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"KILLSIGHT" (first draft)
by Josh Barbee (fleshofthewicked@yahoo.com)

Rated: R   Genre: Horror   User Review: ****
For reasons unknown, everyone Hope has ever come into contact with has tried to kill her, until she met Danny...


This screenplay is copyrighted to its author. All rights reserved. This screenplay may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of the author.



EXT. FRANK'S GAS STATION - DAY
                                                            
The sun sends waves of heat down on this nearly deserted gas
station.

The station of course is not entirely desolate. The
attendant, and owner, of this establishment can be seen
inside through the building's single, crystal clear window.
He sits at the front counter browsing through the local
newspaper, trying to find an article that will keep his
attention.
                                                            
The attendant's name is FRANK, his namesake being this gas
station as the tin sign hanging over the front door would
indicate.
                                                            
Frank's attention is diverted out the window as what is most
likely his first customer of the day, if not the week, pulls
up to the first of the dual pumps outside.
                                                            
The pumps are not covered in grime and dirt as one might
think, way out here in the middle of nowhere with not
another residency in sight, save for an empty barn across
the street that looks to be long out of commission. Both
pumps are surprisingly clean, shimmering spotless metal in
the summer sun, practically new, as if poor Frank has
nothing better to do than polish them multiple times a day.
                                                            
The car is old. Not quite a classic, but getting there.
                                                            
The driver's side door CREEKS as it opens to let out a YOUNG
WOMAN.

The woman is no more than twenty years of age.
                                                            
She yanks the hose from the gas tank, swiftly unscrews the
fuel cap from the side of the car, and plunges the nozzle
into the car as if she's practiced this a thousand times
before.
                                                            
Her hand squeezes the pump over and over in an attempt to
release the gas but to no avail.

Frank watches her from the doorway as she begins to grow
frantic.

The woman looks behind her to find Frank watching. She gasps
at the sight of him, as if she expected to be the only one
here.
                                                            

2.

                       WOMAN
      (to Frank)
Can you turn it on?
                                                            
                       FRANK
You gotta pay first.
                                                            
The woman leans into the car, the door still open from her
exit, pops the glove box and pulls out a crumpled twenty
dollar bill.

She runs the bill, arm outstretched, to Frank. She seems
almost reluctant to do so.
                                                            
                       WOMAN
Whatever this will get me.
                                                            
Frank stares at her a moment.

The woman looks as if she's about to cry, like she's afraid
of what Frank is thinking.

Frank calmly takes the money.
                                                            
The woman snatches her hand back and hurries back to the
car, her hand on the pump handle in anxious anticipation.

Frank goes back behind the counter and flips a switch.

The numbers on the tank shoot up not a second later as the
gas flows through the hose.

The woman is definitely in a hurry.
                                                            
Frank watches her through the window. He can't seem to take
his eyes off of her.

He leaves the counter space, going to a broom closet near
the back. He opens the door and reaches inside for
something.

The woman at the pump looks back to the window. She sees
Frank nowhere in sight.

Seconds later, the woman's car PEELS OUT.

Frank exits the station just in time to see the car speed
away. Both hands are down at his side, out of view.

The gas pump lay leaking on the ground.

Frank calmly makes his way over to it. He reaches down to

3.

retrieve the pump with his right hand, revealing the large
hunting rifle that occupies his left.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
INT. CAR - DAY
                                                            
The woman is breathing heavily. She watches in her rear view
mirror as Frank steps out into the middle of the road in
front of his station, gripping the rifle in both hands.

Even as she creates more and more space between her and
Frank, she can still feels his eyes watching her.

She looks forward, out her windshield, then back to the
mirror again.

Frank lowers the gun and turns to walk back inside just as
he disappears from her sight.

The woman is far too preoccupied with the gas station
attendant to hear the MOTORCYCLE HORN in front of her.

She lets out a huge SIGH of relief before turning her
attention back to the road ahead.
                                                            
By then, it's too late -

                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
EXT. ROAD - (CAR / MOTORCYCLE) - DAY
                                                            
The car collides head on with a motorcycle.

The CYCLIST is launched through the air for less than a
second before smashing through the car's windshield.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
INT. CAR - DAY
                                                            
The woman shields her face with her arms as the cyclist
lands face first in her passenger's seat, bringing with him
shards of glass.

The woman's arms are not enough of a cushion, however, as
her head slams into the steering wheel.

4.


She blacks out.
                                                            
 
INT. CAR - DAY
                                                            
The woman wakes up, blood still wet on her face, unaware of
how long she's been unconscious. The sun is still out, so it
couldn't have been long.
                                                            
Out what's left of the windshield, a black car cautiously
pulls up a few yards away. It comes to a stop.
                                                            
A man, about mid-thirties, steps out of the black car. His
name is DANNY.
                                                            
The woman notices Danny is looking right at her.
                                                            
She reaches her hand down, searching for the "eject" button
on her seatbelt while keeping her eyes on Danny. Instead,
her fingers graze over a bloodied left hand.
                                                            
She pulls back quickly, having forgotten about her new
passenger.
                                                            
The cyclist lay like a pile of flesh and leather soaked in
blood in the passenger's seat. His eyes are popped wide
open, burning a hole into the woman's face.
                                                            
The woman spots something reflecting sunlight in the
cyclist's right hand. It is a retracted switchblade. The
cyclist grips the knife like he should have gripped his bike
handle.
                                                            
The woman is startled when something hits her window. She
turns to see Danny.

Danny pulls at the door handle. It won't budge. He notices
the door lock is down.
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (to woman)
You need to unlock the door.
                                                            
The woman only stares at him.
                                                            
Danny goes around to the other side.

The woman continues looking out the window.

Danny is at the passenger's side door. He tries it. Locked.
He looks around on the ground, finding something nearby;
picks it up.
                                                            

5.

The woman doesn't budge as Danny smashes the motorcycle's
severed tailpipe through the passenger's window.
                                                            
Danny drops the pipe. He reaches in, unlocks the door and
pulls it open. His attention goes to the cyclist.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Jesus, buddy. You alive?
                                                            
The cyclist says something, but his voice is too low to
hear.

Danny leans in, his ear close to the man's lips.

The cyclist speaks again.

Danny's face twists in confusion and anger. He pulls back,
noticing the blade in the man's hand. He grabs the cyclist
by his leather jacket and drags him out of the car.
                                                            
The woman closes her eyes tight, sobbing, as she hears Danny
climbing into the seat next to her.
                                                            
Danny's hand reaches towards her. He clutches her shoulder.

She flinches slightly.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Can you walk?
                                                            
The woman's eyes open. She turns to look at Danny.

He is painted with concern for her.
                                                            
                       WOMAN
What?
                                                            
                       DANNY
I need to get you out of here. Are
you able to walk?
                                                            
Danny waits for her answer.

She can do nothing but look at him.
                                                            
                       WOMAN
Yes.
                                                            
Danny unfastens her seatbelt.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 

6.

EXT. CAR - DAY
                                                            
Danny helps the woman out of her car. He leads her carefully
past the cyclist who is left bleeding on the ground.
                                                            
 
INT. BLACK CAR - DAY
                                                            
The woman sits in the passenger's seat of Danny's car. He
closes her door, careful not to hit her with it.

Danny makes his way to the other side, gets in.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You should put your seatbelt
on...considering.
                                                            
Danny fastens his seatbelt and starts the car.
                                                            
The woman only stares at her savior. She seems surprised at
what he's done.

Danny looks at her. He examines her hands: her left hand
gripped so tightly around the armrest, her fingers have sunk
into the padding; the fingers of her right hand are wrapped
like steel around the door's handle.

Danny leans in front of her. The woman flinches.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I won't hurt you.
                                                            
The woman calms a little at Danny's words.

He stretches his right arm out, his left hand on the wheel,
to grab the passenger's side seatbelt.

The woman watches as he pulls the belt past her and CLICKS
the buckle into place, securing her in her seat.
                                                            
Danny shifts to "D" and slowly drives away from the woman's
wreckage.
                                                            
The woman is silent a while.

Danny doesn't make a sound. He concentrates on the road. He
nearly jumps out of his seat when she finally speaks.
                                                            
                       WOMAN
Why are you helping me?
                                                            

7.

                       DANNY
You're hurt. What was I supposed
to do?
                                                            
                       WOMAN
Not this.
                                                            
                       DANNY
What does that mean?
                                                            
                       WOMAN
I'm confused by what you're doing.
                                                            
                       DANNY
What did you want me to do? Leave
you back there?
                                                            
                       WOMAN
That isn't what I mean. I've never
met someone like you.
                                                            
The woman continues to look at him, her right hand still on
the door's handle, but her left hand has shifted from the
armrest to her lap.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'm just doing what any decent
person would do.
                                                            
                       WOMAN
I guess I haven't known too many
decent people.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Can I ask what happened back
there?
                                                            
                       WOMAN
I wrecked my car. And I think I
killed that guy.
                                                            
                       DANNY
He didn't look good. Did you know
him?
                                                            
The woman shakes her head "no".
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
Did he know you?
                                                            
                       WOMAN
No. Why? What did he say?
                                                            

8.

                       DANNY
He asked me to kill you.
                                                            
Danny looks to her for a reaction, but the woman doesn't
seem the least bit surprised.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
Why did he ask me to do that?
                                                            
                       WOMAN
Because they want me dead.
                                                            
Danny thinks to himself for a moment, then pulls the car off
to the side of the road.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Who are "they"?
                                                            
                       WOMAN
Everybody. Except you.
                                                            
There is a subtle TAP TAP TAP on the windshield.

The woman turns her attention toward the noise.

A second later, Danny's eyes are on the source of the noise
as well.
                                                            
The occupants of the car stare out at a small, brown
SWALLOW.

The tiny bird stands against the windshield directly in
front of the woman. Its beak taps the glass repeatedly, its
dark, black eyes never straying from the woman's direction.
                                                            
                       WOMAN
It's looking at me.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You sound like you could have a
concussion. You should get some
medical attention.
                                                            
                       WOMAN
No!
                                                            
Danny nearly jumps at the shrill pitch in her voice.
                                                            
                       WOMAN (cont'd)
I can't go to a hospital. There's
too many people.
                                                            

9.

                       DANNY
Let me at least clean you up.
You're still bleeding.
                                                            
The woman wipes one hand across her brow. She stares down at
the blood bridging her fingers.
                                                            
                       WOMAN
Do you have something I can clean
up with?
                                                            
 
EXT. BLACK CAR - DAY
                                                            
Danny stands at the back of the car, rummaging through the
open trunk.

The trunk is cluttered with discarded fast food bags and
cups.

After tossing a pile of empty fast food bags and cups out
onto the road, he finds a black duffel bag hidden at the
bottom of the trunk.

Danny unzips the bag, moves some clothes aside and pulls out
a clean yellow towel.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
INT. BLACK CAR - DAY
                                                            
The woman remains in the passenger's seat in the car. Blood
drips from her head into her lap.

There is too much for her to stop with her hand. She
searches the back seat for something to catch the blood. She
finds nothing. She turns and opens the glove box in front of
her.

The glove box door falls open, revealing a handgun resting
amongst papers.
                                                            
The trunk slams shut.

The woman closes the glove box quickly.

Danny steps back into the car. He holds the yellow towel and
a bottle of water.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Here...
                                                            

10.

Danny hands the items to the woman.
                                                            
                       WOMAN
Thanks.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Where are you from?
                                                            
The woman stares into the mirror on the back of the sun
visor in front of her. She opens the bottled water, douses
the towel and carefully begins wiping the blood from her
head.
                                                            
                       WOMAN
Lindsay.
                                                            
                       DANNY
That's a long way. You came alone?
                                                            
                       WOMAN
      (nods)
I've never left town before.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Can you tell me your name?
                                                            
                       WOMAN
      (beat)
Hope. My name is Hope Shephard.
                                                            
The woman known as HOPE cringes in pain as the corner of the
towel grazes the cut at her hairline.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Here, let me...
                                                            
Danny slides closer to her, taking the towel with an
unspoken permission. He wipes delicately at her cut, takes a
moment to blow a gentle breath on the wound, then wipes away
more blood until the wound is as clean as it will get.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Where are you headed?
                                                            
                       HOPE
Colorado.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You have family there?
                                                            
                       HOPE
I think so.
                                                            

11.

                       DANNY
I'm going as far as Second City.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Where is that?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Utah. You can come along if you
like. You'll still have a ways to
go once we get there, but you're
no better off walking.
                                                            
Satisfied with the state of Hope's wound, Danny centers
himself in his seat again. He hands the towel to Hope, who
places it back on her clean cut.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You're not going to hurt me?
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'm not going to hurt you.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Okay. I'll go with you.
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (starts car)
You might want to get some
sleep...
      (shifts to "drive")
It's a long drive.
                                                            
 
INT. BLACK CAR - NIGHT
                                                            
Hope sleeps in the passenger's seat.

Danny keeps to himself, listening to the radio as he drives.
His eyes are growing heavy. He quickly forces them open,
staring hard at the empty road ahead.

It's no use. They begin to close again.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
INT. BLACK CAR - HOPE'S POV - NIGHT
                                                            
Everything is completely black.
                                                            
                       DANNY (os)
Hannah...
                                                            

12.

Hope's eyes open. She sees the dashboard of the car in front
of her, the compartment below closed.

It is dark outside the windshield. The car's headlights
allow her to see only a few feet of road ahead.
                                                            
                       DANNY (os; cont'd)
Hannah? You awake?
                                                            
Hope turns her head to see Danny staring at her from the
driver's seat.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Why are you calling me that?
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'm sorry. I have to do it.
                                                            
Danny grips the handle of a handgun that rests on his lap.
He pulls the hammer back...
                                                            
Hope looks back at the dashboard compartment, which is now
open. The gun inside is missing. She looks back at Danny.

Danny lifts the cocked gun from his lap, aims it at Hope's
face and pulls the trigger.

The sound of gunfire EXPLODES in her eardrums as the flash
from the barrel envelops Hope's sight.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
INT. BLACK CAR - NIGHT
                                                            
Hope's eyes pop open. She rests against the passenger door
in the parked car.

Hope looks to the compartment ahead of her. It is closed.
She looks over at Danny, who is asleep in the driver's seat.
Hope drops the compartment door open to find the gun still
inside. She grabs the gun and stuffs it out of sight between
her seat and the car door.
                                                            
Danny is awakened by the SOUND the compartment door makes as
it closes. He looks over at Hope, who sits with her arms
folded. She yawns, acting as if she woke at the same time he
did.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Hey. You alright?
                                                            

13.

                       HOPE
I'm okay. A little cold.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Right.
                                                            
Danny turns the car on and then the car's heater.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
Sorry. I turn it off when the
smell gets too strong.
                                                            
                       HOPE
      (smells air)
It smells like maple syrup.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Yeah, I don't know what that is.
I'm pretty sure it's broken.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I like it.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'll leave it on then.
                                                            
Hope rests her head against the passenger window, staring
out at the night sky.

Danny puts the car into "drive", flips on the car's
headlights and pulls onto the deserted road.
                                                            
 
EXT. GAS MART - DAY
                                                            
The gas station/ convenience store sits on the corner of an
intersection, about two blocks away from any of the nearest
buildings, all of which are fast food chains.

Only a single car, a family van topped with luggage,
occupies any space at the gas pumps outside of the store.

Danny's black car pulls up to a pump on the opposite side of
the van.

Danny exits the car. He unscrews the car's gas cap and
removes the hose from the pump. He puts the pump into the
car.

He squeezes the handle and locks it into place before
knocking on Hope's window.

She rolls it down a crack.
                                                            

14.

Danny exits the car. He unscrews the car's gas cap and
removes the hose from the pump. He puts the pump into the
car.

He squeezes the handle and locks it into place before
knocking on Hope's window.

