Dawn Of The Dead

330 In the corridor below, the creature walks into another office.
Then it moves back into the hall.

331 The Zombies crash against the first floor gate. It holds. The
men crouch in the shadows of the gate.

Roger: WE JUST GOTTA WAIT LONGER BEFORE WE MOVE.

Peter: NO. THERE’S ALWAYS A CHANCE OF SOME OF THEM
STAYIN’ UP ON THE BALCONY.

Roger: YEAH, BUT WE CAN HANDLE THAT. WE CAN BREAK THROUGH.

Peter: IF ANY OF THEM SEE OR HEAR US, THEY’LL JUST
FOLLOW US ON UP. IT’S NO GOOD.

Roger: WE CAN SURE AS HELL OUT RUN ‘EM…LOAD UP WHAT
WE CAN AND GET OUTTA HERE.

Peter: I’M THINKIN’ MAYBE WE GOT A GOOD THING GOIN’ HERE.
MAYBE WE SHOULDN’T BE IN SUCH A HURRY TO LEAVE. Roger: OH, MAN… Peter: IF WE COULD GET BACK UP THERE WITHOUT THEM CATCHIN’ ON, WE COULD HOLE UP FOR A WHILE.
AT LEAST LONG ENOUGH TO CATCH A BREATH.
CHECK OUT THE RADIO. SEE WHAT’S HAPPENIN’… Roger: MAN, I DON’T KNOW… Steve: THERE’S SOME KIND OF PASSAGEWAY OVER THE TOP
OF THE STORES.

The Troopers look at the young pilot, almost surprised to hear
him speak. He has been quiet up until now.

Steve: I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S JUST HEATING DUCTS OR
IF IT’S SOME KIND OF ACCESS. I SAW IT ON A MAP.

Peter: UPSTAIRS. LET’S GO.

The three move off down the aisles, then duck out of sight
around a corner. The Zombies clutch at the metal gate, moaning
and rattling the grid loudly.332 In the Maintenance hallway, we see the thick manual lying on the floor. A lumbering foot kicks it as the Zombie in the corridor
wanders into another office. The creature ignores the book, as
it does the corpses strewn in the hall.333 In the fire stair, Fran is on the middle landing. She is
suddenly overcome with a wave of nausea. She clutches at her stomach, retching. She sits on the landing, letting her head
flop against the wall. She is almost in tears.334 The upstairs doors of the Department Store elevator open and the men trot out. As they clear a wall, they see the entrance arch.335 There are no Zombies at the gate, but two are seen drifting
along the balcony outside.

336 Peter: WATCH IT…DON’T LET ‘EM SEE YOU.

The men move stealthily along the aisles. They look up at the
ceiling and see a series of large grillwork panels. Peter shines
his flashlight beam into one.
337 The ceiling is about twelve feet high, but the light beam penetrates the grille to reveal a fairly large space above.338 Roger: LOOKS BIG ENOUGH TO CRAWL THROUGH. Peter: THEY’RE LOCKED.

Roger: DAMN. THAT’S THOSE OTHER LOCK NUMBERS WE
SAW ON THE CHART.

Steve: WHY THE HELL WOULD THEY BE LOCKED?

Peter: JACKPOT, FLYBOY. YOU’RE RIGHT.
Roger: WHAT? Peter: THEY’RE LOCKED BECAUSE YOU CAN GET THROUGH ‘EM EASY FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE BUILDING. Steve: OVER HERE.339 Steve notices that one of the ceiling grids is very close to the
elevators. Peter looks at the grids, then down at the double
doors. Peter: THE ELEVATOR SHAFT!
He moves over and hits the button. The doors open.
Peter: HOLD ‘EM. Roger stands against the rubber safety bumper, holding the car
doors open wide. Peter steps onto the hand railing and reaches
up for the escape hatch, which is held in place by four knub-
headed bolts. He removes the bolts quickly and dislodges the
hatch cover and passes it down to Stephen. Then the big man sticks his head up through the opening.340 He looks around the elevator shaft, shining his flash this way and that. He sees another grid in the shaft wall.

Peter: IT’S HERE…AND IT AIN’T LOCKED. GET A SCREW-
DRIVER AND SOMETHIN’ TO STAND ON FOR IN HERE.

341 Roger: I KNOW WHERE THE TOOLS ARE. GET ONE OF THOSE
TABLES.

Roger ducks off down an aisle and Steve moves to the nearby
furniture department and grabs a lightweight lamp table. The
elevator doors close. When Steve returns with the table he has
to hit the button again. The doors open. Peter is already
climbing out of the car into the shaft. Steve uses the table to
hold the doors open and goes to get another.
This time he gets a larger coffee table and sets it under the
opening in the car and puts the smaller table on top. He climbs
up and sticks his head out into the shaft. The doors close
again.342 In the greasy black shaft, amid the cables and elevator mechanisms. Peter examines the wall grid with his flashlight. Peter: IT’S ALRIGHT…WE CAN GET IT OFF.
YOU FOUND IT FLYBOY.

Even though he speaks softly, Peter’s voice has an eerie,
echoing sound in the narrow shaft.

343 The car doors open. Steve ducks down to see Roger bearing a
screwdriver and pliers along with some other tools in a shopping
bag. Roger: ONE-STOP SHOPPING …ANYTHING YOU NEED RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.344 Steve relays the tools up to Peter, who immediately begins to
work on the screws which mount the grid. He passes the
flashlight to Steve who holds the beam on the work area.345 Fran sits in the stairwell, her hand over her mouth. It is very
quiet for a moment, then she hears a slight clicking. Her head
snaps to attention. She stares down at the bottom landing. There
is a thump at the door. Slowly the woman stands to her feet, her eyes transfixed on the
door below. Fran: STEPHEN!

The door starts to open. Light creeps in. The slow, lumbering
figure of the Zombie moves into the firestair. Choking back a
scream, Fran turns and runs up the stairs. The creature below
follows, unsure of itself in the dim light.

346 At the top, Fran makes it into the storage area and slams the
door. For a moment, she just backs away in terror. Then she
gathers her wits and moves to drag the food cartons over as a
barricade. She struggles with one of the cartons. It is very
heavy and so large she cannot get a good grip. The smooth
cardboard slips in her hands.347 The Zombie has almost reached the middle landing.
348 Roger looks down through a ceiling grid. He sees the interior of
a Sporting Goods Store. Along one wall is an arsenal of the
latest weaponry for the sportsman.349 Roger: SWEET JESUS!
Peter: I SEEN IT. COME ON! The men are in a large ductwork which seems to run along the
entire length of the mall. They move as quietly as they can.
There are several side tunnels branching off in both directions.

350 Steve passes another ceiling grid and looks down. He sees a
full equipped radio and electronics shop.

Roger: I HOPE YOU KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOIN’, BUDDY.

Peter: (who is leading)
THIS IS IT. COME ON.

351 Fran struggles with the carton. She gets it against the door
finally and moves to haul another.

352 The Zombie has reached the top landing and makes for the door.

353 Before the woman can bring another carton over, she sees the
door move. She throws herself against it, but can’t plant her
feet well because of the carton of the floor. The door moves an
inch at a time. The creature’s hand reaches into the room. It
clutches at the edge of the door.

354 Fran panics and runs back towards the escape pyramid, where she
turns and faces the door.

355 The creature is straining against the weight of the carton. Now,
now both its hands clutch the door edge. The carton moves
another inch…and another. Now, the creature’s head can be seen
as it strains to get through the widening space.

356 Fran’s eyes are wide, almost hypnotised. She looks for something
to use as a weapon. The room is bare but for the cartons and
water drums. She is about to opt for the skylight, when she
glimpses Roger’s knap-sack in the shadows. She runs for it as
the creature finally breaks into the big room.

357 The woman’s hands tremble as she rummages through the cloth
sack. Nothing appropriate. She dumps the contents out:
ammunition, mace cans, batteries, flares…flares! She
nervously grabs one of the cylinders and her shaking hands try
to deal with the paper wrapping.

358 The Zombie moans as it draws closer. It is approaching the
pyramid of cartons.

359 Fran manages to free the wrapping, and snaps the cylinder in two
at the mark.

360 Now the Zombie is between her and the pyramid, cutting off her
immediate route. It is very near. Fran backs away a few steps as
she tries to strike the flare head on the small striker on the
cylinder cap. It doesn’t fire…she tries again…and again.
Now, the Zombie has reached the knap-sack. It kicks through the
items and knocks and rolls the other flares.

