FADE IN:
EXT. DESERT – ASTRONOMICAL DAWN 1
An open, dry desert plain. Small, dry shrubs that cling to the ground make up the only life in sight. It is dawn and the sky is just beginning to lighten. Stars disappear from the horizon as the faint, glistening light of the sun slowly creeps into the sky. Apart from a soft whistle of wind as it races across the plains, not a sound can be heard. We see an abandoned gas station. Rusted old cars and fuel tanks decorate the scene.
BRIAN, mid-twenties, male, lean physic. He is dressed in a cloak with black goggles and gloves as he looks at the desert.
BRIAN (V.O.)
Immortality is a joke… When you’re alone in a ruined world.
We see broken bottles, food cans, keys and a smashed iPhone. An old newspaper titled “Our end has come!” flicks open in the breeze.
BRIAN (V.O.)
Hunted by what remains.
CRUNCH. A boot appears, crushing the iPhone.
UNKNOWN POV
The surrounding landscape whips past as the unknown POV leaps over rocks and vaults over the gas pump outside the station. Heavy huffing can be heard. The unknown POV leaps several meters into the air. The surrounding landscape whips past.
SPFX: Brian turns to face the pursuer and sees a beast!
Standing on four feet. It is armoured, with crimson eyes that shine. A growl cuts through the silence and we see Brian sail through the air, towards a rocky canyon.
Brian lands hard on the floor of the rocky canyon.
Effortlessly, Brian stands, feet firmly planted at shoulders width apart. The beast lands in front of Brian and charges. Brian punches towards the oncoming beast.
FLASH. A brilliant blue light erupts from Brian, whiting everything out with light. The beast shrieks in pain and white noise blankets everything.
CUT TO:
EXT. DESERT – ROCK LABYRINTH – NAUTICAL DAWN 2
Brian stands in the middle of the rocky labyrinth. Open ground, with tall rocky walls either side surround unsettled dust. The sky can just be seen past the limestone walls. Brian is alone, bent over one knee and facing the labyrinth’s exit – a tall, blue-sky passageway squished between rocky walls. Growls come from the distance. Brian looks up, eyes still glowing.
SPFX/ SFX: Dozens of shadows appear above the canyon. Some have longer arms or stand on four legs. They lower their heads as much larger one steps into view and roars loudly.
They move towards Brian. Brian closes his eyes and reaches down into his pant pocket, pulling out a small vial. He grips it tightly in his left hand, spreads his arms and gazes into the sky. Light from the sun breaks through the dust cloud as the sun rises.
SPFX/ SFX: The shadows suddenly halt, and then retreat, squealing like pigs.
Brian keeps his eyes closed as his body goes limp and he falls sideways into the dirt. Quietly, he starts laughing… and sobbing. He pushes himself up from the ground, howling in despair. The rising sun can only just be seen past the shelves of rock that blocks this view.
Brian’s howl travels through the air.
CUT TO:
EXT. DESERT, CANYON – MORNING 3
Moving out of the labyrinth, we see abandoned buildings, houses and broken brick roads. ANNA, an 18-year-old girl in tattered and raggedy clothes, wide-eyed turns towards the sound as the howl fades. Her skin is sunburnt.
Brian kneels in the dirt of the canyon. Sitting between curved rocked formations and smooth limestone walls, the sky can only just be seen past the shelves of rock that block this view.
CUT TO:
EXT. DESERT, CANYON – NOON 4
Anna walks slowly towards the rocky labyrinth, gripping tightly onto a long piece of wood. She gazes at the dust cloud before heading straight into it. Passing through the labyrinth’s entrance, Anna tightens her grip on her wooden staff. She squints and constantly checks her surroundings.
A silhouette appears. Anna tightens her grip on her wooden staff and steps slowly forwards. As she gets closer, she raises her staff, ready to swing. The silhouette comes into plain view. It is nothing but and oddly shaped rock.
Anna lets out a sigh of relief. She lowers her staff, her shoulders relax. A soft CRUNCH sounds behind Anna. Anna spins around, bringing her staff up again.
Brian ducks.
Anna’s staff just misses crashing into his head. Anna stands in a combat stance, staff out in front, ready to fight.
