"THE LONG WALK" (2025)

POV FRONT OF VEHICLE: A one-lane road, DRIVING THROUGH WOODS.

WIDE TO REVEAL THE CAR: A BLUE, mid 60s FORD FALCON with chipped paint and rusty wheel bearings.

A woman in her 50’s drives. She’s prematurely aged and her eyes are wandering. This is GINNIE Garraty, Raymond’s mother.

Her son fiddles with a CANTEEN and stuffs cellophane-wrapped SNACKS into a distressed waxed-canvas BACKPACK. There’s a staticky broadcast coming from the CAR RADIO:

CLICK! Ginnie shuts off the radio. There’s an awkward silence in the car. Then finally:

They meet eyes.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 2.

A single TEAR DROP rolls down his Mother’s cheek.

There are two GUARDS at the entrance driveway: both expressionless young men in matching uniforms. Ginnie rolls down the WINDOW.

She hands him a BLUE PLASTIC CARD. He scans it with a PORTABLE COMPUTER DEVICE.

Garraty exits the car. He pulls the cellophane-wrapped SNACKS out of his pack, stuffs them into his COAT POCKETS.

Ginnie gets out, looks at him, curious.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 3.

He pulls a BASEBALL out of the bag, stuffs it into one of the pockets.

She grabs him and squeezes him tightly. She hands him something wrapped in ALUMINUM FOIL.

He smiles and chokes up.

She grips him tightly again, KISSES him all over his face in an explosion of reflexive emotion; this is her only son.

When she’s finished, the two of them stare at each other one last time; Ray’s expression a mix of deep sadness and a touch of embarrassment (are there other boys watching him?). He tries his best to keep from totally losing it:

We can tell it’s a thing they say to each other.

She smiles, knowingly.

He turns and begins to walk away-

She reaches out and CLUTCHES his wrist, almost violently. He turns back to her.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 3A.

She clutches him harder, refusing to let go.

She pulls him to her and EMBRACES him again, squeezing for dear life and crying onto his shoulder.

Finally, she detaches... and forces herself back into the vehicle.

She reluctantly puts the car into gear, staring out the window at him as it rolls ahead. Garraty doesn’t move from his spot. He raises his hand in a lame attempt at a final goodbye.

Nearby, a mid 1960’s PLYMOUTH STATION WAGON leaves another kid behind. This is PETER MCVRIES: He has a BAD SCAR along one cheek, but is easy-on-the-eyes.

The two of them silently acknowledge each other and make their way toward an OPENING in the surrounding GATE; the road and starting line is on the other side of it. Two more GUARDS stand here and are checking bags.

Garraty hands them his BACKPACK and so does McVries. As they search:

They both collect their things after they’ve been cleared, continue through the gate.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 4.

The BOYS congregate near a STARTING LINE on the roadside. There are at least 50, all styled in a way that somewhat indicates the mid 1960s.

Garraty and McVries pass a redhead with a plaid shirt tied around his waist; this is PATRICK. He’s walking without looking, distracted by a pornographic magazine that’s opened in his hands: HOOTER HEAVEN.

The two of them sit down in the shade. A tall, extremely fit kid stands nearby: This is STEBBINS. He eats a JELLY SANDWICH.

There are two others sitting next to them, also on their BAGS: HANK OLSON; A crafty-looking kid with messy hair, and ARTHUR BAKER, who has a prominent silver CRUCIFIX hanging around his neck.

He notices McVries and Garraty listening, says to them:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 5.

Garraty notices a kid pacing just a few feet away from them. He’s got a thin, pale face and looks young - really young. This is CURLY.

Curly stops in his tracks and takes a moment to register the comment.

Curly looks scared shitless.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 6.

McVries winks at Garraty, making secret-fun of Olson.

An intense looking boy sits cross-legged on the road, stretching his neck. This is GARY BARKOVITCH. He cuts in.

He laughs, hoping the others will join him but nobody does.

No response from the rest of them.

He pulls a CANNED FRUIT COCKTAIL out of his bag and opens it, begins shoveling large mouthfuls out of it with a METAL SPOON.

Stebbins finishes a sandwich, balls up the foil, tosses it onto the shoulder of the road. VEINS IN HIS ARM BULGE AS HE DOES IT - the guy looks like a pro athlete.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 7.

Stebbins looks in a different direction and ignores him.

There’s a buck-toothed teenager sitting cross-legged on ground next to Stebbins. His name is RANK. He’s in his own world, meticulously folding a bright GREEN PIECE OF PAPER into... something, intensely focused. ORIGAMI.

The TREE BRANCHES in the breeze make moving shadow patterns on the post. There’s one DARK SPOT that doesn’t move...

A DUN-COLORED JEEP approaches.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 7A.

Harkness is a gangly boy with a CREWCUT wearing HORN RIMMED prescription GLASSES. He begins to shake, either out of fear or excitement. He carries a pen and a notepad.

Behind the group of young men, four TREAD-EQUIPPED VEHICLES APPROACH. They have VIDEO CAMERAS WITH GIANT LENSES and FLOOD LIGHTS (turned off) mounted to their fronts and backs. These are HALFTRACKS: part armored combat vehicle, part tank.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 8.

SPEAKERS jut off the sides and SOLDIERS in MILITARY FATIGUES sit on each deck as they roll in.

The JEEP drives up to the stone marker and stops. The driver’s side door opens...

GROUND LEVEL, ON A PERFECTLY CLEAN BLACK COMBAT BOOT STEPPING OUT OF THE JEEP... THEN ANOTHER. TRACK WITH THE TWO BOOTS... They take slow, deliberate steps before stopping.

BOOM UP TO REVEAL... THE MAJOR. He’s a tall, serious man with a deep tan and simple khakis. A PISTOL is strapped to his SAM BROWNE BELT and he’s wearing opaque REFLECTOR GLASSES and holding a CLIP BOARD.

BACK ON THE MAJOR - MONTAGE

A scared kid with a nervous smile walks up. The Major hands him a METAL CHAIN (necklace) with a connected NUMBER PLATE that looks like an oversized dog tag. EWING puts it on...

Patrick approaches, folds HOOTER HEAVEN in half and jams it in his back pocket. He smiles at The Major... DISSOLVE TO:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 9.

Barkovitch approaches The Major and grabs the tag. He’s having trouble making eye contact and is visibly intimidated. He puts the chain around his neck... DISSOLVE TO:

Baker walks up with deceptive leisure, takes his NECKLACE. He doubles it up on his neck with the CRUCIFIX. The Major gives him a thumbs up.... DISSOLVE TO:

McVries takes his tag, nods at The Major awkwardly and gets an encouraging pat on the back in return... DISSOLVE TO:

He gets his chain and looks directly at The Major with palpable reverence and AWE... DISSOLVE TO:

Garraty approaches, head down. He takes the tag. The Major stares... for a moment it seems like he might recognize(?) him, like he’s trying to place him. Garraty notices and shrinks from it, tries his best to be invisible.

Finally, Ray can’t help but look; he gets caught up in his eyes for a moment and looks (almost) like he’s going to respond, then turns, WALKS AWAY.

PARKER is a burly, tough looking guy. He salutes The Major, takes his number. The Major salutes him back... DISSOLVE TO:

ZUCK takes his tag and flashes a proud, cheesy smile.

The SOLDIERS grab RUCKSACKS from the vehicles and infiltrate the crowd of boys.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 9A.

They distribute WRIST-TACHOMETERS with multiple gauges: MPH (speed), MILEAGE, and one that simply says WARNINGS:0.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 10.

The other two pass out light LEATHER BELTS with what look like HOLSTERS all around them; very narrow holsters.

The boys cheer. He reaches into his shirt pocket and pulls out a pack of LUCKY STRIKE CIGARETTES, puts one in his mouth. He lights it with a ZIPPO, takes a drag.

Garraty is eyeing him, gritting his teeth. There’s a strange aggression that we haven’t seen until now: palpable disdain. A SOLDIER fits his wrist for the tachometer, but all the while he never takes his eyes off of The Major.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 11.

Olson is stretching like an athlete readying for a sporting event, yanking his arms vigorously across his chest, bending forward to touch his toes. All this at the same time as he CHEWS GUM vigorously and blows intermittent pink BUBBLES.

McVries tinkers with his clothing almost obsessively; tying and retying his shoes.

Richard Harkness is chewing his pen now. A soldier hands him TUBES OF FOOD (Tuna Surprise, chicken concentrate, spamalicious).

Baker kisses the CRUCIFIX that hangs from his neck and follows with the sign of the cross.

Stebbins has squished the TINFOIL from a sandwich into a tight ball and is rolling it between his palms methodically.

One of them stuffs a TRANSISTOR RADIO into his PACK. This is TRESSLER.

Barkovitch is tinkering with a MEDALLION.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 11A.

It’s a question, but they’re not sure if they’re supposed to answer... a low rumbling in the crowd.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 12.

McVries looks over to Garraty; he’s glaring at the Major now with one eye closed (like he’s peering through a camera viewfinder), mumbling something incoherent under his breath.

His fist rises and the boys stand, ERUPTING IN CHEERS! Garraty stands but GIVES NO APPLAUSE. Neither does Stebbins.

The boys do as he says. Once they’re formed into the ten rows, there’s an eerie, anticipatory quiet among them.

THE MAJOR RAISES A .38 REVOLVER...

Garraty watches closely- BAM! He flinches at the report, then walks.

Rank leaves the completed ORIGAMI on the ground at the starting line... a GREEN CHICKEN.

Garraty looks at his WRIST DEVICE: 3.2 MPH.

McVries walks as well, but can’t take his eyes off The Major and the gun.

WIDE OF THE GROUP; GARRATY AND MCVRIES AT CENTER. The HIGHWAY is cleared for them like a parade.

The STARTING POST drops from sight as the golden, mid-morning SUN cuts through the PROCESSION.

CU GARRATY’S FACE, then MCVRIES, then OLSON, then BAKER.

Pink Rev. (07/29/24) 12A.

Garraty looks down at his SHOES as they meet the pavement with each step: DANNER HIKERS in fairly good shape.

The road is TREE LINED on both sides. A FULL SIZE TANK blocks the road and forces them to change course. Garraty stares at * it in awe as they pass.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 13.

