Jericho Page #8

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JAKE (CONT'D)

It’s okay, Stacy. Calm down.

A little boy brings the first aid kit over. The little

Blonde Girl looks at it. Panicked. Breathing faster.

JAKE (CONT’D)

Just breathe normally. You’re

going to be okay.

The girl nods. Terrified. Her breathing faster.

37.

JAKE (CONT’D)

Oh, God. Calm down. You’re making

it worse.

Jake fumbles for the emergency ice pack. Punches it to break

the seal. Shakes it up. The girl’s eyes start to flutter.

JAKE (CONT’D)

Stay with me. Come on.

The girl gives Jake a look of sheer horror, then she

collapses in his arms. The children scream.

Wake up.

JAKE (CONT’D)

Wake up.

He lays the girl on the floor and puts the ice pack on her

throat. He frantically searches his pockets. He rushes over

to the coat and pulls out the flask. He puts the metal of it

near her nose. No breath.

Dammit!

JAKE (CONT’D)

78 EXT. TOWN SQUARE - NIGHT 78

Alvie’s mother, Alvie, and Stephanie surround the Fire Chief

along with a crowd, shouting questions. “Did they blow up the

power station?” “We’re under attack!” And then... ROD

HAWKINS approaches.

ROD HAWKINS:

Folks, I doubt anyone blew up the

power station. It was probably adrain on the system from Denver.

FIRE CHIEF:

Are you the science teacher?

79 EXT. OLD SHACK HOUSE - NIGHT 79

Knock. Knock. Peter stands with Mayor Green, who coughs.

PETER:

Dad, did you take your pills?

MAYOR GREEN:

I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.

Suddenly, the door flies open and a shotgun is leveled at the

Mayor’s chest. Chik-chik. After a beat, OLD MAN OLIVER, 68,

a bonafide kook, puts down the gun.

38.

OLD MAN OLIVER:

Sorry, Mr. Mayor. Thought you were

aliens. We’re under attack by

aliens, don’t you know?

MAYOR GREEN:

Oliver, do you have your ham radio?

OLD MAN OLIVER:

Yeah, but I ain’t got power to run

it.

PETER:

I know someone with a generator.

OLD MAN OLIVER:

Okay, then. 50 cents.

OLIVER!

PETER:

OLD MAN OLIVER:

I need my 50 cents.

The Mayor pulls out a dollar.

OLD MAN OLIVER (CONT'D)

Okay, let me get your change.

80 EXT. SHERIFF’S CAR - NIGHT 80

The Sheriff drives through the darkness.

SHERIFF:

Jimmy, what’s your 20?

JIMMY (V.O.)

Willow Creek, Sheriff. Nothing.

SHERIFF:

We’re almost to Cedar Run.

The nervous YOUNG COP stares at the Geiger counter, waiting

for it to CLIK-CLIK. You can almost hear his heartbeat.

81 INT. SCHOOL BUS - NIGHT 81

The school kids are beside themselves with panic. They’reshouting. Crying. Jake rummages through the first aid kit.

Band-aids. Gauze. Not what he needs.

39.

JAKE:

Kids, calm down. I need to focus.

Please. I need quie-- DAMMIT!

WOULD YOU SHUT THE HELL UP!?

His shouting only made it worse. And then, out of nowhere...

HEATHER:

THE FIRST PERSON WHO STOPS TALKING

DOESN’T HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL

TOMORROW!

Immediate silence. Jake looks at Heather, who nods at him.

“Go ahead.” As he rummages through the bus driver’s pockets,

Jake turns to the kids.

JAKE:

Kids. I need everyone right now to

help me. Who has a pen? Anyonehave a pen?

LITTLE BOY:

(hopeful)

We have pencils.

JAKE:

No. A tube. Something hollow. A

straw.

GIRL (O.S.)

I have a straw.

JAKE:

Who said that?

A girl raises her hand. Jake rushes over to her.

JAKE (CONT’D)

Let me see it. Let me see it.

She hands him her... juice box. Jake pulls out the straw.

JAKE (CONT’D)

It’s too thin. Does anyone else

have a juice box?

30 hands go up.

JAKE (CONT’D)

Get them out. Now. What’s yourname?

Jake points to the first little girl who raised her hand.

