The Barrens & Others (53 page)

SET 2 – THE MAIN FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY

A typical small-town single room library, divided into two sections – the front to the right, the rear to the left. These are divided by a wall and a pair of SWINGING DOORS.

THE FRONT SECTION: This is where the children's books and desks are kept. The area is dominated by the CHARGE DESK near the front doors, which are on the right; books are everywhere. Two small round children's TABLES are situated near the charge desk where the librarian can keep an eye on them. A large CALENDAR tells us it is December. (We have to be fair with the viewer, don't we?) At the rear of the set, behind the charge desk, is a door opening on the stairs to the basement.

THE REAR SECTION: On the other side of the wall and doors are the MAIN STACKS and large heavy oak READING TABLES.

ACT I

FADE IN:

INT: THE LIBRARY CELLAR – DUSK

As the MAIN TITLE appears over a wide-angle FULL PAN of the basement, we hear GLIM-GLIM'S VOICE (a high-pitched warble, like a turkey recorded at 33 and played backwards at 78) sounding faintly in the background. The PAN STOPS at the cellar window as we see CARL, ELLIOT, and AMY slide in feet first and drop to the floor. Carl carries a sack. They are obviously hurrying, but they are just as obviously trying to make as little noise as possible. They appear chilled, hugging themselves and rubbing their hands together.

ELLIOT (blowing into his hands): Warmth! The only warm place in town!

Carl unloads bread, peanut butter, and canned soda from the sack.

CARL: Except that that thing's upstairs! It almost saw us this time! (nodding toward Amy) I thought the squirt there was going to say hello to it!

Amy is oblivious to the remark. CAMERA FOLLOWS as she moves toward the open duct against the wall. GLIM-GLIM'S VOICE becomes louder as she nears the duct.

AMY: Glim-Glim's talking again.

Carl and Elliot move toward her.

CARL (to Elliot, exasperated): You got one weird kid there, man. I mean, where'd she get such a cutesy name for that monster, anyway? That thing's the reason her mother's–

ELLIOT: (with a warning look) Carl! (to Amy) Why don't you go over to the window, honey, and see if Venus has risen yet.

AMY: But it's cloudy.

ELLIOT: Maybe it's cleared. Go see.

Elliot watches fondly as she runs to the near wall, climbs on a crate, and looks out the small rectangular window near the ceiling. There's a STAR MAP taped to the wall next to the window.

AMY: Daddy! It's starting to snow!

ELLIOT: (with forced enthusiasm) Great, honey!

INT: MED. TWO-SHOT

Elliot and Carl square off against each other. It is obvious they are mismatched by more than age. They are poles apart in intellect and temperment, as well. Under normal circumstances it is unlikely they would even speak to each other. Chance has thrown them together and they are trying to make the best of it. But it isn't easy.

ELLIOT: (grimly, in a low voice) She doesn't know about her mother yet. And besides, I told you–

CARL: (anger flaring) I know what you told me, Mr. High School Teacher! But her mother's dead! As dead as my father! So she'd better get used to it!

ELLIOT: Pretty tough, aren't you.

CARL: Yeah. I was raised that way. My father– (he breaks off with a catch in his voice – almost a sob.) Aw, what's the use!

GLIM-GLIM'S WARBLE is louder. Carl glares at the duct.

CARL: Damn thing! It's gonna pay!

ELLIOT: Maybe it was an accident. It came down more like a crash than a controlled landing.

CARL: Accident my butt! How much proof do you need? It sealed off the whole town like an ant farm, then infected us all with some sort of plague and watched us die! Everybody I ever knew in my whole life died in one weekend and I couldn't do anything!

Elliot turns to the duct as the WARBLE GETS LOUDER.

ELLIOT: Wish I knew what it was saying.

CARL: Right! Like you've got a chance. A couple more notches up and only dogs could hear its voice.

The camera CLOSES IN on the duct. GLIM-GLIM'S VOICE gets louder as we...