They all move together, keeping pace and (mostly) tightly packed) in this early stage of The Walk. Sun rays glitter off the smooth surface of a LAKE as the pass by; a pair of crows cut across the sky above.

The continue past the lake and the road becomes a series of continuous rolling hills. A LARGE DECOMPOSING DEAD COW is splayed out on the side of the road. There are flies buzzing around it.

Tressler fumbles with his radio dial - still only STATIC.

The rolling hills become an expanse of LONELY ROAD with parallel WATER CANALS on both sides of it - a seemingly endless DUAL MOAT.

They pass through a SMALL VILLAGE. The buildings are creepily empty; it’s a ghost town. It’s quiet except for the incessant barking and growling of a mangy, haggard DOG, chained to a post in a lot full of old rusty appliances and junk heaps.

Garraty looks at it all with a strange sadness. They come upon a CROSSROADS and he clocks two POLICEMAN manning the (mostly deserted) intersection. The cops salute the Walkers as they pass. Most salute them back. Barkovitch FLIPS THEM OFF.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 14.

Garraty turns to see #5: BARKOVITCH.

A HALFTRACK rolls up as he talks, tracks with him. One of the CAMERAS is right on them.

The LENS on its side makes a buzzing noise as it ZOOMS in and then pivots to Garraty when he talks.

He’s still chewing as he talks - the WAD OF GUM seems as big as cud the way he’s jawing at it.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 15.

McVries speeds up, breaks away. Garraty does the same and stays with him. McVries notices:

There’s an old FORD PICKUP parked beside the road. A WOMAN jumps from it, cries out:

Garraty notices she’s yelling to #31: PERCY GRIMES and he’s embarrassed for him. The boy blushes and waves meekly at her, hurries on. A moment later, the woman tries to RUN ONTO THE ROAD. A POLICEMAN restrains her gently.

Garraty has a visible reverence for the bizarre politeness of the interaction.

Then McVries says quietly:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 15A.

The pines begin to break and they come upon rectangular FIELDS with the earth freshly turned.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 16.

They round a curve and and make their way toward a BRIDGE that crosses a RIVER.

The sound is BLARING, DISTORTED and GRATING. It’s a cold, unfeeling voice with dire urgency but no emotion. Garraty and McVries look around: Stebbins.

Stebbins hangs near the back, separate from the others. He pulls another JELLY SANDWICH out of his pocket, bites.

They ascend the expansive BRIDGE and begin to make their way over the RIVER.

Olson BLOWS A BUBBLE - POP! He spits the pink wad of gum into his hand, puts it in his POCKET.

McVries sees him do it.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 16A.

Barkovitch stops completely, sits down and takes off his shoe.

A SOLDIER drops off the HALFTRACK and approaches him, RAISES HIS CARBINE RIFLE and points it at his head. Barkovitch sees it, but somehow isn’t fazed.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 17.

Barkovitch shakes a tiny pebble out of his shoe calmly.

The pack has moved past him and he is all alone now.

Another SOLDIER dismounts, RAISES HIS RIFLE, points it at him. The Halftrack stops, waits. Olson, McVries, Garraty and Baker are all walking backwards so they can watch.

Barkovitch remains sitting, tying his shoe.

But then he gets up (pauses to brush some road-dirt from the knees of his pants) and breaks into a trot. He catches up to the group, settles into his pace. The Soldiers LOWER THEIR WEAPONS and get back on the armored vehicles.

McVries loves it. With a snort, Barkovitch strides past them.

Rank pulls up along side Garraty and McVries. He’s folding another ORIGAMI as he walks. This one is a PURPLE BUTTERFLY.

Garraty checks his TACHOMETER: 3.1 MPH MILE 7 WARNINGS:0

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 18.

Garraty fiddles with the BASEBALL

He motions to THE CROSS on his neck proudly.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 18A.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 19.

McVries smiles. He’s totally sold on Garraty now.

The boys are silent.

Garraty really likes him for saying it. They have a moment.

McVries fumbles in his pocket for a pack of LUCKY STRIKES.

Garraty shakes his head.

McVries finds a BOOK OF MATCHES and lights up, takes a drag, coughs as he exhales...

McVries takes another drag from the cigarette in defiance, exhales, coughs like crazy.

He laughs and nods.

McVries passes it to Baker and he takes a drag like an old pro.

Richard Harkness squeezes in between them.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 20A.

Harkness writes in his notebook as he walks. He bumps into Collie Parker:

Garraty barely suppresses a smile.

Collie tries to keep up the tough guy act, but can’t help smiling a little himself too. He recovers from it quickly.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 21.

They walk by a deserted WHITE CHURCH, empty and eerie in its complete isolation. On the steps of it, Garraty clocks ONE OLD LADY standing frozenly in a black dress, half-hidden in the shadow of the doorway; neither waving, nor speaking, nor smiling. She wears a large RING with a purple stone and a tarnished CAMEO at her throat. He locks eyes with her, unable to break away; like staring into the face of impending death.

He finally shakes the chill, nudges McVries, MOTIONS TO HER. He’s equally creeped out-

Garraty and the others turn to see who’s getting the warning: It’s Curly (the pacer, who they think lied about his age). He’s up near the front of the pack. His lean and earnest face is set in lines of terrific concentration as he stares at his RIGHT LEG, favoring it.

He tries to force himself faster.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 22.

He’s fallen so far back he’s next to Garraty now. The SOLDIERS on the upper deck of the HALFTRACK RAISE their heavy caliber CARBINE RIFLES, point them at Curly. The side camera pivots toward him. The CHURCH drifts further into the background as they walk, and the woman is still UNMOVING - a dark statue.

Curly takes a pull from his CANTEEN. Limping, he makes his way down the road trying to keep up with Garraty. Suddenly, he SCREAMS. He’s DOUBLED OVER, holding his leg. Somehow he is still walking, but much too slowly. The halftrack decelerates and the SOLDIERS on the upper deck dismount.

Garraty shakes his head in disbelieving agreement. The soldiers RAISE THEIR GUNS again (like well trained Doberman Pinschers). The WALKERS GASP, in almost exact unison... as if they didn’t know this was going to happen. SNAP! SNAP! The SAFETIES CLICK OFF... Walkers scatter. Curly is suddenly alone on the sun-washed road. Garraty and McVries are looking back to see...

BAM! BAM!... Carbines fire- (They’re really fucking loud)

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 23.

His FACE DISAPPEARS in a hammer-smash of BLOOD, BRAINS, and FLYING SKULL FRAGMENTS. The rest of him falls forward onto the pavement of like a sack of shit... THWOP! Stillness now. The outline of the CHURCH (now far off in the distance) has become a small, but ominous frame for the scene of death.

Curly got his ticket.

Emotions swell up in Garraty. His face turns red and his eyes instantly wet. He heaves, VOMITS. He wipes his mouth. All of them are hit hard by what they’ve just seen; the reality of it finally setting in.

Garraty actually STOPS walking. So does McVries, and Baker.

They get it together and walk on. Garraty turns, looks at Curly again. Stebbins steps over the BODY. His FOOT slides in the BLOOD; he takes a bite of his jelly Sandwich(!).

Stebbins grins. McVries rests a hand on Garraty’s shoulder.

TITLE CARD:

THE LONG WALK

Prelap:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 24.

The hottest hour of the day is upon The Walkers. Garraty checks his tachometer for distance: MILE 33.

There are majestic FIELDS OF SUNFLOWERS on all sides of them now, as far as their eyes can see.

THE DUN COLORED JEEP is PARKED in the CENTER OF THE ROAD, a SOLDIER in the driver’s seat. The Major stands in the passenger seat.

BAM! He shoots the pistol.

It’s followed by a rumble from above. They look overhead and marvel at a giant MURMURATION of European STARLINGS.

The group parts in the middle and FLOWS around the Jeep like a school of fish. Garraty stares at The Major... daggers.

McVries laughs. Garraty doesn’t.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 24A.

McVries walks backward, unzips his PANTS, begins to pee. Garraty looks ahead: There’s a dark grey STORM-FRONT coming that looks so deep, so tangled... it almost seems malignant. He takes a swig from his CANTEEN, finishes:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 25.

A SOLDIER jumps down from the half-track, blank face, no emotion. He trades Garraty a FULL CANTEEN for an EMPTY ONE. Garraty clips it to his belt. As the soldier turns, Garraty touches the CARBINE slung over his back. McVries notices.

There’s a stupendous CRACK of THUNDER as they enter another GHOST TOWN. They pass an ABANDONED CAR, rusted and gutted. There are a group of CHILDREN playing in it, pretending to drive.

Garraty puts on his COAT, turns up the collar. The rain begins as trickling but quickly becomes a DOWNPOUR. Garraty notices STEBBINS protecting the last half of his JELLY SANDWICH. Harkness carefully STOWS HIS NOTEBOOK IN A BAGGIE.

Barkovitch has the MEDALLION in his hand again. He PUTS ON A YELLOW VINYL RAIN-HAT and peers out from beneath it like a truculent lighthouse keeper.

Zuck is walking strangely... his SHOES are untied; both of them. Collie Parker notices.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 25A.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 26.

Garraty buys in.

McVries looks at him hard, for a long while.

Ray smiles, enjoying Pete’s lyrical optimism.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 26A.

A guy named PEARSON appears next to Garraty. He wears JEANS that are too big for him, a bowling shirt, and HORN RIMMED GLASSES with thick lenses.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 27.

In front of a CORNER-STORE there’s a TEENAGE GIRL waving and holding up a giant magic-marker SIGN:

GO-GO-GARRATY #47! I LOVE YOU RAY! “OUR VERY OWN”

Baker means it, and Garraty thinks about it. But he knows better. He turns red, waves and smiles at her.

Garraty swells with pride, adrenalized, starts to walk fast.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 27A.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 28.

BAKER, OLSON, GARRATY And one for all!

The RAIN comes down even harder, like it’s rooting for them.

Olson stuffs a piece of GUM in his mouth, chaws on it like a cow again.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 28A.

Olson doesn’t acknowledge the question.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 29.

Olson blows a bubble and keeps walking.

Barkovitch speeds off with a sinister smirk.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 30.

Suddenly, about 20 feet ahead of Garraty and McVries, they see EWING on the ground, having a CONVULSION...