Brian raises his hands and his eyebrows.
BRIAN
Hey. OK, just wait. I’m not trying to hurt you.
Anna holds her ground, answering him with a glare.
Brian takes slow, steady steps towards her.
Still holding his hands out. Anna swings again. Brian steps back.
BRIAN
Hey! I said I’m not going to hurt you.
ANNA
You’re not gonna take me. I’m not dying by someone like you or those monsters.
Anna rushes at Brian with a series of swings.
Brian easily dodges each swing. He leaps back, putting more distance between him and Anna.
Anna raises her staff above her head, and charges at Brian with a war cry.
Brian catches the staff with his right hand, unflinching from the impact, he rips the staff out of her hands.
Anna stumbles, but she quickly regains her footing. She holds her ground, keeping her eyes fixed in a cold glare towards him.
Brian watches her, glancing at her clenched fists.
BRIAN
(sternly)
Now listen.
(slowly)
My name is Brian. I’m not trying to hurt you.
ANNA
Oh really.
(raising her tone of voice)
Then care to explain what that light was? There is no one else around here, and I can’t see what’s underneath that cloak.
Anna straightens her posture and takes a small step towards Brian.
ANNA
Are you another kind of monster?
Brian lowers his head. He clenches his left hand into a fist. He looks up and tosses the staff at Anna’s feet. He turns and walks away.
ANNA
ANSWER ME!
SPFX: Brian stops. He takes a deep breath. His eyes shine briefly.
Anna notices the shine, and slowly reaches down to pick up her staff.
Brian turns around.
Anna freezes.
Brian starts removing sections of his outfit; gloves, goggles and reveals his face and arms. SPFX: Blue marks cover every visible part of his body – like vines that have grown onto his body – and they are glowing.
BRIAN
I’m not like them.
Anna has a look of astonishment and confusion clear on her face.
BRIAN
But we were born in the same fashion.
CUT TO:
EXT. CANYON – LATE AFTERNOON 5
Anna and Brian sit opposite each other in the empty bottom of the canyon. The day’s light has begun to fade. A small fire rages between the two. Anna watches Brian with caution. She clenches her staff tightly in both hands. Brian drinks from a military water bottle. Brian offers the bottle to Anna. Anna glances at the bottle for a second, before her eyes dart back to Brian.
BRIAN
Like I said
(speaking slowly)
I’m not trying to hurt you.
Brian shakes the bottle. The water sloshes inside.
Anna snatches it from his hands.
She gulps down what liquid remains.
Her eyes never leave Brian. She throws the bottle back to him.
Brian catches the bottle and sets it down on the ground.
ANNA
You said you’re similar to them.
Anna leans closer to Brian
ANNA
What does that mean?
Brian takes a deep breath, and sits up straighter.
BRIAN
We were both created as a long time ago. In an effort to create immortality… By your kind.
Anna looks at Brian, confused.
Brian holds out his right hand. He nods at the glowing blue marks.
ANNA
Alright. By why are you different?
BRIAN
I was a success… mostly.
SPFX: Brian removes his cloak completely. The markings are thicker and more prominent the closer they are to his torso. This is because his torso is covered with black marks that form a vest of scars, covering his chest.
BRIAN
Most of humanity was experimented on. I don’t even know if there are others like me.
Anna moves in. She gently touches his chest.
Brian breathes in through his nose as though it hurts where her fingers touch. Brian pulls away.
Anna looks sad.
ANNA
They were people. Those creatures?
BRIAN
They were my friends. Now they’re beasts.
(His voice turns guttural)
When I fight them, all I can hear, see and feel is their agony.
Brian buries his head into his hands.
BRIAN
(softly, out of earshot)
It’s always there, always clawing into my head. It never stops. It doesn’t get quiet. It won’t ever stop.
Anna steps, slowly, towards Brian.
Brian suddenly jumps up. He quickly pulls his cloak back on. Brian turns and walks away from Anna.
Anna raises her hand to his shoulder. Brian shrugs off her hand.
ANNA
Anna.
BRIAN
What?
ANNA
That’s my name.
