ARE WE ALONE? (6 page)

CHAZ (CONT’D)
Think about what it's like for
these space travelers, who are
millions of years ahead of us, to
deal with us.

The others also look up into the sky, as POV switches to
behind them, watching their silhouettes.

YASMINE
Okay, now I'm scared.
Me too. Maybe, we should leave. I
think we have enough for the
project. Besides, it’s just a
class, it’s not like it’s...

GINA
Well, in the research that I
conducted, I don’t recall a single
reported incident where an alien
was hostile and...

CHAZ
Oh, yeah, let me replay our
interview of that old man. Getting
beamed up into a spaceship, being
prodded and poked, who knows where,
and then dropped back down to
Earth, like some laboratory rat,
with a tracker in your finger.
Yeah, that's not very hostile.

CHRISTINA
Yeah, and what about those goats?
YASMINE
That was coyotes.
SFX: COYOTE HOWL.
They all start to nervously look around.

CHAZ
I go back to my original statement
about Independence Day. Everyone
believed that they were coming to
Earth in peace, but...

(looking up into the sky)
Think about it. You've spent
millions of years trying to get
Earthlings to wake up, quit being
animals, where violence is more
accepted, than the use of one's
intellect.

(pause)
Maybe they've lost their patience,
dealing with a planet that won't
learn.

(pause)

Maybe this time...
(pause)
They're coming to destroy us and
begin a new world.
Yes, well, hey Anthony, you’re the
researcher, what do you say?

Anthony looks up at the sky, then slowly to each of the
students, finally looking at Gina.

ANTHONY
Most people agree that the Human
Race throughout the universe was
appointed by God as caretakers of
planets. I guess we can get an
insight into the motives of aliens,
by examining how well we’ve taken
care of Earth.

CHAZ
Shit, we’re all dead.

YASMINE
Come on, we’re going green,
recycling...

CHRISTINA
Uh, oil spills...
YASMINE
Socialized healthcare...

CHAZ
Which will never happen. Take
money away from the rich? Yeah,
sure...

YASMINE
Helping third world countries...

CHRISTINA
Oh, yeah, by starting wars and then
selling them guns.

CHAZ
And, legs, artificial ones, to
replace the ones torn off by
landmines.

YASMINE
Medical advances to improve
lives...

CHAZ
Through cloning...
No cure for cancer...We can’t even
stop the violence on the Mexican
border, how can we expect to
stop...

ANTHONY
What if...
Anthony looks up into sky, with everyone else also looking up
into the sky.

POV switches and circles around the students, then switches
to an AERIAL VIEW, looking down at their faces, which are
lighted by the flames of the campfire.

ANTHONY (CONT’D)
They’ve lost their patience and see
that we're heading down a road,
which will not only lead to our own
destruction, but...

(pause)
Possibly other planets?
GINA
Okay, okay...
ANTHONY
What if Chaz is right...
GINA
Like that would ever happ...

ANTHONY
This time, they’re coming to
annihilate us? Eliminate the
threat.

YASMINE
When we do explorations on other
planets, the first thing we do is
slam a flag into the ground,
proclaiming it as our own.

CHRISTINA
We drill holes into these planets,
without knowing what we're doing,
like we own the whole universe.

Gina gets up and looks at the other students.
Okay, okay...this is getting way
too deep for a school project, why
don't we...

YASMINE
IT IS a school project. School is
suppose to encourage us to think,
to explore other possibilities, to
think outside the box...challenge
the status quo.

(looking at Gina)
Not to just spit back what our
teachers tell us.

(looking up into the sky)
What if, they’ve said, "We'll give
them one more generation to prove
that they're part of the human
race."

(pause - looking at the
others)
What if, what if we're that
generation? What if it's up to us
to show them that we're worth
saving?

CHAZ
(softly)
Yeah, or maybe, it was our parents’
generation and that was the last
chance.

Chaz drops his head.
CHAZ (CONT’D)
In which case, we’re fucked.
Anthony looks up into the sky.
ANTHONY
Are we worth saving?
SCENE DISSOLVES
TO BLACK:

ANTHONY (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Gina? Gina? Come on, we have to
go.

FADE IN:

DREAM: BEGINS
EXT. CAMP - NIGHT

Gina BLINKS her eyes, seeing the pale face of Anthony,
standing above her. Anthony looks to the side.
ANTHONY
No, it can’t be happening.
GINA
(coming awake)
What? What’s happening.

Suddenly, Gina is covered in a BLINDING WHITE LIGHT. Anthony
jerks Gina up and starts to run, practically dragging Gina
behind him. Anthony stumbles and they both fall.

