INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Daniel curls up awkwardly on the couch. It's plenty long,
but he didn't think this through, and he has no pillow or
blanket or anything. It doesn't occur to him to find any,
though. He simply lies awake in the dark. Wide-eyed.
Thinking.
His mind flashes back to Jamie, pleased and sweaty and
laughing at his jokes.
Abruptly, Daniel jolts up and starts to check all the doors
and windows again, making sure they're locked and boarded.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - MORNING
Jamie stretches, freshly awake. He rubs his eyes with a
fist. Daniel stands in front of the door, eyes bloodshot
with dark circles underneath.
JAMIE
(slowly, hoarse with
sleep)
Daniel? What the hell--
DANIEL
(tiredly)
hey jamie.
JAMIE
What are you doing here?
DANIEL
(stiff)
just. uh.
JAMIE
...Did you sleep at all?
DANIEL
tried. got to thinkin'. couldn't
sleep. started thinkin' bout... if
there was a zombie. snuck past me
and got to you. so. just. guarded
the door. in case. that happened.
Jamie frowns at him.
DANIEL
what're you-- what're you doin' up?
JAMIE
It's daytime, Daniel.
DANIEL
oh.
Jamie climbs out of bed. He's wearing a tank top and plaid
boxers, but he tugs on his shorts without waiting for Daniel
to leave.
JAMIE
Why are you so worried about me,
anyway?
DANIEL
(defensive)
ain't.
JAMIE
Okay, buddy. You know, I'm feeling
like I should be the one worried
about *you*.
Daniel makes a disgruntled noise and sways a little.
JAMIE
You drink coffee?
Daniel nods weakly.
JAMIE
Neat.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Jamie presses a steaming mug of coffee into Daniel's hands.
They sit at the kitchen table together, warming their hands
on their mugs.
DANIEL
reckon we should try to check out
the town.
JAMIE
You read my mind.
Daniel lets out a little 'ha'.
DANIEL
i still ain't got the supplies to
fix the van. we might have to hoof
it. or drive real slow.
JAMIE
I can walk.
DANIEL
right.
JAMIE
What do you need for the van? Maybe
we can keep an eye out.
DANIEL
sheet metal. propane. screws 'n'
bolts 'n' things.
JAMIE
Propane?
DANIEL
for weldin'.
Jamie leans his chin on his hand, a curious expression on
his face.
JAMIE
I didn't know you could weld.
DANIEL
heh. not as good as i'd like. but
it comes in handy every once in
awhile.
JAMIE
Maybe the neighbors've got a
propane grill. And a... sheet metal
business.
DANIEL
(smirking)
yeah. maybe.
EXT. SUBURBAN ROAD - DAY
The street is barren, and the lack of trees offers little
succor from the summer sun. Daniel keeps one hand on his
gun, and Jamie wraps his hands tightly around a crowbar as
they head down the road.
Their neighbor does not, in fact, have a propane grill.
At the intersection near the end of the road lies the
wreckage of a three-car pileup. An ambulance sits askew on
the outskirts, its rear end dented; the other two cars
suffered more catastrophic fates. But the drivers appear to
be long-gone.
DANIEL
ambulance.
JAMIE
Yeah, bud. Ambulance.
DANIEL
'bout the same size as our van...
JAMIE
(laughing incredulously)
What, were you gonna try to steal
it?
DANIEL
maybe. if i knew how to hotwire the
damn thing.
JAMIE
I'll keep my eyes peeled for a
"Stealing Cars for Dummies" book.
DANIEL
(defensive)
i know the theory.
EXT. BACKYARD SHED - DAY
On the next property, a rusty, forest-green shed sits as the
crown jewel in a sprawling junkyard. Daniel holds a hand out
in front of Jamie to keep him from walking ahead. Slowly,
they edge past piles of firewood and old tires...
Something clatters. They freeze.
Daniel holds a finger in front of his lips. Sweat beads on
Jamie's forehead.
From behind an old refrigerator, a zombie lurches, empty
antifreeze bottles scattered at its feet. Its eyes are
swollen shut with some foul humor. Daniel weighs each step
carefully, and Jamie follows, weapon at the ready.
But he doesn't need it. Daniel lines up a shot and fires his
pistol clean through its eyeball, steady and swift. He tucks
his gun back in his waistband without fanfare.
Jamie watches it drop to the ground as Daniel heads to the
shed door. Then he hurries to catch up.
INT. BACKYARD SHED - DAY
Daniel pushes the door open, squinting against the sudden,
dusty dark. Jamie hovers nervously behind him.
Inside, the shed is practically a one-room shack. There's a
toilet in the corner, helpfully partitioned off by a shower
curtain, and a threadbare mattress on a brass bedframe.
Empty beer cans and dirty rags clutter the floor. Tools,
paint, gas cans, and the like fill the remaining space.
DANIEL
jesus.
JAMIE
(looking at Daniel, not
his surroundings)
You've gotten pretty good at, uh.
Dealing with them. The zombies.
It's like you're not even scared of
'em anymore.
