Receptacle Infinity Part II


For a mobile friendly version of this page please follow the link:


This is part 2 of 4. If you want to download and own this in full as an ebook, please follow the links...



The pricing on Smashwords is dependent on you. You may choose to download the ebook for free or pay otherwise.

For the first part on the blog:


Comment below or tell me what you think at:



Let's continue...


INT. COCKPIT

Eddy squints in the corner of his screen where a small blue dot has appeared. He taps it, bringing up the radio.

EDDY

Hello?

GARY

What?

EDDY

I'm on the radio.

Gary taps his screen to bring up a scanner.

The ship is right behind them.

They both wait for a reply on the radio, quiet crunching filling the silence.

EDDY

Hello?

GARY

You sound so awkward, at least say who you are.

EDDY

Hello... this is Eddy, aboard Bell, um... what's your--

GARY

You idiot. Here.

He leans over to speak into the microphone just above Eddy's screen when--

BEEP

They both wait for a reply...

... silence...

... but nothing.

B-BEEEE--

They lose the radio signal.

GARY

They're probably just passing with their radio on.

EDDY

They're right behind us. There's a lot of space out there.

GARY

They're just being assholes. Hold on...

(over his shoulder)

... Olly?

EDDY

I think he went to sleep.

OLLY

I'm right here.

GARY

Here, hand me one.

Olly hands Gary a biscuit from the packet he's holding.

GARY

You eat like an animal.

He scoffs.

EDDY

How long were you back there?

Olly offers Eddy a biscuit, he takes one.

OLLY

Who taught you to talk on the radio?

EDDY

What do you mean taught? There's a radio, you speak into it, none of that bogey-sixty-niner-niner nonsense.

GARY

(laughing)

Bogey-sixty-niner-niner?

OLLY

The ship is right on our ass though. Fucking pirates.

GARY

Pirates have smaller ships and there's usually a few of them.

EDDY

How'd you know the ship isn't small?

GARY

Listen, there's a light ringing from the ship's radiation.

They listen to the slight hum for a second.

EDDY

Radiation?

GARY

No, not like, radiation, radiation but, stuff being radiated, radiation. It's the fumes from the engines. Now, those fumes are carcinogenic, that ship hasn't ported in decades. There's probably one of those families on board that hasn't seen Earth for sixteen generations or something.

OLLY

(taking a seat)

Look at Sherlock Holmes here.

EDDY

Since when were your ears so good?

OLLY

They're not. Turn around, let's see this gypsy family ship.

Gary taps his screen a few times, the ship slows.

GARY

Here, hit two birds with one stone. They should go past.

EDDY

Why don't we have rear-view cameras?

OLLY

I sold them ages ago.

EDDY

Oh, I remember that.

GARY

How could you forget that Olly is an absolute prick?

OLLY

We've never needed rear-view cameras. We don't need dorsal airbags either. What would--

GARY

If you sell one more thing off this ship I'm gonna shit on you.

OLLY

I'm telling you, the emergency system negates airbags--

EDDY

They're not coming past. They've stopped.

Silence. The dot on the scanner just blinks.

OLLY

This is some weird shit. Turn around. If they have guns we run.

EDDY

(mocking)

Guns?

OLLY

Yeah, like those blasters police have.

GARY

You can't simply get those.

OLLY

Pirates could!

Gary just shakes his head, ignoring him.

EDDY

(to Olly)

Ships don't have legs... can't run.

GARY

(before they can start)

Shut up.

Bell spins on the spot, the huge portal blaring deep blue light into the cockpit.

OLLY

Whoa, is that a jumper?

GARY

Maybe they're trying to help. They could be able to send us somewhere.

OLLY

I've never seen a jumper on a ship. Is that even legal? Maybe they are pirates.

Gary groans. Eddy brings up the radio and sends out a signal.

They wait...

EDDY

I don't think they're picking it up.

A purple flash pours out over the ship. Data pops up on the screens.

GARY

That's no jumper I've ever seen, the output portal is millimetres behind the input.

EDDY

Then it's a door.

OLLY

What use would that be?

EDDY

I have no idea. It's probably connected to other inputs, you know, shipping places and such.

