What was once a mess of geek stuff, blank DVDs, and books. Is now a small reinforced shelter with knives stabbed on the walls for easy access, wood nailed across windows to block entry, and lots of canned goods in neat stacks. Most of the geek stuff is gone, although one can still see hints of them in the room.
JIM enters the room with a pile of clothes in his hands. He fumbles with the wireless phone and starts dialing. While waiting for it to connect, he hurriedly places the stack of clothes near the closet door.
As the phone rings, he uses his foot to swivel open the door, revealing a gun he had gathered and kept for safety as well as what looks like riot gear. He starts putting his clothes inside.
The ringing stops.
Jim stares at the phone. Slowly, he moves towards it, almost like someone afraid that it will explode. But nothing, just silence. He picks it up gingerly, then worriedly looks it over.
JIM (towards the phone)
Hello?
Hesitantly, Jim hits the flash button and the dial tone returns. He sighs, takes another deep breath, then hits redial.
The phone begins to ring again.
Jim moves to the bathroom, bringing the phone with him. The mirror is shattered, and there are hints of some dried blood still on the walls or corners of the mirror. Jim grabs the tooth paste and tooth brush, and was about to apply the paste when the ringing stops.
PAM (through phone)
Hello?
Jim, in his eagerness, squeezes most of the toothpaste all over his other hand. He drops it and grabs the phone.
JIM
Hey!
PAM (through phone)
Hey, so sorry about that. You called earlier right?
JIM
We're you expecting someone else?
Jim postures proudly, smearing the toothpaste onto his waist. Whoops.
PAM (through phone)
Ha. Ha. I heard the ringing earlier.
I just didn't recognize it.
JIM
Not the Unchained Melody you were expecting?
Jim realizes he just stupidly brought up her ex. Scowling, he raises his hand to give himself a face palm. Whoops. More toothpaste.
PAM (through phone)
Of course not. He's dead.
The zombies got to him.
JIM
Wha... wait? What?
PAM (through phone)
They cornered him somewhere in Makati. He tried fending them off but
They cornered him somewhere in Makati. He tried fending them off but
there were just too many of them. When one tore a chunk of his neck,
we realized there was no way to save him.
JIM
Oh God, I am so-
PAM (through phone)
I'm kidding!
I'm kidding.
The bastard's alive, but that's fine.
They realized he didn't have any brains.
The two fall silent, then break into laughter. Jim wipes himself clean, then ends up sitting on the bed.
JIM
So, what was with all the books?
PAM (through phone)
Manuals.
JIM
Yeah, manuals?
PAM (through phone)
My parents don't believe the zombie outbreak is over.
Part of them still believes those creatures might rise up again.
JIM
So they're building a fort or something?
PAM (through phone)
They bought one of those concrete bunkers that are being built somewhere in Marikina?
JIM
Crazy...
PAM (through phone)
They were thinking of reinforcing them further.
JIM
It happened everywhere. Did you read online?
China. Australia. Brazil. Everywhere.
PAM (through phone)
I lost my net access. My dad used the laptop to bar the window.
JIM
Well, I'm glad you're safe.
PAM (through phone)
I'm glad you're safe too.
Jim just smiles. And then his eyes wander onto the bag of MARSHMALLOWS
Simultaneously, JIM and PAM speak up
JIM
Hey, did you ever-
PAM (through phone)
By the way, the-
And again, simultaneously, JIM and PAM speak up
JIM
You first...
PAM (through phone)
You first...
And break into laughter. But while laughing, Jim speaks up.
JIM
No. Come on, you first.
PAM (through phone)
Okay.. the ice cream. I never got to eat it.
JIM
Really?
PAM (through phone)
Yeah, I left it in the freezer when I got home. But before I could get to it-
JIM
The zombies?
PAM (through phone)
My father. He found it and ate it while I was asleep. He ate all of it.
JIM
That was half a gallon!
PAM (through phone)
Obviously, you haven't met my father.
JIM
I haven't met you either.
Tell you what. What if we have a meet up tomorrow.
PAM (through phone)
I'll ask him if he's free.
JIM
No! I didn't mean that.
PAM (through phone)
I know. I'm kidding.
You want to meet up.
