This is a sequel to the movie The Faculty, starring Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood, and Clea Duvall. It's in script form, there's over 36,000 words of it, and it took me almost four years to complete. Posted originally on Elijahfanforums.com

The Faculty 2: The More Things Change....

FADE IN. EXT. UNIVERSITY.

A large, red bricked building. Students are milling around outside. It's a bright, sunny day.

CUT TO: INT. CASEY's bedroom.

A short hallway opens out into a smallish bedroom. The bed sits to the right. A wardrobe is to the right. A large window faces the door, and looks out over a grassy area - the center of the campus. A desk stands below the window. A row of shelves hangs from the right wall, between the wardrobe and the window.

Casey enters, dragging a suitcase and carrying an oversized backpack that dwarfs his small size. He dumps the backpack onto the bed, the moves over to the window.

CASEY: So this is university, huh.

PAN: through the window, down onto the campus green - a square of green land and trees, surrounded by several similar red bricked buildings. The camera sweeps through the square, pulling close to a couple stood at the far end… It's Stokely, still in her pastel fashion mode, and Stan. They are hugging. Stokely holds a key in one hand, and Stan is carrying a small rucksack. Stan pulls away.

STAN: You gonna be okay?

STOKELY: Sure, Stan. I can cope without you, y'know.

STAN: I know. But, just in case…. (he squeezes her hand) You know where I am.

STOKELY: I know. (kisses him) Thank you for coming with me.

STAN: (handing her the rucksack) Hey, it's your first day, I couldn't let you start alone.

STOKELY: I'm not alone. Casey and Zeke are here.

STAN: And Dee.

STOKELY: Y-eah…

STAN: Try not to rip each other to shreds, okay? For me, for Casey?

STOKELY: I'm always on my best behavior.

STAN: Ha-ha.

They kiss again. Stan pulls away, allowing Stokely to turn towards the nearest red brick building. She begins to ascend some steps that lead to the front door.

STAN: (calls out) I love you!

STOKELY (turns, smiles) Love you too.

She goes into the building. Stan turns, and heads out of camera shot. The camera follows Stokely's back as she walks into the building - a hall of residence - and down a corridor crowded with other students. Stokely moves past all of them, getting lost in the crowd. The camera pulls away and turns, heading down another corridor and closing on the back of someone wearing a suede coat…

OFF-CAMERA we hear…

EMILY: Oof.

CUT TO: Shot of EMILY and SETH. Emily is a petite girl of the same age to Casey and Stokes. She has long, bedraggled blonde hair that she tends to hide behind, pale skin, and blue eyes. Seth is short, with short, spiky, ginger hair. Emily is carrying a handful of books and papers, which she drops when she bumps into Seth. They scatter across the floor.

EMILY: God, I'm so sorry…

SETH: My fault.

They both bend down and start picking up the papers. Once complete, they straighten and Seth hands the papers back to Emily. He holds out his hand.

SETH: You're new, right? My name's Seth.

EMILY: (finds herself with no free hand to return the shake) Ah, Emily. Yes, I'm new. Does it show?

SETH: Just a bit. It's okay, I was just as confused.

EMILY: You're not a first year?

SETH: Ah, yeah… technically…. I'm repeating. Spent too much of last year sleeping, and surfing the net. Networked rooms can be a danger to your university career.

Emily smiles, but says nothing. Seth hesitates…

SETH: So, uh, do you know the way to your room?

EMILY: Yes, thank you. Sorry about bumping into you. (She drops her head, and starts to walk past him)

SETH: (turning) I'll see you around!

CUT TO: Interior of another student room, identical to Casey's in layout. However, this one contains slightly more decoration - a poster of a band on the wall, a large CD collection stashed on the desk, next to a complicated sound system. ZEKE stands next to the bed, pulling a few remaining clothes from a suitcase on the bed. He scoops them into his arms, then walks over to the wardrobe and stuffs them carelessly onto the shelves inside. Standing back, he surveys his room, then walks over to the door, opens it, and walks out into the corridor.

CUT TO: Busy student corridor. People pass Zeke without noticing him. He considers the corridor for a moment, then goes to the door next to his, and knocks. After a moment, MADELINE answers. She is of average height, with short, spiky, auburn hair.

MADDY: Hello?

ZEKE: Hi. Uh, I'm Zeke. I'm from next door. Thought I'd best get to know my neighbors.

MADDY: Oh, hi! (they shake hands) I'm Madeline. Um, Maddy.

ZEKE: Hi. So, you're a first year?

MADDY: Yeah. You too? (Zeke nods)

ZEKE: Look, I won't keep you, just wanted to say hi, and if you hear me playing my music too loud, just bang on the wall, 'kay?

MADDY: Sure. I'll do that. Depends what you play, of course. I might like it.

ZEKE: Don't say that just yet. Might keep you to it.

MADDY: Understood. I'll see you around, I guess?

ZEKE: Yup. See you later.

*

CUT TO: INT. CAFETERIA.

A large, sunlit room full of tables and chairs, populated by students. A food counter runs along the right side of the room - your typical counter, hot food section, cold food, deserts, cash register. Several disgruntled female employees stand behind the counter dishing out the food to a line of students.

Zeke and Stokely sit at a table by the window. They have a tray each: Stokely's contains a sandwich, a candy bar and an apple, Zeke's contains an array of snack food. Two empty chairs are pulled up to the table. Zeke has his feet resting on one; there is a bag on the other.

We can see Casey, stood at the food counter. He has purchased several items of food, and is paying for them.

CUT TO: Casey, as he hands over the money to the cafeteria worker.

WHISPERY V.O: We have to protect it

Casey turns, suddenly, but there is no one behind him.

CAFETERIA WOMAN: Hey - your change.

CASEY: (turning back, and taking the money) Thank you.

He then walks over to the table, carving a path between the other students. As he approaches the table, Stokely moves her bag so he can sit down.

ZEKE: How's it going, Casey? Get lost yet?

STOKELY: Oh, come on, Zeke -

CASEY: And how many times have you been lost so far, Zeke? Ten, twenty?

STOKELY: Yeah Zeke, did you even make it to the campus without stopping to ask some pretty girl for directions?

ZEKE: Ha ha. (He opens a bag of chips and starts eating).

CASEY to STOKELY: Did Stan stay to say goodbye?

STOKELY: He helped me take my stuff up to my room, and then we parted.

ZEKE: Strapping guy.

STOKELY: You're just jealous, Zeke. Since you have to work so hard to build up that skinny bod.

