Mad World Pilot episode: Act Three.
It has come. The first day of madness in a world that has gone mad.
Here are the Teaser and Act One and Act Two
ACT THREE
EXT.
SIERRA VERDE LIBRARY EARLY MORNING
David hurries up the
stairs to the library. He fumbles with
the keys as he looks over his shoulder.
INT.
LIBRARY
David tosses his bag on
the counter of the info desk. He grabs a
notebook from behind the desk, flips it to a page with a list of names and
phone numbers. He scans down the list
with his finger and stops on:
STEVE
ORLANDS NEW YORK
555-0980
He
quickly dials the number.
SFX.
RINGING
STEVE
Hello.
DAVID
Steve? Steve
Orlands?
STEVE
(puzzled)
Um. . . Yea.
DAVID
This is David Mindel. I’m in Sierra Verde,
Arizona.
STEVE
Ok?
DAVID
You run the Zombie Preparedness Website
right?
STEVE
Umm. . .Yea.
DAVID
Well
I have something I need to tell you.
INT.
DAVID MINDEL’S HOME – EARLY MORNING
David walks into his
kitchen. A small pot of coffee is
already brewed. He pours some into a
thermos and snaps the lid on. He puts
the empty pot into the sink and fills it with water.
He grabs his car keys off
the kitchen table and his bag from the back of the chair.
He opens the front door
and steps out into the early morning sunlight.
FRANK
Dave, Morning you dirty
Jew bastard!
David turns to see FRANK
GRAY, 57, run by on his morning jog.
David waves, smiles, gritting his teeth.
DAVID
(under his breath)
Prick, hope you get hit by a car.
As Frank turns the corner
he looks back at David and flips him off.
STEVE (V.O.)
He
really called you a ‘dirty jew’?
DAVID (V.O.)
Yea,
but like I said he’s a prick.
David gets into his
suburban. He pulls out of his drive way
into the empty street. He stops at the
corner.
INT. DAVID’S SUBURBAN
NPR news is on the
radio. David drives down the quiet
street, too early for people to be out yet.
From around the corner comes
Frank, but this time running like a madman not a skilled marathon runner. He sees David and runs out into the
street. He is BLEEDING PROFUSELY FROM
HIS FOREARM. He slams himself onto David’s
passenger side fender.
FRANK
David!! Help me!!!
David slows to a
stop. Bewilderment etches across David’s
face.
Two other men, both covered
in blood, run from around the corner.
One of them slams into Frank, tackling him to the ground.
David quickly gets out of
his truck. He runs around the front and
One man attacks Frank’s
neck, BLOOD SPURTS across the pavement.
The other man attacks Frank’s leg. Frank’s screams fill the morning air.
The
horror of the scene paralyzes David.
DAVID
(under his breath)
Oh God!!
As suddenly as it took David,
the panic is gone. He runs back to the
driver side of his truck, opens the door and reaches under the seat. David emerges from the truck with a large
crowbar, he slams the door and
The zombie feeding on
Frank’s leg looks up; blood and gore cover its face. It jumps up and scrambles around the front of
the truck and lets out a deafening scream of animalistic rage.
The scream is silenced as
David slams the crowbar across the zombie’s forehead. The zombie falls limp.
David walks back around
to the passenger side. Frank’s screams
have stopped as the other zombie feeds on Frank’s neck.
DAVID
HEY!!
The zombie looks up just
as a David swings the crowbar across the temple of the screaming Zombie. It falls across Frank’s lifeless corpse. David wrenches the crowbar free and stands
over the two bodies.
DAVID
Ah, Frank, you prick. You deserve better.
David raises the crowbar
over his head and
A HAND GRABS THE CROWBAR.
The crowbar slips from David’s grip.
DAVID
What the . . .?
A group of bathrobe and
slipper clad neighbors stand a few feet away.
MR. UDALE, 78, stands holding the bloody crowbar.
MR.
UDALE
David, what have you done?
DAVID
(bewildered,
looking around)
Mr. Udale, go back inside. Everyone, go back inside!
MR.
UDALE
David, what are talking about, you killed
these men.
David grabs the crowbar
from Mr. Udale.
DAVID
You have to listen to me.
MR. UDALE
No,
David, you listen to me. Annie called the cops, they’re on their way, you’ll
have to explain all this to them when they . .
SFX. EAR-PIERCING SCREAM
Frank sits up. Blood pours down his chest, his eyes shoot
open and
SFX. ANIMALISTIC PRIMAL
SCREAM
The bathrobe clad people
all jump back, some tripping over each other in fright.
DAVID
WATCH OUT, UDALE!!!
David pushes Udale clear
of Frank’s grasping hands. He kicks
Frank onto his back. He steps on Frank’s
chest as the Zombie tries to get back up.
