• INT. NURSES’ OFFICE.

    EMILY
    So do you think they’ll be okay out
    there?

    TREVOR
    Do I think they will? no. But I
    sure do hope so...

    Emily looks down.

    (Beat)

    TREVOR (CNT’D)
    What’s wrong?

    EMILY
    I’ve just been thinking...

    TREVOR
    About?

    (Beat)
    EMILY
    Ryan had always made "promises" to
    me. To protect me from anything.
    But he never did. No matter how
    many chances I’d give him. And it
    just had me thinking if I can’t
    trust him...why should I trust
    anyone else here?

    TREVOR
    So you’re saying you don’t trust
    me? Olivia? Or Xavier?

    (Beat)

    EMILY
    It’s not that, it’s just the people
    who you trust the most...are always
    the ones who end up stabbing you in
    the back. I learned that the hard
    way.

    TREVOR
    If you really trusted us, then you
    wouldn’t have said what you just
    said.

    (Beat)

    TREVOR (CNT’D)
    Has Ryan ever...broke your heart?
    Or said some mean things to you?

    EMILY
    Yeah.

    TREVOR
    I bet you didn’t trust him 100%
    after that, am I right?

    EMILY
    Yeah..

    TREVOR
    Not only that, I don’t think he
    trusted you either. Has Olivia or
    Xavier broke your heart? Has any of
    them said anything bad to you?

    EMILY
    (deep breath)
    No.

    TREVOR
    Then there’s no reason why you
    shouldn’t trust them, right? Xavier
    risked his life to save you when
    Ryan left you at the school. So did
    Olivia. They all went out to help
    you...even when the hoard of the
    infected we’re not even an inch
    away from getting to you.

    Long Pause.

    TREVOR (CNT’D)
    Not just anybody would do that.

    EMILY
    (smiles)
    Thanks.

    TREVOR
    Of course. That’s what I like to
    do; make people feel better. It’s
    possible to smile in whatever
    ******** up situation we’re in.

    Emily nods and giggles a bit.

    EMILY
    Guess I got lucky. Hanging with the
    right crowd.

    TREVOR
    We all did.

    (Beat)

    Emily takes a deep breath again.

    EMILY
    Do you want anything to drink?

    TREVOR
    Some vodka would be nice.

    EMILY
    Yeah, that sounds good. With some
    orange juice mixed in with fruit
    punch. It’s really good.

    TREVOR
    How old are you, again?

    EMILY
    Seventeen.

    TREVOR
    Ah-I started drinking way before
    that age.

    EMILY
    When was your first drink?

    TREVOR
    Technically, I was five.

    EMILY
    (laughs)
    Five??

    TREVOR
    Yeah, whenever my dad put down his
    beers I used to always sneak a gulp
    or two. Then I did the same when my
    parents were asleep-or passed out
    on the floor.

    EMILY
    Wow.

    TREVOR
    Hey, it was fun though. When I
    started getting a little older I
    used to drink more. Around my early
    17 I had a real bad drinking
    problem.

    EMILY
    How bad?

    TREVOR
    Waking up at ten in the morning
    opening up a bottle of whiskey?
    That would last me up until twelve.
    Opened another bottle. Invited some
    friends, drank 3 bottles of vodka
    all in one sitting.

    EMILY
    Wow...was there
    anything...bothering you at the
    time?

    (Beat)

    TREVOR
    No. Not really. I mean, when I was
    a teenager-yeah. I thought my life
    sucked because we had a very low
    income, my self esteem was anchored
    down to the floor, I just thought
    life sucked.

    Pause.

    EMILY
    I’m sorry to hear that...

    TREVOR
    Nah, it’s nothing to get worked up
    on. Life is what you make of it.
    That’s the only thing I really
    learned.

    Another Pause.

    EMILY
    Well, I’m going to get a drink.
    Want me to find you a soda or
    something? Let’s hope they’re not
    all empty by now.

    TREVOR
    Yeah-that’d be great. Thanks alot.

    Emily smiles. She walks up from the bed and leaves the
    nurses’ office.


    INT. COMMONS.

    As Emily is walking out the doors, Phoenix approaches her.

