WE ARE THE DEAD (sci-fi, horror, adventure)

SYNOPSIS
It is the year 2094. After 20 years of Zombie Wars, mankind has abandoned Earth for the moon, leaving the zombie horde to roam across the world. The Earth colony on the Moon has sent a sqaud of military scientists to make an inspection of the planet every year, believing a radioactive poison that can wipe out the undead exists. After a satellite picks up the arrival of an alien spacecraft, the 6-person crew travels to Earth to find that the invaders have enslaved the zombies and are making them dig a massive, 1-mile wide pit in the middle of Central Park, NYC. They learn that over the years, the various radioactive poisons they’ve been testing ont he zombies have only served to mutate the undead, giving them a limited intelligence, manifesting itself in speech and understanding of their condition. A few of the more advanced zombies have formed an underground rebellion to free their brothers and sisters from the alien conquerers. The crew joins with them to discover what the aliens are looking for. But it won’t be easy. The aliens have turned some of the zombies into an elite fighting force known as The 12 Vespers. Could the artifact in the pit be the thing that caused the zombies to rise in the first place? Do the aliens want control over this device? And if so, why?

CHARACTER BIOS
President Robert “Bo” Reich - Ex-U.S. President now Moonbase Delta commander. His daughter was the first human born on the Moon. Her mother died in childbirth.

SQUAD 6 – A team of scientists and soldiers, all genetically altered and enhanced. Made up of:
Major Richard Stark - Leader of Squad 6. Veteran of the Zombie Wars and overall badass. Hates zombies with a passion. His wife still roams the Earth as a zombie. He hopes to one day capture her. Secondary weapon: Pair of Colt 45s. Enhacement: Invulnerablility.
Seargent Malinda Reich - Daughter of Moon Base commander Bo Riech. First person to be born on the Moon. She has no recollection of Earth, and is without pop culture reference. Trained form birth to be a highly effective soldier. Enhancement: Psionic ability.
Lieutenant Cal Røl – Fought in the last offensive int he Zombie Wars. The only human known to have been bitten by a zombie and not turned into one. Dr. Rasa believes the secret to a possible cure or bio-weapon may be hidden in his DNA. Enhancement: Immune to Zombie bite.
Dr. Rasa Lightfeather - An expert in Anatomy and Anthropology. First proposed the theory that the zombies are afflicted by an unknown virus. Enhancement: Precognition.
Dr. Archibald Michiba - Combat surgeon and medic. Secondary weapon: Twin, 12-inch, electrified daggers. Enhancement: Computer brain.
Proffesor Reg Nhimbe - A mystery to the inhabitants of Moonbase Delta. Expert in cultural anthropology, liguisitics and literature. Once a member of a super secret branch of the intelligence community called Project Apocalypse; a failsafe protocol that links several anti-matter bomb sites around the world by computer. Once activated, the bombs would blow simultaneously, destroying the Earth forever. After watching his family be ripped apart by the zombie horde, he has vowed to destroy them by any means. Enhancement: teleportation.

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

Moonbase Delta (M-D) - Very similar to the moonbase on Space: 1999. In fact, I may reference Moonbase Alpha from the show. Living quarters are very utilitarian. Some of the inhabitants have made their own personal, cosmetic changes. There are also main areas including: Command Ops (CO), Sci-Tech, Hangar 18, and an entertainment facility called The Rez (bar, videogames, restaurant).
Earthbase Delta (E-D) - Squad 6’s homebase on Earth, set on the 52nd floor of the Empire State Building.
Weapons - The biggest advance in fighting technology comes with the advent of anti-matter control. These weapons include: (AMR) Anti-matter rifles, sometimes called Anti-Mats, fires a directional burst of anti-matter. (AMB) Anti-matter bomb, has the force of 12 nuclear warheads and fits into a briefcase.
Personnel - Moonbase Delta is inhabited by 200 humans, mostly techs who work to keep the moonbase going.

ISSUE 1 – Revenge of the Vespers

PAGE 1
LARGE PANEL
We see a slightly younger Major Richard Stark on the battlefield as he and other soldiers take on a zombie onslaught. (think Kubert’s Sgt. Rock) Their gear is slightly more futuristic than current army weapons and armor. The biggest advance being AMRs.