She rolls it down a crack.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I was going to grab something from
inside. You want anything?
                                                            
                       HOPE
No, thank you. But do you think
you can get me the restroom key?
                                                            
Danny turns around to examine the building.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Looks like the bathroom's inside.
You wanna come?
                                                            
Hope looks into the store through the windows. She spots the
owner's of the van: a man, his wife and their teenage son,
as they grab snacks and beverages.
                                                            
                       HOPE
No. I'll hold it.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You sure?
                                                            
Hope nods.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
Okay. I'll just be a minute.
                                                            
Danny turns and walks towards the store entrance.
                                                            
 
INT. GAS MART - DAY
                                                            
Danny exits the restroom, upon which he begins browsing the
aisles for food.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
INT. BLACK CAR - DAY
                                                            
Hope squeezes her hands between her thighs. She bites her
lower lip as her right leg shakes rapidly in an attempt to

15.

keep from messing herself. She begins searching around the
car, under her seat and then under the driver's seat.

For how much of a mess the trunk is, the inside of the car
is disappointingly clean.

Hope eventually finds a small cup, hardly big enough to hold
half a can of soda much less than the capacity she requires.


Setting the cup down, she looks back into the store where
she sees the family standing in line at the register. She
removes the hidden handgun from between the seat and the
door and stuffs it into the waistband of her pants under her
shirt. She steps out of the car:
                                                            
 
EXT. GAS MART - DAY
                                                            
Hope stands outside of the car for a moment before working
up the courage to take her first step towards the store.
                                                            
She continues, making her way past the van, reading the
licence plate as she does so.

The personalized plate reads: STENSEN.

Her eyes move like doors on hinges back in the direction of
the STENSENS, who are finishing up their purchase inside.
She soon reaches the front entrance to the store and reaches
for the handle:
                                                            
 
INT. GAS MART - DAY
                                                            
Hope pulls the door open as quietly as possible, though the
DOORBELL sound quickly blows her cover.

The CASHIER looks immediately at her, standing frozen, cash
in hand, a dead stare aimed at Hope's back as she makes her
way to the ladies room.

Danny, who is making himself a Slushie in the back of the
store, has his back to the entrance. He doesn't notice Hope
is there.

MR. STENSEN stands ahead of his wife and son at the counter,
one hand on his brown paper bag of goodies, waiting for his
change.
                                                            

16.

                       MR. STENSEN
      (to cashier)
That's okay. You don't have to
count it.
                                                            
The cashier hands Mr. Stensen the money without a word.

Suddenly, the Stensens, as if by some silent warning, turn
their heads, one by one to look at Hope as she reaches the
bathroom door.
                                                            
Hope reaches for the door handle when the door is suddenly
thrust open, nearly swatting her in the face.

She jumps back and finds herself staring at a little girl
exiting the restroom.

The little girl is ABBY STENSEN. She stares at Hope, her
tiny hand holding the door open.
                                                            
                       ABBY
Sorry.
                                                            
Hope stands wide-eyed with shock as the young girl runs past
her. An exhale of extreme relief escapes her mouth, her eyes
tearing up with a fear of what might have been.
                                                            
                       HOPE
      (to Abby)
That's okay...
                                                            
Abby regroups with the rest of her family, who continue to
stare at Hope as she locks herself in the restroom.
                                                            
                       MR. STENSEN
      (to Abby)
Abby, what took you so long?
                                                            
                       ABBY
      (holds up hands)
I couldn't reach the paper towels.
                                                            
Danny walks up to the counter, having to move around the
Stensens as he does so.

He sets down on the counter a hot dog, a package of mini
donuts, a Slushie, a tall bottle of orange juice and a
variety of packaged snacks, including potato chips, beef
jerky and candy.
                                                            
The cashier's gaze is finally broken as Danny's body blocks
his view of the bathroom door.
                                                            

17.

                       CASHIER
      (to Danny)
That gonna be it for you?
                                                            
                       DANNY
That's it.
                                                            
The cashier manually rings Danny's items, his eyes still on
Danny.
                                                            
                       CASHIER
You staying to help?
                                                            
                       DANNY
What's that?
                                                            
                       CASHIER
The girl. Are you staying to help
us kill her?
                                                            
Danny's head turns to look at the Stensens, who continue to
stare at the restroom door. Danny, too, looks to the door.

Mr. Stensen takes the a ring of keys out of his pocket and
hands them to his son.
                                                            
                       MR. STENSEN
Get me something heavy out of the
car.
                                                            
Teen Stensen takes the keys and makes his way to the
entrance.

Danny looks past the teen as he pushes the door open, to his
black car, which he notices Hope is no longer sitting in.
                                                            
The Cashier bags Danny's goods in a paper sack. He reaches
his hand into the space between the register and the counter
and removes from it a wooden baseball bat.
                                                            
 
INT. GAS MART RESTROOM - DAY
                                                            
Hope washes her hands in the sink as the toilet water
refills in the bowl next to her.
                                                            
There is a KNOCK on the door that makes Hope jump.
                                                            
                       DANNY (os)
Hope, it's Danny. It's time to
leave.
                                                            

18.

Hope shuts off the faucet and dries her hands off with a
paper towel from a nearby dispenser. She unlocks the
deadbolt on the door and opens the door only a crack.
                                                            
Through the small opening, Hope can see Danny standing right
outside the door. She opens it a little wider.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
I don't know what's happening, but
these people are dangerous and we
have to go.
                                                            
Hope looks past Danny: Mr. and Mrs. Stensen stare straight
at her, both breathing heavily. Their young daughter, Abby,
tugs on her mother's pant leg.
                                                            
                       ABBY
What is everybody looking at?
                                                            
The cashier is no longer at his post and is, in fact,
nowhere in sight.
                                                            
                       HOPE
It's happening so fast.
                                                            
Danny looks back over his shoulder as Teen Stensen enters
the store carrying a tire iron. He hands it to his father,
who takes it without acknowledging the boy.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
They can smell my blood. They're
like animals--
                                                            
The end of the cashier's wooden bat comes flying out of
Danny's blind spot, crashing hard against the restroom's
door frame.

The bat CRACKS upon impact, just missing Hope's face by
centimeters.

She falls back onto the restroom floor with a horrified
GRUNT, wood splinters raining down on her.
                                                            
INTERCUT INT. RESTROOM / INT. GAS MART
                                                            
Danny jumps away from the closing door in surprise. Quickly
noticing the cashier standing next to him, Danny lunges at
the man, forcing him into the nearby freezer doors.

The two men struggle for control of the breaking bat.
                                                            
Abby SCREAMS as she witnesses the fight.
                                                            

19.

Mr. Stensen moves right past the two men, opens the restroom
door and steps inside, tire iron in hand.

Danny is distracted by this, giving the cashier the upper
hand.

The cashier gives Danny a hard shove.

Danny falls back into an aisle of candy and potato chips,
knocking bags off the racks. He does not hesitate to get
right back to his feet.
                                                            
The restroom door opens again. Mr. Stensen backs out
cautiously, followed by the barrel of a handgun, then by
Hope, who holds said gun to Stensen's face.
                                                            
Upon seeing this, Danny tackles the distracted cashier.

The cashier smashes through the glass that makes up the
freezer door.

Danny reaches down and yanks the bat from the injured
cashier's hand. He swings away, cracking the bat in half
across the cashier's back.

Mrs. Stensen grabs Abby's hand and pushes her toward Teen
Stensen.
                                                            
                       MRS. STENSEN
      (to Teen Stensen)
Take your sister to the car.
                                                            
Teen Stensen grabs his sister's hand and reluctantly takes
her outside to the van.
                                                            
Hope backs Mr. Stensen into a health bar display.
                                                            
                       HOPE
      (to Mr. Stensen)
Drop it!
                                                            
Mr. Stensen grips the tire iron tighter.

Hope steps closer to him, touching the barrel of the gun to
Mr. Stensen's forehead.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
I will shoot you.
                                                            
Mr. Stensen doesn't take the hint. He swings the tire iron
with full force at Hope.

Hope flinches.

20.


Danny reflexively grabs Mr. Stensen's wrist in mid-swing.
Danny is astonished at Stensen's actions despite Hope's
warnings.

Hope's disappointment is so thick it could glow in the dark.
                                                            
                       MR. STENSEN
      (to Danny)
Why are you helping her?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Why am I helping her? You're
trying to kill her.
                                                            
                       MR. STENSEN
Can't you feel it?
                                                            
Hope backs away from the two men, the gun lowered at her
side now.
                                                            
                       MR. STENSEN (cont'd)
Can't you feel what she is?
      (to Hope)
I know what you are.
                                                            
                       MRS. STENSEN
      (to Hope)
We all know.
                                                            
Danny looks at Hope, who looks away from everyone, tears
swelling in her eyes.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Hope, you ready to go?
                                                            
Hope nods, wiping her tears away.
                                                            
Danny flips the half of the baseball bat in his hand and
strikes Mr. Stensen hard across the face with the knob.

Mr. Stensen falls to the floor.

Danny retrieves the tire iron from the fallen man as Mrs.
Stensen and her son charge in their direction.

Danny grabs Hope's hand in is and pulls her close, before
tossing the tire iron like a Frisbee through one of many
plate glass windows that make up the front of the store.

Hope follows Danny through the exit he has made.

Mrs. Stensen and Teen Stensen go to Mr. Stensen's aide.
                                                            

21.

                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
EXT. GAS MART - DAY
                                                            
Hope and Danny run hand in hand past the Stensen's van,
where Abby sits alone, crying.

Hope yanks her hand away from Danny's.

Danny stops to watch Hope as she approaches the van window
near which Abby sits. She places a hand on the window and
stares at the little girl.

Abby stares back, sniffling and wiping tears.

Hope mouths the words: "I'm sorry."

Danny grabs her hand again and pulls her away from the
vehicle.
                                                            
 
EXT. BLACK CAR - DAY
                                                            
Danny gets Hope into the passenger's seat and shuts the door
for her. He pulls the gas pump out of the car and is
screwing the gas cap back on before the nozzle touches the
ground.

Hope, struggling through the shakes the recent events have
caused her, fastens her seatbelt while Danny runs around the
car to the driver's side.

Danny quickly gets into the driver's seat, starts the car
and speeds away.
                                                            
 
INT. BLACK CAR - DAY
                                                            
Danny's foot is forcing the gas pedal to the floor.

Hope drops the gun in her lap and puts her head in her
hands. She cries uncontrollably.

Danny looks absolutely freaked as he looks from the empty
road ahead to Hope and back again.
                                                            
                       DANNY
They would've killed you. Why? Why
were they trying to kill you? Who
are you?
                                                            

22.

                       HOPE
      (crying)
I'm nobody! God, I feel awful.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You've got nothing to feel bad
about. You didn't do anything.
                                                            
                       HOPE
      (with some
       composure)
I did! I did that! I turned that
little girl's family into monsters
right in front of her.
                                                            
Danny takes a moment to process Hope's words.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You do that to people? The guy on
the bike yesterday, he asked me to
kill you. He was like them?
                                                            
                       HOPE
Everybody is like them. Anyone I
get close enough to becomes intent
on murdering me.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Why does it happen?
                                                            
                       HOPE
I don't know.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Why isn't it happening to me?
                                                            
Hope gives Danny a look. It isn't necassary for her to
repeat herself. Danny can tell by the look in Hope's eyes
that she has no answer for him.
                                                            
 
INT. RUNDOWN MOTEL- LOBBY - DAY
                                                            
The brown that placates the walls, floors and furniture of
this seedy motel lobby isn't the least bit inviting.

The creepy motel manager stands behind the front desk. His
attention is on a newspaper that lay open on the counter in
front of him. He reads with his arms folded.

A nameplate on the desk reads: MOTEL MANAGER NICK CURRAN.

NICK'S attention is pulled from the paper by the CREAKING of

23.

the opening front door.

Danny steps in, walks to the counter and nods at Nick, who
stares at him without a word.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Got any rooms?
                                                            
Nick pivots his body, grabbing one of many room keys off a
hook behind him.
                                                            
                       NICK CURRAN
Ain't exactly Mardi Gras, pal.
                                                            
 
INT. MOTEL ROOM - DAY
                                                            
Danny enters the room. He closes and locks the door behind
him and heads to the single window in the room.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
EXT. RUNDOWN MOTEL - DAY
                                                            
The sun has started to set on the already dark colored
building.

A single window slides open. Danny sticks his head out,
searching for something or someone.

He knocks twice on the outside wall.
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (whisper)
Hope!
                                                            
Hope runs along the side of the building where she meets
Danny. She extends both arms to him, allowing Danny to pull
her into the room.
                                                            
 
INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
                                                            
The shower RUNS behind the closed bathroom door.

A few feet away, Danny sits on the foot of the single bed.
His attention is on the newscast that plays on the
television, which sits on a dresser against the wall near
the motel room door.
                                                            
The news cast shows a NEWS ANCHOR standing in front of a Gas
Mart, the very same Gas Mart that Danny and Hope visited

24.

earlier that day. The program's volume is turned down very
low with the Closed Captioning switched on. This is most
likely so Hope won't hear.

Danny's right hand is resting atop the remote control as
further evidence of his sensitivity towards Hope's feelings.
                                                            
                       NEWS ANCHOR
This local Gas Mart was the scene
of an extremely disturbing
incident earlier today.
                                                            
The news cast cuts to the cashier, who is only recognizable
by his uniform as his face is blurred out.
                                                            
                       CASHIER
Well, her boyfriend or whatever
came in first, and then she showed
up and went into the bathroom.
That's when I grabbed my bat and
tried to kill her.
                                                            
The news cast cuts to surveillance footage of Hope entering
the store, walking past the Stensen family and nearly
running into Abby before locking herself in the restroom.
                                                            
                       NEWS ANCHOR
The shocking confession you just
heard was spoken by the Gas Mart
employee who was working behind
the counter when the mysterious
woman entered the store.
                                                            
The program cuts back to the news anchor, who stands outside
of the store in front of the broken window.
                                                            
                       NEWS ANCHOR (cont'd)
The family you saw in the video
has been detained for questioning.
According to the young employee,
the family, too, lent a hand in
the attack on the couple. This
broken window behind me is where
the unknown man and woman made
their daring escape from their
unlikely assailants. The rest of
the surveillance footage has been
obtained by officials, but we are
told the video will be available
to us when the police can pinpoint
a motive for these attacks. When
asked why he and the family
attacked this seemingly innocent
woman, the Gas Mart employee had
            (MORE)

25.

                       NEWS ANCHOR (cont'd)
this to say:
                                                            
The news cuts back to the cashier.
                                                            
                       CASHIER
You'd have done the same. Ain't
nothing wrong with me. It's her
that's wrong. She don't belong
here.
                                                            
The shower goes silent.

Danny switches off the television with the remote control.
                                                            
The bathroom door opens a crack. Hope stands behind the
door, hair wet and towel wrapped around her torso. She looks
out at Danny, who looks back at her from the bed.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I forgot my bag.
                                                            
Danny stands and looks over the side of the bed. He finds
Hope's duffel bag and hands it to her.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
Thanks.
                                                            
She pulls the bag through the small opening she's left
herself and shuts the door.
                                                            
 
INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
                                                            
Danny sits on the dresser next to the TV, while Hope sits
cross-legged on the bed in front of her open duffel bag.
From the bag she pulls two boxes of Lunchables.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You like pizza or ham and cheese?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Whichever you don't want.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I like both.
                                                            
                       DANNY
So do I.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You're not going to make this easy
are you?
                                                            

26.

Hope holds a box in each hand, weighing them like a scale,
crinkling her nose as she tries to choose between the two.

