. Fran stands at the entrance to one of the little wooden hangars. Stephen is checking out the cockpit of an old Cessna inside. Immediately, Stephen runs out and grabs Fran's hand. As they turn the corner to run up the grade to the helicopter, they are confronted with two Zombies, staggering slowly towards them through the dust cloud from the chopper. Fran screams. They have no weapons with them. Steve: ROGER...ROGER... 127 Under the whirling chopper blades, Roger continues to fill the fuel tank. In the roar of the engine, he cannot hear anything else. A third Zombie lumbers toward the helicopter. Roger's back is to the creature and he is unaware of the impending danger. 128 Inside the chart house. Peter stares at the closet door. It is still for a moment...then another moan and the door bangs again. Peter fires two shots, lower right and lower left of the first forming a triangle. 129 The two creatures advance slowly on Fran and Steve. Steve: JUST RUN. Fran is petrified. She turns and looks behind them. They are boxed in by the hangars. Steve: RUN RIGHT PAST 'EM...RIGHT AROUND 'EM. THEY CAN'T CATCH YOU. She hesitates. The Zombies draw closer. Steve: RUN, FRANNIE. GODDAMMIT, I'M RIGHT BEHIND YOU. WE CAN HANDLE THEM! Fran charges up the little grade. She runs to the right of the creatures and they move in her direction, arms outstretched. As she draws near to the dead things, she hesitates again in fright. The creatures claw at the air. The one in front is within a few feet of the woman. Steve: RUN, FRANNIE. MOVE! Fran stares into the dead, staring eyes of the lead Zombie. She is almost hypnotised. At the last instant, she runs and just gets past the creatures. A little up the grade, she turns and looks back, stopping again. One Zombie turns slowly and starts up the grade after Fran. The other continues to advance on Stephen. 130 Stephen ducks back into the open hangar. It is very dark but for thin beams of sunlight which cut through between the wooden boards of the structure. Stephen roots around among the greasy tools which clutter the area. He finds an enormous sledge hammer. He runs out of the shed. 131 He dodges around the lead Zombie, who staggers on with inertia. Steve sees that Fran is still facing the second creature. The man takes a firm grip on the giant hammer as he charges up the grade toward the Zombie's back. As he reaches the creature, he brings the twenty pound steel head of the sledge slamming against the ghoul's skull with all his might. The creature staggers on for a few more steps, its head a bloody pulp, then it falls to its knees and finally flops face down in the dust. Without breaking stride, Stephen grabs Fran's hand and the two run toward the helicopter. The other Zombie at the hangar has turned around and is walking up the grade. 132 Roger is pumping the last drops out of the fuel hose when he sees the frightened couple making for the chopper. 133 As Steve charges up the grade he sees the Zombie approaching Roger from behind. Steve shouts and Roger spins around. The stumbling creature is very close. It raises its arms and its hands clutch at the air. Roger lets the fuel nozzle drop to the ground. He is trapped at the side of the machine. He doesn't have his rifle. He fumbles with the snap on his hand-gun holster. Suddenly, the blank face of the Zombie turns red as the top of its head seems to disintegrate into a bloody pulp. The creature has walked into the spinning chopper blade. Its body staggers forward another step or two, then the thing collapses in a heap. 134 Stephen and Fran have reached the chopper. Steve let's go of the woman's hand and he drops his bloody sledge to the ground. He lunges into the cockpit and snatches up his rifle, ducking in the propeller draft. 135 The Zombie which is stumbling up the grade from the hangars almost loses its footing, but it regains its balance and advances steadily toward the helicopter. 136 The shot misses clean. He fires again. The bullet grazes the creature's face. It staggers from the impact, but does not fall. 137 Roger moves quickly for his high powered weapon. Steve fires two more rounds. 138 Another miss and another graze, this time on the arm. 139 He is about to shoot once more when Roger stops him, stepping up alongside. Roger calmly aims and fires one shot cleanly through the creatures' brain. 140 The Zombie falls and papers blow over its body. 141 In the chart house. Peter fires several more shots into the closet door. Bullet holes appear just where the creature's head should be. There seems to be no way that the volley could have missed. Silence for a moment. Peter still holds his gun high. Then, with a great crash, the closet door flies open into the room. Two small children burst out. One has no left arm; the other has been bleeding from a great wound in his side. They are dead. They move directly toward Peter. Their heads are at least a foot shorter than the bullet holes in the closet door. Peter stares down at the creatures, revulsed. He is so startled that he cannot react quickly enough, and they are on him. The moment he feels their clammy grasp, he regains his survival instincts. He cannot effectively aim his rifle. He kicks and thrashes around. One creature flies against a wall. The other is about to bite the man's arm. The big Black grabs the small Zombie and flings it physically back. The other creature pounces on his back. He throws it over his shoulders and it crashes against its brother. Now Peter raises his gun. As the children try to scramble to their feet the man fires several shots in rapid succession. First one creature falls; then the other. Peter continues to fire, his eyes wide with desperation and disgust. Finally his weapon clicks. It is out of ammunition. Peter breathes heavily. He stares at the small corpses. Instinctively, he begins loading his weapon, without even looking at the action, as he backs wearily out toward the door of the chart house. 142 Behind him, in the brightly sunlit doorway, we see the Zombie who first appeared at the window. The creature staggers forward. Peter turns and startles. He reaches for more shells and backs away a few steps as he tries to load the bullets into his gun. The creature reaches out and takes another step into the room. Peter stares into the creatures eyes. Then suddenly, out in the sunlight, a few hundred feet behind the Zombie, Stephen appears with his rifle. Peter sees the man over the creature's shoulder. 143 Steve raises his gun and aims at the Zombie, but the barrel seems to be on a straight line with Peter. 144 Peter ducks quickly. Steve's gun fires. The bullet misses the creature cleanly and crashes into the room. It ricochets off the coffee machine. Another shot crashes through the glass in the front room. Peter crouches, still stuffing shells into his weapon. A third of Stephen's bullets tears through the Zombie's shoulder, but the creature still stands. It turns toward Peter slowly. Peter crawls under the table as another shot splatters into the coffee cups. 145 Once again, Roger steps up beside Stephen. He fires one carefully aimed shot, looking through his telescopic range- finder. 146 Just as Peter finishes loading his weapon, the Zombie crashes into the room, falling over the table and onto the floor. 147 Fran is still kneeling in the dust, trying to keep herself from vomiting. Stephen rushes to her side. Roger, keeping his rifle poised, shouts toward the chart house. Roger: PETER. 148 The big Black man appears in the doorway, snapping the safety on his rifle. 151 Fran's retching causes her to choke and cough. Steve tries to comfort her, not knowing what to say and shaking himself. 152 Peter advances with long strides. 