The Dog Stars (2026) Movie Script
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
That's it. Nope.
Service to the whiskey, Delta. We are
gone.
All right. Too much wind.
Jasper!
Here. Sit.
Come on, Jeff.
I'm going.
Oh, you want to play?
That's different.
You mean-
You just don't know it yet.
It's not right.
Sure is that smoke across town.
You see that?
A bunch showed up out of Texas or Mexico
or some other fucking bad place.
Reapers.
Some new tribe.
More feral than the others. Killing
whoever's left.
Washington or Everton. Just like that.
Fucking fluted.
Is that blood here?
Hit me together, right?
With your bullets.
Hit me, know my way around.
We might survive them, right?
Huh?
I already got a partner.
They're going to catch you,
motherfucker. You and your fucking nuts.
And you're going to hear me laugh when
they do.
Remember, kids, you've got to stay back.
Go ahead, boy.
I made a run into town.
The favorite.
Thank you, Hayden.
How's it going?
Get in there.
You need a hand with anything?
I hate to put you to work when you stop
by.
No, I have something to do.
In that case, we're having trouble with
the well.
It's connected to the solar, but it
ain't getting power.
All right.
Okay, stay glued.
Go on, Jess. Come on. Where are you
going? Where are you going? Where are
you going?
I didn't see Caleb when I came in. Where
is he?
Caleb passed last week.
Fear the children as well.
We think it was measles this time.
I'm sorry, Aaron.
It seems like that's the world we live
in.
If the virus didn't take care of
something else, well, we ran out of
vaccines years ago.
Just like that.
Well, I remember you saying your beans
didn't come in well this year, so...
Thank you.
Oh, what's this?
Ben's root for you. And I call it
Jasper's fur.
Jasper and I never look better.
Thank you.
You take care. I'll see you soon.
Jasper, come up.
Up,
up, up.
Good boy.
The thing's looking tense today.
See? It's quiet.
Not that quiet.
This is scavenger. I had to run him off.
Run him off or put him down.
Letting roaches scurry away is going to
come back and bite you one day.
He said there's a new bunch roaming
around burning the place.
I called them reapers.
I saw this in town.
It looks like they're going after
everything that's left.
Fuck them, as long as they stay away
from here.
Those Mormon beans?
Mennonites.
I sure didn't know that.
I thought we agreed, no more visits.
You're saying it doesn't make it an
agreement, Bangley. I keep telling you,
all it takes is one cough.
In your eye or open mouth.
You want to survive the fucking plague
and just die all by yourself?
That's not how it works.
What are you, a fucking doctor now?
You know, they're children.
They need our help.
All the years we've been out here, when
has offering goodwill to others ever
kept us alive?
You know, it's not the way people are
supposed to be.
The way people have always been.
Just pulling the mask off civilization
for you to see it.
You know,
I told you back before all this shit how
my doctor at OKC said I had
atherosclerosis, right? Mm-hmm. But you
keep bringing them to me. Yeah. By the
case. Yeah.
Yeah. I figured I'd make a good story.
You outlive in the rest of the world to
die from a coke.
Really? Yeah.
Would you like some?
Please. The witch who made this fucking
film. Fuck you.
There's a
bear.
And, um, there's a turtle.
Right next to Elvis.
Big Jasper.
Right next to the girl.
Don't shoot.
Come on. Here.
Wait. Just kids.
No ammo.
It's a weapon. It does just as well.
It's rule number one. Don't bring
weapons onto someone else's land, not
unless you plan to use them. I doubt
they knew anyone lived here. They're
just being cautious.
So I should let some roach with a rifle
get right up close before asking if they
plan on plugging us?
And it turns out that they're better
with theirs than I am with mine, and
then the whole balance of power just
tilts the wrong way.
Of course, the odds of them being better
are slim, but still.
Look, it's like...
It's like the old saying, shoot first
and inquire afterwards.
Fuck you!
Holy...
We lost the fish.
What happened?
No fish for us, huh?
out there is going to be tough to spot
with thermal. I'll kill some time.
Not on the ground, I hope. No vest, no
rifle.
Don't worry, I'll let you out first.
Sesna 2 Mike Mike Whiskey Delta Grand
Junction, do you copy?
Grand Junction, do you copy?
a few months ago.
It's like an old woman or something. I
heard it a few years back as well.
Some kind of loop.
And why don't I hear it more often?
I don't know how this shit works.
Maybe the winds need to be just right.
Anyway, it pays you five grand.
And either way, it doesn't matter.
No, Grand Junction would be fucking
France as far as you'll get on a full
tank in that Cessna. I'll take one, too.
What do you expect to find if you even
fucking get there?
Oh.
You think Grand Junction is just going
to be jam-packed full of what was?
Happy people everywhere.
Children laughing and playing. Lovers
strolling hand in hand.
The world doesn't fucking exist. The
world that you're in.
Has everything you need right here.
Power, food, water, weapons.
Perimeter you can defend. I mean,
shithead.
With what we have here, you and me, we
live in a fucking American dream.
Well, I'm not sure I'd call it a fucking
dream.
Call it what you want.
Beats the shit out of the flip side.
Cowboys over fives.
That's it?
Yeah. You got another 30 grand hidden
there. Okay, take it.
Come on.
You know, it was pretty bright when you
got back. You sure we're all clear?
Yeah.
There's nothing out there.
All right.
Now I'll sleep tight and dream about
Grand Junction.
Fucking Paris of the New World.
All right.