Fran’s flare finally catches with a great whoosh, the bright
flame startling the woman as well as the Zombie. The creature’s
eyes go wide and it brings its arms up to avoid the brightness.
The intense white flame casts an eerie light over the creature
and throws the Zombie’s enormous shadow against the cartons and
wall. The creature backs away a few steps almost tripping over
the articles on the floor.

Fran manages to advance close enough to snatch two extra
cylinders and skirt around the Zombie in a wide arc. The
creature swats the air, keeping distance, but threatening.

Fran considers the firestair door, but decides on the pyramid.
She circles around to a point where she can climb up from
behind the moaning Zombie. She rushes for the cartons and
climbs, but loses her footing while trying to hold the flares
and crashes into the topmost carton. It starts to slide off
the pyramid and tumbles to the floor almost crashing into the
Zombie. The creature starts to clutch at the pyramid.

The stack of cartons is now too short and Fran can reach the
skylight but can’t pull herself up. She accidentally drops
two flares, including the lit one. It tumbles to the floor
behind the pyramid where it no longer offends the Zombie’s
eye’s. Now the creature tries to climb to the woman.

Fran grabs the last flare in her mouth and reaches with both
hands for the skylight. She lifts with all her might and her
feet come off the cartons but she cannot pull herself up. As she
tries to lower her feet back to the cartons, the pyramid shakes
and wobbles from the Zombie. The creature is making progress;
its hands can almost touch Fran’s foot.

361 Peter drops out of a ceiling grid into a plush office. Roger’s
legs appear through the grid and he too swings down, holding on
with his hands to soften his landing.

Suddenly, we are aware of a third person on the room in the
large chair at the desk. Roger startles and grabs his gun.
Peter just stares. They are in the President’s office. Some
days earlier, the President, shot himself in the head.

Peter: COME ON…

Steve struggles overhead.

Peter: JUST DROP, I GOT YOU…

Steve: I CAN’T…I…

Peter: (to Roger)
THE DESK…GIMME A HAND.

The two Troopers grab the desk and slide it away from the
President’s corpse. The action causes the chair to spin slightly
and his wide terrified eyes seem to watch the action.

The desk in place. Steve’s toes can reach its surface. He loses
his balance slightly and pulls back up. He kicks a picture frame
off the desk onto the floor, shattering the glass over photos of
the President’s wife and children.

Peter: COME ON!

Steve finally gets footing on the desktop and lowers himself
down. He stares at the corpse as Roger helps him off the desk.

362 Peter is already unlocking the door to the corridor. He opens it
a crack and peeks out.

363 The corridor is empty. He sees the door at the end which leads
to the exterior corridor.

364 As the other men come up behind, Peter opens the door quietly
and slips into the hall. He starts to walk quickly toward the
door to the exterior corridor. Roger follows as Stephen moves
backwards toward the fire stairs.

365 Peter’s hands grab the barrow and pulls the cart down the
corridor backwards so as to face the mall opening.

366 In the corridor, Steve clutches the maintenance manual. Peter
backs slowly up the hall. The wheels squeak and the big man
bites his lip. Roger kicks the last corpse to the wall. Steve
notices that the fire stairs door is open wide.

Steve: JESUS CHRIST!

He bounds towards the door. Roger spins to see what happened.
Peter turns and quickens his pace. Steve trots up the steps.

Roger: (to Peter)
COME ON…YOU GOT IT.

Peter runs with the cart the last few yards. As he gets to the
doorway, Roger breaks up the steps.

368 Steve breaks into the storage area…he drops the manual…

Steve: FRANNIE!

369 The woman turns in Steve’s direction. The Zombie swats the
flare out of Fran’s hand. She startles and the cartons feel as
though they will topple. She steadies herself with both hands.
The creature is grabbing at her legs. She kicks.

370 Steve raises his rifle and moves in for a close shot.

Roger: DON’T SHOOT…THEY’LL HEAR YA…

Roger arrives and the two men charge the pyramid.

371 The creature is still clutching at Fran. She kicks violently as
Roger pulls the back of the Zombie’s clothing. The Zombie falls
and hits the floor. As it kneels up, Steve swings the butt of
his rifle and smashes it into the thing’s head. Then Roger
delivers a blow with his gun, straight down.

372 Steve rushes to Fran. She falls off the cartons into his arms
sobbing and choking.

Steve: FRANNIE…ARE YOU ALRIGHT?
YOU OK, FRANNIE? HEY…

The woman is incoherent. She is clutching at her stomach.

373 Peter appears in the doorway carrying the TV and several other
items. He dumps them on the floor.

Peter: LET’S GET THIS STUFF UP, COME ON.

374 Roger is dragging the dead Zombie to the door. Peter comes to
help and Fran starts to wretch. Steve tries to calm her. He gets
some water in a can and brings it over.

Steve: FRANNIE…IT’S OK…COME ON, IT’S OK…ARE YOU
HURT, HUN? DID YA HURT YOURSELF? FRANNIE…

375 Downstairs, at the exterior corridor, Peter peeks out. He can
see the mall at the far end. The coast is clear. He and Roger
hurriedly carry the corpse into the hall and roll it onto the
floor and retreat back into the fire stairs. Peter holds open
the door slightly and watches the corridor for a moment.
Convinced they’ve not been seen, he closes the door.

376 Peter: I THINK WE’RE OK, BROTHER.

They grab more supplies from the barrow and start upstairs.

377 Steve still tries to comfort Fran.

Steve: WE’RE OK…WE’RE ALL OK…WE GOT A LOT
OF STUFF…ALL KINDS OF STUFF…

In the background the two Troopers bring their load of supplies
into the big room and deposit them near the TV. Then they go
downstairs for another load.

Steve: THIS IS A TERRIFIC PLACE…FRANNIE. THIS PLACE
IS PERFECT. WE GOT IT MADE IN HERE…FRANNIE.

The woman still cannot stop sobbing and retching.

378 Now, the enormous barricade of food cartons is stacked against
the door again. It is quiet except for the little noises of
eating and occasional rustle of paper. We also head a faint
electronic whistle, but we do not recognise it.

As we see more of the room, we find our refugees sitting near
the reconstructed pyramid on the floor. Peter seems to be asleep
up against the pyramid. Roger is nibbling at delicacies from the
Department Store’s Gourmet department.

Their “loot” is laid around them on the floor. Roger, as he
eats, is leafing through the maintenance manual. There is a
stack of tools, some still in wrapping; electric razors, still
boxed; some clothing articles; the radio, which also plays small
cassettes. There are soaps, toiletries, pens, pencils, and
notebooks, flashlights, cigarettes and several decks of cards
with a canister of chips. The items are clearly not all
functional. Some are representative of the luxuries considered
necessary by a consumer society.

They are all bathed in the blue glow from the television which
Stephen tries to tune in. Its power cable is spliced into the
leads of a bare light fixture overhead. Fran cannot be seen at
first.

Roger: WHAT THE HELL TIME IS IT, ANYWAY?

Steve: ONLY ABOUT NINE.

Roger: AND NOTHING? (referring to the TV)

On the screen we see the Civil Defence logo, and realise that
the high pitched electronic signal is coming from the TV set.

Steve: AS LONG AS WE’RE GETTING THE PATTERN,
THAT MEANS THEY’RE SENDING.

Roger snaps on the large, battery powered radio. He rolls the
dial getting nothing but static. Finally, he hears a signal
and tunes it in. A badly modulated voice is droning through
the interference. It sounds like a war correspondent sending
a signal from very far away.

Radio: …REPORTS THAT COMMUNICATIONS WITH DETROIT
HAVE BEEN KNOCKED OUT ALONG WITH ATLANTA,
BOSTON AND CERTAIN SECTIONS OF PHILADELPHIA
AND NEW YORK CITY…

Roger: PHILLY…

Steve: I KNOW J.A.S IS OUT BY NOW…IT WAS A MADHOUSE
BACK THERE…PEOPLE ARE CRAZY…IF THEY’D JUST
ORGANISE…IT’S TOTAL CONFUSION…I DON’T
BELIEVE IT’S GOTTEN THIS BAD. I DON’T BELIEVE
THEY CAN’T HANDLE IT. LOOK AT US. LOOT AT
WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO TODAY.

379 Peter’s eyes suddenly blink open. None of the rest of his body
moves, the others do not realise he is awake. The big man stares
at Stephen, who is getting emotionally excited about their
exploits as a team.

Steve: WE KNOCKED THE SHIT OUT OF ‘EM AND THEY
NEVER TOUCHED US…NOT REALLY.

Peter: THEY TOUCHED US GOOD, FLYBOY. WE’RE LUCKY
TO GET OUT WITH OUR ASSES. YOU DON’T FORGET THAT!

