The Plague (2006) Movie Script

(CHILDREN CHATTERING)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
(ALARM BUZZING)
(SIGHING)
Huh?
No TV this morning, huh?
Hey, Eric! You're missing
Robots versus Aliens.
Let's go. Time to get up.
Come on, big guy.
Second grade awaits.
Eric?
Eric?
(SIRENS WAILING)
I need help here.
Something's wrong with my son.
I'm sorry.
You'll have to wait.
Take him down there.
NEWSREADER 1 ON TV:
We've interrupted your
scheduled program
to bring you breaking news
across the nation.
Headline News is
your number one source
of news coverage.
MAN: Nurse!
Somebody, please!
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
...there have been
numerous reports,
this morning
coming from both
Japan and China
regarding
the same state of events.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
DAVID: Jean!
David?
What's happening here?
Um... We, we don't know.
They started pouring in
two hours ago.
The doctors are doing tests.
Stay here. I'm going to see
if I can find a bed
for Eric, okay?
I'll be...
I'll be right back.
NEWSREADER 1 ON TV:
...it appears to be
across the globe.
NEWSREADER 2 ON TV:
For those tuning in,
at approximately 5:00
Eastern Standard Time,
all children around the world
under the age of nine have,
for some unknown reason,
been cut off
from their surroundings.
Though they
appear to be stable
for the moment,
they exhibit signs
of deep catatonia
and are unable
to communicate.
We still have no explanation
as to what might
be causing this.
We go live now
to our reporter
Katarina Moore
who's standing by
with the Surgeon General.
Katarina?
KATARINA: The President,
in Florida today,
is en route back
to the White House
to address the nation.
Air Force One
will be landing...
NEWSREADER 2:
Whatever is happening
has just escalated...
MAN: Doctor!
WOMAN: Doctor!
(PEOPLE CLAMORING)
WOMAN: What is going on
in this hospital?
(PEOPLE CONTINUE CLAMORING)
Eric!
(WOMEN SCREAMING)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
(WOMAN CHATTERING IN SPANISH
ON TV)
(BIRDS CAWING)
WOMAN ON TV: Looking back
at a decade of fear.
A fear that the children
of this world will never open
their eyes again.
Ten years later
there are still no answers.
What caused this and why?
Fundamentalist groups believe
we are facing extinction.
And who's to say
they're wrong,
when every child born
in the last 10 years
has been born comatose.
People keep trying, but now
with the new birth control laws
on the horizon,
extinction may be a reality.
MAN ON TV:
Medical institutions around
the globe race to find a cure.
Last year's upset, Korea,
claiming to have
awoken a study group of 10,
sent out a surge of hope.
The story, of course,
later debunked as a hoax.
Korea's newborn genome project
was shut down,
and hopes came crashing.
But hopes for care center
lobbyists skyrocketed.
Business is booming
with over 80 percent
of the nation's children
in care center facilities.
Might want to invest now.
As the stock market's
held steady at 3,000
since the depression ended,
you most likely will
need the extra cash.
Our 19-year-olds
are heading off
to college this year,
and they'll say farewell
to their high schools forever.
Those doors
will close behind them,
but new ones will open.
These kids, who were spared
by the crisis 10 years ago,
have nothing but opportunity
ahead of them.
Youth is a hard thing
to come by these days.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
DAVID:
Just one moment, please.
What do you want?
I want to do
whatever it takes
to make things right.
That all?
And I need a place to stay.
You can stay on the couch.
It's the best I can do.
I appreciate that.
How's Eric?
So how do you
like your nephew?
He's a lot bigger
than the last time I saw him.
Yeah, he's bigger, stronger.
This stuff must have
cost you a fortune.
No more
than a college education.
Ten years'
worth of Christmas
and birthday presents.
People keep saying
they're shut off
from the world.
It doesn't mean
he's not taking things in.
They're maintaining
themselves.
They're staying strong.
For 10 years.
That can't be for nothing.
I know
he's in there somewhere.
Fighting to get out.
And when he decides
to wake up,
I want my face to be
the first thing he sees.
I've gotta get
something to eat.
I'm gonna go home.
I'll be back
after seizures.
Have fun.
Oh, yeah.
(CAR DOOR OPENS)
JEAN: What are you doing here?