An ALARM comes blaring out of the control panel.

The three jump into false action, trying to find the problem with no idea where to look.

Accidentally, Olly taps on his radio and the alarm stops.

They stay silent as white noise...

KSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

... sizzles from the control panel.

Olly leans forward, taps his screen...

... silence...

OLLY

(into the radio)

Hello? Come in, come in. Is anyone able to speak?

C...

C-C-CLICK

C-CLICK

Silence...

GARY

Maybe they're in trouble. It could be a commercial ship that got into an accident.

OLLY

All right, I think we should try and board.

EDDY

And go into what could be a dangerous area?

OLLY

There's clearly someone on board who could need our help. Why else would they tail us? Anyway, by law we should try and help.

EDDY

I think that means contacting the closest emergency station.

Gary meanwhile has been tapping his screen.

GARY

Here. We're lucky, there's a hub in the region. They should be on the radio in a second. You stay and talk, me and Olly will go and see if we can help.

EDDY

Hold on--

EMERGENCY SERVICES

Hello, I-P-S-D, how can I help?

Gary and Olly stand, Eddy moves over to speak into the radio.

EDDY

Um, hello, we have a possible--

The radio cuts out, the alarm starts blaring again.

Eddy turns to Gary and Olly, giving a: 'what am I supposed to do?'

GARY

Just try and get them on again.

INT. CORRIDOR - LATER

Spacesuits on, Olly and Gary step out of their rooms.

GARY

Anything?

EDDY

Not yet.

OLLY

(through to the cockpit)

All right, Eddy?

EDDY

Just don't die. It'd ruin my day.

GARY

Mine too. Let's go.

The two come down the corridor, toward the kitchen, reaching a small control panel on the wall.

Gary hits a few buttons and...

BEEP

They both stand to the side as a hatch in the floor opens up. Inside a ladder leads down and out.

GARY

Going down.

Gary steps down first. Olly follows, closing the hatch above him with a nod through to Eddy at the control panel.

BEEP

INT. AIRLOCK

Darkness.

BEEP

The lights turn on.

Olly and Gary hold onto a ladder in a cylindrical tube that leads down to another hatch.

EDDY (V.O)

(inside both helmets)

Ok, how you doing?

OLLY

Good.

GARY

Fine. Give us ten seconds for prep. Count for us.

OLLY

Ready for prep. You gonna count?

EDDY (V.O)

All right. One, two...

Gary and Olly take a deep breath...

EDDY (V.O)

... and go.

... they hold their breath, pressing the button on their helmets, both suits filling up with gas.

Ten seconds pass...

EDDY (V.O)

Ten.

Gary and Olly take deep breaths, inhaling all the gas they can for the following five seconds.

EDDY (V.O)

Go down in three, two, one.

Gary opens up the hatch below him by tapping on a small panel and climbs down into darkness, Olly follows.

In the second hatch Olly taps on another panel and:

Darkness.

The lights turn on. They're in an identical container holding onto the ladder.

EDDY (V.O)

Ok for depressurisation?

GARY

Hold on.

OLLY

No, the artificial gravity hasn't worn off just yet.

A moment passes...

Gary and Olly become weightless.

GARY

We're good.

OLLY

All right.

EDDY (V.O)

Depressurising now.

BEEP

KASHHHHHHH

The air is sucked from the lock.

EDDY (V.O)

Go ahead and open the hatch. Be careful as you go.

Gary opens the hatch by pushing another button. He climbs down until his legs dangle out in space, he then pulls a cord that extends from his hip.

He connects this to the outside of the hull, letting go of the ladder, floating out into:

EXT. SPACE

From below the ship, Gary takes a look out into the vast darkness in front of him and then the star behind him.

Olly's legs come out of the airlock. He attaches himself to the base of the ship before throwing himself out, knocking into Gary.

GARY

Dick.

OLLY

What's the chances of the cords breaking again?

EDDY (V.O)

Like one in three million.

GARY

What?

OLLY

I must have jumped out of that thing like two-point-nine-nine--

EDDY (V.O)

Yeah, yeah.

OLLY

Some day soon, I'm telling you.