I needed to remind you that living feels
nicer than dying. And where the fuck is
your night pits, huh?
How do
you
think those assholes got in here?
You fucking missed them.
You're so sweaty over your Grand
Junction mystery voice and whatever
paradise is waiting out there for you
that you recon too early and you flew
right the fuck over them. So yeah, I let
you clean up your own mess.
At least before I had to fucking save
you.
Hi.
Hi.
Okay. Okay.
Okay. Hi. Hi.
It's been a big, big day.
Hi. Is that your mom?
That's your mom. Huh?
You taking a tour?
I'm going to try and get to Grand
Junction.
Just like that?
You're not even talking about it?
What's there to talk about?
I don't know, Hig. Maybe you just
decided to take off without a heads up.
How that affects me.
You're not here to recon. That makes me
vulnerable.
Told you for years I'd teach you how to
fly.
You don't need to teach me. It's your
bucket here to do it.
So suppose you make it to Junction, and
there's no guarantee, but let's just say
you do, and there's nothing.
Then what?
I guess I'll keep heading west.
Goddamn.
And if this is all because you're pissed
over what happened, there's nothing left
to say for me anymore.
Shit, I got to sweep you.
I'm just saying I can't do this anymore.
You'd rather die someplace else?
That's how it goes, yeah. Well, that's
definitely how it's going to go.
You on your own in lands you don't know,
but others do.
You know, we have no idea what's out
there. We've not even fucking looked
that way. Why would it be different?
To whoever's already there, you're just
a fucking roach, and they'll deal with
you just like we do roaches.
This world fits you, babe.
Wake up.
Defend.
Survive.
Oh, shit, I think you were ready for it
ten years before I hit.
What?
You like this shit.
I was a fucking mechanic.
I fix shit.
When I wasn't doing that, I was kissing
my wife.
You know, I'm wondering every day how I
got so fucking lucky.
All that luck is spent.
You're not gonna find more of it out
there.
Want to tag along?
Rather stay alive.
There's a list on the fridge.
How to work the power, gardens, and how
to figure shit out.
from too high, though.
The flash will blind the shit out of
you.
Don't get goofy thinking about the past.
Let some fucker blindside you.
I know we've bitched and moaned and
gotten on each other's nerves, but
you've been a good partner.
Yeah, you too.
Bye.
Thank you.
You put that fucking thing down right
now.
Take it off. Put your hands up.
Keep your hands in the air.
What are you doing here?
I put my plane down in the middle.
I saw your donkey.
I haven't seen one of those in a long
time, so I got curious.
You okay?
Yeah.
Where are you flying from?
Erie.
South side of Denver. I know where that
is.
My dog died.
That's why you thought you'd come steal
mine.
I didn't even know you had a fucking
dog.
I don't.
What are you doing here?
I'm heading to Grand Junction.
What you doing?
Sneaking around my property all weaponed
up.
Well, I don't know what I was going to
run into.
Maybe the wrong kind of roach.
What do you mean, roach?
Survivors.
The ones even the flu couldn't kill.
Yeah. What was your dog's name?
Jasper.
You must have really missed that dog.
He was a good fucking dog.
You need to get out of here.
Empty that clip.
I got the phone number.
My name is Hig.
It don't matter to us what your name is.
I'm Seema.
My dad.
Pops.
Real pleasure.
Get out of here!
We're gonna need more runway, Jasper.
Smell like real coffee.
My
dad makes this
Holly and Ruth coffee.
This is really good.
Thank you.
You don't have any banana nut muffins,
do you?
We sold out five minutes ago.
Right. Yeah.
So
what'd
you do before the world ended?
I was a mechanic, mostly.
I did some construction here and there.
Odd little jobs, you know.
Enough to pay the bills and still enjoy
life.
A dream?
I suppose.
For a while, anyway.
You and your husband, you have any
children?
No, never got that far.
You?
Um, my wife.
Melissa. She, um... She was pregnant,
but we lost the baby about a year before
she died.
All right.
It's okay.
It's not your fault.
I miss music.
With...
in the car and listening to music.
Singing on the way to the grocery store.
I miss the fucking grocery store.
Yeah. And traffic.
Being stuck in traffic.
Sima, where are you?
I'm already out of the canyon, Dad.
Close your eyes.
No, wait. Close your eyes.
Trust me. Just close them.
Trust me.
What are we doing here?
Just helping him get on his way.
He's an unknown.
We've survived because we have rules
about how to deal with unknowns.
I know he has real coffee.
And a whole sleigh of these.
Yeah, I've known plenty of bad men with
this in their pocket.
I'm gonna get an ax and a saw and I hope
he'll be able to get out of here.
I just need to clear a few trees, I'll
be gone. I would appreciate the axe
being brought back sharpened.
Of course.
You
got
some help?
Yeah.
I love you
Let's get this shit clear and have you
on your way.
You want some coffee?
No. No?
How about a cigarette?
You got a cigarette?
Okay, ready?
Okay.
Tell me when.
Three, two, one.
Come on, you got this.
We got to keep it level.
With the saw? Yeah, you got to keep it
level. I put your hand on the top of the
handle. All right.
Come on. I'm not doing all the pushing.
I'm not doing all the pushing. I'm
trying to pull when you have to push.
All right.
What if Grand Junction turns out to be
like Erie, Denver, any other place like
that?
Yeah, I've heard that one before.
Because it might.
What would you do?
Where would you go?
There's this mountain in Telluride,
about 12,000 feet high,
and one side of it's basically just
straight up.