Danny cracks a smile as he watches her do this. This is the
first time he has seen her act as if she has nothing more
than "pizza or ham and cheese" to worry about.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
I think I want pizza.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I wanted ham and cheese anyways,
so...
                                                            
Hope gets off the bed and walks the box to Danny.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
Thank you.
                                                            
Hope sits back down and opens her box of pizza.
                                                            
Danny opens his box as well.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
I tried to find a first aid kit
for your...
      (points to her
       head wound)
But this place isn't exactly up to
code.
                                                            
                       HOPE
      (preparing mini
       pizza)
That's okay. It feels fine.
                                                            
                       DANNY
About what happened today...
                                                            
                       HOPE
You're totally weirded out, huh?
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (making cracker
       sandwich)
Not totally. I've just never heard
of anything like that before. It
doesn't seem real.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I'm not the first, you know? I
mean, technically.
                                                            

27.

                       DANNY
There are others like you?
                                                            
                       HOPE
At least one: my mom.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Is it hereditary?
                                                            
                       HOPE
Hard to say. It didn't happen to
her until she got pregnant with
me.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You think it's your fault? That
you did that to her?
                                                            
Hope is in the middle of chewing. She wipes her mouth with
the tip of her finger while she attempts to swallow quickly
enough to answer Danny's question.

Danny digs into his triple stacked ham and cheese cracker
sandwich.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Well, she didn't have people after
her until she got pregnant with
me, and it went away when she gave
birth.
                                                            
                       DANNY
What about your dad? Could it have
come from him?
                                                            
                       HOPE
You mean, did he give my mom the
worse STD ever?
                                                            
                       DANNY
I didn't...
                                                            
                       HOPE
I'm kidding, Danny. I do have a
sense of humor, despite it all.
And to answer your question, I
don't really know a lot about him.
When I knew him, he seemed normal.
Of course, I was normal then, too.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You weren't always like this?
                                                            

28.

                       HOPE
No. It started two weeks before I
was going to turn twelve. I
remember because I was at the
market with my mom. She was trying
to explain nature and things that
happen to a young girl when she
becomes a woman...sorry if that's
sharing too much.
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (puts cracker
       sandwich down)
It's okay.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Anyway, my mom shuts up right in
the middle of her speech and I
notice she is staring at something
behind me. I turn around and
there's a bag boy standing at the
end of the aisle, looking right at
me. He's holding a box cutter in
his hand, but there isn't a box in
sight if you know what I'm getting
at. I look around and I can see
other people, everyone who was in
the store with us, starting to
gather around. My mom kneels down
and whispers in my ear 'Cover your
head, baby. You don't want to see
what's about to happen'.
                                                            
Hope's eyes grow wide, enthralled by her own story. She
pauses for a bite, and maybe to add a little suspense.
                                                            
                       DANNY
What happened?
                                                            
                       HOPE
I closed my eyes and covered my
ears. I could hear gunfire and
people screaming. At one point she
took me in her arms and carried me
away, but I never once looked up.
When my mother finally pulled my
hands off my head, we were in our
car. She had blood on her.
                                                            
                       DANNY
She killed them.
                                                            

29.

                       HOPE
I like to think it didn't go that
far, but it's stupid to assume
there wasn't at least one
casualty. I can't blame her,
though. She was just trying to
protect me.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I don't blame her either.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I was always too afraid to look
for the gun, too ashamed that she
would use it to hurt people
because of me.
                                                            
Hope sets her food down, the mood growing heavy.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You must really hate convenience
stores.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Not a fan of gas stations either.
                                                            
                       DANNY
It's nice to talk to you like
this. You're surprisingly upbeat.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Well, no one's trying to kill me.
That can usually put a damper on
any mood.
                                                            
The two laugh together.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
What's your story, Danny?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Don't really have one.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You just happened to be out
driving in
The-Middle-Of-Nowheresville when
you found me?
                                                            
                       DANNY
I don't like traffic.
                                                            

30.

                       HOPE
Neither do I, but my reasons are
obvious. Can you imagine me with a
hundred other drivers on a
bustling freeway? It'd be suicide.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Has that happened to you?
                                                            
                       HOPE
Not yet. But that's why I take the
back roads. What's your reason?
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (changing subject)
What happened to your mother?
                                                            
                       HOPE
Hm?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Your mother isn't like the rest of
them, right? She's like me?
                                                            
                       HOPE
She was. She died a few months
ago.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Can I ask how?
                                                            
                       HOPE
She was sick for a long time. She
never went to a doctor because she
didn't like to leave me alone.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Where was your dad?
                                                            
                       HOPE
He stuck around for about a year
after I changed. I think it got to
be too much for him, not knowing
if he could protect me. I see how
it can be stressful.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Your mother managed.
                                                            
                       HOPE
She was very strong willed. She
fought the illness for nearly ten
years without treatment. I think
it was harder for her to leave me
            (MORE)

31.

                       HOPE (cont'd)
than it was for me to actually
lose her. I miss her. I miss the
company a lot. This is the longest
conversation I've had with anyone
in a long time.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'm sorry.
                                                            
Danny pushes himself away from the dresser, grabs his food
and tosses it away in a nearby trash can.

Hope gets off the bed and stands in front of Danny. She
stares up at him with big, glassy eyes.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Thank you.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I haven't really done anything.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You haven't tried to hurt me, and
that's more than I can say for
most.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Why are you going to Colorado?
                                                            
Hope bites her bottom lip.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
Are you going to find your father?
                                                            
                       HOPE
      (nods)
I need someone to be there for me.
I can't live like this. I can't be
alone forever.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'll take you.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I thought you had to stop in Utah?
                                                            
                       DANNY
I still have something to take
care of, but if you can wait
another day, I'll take you to find
your father.
                                                            

32.

Hope begins to cry. She throws her arms around Danny's
waist, holding him tightly.

Danny is reluctant to hug her back, but eventually does so.
                                                            
Hope takes a small whiff of Danny's shirt.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Maybe you should get in the
shower.
                                                            
Danny cracks a smile. Hope laughs through her tears.
                                                            
 
INT. MOTEL ROOM - DAY
                                                            
Hope sleeps soundly on one side of the bed, the covers
wrapped tightly around her.
                                                            
Danny, wearing a clean pair of pants and a clean, white
t-shirt, sleeps sitting up next to her on the other side of
the bed, atop the covers. His head rests against the wall
behind him.

The handgun sits on the nightstand on Danny's side of the
bed.
                                                            
The doorknob RATTLES.

Danny opens his eyes slowly at the sound.
                                                            
A key SLIDES into the lock from the other side of the door.

Danny, realising what is happening, jumps off of the bed and
lunges for the door.

The deadbolt is unlocked and the door is pushed open a few
inches, just enough for the barrel of a rifle to peek
through.

Danny tackles the door, trapping the barrel of the gun
between the door and the hinge.

The gun fires as the door strikes it.

A hole is blasted into the ceiling of the room.
                                                            
Hope is startled awake. She sits straight up, her eyes going
instantly to Danny, who sits on the floor against the door.

Someone on the other side of the door struggles to force it
open, and free the shotgun in the process.
                                                            

33.

                       HOPE
Danny!
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (to Hope)
Go!
                                                            
Hope hesitates a moment before reaching over to Danny's side
of the bed and grabs the car keys off the pile of clothes
Danny left on the floor. She runs to the window and gets it
halfway open before the next GUNSHOT goes off.

Hope SCREAMS as a giant hole explodes out of the wall next
to her.
                                                            
The man holding the gun is the motel manager Nick. He is
helped by two men in opening the door.

Danny jumps to his feet, allowing the door to fly open. He
grabs the rifle from Nick's hand and pulls him into the
room, throwing him onto the floor.

The other two men, who seem to be guests of the motel
themselves, tackle Danny to the ground, holding the shotgun
to Danny's chest.
                                                            
Hope climbs out of the window as quickly as she can. She
lands on her feet outside and turns to see Danny.

Danny is held to the floor by one man while the other begins
pummeling him in the face and chest.

Nick gets up from the floor, ignoring Danny and the two men,
and stares straight at Hope. He walks quickly to the window.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Danny!
                                                            
Danny looks up at Hope between punches to his bruised and
bloody face.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Hope, GO!
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
EXT. RUNDOWN MOTEL - DAY
                                                            
Hope runs to Danny's black car, despite her reluctance to
leave Danny behind. She fumbles the keyring in her hands,
looking for the car key.


34.

In an instant, Nick is tackling Hope to the ground.

Hope lands hard on her back, dropping the keyring, with Nick
on top of her.
                                                            
Nick wraps both hands around Hope's neck and squeezes hard.

Gasping for air, Hope scratches at Nick's face.

Nick GRUNTS in pain, lifts Hope's head and slams it back
down on the ground.

Hope, in an immense amount of pain, looks as if she is about
to pass out.
                                                            
                       NICK CURRAN
I'll pray for you, darling, but
ain't no way you going anywhere
but Hell.
                                                            
Hope throws a hard punch into the side of Nick's face.

His head jerks on impact.

Hope reaches back, retrieving the ring of keys. She gathers
all the strength she can wield into a second punch, this
time using the keys as a weapon.

Nick falls off of her. His face hits the ground, huge gashes
across his face. His nose also seems to be broken.

Hope struggles to get to her feet, the keys in her hand
covered in blood and skin. She wipes the keys off on her
pajama pants and unlocks the car door.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
INT. BLACK CAR - DAY
                                                            
Hope sits behind the wheel. She shoves the key into the
ignition and starts the car. Looking out through the
windshield, she notices the two men are vacant from the room
and Danny is nowhere to be seen. Her eyes go to the motel
entrance where the two men are exiting from.

One of the men holds the rifle he took from Danny. He raises
it in Hope's direction and pulls the trigger.

The gun DRY FIRES, its ammo having been spent inside the
room.

Hope pulls the car away from the hotel and speeds off.
                                                            
 

35.

INT. MOTEL ROOM - DAY
                                                            
Danny lies bleeding on the floor. He pushes himself up and
gathers his things. He shoves his clothes into his duffel
bag and places his shoes on his feet. He grabs the handgun
of the nightstand and slings both his and Hope's bags over
his shoulder.
                                                            
 
INT. RUNDOWN MOTEL - LOBBY - DAY
                                                            
Danny steps into the lobby with his things to find the
injured hotel manager, Nick, helping the two men who were
beating him up check out.

The three men look at Danny as if they are ashamed of him.
                                                            
                       NICK CURRAN
      (to Danny)
You checking out?
                                                            
Danny aims his gun at Nick.

Nick's hands go up instantly.

The two men step away, afraid for their lives.
                                                            
                       NICK CURRAN (cont'd)
Whoa, man! Stay cool!
                                                            
                       DANNY
I want your gun and whatever ammo
you've got left.
                                                            
                       NICK CURRAN
Sure thing, buddy. Take whatever
you want. Just don't hurt anyone.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Like you tried to hurt her?
                                                            
                       NICK CURRAN
Hey, that ain't fair. It ain't the
same.
                                                            
                       DANNY
She's never done anything to
anybody! How is it not the same?
                                                            
                       NICK CURRAN
She ain't supposed to be here.
Don't you feel that? Don't you
feel how wrong you are for helping
her? Aren't you afraid of what
            (MORE)

36.

                       NICK CURRAN (cont'd)
might happen to you if you let her
live?
                                                            
                       DANNY
The gun, now!
                                                            
 
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
                                                            
Cows roam the green hills that act as a gorgeous backdrop
for this quiet, little road.

A single BLACK BULL feeds on some grass. It has wandered
from the rest of the herd, chewing in private about half a
mile from the road.

BIRDS twitter to and fro, two of them landing on the bull's
rear before being swatted away by its tail.
                                                            
Telephone poles and phone lines do little to enhance the
beauty of the landscape, but they are not too much of a
distraction from nature.

Within seconds, the silence is broken by the sound of a
speeding car, then by the harsh SCREECHING of tires as Hope
brings Danny's car to an abrupt halt.

The bull's curiosity brings its attention to the black car.
                                                            
Hope jumps out of the vehicle mere seconds after it stops.
She breathes heavily, wiping her hair away from her face as
she looks back the way she came. She tries to be strong, but
her emotions get the best of her, and she is soon kneeling
down with her head in her hands, crying her eyes out.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Please find me. Please find me...
                                                            
Still kneeling, Hope takes a deep breath, composes herself
and wipes the tears from her face.

Blood is smeared across her cheeks.

Hope notices the blood on her fingertips. She frantically
scans over her hands and arms, but finds only scratches and
scrapes from her recent attack. She finally finds the source
of the blood as she runs her fingers across the back of her
head.
                                                            
A bird CAWS.

Hope looks up to find a dozen birds sitting in a row across

37.

the line connecting the telephone poles to one another.

The birds take turns CAWING, all of them staring down at
Hope.
                                                            
Hope slowly stands, backing towards the black car, never
taking her eyes off the birds.

Behind Hope, through the car door windows, the black bull
charges towards her from the other side of the car.

Hope grabs the handle of the driver's side door.

She is made well aware of the bull's presence when it rams
its horns into the passenger's door.
                                                            
Hope lets out a terrified SCREAM as the car rotates on its
wheels in a half circle from the impact of the bull, forcing
her to move with it.

As if this weren't enough for Hope to deal with, now she
must avoid the birds, which have taken notes right out of a
Hitchcock film.

One bird flies straight at Hope's face. She manages to avoid
it in time, causing the bird break its neck on the driver's
side window, cracking the glass in the process.
                                                            
The bird falls dead at Hope's feet.

A second bird swoops down at Hope, landing on her shoulder
and pecking at her face.

Hope GRUNTS in pain, swatting the bird away. She turns
around and jumps into the driver's seat. Hope closes the
door as the birds attack the vehicle one after the other.
                                                            
From the passenger's side, the bull charges again, once
again surprising Hope as her attention was diverted by the
birds.

She reflexively grips the steering wheel with both hands as
the car shifts slightly from the impact.

The bull jabs its horns into the side of the car until one
of its horns gets stuck in the passenger door. The bull
pulls harder and harder with a shark-like ferocity in an
attempt to free itself. In doing so, the large black beast
manages to tear the door right off the car.

The car door is pinned to the ground the bull's head stuck
in a bow. It tramples the car door until its horn is final
freed.

38.


The bull turns its attention back on Hope and charges again.

Hope jumps into the backseat as the bull enters the car up
to it bulking neck, horns first.
                                                            
Hope presses herself against the back, left window. Her
horrified CRIES are MUFFLED by the sound of the bull tearing
up the front interior of the car and also by the birds'
TAPPING, which they are now doing at the back window.
                                                            
The bull pulls itself out of the tight space of the car and
backs away, giving itself some running room.

Though the car has an obvious opening now, the birds are so
intent on getting at Hope they barely have time to notice.

Hope watches with wide-eyed terror as the bull stomps its
right hoof into the ground, preparing to charge yet again.

The bull runs full force at the damaged car ahead.

The force of impact is so powerful, the car is tipped over
onto its right side.

Hope covers her head with her hands as the window next to
her shatters on the road.

A GUNSHOT rings out.

The birds disperse.

The bull lifts its head, staring past the car to find a man
holding a rifle.

The barrel, which is pointed into the air, smokes from
recent use.

The man is Danny.
                                                            
Hope looks up, able to see through the back window from
where she lay, at Danny as he approaches.

Danny aims the gun down at the bull, stepping closer as he
does so.

Behind Danny, a motorcycle is parked. On the ground next to
the front wheel are both of Hope and Danny's duffel bags.
                                                            
The bull backs away, contemplating whether or not to
continue its attack. It tilts its head, looking at Hope.

Another GUNSHOT.

39.


This shot hits the severed car door which rests near the
bull's back hoofs.

The bull jumps away from the shot, its eyes back on Danny.
It turns and heads back onto the grass, taking its time as
it does so.

Danny runs the rest of the way to the car. He leaves the gun
on the ground and reaches down into the passenger's side of
the car with both arms.