GARY

Is he talking about the cord breaking again?

EDDY (V.O)

Yep.

OLLY

Hey, why isn't the three way system on?

EDDY (V.O)

It's not called a three way system, and it's because I don't need you two going on at each other.

GARY

Us two?

OLLY

Go on at each other?

EDDY (V.O)

Ok, the hatch is closing, start making your way back to the ship.

OLLY

I'm telling you, we need thrusters, so much cooler.

EDDY (V.O)

Get going.

As the hatch below the ship closes Gary and Olly pull their way toward it.

When they reach, they press the button on their helmets so they can pull themselves along the ship with the gloves.

INT. COCKPIT

Eddy wears headphones with an attached microphone. He taps the screen to bring up the radio again. He calls the emergency station.

EMERGENCY SERVICES

I-P-S-D, what's your em--

The radio cuts out, the alarm screams from the control panel.

EDDY

Shit.

He goes back to the radio but this time calls the ship in distress.

EDDY

Hello, my name is Eddy, I'm on the ship you are trying to contact. We are receiving your emergency signals but they are interrupting our other outputs for some reason. Is anyone there?

No reply, just white noise...

KSHHHHHHHHHH

The radio cuts out again, the alarm screeching.

Eddy turns the alarm off and goes back to the radio to contact the ship.

EDDY

This is still the ship you're contacting. We are on our way to help, but we can only do so much with the signal interrupting--

Again, the radio cuts, the alarm sounds.

EDDY

Shit. Why?

He turns the alarm off and pushes a button on his headphones.

EDDY

How you doing out there?

Gary sighs. Other than that, no reply.

Eddy pushes the button on his headphones again, leaning back.

EDDY

One, two, three, aaaaaaaand...

BANG

A green hand slaps the windshield.

Eddy doesn't even blink.

Olly's face appears. Eddy turns the headphones back on.

EDDY

Every time.

GARY (V.O)

(headphones)

Funny, isn't he.

Olly laughs.

The two float out in front of the windshield toward the massive dark blue portal.

EDDY

You're not going straight in are you?

EXT. SPACE

GARY

Contact them and see if there's an access hatch of sorts.

EDDY (V.O)

Every time I make contact the only reply I get is the emergency signal.

GARY

Try anyway, maybe something will open up.

EDDY (V.O)

Have you ever heard of an emergency signal shutting down the radio signal?

GARY

No.

EDDY (V.O)

Well, that's what we're dealing with here. Maybe some kind of encryption. Every time I try to reach the emergency space station, the alarm goes off and the connection goes.

GARY

Try again. When we're attached to the other ship talk to us.

EDDY (V.O)

All right. Radio is going off, but I'll keep an eye on you.

GARY

Ok.

There's a click and Eddy's off the radio.

Gary continues to float toward the portal with Olly next to him.

Gary grabs his arm then presses the button on his helmet. Olly copies.

Their cords stop extending from their waists so they come to a halt a few metres from the portal.

Gary then taps Olly's shoulder whilst pulling out a second cord from his waist. Olly nods and starts doing the same thing.

They both draw out a length more than a few metres then press the button on their helmets. Both cords go stiff.

Gary swings his cord under him so it arcs up below the portal and attaches to the ship.

Olly does the same then pushes the button on his helmet again to let the cord go limp.

The portal is the size of a house and, if not for their visors, blinding. They look back at Bell.

Gary presses the button on his helmet to detach the cord from the ship, it then starts reeling in toward his belt.

Cords retracted, both secured to the ship, Olly waves at Eddy.

EDDY (V.O)

Still no luck with the radio, it cuts out immediately now. I can't get a word in before the alarm goes.

OLLY

The fuck?

GARY

We're detached from Bell, how about you circle the ship, see what you see? Maybe there's another access point or a window.

EDDY (V.O)

All right.

Bell circles the ship, surveying the rugged exterior, no windows, no sign of any access points.

Soon she's back to the front of the ship with Gary and Olly again.

EDDY (V.O)

Nothing.

Bell goes below the ship.

EDDY (V.O)

No windows, no apparent access points.

OLLY

Except the jumper here.