I used to go there with my wife, hiking
in the summer days, skiing
in the winters.
Wow.
So you'd head there?
Yeah.
I'm playing right at the side of that
fucking mountain.
You're going to have to move the bigger
rocks.
Huh? The bigger ones. Otherwise, I can't
go.
All right.
Maybe you want to concentrate on the
film.
All right.
But if I can lift up before the first
line of trees, I think it's going to be
okay. Oh, thank Christ, because my back
is shot to shit.
Yeah.
Thank you.
I appreciate it.
Yeah.
I'll push harder, you push less hard.
Oh, that's it.
Okay. You good? Yeah.
Nice.
So you grew up here?
I grew up here, but I moved to New York.
I went to college there and worked in a
hospital there with my husband.
How come you're here?
My mom had stage four breast cancer, so
I came back to help my dad.
And then Tom went to New York, but they
shut down travel and I couldn't get
back.
And then he died.
I'm sorry.
You gotta have something to haunt you,
right?
Otherwise, you might get lonely.
All right.
We gotta spin around.
Come on.
Yeah.
Come on, muscles.
There's a storm coming.
Where do you sleep if it's raining?
In your plane.
Oh, it's a little tight in there.
Usually it's under the wing.
There's a shelter at the far end of the
pond, if you need.
Why don't you get in the sick before you
leave?
Thanks.
Is he just nice to me?
I don't know. I've never seen him be
nice before.
Yeah.
Did you golf? Not a day in my life.
I used to say, if you ever catch me
playing golf, shoot me in the head.
Okay. I have an
idea.
Yeah.
What's that?
What if you stay?
I can't.
I'm sorry.
Steven, I'm sorry.
No, it's okay.
Seema, stop.
Just wait.
Seema.
You don't think I think about Tom every
single fucking day, do I? I know you do.
Just like you do, Melissa.
I understand. I know.
I know.
You don't have a fucking monopoly on
grief, do you? I know.
to suffer anymore.
Bad time motherfucker.
I don't know, 10, 20, maybe.
Three with guns, some bows, some axes.
Someone horseback.
I've not seen you yet.
You got a rifle?
No, it's just a Glock.
If he would have lost it earlier, he
wouldn't be stuck with us.
Grand Junction, this is Cessna 2, Mike,
Mike, Whiskey, Delta, D, copy.
Grand Junction,
this is Cessna 2, Mike, Mike, Whiskey,
Delta, D, copy.
Duncan, do you copy? This is Cessna 2,
Mike Mike, Whiskey, Delta. Do you copy?
Copy that, Cessna.
Are you real?
Yeah.
Well, I'll be damned.
It's been two years since the aircraft
responded. I didn't think there were any
more of you up there.
Likewise.
We're out of Erie, just near Denver.
We've come a long ways.
We were thinking we might stop by.
There's three of us.
conversation, but we prefer you move
along.
We haven't been lucky with visitors.
It won't cause any trouble.
It won't mean any harm.
Well, no offense, but who would say
different?
Understood.
There used to be a hell of a pancake
store downtown.
Sandy's, I think it was called.
I was a little partial to the blueberry.
She used to sprinkle something on top.
I can't remember what it was. It was
fantastic.
Sandy would chop up marshmallows real
fine and shake them over.
Yeah. Yeah.
That's it.
Best ever.
Keep your approach, Cessna.
We'll see you folks when you get here.
You're welcome.
Copy you.
I'll see you soon.
And this is 2 Whiskey Delta, southeast
of 3,000 feet, inbound landing.
I see you, Cessa. 2 Whiskey Delta, make
a straightened approach, runway 22.
You're cleared to land.
Copy that, Grand Dungeon.
Welcome to Grand Dungeon, Cessa. A
couple of our folks are going to meet
you. And no weapons, please, if you're
carrying.
It's the only real role we've got.
I'll do with respect.
You're as unknown to us as we are to
you.
Understood. And you are free to keep
along with friendly skies if you're not
comfortable. What do we think?
It's not that.
Yeah. It depends how much we tricked.
We tricked a little.
Thanks, man.
What are we doing in this piece of shit?
How are you doing?
Welcome.
I'm John. This is Logan.
Hi.
I'm Egg.
And this is Pop and Seema.
Any illnesses we should know of?
I'm sorry.
Logan likes to get to the point.
No.
No, no illnesses.
Well, if you wouldn't mind.
That's a green.
Yep.
Ah, beautiful.
Thank you.
Follow me.
It's me, Darlene.
I don't blame you, Cessna.
It's understandable.
New place, new faces.
It takes a lot of faith, especially in
this world.
But rules are rules.
We'll get it back to you.
Follow me.
for our guests.
Let's go.
I'll keep it waiting.
Cessna.
In the flesh.
Do you mind? I want to commemorate this
moment.
Say cheese.
A fine-looking little trio to boot.
Hick, Seema, Pops.
It's Jack, actually.
Hick, there's the pilot. This is
Darlene.
Darlene?
Fly me to the moon.
And let me play among the stars.
Once a stewardess, always a stewardess.
Thank you.
Drink up.
Thank you.
So, darling, do you ever speak or are
you just window dressing?
Occasionally.
And what do you think of our little spot
here?
It's interesting.
Almost like you flew through a time
warp, right?
Drink up.
There's more. Now, I've got something
stronger if you'd like.
I wouldn't say no to something with a
little more kick to it.
How about 160 proof worth, Jack?
Just like my grandpa taught me.
This ain't no vodka or gin.
Mm-hmm.
Tell me how you like that.
