Jericho Page #10

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GAIL:

Get this letter to my husband

immediately.

108 EXT. SCHOOL BUS - NIGHT 108

We see a pair of little feet run toward the lug wrench. The

feet jump. The feet land. Click. The lug nut budges. The

image tracks up to a little fat girl. Jake smiles.

JAKE:

What’s your name?

49.

HILDA:

Hilda.

Jake smiles at her. Hilda smiles back. A long beat.

JAKE:

(funny)

I DIDN’T TELL YOU TO STOP JUMPING.

COME ON!

Hilda goes back to starting position. Jake shakes his head.

JAKE (CONT’D)

God, is there anything worse than

handling kids?

109 EXT. SHELL GAS STATION - NIGHT 109

The answer is yes. Handling adults. The gas can is dropped

as the Burly Man throws the first punch.

110 INT. SHELL GAS STATION - CONVENIENCE MART - NIGHT 110

Over the shouting protests of the Clerk, the angry crowd

begins taking the convenience store’s water supply.

CLERK:

Where are you going!? You can’t

just take it!

111 INT. GRACIE LEIGH’S SUPERMARKET - NIGHT 111

Dale Turner leaves the store through the back, his arms

loaded with frozen foods. Gracie is confused and frightened.

GRACIE LEIGH:

Dale, what are you doing, honey?

Please, don’t steal from me!

112 EXT. TOWN SQUARE - NIGHT 112

The Fire Chief, Rod Hawkins, and the Firemen are surrounded

on all sides. Gray Anderson watches them confer.

FIRE CHIEF:

Lights. Lights. Well, we got acouple portable generators. And

some flashlights. Not enough to

cover the streets, though.

FIRE MAN (V.O.)

Chief, we got real problems down

here at the Shell Station.

50.

Gray Anderson hears the news about the Shell Station. He

considers. Then, he leaves the scene.

113 EXT. BAILEY’S TAVERN - NIGHT 113

Peter stands with Mary Bailey, the sexy barmaid, out in the

alley. He’s on his knee, trying to start the generator.

MARY BAILEY:

Peter, what are we going to do?

PETER:

I don’t know.

MARY BAILEY:

I’m scared. Peter...

Peter turns around. She looks at him. One look and we

suddenly realize... they are not talking about the bomb.

PETER:

I can’t... we can’t... not anymore.

MARY BAILEY:

But... Peter, I need you.

PETER:

I’m sorry. I have to be there for

my family.

114 INT. BAILEY’S TAVERN - NIGHT 114

The lights come on. The frightened crowd surrounds the Mayor

as he turns on the ham radio.

MAYOR GREEN:

This is Mayor Johnston Green of

Jericho, Kansas... we are trying to

contact the governor, the national

guard, and the Crawford Power

plant. Is anyone there?

115 EXT. SCHOOL BUS - NIGHT 115

The 4 lug nuts are on the ground. Jake slaps himself a

couple of times to stay awake, but the blood loss is making

it difficult. Hilda huffs and puffs.

HILDA:

Are you okay, mister?

51.

JAKE:

Just don’t let me fall asleep,

Hilda. Come on, guys.

Jake directs two boys pull the flat tire off of the bus.

They pick up the spare tire. Jake helps them guide it into

the right spot. Click. Jake grabs the lug wrench, puts the

lug nut in place, and starts turning.

116 EXT. JERICHO STREET - NIGHT 116

Gray Anderson continues walking, past terrified townspeople.

117 INT. BAILEY’S TAVERN - NIGHT 117

Mayor Green keeps trying channels. Static. Static. MaryBailey looks at Peter. Peter looks away. The EMT CREW CHIEF

enters with the sealed envelope.

EMT CREW CHIEF:

Sir... a letter from your wife.

118 EXT. TOWN SQUARE - NIGHT 118

The Fire Chief listens to the radio.

RADIO (V.O.)

We’re 2 minutes from the Shell

station, chief.

The Fire Chief puts his radio away. He looks at the portable

generators, flashlights, and lanterns on the streets. Sighs.

FIRE CHIEF:

We’re just not going to have enough

light.

FIRE MAN:

Maybe torches? I don’t know.

VOICE (O.S.)