Gina rolls slightly to the side and comes face-to-face with
Chaz’, whose eyes are wide open, but dead. Gina looks
slightly down and sees that it’s just Chaz’ head; his head
has been cleanly removed from his body (NO BLOOD - SURGICAL
PRECISION).

Gina SCREAMS, as Anthony grabs at her, trying to get her up
off the ground.
ANTHONY
Come on.
Anthony manages to get Gina up and they start to run.
GINA
What? What...

Gina chances a look back, seeing the BLINDING WHITE LIGHT
hovering over the campsite. Gina starts to look up, but
Anthony tugs at her, forcing her to turn back around, and
run.

They run a short distance, with Anthony pulling Gina down to
the ground, behind a slight hill. Their faces are both
drenched in sweat.

ANTHONY
(whispering)
That fuckin’ old man. The rocks,
the rocks brought them right to the
campfire. Chaz, he, they took him,
then, then...

FLASH IMAGE: CHAZ’ SEVERED HEAD.
ANTHONY (CONT’D)
Spit him back...like the goats.
Yasmine? Christina?

ANTHONY
They have Yasmine. Christina...I
don’t know.

GINA
This, this can’t be happening.
Aliens, aliens don’t exist.
They...

Gina chances a look over the hill, seeing an approaching
silhouette. Fear is etched on Gina’s face. While she wants
to look away, she can’t, as the FIGURE continues walking
towards her. Anthony pulls at Gina.

ANTHONY
We have to get away from here.
OLD MAN (O.S.)
Where you gonna go?

They jerk around, seeing Old Man, pushing his wheel barrel.
Old Man is wearing Chaz’ BLOODY T-shirt (TAKE ME TO YOUR
LEADER), but has turned it around, with the printing, “I AM
YOUR LEADER”, now on the front.

OLD MAN (CONT’D)
Ain’t no escape. Gotta pay the god
damn piper.

Old Man tilts the wheel barrel, with Christina rolling out of
the wheel barrel, dropping down on top of Gina, who instantly
SCREAMS, as she sees Christina’s intestines, spilling out.
Gina struggles to get out from under Christina’s BLOODY body.

Anthony tries to help her, as Old Man sets the wheel barrel
down and picks up his shovel.

OLD MAN (CONT’D)
They said they’d take out the damn
do-hickey, if’n I brought them
some...lab rats.

Old Man raises the shovel above his head.

OLD MAN (CONT’D)
Squeak. Go on...Squeak for me,
like a damn rat. Caus’n that’s all
you be. Damn lab rats running
through a fuckin’ maze.
Old Man swings the shovel down, with Anthony instinctively
raising his arms, but the blow crushes through Anthony’s arm,
hitting him on the head.

Gina looks at Anthony, as BLOOD drips down his head. Anthony
slumps over on his side, as Gina GASPS, places her hand to
her mouth, and SCREAMS.

OLD MAN (CONT’D)
Yeah, scream.

Old Man raises the shovel above his head, but then stops,
looking past Gina, seeing the approaching FIGURE, which draws
closer.

OLD MAN (CONT’D)
(to FIGURE)
You, you said they were mine. You
promised. A promise is a god damn
promise.

Gina turns slightly, looking at the approaching FIGURE.
GINA
(begging)
Please, please...help me.

YASMINE
I believe that aliens are space
travelers, seeking to help...

The FIGURE steps closer, becoming recognized as Yasmine, but
she’s wearing a flowing gown that appears to be translucent,
seeming to glow with brilliant light.

GINA
Yasmine? Is that...

YASMINE
I have many names. To help you...I
must first change you.

Yasmine moves closer to Gina, holding out her hand.

YASMINE (CONT’D)
Come, come with me. On, on a
journey.

Yasmine moves closer.

YASMINE (CONT’D)
Trust...You can trust me.
Gina happens to look down, seeing that Yasmine is carrying
some objects in her other hand.

The light changes and Gina sees that Yasmine is carrying the
heads of Chaz, Christina, and Anthony. Gina jerks to the
side, seeing Anthony’s body, minus his head.

Gina jerks to the other side, seeing Christina’s body, minus
her head. Gina jerks back towards Yasmine, who slightly
swings the heads. Gina SCREAMS.

DREAM: ENDS
EXT. CAMP - NIGHT

Gina jerks up in her sleeping bag, SCREAMING. Everyone jumps
from their sleeping bags, looking at Gina, whose face is
drenched in sweat and is white with fear.

Gina slowly calms down and looks around, seeing the other
students; alive.
CHRISTINA
You okay?

GINA
Uh, yeah, yeah...I’m okay. Just a
nightmare.