TOM: Well, I came to see you.
Hoping maybe we could talk.
There's nothing
to talk about.
I know I was wrong.
I shouldn't shut
everybody out like...
No, you shouldn't have.
Come on,
you're my wife.
Ex-wife.
Jean, I think I would've died
if you'd seen me in there.
I know how hard
it is to look at someone
in prison and not see past
what they've done.
You have no idea
what I would've seen.
I need this from you, Jean...
You know...
I need someone to look at me.
(JEAN SIGHING)
I'm not that someone.
(DOOR CLOSING)
WOMAN: Hey, can you cover
my shift Saturday?
(NURSES CHATTERING)
(PANTING)
(GASPING)
TOM: He do this every day?
Twice.
(WATER RUNNING)
It's getting
harder and harder
to hold him down.
Hey, it's okay.
It's okay. I'm here.
It's okay.
DAVID: I'm here.
MAN: How long
is this gonna go on? Huh?
You can't break
into people's homes.
They think
you're robbing them.
We don't rob.
Cal.
Finish this,
would you, man?
I was wondering
when you were gonna check in.
I thought
maybe I'd have to go out
and find you.
How'd you luck into
being my parole officer?
Oh, luck had
nothing to do with it.
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
Hmm.
19-year-olds.
Most kids their age
are gone by now.
Went off to the big city.
There's lots of opportunity when
you're the last of your kind.
But these two?
They broke
into a house tonight.
Into a kid's room.
It's not
the first time, either.
What do they do with them?
Talk to them, hang out.
I don't get it.
So much
for the last generation.
But, hey, at least
the vandalism rate's down,
right?
So what's your plans?
Uh, well, I'm not quite sure.
Really, I figured
I would get readjusted first.
Find a job.
Let me see your papers.
I'm gonna expect
to see you in here
twice a month. Hmm?
And, Tom,
not in cuffs.
SAM: Tom Russell.
What, you break out?
No.
Parole.
So, how you been, Sam?
Good. Good.
I must admit, though,
I miss that
Spartan high school football.
I just saw your sister.
Yup.
How'd that go?
As well as can be expected.
Why? It was a bar fight.
Tommy, you went
after that guy like
you had nothing to lose,
but you had
everything to lose.
You were married.
You were going to college.
You had your whole life.
Why would you do it?
It doesn't much matter,
does it?
A man's still dead.
It's good
to see you again, Sam.
WOMAN ON TV: In our next
segment, we will be serving
the often destructive wing
left by the UN Security
Council's unanimous decision
to enforce
a worldwide ban on childbirth
and the UN's embrace
of state-sponsored,
involuntary
abortion programs.
Questions are still
lingering whether the UN
and its willing members
have the manpower,
the firepower and resolve
to follow through
on their pledge
to crack down on...
Meanwhile, in Eastern Europe,
protests turned violent...
...they're standing
against the new laws
being passed which will ban
sanctioned births at hospitals
across the United States.
People attempting pregnancy
could now face jail time
in 36 states across the US.
Peaceful demonstrations
quickly turned to violence.
Medical insurance
in New York and Boston
is now covering full cost
of any birth prevention...
The Great Depression.
Sorry?
It's about
the Great Depression,
isn't it?
Oh. Yeah.
Um, and about family,
hardship, faith.
Oh.
I thought it was about
the Great Depression.
(TV CHATTERING)
I wanted to...
Thanks for...
Up there with Eric.
No problem.
I noticed the porch
is a little bit beat up.
The railing's falling apart,
you know. I was...
was thinking
I--I could fix that for you,
if you wanted.
It's all right.
I'll see you
in the morning, Tom.
Hey.
It's also about hope.
(BOTH CHATTERING)
(SCREAMS)
Hey, Davy?
Hey, Davy,
something's going on.
Wake up. Davy,
Eric's not in his...
(BOTH GRUNTING)
David! No!
SAM: No, no!
Hey, let go of me!
TOM: Calm down.
It's me. Calm down.
SAM: Oh.
I was driving
when I heard on the radio.
I was right
around the corner,
and I thought you and David...
What did you hear?
I thought that maybe
you could help.
What did you hear?
What's going on?
What's going on?
They're awake, man.
All of them. Just like that.