153 Stephen looks up when the Black man is a dozen steps away. Immediately, he sees the anger in Peter's eyes. The big Trooper then raises his rifle and aims it a Stephen. Steve tries to stand, but trips and falls on his back in the dust. In an instant, Peter is looming over him with the barrel of his rifle aimed at point blank range for the shivering man's forehead. Fran screams through her choking... Fran: NO...MY GOD...DON'T... WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Peter speaks calmly to Stephen, in low tones. Peter: YOU NEVER AIM A GUN AT ANYONE, MISTER. IT'S SCARY. ISN'T IT? ISN'T IT? Stephen looks up at the tall man, shivering. Then Peter lowers his weapon and extends his hand, helping Stephen up onto his feet. 154 Roger clears the fuel hose from around the runners of the chopper. Peter climbs into the cockpit and sits in the rear without saying another word. Roger helps Fran climb aboard. Steve wanders around the front of the cockpit bubble and climbs into the Pilot's seat. Roger climbs in behind Fran as she squeezes into the uncomfortable space beside Peter. The big black offers the woman a sip of water, which she accepts. Then she lets her head flop wearily against the rear bulkhead. 155 Steve is urgently surveying his flight charts, shuffling the papers and trying to seem very busy after the embarrassment of the incident. Steve: WE GOTTA FIND FUEL. MAYBE CLOSER TO PITTSBURGH. Roger: NO, WE'VE GOTTA STAY OUT OF THE BIG CITIES. IT IT'S ANYTHING LIKE PHILLY WE MIGHT NEVER GET OUT ALIVE. Peter: WE MIGHT NOT GET OUT OF ANY PLACE ALIVE. WE ALMOST DIDN'T GET OUT OF HERE. Roger: WE'RE GETTIN' OUTA HERE FINE. AS LONG AS THERE'S NOT TOO MANY OF THOSE THINGS WE CAN HANDLE 'EM EASY. Peter: YEAH, WELL IT WASN'T "THOSE THINGS" THAT NEARLY BLEW ME AWAY! Stephen turns around and is about to say something angrily. Roger stops him by speaking urgently. Roger: WE GOTTA STAY IN THE STICKS. THERE'S BOUND TO BE MORE LITTLE PRIVATE AIRPORTS UPSTATE. Steve: (reluctantly going back to his charts) THERE'S THE LOCKS ALONG THE ALLGHENY. FUEL STATIONS THERE, PRIVATE AND STATE. Roger: PROB'LY STILL MANNED. WE DON'T NEED THOSE HASSLES EITHER. Steve: THEY'RE JUST OUT AFTER SCAVENGERS...LOOTERS... Peter: OH, YOU GOT THE PAPERS FOR THIS LIMOUSINE? Steve: (angrily) I GOT J.A.S. ID. SO DOES FRAN. Peter RIGHT. AND WE'RE OUT HERE DOIN' TRAFFIC REPORTS? WAKE UP, SUCKER. WE'RE THIEVES AND BAD GUYS IS WHAT WE ARE. AND WE GOTTA FIND OUR OWN WAY! There is a long silence. The engine drones, but the helicopter still sits on the ground. The men look at each other. Peter takes a long slug of water. Fran: JESUS CHRIST. WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING. WE DON'T HAVE A RADIO. WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF WATER. WE NEED FOOD....STEPHEN, YOU NEED TO SLEEP. 156 We see a wide shot of the little airfield. The J.A.S. chopper sits on the ground for a moment, it's props spinning. The, with a surge of power, it lifts off and flies away. The dry earth swirls up into clouds and blows more bits of paper over the wide-eyed corpses which lie in the morning sunlight. 157 We see the facade of an enormous structure. It is a huge, suburban shopping mall. The outer walls are all concrete, and their clean lines stretch upward for more than two storeys. The building looks like a giant domino lying flat on the ground. There are only four entrances, and the shops which are housed within have no windows opening onto the surrounding lot. 158 In the immense area around the building, lanes and stalls are painted for automobile parking. What few cars now dot the area are parked randomly, some with their doors open wide. 159 We hear the sound of the helicopter engine fading in, then we see the little machine as it approaches and eases down onto the roof of the building. 160 In the parking lot, walking among the abandoned vehicles, we see several of the living dead. They look almost like normal shoppers at the mall for morning chores, but their lumbering walk is unmistakably stiff. 161 At one of the mall entrances, we see a revolving door flanked by several regularly hinged doors, all made of glass and surrounded by large windows. A few of the Zombies manage to negotiate the hinged doors and enter the building. Others bounce off windows and claw the transparent glass in confusion. One creature walks around in the revolving door endlessly. There are a good many of the creatures, but they are spread out and far between. They move with no seeming purpose. We do not yet see the mall interior. The Zombies pay no attention to the sound of the chopper engine stopping overhead. 162 On the roof, even as the blades of the helicopter still spin, the humans are out and moving to the edge of the building. They look down at the creatures which dot the parking lot. Fran: OH MY GOD! Stephen: NO CHANCE. FORGET IT, LET'S GET OUTTA HERE. Roger: WAIT A MINUTE, WAIT A MINUTE...THEY CAN'T GET UP HERE. Steve: YEAH, AND WE CAN'T GO DOWN THERE! Roger: LET'S CHECK IT OUT. Roger trots away. 163 Peter has moved directly to an area where a giant grid of transparent Plexiglas bubbles face down into the building. He stares through one of them and can see into the mall below. Roger trots up and peers through another of the bubbles. Peter: MOST OF THE GATES ARE DOWN. I DON'T THINK THEY CAN GET INTO THE STORES.164 The vantage point only reveals a small aspect of the interior, a square plaza with a garden beneath the sunroof of transparent bubbles. The space is open all the way down to the garden, which is two storeys below. Around the garden on the bottom floor can be seen the entrances to several shops. All but one have heavy metal cage gates down and locked into position. One or two Zombies are seen wandering about. They cannot enter the stores, except for the one which is un-gated. Halfway up the walls can be seen a balcony railing which rings the entire plaza, it is a second storey of shops. The same cage- gates seal off the visible store entrances, but none of the dead creatures are evident on the balcony. 165 Fran and Stephen come trotting up to the bubbles. Roger: I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF THEM UP ON THE SECOND FLOOR. Peter: THE BIG DEPARTMENT STORES USUALLY USE BOTH FLOORS. Roger: IF WE CAN GET IN UP TOP... 166 Peter is looking across the rest of the expansive rooftop. He takes off toward a series of other housings which jut up out of the otherwise flat surface. Roger follows. 167 Fran: (still staring down through a bubble) WHAT ARE THEY DOING? WHY DO THEY COME HERE? Steve: (also looking down) SOME KIND OF INSTINCT. MEMORY...OF WHAT THEY USED TO DO. THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN THEIR LIVES. 168 Below, the Zombies which are in sight wander aimlessly over the plaza. Some try the gates but cannot budge them. One wanders out of the single open shop, it is a female. The shop is an appliance store. As the creature leaves she drags a toaster idly behind her, pulling it by its power cable. It scrapes on the floor loudly. 169 We see an installation of large reflectors mounted in an intricate metal skeleton which stretches across a large area of the roof surface. Behind the structures can be seen a large power generator. 170 Peter: SOLAR SCREENS. Roger: CAN'T BE ENOUGH TO POWER THIS PLACE. Peter: EMERGENCY SYSTEM, MAYBE. Roger: IT'S PRETTY LIT UP IN THERE. Peter: GUESS THE POWER'S NOT OFF IN THIS AREA. A LOT OF PHILLY'S STILL LIT. COULD BE NUCLEAR. 171 Roger: HEY LOOK AT THIS! Roger is peering down through a wire-hatched skylight. There are several laid out over this particular area of the roof. He moves to another while Peter looks down into the first. Fran and Stephen jog up. Roger: THESE DON'T GO DOWN INTO THE MALL. