2. 2
SCENE ONE - INT. INSIDE EMBER’S HOUSE - DAYTIME
EMBER gets ready for a walk with the dog in an ‘Edgar Wright’ styled
montage. She ties her shoe, gets the lead, puts the lead on the dog,
puts on her bag, get a knife out of a draw, and puts knife in jeans,
put key in door and exits house.
After this she leaves her house and walks down the street.
SCENE TWO -EXT. EMPTY RESIDENTIAL STREET
She sees something suspicious and begins to walk carefully. The
camera show the back of the person.
EMBER then steps on a stick and the person turns around to reveal a
zombie. The zombie then runs towards her, building up tension until
it’s broken by EMBER just stabbing the zombie and just carrying on
with the walk.
FADE TO TITLE SCREEN
SCENE THREE - INT. INSIDE EMBER’S HOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON
EMBER is feeding her dog and then goes to the kitchen for something
to eat. There is nothing left for her to eat and the camera pans
down to her stomach which rumbles.
Just at that moment there is a knock at the door. Tension builds as
EMBER walks towards the door with knife in hand. She slowly opens
the door, knife first and says nothing. RILEY is stood on the other
side not flinching at the knife.
RILEY
Alright?
(Friendly smile)
EMBER makes no attempt to response.
RILEY (CON’D)
I’m Riley. I’m looking for shelter for the night
and was wondering if you had a warm bed
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RILEY (CON’D)
or even just a floor with a blanket for me to
sleep on.
RILEY waits for a response.
EMBER still just stares threateningly. RILEY goes into her bag and
EMBER points the knife in defence. RILEY pulls out a tin of beans.
RILEY
Dinners on me?
EMBER stares at the beans and then it cuts to the beans being open,
then cooked and then places on the table.
SCENE FOUR - INT. EMBER’S KITCHEN/DINING ROOM – EVENING
RILEY and EMBER are sat opposite to each other eating their beans.
EMBER is keeping a close eye on RILEY and is not welcoming at all.
There is only silence until it is broken by RILEY.
RILEY
Nice house
EMBER
(Grainy voice from lack of talking)
W…
(Clears throat)
Water?
RILEY
Yeah sure.
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EMBER gets up slowly, watching RILEY.
RILEY
Don’t worry, you’ve already confiscated
my knife. Plus, I’m too tired for a fight.
EMBER gives a glare and turns around to get to glasses, fills them
up with water and puts them on the table. And then she sits back
down.
RILEY
Well I told you my name. Can I know yours?
EMBER hesitates
EMBER
Ember
EMBER continues to eat beans with hunger.
RILEY
Cool. Just you and that dog?
Ember nods
RILEY
Not much of a talker eh?
EMBER looks up unimpressed and sighs.
EMBER
I don’t know you. I’ve not seen another living
person in years.
RILEY
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Wow, I couldn’t imagine not talking to people.
EMBER doesn’t pay attention and carries on eating.
RILEY (CON’D)
I meet new people all the time, learn their
stories, and share food. It’s kind of what I do.
See I don’t like staying still-
EMBER looks up harshly and interrupts.
EMBER
How do you have so much food?
EMBER keeps eye contact with RILEY. RILEY ignores EMBER’s aggressive
behaviour.
RILEY
Pick it up on the way. A few cans are left in the
shops nowadays. Just the other day I-
EMBER interrupts again, staring at RILEY.
EMBER
Shops around here are empty. Nothing left. Where
did you get the food?
(Sternly)
They both sit there staring. RILEY is planning what to say next.
RILEY
Well I walked far. I didn’t go to the shops
around here. I passed a massive Costco, I managed
to find some cans no one had touched.
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EMBER doesn’t believe RILEY and continues to stare. They have both
stop eating now.
EMBER
Hmm
RILEY
Stop and stares for a second
So… This was you house before everything?
EMBER
Yeah. We went to the government camp. But
something happened and I came back.
EMBER hard front has decreased.
RILEY’s happiness begins to diminish
RILEY
Wow, that’s where we went. I mean, probably best
you didn’t go. It got overrun in a few days. Not
many survivors.
RILEY appears upset, looks at her bowl and appears more real. EMBER
looks up and looks at RILEY.
EMBER
You were there?
RILEY nods
EMBER
You lost someone there?
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RILEY
(pause)
My brother…
EMBER
How?
RILEY puts her spoon in her bowl and looks up.
RILEY
There was a herd. Must have got in through the
gates? There were thousands of them. Of course,
the soldiers were shooting them down but the
gunfire just made more come. My brother, Charlie,
helped fight them off. He took a gun from a one
of the dead soldiers and shot our way out of
there. It wasn’t even just those things he was
killing, it was people too. Society ended again,
it was every man for himself. Anyway, it was the
people in the end that got him. Killed him for
the bullets.
(pause)
Ever since then, I’ve been alone.
EMBER
Why didn’t you go back home?
RILEY
I like the travelling, takes my mind of things.
Staying in one place too long is not my thing. I
get to see all of Great Britain this way. I don’t
wanna live the rest of my life alone in a house
without anyone else. No one to talk to.
EMBER is hurt by the words
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RILEY
Sorry, I didn’t. I don’t mean like you. I’m sure
it’s lovely living in your own house, alone.