But that
doesn't explain this.
Well, okay.
They're awake, and they're
in a really bad fuckin' mood.
I'm not joking here.
Well, I'm not joking!
What, you think
I got all the answers?
I'm not like
a freaking newscaster.
We gotta get out of here.
Jean's working
the late shift tonight.
(GRUNTING)
What you doing?
I'm getting my tire iron.
No, don't do it! No!
(BOTH SHOUTING)
TOM: Hold--Hold on.
He's dead.
(CAR ENGINE STARTING)
SAM: Shit. The radio's dead.
(TOM GRUNTING)
(BOTH GRUNTING)
TOM: What are you guys
doing here?
KIP: They think
we're one of them.
All right, let's go.
Come on.
Get out of here, now.
What about you?
We'll be fine. Go!
SAM: Uh-oh.
TOM: Give me the keys!
Well, I'm not built
for this shit.
I tell you that.
TOM: Who's there?
It's all right.
You can lower your club now.
How many people are in here?
There's eight of us
altogether.
What's going on outside?
Are the police getting
things under control?
Oh, we haven't seen
any police.
What do you mean,
you didn't see any police?
We called them.
Don't let them take my soul.
NURSE:
He's bleeding internally.
Don't let them
take my soul.
It's all right, Dr. Jenkins.
Nurse Raynor
will be back soon.
Nurse Raynor?
Where is she?
She went to get
some supplies.
Where?
Whoa. Whoa, Tom. Tom.
Tom! I want to go. Let me go.
Stay and look after these
people. I'll be right back.
Take care of these people?
There's too...
Fuck.
I think they saw me.
He's dead.
(METALLIC THUMPING)
Okay, that ought to do it.
That ought to do it.
Okay, we gotta go.
We may not be ready,
but we gotta go now.
I can't do this.
Yes, you can. Go.
(GASPING)
He went away.
Thank God.
Should we stay here?
I don't know.
I don't feel safe.
We should just get going.
We should stay together.
I'm just gonna
look for an exit.
(WOMEN SCREAMING)
(GRUNTING)
(GASPING)
(WOMAN MUMBLING)
What did you do to him?
What did you fuckin' do?
(PANTING)
What was in that?
Morphine.
I need to thank you for that.
Don't bother.
He'll be up again
in a few hours.
If he must.
(GASPING)
Oh, God. Sam.
It wasn't my fault.
I did everything I could. No.
God, Sam, all of them?
(SNIFFING)
Hey!
What are you guys
doing here?
We want to come with you.
No. They caused all this.
It's the right thing to do.
Where are they?
I don't know.
We slipped away.
The kids don't know
we're not like them,
but it's only
a matter of time
before they figure it out.
We don't know that.
It's too dangerous.
Well, come on.
(ALL GASPING)
OFFICER: Anyone else here?
I don't know. There may be.
Nathan and my wife
are outside.
We should get you out there,
and then I'll come back
and look for others.
TOM: I'll go with you.
OFFICER: Okay.
(GASPING)
Whoa! Whoa!
She's not one of them.
She's not one of them.
Tell him your name, honey.
Tell him your name.
Claire.
That's Claire. See?
See, that's Claire.
All right?
All right? So you can let go.
Everything is fine.
(GRUNTING)
SAM: Let's get out of here!
(MEN SHOUTING)
Let's go! Let's, let's go!
(SHOUTING)
Jesus Christ.
Cal?
(ALL CLAMORING)
(SCREAMS)
Nora!
Stay! Stay behind the truck!
(GRUNTING)
(SIRENS WAILING)
(SCREAMING)
(GRUNTING)
Claire?
SAM: Let's go! Let's go!
Come on!
Go, go, go! They're coming!
SAM: Oh, God! Oh, Jean!
Oh!
(SAM SCREAMING)
Oh, God Almighty!
Oh, Jean!
Oh, God! Oh!
I need a knife.
Jean! Jean!
Here.
Is there something I can do?
I, I could use
a damp cloth. Okay?
(SAM WAILING)
JEAN: Sam.
SAM: Jean, is it bad?
Oh, Jean, don't take it.
Don't take it.
It'll be all right.
It'll be all right!
One, two,
three!
(SCREAMING) Oh, God!
Oh!
(WAILING)
(GROANING) Oh, God.