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? Fran and Stephen peer down into the darkness. Peter pulls a flashlight from his utility belt. He has stayed in full uniform all the while, where Roger has stripped off all but his ammunition belt and pistol holster. 172 The big man shines a light beam down into the space. The floor is only seven feet or so below the window. There is absolutely nothing in sight; clear floor, clear walls, all light grey. Peter: DAMN. 173 Roger has moved to another window. Roger: HEY, OVER HERE. THERE'S SOMETHIN' HERE. 174 Peter trots over and shines his beam down. They see a vast array of cardboard cartons...hundreds of them. Roger: STORAGE? 175 Peter moves the light beam. Now it illuminates a collection of large drums, stacked floor to ceiling and running deep past the line of vision. On the face of each drum is the familiar symbol of a triangle within a circle, and the letters C.D. 176 Peter: CIVIL DEFENCE. CIVIL DEFENCE WATER SUPPLY. Roger: AND BOXES OF CANNED FOOD! Steve: HOW DO WE GET DOWN THERE? Peter looks at Stephen as a street-wise-tough would look at a hopeless city-slick-sissy. Then the big man brings his rifle butt down against the glass and the shattered pane crashes to the floor below. 177 Inside - the vast space is impressive. It is quite dark but for rays of sunlight which drift through the occasional skylights. We see an enormous quantity of food cartons and water drums, it is very quiet. The space is barren except for the stacks of Civil Defence supplies. 178 Suddenly, a figure drops out of one of the skylights, landing on its feet in the sunray. It is Peter. Instantly he readies his rifle, looking this way and that across the large room. Silence. Peter: OK. He steps aside and Roger climbs in. He too drops cat-like to the floor.179 The two men instantly sling their rifles and move to the food cartons as by pre-arranged plan. They carry the big boxes quickly, one at a time, to the spot under the open skylight. In a moment, they have built a pyramid out of the cartons. It creates a kind of stairway for a quick escape through the window above. 180 Now Fran lowers herself into the room and is able to climb down the cartons holding onto Roger's hand. She is followed by an anxious Stephen.181 Peter has already wandered off. There are only two doors in the enormous room, one at either end. The big Trooper moves up to one of them as Roger comes up behind him, gun ready. Peter's hand turns the doorknob. It is unlocked, and the big man gives Roger a familiar nod. Roger stands several feet back, his rifle aimed directly at the door and ready to fire. Then, with a sudden, commando-like motion. Peter throws the door open and ducks away flat against the wall. Roger stiffens, his finger all but pulling his trigger, but there is no apparent danger. 182 The door opens onto another vast room, equivalent to the one the people are in. It also has stacks of C.D. supplies. The Troopers cautiously move into the area through the door. The room is empty. The same sunrays pierce the darkness through skylights. All is dead quiet. This room has no doors at all, but for the one Peter opened. Roger: DOUBLE DAMN! LOOKS LIKE A FREE LUNCH, BUDDY.183 In the first room Stephen has started to rip open one of the cartons. Fran: SPAM! Roger walks back into the room. Roger: YOU BRING A CAN OPENER? Fran: OH. Roger: THEN DON'T KNOCK SPAM. IT'S GOT IT'S OWN KEY. The woman flips over the can in her hand and finds the little key. Peter has walked right past the group. He is moving quickly toward the still-unknown door at the other end of the room. Again, Roger follows. 184 At the door, the two Troopers go through the same S.W.A.T. procedure. The door swings open, this time onto a very small space. Again no immediate danger. 185 As the men enter, they discover that they are on the top landing of a concrete and metal firestair. There are no windows, and the air is musty. There is one bare light bulb lit in the ceiling, but down the stairs at the next landing it is quite dark, and there the stairs wind even further down; they recede into blackness. Roger: WHATD'YA THINK? The Black man just stares, first down into the darkness then back into the storage area. Roger: THIS IS THE ONLY WAY UP HERE. WHATD'YA THINK? CUT. 186 A great barricade of food cartons has been stacked against the stairway door. 187 Near the pyramid under the open skylight, the group of refugees sits on the floor. Stephen is asleep. Fran sits next to his curled form, her hand in his hair. Roger leans against the pyramid and Peter sits in the lotus position, his gun across his legs, squarely facing the suspicious stairwell. He and Roger still pick at their food. Roger swills water from an empty Spam can which he has filled from one of the C.D. drums. Roger: YOU BETTER GET SOME SLEEP, TOO, BUDDY. Peter: THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF STUFF DOWN THERE THAT WE COULD USE, BROTHER. Roger: I KNOW IT. Fran stiffens at the talk. She doesn't believe what she is hearing. She knows instantly that the men will try to raid the mall. Peter: THEY'RE PRETTY SPREAD OUT DOWN THERE. IT'S A BIG PLACE. I THINK WE WOULD OUT-RUN 'EM. Roger: HIT AND RUN. Peter: HIT AND RUN... MAYBE GRAB US OFF A RADIO... Fran: YOU'RE CRAZY! Roger: THIS PLACE COULD BE A GOLD MINE. WE GOTTA AT LEAST CHECK IT OUT. 188 Roger checks his weaponry and quickly moves toward the door where he begins to remove the barricade of cartons. Peter still sits, checking his own guns. 189 Fran: THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM...LOOK WHAT HAPPENED AT THE AIRPORT... Peter: THE ONLY PROBLEM AT THE AIRPORT WAS STRAY BULLETS! WE COULD OUTFIGHT THOSE DUMMIES BLINDFOLDED. Fran: STEPHEN...(the exhausted Pilot is sleeping through it all) Peter: (standing) LEAVE HIM BE. WE'RE GOIN' OURSELVES. The big Trooper bends over snatching up Stephen's rifle. He snaps off the safety and slams a shell into the chamber. He hands it to the woman. Peter: THAT'S READY TO SHOOT. BE CAREFUL. Fran holds the gun gingerly. Peter: THE TRIGGER SQUEEZES REAL EASY, BUT THE WEAPON'LL KICK YOU GOOD WHEN IT FIRES. BE READY FOR THAT. Fran WAIT A MINUTE, I... Peter: ANYONE BUT US COMES UP THEM STAIRS, YOU GUYS TAKE OFF IN THE MACHINE. WE'LL TRY TO MAKE IT OUT TO THE PARKIN' LOT. YOU CAN PICK US UP THERE. Fran just stares up at the big man, with desperation in her eyes. She has stopped arguing seeing that the Troopers' decision is made. Peter: IF WE DON'T SHOW UP AFTER A FEW MINUTES... WE'LL CATCH UP TO YOU SOME OTHER TIME. YOU UNDERSTAND?190 In the dimly lit firestair, the door on the top landing pulls open suddenly. The stairway is still empty. The Troopers move slowly out onto the landing. They look down into the darkness below. Then they move slowly and silently down the steps. Fran appears on the upper landing. She stands in the doorway clutching the rifle. Peter stops for a moment, looking back up at the frightened woman. Peter: YOU'LL PROB'LY HEAR SOME SHOOTING. JUST DON'T PANIC, OK. Fran sighs exhaustedly. Peter: YOU'LL BE ALRIGHT. IT'S OUR ASSES THAT'S IN THE FIRE. 191 Two landings below, there is almost no light. Roger clicks on his flashlight and shines the beam around. He is in a very small concrete space. The stairs go down no further. There is only one door. Peter eases down the steps behind. Roger: THIS IS THE ONLY WAY UP THERE.192 We see the other side of the metal door. It stands in another cement walled space, which also seems small from our angle, but it is fully lit. The door opens slowly, and the Troopers cautiously step out. As the camera swings around, we see that the men are at the end of a long narrow hallway. Directly across from them are two open supply rooms, one containing a stationery sink and a toilet. Both rooms are filled with cleaning supplies.193 Down along the hall can be seen a dozen or so