SMALLER PANELS
Stark is putting his boot through the head of a zombie when a massive shadow looms over him. He looks up and is horrified at what he sees. (the reader only sees his reaction).

PAGE 2
Stark wakes up from the nightmare. He has one of his Colt 45s in his hand. He sits on the edge of his bed and checks the time... 4:34 a.m. He looks at the gun before sliding it into a holster hanging from the edge of the headboard. His room’s com-unit activates:

Voice of Bo Riech: Major Stark. We need you in the CO. Please report immediately.

PAGE 3
SPLASH PANEL
Command Ops. Present are Bo Reich, Richard Stark, and Reg Nhimbe.

BO
Reg, you wanna walk us through this?

They all follow Reg to a large monitor. On it is a shot of a shadowy spaceship nearing Earth.

NHIMBE
This morning we received a proximity alert from one of our Earth satellites. Seems a large object made a controlled decent into Earth’s atmosphere and landed in New York. Central Park to be exact.

The monitor changes to a blow-up satellite shot of the spaceship in the middle of Central park. Bo and Stark looked stunned.

NHIMBE
Smaller vehicles exited the main ship and spread out across the park. Before the satellite lost picture it looked like they were searching for something. These shots are several hours old. We’re waiting on another fly-by.

STARK
When do we leave?

PAGE 4
Command Ops.

BO
You leave for Earth when Betty says so.

STARK
If you think I’m sittin’ on my ass waitin’ for some hunk of wires to tell me when I can go on a mission, you’ve got...

BETTY
(from the computer)
Major?

STARK
Oh, Christ.

All three men look toward the massive computer.

BETTY
You know, I only have your well-being in mind.

STARK
I hurt its feelings.

BO
(to Stark)
That’s enough, Major.
(to Betty)
He didn’t mean anything, Betty.

BETTY
I know, Commander. And what I have to report next will convince him of that.

PAGE 5
ALMOST FULL PAGE
Command Ops. Stark, Bo and Nhimbe are looking at the massive monitor. It shows a wider shot of the Central Park landing area. Next to the spaceship are the beginnings of a gigantic pit.

BETTY
These are the latest satellite shots. The alien force is digging a mile-wide pit in Central Park. While their machines seem to be doing the bulk of the work, they have enlisted a slave workforce for support.

SMALLER PANELS
Nhimbe stands near Betty.

NHIMBE
Workforce? There aren’t any humans left on Earth.

BETTY
I did not say humans. They appear to be the native inhabitants.

STARK
Fucking zombies.

THE ATTIC WARS (adventure, sci-fi, offbeat)

The Attic Wars

(a.k.a. 9&PENN)
excerpt from feature-length screenplay

FADE IN:

EXT. IDYLLIC BACKYARD -- AFTERNOON
Camera holds on a pink, terry cloth towel hanging from a clothesline, swaying gently in the breeze.

CARR
(v.o., thoughtfully)
Terry cloth.
(pause)
Have you ever felt it? On your face? Hands? Knees? I have. It is luxurious. Oh, you like silk? Well, fuck silk. You’re wearing caterpillar shit. I’d never be caught dead in it. But the first girl did. I bet she loved the stuff.

BLOOD is splashed across the towel as the song “Hole In My Life” by The Police begins.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

MUSIC is still playing as CREDITS begin over JON SUNN (early-30s, clean cut, impeccable black suit) walking down a Washington, D.C. urban street in a ritzy part of town.

He enters a high-class men’s clothing shop.

A MONTAGE shows Sunn being FITTED for several dress shirts and a dark suit by a tailor.

Montage ends and Sunn leaves the store and enters an Irish pub next door. The address over the door reads “6”.

CREDITS END – MUSIC ENDS

INT. BROTHEL, SAN FRANCISCO -- EVENING
WINSTON CARR sits in a row of chairs against one wall of the ornate waiting room. The walls are covered in crushed red velvet wallpaper. He waits quietly, with his hands in his lap.