His body begins to snap and jackknife viciously. A disturbing GARGLING NOISE comes from deep in his throat; a mindless, sheep-like sound. Garraty hurries past him, and one of the fluttering hands bounces against his shoe...

McVries shakes his head, equally repulsed.

Ewing’s EYES are rolled up to the whites; there are splotches of foam splattered on his lips and chin.

Two SOLDIERS dismount, point their GUNS down at Ewing-

POP! POP! One in the MOUTH, one in the HEART... The convulsions cease.

Garraty and McVries just keep moving, one step at a time...

They cross a damaged section of asphalt. Zuck trips on his SHOELACES, falls.

Garraty notices that it’s Zuck. He gets up quickly and walks, but his pants are ripped and his KNEE is GUSHING BLOOD.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 31.

Zuck ignores him, stumbles on best he can (wincing).

The Walkers are crossing the TOP OF A DAM.

THE RAIN HAS SUBSIDED. Garraty turns to McVries and smiles at him - they made it!

They walk past an abandoned SERVICE BUILDING. Wedged into one of its corners is a giant BEEHIVE. Bees swarm and the WALKERS fan them away as they pass.

A BUMBLE BEE buzzes between the two of them. Garraty jerks and jumps. The bee settles on McVries’s HAND. Instead of shaking it off, he lifts it up toward his face, takes a look.

McVries marvels at the bee for a while longer, then finally, (very gently), opens his fingers and says:

It leaves his hand, circles his head once as if to say goodbye, and flies away-

Collie Parker drops back from the front, BREAKS IN:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 32.

TINY DARK SPOTS on the road.

The small spots turn into a MINI-RIVER OF DEEP-RED OOZE that weaves back and forth across the DAM’S cement pathway. When they catch up to ZUCK, he’s limping, and Garraty can see his right pants-leg caked with dried blood.

The Soldiers point their guns at him. Suddenly HE BEGINS TO SPRINT. HE RUNS AHEAD OF THE GROUP and disappears in front of the LEADING HALFTRACK. None of the boys say a word. Finally, after what seems like a long time, the HALFTRACK STOPS...

THERE IS A SINGLE, SHARP REPORT... POP!

When Garraty and his group finally pass the vehicle, they see ZUCK, FACEDOWN IN THE CENTER OF THE PATH (the intensity of the rifle caused his feet to leave his shoes). A POOL OF BLOOD around his head is growing. The Walkers flow around him, all of them somber.

DEW DROPS ON THE GRASS...

The boys enter frame and drift through a rundown, residential neighborhood. Little homes and little yards.

A group of SMALL BOYS watch them from a RUSTY FENCE.

A street CAT missing both of its EYES sits atop a mailbox.

A WOMAN is by herself on a folding chair in a field, tracking them (expressionless, Stepford-like) as they pass.

Four VERY OLD PEOPLE watch from their own chairs on a porch.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 33.

Garraty laughs. He’s got the BASEBALL in his hand again, rotating it habitually, running his fingers along the seams.

McVries is taking bites of something soft and chewy.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 34.

McVries passes him the chunk. Garraty chews it.

Olson laughs but then winces, loses his balance.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 34A.

McVries rolls his eyes- adjustments.

Olson looks at his wrist gauge:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 35.

They all know what he’s inferring.

They take the hint. Nobody presses.

Garraty eats from a TUBE OF CONCENTRATES: (Tuna Surprise!). When it’s empty, he chucks it onto the side of the road.

Olson says it robotically as he pulls the wad of BUBBLEGUM out of his mouth and stuffs it in his pocket. He attempts to pull a TUBE OF CONCENTRATES from his own belt (BOLOGNA DREAM) but fumbles the SNACK and drops it accidentally. For a moment, it seems like he’s going to take his chances slowing to pick it up, but he pushes forward, stealing the odd desperate glance back at the food... fuck.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 36.

GARRATY LOOKS AT THE POCKETS OF HIS OWN BELT: ONE TUBE OF SPAM CONCENTRATE AND ONE TUBE OF CHEESE.

He pauses for a beat to think about it before finally giving away the CHEESE. Olson takes it slowly (with a blend of shame and gratitude) and eats it. McVries has been keeping a close eye on the exchange. He looks at Garraty and says subtly:

A moment-

Garraty and McVries turn to see what the commotion is. Just a few feet behind them, Barkovitch is berating Rank.

Rank takes a SWING at him-

The punch misses Barkovitch and he doesn’t break stride. He simply lowers his head and ducks under it, goes on yelling.

In the front yard of a house, there are five PEOPLE standing creepily in shadow, watching the spectacle from a distance. 3 of them are GROWN ADULTS, and 2 are smaller and appear to be YOUNG CHILDREN.

Rank throws another PUNCH. Barkovitch nimbly steps around it, but trips over Collie Parker who’s on the other side of him.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 37.

Parker breaks away. Both Rank and Barkovitch get warnings:

The soldiers watch the two of them carefully. Rank walks faster, spooked, ignoring Barkovitch.

With that, Rank turns and CHARGES HIM.

But Rank goes for him with his head down, bellowing. Barkovitch sidesteps him. Rank stumbles, pinwheels across the shoulder and falls FLAT ONTO HIS FACE.

Barkovitch’s expression becomes instantly fearful:

He finally does get up, but only onto his knees. Also, he’s teetering (the face-plant damn near knocked him out).

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 37A.

Barkovitch keeps walking but veers his head back frantically and often - he’s in a sort of panic.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 38.

But it’s too late-

POP! (from the Carbine) right through the back of the skull (He goes limp instantly)...

Barkovitch starts with the death shot. This isn’t what he expected. He says something under his breath; a frustrated self-reprimand.

Rank’s hand opens and an almost-finished ORIGAMI (that he’s been clutching) falls out of it, onto the road: It’s RED, and looks to be forming the shape of a HEART.

No one says anything.

This makes Barkovitch’s blood boil.

He’s almost in tears he’s so emotional.

McVries puts his hand on his scar and rubs...

Barkovitch curls his lip in contempt and breaks off toward the other side of the pack. We’re alone with him now.

Nobody notices, but he HITS HIMSELF in the face, twice. Closed fist.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 40.

They enter the another small (mostly abandoned) TOWN. At the edge of it, they pass a broken down CEMETERY; its headstones are premonitory outlines at the edge of the road. There is a DEAD BIRD stuck in the BARBWIRE that lines the top of the fence surrounding the graveyard. The deep-red of sunset is more ominous than beautiful.

they pass an OLD GAS STATION. Two PEOPLE stoically watch from beside one of the pumps.

Garraty looks down at his FEET as he steps through a shallow puddle with a rainbow-colored, petrol-infused surface. His SHOES are worn now, really showing the wear and tear of the walk so far.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 41.

And then they see him: A young man up ahead, being passed on both sides: RONALD. He’s walking strangely and holding his PANTS up (just at the knees) at the same time. His BARE ASS is exposed. Garraty watches (sickened and saddened) as he SQUATS and UNLOADS. He makes a sort of YELP as he does it.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 42.

Ronald leaves a STEAMY MESS on the road and continues shuffling forward, the waistline of his pants spattered with excrement. Collie Parker (watching on with disgust and even some tough pity) yells at him:

But Ronald either doesn’t listen or doesn’t hear, because he SQUATS again... UNLOADS... CRIES OUT.

Ronald likes that word...

Harkness doesn’t reply; looks ashamed.

They come upon A DILAPIDATED RESTAURANT. There are dim lights inside, but no people.

Ronald tries to continue on, ambling awkwardly ahead. Two SOLDIERS dismount the halftrack and scope him; one in front and one behind. The walkers scatter.

Finally, Ronald half-squats, HALF-FALLS. The soldier raises the CARBINE, squeezes the trigger...

BAM! Once in the ass... BAM! Again in the chest. Ronald rolls over and grimaces at the stars; blood and bile creeping from the corners of his mouth... his EYES go dead.

Pink Rev. (07/29/24) 43.

Garraty looks away from the grisly scene and realizes he’s * totally alone. *

Silence. He closes his eyes... *

They walk under a string of MERCURY STREET LIGHTS that flicker on as dusk becomes night,

Up ahead, two HEADLIGHTS beam, unmoving. As they near, the hazy outline of the JEEP comes into view. On top of it is the unmistakable shape of THE MAJOR.

Garraty watches Harkness as he stretches the elastic band of a HEADLAMP around his head, clicks it on. *

A FLOOD LIGHT POWERS UP on the nearby HALFTRACK. It shines * directly at Garraty and blinds him for a moment. He shields his eyes. The other halftracks power up their lights as well and pools of hot white illuminate walkers as they move.

The Major speaks through a BULLHORN:

He pours a shot of WHISKEY into a distressed TIN CUP, slugs it down. The Musketeers pass by.

He looks to McVries as though he’s been caught in something.

Pink Rev. (07/29/24) 43A.

Garraty reaches deep into his pockets, pulls out the TINFOIL PACKAGE his mom gave him in the parking lot. He opens it, slowly, to find TWO COOKIES (oatmeal chocolate chip, just like she said). Garraty smiles and tears up as he takes a bite, closes his eyes...

PRELAP: Solo FEMALE VOICE, singing...

The kitchen TABLE and CHAIRS are stained KNOTTY PINE. THE DREAMY LIGHT OF DUSK pours through the windows. There’s a HEAVENLY FEELING; saturated colors... this is a better time.

GINNIE GARRATY’S face is angelic and vibrant; lit like a 1950’s movie star - GLOWING. This is a starkly different version of the woman we met in the opening. She’s singing an Irish lullaby (MOLLY MALONE) as she circles the table, playfully.

RAYMOND GARRATY is at the table, drinking from a glass bottle of MOXIE SODA; he’s the same guy we’re used to but a few years younger (15) and totally clean cut.

His father, WILLIAM GARRATY (a handsome man with a beard, salt & pepper pompadour, OVERALLS) cooks dinner at the stove.

There’s a WOODEN BOWL of salad on the dinner table already.

Pink Rev. (07/29/24) 43B.

She pauses for a moment to sit down at the table with her son, sips from a glass of RED WINE and smiles.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 44.

They both mean it; there’s love in this house.