Hope grabs his hands, allowing him to help her out. The
second her feet hit the ground, she throws herself into
Danny's arms, tears of relief streaming down her face.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Thank you. Thank you.
                                                            
Danny pulls away just enough to look into her eyes.
                                                            
Hope knows this look. The look of concern from Danny is
probably close to the same her mother used to give her.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
I'm okay.
                                                            
 
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
                                                            
Danny pilots the motorcycle as it speeds past a field of
cows.

Hope rids behind him, holding Danny tight. She carries both
duffel bags on her back and holds the shotgun tightly
between her and Danny.

We get a nice shot of Hope pressing the side of her face
firmly against Danny's back.
                                                            
 
INT. DESOLATE CHURCH - DAY
                                                            
The empty church looks as if it's been a few days since it's
had company.

One of the two entry doors swings open, letting in what
little light of the day is left.

A handgun enters next, followed by Danny carrying it.

He pokes his head in, making sure the building is empty

40.

before stepping in completely. Danny holds both duffel bags
in his empty hand.
                                                            
                       DANNY
It's safe.
                                                            
Hope steps in behind him, carrying the rifle.
                                                            
Danny drops the bags in the very last pew in a row of ten.

The church isn't very big, though no one would expect it to
be out here in the middle of nowhere.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
INT. DESOLATE CHURCH - NIGHT
                                                            
Empty Lunchable boxes sit at the end of a pew. Next to the
boxes, Hope sits, her head hanging forward. Next to her,
Danny sits very close. He wipes a wet rag over the dried
blood on the back of her head and neck.
                                                            
                       DANNY
This is holy water, so if you're a
vampire, tell me now.
                                                            
                       HOPE
That'd be nice. I mean, as an
alternative to this, I wouldn't
complain.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Except for the whole going to hell
thing.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Hm?
                                                            
                       DANNY
You know, 'Vampires are doomed to
eternal damnation'?
                                                            
Hope remains awkwardly silent as she has no idea of what
Danny is referring to.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
'Dracula'?
                                                            
                       HOPE
Never read it.
                                                            

41.

                       DANNY
Not important. Point is, once you
slay a vampire, its going straight
to hell whether that person was
good or bad while they were alive.
If anything should happen to you,
I can't imagine why there wouldn't
be a golden ticket to heaven with
your name on it.
                                                            
Hope laughs under her breath.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
What's that for? Not a believer?
                                                            
                       HOPE
How can I be when this is my life?
If I believed in heaven, I'd have
to believe in hell, and to imagine
it gets worse than it already is?
I have trouble wrapping my head
around that.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Was your mother the same way?
                                                            
                       HOPE
No. She had more faith than I can
comprehend. She believed the devil
did this to me. She said I'm like
a trigger for the sinner in anyone
who gets close to me, but one day
God would figure it out and set
things right.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Maybe He did. Maybe He sent me.
                                                            
Hope grins, grateful for his help, but her mind was made up
a long time ago. She stands. Danny hands her the rag. Hope
takes it and goes to the front of the church where a base of
holy water sits near the alter. Hope soaks the bloody rag
and wrings it out in the base.
                                                            
                       HOPE
How long until we get there?
                                                            
                       DANNY
If we leave early, we can be in
Second City by noon. I shouldn't
be more than a couple of hours,
and we can be at your dad's by
tomorrow night.
                                                            

42.

                       HOPE
I'm grateful for everything you're
doing, Danny. But being with me
could literally get you killed. I
can take care of myself. You don't
have to go with me.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I have my own reasons for wanting
to take you myself, Hope. And it
isn't because I think you're
helpless. I know you're not, I can
tell.
                                                            
Hope turns to face him. Her face is stone serious.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Then tell me.
                                                            
Danny takes a deep breath. He looks away as if he's hoping
she'll drop the subject.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
I've shared enough with you in two
days you could write a goddamn
book about me, so please, Danny,
talk to me.
                                                            
                       DANNY
The truth is, I have nothing to go
back to. I have something very
important to do, and then that's
it. I don't know what is going to
happen to me after tomorrow. I
have no plans for the future. I
don't have anybody waiting for me
back home. I'm alone, Hope, like
you.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You don't have any family?
                                                            
                       DANNY
I used to. Both of my parents have
passed and they were both single
children, so no aunts or uncles. I
was a single child myself, so no
brothers or sisters. And...
                                                            
Danny is having trouble spitting out whatever he was about
to say next.


43.

Hope leaves the dirty rag in the water basin and walks over
to stand by Danny's side.
                                                            
Danny reaches into a back pocket of his pants, retrieving
his wallet. He pulls out a photo and hands it to Hope.

She takes it, looking it over curiously.
                                                            
The picture shows a little boy posing with a woman in front
of a water fountain.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
They died almost a year ago.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Oh, Danny...
                                                            
                       DANNY
What you do to people, whatever
the hell it is, it's different for
me. When I'm around you, the pain
and loss that I should feel isn't
there anymore. I'm not going with
you because I think you need me,
I'm going with you because I know
I need you.
                                                            
Hope puts a hand on Danny's shoulder.
                                                            
 
INT. DESOLATE CHURCH - DAY
                                                            
The sun has just risen outside.

Danny sleeps in the pew, his head resting against the bench
arm.

Hope sleeps across his lap, using Danny's coat as a blanket.

Danny opens his eyes to find a man, a PRIEST, standing over
them.

The priest stands silent, staring down at Hope.
                                                            
Danny doesn't hesitate to get to his feet, causing Hope to
sit up in an instant.

Hope is disoriented a moment before her eyes focus on Danny
as he drops the priest to the ground.

Danny pulls a handgun from the waistband of his pants,
sticks the barrel to the priest's head and pulls back on the
hammer.

44.


Hope jumps to her feet.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Danny, stop!
                                                            
                       PRIEST
P-P-Please! No, no...please don't
shoot me.
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (to priest)
Why are you here?
                                                            
                       PRIEST
I work here!
                                                            
                       DANNY
It's Saturday! What are you doing
here?
                                                            
                       PRIEST
I have work to do! Sir, please,
you and your friend can go. I'm
not going to call the cops.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Danny, don't kill him.
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (to Hope)
Why not? He was going to kill you.
                                                            
                       PRIEST
What? No, why would I do that?
                                                            
                       HOPE
      (to Priest)
What did you say?
                                                            
                       PRIEST
I wasn't going to kill anyone. I'm
a priest for crying out loud!
                                                            
                       DANNY
You're telling me you don't want
to kill this woman?
                                                            
                       PRIEST
My God, what is the matter with
you people?
                                                            

45.

Danny, in his confusion, releases the priest, allowing him
to get to his feet.
                                                            
                       PRIEST (cont'd)
Thank you.
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (to priest)
Don't move.
                                                            
Danny pulls Hope gently by the arm a few feet, their backs
to the priest.
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (to Hope)
He's not like the others.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Maybe it's wearing off. Maybe it's
finally going away. First you,
then him? Am I becoming normal?
                                                            
At that precise moment, the priest lunges at Hope, bumping
Danny and knocking him off balance.

Hope is thrust into a nearby pew with the priest on top of
her.

He wraps both hands around her neck.

Danny grabs the priest's collar from behind and pulls him
off of Hope. He raises his gun as the priest attempts to
stand. Danny pulls the trigger.

The bullet hits the priest in his left leg.

The priest falls, WAILING in pain.

Danny aims the gun at the priest's chest.

Hope jumps at Danny, pushing the gun away.

It fires off to the side.
                                                            
                       HOPE
No! You can't kill him! It isn't
his fault!
                                                            
Danny looks at Hope, hatred in his eyes.

Hope seems a little frightened by this. He is looking at her
the way everyone else does, like he WANTS to kill.
                                                            

46.

                       HOPE (cont'd)
Danny, listen to me. You cannot
kill innocent people to protect
me. I can't have that on my
conscience and you don't need it
on yours. Promise me. Promise me
you won't kill anyone.
                                                            
Danny takes a deep breath and calms a bit. He hands Hope the
gun.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Wait outside. I want to talk to
him alone.
                                                            
Danny senses Hope is about to say something that no longer
needs to be said.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
I'm not going to hurt him.
                                                            
Hope nods and walks to the front entrance without once
looking back at the priest. She goes outside, gun in hand,
leaving the two men alone.
                                                            
                       PRIEST
Why do you help her?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Because she needs it. I'm trying
to understand why it is you don't
see that. You speak for God, what
does God say?
                                                            
                       PRIEST
I think...I think God wants her to
die. That can't be right, can it?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Doesn't sound right to me.
                                                            
                       PRIEST
Do you think it's a trick of evil?
                                                            
                       DANNY
I think it's a bad joke.
                                                            
                       PRIEST
But what if it's not a trick? What
if God does want her dead, so he
can use her for something more?
                                                            

47.

                       DANNY
Then he better come down here and
get her himself, because I won't
let anything happen to her.
                                                            
                       PRIEST
You're not going to kill me, are
you?
                                                            
                       DANNY
No. I promised I wouldn't. I am
going to steal your car, though.
You do have a car, right?
                                                            
                       PRIEST
There are keys in my left pocket.
The car is--
                                                            
                       DANNY
The only one out there? I got it.
                                                            
Danny kneels down to retrieve the car keys from the priest's
pocket.
                                                            
                       PRIEST
Would you like me to pray for you?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Pray for the woman who just had a
priest's hands around her neck.
                                                            
Danny walks away, picks up the two duffel bags and the
rifle, and heads for the double doors.
                                                            
                       PRIEST
I speak to God every day. He'll
expect me to explain why I've let
you leave with her. What am I
supposed to tell him?
                                                            
Danny pulls open both doors simultaneously, allowing
sunlight to pour in. He steps outside and turns to look back
at the priest as the doors start to swing closed. He holds
both bags at his side in his right hand, and rests the
barrel of the rifle atop his left shoulder, holding it there
with his left hand.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You tell him she's staying with
me.
                                                            

48.

The doors slam shut.

The priest is engulfed in darkness once again.
                                                            
 
INT. UGLY BROWN CHEVY - DAY
                                                            
Hope gives Danny a much needed break from driving as she
sits at the steering wheel of the beat up, old car, moving
it steadily down the empty road. Danny sits, looking out the
window in the passenger's seat.
                                                            
Hope rubs the red hand marks on her neck.
                                                            
                       DANNY
How's your throat?
                                                            
                       HOPE
Hurts.
      (both hands back
       on wheel)
Why do you think he lied? He's a
priest. Isn't lying a sin?
                                                            
                       DANNY
It's definitely frowned upon.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I was so sure he was different. He
said it himself.
                                                            
                       DANNY
He was protecting himself. These
people don't feel forced to hurt
you, they feel inclined. That
doesn't necessarily mean they're
going to risk their lives to do
so. He thought I was going to kill
him, and he lied so I wouldn't.
                                                            
                       HOPE
But that man at the gas station, I
had a gun to his head.
                                                            
                       DANNY
That man had his family with him.
He risked his life for them.
                                                            
                       HOPE
He was protecting them from me?
                                                            
Hope has a look of someone about to give up, like she is
contemplating hard about why she fights to survive. Danny

49.

can see it in her eyes that she is about to become very
upset.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Last year, my wife and I threw a
birthday party for our son. It was
his last birthday. My wife baked
this enormous cake, biggest cake
I've ever seen, and it still
didn't look like enough to feed
all the kids there. It must have
been his entire second grade
class, because, sure enough, we
ran out. I had to leave while she
was serving them to go get another
cake to finish feeding the rest of
his friends, and I picked up one
of those ice cream cakes. I hated
it. The texture of the thing felt
so unnatural. The crumbs felt like
little pebbles because it was
still frozen, and when it started
to melt the entire thing got
soggy.
                                                            
                       HOPE
      (smiling)
Ew...
                                                            
                       DANNY
Right? But the kids liked it. I
wasn't really surprised. Most kids
will eat anything with sugar in
it. Every one of them asked for
seconds, except my son. He came up
to me a little while later and
said 'You couldn't find a store
that sold these seperately?'
                                                            
Hope laughs, short but sweet.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
I said 'I tried. But maybe not
hard enough. Sorry I ruined your
party'. He tells me 'The party
isn't over yet, Dad. It can still
get good. Just try and keep hope
alive.' That was always strange to
me, that he would say that. I'd
forgotten about it until now.
                                                            
                       HOPE
That's sweet. What was his name?
                                                            

50.

                       DANNY
Michael.
                                                            
                       HOPE
And your wife?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Emily.
      (closes eyes,
       remembering)
My wife...I'm starting to forget
her. What her voice used to sound
like, little things like that seem
to be getting further and further
from my memory.
                                                            
Hope examines Danny's hands, noticing something.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You don't wear a wedding ring?
                                                            
                       DANNY
I used to. Every time I looked at
it, it would remind me of her. The
thing is, I don't mind forgetting.
Remembering hurts too much. But
with you, it doesn't hurt at all.
                                                            
Hope blushes, not really paying attention to where she's
going.
                                                            
The car approaches a barricade, preventing further passage
along this road. Without hesitation, Hope pulls off onto a
freeway entrance.
                                                            
INTERCUT - EXT./INT. UGLY BROWN CHEVY / FREEWAY
                                                            
There isn't a single car on the freeway. This may be in
large part due to the fact that this area is mostly desert
and trees.

Neither Hope or Danny seem to be aware of where they have
just driven onto (if this freeway were bustling like most,
they could be dead within seconds).
                                                            
                       HOPE
You never told me what happened to
them. How did they...?
      (swallows a lump
       in her throat)
How did they die?
                                                            

51.

                       DANNY
We were going out of town; taking
a weekend getaway. About an hour
into the drive, this pickup truck
comes out of nowhere and
sideswipes us. We hit a concrete
divider and I blacked out. I woke
up a couple of days later in a
hospital, where I was told I was
the only survivor.
                                                            
                       HOPE
They died in the wreck?
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (shakes head)
It turns out the driver of the
pickup was a known murderer and
rapist named Adam Park. The police
had spotted him leaving the scene
of a crime. Park was in the middle
of his getaway when he slammed
into us. He shot my wife and son
before stealing our car.
      (Hope GASPS)
He must have assumed I was dead,
because he just tossed me into the
street and took off with my dead
family still inside. Their bodies
were found abandoned the next day.
                                                            
                       HOPE
And Adam Park?
                                                            
                       DANNY
They hadn't found him yet when I
left town. I'm not sure they ever
will.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Danny, I am so sorr--
                                                            
                       DANNY
Hope, STOP!
                                                            
Hope swerves as a large truck drives past them. She checks
her mirrors to see more cars are quickly catching up to
them.

Danny looks over his shoulder to see for himself.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Where are we?
                                                            

52.

                       DANNY
We're on the freeway. What are we
doing on the freeway?
                                                            
                       HOPE
I don't know. It was an accident.
I didn't mean to.
                                                            
Hope is on the verge of a freak-out. She is breathing
heavier and beginning to perspire.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
There's nowhere to get off.
There's no exit.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Pull over onto the shoulder.
                                                            
Hope does as Danny asks, watching every vehicle that speeds
past her window with wide-eyed fear.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
Get in the back. Lay down and wrap
the seatbelt around your waist.
                                                            
Hope jumps into the backseat and does exactly as Danny has
instructed.

Danny jumps into the driver's seat and puts the car back
into 'drive'. As he pulls the Chevy away from the shoulder,
a small four-door rear-ends them.

The impact causes the Chevy to jump forward. The Chevy's
tires SCREECH on the blacktop as Danny speeds into the
middle of traffic.
                                                            
The Chevy passes a trailer-less semi truck on its left. To
the left of the Chevy, the safety railing along the freeway
scrapes away at the brown paint.

Danny manages to get the car in front of the semi, dodging a
small hatchback as it attempts to cut him off.
                                                            
The Chevy is nearing an exit about a mile away.