Daniel's eyes shift back towards him, but he remains silent.
JAMIE
(laughing darkly)
Wish that were me.
DANIEL
they're... i don't like em. but
they ain't-- ain't that bad. once
you--
Daniel takes a deep breath to right himself.
DANIEL
easier to just... react. i don't
like thinkin' about 'em.
JAMIE
(disquieted)
If you don't think about them too
much...
DANIEL
it ain't like they're... people.
you just gotta react.
Jamie looks at Daniel's hand, still loosely gripping his
gun. A nauseous expression overtakes him.
JAMIE
Yeah. I-I get you.
DANIEL
don't think about it too much.
JAMIE
Easy for you to say. I think about
*everything* too much.
They both share a quick, nervous chuckle.
There's a few goodies to be found - some granola bars, some
water bottles. A propane tank that Jamie taps with his shoe,
delighting in the full "thunk". He hauls it over his
shoulder with ease.
JAMIE
What do you think?
DANIEL
(staring at Jamie,
slightly dazed)
huh?
JAMIE
Are we good to go?
DANIEL
oh, uh. yeah. good.
EXT. BACKYARD SHED - DAY
Flies buzz in the midday heat. Jamie and Daniel pass by an
old project car, sitting on cinderblocks in lieu of tires.
JAMIE
I take it this one's a bit of a
non-starter.
Daniel walks around it, investigating it with a keen eye.
The door pops right open - no lock - but he frowns as he
takes a look inside.
DANIEL
no key. no gas... reckon if i had a
wrench, i could pry a couple'a
things loose.
JAMIE
Huh. Do we not have a wrench?
DANIEL
got a pipe wrench back home. too
big.
JAMIE
(musing to himself)
Where the hell do we get a
wrench... I thought that was just
one of those things that you-- that
you just *have*. Like rubber bands.
Daniel mouths 'rubber bands' incredulously.
DANIEL
had a lil'... scuffle. 'fore i
found ya. dropped a lotta my shit.
JAMIE
You want me to keep an eye out?
DANIEL
if we could find somebody's
garage... a tool store... i'd be
set.
JAMIE
Yeah, maybe. I can't believe there
wasn't a single wrench in that
whole fucking shed.
DANIEL
(darkly)
i can.
INT. KITCHEN - EVENING
The two of them return home, none the worse for wear. Jamie
sets the propane tank down with another satisfying clunk. In
the middle of unloading their haul, however, the lights all
wink out at once.
JAMIE
(slowly)
What was that?
DANIEL
(flipping a light switch
to no avail)
power's out.
JAMIE
Oh God.
Daniel fiddles with the kitchen faucet, and gets a thin
trickle of water that quickly peters out.
DANIEL
water's off, too.
JAMIE
FUCK!
DANIEL
we got a generator out back. if'n
we need it.
JAMIE
If?
DANIEL
we can make do.
JAMIE
Well, I'm glad that's easy for you
to say!
DANIEL
(muttering)
thought we'd get lucky. have a
couple more days.
JAMIE
(visibly distressed)
What do we do? I didn't-- I didn't
even think about--
DANIEL
jamie. hey.
Daniel reaches out like he's going to touch Jamie's
shoulder, but thinks better of it.
DANIEL
lemme wheel out that grill.
JAMIE
What? Why?
DANIEL
time to eat anything that'll go
bad. we'll-- we'll have a cookout.
celebrate.
Jamie stares at him.
DANIEL
(not meeting his eyes)
we made it this far, ain't we?
Jamie's so distressed by this sudden influx of information
that he can do nothing but nod vacantly.
EXT. HOME BASE - EVENING
Daniel hooks up the tank to the grill and gets it fired up
while Jamie hovers behind him. Corn, potatoes, frozen pork
chops, kielbasa and more - all of it sizzles on the grill.
JAMIE
You want some ice cream? I found--
I found some. Ice cream.
Jamie timidly extends a Dreamsicle toward him, like he's not
sure if a guy like Daniel would even eat ice cream. But what
kind of guy doesn't like ice cream?
They eat together while Daniel shows Jamie how to flip a
corncob.
JAMIE
Smells good.
Daniel makes a quiet noise of assent.
JAMIE
This is really is like an
old-fashioned cookout.
DANIEL
yeah. a real heehaw.
JAMIE
(snorting)
I don't think that's a real thing.
A pleased little smile tugs at the corner of Daniel's mouth.
DANIEL
it's real.
JAMIE
You're pulling my leg.
DANIEL
you ain't never had a heehaw?
JAMIE
No.
Daniel elbows him gently.
DANIEL
starts like this. lotta food. lotta
chitchat. could use a lot more
beer... and people... but.
He's interrupted by a sudden flare-up and the smell of
something burning.
JAMIE
(quiet and high-pitched)
Oh *crap* I wasn't paying
attention!
DANIEL
that's part of it, too. if it
catches on fire, that means it's
some real good heehaw.
They tamp down the flame and divvy up blackened, steaming
food. They barely wait long enough for it all to cool before
tearing into their feast with abandon.