WILLIAM walks to the table with two plates of SPAGHETTI, sets them down. He puts an arm around his wife, kisses her gently on the cheek as she sings-

PRELAP:

Garraty opens his eyes abruptly. McVries is elbowing him in the ribs. The two of them are DIRTIER. There’s so much red in their eyes, even the darkness won’t conceal it.

Garraty slaps himself across the cheek.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 45.

There’s a STATICKY OLD SONG playing on a RADIO. It goes in and out and comes from TRESSLER, who is walking nearby; he finally got a little reception.

Pearson points in an arbitrary direction.

Pearson is WHEEZING between words.

They go on, quiet for a time. And then:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 45A.

From far behind them, THE LOUD SPEAKER gives a WARNING; the words are unintelligible, but they all know the sound.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 46.

POP! POP!.... there are FLASHES off in the distance. Far enough behind them, Someone gets their ticket.

There’s a disturbing WHISTLING sound every time Pearsons takes a breath.

Pearson backs down, shuffles away. So does Olson.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 46A.

McVries keeps eye contact with Garraty. Finally, with an indecipherable grin, he says:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 47.

Garraty begins taking his jacket off, then stops-

It takes Garraty a moment to realize it’s him... Did he really slow down that much?

He looks around: McVries is still there. Olson, Baker and Harkness have reappeared. They’re staring at him. Olson has a particularly disturbing look on his face... to Garraty he almost looks hungry:

Olson’s eyes slide away, awkwardly. Garraty accelerates and TRIPS, cuts his leg, springs up almost instantly. But still-

Garraty pauses for a beat, but then BLASTS FORWARD, cuts to the other side.

There is black, heavy forest on both sides of the road. the mild fog is just enough to make the BEAMS from the VEHICLE FLOODLIGHTS clearly defined and hyperreal, like lasers in a sci-fi movie.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 48.

The road dips gently around a curve.

Garraty looks at the device on his wrist: 3.3 MPH... When he looks up there’s A MASSIVE HILL ahead; the road climbs so steep, so abrupt, and so high, the top isn’t even visible.

A ROAD SIGN APPEARS: STEEP GRADE TRUCKS USE LOW GEAR. Audible GROANS from the rest of them when they see it.

Garraty STARTS UP THE HILL. A HALFTRACK pulls up alongside him... vultures preparing for him to drop. He keeps his head down and his feet steady. He has to focus. No room for error. Not anymore.

He notices his SHOES now... they don’t look new anymore like in the beginning. They like like he’s been wearing them for years; scuffed and black, the soles flimsy and fragile.

STEBBINS appears next to him:

He floats away after he says it. Garraty wonders for a moment if he dreamt the encounter. He slaps himself in the face to be sure, looks at the device:

3.1 MPH... not fast enough. He digs deep... 3.2 MPH... 3.4 MPH... Better. Much better.

His breath comes in labored, dog-like pants.

The HALFTRACK makes a sputtering sound as it chugs along. He’s walking with frustration- How the hell did he let himself get into this position with three warnings? Fuck-

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 49.

There it is. He knew this would- But, no. He’s 47, not 46. Who’s 46? Olson. He can tell because of the beam of the HEADLAMP. Not his problem.

Garraty picks them up and puts them down, keeps pressing up the hill. The road CURVES and CLIMBS; no sign of relenting. He takes deep GULPS of air and looks down at his wrist:

3.0 MPH Shit.

The SOLDIERS RAISE THEIR GUNS, point them at him...

He grunts as he picks up the pace...

3.1 MPH... 3.2 MPH

Near the front, there is a boy with long hair sitting in the ROAD. He has a TRACK SUIT on. His name is LARSON and there’s a HEAVY STREAM OF BLOOD flowing from his right EAR.

He says it to no one with a trusting, shellshocked smile.

A SOLDIER jumps down from the halftrack with his rifle.

Garraty walks by him. Larson wipes the blood from his head with the sleeve of his track suit before he speaks:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 49A.

He leaves him behind and walks faster...

Pink Rev. (07/29/24) 50.

POP! POP! Gunshots behind Garraty. More FLASHES. He stares at his FEET again, all his concentration on getting to the top.

Way up ahead SOMEONE utters a high, GOBBLING SCREAM. The rifles CRASH in unison.

He hears the voices but doesn’t acknowledge them. Garraty ventures a look up from the PAVEMENT: He can see the...

TOP OF THE HILL, Just barely. Fuck- it looks to him like a hundred miles.

Off to his right, he sees HARKNESS huffing his way up the hill, struggling.

Garraty looks back down at his feet... one step at a time. *

He lifts his head and notices flood lights up in front of * him, blasting at him from a halftrack up ahead... *

He sees a PERSON(?) silhouetted in shadow and backlit by the * beams. He looks closer to see if it’s real and yes, it’s... * THE WOMAN IN BLACK from the church steps, unmoving, but * pointing at him, like an accusatory statue. It can’t be! But * it is- *

He looks back down at his feet, then up again- *

The FIGURE IS GONE... *

He must really be losing it. No time to think about it now... * He presses onward. *

ON PEARSON NOW, HURTING... WHEEZING LOUDLY. He doesn’t look * good. Sweat streams down his bright red face. His GLASSES are opaque with frost. He DROPS his STUFFED ANIMAL and doesn’t even notice.

RACK FOCUS TO GARRATY JUST A FEW ROWS BEHIND HIM...

Pink Rev. (07/29/24) 50A.

PEARSON pulls his GLASSES off and begins to HYPERVENTILATE. * An ASTHMA ATTACK... His MOUTH opens and FREEZES there. His EYES grow WIDE, and a pained, unbelieving expression overtakes his face...

He gasps for air desperately and then, COLLAPSES! He falls out of frame.

Before another warning can be issued, Pearson’s limp BODY tumbles backward, down the hill...

HE ROLLS RIGHT INTO A WALKER BEHIND HIM, Who goes down hard and draws a warning:

And then:

GARRATY SEES THE WALKERS IN FRONT HIM FALLING BACKWARD; he shifts to the left and DODGES them, just barely.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 51.

SERIES OF SHOTS IN SLOW MOTION (MOS):

- #8... PEARSON, SHOT IN THE BACK AS HE TUMBLES.

-#10 THE WALKER WHO PEARSON FELL INTO STUMBLES BACKWARD DOWN THE STEEP HILL... SHOT TWICE IN THE CHEST (HE FALLS).

-#13, AN OVERWEIGHT BOY WITH A FLAT TOP WEARING BLUE DENIM OVERALLS LOOKS AT SOMETHING OFF-CAMERA, WITH TERRIFIED EYES... SHOT IN THE FOREHEAD (HE TEETERS FOR A MOMENT)-

-#40, A ZIT-FACED 18 YEAR OLD RAISES HIS HANDS IN FRONT OF HIS FACE DESPERATELY... (THE SCREEN BECOMES A GIANT FLASH).

-#11, A SPINDLY, BRUISED AND DIRTY 18 YEAR OLD WEARING NO SHIRT AND RIPPED, WET JEANS RUNS BACK DOWN THE HILL, GETS SHOT, AND FALLS INTO...

...-#21, WHO’S IN A BOMBER JACKET. THE TWO OF THEM FALL INTO ONE OTHER. A MESS OF 3 TANGLED ON THE GROUND, STRUGGLING TO GET UP, BUT EACH OF THEM MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE OTHER. THEY NEVER EVEN SEE IT COMING - BAM! BAM! BAM!

SMACK! Garraty slaps himself across the face. He looks bad; glossy skin, bloodshot, puffy eyes, white crust at the corners of his lips.

McVries is next to him again and looks a little better, but not much.

They’re still climbing. Garraty looks down at the wrist device: 3.0 MPH, WARNINGS:3

Off in the distance behind them we HEAR (O.S.)...

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 52.

-INTERMITTENT WARNINGS FROM THE LOUD SPEAKER -GUNSHOTS -SCREAMS

Garraty does it, and it seems to work...

A SOLDIER hands him a FRESH CANTEEN. Garraty snatches it from him. The Soldier’s expressionless, marble EYES size him up-

The soldier goes away with no change of expression.

McVries motions up ahead with his eyes: THE TOP. They walk faster, and then... THEY MAKE IT. The road crests, levels off. Relief! Instantly easier.

And then just like that, Garraty BREAKS DOWN sobbing. A rush of raw emotion. McVries puts his arm around him.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 52A.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 53.

He points to them.

There is a fiery band on the horizon; it reflects warmly off of Garraty’s face. The land is FLAT here and the road is straight with fields and farmlands on both sides.

There’s a rutted DIRT ROAD that branches off the main drag. A FARMER (an old man with a deeply seemed brow, overalls and a straw hat) and his FARMER WIFE (a hatchet-faced woman in a bulky cloth coat) stand at the intersection with their teenage DAUGHTER (mopey eyes, matted dark hair and a NIGHTGOWN).

SMOKE rises around them (slowly, surreal) from a small CROP BURN, as though they’re standing watch at the gates of Hell.

Garraty looks down at his wrist device- WARNINGS: 2

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 54.

McVries cuts the seriousness and smiles.

He takes a drink of water, munches down a stick of CHEESE.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 55.

They’re on the DOWNSLOPE of a hill, approaching a TOWN nestled on the floor of a VALLEY. Charcoal clouds billow from SMOKESTACKS up ahead and a distant TRAIN cuts the landscape.

Garraty checks the gadget on his wrist: 3.2 MPH, MILE 89, WARNINGS:0... Finally. His spirits lift.

McVries pulls a TOOTHBRUSH out of his pocket and dry-brushes.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 56.

They are alone and Garraty is about to tell him, but then Collie Parker rides up and a Halftrack swoops in close, its VIDEO CAMERA honed in on them.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 57.

He walks away.

Olson is just up ahead of them, next to Baker.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 58.

McVries bursts out in laughter.

McVries nods wisely, tires of baiting him.

Olson goes back to looking at his feet. He’s SHELL-SHOCKED. Not like he was before the hill. Something is really off.

There are two SMALL BOYS on BICYCLES rolling slowly along the side of the road, tracking something.

Garraty clocks what they’re looking at and realizes it’s HARKNESS: He’s LOST HIS LEFT SHOE and is limping in his stocking foot.

His face is fire-engine red. His mouth hangs agape in a wet, sloppy O. The halftrack FILMS HIS PAINED FACE AS HE WALKS.