There you go.
Well, now, you haven't touched yours.
I'm good, thanks. I'll just give you a
talk. Oh, yeah.
Right? Yeah, that's the kick I'm talking
about. I told you, if we're going to
start over, you might as well do it
right.
No fancy cocktails with umbrellas and
fruit.
So, tell me about your trip.
You spot much life between Erie and us?
There's a few pockets here and there,
but nothing nearby.
Good to know.
Have you had a lot of trouble here?
No. Look at Psalms 121. The Lord will
protect people from all evil and guard
them as they go about their lives.
Praise God.
Amen.
This is where he's been hiding for the
last few years.
So, Doc.
You and Big Hig. Your hands always this
rough before the world turned upside
down?
I've been a rancher all my life, so...
Yeah.
What about you?
I was a mechanic, mostly.
Darling, do you mind if I, uh, might
have a smoke?
Smoke it up.
Fellas, hard work, and laborers. I
respect that.
And you?
Medical resident.
My, oh, my.
John?
A doctor.
I don't think I'm one of those around.
No, we haven't.
You should have told me what valuable
cargo you were carrying, Big Hig. I had
no idea.
Is he labored like you two?
They eat the same amount as the rest.
And so we've already got more than
enough for that kind of work, but now a
real-life doctor, that is worth a share.
You got me wrong. I'm actually not a
real doctor. I was just studying, and I
honestly barely remember anything. Oh,
I'm sure. It's like riding a bike.
Yes, ma'am.
Logan, how'd you like to marry a doctor?
What the fuck?
Oh, I'd like that, Darlene.
I'd like that, too.
I think maybe the time for our
conversation is over. Don't be rude,
Jack. Jack?
Being rude? Jack,
sit down.
Jack, you remind me of men I used to
know.
You always figure it's your job to say
when the conversation starts or stops.
Or grope my ass or spread my... Hey, I
appreciate your loyalty. I do.
I do. See, I used to defend my daddy
that same way when he'd yell too loud or
swing too hard.
But the truth is, Jack is right.
You know why?
There's nothing more left to say except
to thank Big Hig for...
answering our call and bringing Seema
here to us so that we might bless our
family. Shall we take Seema now?
And you and all the rest, you're all
just so desperate for something better.
You'll follow a voice just around
anywhere.
Listen to me.
This case right here.
This is what it is.
I don't think so, darling.
Pops, is it back? Behind me, pull the
grenade.
Pull the page and hold the hill.
Love, Daddy.
That's right.
I'm really sorry.
Where to now?
You're not thinking about any mountains
in Telluride, are you?
No.
We're going back to Erie, okay?
Bangley, Bruce, Bangley, we are two
miles out. This is Desna, Mike, Mike,
Whiskey, Delta, Friendly, please do not
shoot.
Bangley, do you copy?
It's okay.
It's okay.
Okay, tough guy.
Almost there.
I hear your Grand Junction fantasy was a
total shit show, just like I said it'd
be.
Yeah, it didn't go according to plan.
Maybe it did, man. I don't know.
I'm sorry I left you alone.
No, it's fine.
I can end 50 assholes without your help.
I counted 31 bodies. Oh, shit, Higg. I
had to blow a bunch of them up. At least
give me credit for the pieces.
Mm-hmm.
Too bad about Grand Junction.
At least we got fifth out of it.
Ow! Son of a... Okay, okay.
If we built it once, it'd be easier this
time. We'll know what the hell we're
doing. Then what?
This place has always been too exposed.
It's a hell of a lot fucking harder to
defend now. We figured it out before.
What's the fucking alternative?
Families aren't contagious.
Oh, Christ.
No, they got fucking power, water.
You can only see them from the air. It's
the safest place.
Goddamn Mormons. I wake up every
morning, them trying to convert me. Last
thing I need is extra wives.
Meta-nice, but you already fucking knew
that.
You? You gonna stay there or you gonna
keep trying to find something else?
Not sure yet.
You're a consistently stupid fucker.
I'll give you that.
I knew this asshole once.
Back in the OKC. He was in the Corps.
He had a wife.
Two daughters.
When the virus took him, just about
broke him.
But it wasn't just that they were gone.
It was all the years before that he
could have been with them, but he
wasn't. He was just off, doing anything
else.
That's what stuck in his frog.
Yet he always knew that death was coming
for us all.
But he still couldn't enjoy what he had.
Up until it did.
Do you feel tired a lot?
Think that's your plan?
So what is it?
Something that's probably caused by
their body's defense response to the
virus.
How many kids are born after the virus?
Right. It would be passed down
genetically.
So that's why it's probably not
contagious.
Wow. Can we help?
Yeah.
I'll need some things.
Some...
Immune suppressants and corticosteroids.
Wow.
You call these?
Nope.
Who are you sneaking off to?
I was just heading into town.
I want to get some supplies.
You want me to tag along?
No, that's okay.
You're coming back, right? You're not
going to leave me alone with all these
warnings.
I'll see you.
See that big bright star there?
Mm-hmm.
That's the big jasper.
And then if you come home, see that
cluster right there?
Yeah. That's the Elvis constellation.
And these are the official astronomical
names, of course.
Yeah. And as far as I know.
I don't like the feeling of wondering
whether or not you're gonna come back.
You just left and you didn't say
anything.
We should just kiss like real people.
Why you were creeping in some sad way, I
already know.
So I would not ask you where you came
from. I would
not ask, neither would you.
Honey, just watch and sleep. Sometimes,
we should just live like this.