doorways. Some doors are open, some are closed. Along the opposite wall there is nothing. The far end of the hall, about a hundred yards away, opens out onto the second story of the mall proper.194 The men look at one another and slowly move down the corridor. They try the first two doors, which are locked. The third is wide open. 195 Roger ducks quickly into the room with his rifle raised. It is a large administrative office, with rows of desks which are fully equipped for a staff of secretaries and accountants.196 The next room has a closed door, but it is unlocked. Peter swings the door open and silently jumps into the room. This is a much more spartan area, with two metal desks and a few chairs. There are several phones. It is a maintenance office. On one wall is a large map of the mall, with pin flags and scribbling over an acetate which covers the drawing. At the other end of the space is a huge electrical panel with circuit breakers and an entire series of master controls all keyed by a number code to another map of the mall showing electrical installations. On the wall behind Peter is a large blackboard and two metal cabinets. One is open. It contains all sorts of tools, manual and electric. There are circuit testers, walkie talkie units and there are several enormous rings containing hundreds of keys, also colour and number coded. Peter grabs up one of the rings and Roger steps up behind him. Roger: THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM.197 Back in the hallway, Roger's hand tries another doorknob and throws the door open. This opens onto beautifully plush offices, obviously the executive headquarters. The rooms interconnect, and while Peter walks from door to door in the corridor, Roger moves through the inner doors, meeting Peter at each room. One office is more elegant than the next, with the latest in designer furniture and expensive decorations.198 The Troopers finally reach a room on which both the interior and corridor doors are closed and locked. The brass nameplate on the interior door reads C.J. Porter - President.199 Roger moves out to the corridor where he joins Peter. They move into the exterior corridor. They are very near the end of the hall, and the brightly lit shopping area is close at hand. They can only see a small section.200 The balcony on their side is railed off against the open drop down to the first floor, and across the great cavity they see the opposite balcony. On the far side only two store fronts can be seen. They are both gated and shut. 201 The two realise what dangers might face them in the mall proper. They look at each other and move forward, each clinging to opposite walls in the corridor.202 As they reach the mall proper they slowly and carefully peer around their respective corners. 203 The upper balcony totally surrounds the vast interior of the building, and at several points bridges across from one side to the other. Little shops of all types run along the entire length of the balcony, and at each far end, stands the entrance arches for a large department store. Most of the stores are gated, but several seem open. The big department stores are gated and locked. Here and there tall trees grow up from the ground floor and reach up into view of the second storey. There are none of the living dead evident on the balcony.204 The two troopers move slowly and quietly to the railing. The crouch and peer down through the bars of the rail. Below, the sight is even more spectacular.205 Stores of every type offer gaudy displays of consumer items. Everything from clothing to appliances. Photo equipment; audio and video outlets; sporting goods and weaponry; gourmet foods and natural organic foods. There is a Book Store, a Record Store, a Real Estate Agency and a Bank; A Novelty Shop, a Gift Shop; all with the absolute latest in American consumer items. And at either end of the concourse like the main Altars at each end of a Cathedral, stand the mammoth two storey Department Stores; great symbols of a consumer society. Down the centre of the ground floor, along with the gardens and park benches, are little stalls. One is a Tobacco Specialist another Jewellery; another is a small Photo Portrait stall where mothers had their children photographed. There are restaurants and Snack Bars and numerous coin operated machines selling everything from children's toys to Blood Pressure readings. There is a large turntable, designed to spin but which is now still, holding a late model car on exhibit. Another turntable displays futuristic household appliances. The images are all too familiar, but in their present state they appear as an archaeological discovery revealing the Gods and Customs of a civilisation now gone. The ghosts of a civilisation, however, are not figments in the mind. They are quite real. And they walk below in the aisles of the great Cathedral. At least twenty Zombies can be seen from the Troopers' perspective. 206 Roger: IT'S CHRISTMASTIME DOWN THERE, BUDDY. Peter: FAT CITY, BROTHER. HOW WE GONNA WORK IT. Roger: WE GET INTO THE DEPARTMENT STORES UP HERE. THEY PROB'LY HAVE THEIR OWN ESCALATORS INSIDE. Peter: LET'S CHECK THOSE KEYS. 207 The Troopers stealthily pull away from the railing and back into the administrative corridor. Then they move quickly down the hall toward the Maintenance Office. 208 As the men leave the balcony, the camera pans. Several yards away a Zombie staggers out of one of the open stores. It is followed by a second creature, a female without one arm. They are moving along the balcony toward the open corridor. 209 In the Maintenance Office, the Troopers are checking the keys against the coded map on the wall. Roger: SEVENTY TWO...U. AND D. ...HERE IT IS... The men check the keys. Peter finds corresponding numbers. Peter: HERE. Roger: LET'S JUST HOPE IT'S RIGHT. Peter: LOOK HERE (on the map) THESE NUMBERS MUST ALL BE LOCKS (he points) FRONT...SIDE...BACK OUTSIDE, MUST BE LIKE LOADING DOCKS...BUT WHAT ARE THESE? The man points to several numbered spots which seem to be within the big Department Store they are studying. Roger: WASHROOMS...EQUIPMENT...I DUNNO. Roger moves off toward the electrical control panel. Peter still stares at the map. Peter: I GUESS THESE GOTTA BE THE GATES. Roger: HOW ABOUT A LITTLE MUSIC? Peter: WHAT?210 The big Black moves up behind his partner. One of the controls on the panel is marked: MUSIC TAPE. It indicates a master switch which is in the off position. Another is marked FLOOR EXHIBITS and a series of others are marked ESCALATORS. There are dozens of master switches which are in the off mode. Peter: POWER SWITCHES. Roger: THE MUSIC MIGHT COVER THE NOISE WE MAKE. Peter: HIT 'EM ALL. MIGHT AS WELL HAVE POWER IN EVERYTHING. WE MIGHT NEED IT. Roger hits the switches one at a time. 211 Throughout the mall, we hear the drone of the dull, mass produced music designed to lull a shopper's brain.212 Upstairs, Francine startles at the sound from below. She snaps the rifle into her hands, ready to fire. She has been standing just inside the storage area. She steps into the firestair and looks down into the darkness. The sounds of the insipid music drift up to her. She leans into the storage area again. Fran: STEPHEN... STEPHEN! 