PEGGY HIPP enters, followed by a line of prostitutes, all of varying ethnicities, sizes and shapes.

PEGGY
Welcome, Mr. Ca-

CARR
(interrupts, whispers)
Tiberius.

PEGGY
(whispers)
Sorry.
(out loud)
Welcome, Tiberius. Who will it be today?

Peggy walks over to the line-up of girls and holds her hand over the first one’s head. Carr shakes his head. Peggy and Carr repeat this ritual several times until she holds her hand over the head of MS. EDITIRX (asian, early 20s). An almost imperceptible frown appears on her face.

PEGGY
(sotto)
Of course.
(out loud)
Ms. Editrix, would you escort Tiberius to suite 6?

Ms. Editrix takes Carr by the hand and leads him down a side hall lined with red doors, all with numbers starting from 1. They stop in front of 6 and disappear inside.

INT. IRISH PUB, WASHINGTON D.C. -- EVENIING
Sunn’s friend, LIAM DANVER (early-30s, looking a bit disheveled) is sitting at a table in the middle of the pub. The happy hour crowd is in full force. Liam looks up as Sunn approaches.

CROSSFADE TO:
Sunn and Liam have been in the pub for several hours now. The happy hour crowd has dwindled. Liam is looking drunk while Sunn remains relaxed, distant. Liam has a small glass of scotch with a sugarcube dissolving at the bottom. Sunn has a tall, slender glass of lager.

LIAM
Do you have any idea how much you cost?

SUNN
Do we have to do this?

LIAM
Just drink up and hear me out.
(pause)
And what’s with the glass? It reminds me of my mother.

SUNN
Why?

LIAM
She was a model in the ‘60s. Runway, department store ads, movie stand-in, the whole thing. She also liked to dress me up like a ballerina and have me dance for her fucking druggie friends.

SUNN
Was this before college?

LIAM
Jesus Christ, Sunn. I try to tell you something and you just make fun of it. What the fuck?

SUNN
You’re right. Sorry.

LIAM
Anyway, how much do you think it would cost to replace a woman? I mean, if she were an android or something, fabricated from parts and stuff?

SUNN
I don't know, Liam.

LIAM
Take a fucking guess.

SUNN
Are we talking replicant, or robot?

LIAM
It doesn't matter, but if you must have an answer, then I would say replicant, because who would want to fuck a metal girl?

SUNN
Well, if you're talking replicant, then I would have to say around, uh, twenty-two thousand dollars.

Liam coughs. Scotch drips from his chin.

LIAM
(wiping chin)
You're kidding, right?

SUNN
What do you mean?

INT. –- BROTHEL, ROOM 6, EVENING
Carr is laying with his eyes shut, in a post-coital coma.

EDITRIX
(O.C.)
I mean, do you ever think some wealthy, great-looking guy will come in here and fall for you?

INT. –- BROTHEL, BATHROOM
Ms. Editrix is standing in a bathroom that adjoins room 6 and room 8. She is talking to fellow prostitute, MS. CARAMEL (40s, Af.Amer).

CARAMEL
(weak smile)
Every day, it’s the only thing that keeps me from killing myself.

EDITRIX
This guy keeps telling me he’s a government agent, but when I looked in his wallet, I found out he’s only an insurance investigator. All I get are these aging, flabby losers that can’t even keep it up for more than a minute. Most of their money pays for nap time. I don’t know why they don’t just get a hotel room and rent some porn.

CARAMEL
Be thankful, girl. The last thing you want is some pig sweatin’ on you for an hour.

EDITRIX
(pointing back into the room)
I never have to worry about that with him. It’s over before it’s even started. I get to catch up on my soaps while he sleeps it off.
(pause, sobbing)
I almost got sick again.

CARAMEL
Oh, no, baby.

Caramel hugs Editrix.

CARAMEL
(cont’d)
Baby, baby, baby. You got to get out of this.

INT. –- BROTHEL, ROOM 6
Carr is laying in bed wide awake as the girls converse. His lips are trembling as he listens to them.

EDITRIX
(O.C.)
He always picks me. Why? I had to bite my hand just to keep from throwing up.