380 The other men look at Peter. The radio drones on with more
disaster reports.

Peter: YOU GET OVERCONFIDENT…UNDERESTIMATE THOSE
SUCKERS…AND YOU GET EATEN! HOW YOU LIKE THAT?

Peter speaks in a low, unemotional tone. Stephen is transfixed.

Peter: THEY GOT A BIG ADVANTAGE OVER US BROTHER.
THEY DON’T THINK. THEY JUST BLIND-ASS DO WHAT
THEY GOT TO DO. NO EMOTIONS. AND THAT BUNCH
OUT THERE? THAT’S JUST A HANDFUL AND EVERY
DAY THERE’LL BE MORE.
A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE DIE EACH DAY
FROM NATURAL CAUSES. THAT PROB’LY TRIPLES OR
BETTER WITH FOLK KNOCKIN’ EACH OTHER OFF THE
WAY IT’S GOIN’.
NOW SAY EACH ONE OF THEM COMES BACK AND KILLS
TWO, AND EACH ONE OF THEM TWO MORE…
YOU KNOW ABOUT THE EMPEROR’S REWARD?

381 We see Fran’s face. She is listening. There is no answer
audible. A tear rolls down the woman’s cheek. The radio drones.

After a time, Steve appears. He is surprised to find the woman
awake. She sits on a new blanket from the store. Another is
rolled up as a pillow. She wipes away her tears with her
cigarette still in her hand.

Steve: HEY…YOU OK?

The man kneels next to her, not knowing what to say. Stephen
sits down next to her and puts his hands on her shoulders.

Fran: SO I GUESS WE FORGET ABOUT CANADA, RIGHT?

Steve: (taking her in his arms)
JESUS, FRANNIE, THIS SET UP IS SENSATIONAL.
WE GOT EVERYTHING WE NEED. WE SEAL OFF THAT
STAIRWAY…NOBODY’LL EVER KNOW WE’RE UP HERE.
WE’D NEVER FIND ANYTHING LIKE THIS…

Fran: I GUESS NOBODY CARES ABOUT MY VOTE, HUH?

Steve: COME ON, FRANNIE, YOU WERE SLEEPING.

Fran: WHAT HAPPENED TO GROWING VEGETABLES AND FISHING?
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE IDEA ABOUT THE WILDERNESS…
HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM ANYTHING AND ANYBODY…
STEVE, I’M AFRAID. YOU’RE HYPNOTISED BY THIS
PLACE. ALL OF YOU. IT’S ALL SO BRIGHT AND NEATLY
WRAPPED THAT YOU DON’T SEE…YOU DON’T SEE THAT IT
CAN BE A PRISON.

She leans in to him, making a final plea.

Fran: STEPHEN, LET’S JUST TAKE WHAT WE NEED AND KEEP
GOING.

Steve: WE CAN’T HARDLY CARRY ANYTHING IN THAT LITTLE BIRD.

Fran: (angry)
WHAY DO YOU WANT? A NEW SET OF FURNITURE? A
FREEZER? A CONSOLE TV AND A STEREO? WE CAN TAKE
WHAT WE NEED. WHAT WE NEED TO SURVIVE.

382 Cut to a close up of Peter’s face. His eyes pop open.

Peter: SHUT THAT THING OFF!

Roger clicks off the radio. They listen. They hear slight sounds
coming from the fire stairs. The end of the room with the
barricade of cartons looks surreal in the blue glow of the TV
screen which still shines.

Roger crawls over and clicks the TV off as well. The electronic
whistle slowly dies. Silence.

Steve steps out from behind the wall of cartons. Fran peers
around the corner to look, but she still sits on the floor.
Another noise. The faint squeaking of the door to the bottom of
the steps. Then footsteps on the metal stairs. Slow…
lumbering.

The faces of the humans all tighten. Peter and Roger pull their
rifles. Roger makes his ready.

Some thumping in the hall. Steve squats down and holds Fran.
The sounds are closer now. The door behind the cartons clicks
but does not move. More pounding…then silence.

After a time, the footsteps recede down the stairs.

Peter: SOMEBODY BETTER SIT WATCH ALL THE TIME.

Roger: THEY’LL NEVER GET THROUGH THERE.

Peter: ENOUGH OF ‘EM WILL. AND IT AIN’T JUST THEM THINGS
WE GOT TO WORRY ABOUT. THAT CHOPPER UP THERE COULD
GIVE US AWAY IF SOMEBODY COMES MESS’ AROUND.

Roger: WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO? LAND ANOTHER PILOT TO FLY
IT OUT. THEY’RE NOT GONNA MESS WITH A LITTLE BIRD
LIKE THAT. THEY GOT ENOUGH ON THEIR HANDS. YOU
KNOW BACK IN PHILLY WE FOUND A BOAT IN THE MIDDLE
OF INDEPENDENCE SQUARE. SOMEBODY TRYIN’ TO CARRY
IT TO THE RIVER, I GUESS. DIDN’T MAKE IT. DAMN
THING SAT THERE FOR EIGHT DAYS.

Peter: SOMEBODY FINALLY GOT IT, THOUGH. IT COMES DOWN TO
HOW MUCH ITS WORTH.

383 Fran ducks back onto her blanket. She disgustedly lights another
cigarette. Steve sits next to her again.

Steve: FRANNIE…

She doesn’t respond.

Steve: DAMMIT, FRAN, YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES WE’D
HAVE TO LAND FOR FUEL TRYIN’ TO MAKE IT UP NORTH?
THOSE THINGS ARE OUT THERE EVERYWHERE. AND THE
AUTHORITIES WOULD GIVE US JUST AS HARD A TIME…
MAYBE WORSE… WE’RE IN GOOD SHAPE HERE, FRANNIE.
WE GOT EVERYTHING WE NEED RIGHT HERE!

Stephen curls up with his head on the rolled blanket.

Steve: COME ON…GET SOME SLEEP.

The woman doesn’t move.

Steve: FRANNIE. COME ON.

She grinds her cigarette out on the concrete floor and stretches
out next to the man. He puts his arm around her. His hands rub
up and down her body as he curls next to her. He opens her
blouse and reaches inside. He closes his eyes and he seems
perfectly comfortable to rest in her softness. His hand moves
under her clothing. She doesn’t respond, at first, then her body
relaxes somewhat and she brings one of her arms up around his
head.

Steve: I’M NOT JUST BEING STUBBORN. I REALLY THINK THIS
IS BETTER. HELL. YOU’RE THE ONE’S BEEN WANTIN’ TO
SET UP HOUSE.

She stares off across the barren room. His hands continues to
move under her blouse.

384 In the Administration Corridor, a few stray Zombies wander among
the corpses on the floor. One large and severely wounded
creature pounds on the door to the interior corridor. It had
been the one which was pounding at the door upstairs.

A female Zombie squats near one of the corpses in the hall. She
lifts its arm and moves it to her mouth, but she drops it
quickly, repelled by its coldness. She leans over and picks at
another corpse, then she stands and drifts towards the mall.

Slowly the creatures leaves the corridor and move out onto the
second floor balcony. We begin to hear a voice fading in over
the scene.

Voice: …NOT ACTUALLY CANNIBALISM…CANNIBALISM IN THE
TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD, IMPLIES AN INTRASPECIE
ACTIVITY… THESE CREATURES CANNOT BE CONSIDERED
HUMAN..THEY PREY ON HUMANS…THEY DO NOT PREY ON
EACH OTHER.

385 We see the mall balcony now. Zombies wander past the stores.
Some move down the stationary stairs onto the main concourse.
Below.

Voice: THEY ATTACK AND…AND FEED…ONLY ON WARM HUMAN
FLESH…

386 At the mall entrances, some creatures drift out into the night.
Others still enter the enormous building. There are not as many
as there were in the afternoon, but there are certainly enough
to be threatening.

Voice: INTELLIGENCE? SEEMINGLY LITTLE OR NO REASONING
POWER. WHAT BASIC SKILLS REMAIN ARE MORE
REMEMBERED BEHAVIOURS FROM…FROM NORMAL LIFE.

387 Several creatures are clawing at the roll gate to the department
store. It is a strange and eerie sight. The staring, painted
eyes of the mannequins within the store seem to watch the
Zombies. The gate rattles but does not budge.

Voice: THERE ARE REPORTS OF THE CREATURES USING TOOLS,
BUT EVEN THESE ACTIONS ARE THE MOST PRIMITIVE…
THE USE OF EXTERNAL ARTICLES AS BLUDGEONS ETC.,
EVEN ANIMALS WILL ADOPT THE BASIC USE OF TOOLS IN
THIS MANNER.

