Bird Box Page #14

3) Felix tries on his motorcycle helmet. Waves his hand in

front of his visor.

TOM (V.O.)

Then we find our access points to

gas stations. Grocery stores.

Hospitals. We stock up.

4) Cheryl stands in the bathroom, staving off a panic attack.

TOM (V.O.)

And we return home the same way.

82.

INT. UPSTAIRS HALL - MOMENTS LATER

Cheryl steps out of the hall bathroom, still full of dread.

Lucy catches up to her at that moment. Nearly passes her by.

LUCY:

Hey. You okay?

CHERYL:

Oh, yes.

(then)

I don’t know how you do this.

You’re so... brave. And clever.

Cheryl’s whole concept of who Lucy was has been demolished.

It’s enough in this moment for Lucy to revise her views, too.

She reaches out and puts a comforting hand on Cheryl.

LUCY:

I’m scared, too. Just like you. But

we got this. Because we’re clever.

Cheryl nods, mustering courage again.

CHERYL:

Yeah. Okay.

INT. GREG’S HOUSE - DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM - DAY

Malorie washes her face with water she pours from a jug.

She hears voices nearby. Leaning out the door, she spies-

DONALD AND TOM facing off in the dimly-lit dining room, near

a china cabinet of plateware no one will ever use.

DONALD:

No one’s thinking about it.

TOM:

What are you on about this time?

Donald speaks quickly with clenched teeth:

DONALD:

Soon we’ll have two infants. That’s

an added strain to our food supply,

our medical supply, and fresh water

supply, not to mention the noise of

two crying babies could bring those

things right to our door. What are

you gonna do when that’s a problem?

83.

Tom is done with Donald’s sh*t.

TOM:

What’s your solution? Go on.

DONALD:

Doesn’t matter, I’m not the leader.

You are. They’re your problem. One

day you’ll have to tell everyone

the only way to guarantee survival

is to stab out your own eyes, and

then we’ll see how popular you are.

TOM:

Is that what this is about? Being

leader? Fine, take it. It’s yours.

Go tell everybody your plan.

Donald balks at this. Starts to retort but doesn’t have a

ready comeback. Tom slaps him on the shoulder.

TOM (CONT’D)

All right, then how about you try

to think in terms of group survival

versus just your own. Okay?

Tom leaves Donald to stew his own fear of leadership.

DONALD:

Maybe I will.

Malorie, who’s seen this all, slinks out of the bathroom.

INT. MUD ROOM - DAY

At the back door, Tom is first to arrive at the mud room for

the supply run.

Malorie approaches and hugs Tom. He hugs back. But she

doesn’t let go. Into his ear:

MALORIE:

I read that when you hug for twenty

seconds, it releases oxytocin into

your system. Helps calm the nerves.

TOM:

I’ll take it.

MALORIE:

What did you do? Before all this.

84.

TOM:

You really wanna know?

(then, grinning)

Optometrist. There goes my career.

Malorie laughs. Nearly snorts. A genuine surprised laugh.

It’s infectious, and gets Tom giggling.

MALORIE:

Oh my god! Ohh. I can’t remember

the last time I laughed. Thank you.

She puts her hand on his chest. He keeps it there. An

unspoken invitation to tenderness. Malorie’s eyes sparkle.

TOM:

And you? What did you do?

MALORIE:

Whatever paid the bills until I

figured out what I want to be.

TOM:

A mom?

MALORIE:

Not really. I’m terrible at it.

The budgie in the box near Tom TWEETS softly. Lyrically.

TOM:

I don’t think you give yourself

enough credit. You’re a survivor,

and survivors make good parents.

(grins)

Wouldn’t I make a good father?

Malorie looks up at Tom. Wondering if he’s asking what she

thinks he is. She starts to reply, when Tom looks past her:

TOM (CONT’D)

Gary?

Malorie looks back to find Gary standing nearby. Felix, Lucy,

and Cheryl all arrive behind him.

GARY:

I was thinking? You guys have been

doing this for a while, and really

I’m the new one around here, so I

should go.

TOM:

We could use one more.

85.

GARY:

No, I mean, I should go in

someone’s place. Most of you have

already done this at least once.

TOM:

Well. You don’t have to-

FELIX:

(eager)

I’ll stay.

All eyes on Felix now. But he’s not ashamed of it.

FELIX (CONT’D)

What? Those things out there scare

the sh*t outta me.

LUCY:

I thought you were going with me.

FELIX:

Only because you’re hot, but then I

realized I’m gonna be blindfolded

the whole time, so, whatever.

TOM:

All right, let’s go. Gary, get

something for your eyes.

(at Malorie)

We’ll be back in a couple hours.

Malorie nods. The others gather at the back door.

Lucy looks back at Felix, eyebrow arched.

LUCY:

You think I’m hot?

FELIX:

Well, I mean-(

owns it)

Yes. Yes I do.

Lucy points to him before she exits with the others.

LUCY:

Be ready when I come back.

Felix realizes her meaning and looks to Malorie with a grin

of surprise:
“I’m gonna get laid today!”

86.

EXT. GREG’S BACK YARD - DAY

From the tarp-covered back door, a four-person chain emerges

on march alongside the house.

Tom leads, followed by Lucy, then Cheryl, and Gary brings up

the tail. They walk with one hand on the shoulder of the

person in front of them. All wearing some form of blindfold.

INT. MUD ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Malorie stays by the door, listening to Tom’s voice leading

the group away.

DONALD (O.S.)

Tom better come back.

She looks over at Donald, who’s been watching her.

MALORIE:

Why do you care now?

DONALD:

He’s the glue of the group. And

most of you wouldn’t know how to

survive on your own.

Donald exits down into the basement, leaving Malorie cold.

INT. LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Malorie sits down next to Olympia and returns to holding her

hand. Olympia smiles through her cramps.

OLYMPIA:

Can we-(

breathes)

Can we do something distracting?

MALORIE:

Like what?

OLYMPIA:

Anything.

Malorie looks around and her eyes land on the phone book,

next to the phone.

She gives the book to Olympia and puts the phone in her lap.

87.

MALORIE:

Here. Turn to the bookmarked page

and read me the next number.

Olympia opens the book to find PAGE AFTER PAGE of residential

names either circled or crossed through. Stopping at ‘M.’

OLYMPIA:

What is this?

MALORIE:

I’ve been calling people, leaving

messages when I get a machine.

Maybe there’s a doctor out there,

or someone who knows more about

what’s going on. Anyway, it be nice

to talk to someone new. Yeah?

Olympia doesn’t argue. She finds the next name.

OLYMPIA:

Bill Martinson. 980-1023.

Malorie dials the number. Listens to it ring.

MALORIE:

(into phone)

Hello, yes, my name is Malorie.

There is a group of us here in

Riverbridge, on Shillingham Drive.

If you get this message, call us

back at this number. Please.

OLYMPIA:

Julie Marx. 761-8811.

Malorie dials another number. Listens. Waits. Shakes her head

at Olympia.

Olympia marks through the name, but winces at the end of it,

dropping her marker. Her eyes go wide-

OLYMPIA (CONT’D)

Malorie. It’s happening now.

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