ZEKE: (grinning) You been checking out my bod, Stokely? Does Stan know you feel this way?

Stokely kicks him under the table.

ZEKE: Hey! F-

CASEY: (turning to Stokely) Is Stan okay about you being here?

STOKELY: It's not like I'm too far away, Casey. And he's busy with his job. You know, messing with cars all day, it's like his dream….

CASEY: He's missing you like hell, isn't he?

STOKELY: Yeah.

Casey reaches out and squeezes Stokely's hand. Zeke grins, but Stokely sees and glares, forcing Zeke to hide behind his chips.

STOKELY: Isn't Delilah supposed to be meeting us?

CASEY: (pulling his hand away from Stokely) Yes.

ZEKE: She's late.

STOKELY: Big surprise.

CASEY: (defensively) She'll be here. She's just busy.

STOKELY: You keep telling yourself that, Casey.

ZEKE: Leave it, Stokes.

STOKELY: Yeah? Nothing's changed, Zeke. Delilah is still the b -

CASEY: Stokely, please -

STOKELY: She hasn't changed, Casey. She's still the preppy cheerleader from high school, who doesn't give a damn about anyone but herself.

CASEY: That's not true.

STOKELY: You're living a lie, Casey. She doesn't care for you. If she did, she'd be here now, right?

We hear a voice, DELILAH, from off-screen.

DELILAH: Hey guys, sorry I'm late.

She bends down to kiss Casey. Stokely glares. Zeke pulls a face at Stokely, but she ignores him.

DELILAH: I was busy signing up for some groups. Thought I'd try out journalism again.

STOKELY: Not tired of muck-raking yet?

It is Zeke's turn to kick Stokely. She glares. Delilah pretends not to have heard.

DELILAH to CASEY: Look, I know I said I'd do lunch, but I can't, I'm really pressed. I have to pick up my class schedule, and I said I'd meet one of the girls from the group to talk about the paper.

CASEY: (obviously disappointed but hiding it) Okay. But I'll see you tonight? Right?

DELILAH: Sure. (she kisses him again, then leaves)

ZEKE: Sorry, Case.

STOKLEY: Me too.

CASEY: It's fine. She had stuff to do. And I should go too - I should join some of those clubs.

STOKELY: You haven't eaten your lunch.

CASEY: (grabbing his sandwich and forcing it into his bag) I'll eat on the way.

He gets up, and walks off-camera. Zeke and Stokely exchange looks.

*

EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. Large, with bleachers up either side and the posts at opposite ends. It is empty, save for a boy/girl couple who are just coming down from the bleachers. The boy has his arm tight around the girl, whispering something into the girl's ear, and the girl is giggling.

We see Casey, walking onto the pitch towards the bleachers. Seeing the couple, he watches them as they step down for the bleachers. As they walk past him, he turns his head to watch them walk away. Then Casey turns and climbs the bleachers to the top row, where he sits down. He considers the empty field for a moment, then opens his bag and pulls out a sandwich, which he starts to eat.

We hear a voice, MADDY, from off-screen.

MADDY: Mind if I join you?

Casey jumps, startled, then looks up.

CASEY'S POV: shot of Maddy, looking down at him.

CASEY: Sure.

CUT TO: Shot of Maddy and Casey as Maddy sits down on the bleacher beside him.

MADDY: I'm Maddy. First year.

CASEY: Casey. And ditto.

Maddy opens her own bag and brings out a bag of chips. Opening them, she offers the bag to Casey, who takes several.

MADDY: Out here on your own?

CASEY: I, uh, should have been meeting my girlfriend … but she was busy.

MADDY: Oh. Sorry.

CASEY: It's okay. I'll see her later. What about you?

MADDY: I'm not sure. I think the hectic-ness of college was getting just a little on top of me. Needed a break.

CASEY: I don't blame you. It's a little…. overwhelming.

MADDY: Mm. So many classes to find, so many groups to sign up to, and so many people!

CASEY: Nobody here though.

MADDY: Nope. It's nice. Good view.

CASEY: I used to have lunch on the bleachers when I was in high school. It was about the only time I could get some peace.

MADDY: I guess people treat you differently here, huh.

CASEY: (glancing at her) What?

MADDY: You know. You do know, don't you? I knew who you were before you told me your name. You're the kid who saved his school from aliens.

CASEY: Oh. People know about that.

MADDY: Getting your face on the front of TIME magazine tends to get a person noticed.

CASEY: (ducks head) Oh. What do people say?

MADDY: Not a lot. They point you out to those people who don't know, sure, but that's about it. You're about two places behind the guy who ran track for his state, and the cousin of Ewan McGregor.

CASEY: And do they believe it's true?

MADDY: You mean the alien story? Hmm… I figure a quarter think you made the whole thing up, a small minority believe you, and the rest… couldn't care either way.

CASEY: I guess they'd rather know Ewan McGregor.

MADDY: His cousin, anyways.

CASEY: (looking at her) And what do you think?

MADDY: (thinks for a moment, looking at Casey) I think you believe it.

There is a moment of prolonged silence. Maddy interrupts, looking down at Casey's hands.

MADDY: You finished your sandwich.

CASEY: Yes.

Another moment of silence. Suddenly Casey's watch starts to beep. He jumps, startled, then looks at his watch.

CASEY: I have to go. My first lecture.

MADDY: Right. I'll see you around?

CASEY: Uh-huh. (hesitates) I, uh, I live in Otterburn. O5B.

MADDY: Sizergh. O6B.

CASEY: Okay. (another hesitation) I'll see you.

CUT TO: Shot of bleachers as a whole. Casey starts to walk down the bleachers, Maddy watching him go.

*

INT. LECTURE THEATRE.

Large, with a whiteboard and pulpit at the front, and rows upon rows of desks climbing the opposite wall. Almost every seat is occupied by a student. Zeke sits towards the back, and Emily is sat next to him. Whilst she is busy writing, bent over her books, taking down the lecturer's words, Zeke is tapping his pencil on the desk and is staring off into space.

LECTURER: And so we see, we must reject Frey's argument for granting human defectives lesser moral status than so called 'normal' humans because…

Zeke sighs, raking one hand through his hair whilst continuing to tap his pencil against the desk.

LECTURER: if we did so, we would be permitting the use of such humans in animal experimentation and even the food industry…

C.U. on Zeke's pencil as it continues to tap against the desk. The lecturer's voice fades into the background, until all we can hear is the tapping.

LECTURER: Am I keeping you from an important nap?