388 Fran’s eyes pop open the voice has awakened her. She has been
asleep on the blanket.

Voice: THESE CREATURES ARE NOTHING BUT PURE, MOTORISED
INSTINCT…

The woman looks around. Morning sunlight is spilling in through
the skylights above. She sits up and peers into the next area of
the room. The men are gone. The television is playing. On the
tube we see a dishevelled man sitting in an emergency news room
reading the report.

389 Voice: THEIR ONLY DRIVE IS FOR THE FOOD WHICH SUSTAINS
THEM. WE MUST NOT BE LULLED BY THE CONCEPT
THAT THESE ARE OUR FAMILY MEMBERS OR OUR FRIENDS.
THEY WILL NOT RESPOND TO SUCH EMOTIONS. THEY
MUST BE DESTROYED ON SIGHT….

390 Fran sees that the barricade of cartons is still in place at
the fire stairs door. She looks up. The skylight above the
pyramid is open. She realises that the men are on the roof.

391 At the edge of the roof, Peter looks through binoculars.

392 About a quarter of a mile away, he sees the large warehouse of
a food processing chain. IN the yard and in the large open
garages of the building, he sees a fleet on enormous trailer-
trucks parked.

393 Steve: YOU SURE WE CAN START ‘EM.

Roger: YOU HAVEN’T SPENT ENOUGH TIME ON THE STREET.

Peter: WELL LET’S GET IT UP. THERE’S NOT TOO MANY
OF ‘EM AROUND YET THIS MORNIN’.

The big trooper looks down to the parking lot below.

394 There are not as many Zombies as there were the day before, and
they wander aimlessly, spread out rather than in clusters.

395 The men move for the skylight.

396 In the storage area below, Fran is examining the maps in the
manual. The TV still drones in a low volume. The men climb
down into the room.

Roger: HEY, FRAN…

Fran: I WOULD HAVE MADE COFFEE AND BREAKFAST, BUT I
DON’T HAVE MY POTS AND PANS.

There is a bitterness in her voice. Roger laughs. Steve senses
the tension. Peter just straps on his equipment.

Fran: CAN I SAY SOMETHING?

Steve: SURE. WHAT DP YOU MEAN?

Fran: I’M SORRY YOU FOUND OUT I’M PREGNANT, BECAUSE I
DON’T WANT ANY OF YOU TO TREAT ME DIFFERENTLY
THAN YOU’D TREAT ANOTHER GUY.

Steve: HEY, FRANNIE, COME ON…

Fran: AND,…I’M NOT GONNA BE DEN MOTHER FOR YOU GUYS.

They all look at her, attentive now.

Fran: AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON. AND I
WANT SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THE PLANS. THERE’S
FOUR OF US, OK?

Steve: JESUS, FRAN…

Peter: FAIR ENOUGH!

Fran: NOW. WHAT’S GOIN’ ON?

Peter: WE’RE GOIN’ OUT.

Fran starts to say something, but this time Peter cuts her off.

Peter: …AND YOU ARE NOT COMING WITH US!

Again the woman starts to protest, but Peter continues.

Peter: AND YOU WILL NOT COME WITH US UNTIL YOU CAN
HANDLE YOURSELF. THAT MEANS LEARN TO SHOOT AND
LEARN TO FIGHT.

The big man starts back up the pyramid. Roger moves to
follow him.

Fran: SOMETHING ELSE.

The men look at her. She faces Roger and Peter directly without
looking at Stephen.

Fran: I DON’T KNOW ANOUT YOU TWO, BUT I WANNA LEARN
HOW TO FLY THAT HELICOPTER.

Stephen is shocked. Fran looks at him and lowers her eyes.

Fran: IF ANYTHING HAPPENS…WE’VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO GET
OUT OF HERE.

Stephen doesn’t know what to say. He looks at the woman,
then up at the other men.

Peter: SHE’S RIGHT, FLYBOY. COME ON, LET’S GO.

Fran: AND YOU’RE NOT LEAVING ME WITHOUT A GUN AGAIN.

Stephen thinks about protesting but he complies by slowly
setting his rifle down on the cartons. Then he fishes in his
pocket for a fistful of shells and dumps them next to the gun.
He stares at the woman angry and hurt.

Fran picks up the weapon and shoots a glance up at Peter.

Fran: I JUST MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE
IT.

Peter and Roger disappear through the skylight. Stephen stands
still. He looks down at the floor. Fran moves close to his side.

Fran: I’M SORRY, STEPHEN. (it is not an apology)

Steve: I KNOW…I KNOW…IT’S ALRIGHT!

He starts up to the skylight.

Fran: STEPHEN

Steve: YEAH.

He stops and turns to look at her. Her eyes are pleading for
understanding, but he is incapable of it at the moment. Fran
just shrugs off whatever she was going to say, and she sighs
with exasperation.

Fran: BE CAREFUL.

Steve: YEAH, WE’LL BE ALRIGHT.

He disappears through the skylight. Fran stares down at the
weapon in her hands, then she steps over and clicks off the
television.

397 The sudden, loud noise of the chopper engine as it hovers.
Only Stephen is on board at the controls.

398 In the cab of one of the big trailer trucks Roger is crouching
working on the wiring beneath the dashboard.

399 Peter sits on the cab of another truck. He tries the
complicated shift mechanism and fidgets with the other controls.
Then he pulls out. He stops the big vehicle with his cab just
abreast of the cab Roger is working in.

Peter: HOW ABOUT IT?

Roger: GETTIN’ IT.

400 Peter looks around. The mall can be seen in the distance. On the
ground between, there are a few Zombies scattered about in
little clusters. None of them present any immanent danger.

401 Roger sits up and is able to start his truck.

Peter: I’LL JUST RIDE PICK UP, I’M NOT TOO SURE OF
THIS THING…

Roger: I GREW UP ON ONE OF THESE, LET’S GO.

402 The great trucks lumber away from the warehouse. They pull
across the little loading lot and out a ramp toward the
roadway. Stephen hovers overhead in the chopper, following
the trucks as closely as he can.

403 On the roof of the mall, Fran clutches her rifle. She sees the
big trucks roar up over the hill, the helicopter just above
them. It is a strange looking convoy as it speeds toward the
trucks as closely as it can.

404 Along the road, several Zombies try to stagger after the trucks
but they are left in the dust of the speeding vehicles. The
creatures lumber along slowly behind.

405 The vehicles pull into the little grade which loads into the
mall’s parking lot. They roar right toward the building.

406 At one of the building entrances, a cluster of Zombies is
moving in and lot of the main doors. Others wander nearby in the
parking lot. Attracted by the sounds of the engines, the
creatures turn and face the trucks.

As Peter pulls his vehicle in a wide arc, Roger drives his right
up to the side of the building and roars toward the entrance
doors. Then he skips his right wheels up onto the curb, and with
a great, scraping crunch, the big truck pulls directly abreast
of the building, flush with the entrance. The huge vehicle
crushes several of the helpless creatures and knocks other
flying back.

407 The trailer of the truck has totally blocked off the mall
entrance. Several Zombies trapped inside try to push the glass
doors open. The doors move, but cannot be opened wide enough
for the creatures to get out.

408 The few creatures immediately around the truck begin clambering
at its sides. Roger shuts off the engine and grabs his gun as
other Zombies begin clutching at the windows of the cab.

409 Overhead, the whirlybird hovers very close by. Now Peter’s big
truck pulls up alongside so that Peter’s passenger door is
directly abreast of the free door on Roger’s cab.

Peter’s truck also crushes one or two of the creatures, but
there are still several in the immediate vicinity of the cab.

410 As Roger opens his door and scrambles into the other truck, one
of the Zombies grabs hold. Roger just manages to kick the
creature off as the big truck pulls out and roars across the
lot.

411 The helicopter flies straight up and directly over the roof of
the big shopping centre, where Fran has been watching the
action. She now runs to the other side of the roof, the wind
from the chopper whipping her hair.

412 The chopper turns and waits for the big truck to move up under
it, then the whirlybird escorts the trailer back to the warehouse
down the road.

413 Roger is whooping and hollering like a cowboy as the big rig
pulls up beside another of the parked vans.

Peter: COME ON, COME ON… THREE MORE BABY.

Roger: LIKE A CHARM, HUH? LIKE A FUCKING CHARM!

Roger grabs his knapsack and climbs into the new cab where he
immediately goes to work on jumping the engine cables.

414 From the helicopter overhead, Stephen spots something moving
around the warehouse. He jockeys the chopper slightly for a
better look and he sees a small group of Zombies wandering out
of the big garage directly toward Roger’s truck.