EDDY (V.O)

We can't be sure how safe it is.

GARY

Eddy, do me a favour and open up all the channels.

EDDY (V.O)

All right, go ahead.

GARY

Olly?

OLLY

Whoa, here we go, how you doing?

GARY

(gesturing at the portal)

What do you think?

OLLY

It's got to be safe, the output is millimetres away meaning that it probably leads to a cargo bay. My bets are on this being a carrier of sorts.

EDDY (V.O)

I'm not sure if this is brave or stupid.

OLLY

It's heroic.

GARY

I wouldn't say that.

EDDY (V.O)

(wary)

I don't know.

OLLY

So you're saying you wouldn't help these people?

EDDY (V.O)

What do you think I'm doing?

GARY

Assisting us assist them.

OLLY

Hardly heroic.

EDDY (V.O)

I'm just not too excited about the risk.

OLLY

Don't you remember the stranded ship way out in... what is that place called? Cholera or something.

EDDY (V.O)

You're so bad at geography. Colaira.

GARY

It's not geography if it's not on Earth.

EDDY (V.O)

You get what I mean.

OLLY

Well, you remember it don't you?

GARY

(sighs)

Of course we do.

OLLY

And what happened? Three teenagers stole their Dad's ship and had passed out because they inhaled too much Hub gas.

GARY

I've seen you inhale that stuff.

OLLY

Not since I was like nineteen. Anyway it stops working after a few months. You should try it, Eddy, stuff comes from the liquid fuel reserves and messes your head up.

EDDY (V.O)

No thanks. Are you going in or not?

OLLY

All right, all right.

They pull themselves closer to the portal.

Silence...

GARY

Ready?

OLLY

On three?

GARY

All right.

EDDY (V.O)

Good luck.

OLLY

Ok... one, two, three.

They both tug on their cords and disappear into the portal, close to the bottom.

INT. SHIP

Olly and Gary come through the portal, Olly lands on his feet but Gary falls to his knees.

GARY

(getting up)

Shit. We're alive.

EDDY (V.O)

You good?

OLLY

Yep.

GARY

Fine.

They look around to see what they've gotten into.

There's very little to see. They're in a huge empty room mostly lit by the purple light of the portal behind them.

No doors.

Gary and Olly retract the chords from the portal and take a step forward.

OLLY

A cargo bay.

GARY

No cargo though.

EDDY (V.O)

Nothing?

OLLY

(pointing to a dark corner)

Maybe there's some kind of control panel to open up a door of sorts.

SNICK

A portal opens up below Olly's feet...

OLLY

Fu--

... he's gone.

And before Gary can react...

GARY

W--

SNICK

... a portal opens under him and he's gone too.

INT. SOMEWHERE IN THE SHIP

Gary falls through a portal in the ceiling.

BAM

He lands on a soft bed but is still hurt by the impact.

GARY

Motherfuck...

He groans, looking around into the surrounding darkness.

Heavy breathing closes in...

Inhale...

Exhale...

Inhale...

Exhale...

INT. SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE SHIP

BAM

Eddy comes through the ceiling, landing right on his feet.

The portal closes directly above his head.

All goes dark.

FIGURE (V.O)

Here you are.

INT. COCKPIT - SAME

Olly taps the headphones.

EDDY

(into the microphone)

What's going on?

No reply.

EDDY

Hey?

Eddy starts tapping the screen, running through various channels on the radio, continually trying to reach Olly and Gary.

The alarm sounds from the control panel.

EDDY

Ahh, shit!

The alarm is cut short, the control panel switches off.

KATHUNK

Eddy taps dead screens not knowing what to do.

The windshield darkens, becoming opaque.

The lights go off.

Darkness.

INT. SOMEWHERE IN THE SHIP

Gary lies still, petrified...

Inhale...

Exhale...

Inhale...

Silence...

He sits up in the bed and reaches out. His hand hits a lamp.

It hits the ground but--

WOMAN (O.S)

NO!!

GARY

What the...

Gary looks around, his hand finding the lamp as quick as possible. His fingers find the switch. He shines the light around.

He's in a bedroom.

Gary quickly finds a light switch on the wall.