All the background noise suddenly returns, almost louder than before.

CUT TO: Reaction shot of Zeke as he looks up. We can hear various sniggers in the background. He ignores them, and shrugs.

ZEKE: Sorry. Didn't realize you could hear me.

LECTURER: I could hear you. The entire room could hear you, Mr, ah…

ZEKE: Zeke.

LECTURER: (coldly) I'd prefer it if you kept your stationary still in future, Mr Zeke. If you want to waste time then it's yours to waste, but please don't distract other students from their work.

The lecturer continues his speech. Zeke sighs, and starts doodling on the notebook.

C.U. on the notebook. After a moment Zeke stops doodling, and scribbles on the paper: YOU THINK THIS GUY IS BITTER 'COS HE ISN'T GETTING ANY? Zeke then slides the paper over to Emily's side of the desk.

CUT TO: Reaction shot of Emily as she reads the note. She smiles, restraining a laugh, and scribbles a response on the notebook.

C.U. on the notebook, and Emily's response: DO YOU MIND NOT PUTTING THAT IMAGE IN MY HEAD?

CUT TO: Reaction shot of Zeke as he grins.

CUT TO: An hour later. The lecture is over, and the students are busy filing out of the door into the corridor outside. The noise of the chattering is quite powerful. Zeke is stuck in the queue to leave, and Emily is stood beside him.

He turns to her.

ZEKE: So, I take it you understood that lecture?

EMILY: (ducking her head) Not really.

ZEKE: You wrote enough to fill a book.

EMILY: I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything. I can figure out what it meant later, in my room.

ZEKE: Fun never stops, huh?

EMILY: (looks at him, confused) Huh?

ZEKE: Nothing.

He stands in silence for a moment, being pushed and prodded by the people around him as they struggle to get through the door.

ZEKE: Screw this.

Zeke grabs Emily's wrist, firmly, then starts pulling her through the crowd, through the door, out into the equally crowded corridor.

EMILY: Wha-

ZEKE: Just stick with me and we'll be out of here in no time.

Zeke continues to weave through the crowd, dragging Emily with him. Every time he pushes someone out of the way, we hear Emily apologize.

EMILY: Sorry…. Don't mind us…. Sorry again….

Looking back to make sure Emily is alright, Zeke fails to see the man in front of him until they bump into each other.

MAN: You can't go this way.

ZEKE: (looking up, confused) Huh? I'm just trying to get back to my halls -

MAN: You can't go this way.

ZEKE: Why? Someone flood the toilets? Just like high school -

MAN: Please go the other way.

The man reaches out and pushes Zeke, just a little, in the opposite direction. Pulled along by the crowd, Emily and Zeke move in the direction the man pushed, but Zeke is left staring after the man.

*

PAN FROM ZEKE to the far end of the corridor in which they are traveling. Casey is just leaving a lecture theatre. He clutches his books to his chest to prevent losing them in the crush. As people push past him, he apologizes and hears apologies in return:

CASEY: Sorry.

GIRL: My fault.

CASEY: Oops…

BOY: Jeez, this stinks…

The voices begin to overlap each other, the sound of the crowd yet with several voices rising over the others.

BOY: Closing some corridor on the very first day -

BOY #2: Ow! Jeez man, watch where you're sticking that thing!

GIRL #2: I heard there was a pizza shop near the library -

GIRL: #3: Maybe I'll change groups, y'know? I think semantics is way over my head -

BOY: #3: Did you know Ewan McGregor's cousin goes here? Yeah, I think -

Suddenly we hear a whispery voice, louder than all the others.

V.O.  Feeling it… dizzy… hurts… spinning… Can't stop now…

Casey stops, suddenly, causing BOY #2, who is stood behind him, to bump into him.

BOY #2: Hey man, do you mind?

Casey ignores him, looking around the corridor at the faces behind him. He can hear the voices of the crowd, but not the whispery voice. He doesn't stand still for long - the crowd continues to push through the corridor, and after several moments Casey finds himself standing on the steps outside.

EXT. LECTURE HALL BUILDING.
A redbrick building, built in style to match the Residence Halls, but newer and bigger. Students mill around outside. There is grassy area to the front, on which several groups of students are lounging.

Casey stands on the steps for a moment, then hesitantly walks down onto the grassy area. He seems a little dazed. People walk by him, paying him no attention. Again, we hear the voices of the crowd, the wind, the distant sound of traffic noise.

WHISPERY V.O.: Too cold, too cold… can't breathe… not long now…

C.U. on Casey's face, reaction shot, as his eyes widen.

V.O. STOKELY: Casey? Hey, Casey?

Casey gasps. Suddenly, sharply, the voice ceases and all the background noise returns, with a small 'whoosh.'

CUT TO: Shot of Casey and Stokely, stood on the grass. Stokely is touching Casey's arm, gently, looking up at him. She waves her free hand in front of his face.

STOKELY: Hey, are you with us?

CASEY: Yes. Sorry. Yes… I just… thought I heard… (drifts off)

STOKELY: (not having noticed) I'm glad I caught up with you. Stan is coming up tonight, so we're going to go check out the bar. Zeke's coming too, unfortunately.

CASEY: Ah… I can't. Me and Delilah…

STOKLEY: Right. (She looks at him skeptically.) Well we'll be in the bar, if, y'know, you decide to come down.

CASEY: I'll ask her.

STOKELY: Great. I gotta go to a lecture. I'll see you around though.

CASEY: Sure.

Stokely walks away. Casey is left alone.

C.U. on Casey's right hand, the one not clutched around his books. We can see his hand tremble, slightly, just before Casey stuffs his hand into his pocket.

*

INT. STUDENT BAR.

The bar is in a basement. It's quite a large, well-lit room, with couches forming small booths down one side of the wall. The bar runs along the opposite side, and a crowd crams against its side. People push and shove, trying to get closer to the front. More people stand in the spaces between the couches and the bar. Their chatter only partially drowns out the noise of some music in the background - a popular rock song.

Stokely, Stan, Maddy and Emily sit in a booth in the corner. Stokely is sat in Stan's lap, leaning against him, whilst Maddy and Emily are trying to talk to each other but are finding it difficult with all the background noise.

CUT TO: Shot of Zeke moving through the crowd towards the table, several drinks in his hands. Seth is close on his heels, also carrying drinks. Zeke reaches the others first, and puts the glasses down onto the table, where they are claimed by their respective owners.

STAN: I thought you were gonna be gone for the whole night, Zeke.