415 In the meantime, Peter’s truck pulls away from the cab Roger is
in. The big vehicle rolls into the large paved area behind the
warehouse where Peter can turn it around easily.

416 Stephen swoops down with the big bird. He buzzes as close as he
can to Roger’s truck, trying to signal the man.

417 Roger continues to work on the cables, still whooping like a
child. The Zombies are very close at hand. They have just
about reached the cab. Stephen buzzes again. Roger doesn’t
notice.

418 Peter has now backed up into a position which enables him to
pull out. He looks up to see the helicopter heading straight
for him.

419 The big chopper buzzes right over Peter’s cab then spins around
heading back for Roger.

420 Peter looks toward the other truck. He can now see the lumbering
creatures. He tries to slam the truck into gear, but the
complicated shift mechanism fights him.

421 One Zombie slams its hands against the driver-side window of
Roger’s truck. The man startles and tries to untangle himself
from his cramped position under the big steering wheel. He is
stuck for a moment. The other creatures appear at the passenger
side of the cab, where the door is open. One grabs at Roger’s
legs. Roger kicks violently, but can’t get a good position. He
falls lower onto the floor of the cab, his body almost knotted
among the controls and the shift sticks.

422 Peter’s truck starts to roll, but it accelerates slowly.

423 The helicopter tries to buzz the clutching ghouls, but they do
not even flinch. The wind from the propeller blades whip at the
creatures’ hair, making them look even more frightening as they
claw at the desperate Roger.

424 The man kicks and kicks, but he cannot deliver a solid blow from
his pinned position. His hand gropes on the seat of the truck
for his rifle, which suddenly fires as the man’s fingers
inadvertently hit the trigger. A shell blasts through the chest
of the lead creature, but the thing pays little attention.

425 Peter’s truck is starting to roll faster. He heads right for
Roger’s cab.

426 The helicopter hovers as Stephen tries to see the action.

427 Now Roger has a good grip on his gun, but he cannot clear the
long weapon from around the gear sticks. The lead Zombie is
actually scrambling into the cab and is all but on top of the
struggling Trooper.

428 The second creature is about to claw its way in when, with a
great roar, Peter’s truck swings up and crushes it.

429 Roger is desperately trying to keep the other Zombie’s mouth
away. They are wrestling now. The Zombie is weak, as usual, but
Roger is still hampered by the position he is in.

430 Peter has pulled too far past the other truck. He slams his rig
into reverse and backs up. Now his window is in a direct line
with the open door on Roger’s cab. He raises his rifle and aims,
but he cannot get a clear shot. He shouts loudly trying to
overcome the noise of the truck engine and the hovering
helicopter.

Peter: GET ITS HEAD UP…GET ITS HEAD UP…

431 Roger realises that Peter is outside. He struggles with the
creature, dropping his gun. His hands manage to get a
stranglehold on the creature’s neck. He pushes up with all his
might. The Zombie’s hands are clutching at the man’s face. It’s
fingers push at the man’s eyes.

432 Peter sees the opportunity and fires. The gun roars loudly.

433 The Zombie’s head flies apart. Remnants of blood and brain
tissue splatter the inside of the cab and the driver’s window.
The gummy stuff flies into Roger’s face. The Zombie falls limp,
but Roger is still desperate. The dead weight of the creature is
now on top of him, and the bloody wound runs. Roger is frantic.
He frees himself with great heaves of his body and he pushes the
creature out of the cab. The man’s eyes are wide with revulsion.
He instantly brings up his sleeve to wipe the stains from his
face. He is quivering in extremes of emotions.

A sudden crash. Roger spins. The Zombie at the driver door has
smashed through the cab window with a brick. Roger, still
shaking, dives down to the floor for his weapon.

434 Peter tries to level off a shot but he cannot because Roger is
in the way…

Peter: GET DOWN…STAY DOWN…I GOT IT!

435 Roger, in his adrenalised anger, sits up with his gun and levels
off on the creature himself. He fires. The shell crashes through
the already shattered glass and squarely into the creatures
head.

Roger: YOU BASTARDS…YOU BASTARDS…

It seems as though his mind is snapping. His voice quivers as
does his body.

Roger: WE GOT ‘EM, BUDDY…WE GOT ‘EM DIDN’T WE!

436 Peter: COOL IT, MAN…GET YOUR HEAD…

437 Roger: WE GOT THIS BY THE ASS…GOT THIS BY THE ASS!

Roger is screaming. He dives down to work on the jumping again.

438 Peter: HEY, ROG…GET YOUR HEAD MAN…COME ON…
WE GOT A LOT TO DO…ROGER…

439 There is no response from the other truck. Peter is about to
open his door and step out when suddenly Roger sits up again.
The engine of the truck roars. He seems to have calmed down
some. He looks across at Peter.

Roger: LET’S GO BABY…NUMBER TWO…

Peter: YOU ALRIGHT?

Roger: PERFECT, BABY…PERFECT!

Roger guns the engine on his truck. The big vehicle lumbers out
of the area. Peter follows suit.

440 The two Semis rumble out of the warehouse lot and start down the
grade toward the road. The helicopter escorts them.

441 A few Zombies are walking up the road slowly.

442 Roger’s eyes get wider with anger. He steers his big rig right
for the creatures.

443 The front of the cab smashes into two of them. One is crushed
under the wheels, the other flies back from the impact.

444 Fran watches with anxiety. She sees the two trucks pull up over
the rise with the helicopter following. We hear spirited music
as the convoy approaches the mall building.

445 The two trucks roar around the entrance ramps into the parking
lot and again, the chopper zooms right over the roof.

446 Fran trots across the roof to see the action in the lot.

447 the trucks rumble toward the second set of doors. The music
continues through the entire action.

448 Roger steers his giant vehicle directly broadside to the doors.
The cab knocks over several creatures and scrapes the building
as the trailer blocks off the entrance. This time there are
still creatures alive in the immediate area. They clutch at the
cab of the truck and leap at the doors.

449 Fran, watching from directly above, seems inspired, caught up in
the bravery of the moment. As she sees the creatures converging
on the truck, she aims her rifle at them. Before she fires,
Peter’s rig slides next to Roger’s, cabs abreast.

450 Peter’s truck knocks over several of the clutching creatures.
One Zombie, caught directly under the front wheels, is still
alive and clutching at the air. Several creatures jump at
Peter’s driver side window.

451 Roger, grabbing his gun, moves to leave his truck on Peter’s
side, but the trucks are too close. His door won’t open
enough to get out. He rolls down his window. Peter has noticed
Roger’s door won’t open, and the Trooper fumbles with the gear
shift in order to pull away, but he hears Roger shouting:

Roger: THE WINDOWS…OPEN YOUR WINDOW…YOUR WINDOW…

Peter dives across the cab and rolls down the passenger window.
Roger leans out his open window, trying to get his weapon into
firing position. One or two Zombies are squeezing through the
narrow space between the truck. They are just about to reach
Roger when he fires, killing the lead ghoul. More Zombies move
around Roger’s cab, moments away from him.

452 The helicopter buzzes the area as Stephen watches the Zombies
converge on the cab.

453 Fran, her hair blowing front he chopper, tries to aim her rifle
into the pack of creatures. Her hair covers her eyes and she
brushes it away with irritation.

Fran: ROGER…IN FRONT, ROGER…IN FRONT, ROGER…

She shouts over the engine noises, getting very excited.

454 Roger fires again and again down the narrow space between the
rigs. Another Zombie falls.

Peter: FOR CHRISSAKE COME ON!

Roger is still emotionally crazed. He leans out of his window in
a very vulnerable position. He is whooping like a child again as
he tries to level off another shot.

Suddenly, he’s grabbed from behind by a Zombie and almost falls
out the window. He struggles to hold himself and keep a grip on
his gun. Peter leans over, trying to get a shot at the creature,
but can’t get a clean sight. Roger grabs the window frames on
Peter’s door and tries to pull himself up. Another creature
grabs him from behind.

455 Fran watches with emotion in her eyes.

Fran: MONSTERS! MONSTERS!

She fires her gun.

456 The bullet slams into the pavement kicking up a cloud of smoke.
It narrowly misses a creature. Fran fires again. Her shot tears
into the shoulder of the Zombie, but it doesn’t stop him.

457 The chopper zooms very close. Peter still cannot aim his rifle,
but Roger, using both hands, brings his gun butt in an uppercut.
It slams against a creature which is grabbing him and drives the
thing staggering back. Then with a desperate driving motion,
Roger climbs through the window of Peter’s cab.

458 Peter pulls the big rig away even while Roger’s legs still kick
out the window. The Zombies grab at Roger’s ankles, and one
manages to hold on as the truck starts to move.