DISSOLVE TO:

INT: MAIN FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY – FRONT SECTION – DUSK

The lighting is dim and moody. The light source is a banker's lamp on the charge desk (off-camera at first) casting weird shadows over everything. GLIM-GLIM'S WARBLE is very loud now. As the camera TRACKS IN C.U. across the countless open books that litter the floor and children's tables in the front part of the library, a VOICE-OVER TRANSLATION of Glim-Glim's warble rises in the sound track. We pass anatomy atlases, biochemistry texts, a PDR, a Home Medical Guide, humor, Shakespeare, and so on. The camera CONTINUES TRACKING up to the charge desk to an angle overlooking Glim-Glim's shoulder (although he really doesn't have one) onto the top of the charge desk which is illuminated by thebanker's lamp. This desk also is cluttered with books. We see a tentacle curled around a crystal cube that pulsates with light. The CAMERA CLOSES IN on the cube.

GLIM-GLIM: (v.o. with echo) Continuing ship's log for Scout 4-2-6-cube-3. Fourth local cycle since landfall. Am learning much about these primitive aliens from their books and from my autopsies of some of their dead. Had thought all in this locale wiped out but have recently sighted one or two survivors. They are in hiding and will not be easy to reach. But must find them. Must learn why–

CUT TO:

(NOTE: A quick cut here that overlaps Glim-Glim's last word and Carl's first word – both "why")

INT: THE LIBRARY CELLAR – DUSK

CARL: Why us? How come we didn't get sick?

ELLIOT: (shrugging) I don't know. Something in our systems must have been able to resist the plague. But can we be the only ones left?

CARL: You've seen the town. You know–

ELLIOT: (covering his eyes) Yes! Bodies everywhere!

CARL: (angry, determined) Next time we make a food run, I'm getting us some fire power! We got scores to settle.

ELLIOT: I don't think that's–

CARL: No more 'It might be an accident' speeches. I don't buy that.

ELLIOT: Then try this: If the alien dies while that force field is up, it's just possible we could be sealed in this town forever with 7000 corpses!

Carl glowers and looks away.

ELLIOT: Okay. So we've got to sit tight. Maybe help will come. Things could be worse. The power's out in the rest of town, but not here. We'd be frozen stiff by now if we hadn't found this place. (glances upward) Now, if only there was something I could do–

CUT TO:

(NOTE: As in previous cut, Elliot's – last word should overlap Glim-Glim's first)

INT: MAIN FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY – FRONT SECTION – DUSK

Glim-Glim still stands at the charge desk, silhouetted against the light from the lamp. Over his WARBLE we hear:

GLIM-GLIM: (v.o. with echo) –do with them once I find them. It is only a matter of time, but time is short. Their armies might find a means to pierce the force field before I am finished. Fortunately, the survivors cannot escape this village. I threw the force field up in time to contain all the inhabitants of this particular village. So I must keep searching. Must stay in this library–

CUT TO:

(NOTE: As in the previous two cuts, the last and first words will overlap.)

INT: THE LIBRARY CELLAR – DUSK

CARL: –library of all places! Never even visited it and now I'm livin' here! And that damn monster's upstairs every day, to boot!

ELLIOT: At least we've got heat and light and we've been able to sneak out for food.

CARL: Sure! Warm and well-fed! Like lab rats! Once it finds us it'll want to see why its plague failed on us! (grins sourly) Or maybe it just wants to eat us.

AMY: (v.o.) Daddy! Daddy!

INT: MED. SHOT OF AMY AT THE CELLAR WINDOW

Amy is looking over her shoulder at the camera.

AMY: Come see the snow!

She turns her face back to the window.

INT: MED. TWO-SHOT

CAMERA FOLLOWS Elliot and Carl to the window where they all look out.

ELLIOT: It's really beautiful, but let's get some dinner together.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT: THE CELLAR – NIGHT

We PAN across Carl and Elliot as they sleep on their cots, but when we come to Amy, she's wide awake. Suddenly we hear GLIM-GLIM'S WARBLE faintly and her expression brightens. She gets out of bed runs to a crate situated by the air duct. She climbs this and squeezes her head and shoulders into the duct.