213 Steve, still lying on the floor against the escape pyramid, slowly awakens.214 Down on the first floor of the big mall, things begin to work. The automobile turntable starts spinning; the great escalators move up and sown. Two of the living dead, caught just starting up two stalled escalator, fall and roll down as the mechanical steps begin moving. Lights blink on the exhibits, and mechanical window displays begin their robot-like motions. It is like a Carnival coming alive. The Zombies which wander the floor look about in confusion. Some of them swat ineffectively at the moving exhibits.215 In a very tall cage, which reaches from the first floor all the way to the ceiling, the Tropical Birds which are housed within begin to flutter and squawk.216 In a pet shop, there are puppies and kittens in a window display. They whine and scramble over one another in fright at the noise and the motion and the coloured lights.217 On one of the floor exhibits, a rear-projection movie starts. It is a dryly produced film about the merits of a Real Estate Developer's new tract of suburban houses. A narrator speaks in a friendly voice: ... and for prices which anyone can afford, you can live in these luxurious new homes by Brandon. Fully electric, central air, ..etc. 218 In the Maintenance Office, the Troopers ready themselves for their raid. Peter secures the vital key ring to his utility belt and the move out. Peter and Roger move down the Hall and exit through door to exterior corridor. 219 Just as Roger moves through the door into the corridor, he is confronted by the Zombies from the balcony. He startles and ducks back into the room. The closest Zombie is reaching out with clutching hands. Peter raises his gun and fires two shots cleanly through the creature's head.220 As the shots ring through the area, Fran, standing at the top of the firestair, startles. Steve grabs the rifle from the woman. Steve: JESUS CHRIST... THEY'RE MANIACS. 221 The Troopers step over the corpse. The second Zombie, the arm less female, is walking toward them. This time Roger fires his weapon. The creature falls in a heap. Roger: WHATD'YA THINK? BAG IT OR TRY FOR IT? Peter: YOU GAME? Roger nods and the two men run down the hall toward the mall. Their rifles poised, they are like commandos on an important mission. The men at the mall mouth see the department store and start for it. They run from the corridor onto the balcony.222 The battle to win the mall has begun. The creatures which wander the first floor look about, attracted by the sound, but they are confused. They walk this way and that, in mis-guided staggering strides.223 Several of the Zombies try to move up the down-escalator. They fall over themselves and cannot negotiate the moving stairway.224 A few creatures who move onto the up-escalator also fall against each other from the movement, but one falls onto the moving steps and is carried upward. Then another manages to keep its balance holding on to the hand rail. 225 At another point down the length of the mall, there is a stationary stairway which runs from the first to the second floor. Several creatures move up the steps. 226 At the top of the firestair, Stephen begins to move down the steps cautiously. His rifle is at the ready. Fran stays on the top landing. Fran: STEPHEN, DON'T GO DOWN THERE. (he continues) STEPHEN PLEASE! Steve: IT'S ALRIGHT. 227 At the huge gate which locks off the big Department Store, the two Troopers come to a crashing stop. 228 There is a side concourse which can be seen from this vantage point, and in the hall are four or five Zombies. They are about three hundred feet away. 229 Roger keeps his rifle levelled off in the direction of the creatures while Peter confronts the lock at the middle of the big roll gate. He fumbles with the keys for a moment until he finally sinks the proper key into the receptacle which is right at the floor. The tumblers turn successfully. Peter: ALRIGHT! 230 On the escalator, the creatures which fell onto the moving steps are being carried up to the balcony. The one supporting himself on the hand rail is still standing. The head of the standing Zombie suddenly becomes visible from Roger's perspective. 231 The Trooper raises his gun and aims for the creature's forehead. Peter tries to life the roll gate. It won't move. It is still locked. Peter: YOU BASTARD! Roger: WHAT? Peter: STILL LOCKED...(he sees another assembly) ON THE SIDE... The big man moves to the far side of the gate. The same key fits. Roger re-focuses on the creature which is riding the escalator. It is quite near the top now. Roger is about to shoot when something catches his eye. 232 The fallen Zombies, which up to now could not be seen behind the escalator rail wall, suddenly come tumbling out onto the balcony floor.233 Roger fires, but his aim is inaccurate.234 He hits the standing Zombie in the neck. The creature is thrown off balance enough to lose its footing. It falls back down the escalator, but before it reaches the bottom, it stops rolling. The steps carry it back up toward the second floor again. It is still very much alive. The two creatures on the balcony struggle to stand.235 Roger looks back over his shoulder.236 The Zombies from the side concourse are now about a hundred and fifty feet away. 237 Peter turns the key in the lock, but again the gate will not lift. It moves slightly, as the middle mechanism and the one on the far right are free, but there is a third lock on the far left. Peter moves to it quickly.238 On the first floor concourse, other creatures are beginning to take note of the action upstairs. They start to move.239 The Zombies on the stationary stairway are beginning to reach the second floor, but they are far down the main balcony. They will have to pass the administrative corridor in order to reach the Department Store. 240 Roger fires again. 241 One of the nearby Zombies falls in a heap. 242 At the sound of the rifle, Fran gets desperate. Fran: STEPHEN...FOR GOD'S SAKE...LET'S GET UP ON THE ROOF...243 Steve is at the middle landing. He stares down into the darkness below. More gunfire can be heard from the mall. Steve: IT'S ALRIGHT, I'M TELLIN 'YA. THOSE THINGS DON'T MOVE FAST ENOUGH TO CATCH US. More gunfire can be heard.244 Now the giant gate rolls up with a loud rumble. Peter ducks into the store even as the gate is still rising, but the inertia of the great metal cage carries the lip up out of Peter's grasp. He jumps to try to catch it, but he misses. It jerks up into its fully open position and rolls back down slightly, but still Peter cannot reach the lip. It slides back to rest about three feet above Peter's fingertips.245 The Zombies advance.246 Roger drops another with a clean shot through the head, then he backs into the archway of the Department Store entrance. Peter is desperately looking around for something to stand on to reach the gate.247 The Zombies are very close to the arch now, advancing steadily. 248 Peter grabs a small counter used to display shoes, but it is too heavy for him to move himself. Peter: HERE...COME ON... Roger has to abandon his post at the arch long enough to help drag the little counter. The men drag it to a point just at the side of the open arch, and Peter instantly jumps up on the top of it. At that instant, a Zombie rounds the corner and grabs at Peter's legs. The big man kicks, startled, and the motion causes him to fall off the little counter. He lands on his feet, but out on the balcony beyond the arch. Roger brings his rifle butt around against the creature's head and the Zombie falls back, but is not dead. Other creatures are only a few feet from Peter, whose gun sits on the little counter inside the store. Roger levels off his rifle but cannot fire as Peter is in the line. Peter makes a move and, like a football player, jukes to the left, then to the right. He dives right at one of the creatures carrying it into the store. Now Roger fires, dropping one, then another. Peter jumps back up on the counter. Peter: BEHIND YOU...BEHIND YOU... The creature in the store has crashed against a cosmetics display and is regaining its footing. Roger turns and fires. The creature falls. Peter grabs the lip of the roll gate and starts to bring it down. There are several creatures right in the archway, now they clutch with