ZEKE: This place is hell, Stan. (He turns to Seth) Ah, this is -

SETH: Seth.

ZEKE: We met in the scrum. Bonded.

SETH: Hi.

ZEKE: Sit down.

Maddy and Emily move further along the couch to create a space for Seth to sit down. The couch is small, and the three end up somewhat squashed - Maddy at one end, Seth at the other, and Emily in the middle.

SETH: (turning to Emily) Hi. Again.

EMILY: (disappearing behind her hair) Hi.

Zeke climbs over Stan and Stokely to get to the corner, ignoring Stan's muttered curses. He sits down on the couch, leans over to grab his drink, then turns to grin at Stan.

ZEKE: So, Stanny-boy, how's life treating you in the outside world?

STAN: Pretty good, actually. I'm still learning the ropes, y'know, but it's good. I get to do the basic jobs.

ZEKE: You know I'd bring my car to you - if I hadn't totaled it.

STOKELY: And that was such a waste of a classic auto, Zeke, right?

SETH: (leaning over) So you don't study here?

ZEKE: Stan's a blue-collar worker, right Stan?

STAN: Never been good at anything apart from football and fixing things. I didn't have the grades to go to college. But I prefer it this way.

MADDY: That's so good though, to know what you want to do. I don't think I'll ever decide.

ZEKE: (leaning back and taking gulp of his drink) Yeah, well I know what I'm doing.

STAN: And what lofty goal is that, Zeke? Porn star?

ZEKE: President. (He grins, then drains his glass)

SETH: (turning to Emily) What about you?

EMILY: (shrugging) I don't know. Something to do with history. Archaeology.

SETH: Which bit?

EMILY: I don't know yet. I think I'll see what my lectures are like.

SETH: I was thinking of doing that one on Death, Ritual and Belief -

EMILY: Me too. And the lecturer, Professor Davies, is supposed to be an expert in his field.

MADDY: Isn't it weird, how half the lecturers are experts, and they have books and everything? It's kind of intimidating.

ZEKE: Yeah, and their lectures read like an ad for the Shopping Network.

MADDY: And the prices -

SETH: I went to the shop to get one of the books for my course, but they'd sold out. Already. (turns to Emily) Actually, it was by Davies.

EMILY: Oh - you could borrow mine.

SETH: That would be great.

CUT TO: Stokely, sat on Stan's lap. She is paying no attention to the conversation, but instead is looking outward from the booth towards the bar. Stan, obviously bored by the conversation of the others, looks to speak to her and realizes that she is watching something. He follows her gaze, but sees nothing.

STAN: Stokely? You okay?

STOKELY: Hmm? Yeah. Sure.

STAN: What is it?

STOKELY: Nothing. I, well - there are a group of guys over there who have been staring at us since we walked in.

Stan follows her gaze again.

CUT TO: STAN AND STOKELY'S POV. Five male students stand at the end of the bar, untouched drinks in their hands. They appear normal - dressed averagely, similar ages to Stokely and co., but their gazes are fixed on Stokely and the others. After several seconds, it appears that they realize Stokely and Stan have seen them. Their gazes break off suddenly, and the guys turn to each other and start talking as though their conversation had never been interrupted.

CUT BACK TO: Stan and Stokely.

STAN: (hesitantly) That was….

STOKELY: Weird, right?

STAN: Maybe they've just heard of our celebrity.

STOKELY: Oh please, Stan. Casey was the one on the front of TIME, not us.

STAN: It's not like you moved that far away, Stokes.

STOKELY: You're over-estimating how much people talk. We're not famous. Besides… (she shivers) The way they were watching us… like we were lab rats.

STAN: (bending slightly to kiss her cheek) You're overreacting. They probably weren't even watching us. Didn't I hear Ewan McGregor goes here?

STOKELY: His cousin, Stan.

STAN: Yeah, right. And I bet he's standing right behind us.

STOKELY: (hesitantly) Maybe…

ZEKE: (off-camera) You too love-birds gonna whisper sweet nothings all night or are you gonna join us?

CUT TO: Shot of Zeke and the others. Zeke is grinning. He flashes a card in front of Stan.

ZEKE: Poker. You up for it?

STAN: (leaning forward slightly, immediately forgetting about the men at the bar) Sure. What are we playing for?

SETH: (dumping a large bag of candy on the table) Skittles.

STAN: My favorite.

He leans forward further, shifting Stokely from his lap onto the seat. She looks back towards the men.

CUT TO: Shot of the group of men. They are deep in conversation with each other, no longer paying any attention to Stokely or the others.

CUT BACK TO: Stokely, sighing. She turns to the others, and picks up her card hand.

STOKELY: Who's dealer?

*

INT. CASEY'S ROOM.

It is clear that Casey has unpacked. Books and a CD player stand on the shelves, a computer sits on the desk, and photos adorn the wall over the bed. Casey stands leaning over the desk, looking out of the open window to the ground below.

CUT TO: CASEY'S POV as he looks out of the window. Even though it is dusk there are still a number of people walking around the campus, between the various buildings. Snippets of conversations drift up to the window.

BOY #1: So I was thinking, if we headed down to the bar now -

GIRL #1: I know, but what can I do, I've tried talking to him!

BOY #2: What do you mean you've never seen it? Okay, man, you've gotta see this movie -

CUT TO: Ext. shot of Casey's room. We can see Casey though the window. Suddenly the background noise drains away, and we hear the same whispery voice from earlier. As it speaks we see Casey freeze, pale in shock.

V.O.: Only a little more time and its almost done. Just need more - No! Stop them, we need more time…

The voice is interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Upon the intrusion all the background noise returns, drowning out the voice. Casey jumps, and turns away from the window.

CUT TO: Shot of the door. Casey hesitates for a second, then walks towards it, opens it to reveal Delilah.

DELILAH: Hey, Casey. I found your room!

She moves forward to kiss Casey on the lips, but he steps away absently, walking back into the room.

DELILAH: Oka-ay… (she shuts the door behind her then follows Casey). Look, I'm sorry about earlier, okay? I would have come to lunch, but I got caught up in something -

CASEY: (walking to the window) It's okay.

CUT TO:  Ext. shot of Casey's room. Again we can see his face through the window. It's obvious to the audience that he is trying to listen out for the voice, but all we hear is the background noise of passersby.

DELILAH: (off-camera) I didn't know you had these.

CUT TO: Int. shot of Casey's room. Casey abruptly slams the window shut, then turns to look at Delilah. She is sat on the bed, looking at the photos. She reaches out to touch a black and white shot in the center of the montage.