JIM
Yes. I can bring a gallon of ice cream.
You can bring cones or bowls or whatever.
PAM (through phone)
And marshmallows?
Jim grabs the bag to his chest.
JIM
Already covered.
A brief pause. A moment of silence. Jim's smile never wavers.
PAM (through phone)
Is this... weird?
JIM
Sorta.
PAM (through phone)
I mean, bad weird?
JIM
What do you think?
PAM (through phone)
I think it is more of a good weird.
JIM
That's good.
I think it is more of a good weird too.
PAM (through phone)
Sometimes, there's so much bad weird that happens you start wondering if there's any sense or reason that things happen. You know what I mean?
JIM
Yeah. I mean, just the other day, right?
Zombies?
PAM (through phone)
That was definitely under bad weird.
JIM
But then you have moments of good weird that happen.
You have no idea how dull and boring that day was.
Had you not stepped in that day, I probably would have also become a zombie.
PAM (through phone)
I have to admit, you're enticing sales talk for ice cream definitely gave that day a different twist.
JIM
Ah, but it wasn't that great. Or you would have eaten the ice cream the moment you stepped out!
PAM (through phone)
Some times, the best things don't need to be rushed.
Again, a moment of silence. Smiles not ending. Jim moves to the table where clippings and papers are taped to the wall. A map of his subdivision is there too. As well as a flyer for "Zombie Bancheto"
PAM (through phone)
So...
JIM
So?
PAM (through phone)
Tomorrow then?
JIM (grabs flyer)
Yes! Tomorrow. We can check out the.. Zombie Bancheto?
PAM (through phone)
Zombie Bancheto?
JIM
Maybe they sell various weapons and armor or something?
PAM (through phone)
But Bancheto means feast?
JIM
Ew...
Both laugh.
JIM
Tomorrow then. Around 10am I guess? Gateway complex at Cubao, okay?
PAM (through phone)
If I didn't know better, you're trying to get an idea where I am from.
JIM
No! Just an honest question! I'm based around here actually.
PAM (through phone)
Gateway it is.
JIM
Great!
I'll see you then.
Oh and my name's-
PAM (through phone)
STOP!
JIM
What?
PAM (through phone)
Don't rush it.
JIM
When we meet then.
PAM (through phone)
I'll see you tomorrow.
CUT to CLOSE UP OF CUE CARD SHOWING TIME
0900
CUE CARD CLICKS TO ONE MINUTE LATER
0901
SFX: ALARM CLOCK BLARING
INT. JIM's ROOM - EARLY MORNING
Jim wakes up and instantly holds an itak ready to defend himself. He sits up and tries to shake the sleepiness off. He sees the time, puts the itak down, and gives in to a massive yawn. While yawning, he reaches over to the window and peers past the wood barrier to check the streets.
The streets are safe. Quiet. No zombies. No panic. Just people doing their every day thing.
Jim smiles. Finally a good day.
Then one of the people in the street starts to levitate. The other stare in shock. Jim's eyes widen in panic. He adjusts his gaze to see where the levitating man had gone.
The sky is filled with ufos of all kinds and forms. Various rays emit from the ufos and begin grabbing people. Deathrays start burning buildings.
JIM
Shit.
FADE TO BLACK
CUT TO CUE CARD
WHITE TEXT
Four Days Later
INT. JIM'S ROOM - LATE EVENING
The TELEVISION is on. We see a politician on the screen talking to a large gathering of people. People are cheering. All around them are ruins of tanks, buildings, and dying flames. We see damaged ufo ships. We see purple blood in the streets. We see triumph.
Politician (Television)
...have survived the alien invasion! Together, we united and faced a common foe, one from outside the very planet we call our home...
JIM is sitting on his bed. His face and arms are caked with dried purple blood and brain bits. There is no window anymore, just a massive whole where it used to be. There is an alien corpse in the middle of the room, its purple blood still painting the floor. Jim's itak is embedded into the alien's head. He doesn't notice however. All he notices is the landline in his hand.
SFX:
The number you dialed cannot be reached or is out of the coverage area... please try again later...
JIM pulls his legs to his chest. Exhausted. HALFA BAG OF MARSHMALLOWS is still in his other hand.
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