DAVID
GO INSIDE, EVERYONE!!!
The people scatter as the
zombie manages to force David off him.
DAVID
God-damn prick!!
Frank scrambles to his
feet. David hits Frank with the crowbar
and Frank’s dead weight slams onto the pavement. The crowbar slips free of David’s bloody
hands. David stares at Frank’s lifeless body.
MR.
UDALE
David, you can’t leave?! What’s going
on?! What about the cops!?
David pulls the crowbar
free of Frank’s skull. He walks around
the front of his truck.
DAVID
Mr.
Udale, go inside. Lock your doors. When
the cops get here don’t open your door for them or anyone else.
David pulls open his
truck door.
MR.
UDALE
What?
What are you talking about, I can’t let you leave son. You killed these men.
DAVID
Tell Annie I said hi. You
two be safe.
David gets into his
truck. As he drives away he watches as
Mr. Udale and the other neighbors gather around the bodies. As he comes to stop at the intersection three
zombies run across a yard on the corner.
They stop as they see him, then they see the gathering of people up the
street.
David turns to look out
his back windows.
DAVID
RUN!!
Dammit, Udale, RUN!!!
The zombies begin to run
up the block.
David begins to honk his
truck horn, the zombies pause briefly.
Long enough for the people gathered around Frank’s lifeless body to look
up and see the three new attackers.
David watches as a few people
run back to their homes.
DAVID
UGHGH!!
You idiots!
He briefly contemplates
turning around but he’s too late. The
zombies are upon someone. David slams
his fists into the steering wheel then quickly drives off.
STEVE
(V.O.)
Don’t worry about it. There was nothing you could do.
DAVID (V.O.)
Yea.
I know. But maybe.
EXT.
SIERRA VERDE LIBRARY
David parks his truck in
front of the library. Blood smears the
passenger fender.
INT.
SIERRA VERDE LIBRARY
David
is flipping through his notebook again.
STEVE
So that’s it? I was your first call?
DAVID
Yea. I figured if anyone
needed to know it would be you. You
believe me, right?
STEVE
I
started that website five years ago. Now
you call me out of the blue with this story.
What are you going to do?
DAVID
I have to make some calls.
STEVE
K,
well, I’ll post it on the website, see if anyone is still reading it. Be safe.
Steve hangs up. Dave holds the phone in his hand, staring
blankly into the morning dark of the library.
He hangs up and quickly
dials another number.
SFX.
PHONE CALL SIGNAL
EXT.
SIERRA VERDE – EARLY MORNING
The quiet of the morning
is broken by the wailing of three cop cars.
Their flashing lights catch the attention of Solomon Chase and other townsfolk
who stand outside the coffee shop.
The early morning hangout
is still closed. An old, fat dog lies in
front of the door next to a bench.
Solomon sits petting the dog. His cell phone begins to ring.
SOLOMON
Dave, where you at?
INT. SIERRA VERDE LIBRARY
David paces around the
desk.
DAVID
Hey, I’m at the library. Can you come meet me here, I need to do some
stuff real quick and kinda need a hand, if you don’t mind.
EXT. DONUT SHOP
More cars pull up and
people mill around the doorway. Solomon
moves away from the growing crowd, the old dog follows him.
SOLOMON
Yea
sure, no problem; the donut shop is closed anyway; I think the Newton’s decided
after 40 years they’d sleep in one morning.
No one showed . .
DAVID
WHAT?!
SOLOMON
I said they aren’t here,
their dog, Slick, is though.
INT. SIERRA VERDE LIBRARY
David has stopped pacing
around the desk. Gloom and dread on his
face.
DAVID
Where
do they live?
SOLOMON
Huh?
Umm, I think over by the hospital, yea, they do actually. In that big yellow house. Why, you want me to
go check on them?
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. NEWTON FAMILY HOME - NIGHT
The porch light turns
on. ART NEWTON, 71, steps outside in his
bathrobe and slippers. He holds the door
open for Slick.
ART
Hurry up, Slick. I don’t have all night.
Slick slowly ambles down
the steps, followed by Art.
Art pulls a plastic bag
from his housecoat pocket. Slick begins
to sniff around for a spot to do his business.
ART
Hurry up, it’s all dirt, don’t worry about
where you go, just. . .
Slick starts to growl and
bark at the dark.
ART
Knock it off. We don’t have time for you to be a tough guy,
just take a shi. . .
Art is tackled to the
ground, almost crushing Slick but the dog quickly darts out of the way.
A zombie takes huge bites
out of Art’s arms and shoulders. Art is
unconscious. A bite to Art’s neck sends
blood spraying onto the dirt.
Slick is growling and
barking.
ELVA, 70, slowly opens
the door.
ELVA
Art, stop messing around with that damn dog
and get in . . .