40.

JULIE:

Julie.

JAKE:

Give your straws to Julie. Quick.

Jake moves back to the first aid kit. Grabs two band-aids.

The kids all hand the straws to Julie.

JAKE (CONT’D)

Kids, put the straws in a circle.

The kids do it literally.

JAKE (CONT'D)

(barks)

No. No. No. Not a circle circle.

The kids don’t understand. Heather gestures with her hand...

HEATHER:

Like your moms when they measure

spaghetti. Or pick up sticks

before you drop them.

The kids get it. They start putting the juice box straws in

a tight bunch, making the equivalent of a wide straw. Jake

hands 2 band aids to Julie.

JAKE:

Make it tight.

Jake fumbles through his pockets as Heather guides the kids.

HEATHER:

(calm)

Nice and tight on the bottom. Good

Julie. Now, the top. Nice, Roy.

Jake pulls out his father’s... SWISS ARMY KNIFE. He opensthe knife and flask. Then, he douses the blade with alcohol.

82 INT. SHERIFF’S CAR - NIGHT 82

The Young Cop keeps looking at the Geiger counter. Paranoid.

JIMMY (V.O.)

Sheriff. Anything? Over.

SHERIFF:

No. We don’t-- wait. I see

something. This could be it.

41.

83 INT. SCHOOL BUS - NIGHT 83

Jake bends over the Blonde girl. The kids lean, staring.

HEATHER:

Give him some room, kids.

The kids back away. Jake grips the knife in his right hand.

He looks at the soft skin in the divit below her neck. He

puts his sprained left arm on the girl’s chest. Winces.

JAKE:

Who’s the strongest kid?

17 hands go up. 8 boys. 7 girls. “Me.” “Me.” “Me.”

Danny.

HEATHER:

You.

Danny, wide-eyed, approaches.

JAKE:

Danny. I hurt my left arm. I need

you to hold down her shoulders in

case she wakes up. And don’t look.

Danny is frightened, but does as he’s told. Jake bends over,

his left arm now on her forehead. He brings the blade to her

neck. Danny shuts his eyes. We don’t see it. But Jake

starts making the incision. Danny slowly peaks open his left

eye. Curiosity killed the cat. We see Danny’s reaction to

the blood. And Jake’s focus.

JAKE (CONT'D)

Grab the gauze. Stay with me, son.

84 INT. JIMMY’S POLICE CAR - NIGHT 84

Jimmy drives. Bill’s in the passenger seat.

Jimmy.

SHERIFF (V.O.)

We see the bus.

JIMMY:

Thank God. What’s your 20?

SHERIFF (V.O.)

About 6 miles west of 183.

JIMMY:

You want us?

42.

SHERIFF (V.O.)

Keep looking for Jake.

JIMMY:

10-4.

Jimmy holsters the radio. After all the intense focus of the

last few hours, the relief breaks him. He starts crying.

BILL:

Better not let the sheriff catch

you do that.

Jimmy smiles. Bill pats his back.

85 INT. SCHOOL BUS - NIGHT 85

Jake finishes the incision and lifts up his arm. He wipeshis forearm on his forehead. Blood. He nods to Danny, who

gives him the gauze. Jake mops up the small pool of blood on

the girl’s neck.

JAKE:

Julie. Where are my straws?

Julie hands him the juice box straws all wrapped tight. He

brings the contraption to the incision. Danny watches as

Jake inserts the juice box straws into the incision. His

mouth hangs open. “Wow.” Jake bends down, revealing the CPR

sign behind him. He moves his mouth to the straws. He

blows. The girl’s chest doesn’t move.

JAKE (CONT’D)

Come on, Stacy.

86 INT. SHERIFF’S CAR - CONTINUOUS 86

Through the windshield, we see a bus.

sheriff’s car are ecstatic.

The men in the

SHERIFF:

Let’s not start cheering. Stayfocused. They may need help.

The car stops. The Sheriff and his men move toward the bus.

87 INT. SCHOOL BUS - CONTINUOUS 87

Danny hands Jake 2 band-aids. Jake quickly tapes them around

the juice box straws to make the seal around the air hole

tighter. He moves to it again. Blows into the tube. The

girl’s chest moves up and down. Jake blows again.

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