Mad World Pilot Episode

This is the opening teaser of a Zombie television series I entered into a writing contest back in '09.  I didn't win but this is the beginning of Mad World.  This shows where the Zombie apocalypse entered the United States.

MAD WORLD:

PILOT EPISODE

TEASER

FADE IN.

EXT. NORTHERN MEXICO DESERT – LATE MORNING

CARLOS ORTEGA, 20, and ANTHONY ORTEGA, 32, trail behind a group of immigrants walking across the desert.  Carlos turns around.  He watches the desert for something.

ANTHONY

Come on, Carlos.  He’s dead.  If we don’t hurry we will be too. 

CARLOS

They’re just going to leave him? 

ANTHONY

And us if you don’t hurry.

The group of immigrants stops at a dirt road.

A gray van speeds toward the group.

ANTHONY

CARLOS!! Hurry up!! The van is coming. 

Carlos and Anthony begin to run to catch the van.

SFX. ANIMALISTIC SCREAM 

Carlos slows to a walk.  He turns around. 

A STRANGER comes running from the desert.

CARLOS

Anthony?!  Anthony!? Look!

Anthony stops.  He begins jogging back to his brother.

ANTHONY

Damn it Carlos!!

(sees the stranger)

What the hell?

CARLOS

Look! It’s him.

Anthony shades his eyes from the hot desert sun.

ANTHONY

(frightened)

Run!! 

Puzzled, Carlos turns and runs. 

SFX. ANIMALISTIC SCREAM

EXT. DESERT ROAD

The van has stopped on the road in front of the immigrants.  A few of them turn away from the van.  They see Carlos and Anthony running toward them.

Anthony trails behind Carlos. 

ANTHONY

Run Carlos!!!  RUN!!!

Carlos looks over his shoulder.

The stranger is catching up to Anthony. 

Carlos begins to run faster.

ANTHONY

RUN!! CARLOS!! RU. . . !!

The stranger slams into Anthony. 

Carlos looks over his shoulder again.

The stranger is brutally attacking Anthony.  Anthony screams as he tries to defend himself. 

Carlos stops and turns back. 

CARLOS

ANTHONY!!!

The stranger stops attacking Anthony.  He springs up to his feet.  In a dead sprint he runs toward Carlos. 

POV. STRANGER – CHASING CARLOS

The stranger sees Carlos run away.  Carlos darts into the thick shrubs next to the trail.  The group of immigrants loading into the van’s side door can be seen. 

The group tries to load into the van as quickly as possible. 

As the last of the immigrants load into the van the stranger is upon them.  He squeezes in through the closing door.

BACK TO SCENE.

The door slides shut as the van takes off down the road. 

Screams can be heard coming from the van. 

The van swerves on the road.  It skids to a stop.  GUNSHOTS can be heard.  The screaming stops. 

Carlos walks back to Anthony. 

Anthony lies on the trail.  His arms are bloody.  His shoulder bleeds profusely from a bite. 

CARLOS

ANTHONY!! ANTHONY!! Oh god, you’re bleeding. 

ANTHONY

(painfully)

Where is he? 

CARLOS

He jumped into the van.  Can you walk? 

ANTHONY

Yea.  You sure he’s in the van?

Carlos helps Anthony to his feet. 

CARLOS

Yea.  It’s just up the road . .  .? 

(beat)

They’re gone.

ANTHONY

Good.  He’s gone. 

INT. BORDER PATROL VEHICLE

JOHN RILEY, 26, speeds down a dirt road.  He holds the mic of his radio in his hand. 

JOHN

(INTO MIC)

Cindy, What was the last location of that van? Over.

CINDY (V.O.)

John, it was three . . (static)  and Indigo (static)

John, frustrated, slams his fist on the radio.

JOHN

Piece of shit. 

(INTO MIC)

Cindy, Say Again, Over.

Cindy’s message is garbled. 

John looks down at his radio dial and turns it.

Carlos can be seen running into the road.

John looks up again and

EXT. DESERT

John’s truck skids around Carlos.  A cloud of dust envelopes Carlos.

The trucks brakelights can be seen through the dust.

Carlos runs out of the dust and approaches the truck.

John climbs out.  He draws his gun. 

JOHN

Get down on the ground!!!

CARLOS

(Spanish)

You have to help my brother.

Carlos sees the gun and raises his hands into the air.

JOHN

Yea that’s right, get on the ground. 

(Spanish)

Get down on the ground.

Carlos begins to get on the ground.  John goes round Carlos, holsters his gun, and handcuffs Carlos.

JOHN

What’d you think you were doing?  I could have killed you.

John pulls Carlos up to his feet. 

CARLOS

(Spanish)

Please, sir, you must help my brother.

JOHN

What?  Slow down. 

John begins walking Carlos to the back of the truck. 

Carlos looks back to the desert.  Anthony can be seen lying on the edge of the road.

CARLOS

Anthony!!!

Carlos pulls free from John’s grip.  He runs down the road to Anthony.  John follows him. 

John skids to a stop right behind him. 

JOHN

What the hell? 

(SPANISH)

What happen to him?

CARLOS

(SPANISH)

He needs a doctor.

Anthony opens his eyes. 

ANTHONY

Please help me, sir.

END OF TEASER