CUT TO:
EXT. CANYON – LATE AFTERNOON 6
Brian and Anna walk through the canyon. The brown stone lightly streaked with shades of red and burnt orange. As the afternoon sun becomes darker, the light shifts to purple.
Anna keeps pace behind Brian.
BRIAN
So… Do I get to hear your story?
ANNA
I was in hiding. Until your little light show caught my attention.
Brian slows his pace.
BRIAN
And before that?
ANNA
Not much to tell. I’ve been alone out here for a long as I can remember.
Brian turns to look at Anna, continuing to walk.
BRIAN
No parents?
ANNA
I’ve learned to take care of myself.
Anna swings her staff over her shoulder. While a small grin appears on her face.
CUT TO:
EXT. CANYON/ABANDONED GAS STATION – LATE AFTERNOON 7
Brian enters through the abandoned gas station doors and begins rooting around the shelves. He tosses aside magazines, boxes, and checks an empty cigarette carton before also tossing that to the floor too. Anna moves behind the desk and finds a hooded jacket. She puts it on.
ANNA
Where are you going? There’s not much around here.
Brian continues rummaging through the junk. He does not answer Anna.
ANNA
Hey! what are you looking for?
Where are you planning on going?!
BRIAN
To the mountains. It’s got to be better than this place.
Brian grasps at the pocket that holds his vial and sighs.
Anna looks at him. She opens her mouth to speak; her lips quiver as she hesitates.
ANNA
How do you know?
BRIAN
(spits)
I don’t! But anything is better than this.
Anna frowns.
Brian stands up, holding onto a road flare. He turns to walk back out the door. Anna eyes him suspiciously. He moves his arm to cover the markings on his right wrist. Brian stops just outside the gas station entry. Anna, still inside, watches Brian leave.
BRIAN
(loudly)
Let me show you something.
Anna doesn’t answer, but follows Brian outside.
Brian moves over to a small patch of earth and kneels down. He puts his hands together.
BRIAN
These powers had an original purpose, Instead of killing those beasts.
Anna watches him closely.
SPFX/CGI: Brian closes his eyes and holds his palms together. A small orb of light appears. His blue-vein markings glow. Brian lowers his palms to the ground. As soon as the light touches the ground, it dissipates. Light travels through the ground like a pulse. Anna’s eyes follow the points at which the light vanished. Small blades of grass begin to grow from the ground. Anna looks at her feet, eyes wide and mouth open. She glances up at the gas station roof. Rusted edges of the gas station now have vines growing up the edges.
ANNA
Impossible!
SPFX: Brian moves out of Anna’s eyesight. He looks at his fingertips, which are now turning a sickly black colour. His hands have begun to age. They are wrinkled, grey-skinned and frail. Brian clenches his fists. His markings flash and his hands look normal again.
Anna watches Brian from the corners of her eye. She turns her head away as he stands.
EXT. CANYON – DUSK 8
Brian and Anna walk through the canyon. The canyon walls are darker now.
SFX: The sounds of their footsteps can be clearly heard.
Brian kicks a small rock. The sounds echoes.
Anna walks closer to Brian then before. She glances behind them warily.
ANNA
So what are you? Some kind of god.
BRIAN
Pfft…
I’m no god.
(Looking at Anna)
I don’t know. Interpret it however you want.
ANNA
You’ve killed those beasts?
BRIAN
It affects them differently.
ANNA
What about your chest? What happened there?
BRIAN
Not entirely sure…
Brian stops and looks at her, his brow furrowed with irritation.
Anna raises her eyebrows.
Brian turns. He is not going to continue. He walks on in silence.
Anna looks at the back of Brian’s head, eyes narrowed…
SPFX: Brian stops and doubles over, retching. His eye glow, darker than before. His body tenses up. He moans quietly. His eyes stop glowing as he stands up straight. Anna looks at him with unease, gripping her staff tightly. She jumps, eyes leaving Brian as growls can be heard in the distance.
Brian and Anna both look into the sky, then at each other, expressions worried/fearful.
BRIAN
We have to find cover. Fast.
ANNA
Where? We’ve wandered too far out to head back
BRIAN
Come here. Trust Me.
SFX: Anna opens her mouth to protest but is interrupted by a loud snarl from the b.g.