Danny forces the gas pedal down. The Chevy's engine SCREAMS
as if it's in pain.

Three cars ahead of Danny and Hope speed up as well. These
three vehicles reach the exit first, each car blocking off a
section of the Chevy's path.

Left with no other choice, Danny speeds past the exit.
                                                            

53.

                       DANNY
They're blocking the exit.
                                                            
Danny pushes the Chevy along, only two more cars are ahead
of them, but the many others behind are starting to gain
ground.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Can we get off another way?
                                                            
                       DANNY
There's a railing. Even if we
broke past it, this car wouldn't
make it much further.
                                                            
Danny spots a second exit coming up.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
I'm going to need you up front.
And bring a gun.
                                                            
Hope reaches under the backseat, retrieving the rifle. She
climbs into the passenger's seat and straps herself in.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
Shoot the tires. I'll keep as
steady as I can.
                                                            
Hope takes a deep breath and rolls down her window.

Danny moves the Chevy up right between the two cars.

Hope aims the rifle out the window and fires. It takes only
a single shot to blow the back tire of the car on the right.

Danny slams on the brakes, falling back behind the two cars
again.

The car on the right slides out of control, slamming hard
into the car on the left, leaving the path to the next exit
wide open.

Danny floors it.

The brown Chevy soars off the ground about a foot as it
speeds off the freeway onto the downhill exit.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
Take the wheel.
                                                            
Danny takes the rifle from Hope and rolls his window down.

Hope grabs the steering wheel, keeping the Chevy straight.

54.


Danny leans out the window, takes aim with the rifle at the
pickup truck as it follows them off the freeway, with other
vehicles not far behind. Danny fires.

The front, left headlight of the pickup truck shatters, but
the truck continues the chase.

Danny fires once more.

This time, the front, left tire of the truck is it.

The eruption of the tire and the speed at which the truck is
traveling causes the pickup to dip forward before sending it
spinning through the air.

After an entire airborne rotation, the truck lands back onto
its three good tires, but causes a massive pile up of the
vehicles that were following too closely.
                                                            
Danny gets back into the car, taking back the wheel and
returning the gun to Hope.
                                                            
                       HOPE
We made it.
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (checking rearview
       mirror)
Just about.
                                                            
Hope checks her mirror to find the semi truck smashing
through the wrecked cars in its pursuit to catch them.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Hold on to something.
                                                            
Danny can see a nearby barn. He guns for it.
                                                            
 
INT. BARN - DAY
                                                            
The semi approaches the entrance of the bar, coming to a
stop at the open doors.

The TRUCK DRIVER steps down from his monster of a vehicle
and enters the barn, where he is met with NEIGHS from the
horses locked inside.

The driver spots the ugly brown Chevy parked outside the
barn through the opposite entrance. He approaches the car,
his feet moving faster now.


55.

Hope sits up, appearing in the window of the Chevy.

The driver's eyes widen with excitement as he notices her,
and he begins to sprint.
                                                            
Hope's lips read "I'm sorry" through the closed car window.

As the driver moves past the last barn stall, Danny steps
out from behind it, rifle in hand.

Standing slightly behind the driver, Danny outstretches the
gun, touching the tip of the barrel to the side of the
driver's right boot.

Hope looks away. Danny pulls the trigger.

The blast from the gun blows through the driver's leather
boot, ripping flesh and meat off the unsuspecting man's
foot.

The driver flies foward, hitting the ground hard with his
chest. He grabs his foot, and as the pain reaches his brain,
lets out a pop-eyed WAIL that sends the horses into a
frenzy.

Danny stands over the driver and hits him in the head with
the butt of the rifle.

This cuts the man's scream short, but he is still quite
conscious with a look of shock on his ghost-white face.

Danny hits him a second time, this time doing what he meant
to do in the first place: knocking the truck driver
unconscious.
                                                            
Hope sits motionless in the car. Tears run down her face.
                                                            
 
INT. UGLY BROWN CHEVY - DAY
                                                            
The Chevy passes smoothly over a dirt road.

As Danny drives, he can't help but notice how upset Hope is
in the seat next to him.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I tied his foot. I stopped the
bleeding.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I know. I watched you.
                                                            

56.

                       DANNY
What is it then?
                                                            
                       HOPE
You're getting ruthless, Danny.
You act like you don't care what
happens to those people. I
understand it's frustrating. Of
all people I think I know best how
frustrating it can get, but I
never hurt anybody, not like you.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I just want to help you.
                                                            
                       HOPE
And you have. But I can see you
growing more and more violent with
each attack, and I know it's me
doing that to you. You may be
different from them, but I am
still affecting you in some way.
I'm afraid of what might happen
when that violence gets the best
of you, and there is no else
around you but me.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I would never hurt you.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I want to believe that.
                                                            
EXT. WOODED AREA - DAY
                                                            
Danny pulls the car up to a wooded area. He enters the woods
through a space in the trees just big enough to fit the
Chevy. Danny pushes the car forward until there is no more
room to fit. He parks the car and turns the key enough to
shut off the engine, but no further than that.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I may be a couple of hours.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I'll be okay.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'll leave the guns and the keys.
You can listen to the radio or use
the heater if it's too cold, but
don't turn on any lights. Don't
draw attention to yourself.
                                                            

57.

                       HOPE
I'll be okay, Danny.
                                                            
Danny pops the trunk via a switch inside the car and exits.

Hope watches him walk behind the car and lift the trunk lid.

Danny reaches into the trunk, moving Hope's duffel bag aside
and finding his own.

Hope continues to watch as Danny closes the trunk lid and
approaches her side of the car with both bags in his hand.
She rolls her window down.

Danny hands Hope her bag.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Here, in case you get hungry.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Thank you.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'll pick up some real food on my
way back. You can't live off that
boxed stuff forever.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Never planned to live forever.
                                                            
Danny ignores her comment and turns to leave.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
The man in the barn, don't forget
about him.
                                                            
Danny stops, his back to her.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'll call somebody when I get into
town. I'll get him help.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Be careful.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You, too.
                                                            
Danny continues deeper into the woods on foot.
                                                            
 

58.

EXT. SECOND CITY - DAY
                                                            
Second City looks more like a village than a town, though it
is considered the latter.

Houses are built close together, there are a few food stands
outside of the smaller homes, and livestock roam the grassy
areas.

The town is large, but seemingly underpopulated. A few folks
can be seen walking the streets, but nothing like the number
you'd expect from a place this size.

Danny, bag in hand, makes his way to the first person he
sees: an ELDERLY WOMAN who seems to be caring for a flock of
geese as she drops bread for them to eat.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Excuse me, Ma'am, I'm looking for
someone.
                                                            
Danny opens his bag and reaches in for a photo. He shows the
picture to the woman, who shakes her head and turns from
him.
                                                            
 
INT. SECOND CITY DINER - DAY
                                                            
The diner is made up of three booths lined against the wall,
and a bar with six stools bolted in a row to the floor in
front of it.

The man behind the bar is an older GENTLEMAN. He stands in
the diner alone, watching the wall mounted television in the
corner.
                                                            
A bell attached above the front entrnace DINGS as Danny
enters.
                                                            
                       GENTLEMAN
      (to Danny)
Hello there, fella. Just passing
through?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Can I get a drink? Scotch, if you
have it.
                                                            
                       GENTLEMAN
Hardest drink I've got for ya is
Dr. Pepper.
                                                            
Danny has a seat at the bar.
                                                            

59.

                       DANNY
Okay, sure.
                                                            
The gentleman fixes the beverage in a tall glass and sets it
down at Danny's hands, which rest atop the bar.
                                                            
Danny has a swig of soda.
                                                            
                       GENTLEMAN
Anything else?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Yes.
      (shows photo)
Do you know where I can find him?
                                                            
The photo is actually a surveillance camera image of a man
in a market.

The gentleman glances over the photo.
                                                            
                       GENTLEMAN
Oh, sure. That's Adam. He comes in
here sometimes.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Has he been here today?
                                                            
The excitement in Danny's voice is blatantly obvious, and
the gentleman can see this.
                                                            
                       GENTLEMAN
I can tell you where to find him,
but it ain't such a good idea for
you to be going there.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I just need to see him.
                                                            
                       GENTLEMAN
Look, mister, that boy's lived in
this town all his life. He wasn't
all there before his folks died,
and he damn near lost his mind
after. He leaves here for days,
sometimes weeks at a time, and I
know he ain't up to no good, so I
don't doubt he's made a few
enemies, and I sure as hell don't
doubt that, by the sound of your
voice, you're his worst. But Adam
Park is the absolute book
definition of "crazy". If I were
going up to that house, I'd be
            (MORE)

60.

                       GENTLEMAN (cont'd)
just a tad bit nervous.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I am. Where is he?
                                                            
 
EXT. PARK RESIDENCE - DAY
                                                            
The dark blue, two story house at the top of the hill towers
over Danny as he stands on the front steps.

Danny is completely still as he stares at the closed front
door, his duffel bag hanging at his side. He blinks, coming
back from whatever thoughts he was having. Danny looks over
his shoulder, down at the town, which is seperated from the
house by acres of trees.
                                                            
Danny turns back to the door, tries the handle: it's
unlocked! Danny pushes the door in as he enters.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
INT. PARK RESIDENCE - DAY
                                                            
Danny shuts the door behind him.

The interior of the house is dark, most of the windows
covered by either dusty sheets or wooden boards.

Danny sets his bag down as he makes his way through the
home. He cautiously searches every room of the house
upstairs and downstairs: the living room, four bedrooms, an
office and a kitchen/ diing room, only to find each and
every one void of even a single person.
                                                            
Back in the first floor living room, where he had left his
bag, Danny stands near a smashed black and white television.
He peruses the room, clearing dirt and dust from old family
photos of the Parks: Adam as a young boy and his mother and
father.

Danny checks a closet he missed his first time through,
finding only clothes on hooks and spare blankets.

Shutting the closet door, Danny makes his way back to the
foot of the stairs leading to the second floor. He looks up
the steps, but can see only darkness.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Adam? Adam Park!
                                                            

61.

Danny waits and listens a few moments, but gets no response.
He goes back to his duffel bag, unzips it and reaches inside
for something, pulling out a tightly wound blanket.

The blanket is bound by duct tape.
                                                            
Danny rips the tape off and unravels the blanket, revealing
a sealed plastic bag inside.

Inside the bag is the yellow towel stained with Hope's
blood.

Danny opens the bag and removes the dirty towel. He reaches
into the duffel bag again, leaving the plastic bag and
blanket behind, replacing them with a bottle of water. Danny
opens the bottle and drenches the towel.
                                                            
The empty, plastic bottle falls at Danny's feet.

Danny runs the wet towel along the walls of the living room,
replacing the dirt and dust with Hope's blood. This
continues until Danny has smeared some amount of blood along
every wall. He drops the towel in the center of the floor,
sits in a neaby wooden chair and waits.
                                                            
INT. PARK RESIDENCE - LATER
                                                            
The sunlight seeping through the spaces in the boarded up
windows is practically non-existent now as the sun has begun
to set.

Danny, who had fallen asleep in the wooden chair, awakens.
His eyes dart about the room only to find himself still
alone.
                                                            
 
EXT. PARK RESIDENCE - DAY
                                                            
Danny exits through the front door with the duffel bag in
one hand at his side. He finds himself staring down at a
gathering crowd.

The townsfolk have started making their way towards the
house, some holding weapons of sorts: baseball bats, axes,
knives, etc.

Danny ignores this, well aware of what they are after. He
closes the door behind him and makes his way through the
oncomers, none of which pay him any mind.
                                                            
 

62.

INT. PARK RESIDENCE - DAY
                                                            
In the darkness, in the ceiling at the top of the stairs, a
well hidden attic door opens.

An UNKNOWN MAN drops down, landing hard on his feet, staring
down the stairway. Because of the lack of light, his face is
too dark to see, but his bulging, white eyes pierce the
darkness.
                                                            
 
EXT. WOODED AREA - NIGHT
                                                            
Danny is approaching the ugly brown Chevy, the moon his only
source of light. His steps come to a gradual stop as he
realizes he can't see Hope inside the car. The look on his
face is one of controlled panic.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Hope?
                                                            
Danny drops his duffel bag and hurries to the car.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
Hope!
                                                            
Hope springs up from the back seat, rifle in hand.

Both parties are startled at the sight of one another.

Danny breathes a sigh of relief as Hope lowers the rifle.

Her hair is a matted mess.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I fell asleep I think.
                                                            
 
INT. UGLY BROWN CHEVY - NIGHT
                                                            
Danny drives down the dark road while Hope rests her head
against the passenger window.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You want to talk about it?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Nothing to talk about. Nothing
happened. I'll come back, after I
get you home.
                                                            

63.

                       HOPE
Want me to drive? You should get
some rest.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'm fine. After we cross the state
line, I'll find a place we can
stay.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Did you get food?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Sorry. I forgot.
                                                            
                       HOPE
That's okay. I'm not that hungry.
Still a little tired though.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Go back to sleep. I'll wake you
when we get there.
                                                            
Hope gets comfortable and shuts her eyes.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Try to stay off the freeway.
                                                            
 
INT. COLORADO ROCK MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
                                                            
Hope sits on the single bed alone.

The bathroom door is closed. The shower is RUNNING within
the room. Danny must be in there.

Hope flips through a stack of photographs, some showing a
man, a woman and a little girl. This is no doubt Hope with
her mother and father.

Most of the photos, however, are more recent, showing only
Hope (not much younger than she is now) and her mother.
                                                            
The shower water goes silent. A few moments later, Danny
exits the bathroom in only a pair of sweats, his hair still
damp.

Hope looks over at him, checking out his body before shyly
turning away.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I thought you'd be asleep.
                                                            

64.

                       HOPE
Not tired.
                                                            
Danny sits down next to her. He glances at the photo in
Hope's hand.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Is that you?
                                                            
Hope turns the picture so Danny can view it fully.

The photo shows a teenage Hope smiling as big as she can,
holding up a shiny, new necklace.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I'd just turned fifteen. My mother
surprised me with it one day. She
must have mailed away for it,
because we never left the house.
                                                            
                       DANNY
How could she afford it? She
didn't work, right?
                                                            
                       HOPE
She was in insurance for years
before I went haywire. She
processed applications. The
company she worked for let her
work from home. She told them I
was deathly ill and bed-ridden. It
was the only way we could live.
                                                            
                       DANNY
What about food and clothes?
                                                            
                       HOPE
Every Saturday morning before I
woke up, my mom would go into town
for no more than an hour to pick
things up. That is the only time I
was ever alone.
                                                            
                       DANNY
And no one ever came after you
while she was gone?
                                                            
                       HOPE
We had a cabin in the woods off
the beaten path with multiple
locks on every door and window.
Still, she taught me how to
protect myself, in case anyone
            (MORE)

65.

                       HOPE (cont'd)
ever found us.
                                                            
                       DANNY
It must have been lonely, not
being able to meet people,
especially kids your own age. You
never had any friends.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I asked for a dog so many times I
got tired of hearing the question
myself. I think she was afraid any
pets we got would try to eat me,
which we know now they would have
tried.
                                                            
Hope moves the picture to the bottom of the stack and shows
Danny the next one.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
That's her. That's my mom.
                                                            
                       DANNY
She's pretty. You look just like
her.
                                                            
Hope blushes. She sets the pictures down at her side.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Danny?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Yeah?
                                                            
                       HOPE
Will you kiss me?
                                                            
Danny is understandably caught off guard by this request.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
I know you've lost your family,
and being with another woman is
probably the furthest thing from
your mind. It would just be a
favor.
                                                            
                       DANNY
It isn't the furthest thing from
my mind. If it was anyone else but
you, that might be the case.
                                                            

66.

Hope slides closer to him.

Danny looks into her eyes, licks his lips.

Hope closes her eyes and leans in.