C.U. on the photo. It features Zeke, Stan, Stokely, Casey and Delilah sat on some bleachers. Stokely sits close to Stan on the left side, her hand clasped in his, lying loosely on her lap. Casey and Delilah sit on the right hand side, Delilah on the row below Casey. She is leaning back and her head rests on Casey's chest. Zeke sits between the two couples, pulling 'bunny ears' behind both Stan and Casey's heads.

CUT TO: Shot of Delilah. Her hand drops from the photo, and she looks up at Casey.

DELILAH: I'd forgotten about that photo.

CASEY: It was the last exam day. The afternoon. Most people went straight home but Zeke persuaded us to hang around, say goodbye to the place.

DELILAH: He said we were 'burning bridges.'

CASEY: Yes.

Delilah looks away, down to her lap. Casey watches her for a second, then drops down onto the bed beside her. Looks at her, earnestly.

CASEY: Delilah… I need to talk to you.

Delilah doesn't respond for a minute, still looking at her hands. Then suddenly she takes a deep breath and looks up at Casey.

DELILAH: Sure.

CASEY: I think… I… (He hesitates, casting a glance back at the window) I keep hearing things.

DELILAH: (surprised) Hearing things?

CASEY: Voices. I keep hearing … voices.

DELILAH: Yeah? And what do these voices say?

CASEY: One voice. And… I'm not sure. I only hear short sentences, incoherent. But it wants something.

DELILAH: (skeptically) It wants something? Casey, is this some sort of joke?

CASEY: I wish it was! I thought, the first time, I'd made a mistake. The second time, maybe I imagined it. But it keeps happening!

DELILAH: Calm down, Case. This is a college, full of students, and in case you haven't noticed the walls are pretty damn thin. I know everything about my neighbor's personal habits just from the noises coming from his room -

CASEY: No, this isn't just the noise from next door, this is a voice. One voice. And it's not like it comes from another room, or behind me - it's in my head.

Delilah stares at him for a moment, then quickly rises from the bed. She walks to the other side of the room and starts examining the books on Casey's bookshelf.

DELILAH: You're nuts.

CASEY: (looking up at her, shocked) What?

DELILAH: (turning) You're hearing voices, Casey, what do you want me to say? Maybe you're mistaken, but you don't think you are, and that only leaves one option.

CASEY: You think I'm -

DELILAH: Cracked.

There is a sudden silence. Casey looks down at his feet. Delilah sighs, then comes over to the bed, touches the side of Casey's face gently.

DELILAH: Sorry.

He looks up.

DELILAH: But what do you want me to say, Case? That it's fine, that it's perfectly normal, don't worry about it, I'm sure if you lie down and take a couple of aspirin they'll go away?

She moves away. Casey looks up at her, sadly.

CASEY: I wanted you to tell me you believed me.

DELILAH: (looking back) Yeah, well, I don't. I'm sorry. (she looks back) Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? All this time? Lunchtime…

CASEY: No! I wanted to see you -

DELILAH: And I wanted to see you. I did. But… (she shakes her head) I wanted this to be different. I wanted it to be perfect. You ruined it, Casey.

CASEY: (rising, confused) What?

DELILAH: (turning quickly, moving to the door) I'm sorry.

CASEY: Who-

He takes a step forward, but Delilah opens the door and runs out onto the corridor before he can stop her. The door slams shut behind her.

*

EXT. LECTURE HALLS.

It's the next day. Bright sunshine streams down over the grassy central area. Students mill about beneath the trees, moving between lecture theatres or stopping to chat to friends.

CUT TO:  INT. LECTURE HALLS, CORRIDOR.

Seth and Emily are walking down the corridor towards the external doors. Emily is clutching her books to her chest, while Seth is striding confidently beside her.

SETH: So what did you think?

EMILY: It was good. I think it could be really interesting.

SETH: And we get field trips too.

EMILY: I'm not sure you can count a trip to a crematorium a field trip.

SETH: It's not a lecture theatre, so that's good enough for me.

They walk through the doors into the open air. After descending the steps, Seth stops and looks at Emily.

SETH: (hesitantly) So, um, are you going someplace now?

EMILY: (nervously) No…

SETH: I have to get a book from Palace Green library, but I was thinking, there's that coffee shop next door, if you'd like to go get a drink.

EMILY: That'd be great.

They start to walk across the green. Seth keep glancing at Emily, but she keeps her head lowered, hiding her eyes behind her hair.

SETH: So what do you think of college?

EMILY: I'm not sure yet.

SETH: Big and scary?

EMILY: A little.

SETH: It's … different.

EMILY: Good different, though.

SETH: We're really demonstrating our grasp of the English language today, aren't we?

EMILY: (looking up at him and smiling) All these lectures have overloaded our brains with new words.

SETH: It keeps knocking old stuff out of our brains.

They reach the library. It turns out to be a converted church, white washed, with a spire at the far end. The double doors at the front are accessible up a wide staircase. A sign outside reads: 'Palace Green Theology Library.'

Seth begins to ascend the steps, Emily beside him. They stop at the doors, which are closed.

EMILY: Are you sure its open?

SETH: That's what Davies said.

They reach the door. Hesitantly, Seth pushes it open.

CUT TO: INT. LIBRARY.

No surprises in the library. Bookshelves fill the rear of the church, stacked high with hardback books and journals. A reception desk sits at the front of the church, next to the doors. All the furniture is made of deep oak, to match the décor of the church. The reception desk is unmanned, and there appear to be no people in sight.

EMILY: (nervously) Are you sure it's open?

They walk through the doors and up to the reception desk. Seth looks around the desk, even leaning over it, but no one is around.

SETH: Maybe they're out at lunch.

EMILY: I suppose the doors would be locked if they wanted to keep people out…

SETH: By the time we find the book I bet someone will be here.

He walks past the desk into the shelving area, Emily close behind. She looks up at the ceiling and walls whilst Seth looks at the numbers on the shelves.

EMILY: (speaking in a hushed voice) It's pretty in here.

SETH: (also speaking in hushed tones) I guess.

EMILY: In a really spooky way…

SETH: (stopping suddenly) Wait, it's down here.

They walk down a corridor of bookshelves, Seth checking off the numbers of the books as they pass. He stops half-way down, and reaches up for a book.

There is a sudden bang from elsewhere in the library, which causes Emily to jump and Seth to almost drop the book.

EMILY: (whispering) What was that?

SETH: (also whispering) Just the doors.

We heard the sound of heels clicking across tiles, coming towards them.