(SCREAMS)
(SAM GRUNTING)
(GROANING)
I-Is it real bad?
It's just a scratch.
Is it bad?
Oh, God!
Let me borrow
your flashlight.
I'm gonna check
the rest of this place out.
(SAM GROANING)
Just don't knock me out.
How bad is it?
Bad enough.
How soon before
we can move him?
An hour, maybe two.
There's an Air Force base
about 40 miles from here.
The last report I heard
said it was secure
and taking people in.
As soon as you're ready,
we'll, we'll head there.
Shit.
Stay here.
Tom?
(TOM GRUNTING)
Oh, my God.
That's my daughter.
Alexis? Oh, you're bleeding.
You're bleeding.
It's Tom's blood.
Oh, no, I have to help her.
That's not
your daughter anymore.
No, let me go.
I have to help her.
Stop! I have to help her!
No, no, no. Nora,
listen to me. Listen to me.
She's awake.
Cal, she's awake.
I know, honey. I know.
But right now,
Alexis is dangerous.
Honey, she'd hurt you.
Maybe even kill you
if she has the chance.
I know this is hard.
It's hard for me, too.
Baby.
Hey, guys, I think
we might have company.
TOM: What the hell
are they doing?
Oh, my God.
They've got someone.
God.
It's Jim.
They got the preacher.
We gotta do something.
We can't let them know
we're here.
Back door. Come on.
Let's go.
(JIM SCREAMING)
JIM: Oh, God.
(WHIMPERING)
No. I'm not ready.
No. I'm not ready.
(NECK SNAPPING)
(VOICES MUTTERING)
Why didn't she come with us?
Because she trusts them.
Back at the care center
she said something
about us
having caused all this.
What did she mean by that?
We always just thought the world
was a pretty shitty place.
We figured the kids
just didn't want to be
a part of it anymore.
And now that they're awake?
Maybe they decided
they wanted to come back.
Just not to
the same world they left.
I wanted you to see this.
It was Jim's diary.
He stepped down
about two years ago
and never said why.
Hmm.
Um, read the last thing
he wrote.
"Last night I dreamt
I was lowered
"to slumber
in the hands of children."
Go on.
"They whispered in my ear,
and the words were familiar.
"The kingdom of heaven
is near,
"and should
anyone offer their soul
to one of these children,
"he will deliver those
who, through fear,
"are subject to slavery
all their lives."
Tell me something.
What happened with Jim,
the boy putting his hands
on his face.
You've seen that before.
How many times?
Every time.
(SIGHING)
What have you got?
I found canned food.
It's expired, but...
All right, we'll load up,
find Claire, get to
the Air Force base.
How close are we?
Almost there.
Good.
Alexis.
Alexis.
Alexis.
Oh, it is you, isn't it?
Oh, I knew it. My baby.
(SAM GRUNTING)
(SAM GROANING)
TOM: Is he all right?
(SAM GROANING)
OFFICER: Nora.
Why?
(SOBS)
Cal?
(BIRDS CAWING)
Mom?
Mom?
(FLY BUZZING)
Mom.
Get back inside.
Get back inside, now.
How the hell
did they even figure out
how to do that?
They're learning.
Look, they couldn't
have gotten
to all the cars in town.
Maybe.
Unless,
what one kid learns,
they all learn.
Well, if that's true, then
then where are we gonna find
a car that runs?
I think I know
where to start looking.
Davy's truck
is in his garage.
It's worth a try.
I'm gonna get the truck.
I'm gonna come back.
That's the plan.
SAM: Hey.
When you come back,
you bring me some beer?
Okay, Sam.
You take care of him.
(CAR ALARMS WAILING)
Come on, go. Go. Let's go.
SAM: God.
You son of a...
What have you got there?
Body of Christ.
Do you want some?
Sorry.
So, you got any ideas about
what's causing all this?
All this?
This.
Kids. The past 10 years.
Everything.
I don't know.
I always did kind of like
the alien theory, though.
Yeah.
Do you think it's aliens?
No.
I just like
the idea that it could be.
Yeah,
I always liked that one, too.
Nathan?
Maybe it means Jean and Tom...
Not unless they brought
some friends with them.
Oh, shit.
I gotta get something.
Give me your gun!