Danny touches his lips to hers, and the two of them melt.

After the kiss, Danny is very reluctant to pull away.

Hope on the other hand, doesn't pull away. She sits
blissfully quiet, her eyes open slowly. Hope bites her lip,
grabs Danny gently by the back of the neck and pulls him in
for another kiss.

Danny lies Hope down on her back as the kiss continues.

With both hands on the back of Danny's head now, Hope pulls
away and gazes sincerely into his eyes.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I just want you to know, this
doesn't mean I'm in love with you
or anything.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I know.
                                                            
                       HOPE
It just makes sense...
                                                            
They embrace each other, once more locking lips.
                                                            
 
INT. COLORADO ROCK MOTEL BAR - DAY
                                                            
A SERVER of the empty bar works to get the chairs down from
the tabletops and places them down on the carpeted floor.

Danny enters, having just woken up, still in his sweats, but
wearing a t-shirt and shoes now as well.
                                                            
                       SERVER
      (to Danny)
Morning.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You serving breakfast yet?
                                                            
 

67.

INT. COLORADO ROCK MOTEL ROOM - DAY
                                                            
Hope is still asleep in bed when Danny returns with a
metallic tray of breakfast items: ham, eggs, buttered toast,
bacon and a fork and a knife with a serated edge to eat them
with.

Danny sets the tray down on a nearby nightstand, removes the
plate of food and the fork from the tray and puts them
aside. He carries the tray in one hand and the sharp knife
in the other as he makes his way over to Hope's side of the
bed.
                                                            
The knife is set down on top of a dresser near the bed.

Danny grips either side of the tray in both hands.

Hope awakens to the sight of Danny standing over her. She
smiles at him.
                                                            
                       HOPE
      (stretching)
What smells good?
                                                            
Danny slams the tray hard against left side of Hope's head,
not once, but twice, knocking her unconscious.
                                                            
INT. COLORADO ROCK MOTEL ROOM - LATER
                                                            
Hope's eyes pop open. The left side of her face is bruised,
and there is blood coming out of her left ear. She soon
realizes she is tied with thick rope to a chair at the
wrists in the middle of the motel room. She is panicking as
she struggles to get free.
                                                            
Danny enters the room, a sullen look about him. He stands,
staring at Hope.

Hope ceases her struggle with the ropes as she notices Danny
and the knife he holds down at his side.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I was going to use those ropes on
Adam Park. I went to his house
yesterday. I took your blood with
me and used it to try and draw him
out. I used you, Hope. I used you
to get revenge on a man I hate,
and I'm sorry.
                                                            

68.

Danny reaches into his pocket and removes the folded
serveillance photo of Adam Park. He unfolds it and holds it
up for Hope to see, possibly as proof that what he has done
to her is no joke.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
That's him.
                                                            
There are tears in Hope's eyes now. The look in Danny's face
is no different now from anyone who looks at her. He WANTS
to kill her.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Why are you telling me this?
                                                            
Danny tosses the photo onto the bed.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Because I don't know what is going
to happen today. This may be the
last time we see each other.
                                                            
Danny steps closer.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Why am I tied, Danny? Untie me.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'm sorry, Hope. I feel what they
feel when they look at you. You
were wrong about me. I'm no
different from anyone else.
                                                            
                       HOPE
No, you're wrong, Danny! You are
not like them!
                                                            
                       DANNY
Last night was a mistake. I got
too close to you. It did something
to me, and now I don't think I can
fight it.
                                                            
Danny is standing next to Hope now. He grabs a handful of
her hair.

She winces in pain.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You can fight it. You are proving
that now by holding that knife in
your hand. We have guns, Danny.
You could have easily shot me dead
            (MORE)

69.

                       HOPE (cont'd)
in my sleep.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I feel like killing you is the
right thing to do, but I know it's
wrong.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You can't kill me. What happens to
you if I die?
                                                            
                       DANNY
That pain could come rushing back.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Right. The memories of losing your
family, the pain you felt before
me: if I'm not here to keep them
at bay, they'll come bubbling back
to the surface, and we both know
you don't want to go back to that.
                                                            
                       DANNY
But if I don't do it, what will
happen to me?
                                                            
                       HOPE
Nothing will happen to you. You
are listening to the urge now,
Danny. It is telling you something
horrible is going to occur if you
allow me to live, but you know
that isn't true! Fight it!
                                                            
Danny sticks the tip of the knife into Hope's chest, but
only a fraction of an inch before pulling it right back out
again and dropping it on the floor.
                                                            
Hope gasps at the pain.

Barely a trickle of blood seeps from Hope's new wound.

Danny backs away from her, completely ashamed of what he has
almost done.
                                                            
Hope stares at the wound. She closes her eyes, breathing
heavy relief after coming so close to dying.

Danny falls to his knees in front of her, grabbing his hair
in both hands.
                                                            

70.

                       DANNY
Oh, God...
                                                            
                       HOPE
Danny, it's okay.
                                                            
Hope's eyes open again just in time to see Danny retreive
the knife from off the floor and come at her.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
Danny, NO!
                                                            
Danny quickly cuts at the ropes tied around Hope's wrists.

Hope again finds herself in a state of relief (though looks
as if she's about to pass out) as one hand is freed, then
the next.

Danny throws the knife away and stands to help Hope out of
the chair. He pulls her close, and they hold each other.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
                                                            
                       HOPE
It's okay. You won't hurt me
anymore.
                                                            
Danny pulls away from her, staring into her eyes with
absolute honesty.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Never.
                                                            
Without any warning whatsoever, Hope sends a hard fist into
Danny's left eye.

Danny reels back, caught completely off guard.

Hope kicks Danny hard in the gut, giving him no time to
recover from her initial blow.

Danny falls to his knees, the wind knocked out of him.

Hope grabs the chair from behind her and smashes it over
Danny head.

A leg of the chair CRACKS upon impact.

Danny's face slams hard onto the motel room floor.
                                                            

71.

Hope drops the chair, breathing heavily and unable to
control her emotions. She tries to wipe her tears away, but
they are flowing too fast.
                                                            
Danny lies still, barely conscious.

Hope kneels down next to him, rubs his hair.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
      (to Danny)
My name isn't Hope. Hope was my
mother's name. I'm sorry I lied. I
didn't know if I could trust you.
                                                            
Hope kisses Danny's forehead before getting back to her
feet. She grabs her duffel bag, the rifle from under her bed
and the car keys from the nightstand.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
I'm sorry. I have to go. I can't
risk being with you now.
                                                            
She exits through a nearby window, never revealing to Danny
her true name.
                                                            
 
EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY
                                                            
The old farmhouse sits at the end of a long stretch of road.

The empty yellow fields of grass on either side of the road
have long been neglected.

Hope drives the Chevy passed them as she approaches the
house. She parks the car and steps out, looking up at the
farmhouse, which by the look of it, appears abandoned.
Hope's expression can only be described as disappointed.
                                                            
 
INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY
                                                            
Hope has to force the door open from the outside, the bottom
of which scrapes along the wooden floor that extends
throughout the rest of the house.

There is hardly an inch of the place that isn't covered in
either dust or webs, and the only pieces of furniture in the
house are a small couch, and a dining table and chairs.

The couch and the table and chairs are protected by plastic
furniture covers.
                                                            

72.

                       HOPE
Hello?
                                                            
 
EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY
                                                            
A car pulls up just behind the ugly brown Chevy. It is an
unrecognizable white four-door.
                                                            
 
INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY
                                                            
Hope stalks around the living room. She is on the verge of
tears: it is obvious this house hasn't been lived in for
years.

There is a fireplace at the end of the room.

Hope spots something on the mantle. She steps quickly to get
to it. She reaches the fireplace to find an envelope sitting
on the mantle. Hope picks it up, and wipes the dust away to
reveal the name "Hannah" written across the front. She opens
the envelope as she has a seat on the plastic-covered couch,
and pulls from it a folded piece paper.
                                                            
The envelope is set down on the couch.

Hope unfolds the letter in her hands and begins to read. Her
crying eyes dart left to right as they move down the page.
As she approaches the bottom of the letter, Hope sniffles,
cracks a smile, and wipes her tears away.
                                                            
Back on the fireplace, a DADDY LONG-LEG scurries across the
mantle top.
                                                            
 
INT. COLORADO ROCK MOTEL ROOM - DAY
                                                            
Danny wakes up on the floor of the motel room. He looks
around before struggling to his feet.
                                                            
                       DANNY
...Hope...?
                                                            
 
EXT. COLORADO ROCK MOTEL PARKING LOT - DAY
                                                            
A YOUNG MAN and his GIRLFRIEND leave the motel. They
approach a blue Mustang parked in between two other cars.
The young man unlocks the driver's side door with the key.

Danny comes out of hiding from behind a nearby truck,
sneaking up on the young man.

73.


The girlfriend SCREAMS as she watches Danny slam her
boyfriend into the Mustang and toss him aside.

Danny removes the key from the door's lock and jumps into
the car.
                                                            
The young man gets to his feet just as Danny speeds away in
the blue Mustang.
                                                            
 
INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY
                                                            
Hope is asleep on the couch, from which the plastic cover
has been removed.

A small spider crawls over her left eyelid.

Hope is awakened by this. Both eyes flutter open, then grow
to full size as she discovers her entire body is crawling
with hundreds of spiders!
                                                            
Daddy long-legs cover Hope's legs and arms. Some are
crawling in and out of her clothes. Others are tangled in
her hair.

She jumps from the couch and attempts to scream, only to
find the arachnids falling out of her mouth as well.

Hope shakes some off, swatting them from her face and hair,
but there are far too many. She runs out of the room and
searches the hallway until she finds an open door leading
into a restroom with a shower.
                                                            
Once inside, Hope's shaking hands fiddle with the shower
knobs until rust-colored water pours from the shower head.

Hope jumps in, letting the dirty water wash the spiders down
the drain.

The freezing cold water becomes transparent seconds later.

Hope doesn't seem to mind the temperature. She is only
concerned with ridding her body of these unwelcome guests.
                                                            
INT. FARMHOUSE - LATER
                                                            
Hope, sopping wet from head to toe, makes her way down the
hallway, away from the bathroom and back into the living
room.

There appear to be no signs of spiders on her anywhere, save

74.

for a few red bite marks on her skin that her drenched
clothes don't cover.
                                                            
Hope, her arms crossed in front of her, her teeth chattering
from the cold of the shower, makes her way straight toward
the front door. In her state, she hasn't noticed yet that
the door is wide open.

There is a CREAK of the floorboards from within the living
room.

Hope stops dead in her tracks, listening to the sound. Her
eyes are wide with fear.
                                                            
                       HOPE
      (whispering)
Danny?
                                                            
From out of the living room, a man jumps out, surprising
Hope.

The man drops the plastic couch cover over Hope, wrapping
her in it. He slams her against the wall and punches her in
the stomach.

Hope crumples to her knees, the wind knocked out of her. She
looks up at the man, but through the plastic, he is blurred
and unrecognizable.

The man takes a moment to look at her before he slams the
bottom of his boot into Hope's fragile face.

She falls back into the wall, unconscious, blood smeared on
the plastic from her nose and mouth.
                                                            
The man removes the plastic from Hope and drags her across
the floor by her feet into the living room.
                                                            
As Hope lay still on the wooden floor, a lone spider crawls
atop the tip of her nose.

The man, standing over her now, slaps the spider away, pulls
a smelling salt capsule from his pocket and breaks it under
Hope's nose.

She is jolted awake by the smell.
                                                            
A revolver tucked into the back of the man's pants is
removed by him and stuck against Hope's bruised face.

She can see him clearly now. His name is ADAM PARK, the man
in Danny's photo, the man who killed his family.
                                                            

75.

                       HOPE
What are you waiting for? Do it!
Shoot me!
                                                            
Adam presses the barrel of the gun to Hope's left thigh and
pulls the trigger.

The bullet rips through her leg and Hope's SCREAM rips
through the house.
                                                            
                       ADAM
So you don't run.
                                                            
Adam tucks the gun into the front of his pants this time. He
stares down at Hope as she writhes in pain.

She looks up at him, gritting her teeth.

Adam must be about Hope's age, but the bags under his eyes
and the dark features of his face make him look older than
Danny. His piercing eyes look Hope over like an animal
examining its meal.
                                                            
                       ADAM (cont'd)
What are you?
                                                            
Adam moves to the dining room where he grabs a chair from
under the plastic covering the table. He drags it across the
floor and slams it down next to Hope. Adam reaches down,
grabbing Hope's shoulders with both hands and forces her to
her feet.

Hope CRIES OUT at the pain of standing on her injured and
bleeding leg.
                                                            
Adam drops her into the chair. He kneels down in front of
Hope, getting face to face with her.
                                                            
                       ADAM (cont'd)
Will you answer my question? Or do
you not know?
                                                            
Hope looks away from him. She looks weary and rightly so.

Adam CLAPS his hands hard in front of her face.
                                                            
                       ADAM (cont'd)
Hey!
                                                            
Hope sluggishly and reluctantly turns her head to face him.
                                                            

76.

                       ADAM (cont'd)
That was your blood. The blood in
my house, that's how I found you.
I could smell it. I smell it now.
      (sniffs Hope's
       bleeding leg)
It's euphoria.
                                                            
Hope focuses on Adam's face. There is some recognition
there.
                                                            
                       HOPE
Adam Park?
                                                            
Adam slaps her hard in the face.
                                                            
                       ADAM
You don't know me!
                                                            
                       HOPE
I know you...
      (spits blood)
I've seen you before.
                                                            
Adam tilts his head as Hope speaks. He is listening now.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
Last year, you killed a woman and
a little boy.
                                                            
                       ADAM
You'll have to be more specific.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You were running from the cops.
You hit a car with a family
inside, and you killed them.
                                                            
                       ADAM
I remember.
                                                            
                       HOPE
There was a man in that car. He
didn't die.
                                                            
                       ADAM
How do you know this? Are you a
cop?
                                                            
                       HOPE
I know him. I've been traveling
with him.
                                                            

77.

                       ADAM
There was a man in my house
yesterday. The one that brought
your blood. He brought me to you.
                                                            
                       HOPE
He used me to get to you.
                                                            
                       ADAM
I can't tell you how many times I
almost killed him. He fell asleep,
you know. I could have slit his
throat and he would have never
known I was there. But I fought
it. I couldn't risk killing him
then and there. I didn't know if
it was even his blood. I had to be
sure. Shame, that. He should be
dead now. I didn't need him to
find you. I can sense where you
are. I could release you now and
find you in a year. Your scent is
with me.
                                                            
Adam lifts his shirt to reveal two knives holstered to his
pants, one on each hip. He removes the knife on the right
and grips its handle tight.
                                                            
                       ADAM (cont'd)
You can scream if you want.
                                                            
Adam swipes the blade across Hope's left cheek.

The cut is thin.

Hope cringes in pain as the blood begins to seep.
                                                            
Adam breathes in and EXHALES LOUDLY.
                                                            
                       ADAM (cont'd)
You are a rush unlike any drug.
                                                            
Adam slashes at Hope's right arm.

She GASPS, but does not scream.
                                                            
                       ADAM (cont'd)
Each drop of blood gets me higher
and higher.
                                                            
Adam flips the knife point down and stabs it into Hope's
right thigh.
                                                            

78.

Now Hope SCREAMS.

Adam removes the blade and wipes the blood into the palm of
his other hand. He closes his eyes, savoring the moment.

Hope covers her fresh stab wound with both hands, her blood
finding its way through her fingers.
                                                            
                       ADAM (cont'd)
I can only imagine how good it
will be to watch you die.
                                                            
FOOTSTEPS are suddenly approaching Adam. He turns to look,
but by then it is too late: Danny has already wrapped both
arms around Adam.

The knife falls from Adam's grasp as Danny, who has lifted
Adam off the ground, rams him full force into the nearest
wall.