Well, I mean you have that dog.
EMBER doesn’t say anything but continues to eat.
RILEY (CON’D)
Why don’t you move around?
EMBER pauses to think of what she wants to say.
EMBER
All my stuff is here, my bed, family photos,
books. I couldn’t have taken it all with me.
Plus, the garden has a fence so Harry can go
outside.
RILEY
Fair enough, I guess.
(pause)
So, who did you lose?
EMBER
I’m sorry?
RILEY
You said, ‘we went to the government camp’. What
happened?
EMBER pause to see if she wants to say.
EMBER
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It was my mom…
(pause)
We were going to the camp when she… got bit. I
stayed with her but eventually, she was gone. I
came home after.
RILEY looks down as if EMBER has finished talking but to RILEY’s
surprise EMBER keeps talking.
EMBER (CON’D)
I pretend like every day is a normal day and she
will be coming home from work in the evening. We
make dinner together and eat at the table. We
talk about our day and make plans for the
weekend. After we’ve eaten, we watch Doctor Who,
it’s her favourite show. And fall we asleep on
the sofa.
(pause)
But she isn’t coming back.
EMBER looks at RILEY
EMBER (CON’D)
When you knocked the door, I thought it was her.
EMBER gives a sad laugh and smiles, shocking RILEY.
RILEY doesn’t know how to respond and just stares back with a sorry
look on her face.
EMBER
So, yeah. It’s lonely. Living alone.
RILEY
Travelling alone is lonely too. Seems like we
both lost the important person in our lives.
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EMBER
Hasn’t everyone?
RILEY
Not really, every house I visit, there’s a family
inside.
EMBER
What are they like?
RILEY
Most of them are like you. Back home. Only ones
in their street. They have gone back to
RILEY (CON’D)
normal routines. Wake up in the morning, sleep at
night. No one keeps watch anymore since hardly
anything is around. We’ve all gone back to
civilised lives but independently.
EMBER
So, they are happy letting you just sleep in
their house without them knowing you?
RILEY
Yeah, they trust me. We aren’t all murdering
animals. We are still people. What damage could I
do?
EMBER
(pause)
You can steal their food.
EMBER stares at RILEY with annoyance on her face.
RILEY doesn’t know how to make the next move.
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RILEY
I told you. I got it from that Costco.
EMBER
I’ve been to Costco. Emptied the place a few
weeks ago. Nothing left anywhere.
RILEY
I don’t think you realise what you are implying.
EMBER
Bullshit! You rob those poor families in the
night. After you gained their trust. You talk as
if you enjoy being with people, yet you steal.
You destroy their trust. That makes you lonelier
than me.
RILEY has nothing to say.
EMBER (CON’D)
You can still stay the night.
RILEY looks up in disbelief.
EMBER (CON’D)
I have nothing you can steal. No food. Human food
at least. The dogs got plenty, but I don’t think
anyone would ever be that hungry.
RILEY
Well, that depends, what type of dog food?
EMBER
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Dry pebbles.
RILEY looks disappointed.
RILEY
I should go then.
EMBER
So, you have nothing to gain so you are gonna
steal from the next poor family you come across?
RILEY
I do more than steal. They get a can too. You got
a can!
EMBER
Do you take all of their food?
RILEY looks disappointed in herself.
EMBER (CON’D)
I thought so.
RILEY
Why did you let me in? You clearly could tell
from the beginning I couldn’t be trusted.
(pause)
Why?
EMBER
I was hungry. I have no food.
Riley
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That’s not just it though is it?
EMBER
I don’t know what you are saying.
RILEY
You are so lonely; you were willing to let a
stranger in your house. Even though you knew I
was dangerous.
RILEY leans in.
RILEY (CON’D)
I steal to stay alive. You let a random person in
to feel alive. I don’t think either of us have
the right to judge each other.
RILEY begins to get off her chair to leave.
EMBER
Then stay.
RILEY
Why?
EMBER
We both need someone.
RILEY sits back properly
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SCENE FIVE - INT. EMBER’S SPARE ROOM – NIGHT
EMBER and RILEY walk in with a blanket in their arms and a pillow.
There’s an awkward sense between them.
EMBER
You can have the spare room. It was my mom’s.
They chuck the blankets and pillow on the bed.
RILEY
Thanks
EMBER
There is lots of tea bags so feel free to have a
cuppa in the morning if you are up before me.
RILEY
Thanks
EMBER
See you in the morning
RILEY appears guilty.
EMBER gives a small welcoming smile and leaves.
RILEY
Ok
FADE TO BLACK
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SCENE SIX - INT. EMBER’S KITCHEN - DUSK.
RILEY is still awake lying in the bed. She sits up and looks at her
rucksack. (Similar to EMBER’s montage before) she puts on her shoes,
puts on her jacket and puts on her rucksack.
RILEY then quietly leaves the room and goes to the front door. She
gets to the door and goes to put the key in but stops.
FADE TO BLACK
SCENE SEVEN - INT. EMBER’S KITCHEN/DINING ROOM – EARLY MORNING
EMBER walks into her kitchen to see RILEY sat there with a cup of
tea.
RILEY
Morning
Smile
FADE OUT
THE END
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