CARAMEL
Oh, baby. Let Caramel take care of you.
(pause)
Talk to Ms. Deinomache. Maybe she could make it so you don’t have to be with him again.

EDITRIX
You think? God, I would be so happy. I don’t know if I can do this again.
(pause)
I don’t think she likes me.

CARAMEL
Don’t worry, baby. Caramel will make everything all right.

A single tear runs down the face of Carr.


CROSSFADE TO:
INT. - IRISH PUB, WASHINGTON D.C.
Liam and Sunn are still in the middle of their heated discussion.

LIAM
What do you mean, it’s all right? Do you know how much it costs to train you, clothe you, house you and pay you?

SUNN
I never thought about it, Liam.

LIAM
It's why Deuxchamp is always on your ass about getting rid of that racecar. If you die in a crash, or are even injured, there goes the investment.

SUNN
I would hardly call a 1974 Chevelle a racecar.

LIAM
It growls when you touch the gas pedal- its got fucking stripes on it- it's a racecar.

SUNN
Whatever, the point is I don't race it.

Liam shakes his head and waves his hands.

LIAM
That's not the point. We're getting off the subject. You say that the female replicant should cost twenty-two thousand dollars. Is that right?

SUNN
Yes, depending on her looks. I mean, I'm not paying 22-grand for the Mona Lisa.

LIAM
That's a given. I'm talking about a beautiful girl, like Asia Argento or Sandra Bernhardt.

Sunn coughs, hiding a grin by wiping his mouth with a cocktail napkin.

SUNN
How can you put Asia Argento and Sandra Bernhardt in the same category? One you would pay any amount to have while the other is maybe a blue-light special at $9.95.

LIAM
(agitated)
It doesn't fucking matter, allright? Whatever you think is beautiful and whatever I think is beautiful doesn't fucking matter. All I'm saying is that our ideal, ok, our ideal is worth twenty-two thousand. Can we agree on that?

SUNN
Sure. Our individual ideal, no matter how fucked up it is.

LIAM
Yes, no matter-
(pause)
For fuck'sake, can we just have a normal conversation for once?

SUNN
Normal? What is normal about the list price of a female replicant?

LIAM
It is just an example. I don't even know why we're talking about replicants.

Liam finishes his scotch and waves to a waitress. While he waits he chews on the sugarcube.

LIAM
(cont’d)
Listen, just pick out a girl that you like.

SUNN
Well, I like Lynda Carter.

LIAM
Wonder Woman? No, I mean someone in this bar.

SUNN
Oh. Well, I would have to say...

Sunn scans the women, all of varied ethnicities and forms. There’s an Asian girl in the corner, two black girls at a table by the bar, a group of solidly-built softball players chatting by the window and a tired-looking brunette in the back. All women. Liam and Sunn are the only men in the place besides the bartender.

SUNN
How about the one back there?

LIAM
The Korean girl?

SUNN
No. Brown hair, at the table in the back. She kind of looks upset and tired at the same time.

LIAM
Upset and tired? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Are you profiling her?

SUNN
If you don’t want to play…

LIAM
Ok. Whatever.
(pause)
Now, considering you'd pay twenty-two thousand dollars for your ideal woman, what would you pay for her?

SUNN
Well, if my ideal is Wonder Woman, then I am basing all my assumptions on physical attraction and creative use of a lariat. But, what if she's completely uninteresting, or she hates everything I like, or she smokes, or has bad breath? In that case, she would only be my ideal for beauty, but not the whole package. If the brown-haired woman's personality is perfect, then she would become my new ideal. How much then? Fifty thousand? One-hundred thousand? But it is not what I'd be willing to pay, but the manufacturer's perception of what men would think of her. To me she might be the ideal, but to the majority of consumers, she might be a blue light special.
(pause)
I'll be right back, Liam.

LIAM
Hurry up, I'm losing interest in this shit.

Sunn walks over to the brunette who is sitting alone at a corner table.

SUNN
(to woman)
Hi. My name is Sunn.

The woman doesn’t seem to hear Sunn. She is engrossed in the swirls of her drink.

SUNN
(cont’d)
Excuse me.