Gina looks around the campsite, failing to see either aliens
or spaceships.
YASMINE
No aliens.
Gina looks back at Yasmine.
YASMINE (CONT’D)
Trust...You can trust me.

Gina looks at Yasmine, who smiles, then lays back down. The
others also look at Gina, then lay back down, except Chaz,
who gets up, looks at Gina, then moves to the cameras,
checking them.

GINA
Chaz?
CHAZ
Yeah?

GINA
Do you, do you believe in aliens?
Chaz looks up at Gina and almost LAUGHS, then sees that Gina
is serious, and he hesitates.

CHAZ
Isn’t that the whole purpose of
this little project? To prove the
existence of aliens?

Chaz looks at Gina, then softens, as he looks up into the
sky.

CHAZ (CONT’D)
Who knows if aliens exist, but...my
dad, who thinks he’s a hippy,
always says, “Son, most things in
this life...Just because you can’t
hold it in your hand, doesn’t mean
it’s not real.”

Chaz looks at Gina, who still seems upset/scared.

CHAZ (CONT’D)
(smiling)
Come on, if aliens existed, they’d
be running the place by now.
Aliens are like...

Chaz thinks, as he looks back up into the sky. He then
smiles, looking back at Gina.

CHAZ (CONT’D)
(fake Irish accent)
Leprechauns, unicorns, and the
boogey-man. Just stories, nothing
more and...nothing to fear.

(regular voice)
Besides, I’m here to protect you.
Gina looks at Chaz.
GINA
You know...
Gina smiles at Chaz, then moves and lays back down.
GINA (CONT’D)
Thanks.
Gina closes her eyes.
GINA (CONT’D)
Aliens?
(smiling)
(MORE)
GINA (CONT’D)
Leprechauns?
Chaz watches Gina through a camera, then moves the camera,
seeing Yasmine, Christina, and then Anthony.
POV switches to another camera, with Chaz coming into view,
as he watches the others.
As Chaz looks through the camera, a BLURRED SHAPE moves
behind him, with Chaz unaware.
From the POV of the third camera, the BLURRED SHAPE circles
the campsite.

CHAZ
Aliens? We have more to fear from
gangbangers, outlaw bikers,
politicians, twisted
professors...and...

Chaz moves the camera, focusing on the sleeping Yasmine.
CHAZ (CONT’D)
Lesbians.

Chaz moves the camera away from Yasmine, focusing on the
crest of a hill. Chaz looks away from the camera and then
looks at the other cameras, with Chaz coming briefly into
focus on the other cameras.

Behind Chaz, BLURRED SHAPES seem to quickly move. Chaz seems
satisfied and moves to a sleeping bag and gets inside, with
Chaz being observed from one of the cameras. He looks at the
other sleeping students, then looks directly at the camera.
He offers a smile, then lays down, closing his eyes.

Camera continues to focus on Chaz for a short period of time.
Chaz appears to be startled and wakes up, sitting up in the
sleeping bag. He looks around.

From the POV of the camera, a BLURRED SHAPE moves behind
Chaz. Chaz turns in that direction and looks. Chaz seems to
be curious, as he gets up and starts walking away from the
campsite.

Chaz moves around the campsite and is picked up on the screen
of another camera. He then disappears behind a slight hill.

Chaz walks a short distance then suddenly stops, whirling
around, but sees nothing. He scans the area and then turns
back around, continuing to walk.

Again, he suddenly stops and whirls around.
What, what do you want?

Chaz starts to back up, then stumbles, falling to the ground.
POV moves to above Chaz, looking down at his face, which
appears to be etched with fear.

CHAZ (CONT’D)
Please...Please...
Chaz suddenly starts to smile.
CHAZ (CONT’D)
Show me your boobs.
VIEW EXPANDS OUT, showing Yasmine, who seductively smiles.
POV moves behind Danielle, who starts to remove her top.

YASMINE
Do you really believe that this
time...This time, the aliens will
be hostile?

Chaz holds up his hands to Yasmine, motioning for her to come
closer. Yasmine raises her top to her shoulders.
CHAZ
I don't even believe in aliens.
Chaz suddenly stops and looks at Yasmine’s chest.
CHAZ (CONT’D)
(almost scared)
Wait...Is that a third boob?
From behind Yasmine, she starts to lower her top again.
YASMINE
Fuck you.
CHAZ
Wait. I was just joking. Come on.

YASMINE
That’s your problem. You’re always
joking.

CHAZ
Yeah, but...
Chaz gets up and moves closer to Yasmine. He lightly kisses
her, then moves his hands behind her back.