He trips, gets back up immediately but-

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 59.

Harkness limps faster. The BOYS on the BIKES pedal along, watching with grim anticipation.

The HALF-TRACK is close by and has a clear shot, just feet away from Harkness. The CARBINES come slowly down from high port and find him... A long, terrible silence. He picks up his pace and they go up. Moments later the GUNS LOWER again, take aim... Then go back up again. Harkness’s breathing is hurried and wet. The two Boys still keep pace on their bikes.

They look at Baker and Garraty with a flat curiosity and keep tracking him, undeterred. The CARBINES stay up for a steady while and Harkness seems to be doing okay.

Garraty is not facing Harkness, but he screams out to him as he walks:

BAM! Garraty’s body jerks as though he’s been shot.

But he can’t help it. He turns to look at Harkness:

He’s still standing upright, but wobbling... a bloody BULLET HOLE through the NOTEBOOK he’s clutching. There are SHARDS of FLUTTERING PAPER in the air from the pages... confetti.

He looks down, dazed, and realizes one HAND has been SHOT OFF. In shock, he drops the book and GRABS onto his arm...

Harkness LOOKS sadly towards the Musketeers ahead of him with a blank stare that indicates more confusion that fear-

BAM! SHOT THROUGH THE FACE; the entire eye and top half of his nose replaced by a BLOODY CRATER; so wide and wet that it looks almost like an open MOUTH... Harkness falls.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 59A.

Baker makes the SIGN OF THE CROSS, kisses his necklace.

He screams it out reactively like a crazy person. Percy hasn’t spoken at all. The emphatic, guttural yelp shocks them all nearly as much as Harkness’s demise.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 60.

The Boys on the bikes freeze up; jaws on the ground as they stare at the body, trying to process what they’ve just seen.

The kids look at Garraty when he says it, but with no change of expression.

Stebbins SNEEZES.

He cries out so loud and fast that it sounds almost involuntary - like Tourette Syndrome.

Stebbins shrugs and pulls a KEYCHAIN out of his pocket with a RABBIT’S FOOT attached. He kisses it.

Stebbins smiles slyly like some kind of evil genius.

He winks and breaks off from them.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 60A.

A CHORUS of ANGRY SHOUTS silence him.

Garraty just walks and shakes his head. His face is purple with anger. He takes a guzzle from his canteen.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 61.

Up ahead, he responds without looking back.

Olson says it blankly, in a daze.

THE MAJOR’S JEEP is leading the procession through another (mostly deserted) TOWN slowly (at the speed of the Walkers). He’s standing again, holding the MEGAPHONE proud.

Two STATE POLICE monitor the boundaries.

There’s a SIGN on the side of a building that proclaims:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 62.

100 MILES!! CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE JEFFERSON PLANTATION CHAMBER OF COMMERCE! CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S “CENTURY CLUB” LONG WALKERS!!

A sick looking HORSE is unattended, loose, munching on GARBAGE under the sign.

A ONE LEGGED KID stands with a crutch in the doorway of the building, watching them.

Stebbins SNEEZES and then has a COUGHING FIT, spits. He uses the Rabbit’s Foot to wipe his nose.

BAM! A shot from The Major’s .38:

He lowers the gun and holsters it, posts up on the side of the road. A SOLDIER hands him a coffee. He sips from the steaming cup, lights a CIGARETTE.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 62A.

They pass an OLD ABANDONED HOTEL. An OLD MAN leans up against it, glaring at the Walkers, mumbling something unintelligible. Collie Parker clocks him and waves and smiles, totally out of character.

They pass a DINER (VIRGINIA’S SLOPPY JOE HOUSE) empty except for an OLD COUPLE eating at a counter by the window, watching them, and a WAITER just behind. Garraty looks inside as they pass, envious.

In the reflection of the window, Garraty sees PERCY MAKING A MOVE OFF THE ROAD, toward THE DINER.

When he gets to the door, he looks back quickly toward the road - CAUGHT.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 63.

POP! POP! POP POP! The Soldiers OPEN FIRE and THE FRONT WINDOWS SHATTER(the sound is BOOMING).

Percy is RIDDLED WITH BULLETS but he doesn’t fall at first. Instead he turns around with a bizarre look of surprise...

POP! Hit in the chest. Percy drops, slumps over the CROSSBAR.

Garraty is walking backward now. McVries does the same; both of them fascinated with this new kind of warning-less execution.

The road is visible for perhaps 10 miles; it slides down a long slope and runs in flat zigzags through a SWAMP. Then FAR AHEAD it climbs again, fading into the white afternoon haze.

They pass a MEMORIAL on the side of the road: 3 HANDMADE CROSSES stick out of the dirt.

Garraty is breathing hard and drenched in heavy perspiration; he looks like he’s about to pass out.

They’re all so sweaty now that it looks like they’ve just come out of a pool. They begin the descent...

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 63A.

Olson is CHEWING again. It’s beginning to look like a chore.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 64.

But Baker is lying.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 64A.

He looks at each of them.

McVries laughs, assuming Garraty is razzing him.

McVries smiles covertly.

McVries raises his voice...

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 66.

There’s a little who-does-he-think-he-is grumbling at first, but then their voices start yelling out:

Olson shrugs. Even though he’s conversing again, there’s a BLANK DELIRIOUSNESS in his interactions.

He tries to blow a bubble but it won’t work anymore.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 66A.

McVries eyes him, remembering the secret he was promised.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 67.

Ray doesn’t answer the question, but he says to Baker:

Collie Parker is off to the other side but jumps in:

The sentiment FUCK THE LONG WALK echoes throughout the crowd. They cheer. Olson comes around, puts his fist in the air:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 68.

He says it tiredly, but gets it out.

Tressler fires up the RADIO: Finally, perfect clarity. MUSIC BLASTS: LATE 60s VIETNAM ERA ROCK&ROLL

The SOLDIERS on the halftracks have no reactions. Garraty isn’t joining in much, but he’s looking around, happy with what he started. He shares a wordless exchange with McVries; a warm, proud moment between just the two of them.

The only sounds now are the footsteps of the boys on the pavement and the odd HOOT of an OWL in the trees. It’s deep night.

Garraty (sleepy, yawning) is walking directly behind McVries, his HANDS ON HIS SHOULDERS, making sure he keeps at minimum speed as he sleeps. Finally, he says:

MCVRIES WAKES UP, looks around, wipes sleep out of his eyes.

They switch positions and Garraty closes his eyes as McVries pushes him along.

Another GHOST TOWN. There’s not much to this one except an abandoned MECHANIC SHOP and a RUN DOWN MOTEL.

A TIRED WOMAN sits on an old suitcase near a row of PHONE BOOTHS, watches the boys pass by.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 68A.

Two SOLDIERS dismount the halftrack and give both of them NEW CANTEENS. They slip EIGHT TUBES of CONCENTRATES into their BELTS.

Baker gets an abrupt and uncomfortable look on his face. He slows down and drops back just a bit, then cuts past Garraty, drops his pants and SQUATS.

Garraty and the boys pass him. Barkovitch HOLDS HIS NOSE theatrically. Baker visibly struggles and PUSHES.

About twenty seconds later he catches back up to Garraty and McVries, badly out of breath and cinching his pants.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 69.

Olson’s chewing again.

The boys chuckle. Baker and Olson naturally drift away. McVries lowers his voice, makes a clandestine appeal.

Garraty’s eyes go somewhere else; someplace sad and distant.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 69A.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 70.

WILLIAM approaches the table with his own plate as his wife continues to sing...

...He sits down, the BASEBALL is on the table. He rolls it gently with his hand as she sings, passes it back and forth to Ray.

CRASH! Off screen. Three SOLDIERS (with rifles slung to their backs) burst into the kitchen. One of the soldiers DETAINS Ginnie. One does the same to young Ray. Another throws the DINING ROOM TABLE on its side and drags his Father out...

The BASEBALL bounces onto the floor.

A bland suburban street, with small, identical track homes. A massive INDUSTRIAL PLANT looms in the background, spewing BLACK SMOKE.

THE MAJOR is on the lawn. A soldier throws William at his feet. The other soldiers keep tight grips on mother and son; each of them FIGHTING BACK, squirming in dark anticipation.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 71.

He meets eyes with RAY; winks a secret wink and flashes just a hint of a smile(?) before turning back to the Major.

William stands. The Major nods, satisfied with himself... But then William smiles (a big, rebellious, dangerous smile), and he says:

Mrs. Garraty understands-

William is totally at peace;

He turns his head just slightly, to see his wife. He mouths “I love you” and she breaks into tears.

The Major draws a PISTOL from his belt holster.

He points the barrel of the GUN at his FOREHEAD, pulls the trigger- BAM! One loud shot; an instant cloud of RED MIST... the father’s eyes go lifeless. The mother collapses. Young Ray looks on, disbelieving. The Major walks to him, gentle and fatherly...

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 71A.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 72.

A long, FLAT (seemingly endless) COUNTRY ROAD; the grassy fields on each side are speckled with COWS. There are TEARS in Garraty’s eyes as he finishes the story.

Garraty looks around and clocks the HALFTRACKS; all across the road and out of view of them.

Garraty pauses for a beat as TRESSLER walks by them fast, giggling. He FLINGS HIS RED CONVERSE ALL-STARS off between steps.

After he passes, Ray makes sure nobody’s listening to them, and the cameras are still far off. HE CUPS HIS HAND AND PRESSES IT UP TO MCVRIES’S EAR, SAYS SOMETHING.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 73.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 74.

In a FIELD, a family of five is picnicking: MOTHER, FATHER, BOY, GIRL, WHITE HAIRED GRANDMOTHER. Parked beside them is a beat up pick up truck filled with (what looks like) all of their belongings. They watch The WALKERS

The Grandmother waves solemnly, eats a SANDWICH-

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 75.

This affects Garraty. There’s a shift in him: is this path the right one?

They pass Patrick. They haven’t seen him since the starting line. He still has the crumpled porn mag stuffed into his back pocket, but he doesn’t look very good. He’s moving just barely at speed and LIMPING. They both clock him as they pass.

Garraty looks ahead: Up in the distance, beyond scattered rainclouds, between the foothills and the descending sun...

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 76.

He POINTS to the colorful contradiction in the distance. They admire it together.