their hands. One blocks the downward progress of the gate. Roger fires point blank and the Zombie flies back. The gate lowers but is stopped by the clutching hands of other creatures. Roger grabs the cage now and helps to pull it down. Peter, still gripping the lip, jumps off the counter to get more leverage. The bottom of the gate is now four feet from the floor. The two men are able to move it steadily downward. The Zombies are very weak, but more creatures appear making it more difficult. Then one Zombie tries to crawl under the gate. Its torso just gets through as the gate slams down against its chest. Its arms grab for Peter's legs and its mouth is gasping. Its body is preventing the gate from engaging in the floor mechanisms. Roger lets go the cage as Peter tries to hold it against the creatures outside. Grabbing his rifle, Roger brings the butt straight down on the clutching Zombie's skull. The Zombie goes limp. Then Roger tries to push the creature clear of the gate, but the pressure is too great. Roger: LET UP A LITTLE...LET UP A LITTLE... The gate rises a few inches. More Zombies appear outside. Their hands clutch at the roll gate. The openings in the grid are only big enough for their fingers, their hands can't reach through, but they are pushing the gate higher and higher...more than Peter intended to clear the obstructing corpse. With his rifle butt, Roger manages to push the dead Zombie clear except for one of its arms. From outside, a creature's hand suddenly grabs Roger's weapon. For a moment its like a Tug-O-War. Peter is having a harder time holding the gate. It is inching upward. Peter: COME ON...COME ON... Roger lets go his gun barrel and the weapon is snatched away by the creature in the crowd. Roger grabs for the gate. Peter: THE ARM...THAT ARM'S IN THE WAY. Roger squats again and manages to throw the dead Zombie's arm clear. Then he grabs the gate again. Now it starts to move down more steadily. At the last moment, another clutching arm juts into the store, but when the gate hits it, it withdraws, and the big cage clicks solidly into place. The two Troopers step back from the gate. The creatures still moan and gurgle, slamming against the gate, their fingers clutching at the grid, but they are unable to budge it. There are ten or twelve Zombies trying to get into the Department Store and several others are making their way along the balcony. At least six lie dead along the floor. Roger: WELL...WE'RE IN...NOW, HOW THE HELL WE GONNA GET BACK? Peter: LET'S GO SHOPPIN' FIRST. The two men back into the aisles of the store. The creatures outside still push and claw at the gate. The one with Roger's rifle uses it as a bludgeon, but it has no effect. 249 Stephen opens the door into the Administration corridor. 250 From his perspective, the hall is inactive. He observes the washrooms and the long row of doors to the various offices. 251 He starts into the corridor, letting the firestair door close. 252 At the top of the firestair, Fran can see the beam of light from the open door below. As the door closes, the beam narrows, then it blinks out with a click as the door closes. Fran: STEPHEN...JESUS GOD... She is very frightened. She backs into the storage area.253 She moves quickly to the pyramid of cartons which lead to the roof. She sits on the bottom carton biting her fingers.254 In the Department Store, Roger is riding down an escalator. He has found a back pack, and it is obviously already filled with goods. As he steps off the moving stairs on the ground floor, the surroundings are eerily quiet.255 He moves through a clothing department. We see the dead looking faces of store mannequins. Roger runs into one and is greatly startled. He snatches up a lined windbreaker and ties it around his waist by its arms, then he trots off down another aisle, where he finds Peter. 256 The big Trooper has a radio under his arm and he is snatching up a small television. Roger: HEY MAN, WE CAN'T CARRY ALL THIS SHIT... 257 Peter turns a corner and dumps the articles into something which we cannot yet see. As Roger trots up, he sees that Peter has a big gardening cart already heaped with goods. Roger: OH...WE'RE GONNA JUST WHEEL RIGHT BY 'EM, RIGHT? Peter: WE GONNA TRY, BROTHER. WE AIN'T DOIN' THIS FOR THE EXERCISE. WE MIGHT AS WELL TRY TO GET WHAT WE CAN. Roger: THERE'S NO WAY THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN... Even though he doesn't understand the plan, Roger helps Peter toss things into the barrow. 258 They race down the hardware aisle tossing in tools and other supplies. Electrical cables, flashlights, batteries. They scoop things up like contestants on a game-show who have five minutes in a store to grab whatever they can.259 Stephen is in the Maintenance office. He examines the maps and electrical equipment, then rummages through a desk.260 At the open end of the corridor leading to the second storey balcony, Zombies wander past as they head for the Store entrance where many creature still claw at the roll gate.261 The Zombies move randomly. Some are leaving the gate as their prey is now out of sight. They begin to wander here and there. 262 Three of the creatures turn into the administrative corridor and start toward the offices. 263 Stephen has found a large binder in the desk. It contains all the plans for the mall, duplicating the charts on the walls and many others. It is a complete maintenance manual revealing all the workings and layout of the huge structure.264 Elevator doors slide open with a loud whoosh. The two Troopers appear in the car, wheeling their barrow out onto the second storey aisles of the big store.265 Now, they can see the roll gate and the creatures pushing at it ineffectively. They roll their barrow very close to the gate. When the Zombies catch sight of the humans, their efforts are renewed. They moan and push harder at the gate.266 They Troopers leave the barrow, disappearing back to the aisles. They run onto the interior escalator, bounding down faster than the moving steps, then they run across the first floor until they see the lower level-roll gate.267 There are creatures wandering the concourse, but none of them are at the gate. Peter: LET'S GO BROTHER...THE OLD OKEY DOKE! The men move up to the roll gate. A Zombie lumbers past. Roger speaks to the creature. Roger: HEY, UGLY! The creature turns instantly. Registers. Then dives for the gate with a moaning roar. Its mouth opens and its hands clutch. The gate pops forward from the creature's thrust, but it holds tightly. The action causes Roger to jump even though there is no immediate danger. Peter: LET'S RAISE SOME HELL...HEY...HEY... (he is shouting) Roger: OVER HERE...LET'S GO OVER HERE... 268 Other creatures along the concourse turn toward the Department Store. They lumber along attracted by the sounds. 269 At the gate, several Zombies push at the metal grids. The Troopers back away, but stay in sight of the creatures. Peter: JUST GIVE IT TIME ...GIVE IT TIME. 270 Upstairs, the Zombies at the upper gate are attracted by the commotion below. They begin to move away from the gate and lumber along the balcony to the stairways and escalators. 271 In the maintenance office, Stephen still rummages. He finds a loaded hand gun and stuffs it in his belt. He moves to the large cabinets containing the walkie talkies and the keys.272 In the corridor, the stray Zombies move in and out of the executive offices as they draw nearer to the Maintenance room.273 Several creatures fall over one another as they try to move down the up escalator. The down escalator push others onto the first floor. They scramble to their feet and move toward the Department Store. 