We could just get by.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
That's it. Nope.
Service to the whiskey, Delta. We are
gone.
All right. Too much wind.
Jasper!
Here. Sit.
Come on, Jeff.
I'm going.
Oh, you want to play?
That's different.
You mean-
You just don't know it yet.
It's not right.
Sure is that smoke across town.
You see that?
A bunch showed up out of Texas or Mexico
or some other fucking bad place.
Reapers.
Some new tribe.
More feral than the others. Killing
whoever's left.
Washington or Everton. Just like that.
Fucking fluted.
Is that blood here?
Hit me together, right?
With your bullets.
Hit me, know my way around.
We might survive them, right?
Huh?
I already got a partner.
They're going to catch you,
motherfucker. You and your fucking nuts.
And you're going to hear me laugh when
they do.
Remember, kids, you've got to stay back.
Go ahead, boy.
I made a run into town.
The favorite.
Thank you, Hayden.
How's it going?
Get in there.
You need a hand with anything?
I hate to put you to work when you stop
by.
No, I have something to do.
In that case, we're having trouble with
the well.
It's connected to the solar, but it
ain't getting power.
All right.
Okay, stay glued.
Go on, Jess. Come on. Where are you
going? Where are you going? Where are
you going?
I didn't see Caleb when I came in. Where
is he?
Caleb passed last week.
Fear the children as well.
We think it was measles this time.
I'm sorry, Aaron.
It seems like that's the world we live
in.
If the virus didn't take care of
something else, well, we ran out of
vaccines years ago.
Just like that.
Well, I remember you saying your beans
didn't come in well this year, so...
Thank you.
Oh, what's this?
Ben's root for you. And I call it
Jasper's fur.
Jasper and I never look better.
Thank you.
You take care. I'll see you soon.
Jasper, come up.
Up,
up, up.
Good boy.
The thing's looking tense today.
See? It's quiet.
Not that quiet.
This is scavenger. I had to run him off.
Run him off or put him down.
Letting roaches scurry away is going to
come back and bite you one day.
He said there's a new bunch roaming
around burning the place.
I called them reapers.
I saw this in town.
It looks like they're going after
everything that's left.
Fuck them, as long as they stay away
from here.
Those Mormon beans?
Mennonites.
I sure didn't know that.
I thought we agreed, no more visits.
You're saying it doesn't make it an
agreement, Bangley. I keep telling you,
all it takes is one cough.
In your eye or open mouth.
You want to survive the fucking plague
and just die all by yourself?
That's not how it works.
What are you, a fucking doctor now?
You know, they're children.
They need our help.
All the years we've been out here, when
has offering goodwill to others ever
kept us alive?
You know, it's not the way people are
supposed to be.
The way people have always been.
Just pulling the mask off civilization
for you to see it.
You know,
I told you back before all this shit how
my doctor at OKC said I had
atherosclerosis, right? Mm-hmm. But you
keep bringing them to me. Yeah. By the
case. Yeah.
Yeah. I figured I'd make a good story.
You outlive in the rest of the world to
die from a coke.
Really? Yeah.
Would you like some?
Please. The witch who made this fucking
film. Fuck you.
There's a
bear.
And, um, there's a turtle.
Right next to Elvis.
Big Jasper.
Right next to the girl.
Don't shoot.
Come on. Here.
Wait. Just kids.
No ammo.
It's a weapon. It does just as well.
It's rule number one. Don't bring
weapons onto someone else's land, not
unless you plan to use them. I doubt
they knew anyone lived here. They're
just being cautious.
So I should let some roach with a rifle
get right up close before asking if they
plan on plugging us?
And it turns out that they're better
with theirs than I am with mine, and
then the whole balance of power just
tilts the wrong way.
Of course, the odds of them being better
are slim, but still.
Look, it's like...
It's like the old saying, shoot first
and inquire afterwards.
Fuck you!
Holy...
We lost the fish.
What happened?
No fish for us, huh?
out there is going to be tough to spot
with thermal. I'll kill some time.
Not on the ground, I hope. No vest, no
rifle.
Don't worry, I'll let you out first.
Sesna 2 Mike Mike Whiskey Delta Grand
Junction, do you copy?
Grand Junction, do you copy?
a few months ago.
It's like an old woman or something. I
heard it a few years back as well.
Some kind of loop.
And why don't I hear it more often?
I don't know how this shit works.
Maybe the winds need to be just right.
Anyway, it pays you five grand.
And either way, it doesn't matter.
No, Grand Junction would be fucking
France as far as you'll get on a full
tank in that Cessna. I'll take one, too.
What do you expect to find if you even
fucking get there?
Oh.
You think Grand Junction is just going
to be jam-packed full of what was?
Happy people everywhere.
Children laughing and playing. Lovers
strolling hand in hand.
The world doesn't fucking exist. The
world that you're in.
Has everything you need right here.
Power, food, water, weapons.
Perimeter you can defend. I mean,
shithead.
With what we have here, you and me, we
live in a fucking American dream.
Well, I'm not sure I'd call it a fucking
dream.
Call it what you want.
Beats the shit out of the flip side.
Cowboys over fives.
That's it?
Yeah. You got another 30 grand hidden
there. Okay, take it.
Come on.
You know, it was pretty bright when you
got back. You sure we're all clear?
Yeah.
There's nothing out there.
All right.
Now I'll sleep tight and dream about
Grand Junction.
Fucking Paris of the New World.
All right.
I needed to remind you that living feels
nicer than dying. And where the fuck is
your night pits, huh?