EMILY: So that's just one of the librarians?

SETH: Right.

EMILY: So why are we whispering?

Seth turns to her, then takes several carefully measured steps towards the end of the bookshelf row. He looks out onto the central aisle cuts between the bookshelves.

CUT TO: Shot of the central aisle. In the background a woman, tightly done up in a prim turtleneck and skirt outfit, stalking down the central aisle, her high heels clicking against the floor tiles. She is carrying a petrol can in one hand. In the foreground we can see Seth and Emily. As the woman approaches Seth ducks back behind the aisle, grabs Emily and pushes her back next to him.

CUT TO: Shot of Seth and Emily, pressed up next to each other against the bookshelf. There is no other noise except for the sound of the woman's heels getting closer. A shadow falls on Seth when the woman passes - but she does not stop, walking onwards. The noise of the clicking gets quieter, then dies away.

SETH: (relaxing slightly) That was close.

EMILY: (confused) What was close? We're in a library!

SETH: But what kind of librarian needs petrol in their work?

Emily stares at him. Seth suddenly reaches out and takes her hand.

SETH: Let's go.

He pulls Emily out into the central aisle, and they start walking, quickly, towards the door they entered through.

CUT TO: Shot of the door. A man, dressed in a suit and tie, stands by the door and is busy locking it. He suddenly looks up, having heard Seth and Emily, and turns round.

CUT TO: Shot of the central aisle, empty.

CUT TO: Shot of Seth and Emily, pressed up against the shelves.

CUT TO: Shot of the man. He starts to walk down the central aisle.

MAN: (loudly) This library is closed. Please return any books to the front desk before you leave.

CUT TO: Shot of Seth and Emily. Emily looks up at Seth.

EMILY: Do you think -

SETH: Do you?

MAN: (off-screen) If you would like to leave now, please -

CUT TO: Shot of man looking around the edge of the bookshelf to where Seth and Emily were standing. The space is empty. He frowns.

CUT TO: The left-hand wall of the church, where Seth and Emily are creeping down the gap between the bookshelves and the wall. Seth is leading the way, and is holding Emily's hand.

MAN: (off-screen, his voice growing more tense) I know there is someone in here -

Seth and Emily continue to make their way down the gap.

MAN: (off-screen) You won't be in trouble -

Seth and Emily reach the far end of the library. Along the back wall there is a series of desks for students to study at. These follow the pattern of the bookshelves, with a small parting in the middle to allow for a central aisle that leads to a door in the back wall. The back wall is a partition, there to separate the main body of the church from the area under the church spire, where the altar would be. The door leads to this hidden area. In the far right corner is a fire exit.

Seth glances at Emily, pointing at the desks. She nods, and then quickly the pair run from the bookshelves to the far corner, where they both kneel, hiding behind the desks.

CUT TO: Shot of Seth and Emily hiding behind the desks. Emily is balanced on bent knees, one hand palm down on the floor to keep her steady.

SETH: (whispering) We'll make for the fire exit. Get out through that way.

He begins to crawl towards the fire exit.

EMILY: (suddenly, whispering) Wait.

Seth turns back, looking at her. Emily raises her hand from the floor and holds it, palm out, towards him.

EMILY: The floor… It's warm…

Seth puts one hand palm down against the floor, then after a second looks up at stares at Emily, his hand still on the floor.

MAN: (off-screen, but quite loud and close) If you could please come to the desk - now…

Seth and Emily look at each other, then Seth makes a hand motion towards the door. After a second, he bolts for the door, Emily close behind him.

CUT TO: the fire exit. Both Seth and Emily reach the door with a few seconds, but Seth fumbles at the lock, dropping his book. It hits the floor with a loud bang. Emily throws quick glances over her shoulder.

CUT TO: Shot of the central aisle. We can't see the man from this angle, but a shadow is cast against the floor and we can hear his footsteps growing closer.

CUT TO: Seth and Emily, Emily turning back to Seth.

C.U. on the lock, as Seth finally manages to undo it.

CUT TO: Shot of Seth pushing down on the bars of the door…

C.U. Emily's shoulder as a hand descends upon it…

CUT TO: Shot of Emily and Seth against the door. The man stands behind Emily, his left hand on her left shoulder.

The man pulls Emily back at the same time as Seth manages to open the door. The doors swing open, and Seth turns back to find Emily pressed up against the wall.

C.U. on Emily's face. The man is pressed up against her, crushing her body to the wall, and he has his hands cupped around her face, is moving in as though to kiss her. Emily struggles but she can't move, and as the camera draws closer her face is all but covered by the mans as he descends upon her…

Suddenly a large, dark object smacks the man around the back of his head.

CUT TO: Shot of the man releasing Emily and turning round to see Seth stood behind him, grasping a book in both hands. Silently the man brings one hand up to the back of his head to probe the wound, without taking his eyes off Seth.

EMILY: Seth -

Seth drops the book, then grabs Emily's hand and pulls her away from the man.

CUT TO: EXT. LIBRARY.

We can see the fire exit from the outside. Seth and Emily both run out of the door, down the steps below and onto the grass outside. Due to the overshadowing of the library and the building next to it the area is quite shaded and dark.

Seth and Emily continue to run, down the side of the library and out into the sunlight. They stop, turning to see, down in the shaded area, the fire exit door swing shut.

There is silence, save for the background noise of the trees, voices of students, and distant traffic. Seth and Emily exchange looks.

SETH: Are you okay?

EMILY: (shakily) Yeah - yes, I think so.

SETH: Did he -

EMILY: No.

Seth reaches out to take both her hands in his.

SETH: It'll be okay.

*

INT. RESIDENTIAL HALL CORRIDOR.

The corridor is full of people milling about, but is not as crowded as in earlier scenes. There are several groups of people stood in corners chatting, and several couples stand next to the walls, making out.

Casey is walking down the corridor, bag slung over one shoulder. He keeps glancing between the signs on the doors, and a number scrawled on the back of his hand.

SOLARISATION.

CUT TO: an edited flashback of the previous night's events between Casey and Delilah. The darkness of this scene contrasts with the daylight of the current scene.

CASEY: I think… I… I keep hearing things.

DELILAH: You're nuts.

CASEY: You think I'm -

DELILAH: Cracked.

DELILAH: (touching the side of Casey's face) Sorry.

SOLARISATION.

CUT TO: corridor. Casey walks down the corridor past several more doors, finally stopping at one. He looks up. There is a whiteboard stuck beneath the room number, and on it is scrawled: 'Delilah's room.'