Sunn clears his throat to which the girl absently responds by holding out her empty glass.

RAMONA
Seven and seven.

Sunn takes her glass, turns to get her another drink, then stops and turns back to her.

SUNN
I'm sorry. I'm not a bartender.

RAMONA
Then what can you do for me?

SUNN
I'm an FBI agent. Maybe I could help you.

DRIFTER SMILE (thriller, horror)

DRIFTER SMILE

Excerpt from the feature length screenplay

From an idea by Garry Messick
Written by Garry Messick, Jon Wilkins and Grant Balfour
Screenplay by Jon Wilkins

FADE IN:
INT. – MOTEL BATHROOM, NIGHT
Overhead shot of a sink filled halfway with water. A small amount of blood is swirling at the bottom.

A hand enters the frame and dips a glass into the sink, fills it with water, then exits the frame.

MAN
(o.c.)
Wake up, Alfonse. Drink this. Don’t you want a drink?
(beat)
Come on. Wake up.
(rage)
Wake up!

SFX: One punch, then a gurgling sound as if someone is being forced to drink, then a glass breaking.

CUT TO:

EXT. – NORTH TEXAS BACKROAD, NIGHT
The CAMERA moves over the hills, finally catching up to a sheriff’s car hauling ass down a two-lane road until it comes to a halt next to a battered sign reading:

WELCOME TO REMBRANDT
Home Of The Texas-sized Swedish Meatballs!

As the dust cloud clears, 40-ish sheriff JOHN PAYNTER gets out and stares down the long highway.

PAYNTER
(sotto)
Son-of-a-bitch.

Paynter looks back down the road and sees nothing but darkness. He gets back in his car, starts it up and slams down on the gas pedal. The car lurches forward, and fishtails a bit before continuing down the highway.

INT. – PAYNTER’S SQUAD CAR
Paynter opens the glove compartment and rifles through the contents before coming away with a half-finished bottle of whiskey and a cassette tape. Paynter rams the tape into the car stereo, and tries to open the bottle with one hand.

ANNOUNCER
(from the stereo)
Welcome to Volume One of Successful Living Through Positive Thinking. I’m Richard Danforth, president of BioLife Incorporated and I want to welcome you to the beginning of a whole new life.

Cheesy music plays as Paynter has trouble getting the cap off the bottle. He tries unscrewing it with his thumb but it won’t budge.

PAYNTER
Goddammit.

ANNOUNCER
Just 1-hour out of your day is all I ask to help you live longer, happier and most importantly; better.

Paynter looks at the road for a moment, making sure there’s no oncoming traffic. He then takes his other hand off the wheel and uses his knee to steer the car. He loosens the bottle cap and is about to take a swig when he looks up and notices a woman with short, black hair standing in the middle of the road wearing a see-through nightgown. Her back is to him. Paynter drops the bottle and slams on the brake sending the car into a slide. The car careens sideways and runs the woman over before coming to a halt in a cloud of dust.

ANNOUNCER
(cont’d)
Let’s start with what I like to call, the moment of pure love. This is where you take your arms, wrap them around yourself, and repeat the following; I love myself. I love my warmth, my voice and my smile.

Paynter looks down at the whiskey bottle lying on the passenger seat. He grabs it and takes several, long gulps. He wipes his mouth on his shirtsleeve and exits the car.

EXT. – NORTH TEXAS BACKROAD
Paynter walks around his car, looking for the woman. He strolls down the road a bit to find nothing.

ANNOUNCER
(distant)
Just sit like this for a few minutes, realizing who you are and what you mean to YOU!

Paynter walks back to his car, leans in and grabs the bottle. He is about to take a drink when he HEARS:

ANNOUNCER
Are you sure you want to do that?

Paynter lets the bottle rest against his bottom lip, but doesn’t drink.

ANNOUNCER
(cont’d)
Do you really need that? Wouldn’t a hug be much better? Hugs are better than bugs, and we all know a person sees nothing but bugs when they do what you do. Like the one on your shoulder.

C.U. on Payner’s face. He slowly turns to look at his shoulder. REVEAL a very nasty-looking beetle crawling from his back over his shoulder. Paynter freaks out and starts smacking at the bug.