Danny steps back, allowing Adam to fall to the floor with an
UMPH! Danny grabs the back of Adam's shirt and pulls him up
before Adam can even attempt to stand on his own.

Adam leans against the wall, trying to catch his breath.

Danny stares straight into Adam's eyes a moment before
pummeling him with one hand, while holding him against the
wall with the other.

Adam spits blood and grins, flashing his bleeding teeth at
Danny.

Danny throws his own head forward into Adam, slamming the
top of his head into Adam's mouth.

Adam drops to the floor.

Danny flinches in pain as he pulls a bloody tooth out of a
small gash in the top of his head. He drops the tooth and
rolls Adam to his back, climbing on top of him.

Danny pulls Adam up by his shirt with his left hand while
punching him in the face with his right.

Adam's nose breaks in the process, spewing blood like a
geyser.
                                                            
Danny releases Adam and leans over, grabbing the fallen
knife. As he does so, Adam reaches under his shirt into his
left holster, retrieving the second knife.

As Danny readies the knife to plunge into Adam, Adam takes

79.

this opportunity to nonchalantly slide his knife through
Danny's ribcage.

Danny drops the knife, in shock at what has occurred. He
climbs off of Adam, but remains on his knees, staring down
at the knife handle sticking out of his side.
                                                            
Adam gets to his feet, his shaky legs barely able to support
him. He pulls the gun from the front of his pants and smacks
Danny in the back of the head with it.

Danny falls forward on his hands, blood dripping down his
chin from the back of his head. He crawls forward, slowly,
in an attempt to get away.

Adam flips the gun around, holding it by the barrel. He hits
Danny in the back, right between his shoulder blades, with
the handle of the revolver.

Danny falls to his chest.
                                                            
Adam turns his attention back to Hope, who is applying
pressure to her leg in hopes of stopping further blood loss.
He kicks her hard in the chest.

With a hoarse GRUNT, Hope tips backwards in the chair,
falling with it onto her back.
                                                            
Danny, still flat on the floor, pulls himself out into the
hallway where the plastic couch cover lies bloody.

Adam, in one quick motion, pulls the fallen chair from under
Hope's injured body, arches it up and over his head, and
slams it down on Danny.

The chair breaks to pieces as Danny CRIES OUT.

Hope watches from the floor as Adam stands over Danny. She
quietly, and painfully, drags herself towards the two men.
                                                            
Adam holds the gun by the handle again. He checks the
cylinder to make sure the gun is loaded, pushes it back in
and pulls back on the hammer. Adam aims it down straight at
Danny's back just as Hope, who is unable to stand, reaches
up with one hand, grabbing the waistband of Adam's pants,
and pulls.

Adam's weak legs are unable to keep him up and he drops to
one knee, firing the gun off to the side, missing Danny
completely.

In Hope's other hand, she holds Adam's first knife. But not
for long as she plunges it into Adam's back.

80.


Adam releases a SHOUT of anguish, reaching back with his
free hand in a frantic attempt to remove the knife from his
back, as Danny reaches for the plastic cover on the floor.

Danny rolls onto his back, cover in hands, and throws it
over Adam's head. He pulls Adam down so that Adam is lying
on his back atop Danny.

Danny pulls the cover tight at Adam's throat, cutting off
his circulation.

Adam struggles to breath atop Danny, but to no avail. His
arms and legs flail wildly as he claws at the cover over his
face with one hand, while not allowing himself to drop the
gun he holds in the other.

Danny holds as tight as he can with a white-knuckle grip.

Adam's body finally goes limp as the plastic cover ceases to
expand and contract over his gaping mouth. Adam Park is
dead.
                                                            
Danny pushes Adam's body off of him. His hands go
immediately to the knife still in his side. He pulls it out
faster than he would pull off a Band-aid, GROANING in agony.

Hope crawls over to him. She holds herself up with one arm
and places one hand on Danny's face.

Danny sits up. He wipes the blood from Hope's cheek.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You found me.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I had to.
                                                            
                       HOPE
I can't stay with you, Danny. You
know that.
                                                            
                       DANNY
You can now. I don't have that
feeling anymore. It's gone, Hope.
                                                            
Hope can tell by the look in Danny's eyes that he is telling
the truth. She is utterly perplexed.
                                                            
                       HOPE
...How?
                                                            

81.

                       DANNY
I may have wanted to kill you, but
I wanted to kill him so much more.
                                                            
Hope looks over her shoulder at Adam's body.
                                                            
Danny stands and helps Hope to her feet. Danny catches her,
holding her up as she nearly crumples back to the floor. He
helps her onto the couch and sits down next to her.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
Your legs...
                                                            
                       HOPE
They hurt.
                                                            
                       DANNY
We need to get you fixed up.
                                                            
                       HOPE
You, too.
      (examines Danny's
       knife wound)
Is it deep?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Can't tell. I don't feel like I'm
dying. Guess that's a good sign.
                                                            
Danny rips off a sliver of his t-shirt and begins to wrap it
carefully around Hope's gunshot thigh.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
I'm sorry, about your dad.
                                                            
Hope shies away, trying to hide her disappointment.
                                                            
                       HOPE
He left a letter.
                                                            
                       DANNY
What did it say?
                                                            
                       HOPE
It said he loves me.
                                                            
Danny accepts her words without question.
                                                            
                       HOPE (cont'd)
What now, Danny? Where do we go
from here?
                                                            

82.

                       DANNY
I don't know. We'll figure it out.
                                                            
                                         FADE TO:
                                                            
 
INT. FARMHOUSE (HALLWAY / BEDROOM) - DAY
                                                            
It is SOMETIME LATER as the farmhouse is now properly
furnished.

Danny, sporting a full beard, enters through the front door.
He carries a plastic shopping bag in his right hand. He
closes the door quietly behind him.
                                                            
In the bedroom, HANNAH (formerly Hope) sleeps peacefully
atop the covers in a beautiful white nightgown. The thin
scar on her left cheek is hardly visible, and her long hair
is tied in a pony tail.

Danny enters the room. He kneels down next to the bed.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Hope, are you awake?
                                                            
Hannah opes her eyes to find Danny talking to the large baby
bump she has grown. She must be seven or eight months
pregnant.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
I got you something.
                                                            
Danny pulls a CD from the bag.
                                                            
                       HANNAH (HOPE)
I wish you'd stop calling the baby
'Hope'. What if it's a boy?
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (to Hannah)
I call her "John" sometimes.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
What did you get?
                                                            
                       DANNY
'Abbey Road'. Classical music is
good for babies.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
Bach and Beethoven are classical.
                                                            

83.

                       DANNY
John and Paul are better.
                                                            
Hannah cracks a smile as she sits up in bed.
                                                            
Danny sits next to her.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
I used to play this for Michael.
I'd sing 'Golden Slumbers' to him
until he fell asleep.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
I'm sure John or Hope will love
it.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Did you sleep okay? I tried not to
wake you when I got in last night.
I figured you'd like a nice final
night in your father's house.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
I slept great, thank you. Did you
happen to pick up batteries?
                                                            
                       DANNY
No. Are we out?
                                                            
                       HANNAH
I looked. Couldn't find any.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'll drive into town before we
leave. I should say goodbye to Wes
anyways.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
You haven't told him you're
leaving?
                                                            
                       DANNY
I mentioned it, but you know how
he is.
                                                            
Hannah is surprised at something. She smiles and places
Danny's hand on her belly.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
She's kicking really hard.
                                                            
                       DANNY
"She"?
                                                            

84.

                       HANNAH
I call her "he" sometimes.
                                                            
INT. FARMHOUSE (KITCHEN) - LATER
                                                            
Hannah rips open a deluxe box of newborn sized diapers atop
the kitchen counter. She grabs diapers by the handful and
stuffs them into a suitcase containing baby formula and baby
clothes.
                                                            
Danny opens and closes each cupboard and drawer in the
kitchen, finding them all empty.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
We forget anything?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Doesn't look like it. Anything
else I should get while I'm gone?
                                                            
                       HANNAH
Another case of water? Oh, and
more bandages. We can never have
enough bandages.
                                                            
Danny shuts the last cupboard door and goes to Hannah.
                                                            
                       DANNY
It's nine o'clock. I should be
back by eleven.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
Don't say "should". I'm not
leaving without you.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I will be back by eleven if not
sooner. We'll be in Mulberry
before sundown.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
Try and hurry back. I feel like
we've overstayed our welcome.
                                                            
Danny shares a kiss with Hannah.
                                                            
 
INT. BLACK MUSTANG - DAY
                                                            
Danny drives the repainted Mustang down a deserted road.

The car passes a sign reading "BARRELYNN COUNTY: 11 MILES".
                                                            
 

85.

INT. FARMHOUSE (BEDROOM) - DAY
                                                            
Hannah pulls a drawer out from under the bed. It is large
enough for the rifle inside to fit diagonally. On either
side of the rifle are books, Hannah's letter from her dad, a
couple of sets of car keys, and Adam Park's knives and
revolver.

Hannah moves the books aside and discovers two flashlights
and an open package of batteries. She grabs the batteries
and flashlights and stands, leaving the drawer open. As she
places the flashlights into an open and half-packed suitcase
on the bed, her body stiffens and her face is frozen in
shock.

The package of batteries fall from her hand, the plastic
casing bursting open upon impact with the floor.

A solitary battery rolls past Hannah's feet, revealing the
clear puddle that has formed on the floor, and continues to
grow, as amniotic fluid leaks out of Hannah's nightgown.
                                                            
 
EXT. BARRELYNN - DAY
                                                            
The city of Barrelynn is small and overpopulated. The town
square, where a large analog clock stands tall, is at the
center of two cross streets.

The Barrelynn County Hospital stands high in the distance
just past the storefronts that line the streets.

There are a few cars on the road, but not many as most of
the town's people are at work this time of day.

Danny's Mustang pulls up and parks at the curb in front of a
store called "Wes Is More".
                                                            
 
INT. WES IS MORE - DAY
                                                            
Danny enters the store. He approaches the counter where he
finds an old man staring out the large window just to the
left of Danny. This man is WES.

Wes doesn't seem to notice Danny has even come in.
                                                            
                       DANNY
How's business, Wes?
                                                            
Wes is caught by surprise. He looks at Danny, forcing his
eyes to move.
                                                            

86.

                       WES
Oh, Danny. I was just about to
call you at home. I wondered what
time you'd be getting in.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I'm just here to pick up some
things. I told you, I'm leaving
for a while. Don't know when I'll
be coming back.
                                                            
                       WES
That's right, you did.
                                                            
Wes' eyes move again to the window.
                                                            
                       WES (cont'd)
Hate to see you go, Danny. Guess
I'll have to call Hank in to cover
your shift.
                                                            
                       DANNY
I talked to Hank, Wes. He'll be in
at one. I left you a note.
                                                            
                       WES
I feel...different. Something's
wrong. Do you feel that, Danny?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Feel what?
                                                            
                       WES
That.
                                                            
Danny glances over his shoulder to see a sea of people,
POLICE, BUSINESS TYPES, MOTHERS, FATHERS, TEENAGERS, all led
by who appears to be the TOWN SHERIFF, all making their way
by foot in the same direction, the direction from which
Danny came into town.

Some people in the crowd carry blunt objects and sharp
tools.

Only two cars, a white four-door and a green sports car,
drive down the street, swerving past the mob and out of
town. Everyone else must be too preoccupied to find their
vehicles.

Danny notices a woman pulling away from her young child,
leaving the small boy behind, ignoring his cries as she
follows the crowd. Danny turns back to Wes, who is pulling a
rifle out from under the counter.
                                                            

87.

                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
EXT. WES IS MORE STOREFRONT
                                                            
Danny throws the door to the store wide open as he runs out,
making a run for his car.
                                                            
 
INT. FARMHOUSE (BEDROOM) - DAY
                                                            
Hannah uses a small towel to clean the fluid off of her
legs. She appears to be in a state of panic as she struggles
to get down on all fours and wipe up the mess on the bedroom
floor with the towel.

After cleaning the puddle, and the trail she made going into
the closet for the towel, Hannah gets back to her feet and
throws the towel into the open drawer under the bed.

She hears a CAR ENGINE getting closer from somewhere
outside. Breathing rapidly (as she is in labor), Hannah
reaches back into the drawer for the revolver. She closes
the drawer and leaves the room.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
INT. FARMHOUSE (KITCHEN)
                                                            
Hannah hides herself in a corner of the kitchen behind the
counter, holding the gun tight in both hands as she listens
for the inevitible slam of the car door...

But that sound never comes. Instead, the sound of a car
speeding at an incredible rate and getting closer by the
second turns into the sound of a car CRASHING through a wall
of the house.

Hannah SCREAMS out of fear and surprise as the white
four-door comes to a stop across the hallway in the living
room.
                                                            
The FEMALE DRIVER driver of the white car steps out amongst
the dust and rubble. She climbs down from a pile a wood and
dirt, attempting to make her way out into the hallway. She
fails before she even reaches the couch, falling to her
knees, then over to her side. Hard to say if she is
unconscious or dead.
                                                            
Hannah steps into the living room, staring past the car
through the giant hole in her house. She sees the green
sports car parked outside on the grass. The MALE DRIVER
steps out, not paying attention to his surroundings as his
gaze focused entirely on the pregnant woman in the house.

88.


What the driver should have noticed was the black Mustang
catching up to him from behind.

Danny sends the Mustang speeding past the green sports car,
clipping the driver as he passes by him.

The driver is flung up into the air and back down on the
ground, seriously injured.

Danny parks the Mustang just outside the new entrance to his
home. He steps out of the car and jumps through the hole and
into the house. He embraces Hannah as he reaches her.

She cries in his arms.
                                                            
 
INT. BLACK MUSTANG - DAY
                                                            
The trees outside the window speed by in a blur.

Danny forces the Mustang to go as fast as it can. He wears
the face of a concerned father.
                                                            
Hannah sits in the passenger's seat, breathing heavily, pain
from the contractions keeping her speechless.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Are you okay? Is the baby okay?
                                                            
                       HANNAH
      (through clenched
       teeth)
We're both fine, Danny. Just get
us somewhere safe. And hurry. This
baby is coming.
                                                            
 
EXT. ROAD TO BARRELYNN - DAY
                                                            
The black Mustang passes a sign reading "You Are Always
Welcome in Barrelynn".
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
INT. BLACK MUSTANG
                                                            
Hannah notices the sign as they pass. Her worry and
confusion come out in a glance she gives Danny.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
Why are we going into town?
                                                            

89.

                       DANNY
It's the fastest way to get to
Mulberry from here.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
But all those people...
                                                            
                       DANNY
We won't have to worry about them
once we get into town.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
Why--?
                                                            
Hannah stops her question short as she spots the hundreds of
people walking over the horizon away from Barrelynn and
towards them. She knows immediately what they are after.
                                                            
                       HANNAH (cont'd)
Oh.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Hold on to something.
                                                            
Hannah braces herself.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
EXT. ROAD TO BARRELYNN
                                                            
The Mustang's speed never decreases as Danny sends it
straight at the crowd.

Most of the townspeople break off from the group, jumping
out of the car's path. A few brave souls maintain their
ground.

One man jumps onto the hood of the car where he slides into
the windshield and flies right over the top, landing hard on
the road.

Danny attempts to swerve around the others, clipping a man
in the process.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
EXT. BARRELYNN
                                                            
The Mustang skids around a corner as it enters town.

Danny straightens the car out, flooring it down the road
towards the town square.


90.

Wes, who is a ways behind the others in his old age, watches
the Mustang as it approaches. He raises his rifle in both
hands and aims at the car just as it is about to pass.
                                                            
Danny turns to see Wes standing on the sidewalk outside the
car window. Danny forces Hannah's head down at the sight of
the gun.

Wes pulls the trigger.