Casey walks up to the door and knocks. There is no reply. After a second he knocks again. No response. With a sigh, he gives up and turns back into the corridor, continuing to walk onwards. Suddenly -
DELILAH: (off-screen) So are you going to keep me on tenterhooks forever?

Casey smiles when he hears her voice, but his expression falters when he hears a second voice:

JOCK: (off-screen) You like being teased, don't you?

CUT TO: end of corridor. The corridor ends several feet from where Casey walks - it bends around the corner and opens up into a small living area, with couches, a sink, and a fridge. Delilah is stood by the sink, and next to her is stood a tall, stereotypically handsome jock type.

DELILAH: (looking up at the jock) Don't even begin to think you have that effect on me.

JOCK: (pressing up against her) No? You sure?

His right hand reaches up to cup Delilah's face, and he bends down slightly to kiss her. Delilah returns the kiss, one hand slipping around the jock's neck.

C.U. on Casey's face, reaction shot.

CUT TO: Shot of Casey. He pulls back from the corner of the corridor, presses himself up against the wall, almost relying on it for support.

DEILAH: (off-screen) I have to go.

CUT TO: the living area. Delilah pulls back a little from the jock, but the jock wraps his arms around her waist, preventing her from leaving.

JOCK: You sure? Because I can think of some fun ways we could pass the time -

Delilah reaches up to kiss him again.

DELILAH: I'm sure you could. But not right now, okay?

JOCK: (letting his arms drop to his sides) Okay. Later. I'll be waiting.

DELILAH: On tenterhooks?

JOCK: Now who's being teased?

Delilah laughs, turning, but allowing one hand to brush against the jock's. She gathers up her bag and jacket from a nearby chair, then walks out into the corridor.

CUT TO: Same shot as before, when we saw Casey against the wall. Delilah walks around the corner into the end of the corridor, but there is no sign of Casey. She continues walking.

*

INT. HALL OF RESIDENCE LOUNGE

In style it is similar to the one we just saw Delilah in. Several couches surround a small television. A low coffee table sits between the couches. There is a sink and fridge in one corner, on and below a worktop, on which stands a microwave. There are two entrances to the lounge. A door next to the sink leads to the corridors of the halls. An open corridor behind the couches leads back to the outside door of the halls, but this is out of sight.

Zeke and Stokely sit on one of the couches. Stokely sits in the corner of the couch, leaning back, whilst Zeke sits on the back of the couch next to her, his feet resting on the couch seat. There is a couple of female students stood by the microwave, heating something up.

ZEKE: Stan's late.

STOKELY: He's probably just caught up at work. He'll be here.

She pauses, then tilts her head back to look at Zeke.

STOKELY: You don't have to wait with me, Zeke.

ZEKE: Not got anything better to do.

STOKELY: You really don't, do you.

CUT TO: Shot of the two girls. The microwave pings, and they remove whatever it is from inside, then leave the lounge. Zeke and Stokely are left alone.

CUT TO: Stokely and Zeke, sat on the couch.

STOKELY: Shouldn't you be out chasing some bit of skirt?

ZEKE: Nice phrasing there, Stokes. And no. No one's caught my eye yet.

STOKELY: What, not even Emily? Or Maddy?

ZEKE: Emily is too busy having a connection with Seth, and as for Maddy… lets just say I don't think I'm her type. Her type being short, wide eyed photographers…

STOKELY: (pulling her legs under her and turning so she can face Zeke) Really?

ZEKE: Heh, yeah. It's obvious. You'd love that idea, right? Casey being with someone else?

STOKELY: I'd prefer it if he wasn't with Delilah, yeah, if that's what you mean.

ZEKE: What've you got against her, Stokely? Still holding a grudge from high school?

CUT TO: Shot of the door. A shadow stands behind it.

C.U. on the door knob. We see it turn, and then lock, with a click.

CUT TO: Stokely and Zeke on the couch. They haven't noticed the door locking.

STOKELY: She just rubs me the wrong way.

ZEKE: If this was a case of clashing personalities, I'd believe you. But there's more to it than that, right?

STOKELY: You know Zeke, you REALLY don't have to keep me company…

CUT TO: Closer on Zeke, so only he is in frame.

ZEKE: (bending down slightly so he's nearer Stokely) Ah, come on, you can tell me, right? It's not like me and Delilah are the best of buds…

We see a shadow behind Zeke, but he fails to notice. Suddenly a hand comes from the left of screen, holding an ashtray, and smacks Zeke over the back of his head. He yells in pain, falling off the back of the couch.

CUT TO: Wide shot of lounge. A man stands behind the couch, standing over Zeke's prone body, holding the ashtray. He is middle-aged, balding, with wispy hair clinging to the side and back of his head. He is dressed in a pair of scruffy cord trousers, a dark jumper, and non-descript shoes. Lets call him… Hamilton.

STOKELY: (leaping up off the seat) Zeke!!

HAMILTON: (looking at Stokely) I'm sorry. But you shouldn't be here.

Hamilton moves around the couch to get closer to Stokely. She starts backing away, but behind her lies only a wall, and Hamilton stands between her and the corridor beyond.

STOKELY: What the f-

Hamilton lunges at her, but Stokely moves to one side, attempting to run past him. She is stopped when Hamilton grabs her arm, pulling her back.

HAMILTON: You weren't supposed to know.

He tries to grab Stokely's other arm but she struggles, moving too fast for him to take hold. With her free hand she reaches up and scrapes her nails down Hamilton's face, but he doesn't react, merely pulling her closer and this time successfully pinning her other arm. Stokely struggles, but he has her arms pinned. Hamilton leans in for a kiss…

…and Stokely pulls her right knee up and into his groin. Immediately he releases her, staggering back, bent over. Stokely turns and runs around the sofa.

CUT TO: Shot behind the sofa. Stokely crouches down beside Zeke, poking him.

STOKELY: Zeke, wake up, come on -

ZEKE: (rolling over and groaning) Man, what hit me?

STOKELY: We gotta get out of here, Zeke, NOW!

She grabs Zeke's arm and tries to pull him to his feet, but only succeeds in getting him into a sitting position before a shadow falls over them…

HAMILTON: You killed her. And you have to pay.

He lunges downwards, grabbing a handful of Stokely's hair and dragging her backwards.

STOKELY: (crying out) Zeke!

CUT TO: A wider shot of the lounge.

Zeke pushes himself to his feet, looking around for a weapon. Spotting a fire extinguisher, he pulls it from the wall and turns to face Hamilton.