Turn on your headlights.

The Fire Chief looks around in the crowd. They find the face

of... Rod Hawkins.

ROD HAWKINS:

Have everyone turn on their head

lights and point them at the street.

The Fire Chief looks at Rod Hawkins.

52.

FIRE CHIEF:

Are you sure you’re not the science

teacher?

119 EXT. GRACIE LEIGH’S SUPERMARKET - BACK ALLEY - NIGHT 119

Dale Turner exits the store, his arms loaded with frozen

dinners. And just when we thought he was indeed looting,

Gracie Leigh follows, her own arms loaded with frozen foods.

The image follows Gracie as she lays the dinners on...

... and enormous stack of frozen foods. Dale has turned the

freezing alley into a makeshift freezer. It looks like Dale

and she put the whole store in the back alley.

DALE:

The food won’t go rotten as long as

the weather stays below freezing.

But we need to get a tarp up to

keep the sun off of it tomorrow

morning. Hopefully, they’ll fix

the power before then.

GRACIE LEIGH:

Thank you for this, Dale. But I

can take it from here. You should

get on back to your mother.

Dale is silent. Then, he begins crying. It finally dawns onGracie that Dale is all alone in this world. She holds him.

120 INT. BAILEY’S TAVERN - NIGHT 120

The crowd watches as Mayor Green reads the letter. We see a

few words. “Bonnie Peterson...” “Atlanta...” At the bottom

of the letter... “Honey, how many pills do you have left?”

PETER:

What does the letter say, dad?

121 EXT. SCHOOL BUS - NIGHT 121

Jake tightens that last lug nut. Starts to lower the jack.

122 INT. SCHOOL BUS - CONTINUOUS 122

Julie sits with Heather, who looks ghastly now.

HILDA:

Miss?

HEATHER:

Yes, Julie?

53.

JULIE:

Are we going to have school

anymore?

Heather is about to say, “Of course” when she stops.

realizes she has no idea what tomorrow will bring.

She

HEATHER:

We’ll figure it out, honey.

JULIE:

I vote no.

Heather smiles, weakly. Just then, Hilda and the two boys

rush into the bus, followed by Jake. He moves to the school

bus driver, grabs him with his right arm, and struggles to

drag him out of the seat.

123 INT. BAILEY’S TAVERN - NIGHT 123

Mayor Green looks at the frightened crowd.

folds the letter.

Somberly. He

MAYOR GREEN:

Bonnie Peterson's boyfriend was

killed outside of Atlanta by...

another explosion. We can rule out

accidents now. We’re under attack.

124 EXT. SHELL GAS STATION - NIGHT 124

The fight has spread. People are beginning to loot more than

the water at the convenience mart. The Fire Men scream.

FIRE MEN:

“For God’s sake!” “Stop it!”

“We’re all in this together!”

125 INT. BAILEY’S TAVERN - NIGHT 125

The Mayor turns back to the ham radio. He struggles to keep

his composure in front of the distraught crowd as he leans

into the ham radio microphone.

MAYOR GREEN:

This is Mayor Johnston Green of

Jericho, Kansas. Is there anyoneout there who might have seen...

(voice breaks)

... my son?

54.

126 INT. SCHOOL BUS - NIGHT 126

Jake gets in the driver’s seat. He starts the engine. He

blinks twice. Feeling faint. His leg bleeding. He fightsit. But he can’t. He collapses. His head hits the steering

wheel with a...

127 INT. BAILEY’S TAVERN - NIGHT 127

GONG! The church bell is ringing. The Mayor, Peter, Mary

Bailey, and the others look at each other.

128 EXT. GREEN FAMILY HOUSE - NIGHT 128

GONG! Gail and Ann leave the house to see what’s going on.

Ann carries the baby. Gail holds Woody’s hand.

129 INT. SCHOOL BUS - NIGHT 129

Hilda, crying, pounds on Jake’s shoulders.

HILDA:

Mister, wake up! Please, wake up!

130 EXT. SHELL GAS STATION - NIGHT 130

GONG! The noise quiets down the crowd.

131 EXT. TOWN SQUARE - NIGHT 131

GONG! Alvie, his mother, Stephanie, Rod Hawkins, and the

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