    PHOENIX
    Hey.

    EMILY
    Hey. What’s going on?

    PHOENIX
    Nothing much. Is Sarah still in
    there?

    EMILY
    Yeah, I’m pretty sure she’s in the
    back room still. She hasn’t come
    out all day.

    PHOENIX
    Doesn’t surprise me. Mind if I went
    and talked to her?

    EMILY
    No go right ahead. Don’t have to
    ask me.

    He nods and walks into the nurses’ office.


    INT. BACK ROOM OF NURSES’ OFFICE.

    Phoenix walks in. We see Sarah sitting on a chair, near the
    window. She turns to him, but then looks right back outside.

    PHOENIX
    You are one selfish b***h you know
    that?

    SARAH
    (rolls her eyes)
    That’s what you came in here to
    say?

    PHOENIX
    Nope, got alot more up my sleeve.

    SARAH
    Well, I don’t want to hear it.

    PHOENIX
    That’s too bad. You don’t have a
    choice, I’ll say what I want before
    I have to go out there...risking MY
    life for YOUR safety.

    Pause. Phoenix walks closer to her. He takes a look at her
    stitched up wrist, and exhales deeply.

    PHOENIX
    Why did you have to do that? You’re
    smarter than that.

    SARAH
    It’s none of your business.

    PHOENIX
    That one won’t work. You’re my
    cousin-if I say it’s my business
    it’s my ******** business.

    (Beat)

    PHOENIX (CNT’D)
    I know you’re hurting about
    Mitchel. Hell we all are, Sarah, we
    ALL loved and miss him.. but you
    don’t see us pulling off any stunts
    like what you did last night. What
    do you think he would’ve said?

    (Beat)

    Sarah remains silent.

    PHOENIX (CNT’D)
    I’ve been there, done that. Trust
    me-it’s not what you want. It won’t
    solve a damn thing.

    SARAH
    Why am I getting a lecture from
    someone who’s hands aren’t even
    clean? Dirtier than mine, perhaps?

    PHOENIX
    Don’t pull that. This is about you.

    SARAH
    Yeah. I’ve heard that one way too
    often.

    PHOENIX
    What the hell is with you? Just
    because Mitchel is gone doesn’t
    mean you have to push everyone
    away. Even Damon, and all he did
    was save your life!

    SARAH
    He killed my dad...

    PHOENIX
    That wasn’t your dad.

    SARAH
    He killed my DAD. Damon had NO
    right.

    PHOENIX
    What the hell are you talking
    about??

    SARAH
    I didn’t ask "uncle" Damon to barge
    in that room and put a bullet
    through my dad’s skull. He’s your
    father, but as far as me and him?
    He’s nothing but a stranger to me.
    Forced to call me his niece. That
    means nothing.

    PHOENIX
    That "thing" that tried killing you
    wasn’t your dad! You’re a ********
    piece of work, Sarah! If it wasn’t
    for him, you’d be ******** done
    for!!

    SARAH
    Maybe I wanted to die!!!

    Pause.

    PHOENIX
    (very angry)
    What...did you just say...?

    SARAH
    I don’t want to live anymore. If
    what I just went through with my
    dad is what the future holds, then
    no. I’m not ready to face a world
    like that!

    Pause.

    Phoenix begins to pace back and forth, getting angrier by
    the minute.

    PHOENIX
    Open your ******** eyes! Half of our
    crew is going out there with the
    town full of those infected ********
    to make sure we’re ALL safe.
    INCLUDING YOU! And you’re telling
    me you don’t want to live right
    now?? You’re so ******** hard
    headed!

    Tears begin to fill Sarah’s eyes.

    PHOENIX (CNT’D)
    When we found you in that bathroom,
    our hearts SUNK. You should’ve seen
    the look on Kierra’s face when she
    saw you lying in a pool of your own
    ******** blood. We were ALL ready to
    break down, seeing you like that! I
    haven’t shed a tear since--

    He chokes on his own words.

    Long Pause.

    Sarah is crying softly. Phoenix punches the wall and storms
    out of the room.


    INT. COMMONS.