Garraty shakes his head no, smiles back.

The ROAD EXPANDS and becomes a WIDE, MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY; the biggest they’ve been on yet.

Garraty turns and sees Patrick (porn mag guy). He’s screaming out as he walks. McVries cracks a tube of CHICKEN CONCENTRATES.

They try their best to ignore the wailing.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 77.

As if on cue, he pulls his baseball out, winds up like he’s about to throw it.

McVries puts his HANDS out in front of him. They’re shaking very slightly. He frowns at them with a distracted sort of concentration. It’s a half-lunatic gaze...

All of a sudden, Patrick again-

He is STOPPED in the middle of the road.

Garraty turns and watches him RACE TOWARD THE HALFTRACK, his tears cutting runnels through the sweaty dirt on his face. He tries to SCALE THE FRONT CORNER OF THE TANK. The Musketeers are all eyeing him now.

The Soldier HITS HIM IN THE FACE WITH the RIFLE BUTT, Patrick drops to the ground.

He tries to get back up, but the TREADS OF THE HALFTRACK RUN OVER HIM...

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 77A.

Garraty and McVries watch in horror as his LEGS AND FEET are flattened by THE DRIVE AND IDLER WHEELS. There’s a crunching sound, and a wet grinding....

Garraty looks away and PUTS HIS HANDS OVER HIS EARS. McVries keeps his eyes locked for just a moment longer in morbid fascination, but then PATRICK SCREAMS OUT AGAIN and he turns, shaken, COVERING HIS EARS as well.

Patrick is still on the road, BOTH LEGS MISSING from the knees down. He SCREAMS again; a high note sharp enough to shatter glass.

The others CRANK THEIR NECKS TO GET A GOOD LOOK: Number 4’s FEET AND CALVES ARE GONE; only a red jelly-like mess on the ground where they used to be. Garraty doesn’t look back this time (he’s seen enough).

BAM! One shot through the forehead for Patrick and it’s over. Garraty lets his hands down from his ears slowly.

The Boy’s walk on in silence.

Finally, Olson SPITS his gum out and looks horrified.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 78A.

McVries fans his face. Then TRESSLER comes up beside him and makes a bizarre swallowing noise.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 79.

TRESSLER CRIES OUT; no words just a garbled gagging sound that’s almost a scream.

Then he RIPS HIS CLOTHES OFF (one article at a time); first his SHIRT, followed by his PANTS and UNDERWEAR. He keeps walking, fully naked. His ringlet-curly hair is matted and wet, up in a bundle; a bird’s nest atop his head.

Tressler is a combination of see-through-pale and lobster red; his pupils are blank and his body stumbles forward on loose legs, overtaken by madness, or heatstroke, or both. Finally, his EYES ROLL BACK IN HIS HEAD and he DROPS to the pavement quickly, unconscious. Barkovitch steps over him and gloats. The Musketeers keep walking as they hear behind them:

POP!... POP! They flinch with each gunshot.

There are WOODS on both sides of the road. LIGHT FOG and thick darkness is cut by BROAD BEAMS from the HALFTRACK FLOODS. Garraty isn’t with his musketeers. They are scattered, isolated. He’s dozing and walking like a zombie. Long shadows drift across wet ground.

Stebbins is close by and having another COUGHING FIT. He’s torn off a piece of his shirt and is now using it as a HANKY. Suddenly, perfect-Stebbins doesn’t look so hot.

Garraty looks down at his feet. Stebbins is wearing a pair of soft looking MOCCASINS. His shoes are tucked into his shirt.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 80.

A big SNEEZE. He wipes his nose with the hanky.

He dangles the RABBIT’S FOOT, jiggles it.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 80A.

He smiles remotely. Garraty doesn’t understand why Stebbins is even talking to him but stays engaged out of curiosity.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 81.

Stebbins COUGHS, clears his throat, blows his nose.

He jerks a thumb at OLSON.

Olson looks BAD. Really bad. Garraty is just noticing for the first time; his SKIN has gone scaly with dehydration, his EYES sunk into hollowed sockets; his HAIR flies aimlessly on his skull like wind-driven cornsilk. The BEAM from his headlamp is dull now (batteries), and jittering loosely with each step he takes.

Garraty looks at mysterious Stebbins closely, not sure how seriously to take him. Stebbins LAUGHS OUT LOUD. A laugh rich and full that makes the other Walkers turn their heads.

Garraty swallows, creeped out.

Stebbins CATCHES GARRATY’S WRIST in a strong grip-

Stebbins DROPS HIS HAND, dismisses him, clatters out another cough, and goes back into his introspective standard. Garraty massages his wrist as he walks away from him, over to Olson.

Olson sweeps onward, his face turned into the darkness. Garraty is sweating, as is Olson. Tiny vapors of steam rise from their wet clothes.

Olson’s eyes move jerkily in their sockets, as if long rusted and in need of oil. His mouth falls open with a nearly audible clunk. Garraty puts a hand on him.

He looks at Garraty, sadly.

Olson rips his HEADLAMP off and slings it to the ground.

Garraty can’t say anything. His eyes are soldered to the shadowed ruin that is his friend’s face. Olson dips his head down, then lifts it up all the way, strangely, and widens his eyes, looks deep into Garraty. Then (without hesitation) he walks off, toward the HALF-TRACK...

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 83.

Olson doesn’t slow (there’s a ruinous dignity about him). HE PUTS HIS HANDS ONTO THE HALFTRACK AND BEGINS TO CLAMBER PAINFULLY UP THE SIDE. Baker and McVries wake up:

The SOLDIERS bring their GUNS around in perfect, three-part harmony. Olson grabs the barrel of the closest and yanks it out of the robotic hands that hold it... it clatters off into the street-

BAM! There’s a FLASH from one of the other gun barrels. Garraty’s eyes widen: He sees Olson’s shirt ripple as the bullet enters his belly, then exits out his back.

The IMPACT of the HEAVY CALIBER SLUG SENDS OLSON FLYING OFF THE HALFTRACK. He lands spread-eagled on his back like a man nailed to a cross; one side of his BELLY black and shredded ruin.

Olson sits up (hands on his stomach) and stares calmly at the poised SOLDIERS on the upper deck. They stare back.

TWO OF THE HALFTRACKS GET CLOSER TO HIM.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 84.

Parker shakes his head, disappointed.

Garraty watches through building tears as Olson stands, WALKS. The SOLDIERS on the halftrack have their GUNS trained on him but don’t shoot; they almost seem (morbidly) curious(?). Behind Garraty, Stebbins laughs softly.

Slowly, reflectively, Olson gains his feet, hands crossed on his belly. He seems to sniff the air for guidance, then turns slowly in the direction of the walk and staggers along(!). GARRATY STARES ON IN HORROR.

McVries still sobs as he walks. Stebbins drops back a little and laughs quietly between SNEEZES.

Olson stumbles along, hands on his gut, as though he’s trying to physically hold it in place, GASPING FOR BREATH AS HE WALKS. Finally, he stops, bends over and THROWS UP A HUGE GLUT OF BLOOD AND BILE...

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Another volley of bullets drives him flat again.

Baker turns to Garraty with his hands cupped over his mouth. His face is white and cheesy; his eyes bulging.

Baker VOMITS THROUGH HIS FINGERS.

Olson FALLS TO HIS KNEES...

Baker LOSES IT, begins to cry: He runs BACKWARD over to Olson, crouches beside him, puts his arms around him, and holds his tired, hysterical face against his chest.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 85.

He detaches, walking backward just fast enough to avoid a second warning. He catches up to the group.

There’s a sticky smear of Olson’s blood on his cheekbone. The three of them (Garraty, McVries, Baker) walk backward, in lock-step, watching Olson...

HE RAISES A HAND UP TO THE SKY. Trembling, he shouts...

...He shrivels slowly back onto the ground like fast-wilting flower, and bleeds out

The three of them turn around in unison and continue on...

THE FINAL SIX: Garraty, McVries, Baker, Parker, Stebbins, Barkovitch

ON GARRATY’S WRIST TACHOMETER: 3.2 MPH MILE 214 WARNINGS:0

There’s an OLD MILL just off the road.

Garraty turns his canteen over his head, leans back until his neck pops. He looks his ever-more-haggard companions:

McVries has a heavy scrub of BEARD now. He takes a bite from a SALAMI stick and chews it slowly, tiredly.

Baker’s T-Shirt (that used to be white) is now a sweat stained rust color, with a loose, frayed neck. His pimples have spread and his face is a big, oily-red mess.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 86.

Parker is wet with sweat but has a fresher look about him than the others.

Stebbins sounds VERY SICK; hacking and sneezing consistently.

The darkness around Barkovitch’s eyes has taken an entirely different form; now encircling them completely and creating deep, hollow, raccoon-like pits within the sockets. He’s scooping bites out of a FULL CAN OF SPAM with his SPOON languidly.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 86A.

Baker doesn’t say anything but by his expression they can tell that he did.

McVries glares at him but doesn’t say anything.

Garraty lights up.

Parker mulls it over and finally puts his hand out to McVries. They shake on it.

Collie listens...

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 88.

McVries looks back to Barkovitch.

Barkovitch pauses his eating and looks down at the SPAM:

He’s wild-eyed when he says it.

McVries ignores it; Barkovitch sounds slightly mad.

He throws the CAN OF SPAM onto the ground and stuffs the SPOON into his pocket.

Garraty looks to Stebbins. He’s BLOWING HIS NOSE and even shivering a little now. He tilts his head toward the boys and flashes a sort of sinister grin.

Stebbins expands on his grin, COUGHS.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 88A.

Stebbins SNEEZES, blows his nose loudly on his hanky.

Stebbins cuts away to the side of the road, LAUGHING AND COUGHING SIMULTANEOUSLY. Parker, Baker and McVries speed up, take the front. Garraty and Barkovitch fall back just a bit.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 89.

Barkovitch is looking bad all of a sudden... even worse than the rest of them. A desperate smile appears on his face. He wobbles and grabs Garraty’s sleeve.

His HAND TIGHTENS CONVULSIVELY on Garraty’s sleeve, pulling it like an emergency-stop cord on a bus.

He pulls the MEDALLION out of his pocket, motions like he’s going to maybe show it(?) To Garraty, but stops.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 89A.