Shit, they're coming down.
Our father in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
You know what?
It looks all right.
The front door.
The left-hand side,
there's a hook.
The keys should be on it.
You want to give me
a hand with this?
Yep.
Just jump on the other side.
No, we've push it.
We gotta lift.
The thing's here.
It's not gonna
if you slide it.
This. Watch.
What was...
(DAVID LAUGHING)
(GUN CLICKING)
So, did you find them?
(GUN FIRING)
Claire, Claire, Claire.
How long
have they had guns?
A couple of hours.
How many kids?
All of them.
Sam.
Come on.
Sammy.
(CRYING)
Let's go.
Jean.
You want to say something?
Once we get
across the bridge,
it should be
a clear shot from there
to the Air Force base.
No other towns
between here and there.
(GUN FIRING)
TOM: Stay down!
(GASPING)
Get me the morphine. Jean?
I'll get it myself.
(GUN FIRING)
(GUN CLICKING)
We need more weapons.
No.
Come on,
we need to keep moving.
Help me with the barricade.
I'm going back.
There's gotta be weapons
at the sheriff's station.
Maybe the kids
haven't found them yet.
We don't need weapons.
We need to get out.
We have to kill them
before they kill us!
We can't escape unarmed,
especially without
a friggin' truck.
Listen. All we need to do
is get across the bridge.
There're no houses between here
and the base.
If we leave now,
we can make it.
There's no reason
to go back to town.
They killed Sam!
What do you want?
You want revenge?
If they all deserve
to die, then shoot me.
I killed someone's brother,
Jean. Shoot me first.
I'm out of bullets.
Jean, don't do this.
I can't go with you!
Come with me.
I can't lose her again.
JIM: "...and should
anyone offer their soul
to one of these children,
"he will deliver
those who, through fear,
"are subject to slavery
all their lives."
Don't let them
take my soul.
...putting his hands
on his face.
JIM: I'm not ready!
I'm not ready!
How many times?
Every time.
What the hell
are we gonna do now?
We need something
to fight with
and take them by surprise.
They're probably armed,
we don't know how many.
What else are we
supposed to do?
I go.
No. No. No way.
I still blend in.
I'll pretend like
I'm helping them.
No.
No. Too dangerous.
I wasn't asking
for permission.
We need these weapons.
(CLATTERING)
She'll be fine, Kip.
(METALLIC CREAKING)
(PANTING)
(GUN FIRING)
(GRUNTING)
(GUN FIRING)
(GUN FIRING)
(PANTING)
(GASPING)
Jean?
(SHRIEKING)
(GRUNTING)
It's me. It's me.
(PANTING) Claire thought
she could blend in.
He came up behind me.
It's Okay.
He came up behind me!
It's Okay.
We gotta get out of here.
No! No! I wanna stay here.
No.
I wanna stay here.
I wanna stay here.
I'm tired. I'm tired.
I know. I know. I know.
I am, too, but we need
to keep moving, all right?
We can rest when we get
to the Air Force base.
We gotta keep moving.
Come on.
We will get out of
this alive, I promise you.
But you gotta trust me,
all right?
Look at me.
I want you to sit down.
Okay? Can you do that?
Jean, can you do that?
They're my kids.
All right,
now, close your eyes.
Jean, close your eyes.
It's all right.
Close your eyes.
There you go.
Think of a time
when you felt safe.
When you felt hope
and peace.
Are you there?
Yes.
The day after our wedding.
That's good.
That's real good.
We talked about
having kids, remember?
Yes.
Yeah.
We wanted to offer them
the best parts of ourselves.
Yes, I remember.
That's what
we need to do right now.
All right?
Okay.
It's not just what
we say and do, Jean.
It's everything we are.
Everything we think
and feel.
That's what
they take from us.
That's what spreads.
Yes.
All right?
It is.
We'll always be together,
Jean. You and me.
All right?
I'm ready.
(VOICES MUTTERING)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
JEAN: Last night I dreamt
I was laid to slumber
by the hands of children.
They whispered in my ear,
and the words were familiar.
The kingdom of heaven
is near,
and if anyone
should offer their soul
to one of these children,
he will deliver those
who, through fear,
were subject to slavery
all their lives.
(CHILDREN CHATTERING)