ANNOUNCER
(cont’d, with bluegrass banjo)
That’s the spirit. Beat the bug blues away. And give yourself a hug while you’re at it.

PAYNTER
Fuck off!

Paynter pulls his revolver and uses the butt end to smash the stereo. Paynter calms down as the smoke clears. He slides into his car and rests his eyes. When he opens them, he clears the tape from the stereo and throws it onto the road. Strangely, the stereo is still in working order, though in very bad shape. Paynter reaches into the glove compartment and pulls out another tape. He slides it into the stereo and starts the car. Music blasts from the stereo as he speeds away.

FIVE FOR SOLOMON (western, sci-fi, adventure)

SYNOPSIS: NEW WEST (1880-1910) Solomon was a rifleman for the U.S. Army until his wife was killed in an accident while he was away. He fell into a deep depression and was rescued from suicide by General Clark Wilkins, head of the newly formed and top secret government organization known as The Branch. Solomon is trained and turned into a merciless killer. But, he soon gets tipped off that his wife’s death may have been murder. His priorities start to shift and he finds more and more conflicts in his job as he searches for his wife’s killer.

CHARACTER BIOS:
AGENT SOLOMON – Assassin for a secret U.S. government organization at the turn of the century, just as the real Old West is coming to an end. His senses, reflexes and strength have been enhanced by an unknown procedure. Expert in hand-to-hand combat and use of firearms, especially a modified German Walther G43 Sniper rifle that he has named Rose, after his dead wife. How and why she was killed is at the heart of story; it is the reason Solomon went from the regular army to a super secret organization known as The Branch. He is haunted by the memory of Rose and is always gathering information to discover who killed her.

GENERAL CLARKE WILKINS – Solomon’s superior at The Branch and veteran of the Civil War. He may know something about Rose’s death, but he also knows that this memory makes Solomon a better assassin.

CHAPTER 1 – Circle of Blood

INTRO - 1/2 PAGE PANEL
We see, through a riflescope, a baby in its mother’s arms. The crosshairs are sitting over the baby’s head as it sleeps.

Night. Solomon is riding a train headed to Sacramento, California. He is sitting in an aisle seat in a half-full train car. He is cleaning his rifle.

A woman pushes a cart down the aisle, selling peanuts and dried fruit.

She stops at Solomon’s seat.

WOMAN
Oh my, what a frightening thing.

SOLOMON
It won’t bite.

Solomon returns the rifle to its case.

WOMAN
Peanuts, sir? Dried fruit?

SOLOMON
No thanks.

The woman offers Solomon a small, brown bag.

WOMAN
These apricots are imported. Very hard to find.

SOLOMON
No, really.

WOMAN
Well, I have something even more exotic. I haven’t been turned down yet.

The woman reaches under the cart and pulls out a large scythe. She slashes it across the seats, shearing them off at the top. Solomon has ducked, just in time. Unfortunately, the man sitting behind him wasn’t as lucky and sits headless, still holding his bag of peanuts.

Solomon grabs his rifle case just in time to parry a return swing of the scythe. While the blade cuts through the leather cover, it halts with a CLANG on the metal case.

Solomon blocks the scythe downward and thrusts the case into the woman’s chest, knocking her into the opposite seat and on top of a frightened woman.

This gives Solomon just enough time to extract his rifle, load it with blinding speed and fire a shot at the woman.

She is inhumanly fast and darts out of the way. The bullet hits the woman holding the baby, killing her. Solomon doesn’t react and simply follows the other woman as she speeds to the end of the train car. Solomon fires off another shot, hitting her in the leg, just as she leaps out of the window, disappearing from sight.

Solomon looks at the dead woman and has a flashback…

Solomon is in a New York hotel. He is staring at himself in the bathroom mirror. He has a pistol to his head.

Solomon returns to the present and leaps out of the same window as the woman.

SPLASH PANEL w/ TITLE
Solomon is kneeling on the dirt next to the train tracks as the train fades away. He is staring at a blood trail leading off into the scrub brush of a desert plain.