BRIAN
COME ON!
Anna immediately steps to Brian’s side. He grabs her arm and without warning, throws her over his shoulders.
ANNA
Hey! What are you going to-
-Brian takes off, running with the speed of a car.
EXT. CANYON – NIGHTFALL 9
Brian bolts through the canyon with inhuman speed. Anna holds tightly onto his back. The night leaves the canyon a dark, midnight blue.
SFX/CGI: Shadows are everywhere. CRASH. Rocks break apart either side of Brian and Anna. Loud growls travel through the canyon. Anna lifts her head to look behind them.
CGI: Shadowy beasts erupt from the darkness behind them.
They burst up through the earth and smash through the rock wall. There are dozens of them. They bite and snarl at each other in an attempt to get ahead. More growling shadows can be heard from above Anna and Brian.
Brian jumps onto a rock, still holding Anna.
SFX: The rock breaks apart as he launches off, into air.
Brian and Anna fly through the air, past beasts that leap at them. One of the beastly shadows tears into Anna’s back.
Anna screams in agony despite keeping her grip on Brian.
Brian lands on the top of the canyons edge, out of reach of the beasts.
SFX: Shadows amass below.
Anna’s moans of pain drown out their sounds.
BRIAN
Damn it.
Brian lays Anna facedown onto the ground to check her wounds.
ANNA
I’m fine.
She tries to push herself up from the ground, but the pain proves too much. Her arms give way to her body weight and she falls down.
BRIAN
You’re hurt.
A loud roar is heard.
Brian moves over to the ledge.
SPFX: The alpha beast is moving past the now-placid crowd.
It looks up at Brian and shows it’s horrid and mangled teeth in a sadistic grin.
Brian swallows loudly.
SPFX: The beasts’ start to claw and scale up the rocky wall.
Brian picks up the now unconscious Anna like a princess, her head resting on his chest. He shakes his head at her condition and starts running across the top of the canyon, towards the ruins of a once sprawling city. His confident footsteps pound the ground.
CUT TO:
EXT. DESERT/CITY – NIGHT 10
Brian passes by a wrecked plane, a convenience store and piles of abandoned, rusted cars. He enters the city, following a path of cracked pavement that separates crumbled buildings. Brian stops in the middle of an overpass.
Brian looks quickly left and right. He gently places Anna on the ground. Brian grabs the vial from his pocket. It has a silvery liquid inside.
SPFX: A faint mist escapes from the vial as the cork is popped. Brian directs a silvery drop into one of Anna’s wounds. He quickly places his right hand on her back.
Brian’s blue markings glow. Anna starts to convulse and groan. She almost yells out, but Brian puts his hands over her mouth. His hands have aged again. His face now shows similar degrading features, becoming skeletal. Anna’s wounds heal. Her entire body regenerates itself; her sunburnt skin returns to its original, pale complexion, her red hair increases in saturation and her body becomes shapelier, curvier.
SFX: Roars echo from the distance.
Brian removes his hand from Anna’s mouth and he picks her up once again and starts running. Brian heads towards the closest building. He kicks the cracked glass of a window.
SFX: SMASH.
Brian ducks under the fallen, wooden pylons and steps carefully around piles of rubble.
SFX: Growls and snarls can be heard from outside. Brian continues to move through the building. CRACK. Brian stops in his tracks. He looks down. The floorboards creak loudly underneath his weight. A CRASH is heard from outside.
The shadowy beasts ram the outside of the weakened building with their combined weight. Some try to claw through the walls.
Anna wakes up. She yells incoherently at Brian, and starts to fight free from his grasp.
BRIAN
Don’t move. The floor–
SFX: CRUNCH. The floor breaks apart from underneath them and both are sent tumbling down into the darkness.
CUT TO:
INT. BASEMENT BUNKER – NIGHT 11
SPFX: Suddenly, a flash of red erupts from the darkness, illuminating the screen.
Brian struggles to his feet, holding the flare from earlier. Anna moves into the light.
ANNA
What happened to you?
BRIAN
(menacingly)
I saved your damn life. Now the voices are louder than ever…and they’re COMING!
Brian scurries about the room. Anna looks confused.
ANNA
WHAT HAPPENED!