The bullet hits the back, left tire of the speeding Mustang.

Danny loses control of the car as it swerves up onto a curb
and smashes into a nearby bench.

The impact of the collision causes the Mustang to flip over
onto it top.

The turned car scrapes along the street until finally
slowing to a stop in front of the clock at the center of
town.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
INT. BLACK MUSTANG
                                                            
Seatbelts keep Danny and Hannah held up in their seats.

Danny turns his head to look at Hannah.

She has a few scratches on her face and arms, but no serious
injuries. She looks more shocked than anything else, on the
verge of panic as she pushes the deflated airbag away from
her.

Danny wears a few scratches himself. His look is one of
worry for Hannah and the baby.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Are you okay?
                                                            
                       HANNAH
We're upside down.
                                                            
Danny reaches down (up in his case) and unfastens his
seatbelt.

Hannah watches Danny get his door open and climb out of the
car. Her focus is diverted from Danny as she notices Wes and
a crowd of about twenty people following behind him coming
up the street.
                                                            

91.

Danny runs around to Hannah's side and attempts to open her
door.

It is locked.

Danny knocks on the window to get her attention.

She turns to look at him and immediately has a FLASHBACK of
their first encounter, the day Danny pulled her from a
different wreck.
                                                            
Hannah unlocks the door without thinking twice.

Danny manages to unfasten her seatbelt and help her safely
out of the car.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
EXT. BARRELYNN TOWN SQUARE
                                                            
Danny leans Hannah against the Mustang.

Her mind is wandering.

Danny speaks to her, asking if she is okay, but she doesn't
hear him.

Hannah is THINKING about Abby Stensen, the young girl she
last saw crying in her parent's van back at the Gas Mart all
those months ago.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
INT. BLACK MUSTANG
                                                            
Danny gets to his knees, climbing into the Mustang. He
reaches under the back seat where a hidden shotgun is
attached. On his way back out of the car, he grabs the
revolver and boxes of ammo concealed within the glove
compartment.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
EXT. BARRELYNN TOWN SQUARE
                                                            
Hannah is still in shock from the crash when Danny stands up
with the guns and ammo. She has another FLASHBACK, this one
of Danny, rifle in hand, coming to her aide after she was
attacked by the black bull.
                                                            

92.

Danny stuffs the boxes of ammo into his pockets and hands
Hannah the revolver.

She takes it, finally focusing on Danny's words.
                                                            
                       DANNY
We have to get to the hospital.
It's not far. Can you make it?
                                                            
                       HANNAH
Danny? Keep us alive. No matter
what.
                                                            
Danny pulls Hannah away from the wreck.

Hannah moves forward as quickly as someone in her state can,
keeping a tight grip on the gun.

Behind her, Danny is frozen as he finally takes notice of
Wes and his gang getting closer to them. He looks over his
shoulder, past the downed Mustang, to see the green sports
car, its driver intact, barreling down the street straight
at them.
                                                            
Danny cocks the shotgun, aims and FIRES.

The passenger's side of the sports car's windshield
shatters.

The driver loses control and hits the rear of the Mustang.

The Mustang acts as a ramp for the green car, launching it
into the air.

Danny lunges forward, grabbing Hannah by the arm, pulling
her towards him as the green sports car somersaults through
the air over their heads.
                                                            
Danny holds Hannah tight in his arms, turning her away from
the debris as the green sports car crashes on its side only
a few feet in front of them.
                                                            
Hannah unburies her face from Danny's chest, looking down
the street at Wes.

Danny looks too now, as Wes readies his rifle. Danny pulls
Hannah quickly with him, ducking behind the sports car as
Wes fires off a shot.

The buckshot hits the roof of the sports car.

Danny and Hannah continue on past the second wrecked car
towards a nearby apartment building.
                                                            

93.

                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
EXT. TOWER APARTMENTS
                                                            
Hannah runs up the steps to the front entrance of the
building.
                                                            
Danny stands at the bottom of the stairs. He looks back,
only to find a group of SEVEN MEN have caught up to them.
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (to Hannah)
Go. I'm right behind you.
                                                            
Danny outstretches the shotgun to her. She takes it and
reluctantly goes into the building alone, disappearing
behind the closing door.

The FIRST of the men reaches Danny ahead of the others.
                                                            
Danny instantly grabs the man's shirt and pushes him back
with a force so powerful, it knocks back three of the six
men behind him.

The SECOND MAN throws a punch at Danny, landing his fist on
Danny's chin.

Danny ignores the pain as he returns the attack, sending a
punch so hard into the second man's face, it breaks his
nose.

The THIRD and FOURTH MEN attack Danny.

Danny kicks and punches his way past them, no problem.
                                                            
MEN FIVE and SIX give Danny a little more trouble. They land
a few well placed punches to Danny's face and ribs.

Bloody, bruised and outnumbered, Danny summons a little more
strength and, fists flying, beats the two men down.

As Danny is putting the finishing touches to man five's
face, MAN SEVEN sneaks into the apartment building's
entrance after Hannah.
                                                            
INT. TOWER APARTMENTS (SECOND FLOOR)
                                                            
Hannah has reached the top of stairs. She makes her way down
the hall, passing open doors of vacant apartments along the
way.

Behind her, man seven reaches the second floor. He moves
slowly and quietly behind Hannah.

94.


Hannah, moving rather slowly herself, reaches the end of the
hallway where she pushes open an emergency exit door.

An ALARM sounds throughout the building.
                                                            
Man seven runs up behind her, the sound of his footsteps
muffled by the alarm.
                                                            
As Hannah steps out through the exit, man seven grabs her
from behind, pulling her back inside.

Man seven's capture only lasts a moment, however, as Danny's
quick feet move him to the end of the hall.

Danny pulls man seven off of Hannah and throws him through
an open apartment door.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
INT. VACANT APARTMENT
                                                            
Danny grabs man seven by his shirt and pushes him across the
room and into a window.

The glass of the window cracks under the weight of Seven's
body.

Danny unleashes a barage of forceful and unrelenting punches
to the man's face, chest and stomach. He then grabs the
man's shirt with both hands, pulls him back and around, and
sends him crashing through the second story window.

Seven falls onto a GROUP OF PEOPLE who have gathered on the
side of the building.
                                                            
EXT. TOWER APARTMENTS (FIRE ESCAPE)
                                                            
Danny, holding both the revolver and shotgun, follows behind
Hannah on her way down the stairs into the street.
                                                            
EXT. STREET TO HOSPITAL
                                                            
The hospital can be seen clearly from here. It is less than
a block away now.

Danny runs past Hannah, who ceases her escape to take a
breather. He turns to go back for her.
                                                            
                       DANNY
We have to keep moving. It's not
that far.
                                                            

95.

                       HANNAH
It hurts...to run.
                                                            
                       DANNY
If they catch you, they will hurt
you worse.
                                                            
Hannah takes a deep breath.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
Okay...
                                                            
Hannah reaches for Danny's hand.

Danny tucks the revolver into the front of his pants and
takes her hand.

Together, they make the trek to the hospital, a mob of
people (every adult and pubescent teen in town who isn't too
injured to keep up) following close behind.
                                                            
INT. HOSPITAL (LOBBY/ FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY)
                                                            
Danny gets Hannah through the automatic doors that lead into
the hospital lobby.

At the opposite end of the long hall is an elevator.

Danny grabs a wheelchair from a collection of them lined
against receptionist's desk and helps Hannah into it. He
hands her the shotgun and slides multiple wheelchairs in
front of the entrance.
                                                            
The crowd has arrived at the entrance. The doors slide open
for them as Danny pushes Hannah as quickly as he can down
the hall towards the elevator.

The crowd enters the hospital, some climbing over the
wheelchairs, others pushing them aside.

Danny spins Hannah around so she faces the crowd and pulls
her down the hallway backwards.
                                                            
                       DANNY
Shoot them if you have to.
                                                            
Hannah cocks the shotgun and aims it down the hall at the
group, but can't bring herself to pull the trigger. Instead
she aims up at the florescent lights lining the ceiling. She
pulls the trigger once.

A group of lights shatter. Glass falls onto the crowd.


96.

Hannah pulls the trigger again at a different set of lights.

More debris slows their pursuers.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
INT. COMA WARD (FIRST FLOOR)
                                                            
The room is dark with limited light coming in through the
windows.

Outside the windows is the first floor hallway where Danny
and Hannah pass by.

As they pass the windows, every patient in the room sits up
out of their comas.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
INT. HOSPITAL (FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY/ ELEVATOR)
                                                            
Hannah fires a third shot at the last group of lights before
they reach the elevator doors.

Danny hits the elevator button.

The doors open instantly.

Danny pulls Hannah inside and stands in front of her in the
doorway. He pulls the revolver from the waistband of his
pants with one hand and hits "4" on the button panel inside
the elevator.
                                                            
The group, slowed significantly by the falling glass and
debris from the ceiling, is just now running past the coma
ward.

Danny aims the revolver out of the elevator, preventing the
doors from closing. He pulls the trigger.

A PURSUER at the front of the running crowd is hit in the
shin by Danny's first bullet. He falls over, taking others
down with him.

A SECOND PURSUER is hit in the thigh by Danny's next shot.
He tumbles in the hallway.

People trip over him as well.

Four more CROWD MEMBERS are struck in their legs by bullets
as Danny empties the chamber of the revolver on the crowd.

The group has dwindled. Some are writhing on the floor with

97.

bullet wounds in their legs, others are attempting to regain
their footing after tripping over their fallen comrades.
                                                            
Danny pulls his gun arm up and away from the elevator's
sensors.

The metal doors come to a close.
                                                            
INT. HOSPITAL (FOURTH FLOOR HALLWAY/ MATERNITY WARD)
                                                            
The elevator doors open revealing Danny and Hannah.

Danny pushes Hannah in the wheelchair to the end of the
hall.

The shotgun and revolver rest in Hannah's lap. She holds her
sides and cries in pain.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
Danny! It's coming!
                                                            
Danny gets Hannah to a room at the end of the hallway. Once
in the room, Danny shuts and locks the door behind him and
pushes anything he can find (mostly furniture) in front of
it, barracading Hannah and himself inside.
                                                            
Hannah pushes the guns to the floor and attempts to stand on
her own.

Danny rushes to her aide, helping her out of the wheelchair
and onto a bed in the center of the room.

Near the foot of the bed is a steril tray holding atop it
medical utensils (scissors, forceps, a bulb syringe, etc.).

Hannah lays, her head propped up by pillows, with her knees
up.

Danny kneels down at the foot of the bed.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
      (pushing)
This was a bad idea. We should
keep running.
                                                            
                       DANNY
We can't run anymore. You're
having a baby.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
They'll be here soon.
                                                            

98.

The expression on Danny's face is one of disbelief as he
witnesses what is happening between Hannah's legs.
                                                            
Hannah gives a hard push, GRUNTING through gnashed teeth.

Danny reaches both hands between her legs to help the baby.
                                                            
There is a loud BANG on the door.

Hannah jumps at the sound. Her fear of death has manifested
itself now as tears.

Danny pays no mind to the ruckus at the door.

The crowd can be heard on the other side of the closed door.
They fight to get in.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
Danny...
                                                            
                       DANNY
The head's out. Keep pushing.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
They're going to kill us.
                                                            
                       DANNY
They can try all they like. I will
put a bullet in the head of every
last person on the other side of
that door, every last person on
the face of the earth if I have
to. They won't get through me.
This baby will be born. Now keep
pushing.
                                                            
Hannah gives another hard push.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
One more.
                                                            
A RIFLE BLAST rips a hole through the door from the other
side.

Hannah and Danny look into each other's eyes.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
      (assuring)
One more.
                                                            
An arm reaches in through the hole in the door. The hand
feels around until it lands on the lock.


99.

Hannah pushes as hard as she can, one last time.

Danny pulls the baby out the rest of the way. Holding his
newborn child in one arm, Danny reaches for the steril tray
and retrieves the bulb syringe and scissors.
                                                            
Hannah lays her head back on the pillows, relieved the labor
is over.

Danny uses the bulb syringe to suction the mucus from the
baby's mouth and nostrils.

The baby lets out a loud first CRY.

Hannah stares lovingly, dazed from the pain, at her child.

Danny drops the bulb syringe and cuts the baby's unbilical
cord with the scissors. He drops those as well and moves
across the floor on his knees to a dresser against the wall.
He removes a blanket from inside and wraps it around the
baby.

The crowd forces the door open, Wes at the front of them.

Hannah reaches down to the floor and comes back up holding
the revolver. She aims it directly at Wes' head and doesn't
waste any time pulling the trigger.
                                                            
The gun DRY FIRES.

Wes raises his rifle at Hannah.

The town sheriff jumps from behind Wes, pushing the rifle
away just as the old man pulls the trigger.

The shot blasts a hole in the wall over Danny's head, who is
covering the baby on the floor.

Danny looks up as the last bit of wall plaster falls to see
what Hannah sees.

Hannah lowers the gun.

The crowd stares at the family within the room with a
horrified gaze. Most of them looks sick to their stomachs.
They are all ashamed of themselves.
                                                            
Wes lowers the rifle slowly. He looks at Danny with tears
swelling in his eyes.
                                                            
                       WES
I'm sorry, Danny. I don't know...I
don't know what came over...
                                                            

100.

The sheriff steps ahead of Wes, kicking aside furniture. He
looks over Hannah, Danny and the baby.
                                                            
                       TOWN SHERIFF
You folks alright?
                                                            
Danny pulls a corner of the blanket away from the baby's
face.

The newborn's cry has calmed significantly.

Danny gets to his feet and walks the baby over to Hannah.

Hannah drops the gun to the floor. She cradles the baby in
her arms. Her tears of worry become tears of joy at this
point.
                                                            
                       DANNY
      (to Hannah)
She just saved your life.
                                                            
Hannah cracks a smile at the sound of hearing it's a girl.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
Is it really over?
                                                            
                       DANNY
Feels that way.
                                                            
Danny drops to his knees at the bedside as he watches his
daughter fall asleep in her mother's arms.

Hannah runs a finger gently over her baby girl's cheek.
                                                            
                       HANNAH
      (to baby)
Hi Hope...
      (to Danny)
What if she's like me, Danny? What
will we do?
                                                            
                       DANNY
What we've been doing. We protect
her.
                                                            
Danny runs his fingers through what little hair grows on
BABY HOPE'S head.
                                                            
                       DANNY (cont'd)
We keep her alive.
                                                            
The perplexed crowd slowly begins to disperse, leaving
Danny, Hannah and Baby Hope alone in peace...

101.


...quite possibly, for good.
                                                            


THE END


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From Ray Hyland Date 3/21/2008 ****
Please finish this soon Josh, I really enjoyed it. It has a real road movie feel and it glides along very well. I hope I can make something thrilling like this soon.

From Josh Date 3/18/2008 ****
I would consider this more of a thriller/drama. But this is an amazing script. I read in utter anticipation of what would befall Hope and Danny. The characters were well- developed including realistic and absorbing dialogue and a nice amount of backstory. I'm excited to read the rest of it. Its great to hear of and read something so fresh and original. This would definately turn out to be a great film if the script were to be picked up. Great job. Kudos

From jacobb Date 3/7/2008 ****
This screenplay is awesome. I loved it.

From Jason Whitmore Date 3/5/2008 ***1/2
I agree... great writing!

From David Chase Date 2/28/2008 ***1/2
I have to say, I absolutely loved the premise of this. I think it would translate really well to film. It's got that feeling of dread hanging on every moment. I can visualize some of the scenes, such as the mother protecting the daughter in the store, and the comatose patients sitting up in their beds. The action scenes are good, although maybe a bit wordy. My biggest criticism is that it isn't finished, and the treatment for the last scenes is a bit hard to follow, but that is because of the format. I'd love to read it again with the final scenes. Good job.


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