She stands in the
doorway. Her mouth slack-jawed, her eyes
wide open behind thick glasses.
The zombie looks up at
her, blood dripping from its snarling mouth.
It scrambles to its feet,
up the stairs and tackles Elva. The
screen door slams shut as they disappear into the darkness of the house.
Slick quickly ambles up
the stairs and paws at the screen door as the faint sounds of Elva screaming
can be heard.
END FLASHBACK
EXT. DONUT SHOP
Solomon stands holding
the door of his car open.
SOLOMON
You want me to go check on them?
DAVID(V.O.)
NO!!
(beat)
I mean. Nah. Just head over here. Sol, do me a favor?
SOLOMON
Ok.
DAVID
Don’t stop for anyone. I mean it. Don’t
stop your car for anyone.
SOLOMON
David, what’s going on?
DAVID
Nothing.
Just this. . . Oh, screw it, you can see when you get here.
SOLOMON
Ok, see you in a few.
Solomon closes his
cell-phone. He looks down at Slick.
Slick looks at the rear
driver side door, then back up at Solomon.
SOLOMON
What?
You wanna go for a ride?
(BEAT)
Ok, get in.
Solomon opens the
door.
INT.
SIERRA VERDE LIBRARY
David
scans down the list to another name.
INSERT:
NORA
LARSON: CELL: 444-3902
BACK
TO SCENE
David
quickly dials the number.
INT.
NORA LARSONS HOUSE
NORA’s
mother answers the phone. She’s in her
bathrobe and sipping a cup of coffee.
NORA’S MOTHER
Hello?
DAVID (V.O.)
Mrs. Larson? I thought
this was Nora’s cell phone?
NORA’S MOTHER
Oh, David, yea it is. She
left it down in the kitchen. Hold on I’ll go wake her.
Nora’s
mom heads up the stairs. She walks to
the end of the hallway and taps lightly on the door. She opens the door.
INT.
NORA’S ROOM
NORA
lies facing away from the door.
NORA’S MOTHER
Nora? It’s David Mindel
from the Library.
Nora
rolls over and opens her eyes.
Nora
takes the phone from her mother.
SFX.
POUNDING ON FRONT DOOR
NORA’S MOTHER
Is that someone at the
door?
NORA
Hello?
INT.
LIBRARY
David
paces between the wide library windows.
He peers between the blinds, watching.
DAVID
Nora?
Why are you in Sierra Verde?
INT.
NORA’S BEDROOM
NORA,
19, is a beautiful young lady with brown hair and bright green eyes.
NORA
Hmmmm?
Yea David, I came home early, my Spanish professor had to go to Mexico City for
some family emergency. So he just canceled class.
DAVID (V.O.)
When did you get here?
NORA
Late last night, why?
DAVID (V.O.)
Can you come to the
library in about 20 minutes?
NORA
(puzzled)
20
Minutes? What? What time is it?
DAVID (V.O.)
It’s
just a little before six. We need help
preparing for the Book fair.
SFX. Blood curdling Scream
Nora jumps out of
bed. Her night shirt clinging to her
thin frame, her panties barely showing
NORA
What
the hell?
DAVID (V.O.)
NORA!
NORA!? What was that?
NORA
I
think it was my mom. Hold on.
Nora rushes out of her
bedroom.
DAVID (V.O.)
NORA!!
Stay in your room!!! Shut the door and stay in your room!!!
NORA
David,
what!? What are you talking about?!
Nora stands at the top of
the stairs. Blood is smeared on the open
front door. Two men are fiercely tearing
at her mother’s body.
Tears fill Nora’s eyes,
her hand covers her mouth, the phone still held against her ear.
NORA
(quietly)
Oh
my god?!! What is going on?
INT. LIBRARY
David’s face is
frantic. He has stopped pacing; his hand
is clenched around the phone.
DAVID
Nora,
listen to me, get your little brother and lock yourself in your room.
There is no answer. He rushes to the front door.
DAVID
Nora!!
Wait there, I’m coming to get you!
NORA (V.O.)
DAVID!!!
They’re coming up stairs. . .
SFX. Disconnect.
DAVID
NORA!
NORA!
He quickly turns around
and runs to the back of the library. He
scurries down the stairs to the basement and through the shelves of books to
the cage.
He fumbles with the
keys. The lock clatters quietly on the
carpet.
He pulls a heavy blanket
off of a footlocker and he unlocks the army style box. He throws it open.
CUT TO: POV someone
walking through the basement towards the open cage.
RETURN TO SCENE
A collection of handguns
are set in packing foam. David slides one
of the guns out.
He opens another
footlocker and pulls out a box of rounds.
He grabs a handful of preloaded magazines. He pulls a duffle bag off a shelf and begins
dropping the magazines into it.