CUT TO:

INT: MAIN FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY – FRONT SECTION – DUSK

A CLOSE-UP of a heating vent at FLOOR LEVEL. Through its grate, Amy's curious face is visible as she rises into view.

INT: MAIN FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY – AMY'S P.O.V.

Through the grate we get a floor-level view of Glim-Glim standing at the charge desk, flipping through the pages of a book. This is our first good look at the alien.

REVERSE ANGLE – C.U.

Through the grate, we see Amy react with wide-eyed astonishment.

AMY: (in a hushed whisper) Glim-Glim!

INT: MAIN FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY – FRONT SECTION – DUSK

Glim-Glim freezes, then begins gliding toward the grate with a SHUFFLING sound.

INT: MAIN FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY – AMY'S P.O.V.

Through the grate we see Glim-Glim approaching. The SHUFFLING sound is very loud as the alien draws nearer.

INT: HIGH ANGLE OF THE HEATING GRATE – GLIM-GLIM'S P.O.V.

Amy is looking up in wonder and awe.

REVERSE ANGLE – AMY'S P.O.V.

Glim-Glim fills the screen. The SHUFFLING STOPS. The upper half of its body bends forward for a closer look.

REVERSE ANGLE – GLIM-GLIM'S P.O.V.

The light through the grate throws shadows across Amy's face as she gazes up at Glim-Glim. Smiling shyly, she pokes two of her fingers through openings in the grate and wiggles them in the air.

INT: MED.LOW ANGLE SHOT – GLIM-GLIM

The alien bends even closer to the camera.

INT: THE HEATING GRATE – C.U.

We see Amy's two wiggling fingers. Then a TENTACLE enters the frame and gently caresses the fingers. As camera MOVES IN to E.C.U. on the human-alien contact, we...

FADE OUT

Act II

FADE IN:

INT: THE LIBRARY CELLAR – DAWN

A close up of Amy's STAR MAP by the cellar window. Amy's finger traces a line across the stars. ANGLE WIDENS to show Amy.

AMY: Daddy? Do you think Glim-Glim could have come from the Pleiades?

ANGLE WIDENS further to reveal Elliot and Carl standing nearby.

ELLIOT: (gentle but distracted) We'll try to figure that out later, okay, honey? (to Carl) You sure it's gone?

CARL: I heard it go out and I haven't heard it come back. What else can I say?

ELLIOT: (anxiously) This could be dangerous.

CARL: We've got to find out what it's doin' up there. In and out, in and out, day – after day. It's up to something. I want to know what!

ELLIOT: (to Amy) Okay, Amy. We're going out for more food, but first we're going to sneak a look upstairs in the library. You know what you're supposed to do now, don't you?

AMY: (nodding and rolling her eyes because it's all so simple) Sure. As soon as I see Glim-Glim coming back, I run over there and call up to you.

ELLIOT: (with a fatherly smile) Right!

CARL: But you've got to keep a real careful watch. We don't want to get caught upstairs by that monster. We don't want to be its next meal!

AMY: (with a sunny smile) Oh, don't worry. Glim-Glim won't hurt you.

Carl throws his hands up in disgust and turns away.

CARL: I give up!

ELLIOT: (with a conspiratorial wink) Just be a good lookout, honey.

AMY: I will, Daddy.

The ANGLE WIDENS as Carl and Elliot climb onto a crate and slither through the window to the outside. Some SNOW blows in around them.

CUT TO:

INT: MAIN FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY – FRONT SECTION – DAWN

Carl and Elliot enter cautiously through the front doors onto the library's main floor. The charge desk, the children's reading tables, all available surfaces, including the floor, are cluttered with open books.

CARL: God! Looks like a cyclone hit the place! (wrinkles his nose) And the stink!

Elliot quickly goes from table to table, scanning the titles of the open books.

ELLIOT: History! Philosophy! Physiology! Public speaking! Mythology!

Anthropology! It's reading everything in the library!

CARL: Yeah. Wants to know all about us, I bet. Looking for better ways to kill us. But what's that stink?