459 Fran fires again and again.

460 This shot rips into the Zombie holding Roger’s leg. It lets go
and falls, rolling across the pavement. The woman fires again,
hitting the pavement. The creature struggles to its knees. She
fires again and hits the creature’s neck. Again.
Shoulder. Again…head. The Zombie sprawls on the pavement. Fran
is exultant, she aims and fires at another creature.

461 The helicopter passes overhead. The music is still stirring.

462 In Peter’s truck, just rolling out the lot, Roger realises:

Roger: JESUS!

Peter: WHAT?

Roger: MY GODDAM BAG…I LEFT MY GODDAM BAG IN THE
OTHER TRUCK.

Peter brings his vehicle to a screeching halt.

Peter: ALRIGHT, NOW YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU
BETTER SCREW YOUR FUCKIN’ HEAD ON, BABY!

Roger: YEAH, YEAH…I’M O.K. LET’S GO.

Suddenly, Peter grabs the Trooper by his lapels and slams
him back against the door of the cab.

Peter: I MEAN IT! NOW YOU’RE NOT JUST PLAYIN’ WITH
YOUR LIFE, YOUR PLAYIN’ WITH MINE!

The two men stare at each other for a moment. Roger is startled
somewhat out of his emotional rush.

Peter: (softer)
ALRIGHT, NOW ARE YOU STRAIGHT?

Roger: YEAH.

Peter lets him go and returns to the wheel. He guns the engine
and roars into a big arcing turn in the parking lot.

463 When Fran sees the truck returning, she looks up from her gun
sight. The helicopter has already flown over the roof, and
Stephen is confused as to why the truck hadn’t appeared on the
road. Fran turns and tries to signal to Stephen.

464 He finally sees her and flies closer. The woman waves a signal
and the chopper buzzes back over the lot.

465 Her hair blowing wildly, Fran takes up her post again, her rifle
ready. She thinks a moment, then begins to reload the weapon
pulling the shells from her blouse pocket.

466 Peter’s truck zooms back into position, colliding with some of
Zombies in the vicinity.

467 Roger immediately climbs through the windows into the original
cab. He snatches up his knapsack and several tools which are
strewn over the seat and floor.

Again, creatures converge on the cab area. Two more come up
between the trucks, several come around the front of the cab.

468 Fran is still loading.

469 The helicopter buzzes.

470 As Roger climbs back through the window, his pack accidentally
falls to the ground. With reflex action, he drops between the
cabs, landing on his feet. He is facing the two creatures
which are very close. He reaches up and with on hand on each of
the open window frames, he swings his legs up hard. His kick
sends the creatures sprawling. Then, he bends to collect his
pack and is grabbed from behind.

471 Peter tries to level off his gun but he cannot get a shot.

472 Neither can Fran who is shouting from the roof.

473 Roger keeps his head this time. His first thought is for the
pack of tools. He tosses the sack into the cab of Peter’s truck
as though he were making a hook shot with a basketball.

474 Peter catches the pack as several of the tools clatter out and
onto the floor of the cab.

475 The creature which has a hold on Roger takes advantage of the
man’s imbalance from throwing the knapsack. It bites at the
man’s arm. Roger tears away, but blood appears at the wound.
Then Roger squares off a solid punch right to the Zombie’s jaw.
The creature flies back and almost knocks over the Zombies
behind it. Roger jumps, making a grab for the window of Peter’s
cab. The Zombies between the trucks, which Roger originally
kicked away, have regrouped. They advance and grab at the
struggling trooper. Roger’s feet try to get hold on the side of
the door, but they slip.

476 Peter moves to drop his rifle and grab Roger’s hands, but Roger
falls from the high window back to the pavement. Peter draws his
hand gun.

477 Roger leaps again, his hands catching the window frame. The
Zombies are clutching at him. Again he swings up his legs and
kicks the creatures off balance. This time he manages to get his
feet locked against the door and Peter grabs the Troopers arm
with his free hand, but another Zombie is pulling at the man’s
shirt and still another makes a grab for his legs.

Peter reaches out with his pistol and fires a point blank shot
at one of the clutching ghouls. It flies back and Roger is able
to pull himself higher. His torso is just about through the
window when another creature grabs him.

478 Peter can no longer get a shot as Roger fills the window, so the
big man drops his pistol and pulls Roger’s arm with all his
might.

479 Roger is almost all the way in but his legs still dangle,
kicking. Peter starts the truck. As it begins to roll away, one
of the clutching Zombies is able to get a solid hold on Roger’s
left leg. The creature opens its mouth and bites at the calf.
Blood appears. The creature bites again and this time it comes
away with bits of flesh tangled in a bloodstained strip op
material from Roger’s trousers.

480 Roger screams in pain and kicks violently. The truck
accelerates and the Zombie finally falls clear.

481 It rolls on the pavement for a little way before it stops.
Then it sits on the ground, looking like a gorilla. It still
has a bloody mass of flesh and material in its mouth. With its
hands it tries to separate the cloth from the more important
morsels.

A bullet pings into the cement near the chewing Zombie. Another
tears through its shoulder. It still is concerned only with its
prize.

482 Fran is firing, swearing through her teeth as the gun roars.
She finally hits the seated creature squarely in the head.

483 We see it fall from her point of view on the roof. Others walk
by the corpse without taking notice.

484 The helicopter escorts the big truck back to the warehouse.

485 As it rumbles along, Roger, in extreme pain, is tying his belt
tightly around his leg as a tourniquet. He sucks air through his
teeth in anguish.

Peter: THAT’S IT.

Roger: BULL SHIT.

Peter: WE GOTTA DEAL WITH THAT LEG!

Roger: I’M DEALIN’ WITH IT…I’M DEALIN’ WITH IT FINE!
I WON’T BE ABLE TO WALK ON THIS AT ALL IF WE WAIT.

Peter: CAN YOU WALK ON IT NOW?

Roger: YOUR DAMN RIGHT, I CAN…DAMN RIGHT, I CAN!

The wounded trooper struggles to wrap the bloody part of his leg
with a torn off piece of trouser. He can hardly keep from
screaming, and his words come out sharply and with great breaths
between them.

Roger: I STOP MOVIN’ THIS LEG…MAY NOT EVER GET IT GOIN’
AGAIN…THERE’S A LOT TO GET DONE BEFORE…BEFORE
YOU CAN AFFORD TO LOSE ME…

The big Black man stares at his friend for a moment. Then he
drives on to the warehouse escorted by the chopper.

486 There is now a huge trailer truck at each of the four main
entrances to the mall. They are very close to the doors, if not
completely flush. Some of the glass portals can be opened not
slightly, but not enough for the Zombies inside to pass through.

487 In the parking lot, the creatures mob around the trucks,
frustrated that they cannot pass into the building. They clutch
and claw at the enormous vehicles but to no avail. Some try to
climb up onto the cabs. Others try to claw at the doors on the
trailers.

488 Some creatures are crawling under the rigs: When they reach the
mall doors they cannot stand, so they have no leverage. The
creatures inside are pushing the doors out, so the Zombies under
the trucks cannot push them in. The doors swing both in and out,
so it is very clear that some access could be had by the
creatures if they were more organised.

One creature, having crawled under a trailer, does manage to
push open a mall door. The thing crawls into the building
through the legs of other ghouls which are trying to exit. They
behave as a swarm of insects.

The revolving door offers the best access for the creatures,
although its inherent complexity is baffling to their empty
brains. Two creatures do manage to crawl under the truck which
blocks the revolving door, and one of them negotiates the
rotating action and enters the concourse.

489 Peter and Stephen are huddled over the maps of the building.
They are back in the crawl space. The cartons are still piled
against the firestair entrance.

Peter: IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW MANY OF THEM ARE STILL
INSIDE. THAT’S A LONG HAUL BETWEEN THOSE ENTRANCES.

Steve: WELL IF WE CAN GET SOME MORE FLARES…OR MAYBE
SOME OF THOSE PROPANE JOBS.

Peter: THE GUNS ARE FIRST. GUNS AND AMMUNITION.

490 Roger moans with pain. Nearby, Fran is applying a dressing to
his leg. The wound is wrapped with several layers of cloth. The
first aid kit is open on the floor. Peter crouches near his
friend. He takes over from Fran. He ties more strips tightly
around the wound and around the upper thigh.

Peter: YOU SURE YOU GONNA MAKE IT, BUDDY?

Roger: JUST HURRY UP WITH THAT!

491 Again, the military music. A tall figure drops out of a ceiling
grid and lands on the floor of the Sporting Goods Store. It is
Peter. His rifle is slung and there is an empty pack on his
back. Several of the Maintenance Room key rings are strapped
into his belt.