274 In the concourse, many creatures are moving toward the gate. Already there are a dozen or so clutching and pushing at the metal grid. Through the crowd. Peter can see several other creatures lumbering down the stationary steps. 275 Peter: OK...THEY 'RE COMIN'... The big man readies his walkie talkie, pulling the antenna out. Peter: GO ON UP...STAY OUTTA SIGHT BUT LEMME KNOW WHEN ITS CLEAR ENOUGH. Roger, clutching his walkie talkie, disappears among the aisles as he runs, crouching, into the store. Peter tries to hold the attention of the creatures at the gate. Peter: RIGHT HERE, BABIES...THIS IS WHERE IT'S AT... YOU DUMB ASS SUCKERS...YOU DUMB...YOU ARE DUMB! 276 Upstairs, the doors to the elevator glide open again and Roger moves through the second floor aisles stealthily.277 Stephen takes the maintenance manual and leaves the office. He walks down the interior corridor and opens the door to the exterior corridor. As the door opens, the Zombies attack. The Zombies clutch as Stephen tries to close the door on Zombie 13's arm. Stephen then runs back down the interior corridor. 278 Stephen starts up the firestair to the door. Just then he hears Fran call out. Realising he will lead the creatures to her, he closes the door and moves toward the Maintenance office and runs in. 279 Stephen runs into the office and slams the door. 280 A second creature is moving up behind the first, and another enters the corridor from the accounting office. 281 The metal door locks only with a key. Stephen fumbles for a moment with his rifle, then dives for the key cabinet. There are hundreds of keys on rings. He looks at the wall map. He can't focus in his panic. 282 In the hall, the first creature slams against the floor. It doesn't even have the intelligence to reach for the knob. It pounds on the door with its hands. 283 The pounding increases Stephen's panic. He stares at the map trying to focus on the maze of numbers. 284 The second creature reaches the door and claws at it. The third approaches slowly. 285 Stephen rattles among the keys. His fingers shake and he cannot decipher the numbers. 286 Outside, one of the creatures, in its random clutching, takes hold of the knob and pushes in and out, not yet turning it. 287 Stephen, clutching one of the rings, throws himself against the door, still trying to read the numbers. The knob finally turns. The door opens against Stephen's weight. He manages to slam it shut despite the pushing creatures. He throws the key ring down and grabs his gun. 288 Roger speaks into his walkie talkie: Roger: I THINK WE CAN MOVE THE WAGON. 289 Peter, downstairs, talks into his unit: Peter: CLEAR? Roger: (over talking unit) NOT ALTOGETHER, BUT THEY'RE SPREAD OUT PRETTY GOOD...ENOUGH TO MOVE THE WAGON. The creatures slam against the first floor gate, but it holds securely. Peter stares at the beasts as he lowers his talk unit. He backs slowly away into the depths of the store. 290 Upstairs, Roger peers from behind a counter. 291 The second floor gate is clear. 292 On the balcony, several creatures wander aimlessly, but most of them have already moved down the steps and escalators. 293 Peter is still in sight of the Zombies at the first floor entrance. He clips his talk unit onto his belt, then ducks and disappears among the aisles. 294 He runs, crouching out of sight, until he rounds a far wall and comes up into the elevator. 295 He enters the car and pushes "2". The doors glide shut and the car begins to move up. 296 At the door of the Maintenance Office, the knob turns again. The door pushes open against Stephen weight. His feet slide on the linoleum floor. He cannot get the door closed this time. Biting his lip, he makes the sign of the cross, and backs suddenly into the room holding his rifle high. The door flies open with a slam, and three Zombies advance into the office. Stephen tries to aim carefully, and he fires. 297 Just as the elevator doors open. Peter hears the gunfire. He hesitates for a moment, then runs toward the entrance arch. 298 Roger is poised at one of the side locks on the gate. The gunfire stops him also as he is unlocking the mechanism. 299 Along the balcony, some of the creatures turn around in con- fusion. They walk this way and that, attracted by the sound. 300 Peter thunders up behind Roger. Peter: WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? Roger: FUZZ MAYBE? Peter: OR MAYBE FLYBOY. WHERE'S IT COMIN' FROM? Roger: CAN'T TELL. Peter: COME ON. OPEN UP. Roger : MAYBE WE SHOULD SEE WHAT'S HAPPENIN'... Peter: OPEN UP. I CAN GET THE WAGON OVER. IF IT IS FLYBOY, LET'S GET HIM ON OUR SIDE. Roger moves to the second lock. More gunfire. Peter: (setting his weapon on the floor) YOU JUST COVER ME GOOD, YOU HEAR? Roger moves to the third lock as Peter stands and grabs on to the handles of the barrow. 301 The body of a dead Zombie hits the floor, its head shot through. Nearby lies the corpse of the first creature to break into the Maintenance Office. The third staggers into the room. Stephen stands fast now. He holds his rifle out in front of him. The creature walks toward the gun. Steve holds his hands on the trigger. The Zombie lunges suddenly, and grabs the gun barrel. Steve fires, but the blast tears through the creature's chest. Steve struggles to raise the barrel but the motion of the Zombie makes it impossible to aim accurately. The gun fires again, this time grazing the Zombie's neck. With a sudden burst of energy the creature wrenches the gun free. Steve backs against the wall. The creature tosses the rifle across the room where it slams the floor near a desk. The Zombie advances on Steve. Steve is next to the key cabinet and grabs at it, trying to find some weapon. He feels the tools in the cabinet and comes up with a hammer. The Zombie is about to reach him when Steve pulls the hammer out and upsets the cabinet. The Zombie fumbles with the cabinet at its feet, but doesn't fall. Steve tries to hit the creature's head with the tool, he misses and the Zombie grabs at his arm, trying to bite it. Steve wrenches free and the two bodies fall to the floor. The creature clutches at the man's legs, it's teeth bared like an animal. Steve kicks desperately and manages to land a blow squarely in the creatures face. The Zombie comes after him again and from his crawling position, Steve brings the hammer as an uppercut to the creature's jaw. The creature falls back enough for Steve to crawl across the floor. It follows, but Steve reaches the desk and grabs his rifle. Rolling on the floor, he fires several shots into the creature, finally destroying it. 302 The second floor gate rolls up with a rumble and Peter runs out of the Department Store with the barrow full of supplies. 303 The action attracts the attention of several of the creatures which are still wandering the balcony. They turn slowly. 304 Just as he rounds the corner. Peter almost collides with one creature, and can barely keep from upsetting the barrow. He manages to get past, and he runs as fast as he can toward the opening of the Administrative corridor. 305 Roger does not let the gate roll up too high. He stabilises the metal grid well within reach, then he stands his post with Peter's rifle. Several creatures approach from the opposite direction. Roger fires at the closest one. It falls. The others are still too far away to waste bullets. 306 Stephen steps over the corpses in the office and grabs the maintenance manual. He rushes into the corridor and runs out. 307 Three more creatures move toward him up the hallway. 308 At first Stephen freezes, then he starts backing toward the firestair, his rifle poised. 