He flicks it on.

He takes his helmet off, seeing the bedroom in full, falling to his knees in horror.

There's one king-size bed, on either side is a bedside table. On one is a watch, on the other is a small box.

The room's neat apart from a few items of clothing on the floor. A pair of jeans, a t-shirt, a dress, socks.

Lamp still in hand Gary makes his way toward the box on the bedside table.

On his way he stops to pick up the dress.

He holds it to his nose and inhales.

Intoxicated by the smell he takes a seat on the bed.

He soon brings the material away from his face, puts the lamp down on the bed and stares at the dress in his hands like it were solid gold.

His lip quivers, his eyes are wet, but he can't cry.

He brings the dress to his nose and takes another hit.

The lamp falls off the bed...

BANG

... startling Gary.

He puts the dress down and picks the lamp up, placing it on the bedside table.

The box catches his attention again. He picks it up, astonished, then looks over his shoulder to see a watch on the other table.

He leans back to pick it up and put it on, strapping it over a lighter patch of skin.

He opens the lid to the box on his lap. A soft song starts to play as he sifts through the small pieces in the box with his finger, tears streaming.

WOMAN (O.S)

No!

Gary's heart sinks, his smile fading. Letting the box slip through his fingers he stands.

WOMAN (O.S)

Please!

He approaches the door.

INT. SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE SHIP

Olly turns on the spot, falling off balance, against a wall right next to him.

He stands up straight again and reaches out. His hand hits another wall.

Light floods the tunnel.

It's tight, he only just fits.

Behind him, complete darkness. Ahead, the light source.

He heads toward it.

As he approaches the light dims. He soon reaches the source: a luminescent wall, a dead end.

He turns, looking back into darkness.

He starts walking.

FIGURE (V.O)

Come on.

OLLY

Who's there?

No reply.

OLLY

Hello?

FIGURE (V.O)

Where is she?

OLLY

What?

FIGURE (V.O)

Keep coming.

Olly walks forward until the narrow tunnel opens up into a concrete dome.

OLLY

Who's there?

He walks into the centre.

OLLY

Is there--

The ground shakes.

Olly falls.

Concrete scrapes against concrete.

KSSSHHHHH

Olly looks down at his feet to see the tunnel he was in zoom toward him.

KSSSHHHHH

It screeches to a halt at his shoulders.

He panics, trying to crawl away but...

KSSSHHHHH

... the tunnel shrinks, stopping him lying flat on his back.

Trapped, Olly can only squirm, his chest under too much pressure to make much sound, only his head free, until...

BAM

... the dome thunders down, closing in on his head, slowing millimetres away.

OLLY

Help!

The dome continues to constrict, closing down on his helmet, the visor...

C-CRAAACK

... splintering. Olly starts to scream.

OLLY

Somebody!

The web of cracks stop spreading, Olly's throat burns dry, only managing a whimper.

Soon, silence...

FIGURE (V.O)

You see? I... am in control.

INT. BELL

The cockpit door. It's sightly ajar.

CLANK

Behind us.

A shadow disappears into the living room.

CLANK

The access hatch falls shut.

Slowly, we make our way toward it - the stupid teenager in a horror movie.

We get closer and closer and...

EDDY

There.

Eddy opens the cockpit door to let the dim light from the corridor trickle in.

He then returns to the control panel, pushing buttons, tapping screens, cursing, hitting. Nothing seems to be working.

We turn around, back out to the corridor.

We head for the living room.

Eddy's voice dies away.

Complete silence...

We reach the door and...

BANG

Right past us a battery smashes against a wall.

EDDY

Motherfuck!

In the cockpit, Eddy throws batteries left and right, looking through cabinets, trying to find working ones for his torch.

Silence falls again as we turn back to the end of the corridor.

We approach the open living room door.

We reach it.

We peer...

... around the corner...

... the living room is empty.

In we go.

Timidly...

INT. LIVING ROOM

... we walk straight to the centre...

... looking left...

... finding the corner...

... finding nothing.

We turn for the wall behind us...

Nothing out of the ordinary.

The door is open, no chances, we check behind it, seeing if anything lurks in the darkness...