    Emily, walking with two sodas in her hand, sees Phoenix
    angrily walking out the nurses’ office.

    EMILY
    Hey, how did the talk go?

    Phoenix just walks by her. She looks back at him, a bit
    worried.


    INT. DARK HALLWAYS.

    We hear a repetitive clinging sound coming from the far
    distance. Two zombies growl and stumble toward the clinging
    noise through the hallways.

    As they turn the corner, Damon whacks a zombie in the head
    with an iron pipe. Jaxon stabs his knife into the other
    zombie’s head, killing it. Damon bashes the zombie’s skull
    in, killing it.

    JAXON
    There’s less in here than I
    thought.

    They continue walking down the hallway.

    MICHAEL
    When it’s just a couple of them it
    doesn’t seem so bad.

    JAXON
    When you’re fighting one, a couple
    or shooting off a hoard, just
    remember all it takes is one bite.
    Don’t get too comfortable.

    He begins making the clinging sound again, tapping his knife
    and nightstick together.

    OLIVIA
    So is there anything else we should
    know about these infected? Other
    than the bites?

    JAXON
    Bites aren’t the only thing that
    can infect you. Scratches can, as
    well.

    A zombie from down the hall, hears the noise and begins to
    stumble towards them.

    JAXON
    And as you can see, they’re
    attracted to noise too.

    The zombie screeches and stumbles closer. Jaxon takes out
    his knife, but Michael walks up to it, and bashes it in the
    jaw, knocking out some of it’s teeth. Michael then impales
    the iron pipe in it’s head.

    The others stare at him. Michael looks back at them.

    MICHAEL
    Sorry...no one was stepping up...

    JAXON
    You got excited. It’s fine.

    They all continue to walk again.

    JAXON (CNT’D)
    The best way to put them down the
    fastest, quickest way is shoot them
    in the head. Or kill the brain in
    anytype of way. It’s the only thing
    keeping them moving.

    DAMON
    They’re brain is working...but
    nothing else is?

    OLIVIA
    Coming from a nurse who finished
    med school...that just sounds
    really insane.

    DAMON
    How long does it take someone to
    usually turn?

    JAXON
    (continues to make noise)
    It depends. Mitchel took about a
    day...and with Juno it was only a
    matter of minutes.

    JAXON (CNT’D)
    When you turn...your eyes change.
    Your personality changes...the way
    you think changes. It’s really
    scary. I’ve seen it all being out
    there, trying to save as much lives
    as I can.

    MICHAEL
    I doubt that these infected think
    all.

    A zombies pops out of a classroom, grabbing Micahel.

    MICHAEL
    s**t!

    OLIVIA
    MICHAEL!

    He pushes it back to the wall. Olivia takes out her sharp
    nurses’ intrument and impales the zombie’s eye, killing it.
    She brings out the sharp object from it’s head and it
    collapses.

    JAXON
    You okay Michael?

    MICHAEL
    No, not at all. Can we get a move
    on? The quicker we get out of this
    hell hall the better.

    Jaxon nods. He continues to walk as Michael follows him.
    Damon stops and stares at the zombie corpses lying on the
    floor. He kneels down next to it, looking at it’s lifeless
    eyes. Olivia, noticing, kneels down beside him.

    OLIVIA
    Scary...isn’t it?

    DAMON
    It’s just...really shocking. It
    doesn’t even seem real
    sometimes...if that makes any
    sense...I’m just worried about my
    kids. I’m worried for Sarah. I
    don’t think I could take another
    family death-let alone due to this
    outbreak.

    OLIVIA
    Just be happy that you’re here with
    them now. You should give yourself
    some credit.

    DAMON
    For what...? I may not show it
    but...I’m petrified. I really am...

    OLIVIA
    We all are. None of us expected the
    end to happen so...cruel...and so
    evil. But that’s how the world
    always was. Cruel and evil. People
    killing other people all the time.
    But we still have a chance.

    DAMON
    A chance for what? Surviving...in
    this?

    OLIVIA
    (deep breath)
    Well...every path leads somewhere
    right?

    Damon looks at her. They both look at the zombie corpse and
    they walk away.