309 Just as Peter is reaching the mouth of the corridor, a Zombie steps out of the hallway into his path. Peter slams the barrow squarely into the creature's legs. The Zombie falls in the barrow onto the supplies. The big man slams the load against a wall at the mouth of the corridor. Before the Zombie can get its balance, the big Trooper reaches down and grabs the creature's jacket lapels. With all his might he flings the creature out against the balcony railing. The creature flips over the rail, but does not fall. Its arms and legs flailing as Peter comes up quickly behind and flips it over the rail. The creature makes no sound as it plummets to the concourse below.310 Roger fires again at a Zombie drawing dangerously near. Other creatures throughout the area are again converging on the Department Store entrance.311 Peter wheels the barrow into the corridor and sees Steve at the other end, the three Zombies are still closing in. Peter: HOLD IT FLYBOY!312 Steve freezes. He can barely see Peter, his vision blocked by the Zombies. The creatures are about thirty feet away.313 Peter: DON'T GO INTO THE STAIRWAY!314 Stephen is confused. The creatures advance.315 Peter: DON'T OPEN THAT DOOR, BABY. YOU'LL LEAD 'EM RIGHT UP WITH YOU. 316 Steve is on the verge of panic. Peter: RUN FOR IT. RUN THIS WAY. The Zombies are drawing closer and closer.317 Peter: COME ON, MAN. RUN THIS WAY. YOU CAN RUN RIGHT THROUGH 'EM. WE GOTTA LEAD 'EM AWAY FROM HERE! 318 Steve sizes up the corridor. It is narrow, but there is room to run past the Zombies. 319 Peter: COME ON, FLYBOY. YOU CAN MAKE IT. COME ON! 320 With a sudden move, Steve breaks into a run. He passes the first creature easily. The second grabs him as he runs past, but the man keeps his footing even though he slams against the wall. He keeps moving forward. The third creatures stands in his path. Steve lowers his head and slams into the Zombie's chest. The creature flies back and falls. Steve falls and tumbles toward the mouth of the passageway. He regains his footing as the creatures turn to pursue him, he runs to the end of the hall where Peter waits. Peter: NOW...HEAD FOR THE DEPARTMENT STORE...GO!321 The two men run across the balcony. They slam into two other Zombies which clutch and grab at them without success. 322 At the entrance arch to the store, Roger fires at another creature. It falls. Other Zombies are approaching, but Steve and Peter dive into the arch and the three men manage to lower the gate without a problem. The Zombies converge on the area as they did before, clutching and pushing at the metal cage, which holds them out securely. The men breathe heavily as they back away from the gate. Peter: DOWNSTAIRS AGAIN ...SAME TRICK. 323 The men move through the aisles of the store and go crashing down the escalator. 324 On the first floor they run toward the lower gate where they pull up wheezing with exhaustion. Steve: WHAT DO WE DO... Roger: LET 'EM KNOW WE'RE HERE... (shouting) WHOOOO HOOOOOO...OVER HERE...YEEE HAAAAAAAA. Steve starts to laugh at the ludicrous situation. Peter smiles at the young pilot. Peter: YOU DID ALRIGHT THIS TIME FLYBOY. HOW 'BOUT IT? Stephen laughs some more, nervously at first, then whole- Heartedly. Then he lets out a loud: Steve: WHOOOOOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEE... He has joined the cowboys. He is like a child, almost exultant with the joy of their victory... The three men shout through the cage at the creatures, which are already gathering at the gate. 325 Out on the concourse, a few Zombies wander aimlessly, but most are heading for the commotion on the first floor arch. 326 On the upstairs balcony, Zombies again move toward the stationary steps and the escalators. 327 The three creatures in the Administration corridor move toward the open mall. Two walk out on the balcony, but the last one turns into an open office. Then it staggers back out and heads down the hall toward the firestair. 328 Fran can faintly hear the "whooping" of the men as she moves toward the stairway door, which is still open.329 She steps onto the landing and looks down into the darkness. The shouting stops. Desperate with fear, she moves back to the storage room, then back onto the landing. Now her fear turns into anger. Fran: SHIT... She takes a few steps down the stairs. Stops. Goes back up. Fran: GOD DAMMIT! She starts back down again. 330 In the corridor below, the creature walks into another office. Then it moves back into the hall. 331 The Zombies crash against the first floor gate. It holds. The men crouch in the shadows of the gate. Roger: WE JUST GOTTA WAIT LONGER BEFORE WE MOVE. Peter: NO. THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE OF SOME OF THEM STAYIN' UP ON THE BALCONY. Roger: YEAH, BUT WE CAN HANDLE THAT. WE CAN BREAK THROUGH. Peter: IF ANY OF THEM SEE OR HEAR US, THEY'LL JUST FOLLOW US ON UP. IT'S NO GOOD. Roger: WE CAN SURE AS HELL OUT RUN 'EM...LOAD UP WHAT WE CAN AND GET OUTTA HERE. Peter: I'M THINKIN' MAYBE WE GOT A GOOD THING GOIN' HERE. MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T BE IN SUCH A HURRY TO LEAVE. Roger: OH, MAN... Peter: IF WE COULD GET BACK UP THERE WITHOUT THEM CATCHIN' ON, WE COULD HOLE UP FOR A WHILE. AT LEAST LONG ENOUGH TO CATCH A BREATH. CHECK OUT THE RADIO. SEE WHAT'S HAPPENIN'... Roger: MAN, I DON'T KNOW... Steve: THERE'S SOME KIND OF PASSAGEWAY OVER THE TOP OF THE STORES. The Troopers look at the young pilot, almost surprised to hear him speak. He has been quiet up until now. Steve: I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST HEATING DUCTS OR IF IT'S SOME KIND OF ACCESS. I SAW IT ON A MAP. Peter: UPSTAIRS. LET'S GO. The three move off down the aisles, then duck out of sight around a corner. The Zombies clutch at the metal gate, moaning and rattling the grid loudly.332 In the Maintenance hallway, we see the thick manual lying on the floor. A lumbering foot kicks it as the Zombie in the corridor wanders into another office. The creature ignores the book, as it does the corpses strewn in the hall.333 In the fire stair, Fran is on the middle landing. She is suddenly overcome with a wave of nausea. She clutches at her stomach, retching. She sits on the landing, letting her head flop against the wall. She is almost in tears.334 The upstairs doors of the Department Store elevator open and the men trot out. As they clear a wall, they see the entrance arch.335 There are no Zombies at the gate, but two are seen drifting along the balcony outside. 336 Peter: WATCH IT...DON'T LET 'EM SEE YOU. The men move stealthily along the aisles. They look up at the ceiling and see a series of large grillwork panels. Peter shines his flashlight beam into one. 337 The ceiling is about twelve feet high, but the light beam penetrates the grille to reveal a fairly large space above.338 Roger: LOOKS BIG ENOUGH TO CRAWL THROUGH. Peter: THEY'RE LOCKED. Roger: DAMN. THAT'S THOSE OTHER LOCK NUMBERS WE SAW ON THE CHART. Steve: WHY THE HELL WOULD THEY BE LOCKED? Peter: JACKPOT, FLYBOY. YOU'RE RIGHT. Roger: WHAT? Peter: THEY'RE LOCKED BECAUSE YOU CAN GET THROUGH 'EM EASY FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE BUILDING. Steve: OVER HERE.339 Steve notices that one of the ceiling grids is very close to the elevators. Peter looks at the grids, then down at the double doors. Peter: THE ELEVATOR SHAFT! He moves over and hits the button. The doors open. Peter: HOLD 'EM. Roger stands against the rubber safety bumper, holding the car doors open wide. Peter steps onto the hand railing and reaches up for the escape hatch, which is held in place by four knub- headed bolts. He removes the bolts quickly and dislodges the hatch cover and passes it down to Stephen. Then the big man sticks his head up through the opening.340 He looks around the elevator shaft, shining his flash this way and that. He sees another grid in the shaft wall. Peter: IT'S HERE...AND IT AIN'T LOCKED. GET A SCREW- DRIVER AND SOMETHIN' TO STAND ON FOR IN HERE. 341 Roger: I KNOW WHERE THE TOOLS ARE. GET ONE OF THO