... nothing.

We turn to the centre of the room again, looking up toward the ceiling...

CLICK

The door shuts.

Slower than ever...

... we approach it...

... almost there...

BLAM

Through the door bursts Eddy, flustered.

He paces around the room, still looking for batteries, coming upon the T.V remote. He pops the paper thin back off - the battery - slotting it into the heel of the torch.

He leaves the room, going...

INT. CORRIDOR

... through to the kitchen where he quickly picks up a screwdriver.

He makes his way back to...

INT. COCKPIT

... sliding under the control panel, torch at hand.

EDDY

(whispering to himself)

I'll fucking tell you, no goddamn batteries, no power... fucking shit is suspect. Old... rickety shit... one day, a house of my own. Fucking spend my life in a dark zone. No women, no...

(sighs)

Three fucking idiots breaking down, fucking... fucking... How does this go? Old ass ship...

Unbeknownst to him the light from the corridor fades, a shadow leaking through the open door.

INT. SOMEWHERE IN THE SHIP - BEDROOM

Gary looks over his shoulder to see the music box on the floor before pushing the bedroom door open, stepping out to...

INT. SOMEWHERE IN THE SHIP - UPSTAIRS HALL

... it's pretty dark but he finds a light switch with ease.

There are two closed doors to his left and one ahead of him.

He goes into the one closest to him.

Left in the hall, heavy breathing seeps through the walls around, filling the gloom.

Inhale...

Exhale...

Inhale...

Exhale...

Gary steps out of the room with a handgun at his side.

WOMAN (O.S)

Please!

Grip on the gun lose, hand trembling, Gary starts off down the stairs, focused on a closed door at the bottom.

He takes each step down in growing fear.

Every other step...

CREE

CREEE

CREEEEE

... and with each creak Gary contemplates going back.

INT. SOMEWHERE IN THE SHIP - DOWNSTAIRS

He makes it down.

THWAK

THWAK

THWAK

The sound of meat being pounded relentlessly resonates through the house, coming from the door right before Gary.

THWAK

THWAK

He approaches.

THWAK

THWAK

His hand presses against the door, but he doesn't open it.

He knows what lies behind.

THWAK

THWAK

THWAK

WOMAN (O.S)

(weak)

... please...

Gary pulls his hand away.

Silence...

WOMAN (O.S)

Please, help! Oh, God, please! No!

The vicious beating bites through the door again.

THWAK

THWAK

THWAK

Tears stream down Gary's face, he's a mess, quivering, only just keeping the gun in his hand and his feet underneath him.

THWAK

THWAK

THWAK

He takes a breath.

THWAK

WOMAN (O.S)

NO!

THWAK

WOMAN (O.S)

NO!

THWAK

WOMAN (O.S)

... please.

THWAK

His hand comes to the door.

He pushes...

CREEEEEEK

Silence pours out.

Nothing but darkness.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

What are you waiting for?

Gary takes a step into:

INT. SOMEWHERE IN THE SHIP - ROOM

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

Come on... you know where it is.

Eyes fixed on the ground Gary flicks the light on.

He lifts his gun up with two hands.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

Come on.

Gary's outstretched arms tremble.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

Do it.

Eyes closed Gary lifts his head.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

... and open.

They open.

He drops the gun...

THUNK

... and starts sobbing.

He's in an empty living room.

WOMAN (O.S)

Please!

GARY

No!

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

Uh-huh. Let's go.

He's dumbstruck, just shaking his head, face buried in his hands.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

Come on.

Gary can do more than mouth, 'no'.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

We haven't done this properly. Do you want to?

GARY

No.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

Do you want to see her again?

GARY

I... I...

WOMAN (O.S)

No, no! Please, no!

GARY

Stop!

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

Open your eyes.

Gary drops his hands...

... opens his eyes...

... picks up the gun.

CLICK

The door closes behind him. He leans back against it.

CLICK

Lights off. Darkness.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

This is it.

For a moment all there is, is the drawing of deep breaths, the...

Inhale...

Exhale...

Inhale...

Exhale...

A FLASH of light.

Gary flinches, lifts up the gun.

Darkness.

Light...