How do
you
think those assholes got in here?
You fucking missed them.
You're so sweaty over your Grand
Junction mystery voice and whatever
paradise is waiting out there for you
that you recon too early and you flew
right the fuck over them. So yeah, I let
you clean up your own mess.
At least before I had to fucking save
you.
Hi.
Hi.
Okay. Okay.
Okay. Hi. Hi.
It's been a big, big day.
Hi. Is that your mom?
That's your mom. Huh?
You taking a tour?
I'm going to try and get to Grand
Junction.
Just like that?
You're not even talking about it?
What's there to talk about?
I don't know, Hig. Maybe you just
decided to take off without a heads up.
How that affects me.
You're not here to recon. That makes me
vulnerable.
Told you for years I'd teach you how to
fly.
You don't need to teach me. It's your
bucket here to do it.
So suppose you make it to Junction, and
there's no guarantee, but let's just say
you do, and there's nothing.
Then what?
I guess I'll keep heading west.
Goddamn.
And if this is all because you're pissed
over what happened, there's nothing left
to say for me anymore.
Shit, I got to sweep you.
I'm just saying I can't do this anymore.
You'd rather die someplace else?
That's how it goes, yeah. Well, that's
definitely how it's going to go.
You on your own in lands you don't know,
but others do.
You know, we have no idea what's out
there. We've not even fucking looked
that way. Why would it be different?
To whoever's already there, you're just
a fucking roach, and they'll deal with
you just like we do roaches.
This world fits you, babe.
Wake up.
Defend.
Survive.
Oh, shit, I think you were ready for it
ten years before I hit.
What?
You like this shit.
I was a fucking mechanic.
I fix shit.
When I wasn't doing that, I was kissing
my wife.
You know, I'm wondering every day how I
got so fucking lucky.
All that luck is spent.
You're not gonna find more of it out
there.
Want to tag along?
Rather stay alive.
There's a list on the fridge.
How to work the power, gardens, and how
to figure shit out.
from too high, though.
The flash will blind the shit out of
you.
Don't get goofy thinking about the past.
Let some fucker blindside you.
I know we've bitched and moaned and
gotten on each other's nerves, but
you've been a good partner.
Yeah, you too.
Bye.
Thank you.
You put that fucking thing down right
now.
Take it off. Put your hands up.
Keep your hands in the air.
What are you doing here?
I put my plane down in the middle.
I saw your donkey.
I haven't seen one of those in a long
time, so I got curious.
You okay?
Yeah.
Where are you flying from?
Erie.
South side of Denver. I know where that
is.
My dog died.
That's why you thought you'd come steal
mine.
I didn't even know you had a fucking
dog.
I don't.
What are you doing here?
I'm heading to Grand Junction.
What you doing?
Sneaking around my property all weaponed
up.
Well, I don't know what I was going to
run into.
Maybe the wrong kind of roach.
What do you mean, roach?
Survivors.
The ones even the flu couldn't kill.
Yeah. What was your dog's name?
Jasper.
You must have really missed that dog.
He was a good fucking dog.
You need to get out of here.
Empty that clip.
I got the phone number.
My name is Hig.
It don't matter to us what your name is.
I'm Seema.
My dad.
Pops.
Real pleasure.
Get out of here!
We're gonna need more runway, Jasper.
Smell like real coffee.
My
dad makes this
Holly and Ruth coffee.
This is really good.
Thank you.
You don't have any banana nut muffins,
do you?
We sold out five minutes ago.
Right. Yeah.
So
what'd
you do before the world ended?
I was a mechanic, mostly.
I did some construction here and there.
Odd little jobs, you know.
Enough to pay the bills and still enjoy
life.
A dream?
I suppose.
For a while, anyway.
You and your husband, you have any
children?
No, never got that far.
You?
Um, my wife.
Melissa. She, um... She was pregnant,
but we lost the baby about a year before
she died.
All right.
It's okay.
It's not your fault.
I miss music.
With...
in the car and listening to music.
Singing on the way to the grocery store.
I miss the fucking grocery store.
Yeah. And traffic.
Being stuck in traffic.
Sima, where are you?
I'm already out of the canyon, Dad.
Close your eyes.
No, wait. Close your eyes.
Trust me. Just close them.
Trust me.
What are we doing here?
Just helping him get on his way.
He's an unknown.
We've survived because we have rules
about how to deal with unknowns.
I know he has real coffee.
And a whole sleigh of these.
Yeah, I've known plenty of bad men with
this in their pocket.
I'm gonna get an ax and a saw and I hope
he'll be able to get out of here.
I just need to clear a few trees, I'll
be gone. I would appreciate the axe
being brought back sharpened.
Of course.
You
got
some help?
Yeah.
I love you
Let's get this shit clear and have you
on your way.
You want some coffee?
No. No?
How about a cigarette?
You got a cigarette?
Okay, ready?
Okay.
Tell me when.
Three, two, one.
Come on, you got this.
We got to keep it level.
With the saw? Yeah, you got to keep it
level. I put your hand on the top of the
handle. All right.
Come on. I'm not doing all the pushing.
I'm not doing all the pushing. I'm
trying to pull when you have to push.
All right.
What if Grand Junction turns out to be
like Erie, Denver, any other place like
that?
Yeah, I've heard that one before.
Because it might.
What would you do?
Where would you go?
There's this mountain in Telluride,
about 12,000 feet high,
and one side of it's basically just
straight up.
I used to go there with my wife, hiking
in the summer days, skiing
in the winters.