Garraty yanks his sleeve back and pulls away from Barkovitch, who continues to talk (maybe to himself) and then to CRY OUT LOUD (like a baby) for no obvious reason. Nobody says anything. Garraty pairs off with McVries.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 90.

Barkovitch cries louder - HUGE, GUTTURAL SOBS... then sudden LOUD SCREAMING... like a pained animal. He now looks less like a man and more like some rotten, dead, walking THING straight out of a George Romero film. Fever-sweat is pouring from him in buckets and his eyes are wild and bugging.

Garraty turns back to look at him. McVries does not.

They pass a PEN full of live HORSES.

He softens for a moment...

...Then loses it again. Barkovitch throws his YELLOW HAT to the ground. Collie Parker and Stebbins trample it.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 90A.

His voice keeps climbing, like a fire whistle gone insane, then only crying...

As Barkovitch becomes louder, he stirs the HORSES... they begin to NEIGH and WHINE.

Suddenly, Barkovitch reaches into his pocket and pulls out the small, metal SPOON...

His hand goes up to his neck. He pushes the blunt edge of the scoop in DEEPLY, until it outlines one edge of the trachea, then pierces the surface of the skin...

He continues to PUSH until HIS FLESH BREAKS OPEN completely...

BLOOD OOZES, and then- He PULLS IT OUT and SMASHES IT BACK IN... over and over again until his neck is a gaping, bloody mess.

The HORSES are WAILING... kicking and going crazy in the pen.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 91.

The rest of them scatter away from him. Barkovitch goes on SCREAMING AND GOBBLING AND CLAWING AND WALKING, his feral face turned up toward the sky...

BLOOD SPILLS FROM HIS OPEN NECK. Then the fire whistle sound fails, and Barkovitch falls.

POP POP! POP! They shoot him. Nobody hears any warnings.

Barkovitch falls to the ground, limp and dead instantly; his hand drops the MEDALLION, now spattered with droplets of blood: There’s a tiny cartoon cat on it.

The boys walk silently, THE FIVE OF THEM. The only sound other than footsteps is WHEEZING AND COUGHING from Stebbins, who walks on his own, in the back. The road cuts in hard, snaky curves through the fog along an OPEN FIELD...

Garraty is dozing and so are the other Musketeers.

On the side of the road (luminous in the dense black of night) are two ABANDONED VEHICLES, both completely AFLAME. The remaining walkers all notice, but none of them comment. None are surprised. Apocalyptic FIRE is perfectly fitting at this stage of the game.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, COLLIE PARKER (of all people!) Begins to sing... softly (surprisingly sweet), and earnest.

McVries lights up, grins big and picks it up...

Parker smiles back at him, continues on...

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 91A.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 92.

The rest of them join in:

Woods are all around. There’s the soft, warm GLOW of a TOWN way off in the distance ahead.

There are remnants of an old SMASHED BIKE in the middle of the road.

Garraty hears a voice beside him:

He’s surprised that Parker is talking to him and thrown off even more by his calm tone.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 93.

Parker puts on some speed and disappears into the fog ahead.

Garraty’s suddenly uncomfortable - what’s he supposed to say?

McVries follows Parker into the fog and disappears.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 94.

They are entering a town... early 20th century buildings in shadow, a little ways off the road.

The same FIVE are left. They all look like SPOILED MEAT: bruised, mopey eyes, and thin, burnt skin under their loose, torn, and heavily soiled clothing.

THE MAJOR leads the pack in his Jeep. A SOLDIER drives and he stands in the vehicle, biting from a SANDWICH and toasting the Walkers. He swills once again from his TIN CUP, winces.

McVries’s face is a furry skull, eyes glittering feverishly.

He doesn’t sound like he has much fight left.

Baker is on the other side of McVries. His eyes are deep YELLOW; jaundiced.

Garraty lurches forward, off balance.

Garraty kicks off one shoe.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 95.

He does the same with the other and continues on SWOLLEN, MANGLED, BLOOD-SOAKED KNOBS that were once feet.

Garraty begins to recognize his surroundings. A YOUNG MAN in a car on the side of the road tracks the walkers, another car with a FAMILY OF FOUR is right beside it - all watching solemnly, but for the most part his hometown is a ghost town now, just like the others.

A HALFTRACK changes course and reveals: GINNIE GARRATY, wearing a black coat and WAVING A YELLOW SCARF to try and get his attention. She’s standing in front of an OLD STONE POST OFFICE. Garraty limps to the side of the road and keeps pace.

His MOTHER sees him and her expression turns from hope to HORROR: he’s a shell of the boy she’s used to seeing.

She smiles and tries to conceal the shock, but it’s not possible. Her eyes fill with tears and she becomes the face of pity and fear.

He reaches to her and she reaches back, but then stops herself. She wants so badly to touch him, but realizes the result would likely be fatal.

The HALFTRACK blocks his path and makes it so he can’t quite get to her. His chance is over... he has to keep walking.

McVries is beside him as they continue on.

Garraty looks back and keeps his eyes locked with hers as she waves. Something hits him as he sees her; a deep regret. The whole thing suddenly means nothing. All he wants to do is be with his mother.

Emotion overtakes him. Garraty bursts into a shambling, pigeon-toed RUN, BACK TOWARD THE SIDELINES(!) where she stands; his ripped socks flap at swollen feet.

An ARM grabs Garraty’s and pulls him back-

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 95A.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 96.

His Mother sees what he’s doing, cries out-

McVries’s lips are against Garraty’s ear and he’s SHOUTING.

He keeps on toward her, McVries still beside him.

He is so close. His mother reaches out to him; THEIR HANDS FINALLY TOUCH. HE GRIPS AND HOLDS ON...

His MOM LETS GO OF HIM and makes shooing gestures.

The HALFTRACK slows to a complete stop and 2 SOLDIERS jump off of it. The approach him with CARBINES RAISED and POINTED.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 97.

Tears are streaming down his mother’s face.

He lets McVries PULL HIM AWAY, down the road...

He BREAKS DOWN SOBBING.

McVries lets him go wearily.

Garraty WIPES HIS NOSE AS HE CONTINUES TO SOB, his traitorous feet carrying him along as they walk out of town...

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 98.

He shakes his head.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 99.

He trails off and goes somewhere else for a moment. Garraty lets him. He finally comes back.

McVries lifts his shirt to show a FOUR INCH SCAR up the side of his torso. Then he POINTS TO THE SCAR ON HIS FACE.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 100.

McVries looks at Garraty for a long while, carefully considering how much to share. Finally:

Garraty eyes him closely. McVries stares back at him.

The pack of five make their way along the road. They pass a RED CAR resting on its side in a field riddled with weeds.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 101.

Stebbins CHOKES ON PHLEGM at the end of his sentence and COUGHS HARD. It’s wet and ominously rumbly; a death rattle.

Stebbins wipes thick, sticky GOOP from both of his eyes; the whites are AFLAME WITH BRIGHT, SICKLY RED.

Stebbins HACKS UP A GLOB OF SOMETHING GREEN AND GELATINOUS, wipes fever-sweat from his brow. Nobody responds to him.

Baker wipes his nose, looks at his finger: BLOOD.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 101A.

Stebbins spits again, coughs. He’s visibly SHIVERING.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 102.

They turn to see Collie Parker CHARGING The HALFTRACK. He scales it quickly and GRABS THE GUN BARREL from a SOLDIER.

POP POP! It fires into the air as he struggles for it.

Parker gets control of the gun and BUTTS THE GUARD in the face... he falls off the HALFTRACK-

POP! Collie shoots him, and stands atop of the HALFTRACK, RIFLE IN HIS HANDS, MOMENTARILY VICTORIOUS...

THE SOLDIER is on the ground with a HOLE IN HIS HEAD (dead!).

The other soldiers have jumped from the halftrack.

BAM! SHOT IN THE GUT by one of the SOLDIERS.

Parker GOES TO HIS KNEES, his GUTS all over his torn khaki shirt and blue jeans. He looks down...

He knows he doesn’t want to go down like OLSON. In an instant, he makes a decision:

PARKER flips the rifle around and shoves the barrel under his chin- BAM! He puts himself out before they can watch him bleed to death.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 102A.

For a moment it looks like Stebbins is opening his mouth to answer, but instead he COUGHS SO HARD HE VOMITS. He rips another piece of his shirt off to make a fresh HANKY, wipes his lips off with it and blows his nose.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 103.

He hasn’t talked in a while, and now HIS NOSE IS BLEEDING BADLY. He doesn’t answer.

The road takes them around a banked curve and then sinks between two sloping green hills.

Stebbins has another COUGHING FIT that turns to laughter.

They trudge along. The road WINDS THROUGH DEEP WOODS like a snake. It begins to RAIN AGAIN.

They pass a section of CHARRED, DEAD TREES... there are BLUE BIRDS fluttering amongst them, bringing a strange beauty juxtaposed with the devastation.

Garraty takes it all in as he walks. The boys are quiet and there’s a peaceful stillness in the air except for occasional chirping from the forest.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 103A.

Ray snaps out of it.

He says it in a benign, unknowing way (it’s much worse than he thinks):

Garraty looks at Baker - his NOSE is GUSHING BLOOD; HIS CHEEKS AND NECK LATHERED WITH GORE.

Pink Rev. (07/29/24) 104.

He ZIG ZAGS DRUNKENLY ACROSS THE ROAD.

McVries watches him sadly. He knows Baker has to die because * he already looks dead, so he doesn’t argue. *

MCVRIES * Don’t feel bad, Art. You did your * best. And you made it a long way. *

Pink Rev. (07/29/24) 104A.

BAKER * I did. Didn’t I? *

MCVRIES * Sure did, and you even made some * friends. *

Baker smiles sweetly at McVries because he knows its true. *

MCVRIES * Aye, Musketeer. *

Baker sluggishly removes the CRUCIFIX from his neck.

Garraty puts the cross in his jacket pocket.

McVries nods in agreement. *

Pink Rev. (07/29/24) 105.

Ray begins to WEEP UNCONTROLLABLY.

Baker sticks his hand out blindly. Garraty shakes it. McVries * does the same. *

MCVRIES * Truly. *

And then Baker walks backward, in the opposite direction.

Garraty and McVries keep their promise and don’t look back- *

POP! A shot in the distance behind them. Neither flinch.