Brian turns to her.
BRIAN
I gave you the gift. Now you’ll hear the voices. Only you won’t live until they consume your mind.
ANNA
What?
BRIAN
I’m going to kill them… and us.
CUT TO:
EXT. CITY/BUILDING 12
SPFX: Their building is being attacked. Dirt and debris fall from the rafters at the impact made by the beasts.
CGI: The beasts leave scratch marks against the stone, as they try to dig into the building. The large shadow leaps onto the building and digs its claws into the stone.
SMASH. It breaks through a window and starts pulling out various objects; rubble, desks and a table. It then moves inside, pulling itself over piles of rubble. It smashes the floor with both arms. The floor caves in. The shadowy beast proceeds to start smashing its way through the next floor, moving closer to Brian and Anna.
CUT TO:
INT. BASEMENT BUNKER – NIGHT 13
An old lantern, somehow still alight, illuminates the darkness of the bunker in which Brian and Anna now hide
SFX: Sounds are heard above a set of stairs, behind a door.
SPFX: The door bursts open, flinging Anna into the room. A faint red light illuminates from the direction she was tossed from. Brian walks in, his body is glowing a ruby red instead of bright blue.
Anna rises to her feet.
ANNA
(fearful)
You’re mad!
BRIAN
(yelling)
You don’t know what it’s like.
I’ve had to suffer this power for nearly two centuries. TWO CENTURIES of constant pain, endless voices, and having my sanity slip… day… by… day.
Brian falls to his knees. He pulls out the vial and stares at it crazily.
ANNA
Then why did you save me?
BRIAN
No one wants to die alone…
Anna rises to her feet, backing away from the crazed Brian.
SPFX: Anna’s hands glows, but she talks no notice.
Brian eyes her hands, a small grin spreading across his face.
ANNA
(desperately)
I’ve been alone for my whole life. I’m used to it!
BRIAN
Perhaps… But now we will stay and ignite these ruins with the powers I was punished with.
SPFX: Brian looks at the vial again. His markings glow faintly. He turns around and stretches his arms out – and grunts loudly. Brian looks down and sees a STEEL BEAM plunged through his chest. Anna twists the beam.
Brian falls to his knees, but doesn’t seem in pain.
Anna snatches the vial from his hand.
SFX: A roar shakes the darkness of the room.
SPFX: The red light still illuminating the doorway shows the shadow of the Alpha.
Anna looks at Brian with pity. Before she turns on her heel and escapes through the bunkers open air vent and into the darkness. Brian gazes after her.
BRIAN
One day you’ll see things my way.
Especially now that you possess it.
SPFX: The alpha approaches Brian. Its teeth gleam in the low light. The alpha’s crimson red eyes look into Brian’s.
Brian lets out a small smile before his eyes flash, and he screams at the top of his lungs.
CUT TO:
INT. BASEMENT BUNKER/BEAST TUNNELS – NIGHT 14
Anna runs blindly through a dark hallway. She trips over a wooden beam and falls into a hole, tumbling forward into a tunnel dug by the beasts. The tunnel is rough and the floor uneven. Bits of broken pipes and debris can just be seen poking out the tunnel walls. Anna rises, and keeps running.
SFX: Anna flinches at the sound of Brian’s inhuman scream.
SPFX: The light from an explosion appears behind her. Anna is swept up in the blast. Anna crosses her arm to shield herself from the explosion. A blue light glows. She moves her arms down. They are covered in glowing, blue markings. The yellow/white light from the blast fills the screen.
CUT TO:
EXT. DESERT – ASTRONOMICAL DAWN 15
A pale white mist covers the ruins of the collapsed city.
SFX: A soft thump is heard from a pile of rubble.
SPFX: Anna bursts up from underneath the rubble. Her body is covered with the same markings that Brian had possessed.
She squints her eyes as they adjust to the light of day.
Anna stares at her arms with horror, before looking up and appraising her new surroundings. She turns, looking all around her, realizing that she is alone.
CGI: Anna looks down to the ground, where small green shoots are emerging from the rubble. Anna’s head slowly lifts up. The same growth is now reaching over the entirety of the destroyed city.
FADE TO BLACK