Marlowe Page #13

---

MONTAGE:

A) Marlowe is sitting in front of the computer reading

medical texts in different pajamas.

B) Marlowe with a calendar on screen that he checks off the

days with which shows many weeks passed.

C) Marlowe reading new news on the number of dead from the

spreading epidemic.

D) Marlowe in different pajamas, months later, holding his

head from the pain of the terrible news he reads on the

screen.

INT. DINING ROOM – DAY

It was a morning like most of the others except that Lloyd

was engrossed about the news on the television and he sat in

front of it most of the day – also talking to Harley back on

the farm.

Cole and Marlowe played in front of the television.

NEWSCASTER:

The virus in California has

spread from the patient who

brought it from another country

to one aid worker and one

doctor who were all in quarantine.

COLE:

What is quarnteen mean dad?

LLOYD:

It means that you are put in a

place where other people can’t

come in contact with you unless

they are wearing protective

clothing with gloves and a mask

and everything.

Marlowe hung out of Cole’s pocket and seemed glued to the

television. His eyes watched every word and he listened to

every sound and seemed to understand something that Lloyd and

Marlowe did not.

He climbed part way back into the pocket and listened to Cole

and Lloyd talk about the bug and how it hurt you and how it

could hurt a large number of people and even kill them.

Louise comes in from the kitchen.

LOUISE:

What is in the news that has

you all so captivated?

LLOYD:

The virus in California spread

to a doctor and a worker.

Lloyd looks across at Louise who sits down and listened for a

while.

LLOYD:

It’s a different strain than

the last one that killed so

many in Africa. This is more

dangerous and they are saying

it has mutated.

Louise gets up and leaves without saying anything.

Lloyd continues – talking to himself.

LLOYD:

California is in quarantine and

the people in the largely

concentrated cities were afraid

and are looking for a way out.

And – of course – the snow storm

of the last one hundred years

is blanketing the whole country

from the west to the east.

Everything is different. This

thing escaped the cages we built

for it and now it’s out.

INT. COLE’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

It is very early in the morning and the outside world was

dark and cold and covered in snow.

Lloyd reaches over and shakes his son.

LLOYD:

Cole, Cole, wake up son and

get dressed.

COLE:

What’s happening dad?

LLOYD:

We’re leaving, now.

Cole jumps out of bed and gets dressed.

He lifted off the top of the toy house but Marlowe was

already awake and ready.

He jumps out of the house and up into the pocket of Cole.

COLE:

Something big must have happened

because we’re leaving.

LLOYD (O.S.)

Come on son, bring Marlowe’s house.

Cole reaches down and wraps his arms around the house and

takes it down the stairs.

IN. APARTMENT STAIRCASE - NIGHT

At the bottom of the stairs he recognized a familiar face as

Harley helps carry other things down to a waiting van.

INT. THE VAN - NIGHT

Into the van went some suit cases, a few day bags and boxes –

filled with money.

Smoker and Miss. Penny were on the bottom of their travel

cages and pushed up next to the back of the back seats.

Marlowe’s house was next and then some pillows and blankets,

and the guns.

LLOYD:

Don’t touch these Cole, they’re

loaded and dangerous.

Smoker started barking and biting at the sides of his cage.

Everyone piled in and Harley locked all the doors and turned

on the wipers.

LLOYD:

Listen everyone, we are going

home but we have to drive

through the city first to get

out to the highway. It’s going

to be dangerous because no one

is supposed to be traveling and

especially trying to leave

because the city is under

quarantine. Just buckle up and

hold on and let Harley do the

driving. Thank you Harley, for

risking your life for us – we

will not forget.

Harley pushed down the gas pedal and the van slips and slides

until the four wheels grip the road and they were off.

The wipers barely kept the snow off the front window.

It was cold and the wind was howling. Louise clutched Lloyd

and Smoker whined at the bottom of his cage.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY ROADS - NIGHT

The van went up and down over the hills of snow and bounced

on the blocks of ice in a roadway that no longer existed.

Lights were on in the buildings and at the street crossings

but the black van was the only thing moving in the white,

snow covered city.

A loud POUNDING sound comes from one side of the van and then

shouting.

STREET PERSON (O.S.)

Hey, hey, where do you think

you’re going?

The van quickly passed a police man standing guard at a

building.

The officer chases after the van for a short space and then

just disappears in the white back ground.

A few more miles ahead and it happens again only this time

with several officers who are helping an ambulance driver dig

out the ambulance.

More yelling and hitting the side of the van but Harley was

nonplused and just drove without recognition of the outside

clamor.

INT. THE VAN – NIGHT

Cole rolled over to one side and went to sleep.

INT. THE VAN – MORNING

Cole brings himself back to life because he is cold and

Marlowe is jumping up and down on his chest.

Cole opens his eyes but all he can see was white. He can’t

make out the inside of the van because a door is open.

He jumps up from his deep sleep and grabs the sliding door

and with all his strength he pushed the door closed and the

snow stopped from coming in.

Cole looks around as fast as he can move his eyes and he

realizes that the van is still running but Harley is pushed

up against the steering wheel and his parents are both

unconscious in their seats.

Smoker starts barking.

COLE:

It’s okay boy, it’s all right.

We just had some kind of accident

and…

Cole reaches his mom and sits her upright in her seat.

He pulls Harley back so he is in his seat and then Cole

climbs into the front seat and turned the heat on high.

He pulls Lloyd back upright and after Lloyd settles in one

place he looks out the window but they are in a snow bank so

it is just white.

Slowly Cole looks over the control panel until he finds the

wipers and turns them on.

He pushed Harley’s seat back as far as possible and then

climbs onto his lap and looks down at the gear shift.

Marlowe hops over and points to ‘R’ and Cole shifts the lever

to ‘R’ and the van starts backing up.

Marlowe points to ‘D’’ and Cole stops the van and shifts and

the van moves forward.

Marlowe sits up on Cole’s shoulder and guides him with

directions since Marlowe can see much better in the snow and

through it.

Rate this script:1.7 / 3 votes