492 Suddenly a Zombie charges across the room. The gate to the mall
balcony is open on this store. Another creature, attracted by
the commotion, starts through the open entrance arch.

493 Stephen is starting down through the ceiling grid. He also has
equipment strapped onto his body. He sees the charging creature.
Peter is trying to unsling his rifle. Stephen conquers his fear
of the height, and lets himself fall to the floor. He crumples
up when he hits, and rolls into a store exhibit, knocking things
flying.

Peter manages to level off his gun and shoots the rushing
creature. Stephen regains his footing. The second creature is
moving up the aisle. Stephen grabs a powerful crossbow from a
nearby exhibit. It is loaded. It fires with a strumming sound
and the small shaft rips cleanly through the creature’s skull
and imbeds itself in a wall beyond. The Zombie walks forward a
few steps before it falls.

494 The men run toward the entrance arch. Leaping up on an adjacent
counter top, Peter manages to reach the lip of the roll gate and
he swings it down fast. Stephen catches the cage below and slams
it into place just as another ghoul falls against it moaning and
clawing.

Stephen unslings his gun and is about to level it off on the
creature outside. Peter jumps down from the counter.

Peter: DON’T TRY TO SHOOT THROUGH THOSE GATES.
OPENINGS ARE TOO SMALL. BULLET’LL WIND UP
CHASIN’ US AROUND IN HERE.

The Zombie crashes all its might against the metal cage.
Stephen startles.

Peter: HE CAN’T GET THROUGH…COME ON…

495 The men crash back through the store and Peter moves right to
the racks of weapons. He pulls down a gorgeous high powered
rifle which is equipped with a sophisticated scope for sighting.

Peter: AIN’T IT A CRIME!

Steve: WHAT?

Peter: (looking through the telescope)
THE ONLY PERSON WHO COULD EVER MISS WITH THIS
GUN…IS THE SUCKER WITH THE BREAD TO BUY IT.

496 The cross hairs of the telescope zero in on the enlarged
forehead of the Zombie, which is thrashing against the roll
gates. The sight gives up a sense of the super-weapon’s lethal
accuracy.

497 Stephen dives into the ammunition and moves behind the counter
where he pulls out boxes of shiny new hand guns.

Peter finds elaborate holsters and ammunition belts. He pulls
several other rifles from the rack. We recognise the firepower
in the arsenal that the two men accumulate.

498 Other Zombies appear at the gate, but they cannot break in.

499 Peter: (at the creatures)
YOU JUST WAIT OUT THERE, SISSIES…
WE COMIN’…AND WE READY!

500 With a swell in the music, the band of all four humans charges
out of the Maintenance corridor and makes a break for the
Department Store. They all wear new double holsters containing
hand guns. Each has a rifle strapped over his shoulder and
another in hand. They wear ammo belts and carry packs with
other supplies. The wounded Roger is sitting in the big
gardening cart which Peter earlier used to carry the first
supply load out of the store. Peter runs, pushing the cart
before him.

There are only a few creatures on the balcony. The dead things
turn in confusion at the sound of the attacking commandos.
Roger, his hands free to shoot, fires his weapon several times
at some of the creatures who are closest.

501 The creatures from the main concourse below begin to move up
the stationary staircase and struggle with the escalators.
The corpses of creatures slain in the earlier battles still
clutters in the area.

502 Fran and Steve are the first to reach the entrance to the
Department Store. Steve falls immediately on the gate locks.
Peter pulls up to a screeching halt at the gate. He turns the
cart in a full 180 so that Roger is facing out toward the mall.

Steve fumbles with the second lock. Peter faces the few Zombies
which are converging along the balcony. He lift his new
Super-gun and stares through the scope. The gun roars
eloquently. Even its sound pronounces its power. The single
shot rips cleanly through the centre-forehead of one of the
creatures.

The man aims at another head. Blam. Another perfect kill. Then a
third. Roger fires several times.

Fran stands ready at the roll gate. As Stephen finishes with the
final lock, the woman pushes against the cage and it starts up.
Steve stands, and the two roll the cage into the ceiling, but
Stephen is careful not to let it get out of his grasp.

Fran moves into the store and Peter pulls the cart behind him.
Then Steve, Peter and Fran pull the gate shut long before any of
the advancing creatures reach the area.

503 Again, the Zombies smash into the cage, but the humans are
already running through the aisles of the big store.

504 Peter wheels Roger into the elevator and hits the button for the
first floor. The doors shut and the car starts down.

Peter: HOW’S THE RIDE?

Roger: KIND BUMPY. WATCH IT.

The stern Black face stares down at the back of the wounded
man’s head. Despite his attempt at humour, the stiffness in
Roger’s body evidences his pain. Peter puts his hand squarely
on the Trooper’s shoulder.

Peter: LOOK HERE…I…

Roger: I KNOW, I KNOW…SHUT UP.

Something very serious is shared between the two men, some
knowledge which we do not fully understand. We do see the
kind of bond shared by soldiers in a battle.

505 The elevator doors glide open and Peter pushes the cart out
into the first floor on the big store.

506 Fran and Stephen charge down the store escalator moving faster
than the steps themselves.

507 They run through the hardware department where Stephen snatches
up several propane torches. Fran stuffs extra bottles of gas
into her back pack.

508 With a great hiss one of the propane nozzles spits a white-hot
flame as it is lit with a new disposable lighter. Fran holds
two torches as Stephen lights them.

509 Peter steps up to the first floor entrance gate with Roger in
front of him. Several creatures outside of the cage fly into
sudden frenzy at seeing the humans. They slam against the grid
but it holds as usual.

Peter: UNLOCK THE MIDDLE ONE LAST.

510 Steve falls on the right hand lock with his keys. The Zombies
all converge near the crouching man’s side of the gate. They
push and shove. Fran holds one of the lit torches very close and
the creatures back away cringing. The lock opens and Steve moves
to the extreme left.

Again the Zombies follow and again Fran is ready with the torch.

Peter: ALRIGHT…THE TOUGHEST PART’LL BE GETTIN’
BY THESE RIGHT HERE…

Steve: IT’S A LONG HAUL DOWN TO THE ENTRANCE.

511 Peter cranes his neck to see past the Zombies and down the
concourse. Several other creatures are starting toward the
Department Store. Behind them, about three hundred feet away, is
one of the main entrances which is blocked off outside by a
truck trailer.

512 Peter: WE’LL BE ALRIGHT!

Fran: IT’S TOO FAR!

Peter: THERE’S NO BACKIN’ OUT NOW. WE GOTTA LOCK
THOSE DOORS!

Fran: WE’LL NEVER MAKE ALL FOUR. IT’S TOO RISKY.

Steve: YOU JUST STAY HERE AND BE READY TO UPEN UP FOR US.

Fran: THE CAR!

Peter: WHAT?

Fran: THE CAR!

513 Outside, we see the slowly spinning exhibit which displays the
new automobile. It is a sleek, sporty model, which looks fast
and manoeuvrable.

514 Peter looks down at Roger.

Peter: YOU OK TO START IT?

Roger nods and reaches for his supply pack. He is cringing
with pain, but he moves efficiently.

515 The Zombies clutch at the gate with new vigour. At the unlocked
ends the grid gives a little, but still holds the creature out.
Fran waves the torches closer and the creatures back away.
Steve un-locks the middle lock.

Steve: IT’S GOIN’ UP!

516 The gate swings up with a thunderous roar. The Zombies attack
but Fran’s torches make them hold back slightly. Steve grabs
one of the propane canisters with one hand and draws a pistol
with the other. Fran draws a hand gun also. The two fire into
the pack of Zombies. One or two fall. The others try to move
in but are afraid of the bright flames. One gets close to Steve
but the man blasts his torch directly into its face. Its hair
catches on fire and the creature throws itself wildly about,
knocking other Zombies back.

517 Now Peter sees an opening and he makes a break with the cart.
Roger holds on to the sides. They crash through the scattered
pack of ghouls successfully and Peter makes for the car exhibit.
There are a few creatures on the concourse on the cart’s path.

Peter: (shouting)
CLOSE THE GATE…CLOSE THE GATE…

518 Steve grabs the lip of the roll cage and it starts down. Fran is
still inside the store with one of the torches.

Fran: THE KEYS, STEPHEN…THE KEYS!

Steve tries to stop the downward progress of the gate but it
slams shut with a metallic crash.

Fran: JESUS CHRIST!

519 Peter stops in his tracks when he hears the woman’s shouts. He
looks back. Several of the creatures have followed the cart.
They advance slowly.