FLASH

... dead woman...

... on the floor...

... beaten to a pulp...

... Gary horrified...

... darkness.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

It happened so quick.

Light...

FLASH

... the body...

... bloody...

... beaten...

... twisted...

... contorted beyond recognition...

... the flash of white, of the horror in Gary's eyes...

... darkness.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

What could you have done?

GARY

What could I have done?

Silence...

Inhale...

Exhale...

Inhale...

Exhale...

GARY

Where is she?

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

Too far gone.

Light...

FLASH

... the empty living room.

Crumpled in the corner, hands over his ears, eyes closed, the side of the gun pressed to his temple, Gary cowers.

CLICK

The door pushes itself open and Gary out of its way.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

What was worse?

Gary crawls out to...

INT. SOMEWHERE IN THE SHIP - DOWNSTAIRS

... getting to his feet.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

How could you do it?

CLICK

The door shuts.

Darkness again.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

How did you go on?

A faint light trickles down the stairs.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

This must've been how it was.

A shadow is cast down.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Gary flinches at each one.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

You just kept going.

The shadow bumps its way down the stairs, toward Gary.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

This is what was left.

A dark figure looms at the top of the stairs, riddled with holes, chinks of light streaming through.

DEEP BREATHER (V.O)

It hurt to breath. You could hear.

The figure takes a step down.

Gary takes a step back.

INT. SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THE SHIP - SAME

Olly squirms in his suit, trying to break free, blood pouring from his ear, getting into his eyes.

OLLY

... please.

He gives, going limp, on the verge of tears.

OLLY

Let me out, please.

The concrete dome starts to pull away.

FIGURE (V.O)

Does it hurt?

Concrete scrapes on concrete. The tunnel pulls away.

FIGURE (V.O)

Up you get.

Olly pulls his helmet off, wiping the blood from his face.

OLLY

Somebody help. Somebody!

FIGURE (V.O)

Shhh. How about you take a seat?

The dome lights up, an armchair now sits in the middle.

Olly gets his feet under him.

FIGURE (V.O)

How about it? Where else are you going to go?

Olly turns to the tunnel and ambles toward it as fast as he can...

BANG

... not fast enough. The dome is sealed.

Olly turns back to the chair.

FIGURE (V.O)

Sit.

Beaten, he takes the seat, sat awkwardly, his knees close together, hands resting on his lap, eyes glazed over...

OLLY

She should be here.

Tears well as he stares at the walls.

He regresses into childish mannerisms, bringing his knees up to his chest, biting his lip, eyes tracing patterns on the floor.

FIGURE (V.O)

Gone too soon.

From within the concrete walls something...

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM

... tries to break through.

OLLY

(through gritted teeth)

Let him come.

FIGURE (V.O)

Why? You never could protect mummy.

Olly stands in a burst of rage.

OLLY

Fuck you!

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM

Olly falls to his knees.

Silence...

BOOM-BOOOM-BOOM

He mumbles fearfully into his chest, silenced when--

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM

FIGURE (V.O)

Who could it be?

OLLY

You know!

He curls up, the Figure whispering...

FIGURE (V.O)

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Silence...

FIGURE (V.O)

I could let him in.

Olly shakes his head, no.

FIGURE (V.O)

What's that?

He shakes his head again.

FIGURE (V.O)

I'm guessing no: no, no, no, don't let daddy in. Am I right... maybe he's still in there...

Olly begins to sob.

FIGURE (V.O)

Oh, only if...

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM

Olly balls up tighter, biting his lip, scratching his arms.

The...

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM

... turns to a light...

TING-TING-TING

Olly stands.

A small hole opens up into the bottom of the wall.

Olly's transfixed.

The...

TING-TING-TING

... rings through the hole a little louder.

A small brown mouse appears in the opening. Olly flinches in disgust.

The mouse crawls out.

Olly marches over...

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

... and stomps...

BAM

SPLAT

The mouse is squished, but the...

TING-TING-TING

... returns.

Olly steps back.

TING-TING-TING

TING-TING-TING

TING-TING-TING

It stops.

Silence...

FIGURE (V.O)

Well now...


Popular Posts