CUT TO: POV someone
stands just outside the cage, watching.
RETURN TO SCENE
David doesn’t bother
closing either box. He turns to leave
and
Solomon stands in the
doorway. David almost runs into
him.
SOLOMON
What
the hell is going on Dave?
DAVID
Jeez,
Sol, you scared the shit out of me.
SOLOMON
Where
are you going? Why do you have a gun?
(peers over David’s
shoulder)
Why
do you have a lot of guns?
David looks back to the
contents of the cage. Then back at
Solomon. His eyes widen.
He goes over to the foot
locker, grabs another gun.
DAVID
You
remember that weekend we spent in Eyehole Canyon shooting targets? Well, here you go.
SOLOMON
What?
Solomon reluctantly takes the pistol. David hands him some magazines also.
DAVID
You’ll need those. And
you’re driving. Let’s go.
EXT. SIERRA VERDE LIBRARY
David exits the library first.
SOLOMON
Dave? What’s going on?
Where we going?
DAVID
Over to Nora
Larsons.
SOLOMON
What?
David stops short of Solomon’s car.
DAVID
What’s that in your back
seat?
SOLOMON
Oh, that’s Slick. The
Newton’s dog. Why do I have a gun?
DAVID
Just in case.
SFX. Screams in the distance.
Solomon stumbles over the curb as he turns
to the direction of the screams.
SOLOMON
What the hell?
DAVID
Come on, Sol. We need to
hurry.
As Solomon goes to open his car door a man
emerges from between the buildings across the street. It’s Dillon Spruce.
Slick begins barking. Solomon turns just as Dillon sees the two men
and lets out a scream of animalistic rage.
In a mad dash of flailing arms and gnashing teeth he sprints across the
parking lot and sidewalk, and into the street.
In one fluid motion David inserts the
magazine, moves to the back of the car, draws back the receiver of the 9mm,
points the pistol at Dillon and pulls the trigger.
SFX. SAFETY CLICK.
SOLOMON
What the hell!?
Solomon rushes away, around the front of
the car. Slick’s muffled barks barely
heard under Dillon’s screams of rage.
DAVID
Shit.
David un-clicks the safety with his thumb
as Dillon throws himself where Solomon was standing.
DAVID
Solomon, Get down.
Solomon ducks down in front of the vehicle.
SFX. GUNSHOT. BODY FALLING.
Solomon stands up slowly. BLOOD AND GORE are splattered on his hood. He stares at the mess on his hood.
David walks to the front of the car.
DAVID
Solomon. Look at me.
Solomon slowly takes his eyes off the
hood.
DAVID
We
need to go. Nora is in danger and we
need to go get her.
SOLOMON
But, that was Dillon.
DAVID
You want me to drive?
Solomon nods. He fumbles the keys out of his hand into
David’s.
INT. SOLOMON’S CAR
David slams the door shut. Solomon startles a little.
SOLOMON
He was at the bar last
night.
DAVID
He was a zombie.
SOLOMON
He was playing darts with
. . . who was that?
David starts the car.
The car pulls away from the library and
Dillon’s lifeless corpse in the street. It
stops at the corner stop sign.
INT. SOLOMON’S CAR
DAVID
He would have killed
you. I need to you stop freaking out and
listen to me.
SOLOMON
(suddenly quite lucid)
Ok.
(beat)
Are
you serious? Zombies?
How
does something like that happen?
David smiles.
DAVID
Yea,
No idea. But when I called Nora she said
someone had attacked her mom. They may
have already gotten her but I have to check.
(beat)
Crap.
David pulls out his cell phone. He dials a number and turns speaker phone on.
SFX. LOUD RINGING, SOMEONE PICKS UP
MARGARET (V.O.)
Hello?
DAVID
Margaret, it’s me. Hey can you come up to the library in about
ten minutes. I’m not going to be there
but I need help unloading those books for the book fair and . . .
MARGARET (V.O.)
Umm, sure David. I’ll be
there, let me just get some things together.
DAVID
Thanks, see you in a
bit. Solomon and I have to go take care
of something.
MARGARET (V.O.)
So Solomon is with you?
SOLOMON
Yea.
Good morning, Mrs Yandel.
MARGARET (V.O.)
Hello, Sol, we’ll see
about that good morning won’t we.
David looks puzzled.
MARGARET (V.O.)
Be
there in a bit.
She hangs up.
DAVID
That was a little
strange.
SOLOMON
You don’t think she knows
do you?
David shakes his head.
SOLOMON
So I take it the book fair
is off then?
DAVID
There is no book fair
Sol, and if there was, yes, it would be.
The car turns the corner. Dillon’s lifeless body lies in the middle of
the street. Faint screams continue in
the distance.
END OF ACT THREE