520 Several have stayed with Stephen, however, and they approach
Stephen as he tries to pass the keys back through the gate.
The big ring doesn’t fit through the small openings.

Steve: YOU MOTHER!

Fran: KEEP ‘EM…JUST KEEP ‘EM…LOOK OUT!

The Zombies at Stephen’s back are very close. Steve lunges at
them with his torch. They back off slightly.

521 Peter: COME ON, MAN! GET OUTA THERE!

The creatures on the concourse are approaching the cart. A
pained Roger levels off several shots, but he is very shaky from
his extreme pain. He manages to down one of the Zombies.

522 Fran: STEPHEN…FOR GOD SAKE…

The woman holds up her torch so that the bright flame faces the
ghouls. Stephen crouches and puts a key in the right hand lock.
The Zombies converge on him.

523 Peter, seeing other creatures drawing near, starts to push the
cart again. he manages to dodges two little clusters of the
walking dead.

524 The lock clicks just as one bold creature grabs Stephen from
behind, Fran tries to aim her torch closer. It disarms the
Zombie for a moment, Stephen thrashes his body back knocking
the think off balance. Then he quickly slides the keys under
the gate which he can lift just high enough with the single
lock undone.

Another ghoul grabs Steve from behind. This time Steve’s torch
is knocked flying and rolls away. Fran is desperate. She tries
to aim her pistol but cannot shoot through the grill. She holds
her torch high.

Steve kicks and scrambles, rolling on the floor. The Zombies
are on him. He manages to knock one or two of them to the
floor. Then he fires with his pistol, killing another, He
crawls to the torch and grabs it, the creatures clutching and
tugging at his pants and shirt.

He brings the flame up and flashes it at the Zombies. They back
away enough for him to crawl to an open space. Then he scrambles
to his feet and charges down the concourse toward the car.

525 At the exhibit, Peter stops the cart. There are two of the
lumbering creatures close at hand. The big trooper raises his
rifle. Roger, using all his strength, manages to pull himself up
out of the cart. He lips to the exhibit as Peter fires at the
oncoming ghouls. The super-gun scores two perfect hits.

526 As Roger tries to step onto the spinning platform, he falls and
rolls against the car. The turntable carries him around toward
another creature. He is struggling in pain toward the driver’s
door of the vehicle.

527 Steve, who is approaching at a run, sees the action.

Steve: WATCH IS ROGER…ROGER!

528 Roger turns his head and sees the ghoul just before the creature
grabs him. The things hands clutch at the wrapped wound, which
is already leaking blood through its dressing. Roger screams
loudly.

529 Peter jumps up onto the spinning turntable, leans across the
hood of the car. His super-gun drills a hole through the
creature’s skull. It falls off the exhibit.

530 Peter hurriedly comes around to Roger’s side. In extreme pain,
the Trooper is desperately trying to open the driver door. Peter
helps him. The door opens and Peter eases his friend into the
seat. Roger immediately goes to work under the dash.

531 Zombies are advancing now from all over the concourse.

532 Peter: GET IN!

He is shouting at Stephen who is just rushing up to the
platform. He and the Trooper scramble into opposite sides of the
back seat. They slam the doors and make sure that all buttons
are locked. Roger works as quickly as he can.

533 Several of the lead creatures reach the turntable. Some fall
trying to step onto the moving disc, but others manage to
struggle over to the car. They smash the windows with their
hands. It is a nightmarish scene as the men huddle in the
shiny, new car which spins very slowly in circles.

534 Fran has relocked the one open gate mechanism, and she stands
now trying to see the action, but it is out of her line of
vision. She can only hear the moaning of the creatures, and
pounding on the car. She turns the valve on her propane nozzle
extinguishing the flame.

535 The car’s engine roars as Roger is able to jump the wires.

Steve: I’LL DRIVE IT…

Roger: I GOT IT.

The Trooper’s face contorts in agony as he moves himself into
position behind the wheel. He is shaking, but he bites his lip
and slams the car into gear. There are at least eight creatures
crawling over the car, more approach. The platform spins. Roger
waits until the car is aimed directly down the concourse. The
men in the back seats are alert to the Zombies which pound at
the windows. The ugly and distorted faces press close against
the safety glass.

536 Now the car pulls out quickly. It rolls of the edge of the
spinning display, knocking several of the creatures aside. The
front wheels move off the platform and bounce onto the floor,
but the frame of the car scrapes the top of the disc and is
stuck for a moment. The disc spins on carrying the rear of the
car with it. Then Roger gives it more gas. The rear wheels spin
and finally catch.

537 The car shoots out onto the mall floor. Some of the Zombies
cling for a moment, but they fall away quickly, scrambling to
regain their footing and follow.

538 The car swerves and for an instant seems as though it will
crash against the columns on the concourse. Roger manages to
control it, and the shiny vehicle zooms ahead with tremendous
energy.

539 One of the stray creatures in the concourse tries to intercept
the speeding auto, but the car knocks him mercilessly aside as
though he were a bowling pin.

540 Fran sees the car as it rounds the corner, heads directly for
the main entrance which she can see from her position.

541 The Zombies at the entrance already started back into the mall
attracted by the commotion. The car zooms down the concourse
easily breaking their ranks.

542 Roger throws the manoeuvrable vehicle into a screeching
tailspin, stopping just at the doors.

543 The big trailer blocks the entrance effectively. There are some
creatures inside the doors. Under the van, several Zombies are
struggling with the doors. one is just pushing in and seems as
though it will be able to enter.

544 Peter and Stephen slam against the door. Stephen aims his torch
directly at the crawling creatures. The one in front withdraws
its arm. The grotesque things writhe, kick under the truck. The
door slams and Peter produces another set of master keys. They
are all coded. he falls on the lock mechanism.

Peter: THAT’S NOT 100%, BUT I DON’T THINK THEY’LL GET
THROUGH.

Steve: CAN’T THEY SMASH THE GLASS?

Peter: SAFETY STUFF…PRETTY INDESTRUCTIBLE…THEY GOT
NO LEVERAGE UNDER THE TRUCK.. GIMME THE ALARMS…

545 Steve rummages in his back pack. Produces two portable battery
operated burglar alarms. Peter activates the units, stands them
against the base of the now locked doors. As he crouches near
the glass, creatures outside go into a frenzy clawing at the
glass doors. They cannot get in.

Peter: I’M HOPIN’ THEY’LL JUST GO AWAY AFTER THEY FIND
THEY CAN’T GET IN…

546 The creatures moving slowly down the concourse are now getting
close to the action.

547 The men hop back into the car, it roars off with Roger still at
the wheel.

548 Again the sleek auto rips through the ranks of the advancing
Zombies. They fall and scatter.

549 The car speeds down the concourse, turns the corner near where
Fran watches at the Department Store game. We hear Steve’s voice
on the woman’s walkie talkie.

Steve: WE’RE OK…WE GOT IT MADE…IT’GONNA WORK.

Fran stares out through the roll cage. The Zombies are
staggering weakly after the car.

550 With another tailspin, the auto pulls up at the second set of
doors. The men scramble out of the back seat, the Zombies
outside try to crawl under the second trailer. The men shut them
out easily, locking the door and planting alarms. They stand to
look down the concourse.

551 The creatures seem even more spread out now.

Steve: HOW MANY YOU FIGURE ARE ALREADY IN…

Peter: DUNNO. NOT TOO MANY. WE’LL GET ‘EM EASY. WE
GET IT ALL LOCKED OFF AND WE’RE GOIN’ ON A HUNT!

The big Trooper raises his super-gun and sights through the
telescope.

552 As we see through the scope, cross hairs settle on the forehead
of one of the creatures which is lumbering down the hall. The
face is magnified, distorted by the telescope. The gun roars and
the head in the scope explodes with red.

553 The creature falls against a column, hit squarely through the
brain. We sense the supreme accuracy of the magnificent weapon.

554 It is night. The Zombies in the parking lot still group around
the semis. They set up an eerie moaning in the moonlight. A slow
piece of music starts to build.

555 The creatures crawl under the trucks but cannot enter the mall.
They pound and scratch at the doors, to no avail.

556 From inside the concourse, the mob is muffled. Even the
revolving door is locked now. It seems the most vulnerable, but
the crawling creatures cannot quite get leverage to smash the
glass panels and they have no tools to pound with.

The auto is flush against the revolving doors inside, offering
added protection. Several alarm units sit atop the car. They
are the early warning devices against penetration.

557 They camera starts to dolly back, the music builds. We see slain
corpses of many Zombies lying askew in various parts of the
building. It is like a battlefield after a war.