The THREE of them amble along laboriously. The RAIN falls constant and monotonous.

They are crossing a COVERED BARRED BRIDGE with sparse patches of civilization all around them that doesn’t quite constitute a TOWN.

McVries is a hollow-eyed, sickly version of the Wolf-Man.

Stebbins is wheezing and shivering between mucus-coughs.

Garraty is an oily, yellow skeleton.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 106.

Stebbins chuckles.

Garraty says it with a hint of psychosis... (What could they possibly be talking about?). These are the end times.

Stebbins SNORTS, HOCKS AND SPITS. He coughs and clears his throat before speaking, but it doesn’t help; his voice is so hoarse now that it’s barely recognizable.

A separate HALFTRACK is assigned to each of them now.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 107.

THE DUN COLORED JEEP sits on the side of the road. THE MAJOR in passenger seat, one of his BLACK BOOTS propped up on the DASHBOARD, a Lucky Strike in one hand and the MEGAPHONE in the other. He takes drags and says:

Stebbins appears horrified when he says it.

McVries BREAKS OUT IN LAUGHTER.

The Major takes a long pause and finally says excitedly:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 108.

Finally, Stebbins pulls his RABBIT’S FOOT out and holds it by the chain. He swings it slowly back and forth like a pendulum.

His pale blue eyes stare into the falling rain. They have the disturbing shimmer of serious illness.

He drops the RABBIT’S FOOT to the ground in front of him and STEPS ON IT intentionally, leaves it there.

McVries runs his tongue over cracked lips.

Garraty is stunned

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 108A.

He laughs dryly and sadly, COUGHS UP SOME MORE GREEN PHLEGM.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 109.

Both Garraty and McVries (at least in this one brief moment) feel pity for him.

They walk on, somehow in step, certainly for the last time.

THE MAJOR appears and WALKS along with the halftrack, silent... his hands clasped behind his back.

Stebbins COUGHS and chokes.

McVries gets close enough to put a hand on Stebbins shoulder, he RIPS A PIECE OF HIS OWN SLEEVE OFF...

Stebbins turns and looks at McVries with huge floating, jaundiced eyes that see nothing for a moment. McVries hands him the MAKESHIFT HANDKERCHIEF.

Stebbins takes it and wipes his face, blows his nose. There’s a RIVER OF SNOT ON HIS UPPER LIP. He SNEEZES and brown-green OOZE spurts from his nostrils onto Pete’s face.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 110.

He reaches and claws at McVries’s SHIRT, pulling it open. McVries WHEEZES, and says hoarsely but emphatically:

He FALLS DOWN.

McVries stumbles past, flashing a glazed, half-confused glance at him on the ground before shambling forward.

Garraty follows close behind, stepping over Stebbins’s legs with a lack of recognition and emotion that seems less out of vitriol and more out of dire exhaustion.

STEBBINS lays on his back and looks somewhat content(?) for the first time, relaxing there and looking up at the sky.

Stebbins sits up just enough to look at directly at THE MAJOR: He SMILES at him.

He puts his HANDS OUT and meets eyes with the GUARDS.

He MOTIONS them over to him with his hands: bring it on...

Up ahead, They limp along. Neither of them turn or react. All that is over. Finally, after a long silence:

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 110A.

The two of them. Rain keeps coming heavily. They are in an INDUSTRIAL area (brick and cement buildings all around them). The road dips UNDER A TRAIN TRESTLE.

2 HALFTRACKS left, one for each of them.

McVries hacks and spits.

POV MCVRIES: up ahead, he sees A DARK, WEEPING FIGURE, BECKONING HIM. It looks somehow familiar...

He tries to get his attention, to show him THE FIGURE. But when he looks back... it’s gone.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 111.

The two of them look like OLD, DECREPIT MEN.

McVries stumbles drunkenly against Garraty.

Garraty and McVries wander along shabbily like the undead.

They enter a CITY; large BRICK OFFICE BUILDINGS and APARTMENT DWELLINGS all around.

There’s finally a CROWD waiting for them here, contained by rope and stanchions on each side of the road.

The MAJOR WALKS ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, FIRES his .38 into the air!

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 112.

He UNHOOKS A STRAND OF ROPE and the CROWD floods out of it, FOLDS IN and moves steadily en masse with The Walkers. Garraty clocks them, disgusted. McVries looks at them for a moment too, but is blank and expressionless.

There are two POLICE VEHICLES driving slowly in front of them, leading the final two in this final stretch. Garraty notices McVries’s head has dropped. HE’S WALKING AT THE GAWKING CROWD. The Halftrack follows him.

He darts to McVries, grabs his shoulders, sets him straight. McVries looks up sleepily and smiles (the old slanted smile!)

Acceptance in Pete’s eyes. Panic in his friend’s.

McVries looks at him for a moment, then smiles again. He SITS DOWN, cross-legged on the pavement like a world-beaten monk. The scar on his cheek is a white slash in the darkness.

Garraty grabs him and tries to PICK HIM UP but it’s near impossible. Two SOLDIERS DISMOUNT THE HALFTRACK, raise their CARBINES. Garraty yanks at McVries, can’t lift him.

McVries wriggles away from him.

McVries smiles tiredly. Garraty begins to cry.

Garraty freezes while he says it, to listen.

For a beat, it looks like he’s going to let him go. But then:

Garraty finds something deep within himself (something he didn’t even know was left)...

He LIFTS MCVRIES OFF OF THE GROUND in one powerful, undeniable move.

McVries has no choice but to be swept up, and onto his FEET.

Garraty HOLDS HIM TIGHTLY, IN A FULL EMBRACE. The boys are FACE TO FACE:

He drags him along as he walks.

This hits McVries... hard.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 114.

There are tears streaming down Garraty’s face now, and he’s sobbing like a baby.

And with that, Garraty CRIES OUT (a shrill, painful cry) and SHOVES him forward, hoping that the sheer force will instigate walking rather than a fall...

The CROWD EXPLODES IN APPLAUSE! It WORKS! McVries is walking. At least for now... Stumbling along like a mad, wind-up-toy. His legs somehow working, but his upper body completely limp.

CU ON MCVRIES: He smiles big, walks forward...

THUD! McVries hears something drop to the ground behind him. His expression changes:

McVries slows... Garraty waves him on and mouths:

There’s no other way; THE SOLDIERS HAVE THEIR WEAPONS AIMED.

McVries walks slowly backward, not taking his eyes away from Garraty.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 115.

POP! A soldier shoots.

There’s A BULLET HOLE IN HIS BACK; he can’t move his legs. He’s pulling himself along with his arms, trying to get up, but it doesn’t matter- he’s used up his warnings...

GARRATY IS GETTING HIS TICKET.

THE MAJOR emerges from the crowd and walks to the side of Garraty, who’s now surrounded by soldiers.

McVries STOPS and SO DOES THE CROWD. Nobody seems to care if he walks anymore.

The SOLDIER closest to Garraty HANDS HIS CARBINE ceremoniously to THE MAJOR (they’ve done this before). He raises the rifle, POINTS IT AT HIS HEAD...

Ray lifts his head one last time. He SMILES.

Garraty closes his eyes, at peace (he’s ready).

BAM! The Major pulls the trigger-

A SHOT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. His face flops onto pavement.

The sound of the crowd is APOCALYPTIC.

McVries CRIES UNCONTROLLABLY, falls to his knees.

THE RAIN IS COMING DOWN STEADILY and the CROWD is still. McVries hangs his head, bulge-eyed, jaw agape.

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 116.

POP! POP! POP! Suddenly FIREWORKS EXPLODE above; brilliant and glorious RED creeping across the night-sky like giant flaming spiders...

PETER MCVRIES IS THE WINNER.

Between cracks of the fireworks and the patter of rain, McVries hears the beginnings the music(?) from the crowd. At first it is disorganized and dissonant, but it soon coheres into the great chorus of a massive, A CAPPELLA CHOIR...

The song CONTINUES (surreal and beautiful)...

In his crouch, he turns to see that same FAMILIAR DARK FIGURE in the distance, up the road, beckoning. He rises and walks toward it.

From out of nowhere THE MAJOR steps in and cuts him off with TWO SOLDIERS, salutes him. McVries looks confused (almost offended) that his walk is interrupted. THE RAIN KEEPS ON.

PO! POP! The FIREWORKS... hyper-color and majestic above.

He looks at the Major for a long while... Then, finally, THE OLD MCVRIES RETURNS (just a little).

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 117.

McVries points to the SOLDIER to the left of The Major and the RIFLE. The SOLDIER looks to The Major, as if to ask...

He smiles like a proud father. The SOLDIER unslings the weapon and passes it to McVries...

McVries (in an instant) RAISES THE GUN and POINTS THE CARBINE AT THE MAJOR, eyes him through the sight. The SOLDIERS begin to raise their rifles...

THE CROWD ABRUPTLY STOPS SINGING “GOD BLESS AMERICA”.

The CAMERAS TURN AWAY FROM THEM, POWER DOWN. The Major smiles.

McVries trembles as he squeezes the trigger....

POP! POP! POP!... MORE FIREWORKS. McVries loosens his grip...

Blue Rev. (07/16/24) 118.

McVries TIGHTENS HIS GRIP AGAIN. The rain pours.

McVries thinks on it, hesitates... then:

Fuck it.

BAM! Once more, right through the heart. He wobbles and DROPS.

There is an audible gasp from the crowd, then nothing except the sound of rain patter on the pavement....

The soldiers lower their weapons.

McVries stares off, expressionless, DROPS THE CARBINE.

Beyond the crowd, past the jeep, further down the road, he sees THE DARK FIGURE from before: It has no face, no definitive shape, but still, it BECKONS HIM. The Figure is backlit by floods from the lead military vehicle.

McVries WANDERS TOWARDS THE FIGURE, trance-like, compelled.

With each step he takes, The Figure seems to get further away... further down the road.

He looks down at his wrist device: 2.8 MPH

McVries picks up the pace; his perpetual forward stare unwavering; his eyes locked in on the thing up ahead.

He looks down: 3.1 MPH... That’s it. Perfect.

He continues on, into the darkness, wild-eyed and determined. He’s back in it now, walking again... back where he knows he belongs-

CUT TO BLACK