Wow.
So you'd head there?
Yeah.
I'm playing right at the side of that
fucking mountain.
You're going to have to move the bigger
rocks.
Huh? The bigger ones. Otherwise, I can't
go.
All right.
Maybe you want to concentrate on the
film.
All right.
But if I can lift up before the first
line of trees, I think it's going to be
okay. Oh, thank Christ, because my back
is shot to shit.
Yeah.
Thank you.
I appreciate it.
Yeah.
I'll push harder, you push less hard.
Oh, that's it.
Okay. You good? Yeah.
Nice.
So you grew up here?
I grew up here, but I moved to New York.
I went to college there and worked in a
hospital there with my husband.
How come you're here?
My mom had stage four breast cancer, so
I came back to help my dad.
And then Tom went to New York, but they
shut down travel and I couldn't get
back.
And then he died.
I'm sorry.
You gotta have something to haunt you,
right?
Otherwise, you might get lonely.
All right.
We gotta spin around.
Come on.
Yeah.
Come on, muscles.
There's a storm coming.
Where do you sleep if it's raining?
In your plane.
Oh, it's a little tight in there.
Usually it's under the wing.
There's a shelter at the far end of the
pond, if you need.
Why don't you get in the sick before you
leave?
Thanks.
Is he just nice to me?
I don't know. I've never seen him be
nice before.
Yeah.
Did you golf? Not a day in my life.
I used to say, if you ever catch me
playing golf, shoot me in the head.
Okay. I have an
idea.
Yeah.
What's that?
What if you stay?
I can't.
I'm sorry.
Steven, I'm sorry.
No, it's okay.
Seema, stop.
Just wait.
Seema.
You don't think I think about Tom every
single fucking day, do I? I know you do.
Just like you do, Melissa.
I understand. I know.
I know.
You don't have a fucking monopoly on
grief, do you? I know.
to suffer anymore.
Bad time motherfucker.
I don't know, 10, 20, maybe.
Three with guns, some bows, some axes.
Someone horseback.
I've not seen you yet.
You got a rifle?
No, it's just a Glock.
If he would have lost it earlier, he
wouldn't be stuck with us.
Grand Junction, this is Cessna 2, Mike,
Mike, Whiskey, Delta, D, copy.
Grand Junction,
this is Cessna 2, Mike, Mike, Whiskey,
Delta, D, copy.
Duncan, do you copy? This is Cessna 2,
Mike Mike, Whiskey, Delta. Do you copy?
Copy that, Cessna.
Are you real?
Yeah.
Well, I'll be damned.
It's been two years since the aircraft
responded. I didn't think there were any
more of you up there.
Likewise.
We're out of Erie, just near Denver.
We've come a long ways.
We were thinking we might stop by.
There's three of us.
conversation, but we prefer you move
along.
We haven't been lucky with visitors.
It won't cause any trouble.
It won't mean any harm.
Well, no offense, but who would say
different?
Understood.
There used to be a hell of a pancake
store downtown.
Sandy's, I think it was called.
I was a little partial to the blueberry.
She used to sprinkle something on top.
I can't remember what it was. It was
fantastic.
Sandy would chop up marshmallows real
fine and shake them over.
Yeah. Yeah.
That's it.
Best ever.
Keep your approach, Cessna.
We'll see you folks when you get here.
You're welcome.
Copy you.
I'll see you soon.
And this is 2 Whiskey Delta, southeast
of 3,000 feet, inbound landing.
I see you, Cessa. 2 Whiskey Delta, make
a straightened approach, runway 22.
You're cleared to land.
Copy that, Grand Dungeon.
Welcome to Grand Dungeon, Cessa. A
couple of our folks are going to meet
you. And no weapons, please, if you're
carrying.
It's the only real role we've got.
I'll do with respect.
You're as unknown to us as we are to
you.
Understood. And you are free to keep
along with friendly skies if you're not
comfortable. What do we think?
It's not that.
Yeah. It depends how much we tricked.
We tricked a little.
Thanks, man.
What are we doing in this piece of shit?
How are you doing?
Welcome.
I'm John. This is Logan.
Hi.
I'm Egg.
And this is Pop and Seema.
Any illnesses we should know of?
I'm sorry.
Logan likes to get to the point.
No.
No, no illnesses.
Well, if you wouldn't mind.
That's a green.
Yep.
Ah, beautiful.
Thank you.
Follow me.
It's me, Darlene.
I don't blame you, Cessna.
It's understandable.
New place, new faces.
It takes a lot of faith, especially in
this world.
But rules are rules.
We'll get it back to you.
Follow me.
for our guests.
Let's go.
I'll keep it waiting.
Cessna.
In the flesh.
Do you mind? I want to commemorate this
moment.
Say cheese.
A fine-looking little trio to boot.
Hick, Seema, Pops.
It's Jack, actually.
Hick, there's the pilot. This is
Darlene.
Darlene?
Fly me to the moon.
And let me play among the stars.
Once a stewardess, always a stewardess.
Thank you.
Drink up.
Thank you.
So, darling, do you ever speak or are
you just window dressing?
Occasionally.
And what do you think of our little spot
here?
It's interesting.
Almost like you flew through a time
warp, right?
Drink up.
There's more. Now, I've got something
stronger if you'd like.
I wouldn't say no to something with a
little more kick to it.
How about 160 proof worth, Jack?
Just like my grandpa taught me.
This ain't no vodka or gin.
Mm-hmm.
Tell me how you like that.
There you go.