JAMIE
(through a mouthful)
Does it taste okay?
DANIEL
it's good.
JAMIE
Sorry it's a little, uh. Crispy.
DANIEL
ain't nothin' better'n somethin'
hot off the grill.
Jamie's ears turn pink, and he hides a little smile in his
food.
JAMIE
That's the last of it. So you'd
better enjoy it.
DANIEL
mm.
Jamie finishes his plate, then looks up at the sky, where
the last of the summer sun is fading into night.
JAMIE
(softly)
We're really in the shit now,
aren't we.
DANIEL
sure are.
Jamie fixes Daniel with an intense, unreadable look.
JAMIE
Daniel. Look at me.
Daniel does.
JAMIE
This isn't a game anymore, you
know? Nobody's coming to help us.
They've left us out here to die.
Daniel remains quiet.
JAMIE
Do you have my back?
DANIEL
(quickly)
'course i do.
Jamie grabs Daniel's shoulders. Daniel freezes, shoulders
hitched up and eyes wide.
JAMIE
Promise me.
DANIEL
(earnestly)
i got your back. promise.
Jamie's grip tightens.
JAMIE
You and me.
DANIEL
we're gon' stick together. you and
me.
Jamie keeps his eyes fixed on Daniel for awhile longer,
studying him intently, before slowly releasing him. Daniel's
eyes dart around his face, doing the same.
DANIEL
we gotta look out for each other.
JAMIE
...Yeah.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
A candle lights their way in the dark. They stick close to
one another in an attempt to stay within the flickering
flame's radius. Daniel pauses next to the couch and pulls
his hat off, before running a hand through his matted hair.
DANIEL
i'm beat.
JAMIE
Yeah. Same here.
Daniel's gaze shifts to the couch. There's a slight frown on
his face (and a wet glint to his eyes) that screams 'sad
dog' to Jamie. Jamie starts to fidget.
JAMIE
(getting it all out in a
rush)
Do you want to-- If you-- You know
you wouldn't have to worry so much
about me at night if you just came
upstairs and-- and--
He stutters to a stop, waiting for a response, but gets
nothing. Daniel just looks at him, expression unreadable.
JAMIE
It would just. Make sense. If you
slept in the bedroom. And. Me. As
well.
DANIEL
(exhausted, confused)
what're you talkin' about?
JAMIE
For tactical reasons.
DANIEL
(blinking)
oh.
A tense silence follows.
DANIEL
(averting his gaze)
if you think that's wise.
JAMIE
It'd be easier for you to keep an
eye on me. And get some sleep.
DANIEL
yeah. yeah.
Jamie smiles, sagging with relief.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
Jamie leads the way into the bedroom, candle in hand, while
Daniel hovers behind, mirroring their previous hesitant
approach into the shed. This is a different kind of
battlefield.
The light is dim, warm, and intimate. Daniel's steps are
stiff and uncertain. He stands awkwardly next to the bed,
making no motion to sit or get out of his filthy outerwear.
Jamie stands on the other side of the bed.
JAMIE
I'll take this side?
DANIEL
(stiffly)
sure.
Jamie shucks off his jeans, leaving him in a tank top and
boxers.
Daniel's eyes linger on his muscular thighs. Then he blinks.
Sense returns to him, and he lies on his side of the bed, on
top of the sheets, fully dressed. He stares firmly at the
ceiling instead.
JAMIE
...Are you comfortable like that?
You're not even under the covers.
DANIEL
'm fine.
JAMIE
(sighing)
Look, if you want to sleep in jeans
like an insane person, that's your
prerogative. But you-- you look
cold.
DANIEL
'm *fine*.
JAMIE
You're shivering.
Daniel straightens himself and holds himself as stiff as a
board.
DANIEL
ain't that bad.
JAMIE
Whatever you say.
Jamie crawls under the sheets like a normal person, but
doesn't know which way he should face, so he also stares
straight up at the ceiling.
Daniel covers his eyes with his arm.
DANIEL
(after a moment)
jamie?
JAMIE
(too fast)
Yeah?
DANIEL
it's... it's better. that i got you
with me. don't know if that's
strange.
Jamie turns on his side to look at Daniel with big, big
eyes.
DANIEL
ain't like i wanted none of this to
happen... but. y'know.
Jamie swallows audibly. Daniel uncovers his eyes at the
sound.
JAMIE
I get you, buddy.
Daniel meets his eyes in the dark, humming in agreement.
Jamie's heart thunders in his chest.
DANIEL
i got you, man.
JAMIE
(quietly)
I got you too.
DANIEL
i know.
Daniel shifts a little in place, then makes a quiet
frustrated noise.
DANIEL
one sec.
Jamie makes a quiet confused noise to match. Daniel strips
himself out of his jeans and hoodie at long last, leaving
him dressed much the same as Jamie.
DANIEL
hate sleepin' in my damn jeans.
Jamie grins.
JAMIE
Glad you finally saw reason.
They linger there, facing each other, before finally bidding
each other good night. Jamie blows out the candle, leaving
them in darkness.