Well, now, you haven't touched yours.
I'm good, thanks. I'll just give you a
talk. Oh, yeah.
Right? Yeah, that's the kick I'm talking
about. I told you, if we're going to
start over, you might as well do it
right.
No fancy cocktails with umbrellas and
fruit.
So, tell me about your trip.
You spot much life between Erie and us?
There's a few pockets here and there,
but nothing nearby.
Good to know.
Have you had a lot of trouble here?
No. Look at Psalms 121. The Lord will
protect people from all evil and guard
them as they go about their lives.
Praise God.
Amen.
This is where he's been hiding for the
last few years.
So, Doc.
You and Big Hig. Your hands always this
rough before the world turned upside
down?
I've been a rancher all my life, so...
Yeah.
What about you?
I was a mechanic, mostly.
Darling, do you mind if I, uh, might
have a smoke?
Smoke it up.
Fellas, hard work, and laborers. I
respect that.
And you?
Medical resident.
My, oh, my.
John?
A doctor.
I don't think I'm one of those around.
No, we haven't.
You should have told me what valuable
cargo you were carrying, Big Hig. I had
no idea.
Is he labored like you two?
They eat the same amount as the rest.
And so we've already got more than
enough for that kind of work, but now a
real-life doctor, that is worth a share.
You got me wrong. I'm actually not a
real doctor. I was just studying, and I
honestly barely remember anything. Oh,
I'm sure. It's like riding a bike.
Yes, ma'am.
Logan, how'd you like to marry a doctor?
What the fuck?
Oh, I'd like that, Darlene.
I'd like that, too.
I think maybe the time for our
conversation is over. Don't be rude,
Jack. Jack?
Being rude? Jack,
sit down.
Jack, you remind me of men I used to
know.
You always figure it's your job to say
when the conversation starts or stops.
Or grope my ass or spread my... Hey, I
appreciate your loyalty. I do.
I do. See, I used to defend my daddy
that same way when he'd yell too loud or
swing too hard.
But the truth is, Jack is right.
You know why?
There's nothing more left to say except
to thank Big Hig for...
answering our call and bringing Seema
here to us so that we might bless our
family. Shall we take Seema now?
And you and all the rest, you're all
just so desperate for something better.
You'll follow a voice just around
anywhere.
Listen to me.
This case right here.
This is what it is.
I don't think so, darling.
Pops, is it back? Behind me, pull the
grenade.
Pull the page and hold the hill.
Love, Daddy.
That's right.
I'm really sorry.
Where to now?
You're not thinking about any mountains
in Telluride, are you?
No.
We're going back to Erie, okay?
Bangley, Bruce, Bangley, we are two
miles out. This is Desna, Mike, Mike,
Whiskey, Delta, Friendly, please do not
shoot.
Bangley, do you copy?
It's okay.
It's okay.
Okay, tough guy.
Almost there.
I hear your Grand Junction fantasy was a
total shit show, just like I said it'd
be.
Yeah, it didn't go according to plan.
Maybe it did, man. I don't know.
I'm sorry I left you alone.
No, it's fine.
I can end 50 assholes without your help.
I counted 31 bodies. Oh, shit, Higg. I
had to blow a bunch of them up. At least
give me credit for the pieces.
Mm-hmm.
Too bad about Grand Junction.
At least we got fifth out of it.
Ow! Son of a... Okay, okay.
If we built it once, it'd be easier this
time. We'll know what the hell we're
doing. Then what?
This place has always been too exposed.
It's a hell of a lot fucking harder to
defend now. We figured it out before.
What's the fucking alternative?
Families aren't contagious.
Oh, Christ.
No, they got fucking power, water.
You can only see them from the air. It's
the safest place.
Goddamn Mormons. I wake up every
morning, them trying to convert me. Last
thing I need is extra wives.
Meta-nice, but you already fucking knew
that.
You? You gonna stay there or you gonna
keep trying to find something else?
Not sure yet.
You're a consistently stupid fucker.
I'll give you that.
I knew this asshole once.
Back in the OKC. He was in the Corps.
He had a wife.
Two daughters.
When the virus took him, just about
broke him.
But it wasn't just that they were gone.
It was all the years before that he
could have been with them, but he
wasn't. He was just off, doing anything
else.
That's what stuck in his frog.
Yet he always knew that death was coming
for us all.
But he still couldn't enjoy what he had.
Up until it did.
Do you feel tired a lot?
Think that's your plan?
So what is it?
Something that's probably caused by
their body's defense response to the
virus.
How many kids are born after the virus?
Right. It would be passed down
genetically.
So that's why it's probably not
contagious.
Wow. Can we help?
Yeah.
I'll need some things.
Some...
Immune suppressants and corticosteroids.
Wow.
You call these?
Nope.
Who are you sneaking off to?
I was just heading into town.
I want to get some supplies.
You want me to tag along?
No, that's okay.
You're coming back, right? You're not
going to leave me alone with all these
warnings.
I'll see you.
See that big bright star there?
Mm-hmm.
That's the big jasper.
And then if you come home, see that
cluster right there?
Yeah. That's the Elvis constellation.
And these are the official astronomical
names, of course.
Yeah. And as far as I know.
I don't like the feeling of wondering
whether or not you're gonna come back.
You just left and you didn't say
anything.
We should just kiss like real people.
Why you were creeping in some sad way, I
already know.
So I would not ask you where you came
from. I would
not ask, neither would you.
Honey, just watch and sleep. Sometimes,
we should just live like this.
We could just get by.