ZEKE: Let her go!

Hamilton ignores him, grabbing Stokely's throat with his free hand and lifting her up. She struggles, starting to choke, clawing at his wrists.

Zeke runs at Hamilton, using the extinguisher as though it were a battering ram and Hamilton the door. He hits the man in the stomach. Hamilton drops Stokely, who falls to the floor gasping. He bends over, then turns to grab Zeke. Zeke dodges him easily, using the butt end of the extinguisher to knock Hamilton to the floor. Then he grabs the nozzle of the canister, switches it on, and sprays Hamilton liberally with foam. The man is caked, from head to foot.

Once the canister starts to sputter, indicating its contents are empty, Zeke drops the can and turns to bend over Stokely.

ZEKE: (offering her a hand) Come on.

Stokely takes Zeke's hand and gets to her feet, massaging her throat. The pair are about to run out into the corridor beyond when they hear Hamilton start to gasp. They turn…

CUT TO: STOKELY AND ZEKE'S POV.

Hamilton, lying on the floor covered in foam, starts to convulse. He is gasping and choking, making a truly terrible noise.

CUT TO: Shot of the lounge end and the corridor beyond.

Stokely and Zeke look at each other.

STOKELY: Let's get the f-

ZEKE: Out of here, I gotcha.

They turn and run down the corridor, towards the external door. The sounds of Hamilton choking can still be heard, echoing in the empty corridor. Reaching the door, they grab for the handle together, opening the door and bursting outside onto the steps …

STAN: (off-screen) What the hell-

Both Stokely and Zeke scream.

CUT TO: EXT. HALLS OF RESIDENCE.

Stan is stood on the steps, dressed in oil spattered jeans and checked shirt, a duffel bag slung over one shoulder. He grabs Stokely as she and Zeke burst through the door. Once they realize who it is, they stop screaming.

ZEKE: Holy cr*p Stan -

STOKELY: Oh thank god.

STAN: What the hell is going on?

ZEKE: Aliens, Stan. (shouting) FRIKKIN' ALIENS!

He pushes at Stan angrily, then storms down the steps. Stan watches him, then turns back to Stokely.

CUT TO: Tight shot on Stokely and Stan, as he takes her arms in his gently.

STAN: Are you okay?

STOKELY: Yeah. (she glances over her shoulder at the open door behind them) Let's just get out of here, okay? Now.

CUT TO: Shot of the stairs.

Stokely and Stan begin to descend the stairs. Zeke stands at the bottom, kicking a trash can.

STAN: You wanna tell me what's going on?

ZEKE: (angrily) I told you, Stan. Aliens.

STAN: (glancing at Stokely) No way. We killed them.

ZEKE: Yeah, well, apparently not all of them.

STAN: But what -

STOKELY: It was an alien, Stan, okay? Just accept it. (seeing Stan's hurt look) Sorry. But that's the only explanation. He - it - attacked me and Zeke. It …. It was a faculty member, and it attacked us. And it knew who we were.

STAN: What are you talking about?

STOKELY: It said we killed her. HER.

STAN: Her?

ZEKE: (yelling) Do the math, Stan! Her! Mary Beth!

Stan drops his head. Stokely loops her arm through his comfortingly, glares at Zeke.

STOKELY: Look, we're all freaked, Zeke. But in case you've forgotten, we're in this together. You, me, Stan, Casey -

She stops. Pales.

ZEKE: Casey.

*

INT. RESIDENTIAL HALL.

Another corridor, populated by students - groups of friends, loving couples, and Casey, hurrying down the middle. He keeps his head lowered, and has a tight grip on the strap of his bag.

CASEY'S P.O.V. as he hurries down the corridor. As he passes people seem distorted, almost towering over him. The background noise of other students is a muffled hush, and over it we can hear a number of whispered voices, overlapping.

VOICE #1: If we don't get it done soon we'll miss our chance -

VOICE #2: Don't let them near, they can't see -

VOICE #3: I see them, but they can't -

VOICE #4: He was the one. Stop the others but he is the one-

VOICE #5: We'll kill them -

As the voices raise in volume, Casey makes it to his door. He fumbles with the keys, eventually unlocking the door, opening it, and almost falling through the doorway.

CUT TO: INT. CASEY'S ROOM.

Camera can see the doorway, and the space immediately beyond it leading into Casey's room. Casey falls through the entrance, then turns and slams the door. The voices stop, immediately, leaving nothing but silence.

Slowly, Casey falls back against the door and sinks to his knees. The camera holds position, the image onscreen appearing almost frozen, as slowly the voices return - quietly at first, then increasing in volume.

VOICE 1#: Just finish it, go to him, finish it -

VOICE 2#: He hurt her, killed her -

VOICE 3#: We can't let them near, can't let them see -

VOICE 4#: They'll stop us, hurt us, like they did -

As the number and volume of voices increases, the camera moves in to close on Casey. He lifts his hands to his ears, presses his head to his knees, pulling his legs tighter against him, but to no avail. The voices continue to get louder, and the camera closer, until the frame only contains Casey's head and shoulders, and then -

A knock, sharp.

Casey raises his head, sharply, his eyes large. The voices cease, suddenly.

CUT TO: Shot of Casey's room, wider. There is another knock.

MADDY: (from behind the door) Casey?

Slowly, stiffly, Casey gets to his feet. He looks down at his hands, then around at the room, then finally back at the door. After another moment, he reaches out and opens it. Maddy stands on the other side.

MADDY: Hi. Sorry, I saw you in the corridor, tried to say hi, but you were in a hurry - I've not interrupted anything, have I?

CASEY: (hesitantly, looking over Maddy's shoulder to the corridor beyond) No…

MADDY: Um, I was wondering, there's this ballroom dancing club I was going to join, except you need a partner and…

Casey isn't paying her any attention. His attention keeps swapping between over his shoulder, and behind Maddy.

MADDY: It's stupid I know, and I'd understand if you say no because of Delilah -

Picking up on the name, Casey suddenly turns his full attention to Maddy.

CASEY: What?

MADDY: Well, she might be uncomfortable with another girl dancing with her boyfriend.

CASEY: (saying nothing for a minute, then:) Do you want to come in?

He moves away a little, giving Maddy enough space to move past him and walk into the room. Casey shuts the door, then turns to watch her.

Maddy looks around the room, spots the photos on the wall, and goes over to look.

MADDY: Wow. These are really good. Did you take them?

CASEY: Y-yeah.

MADDY: Wow.

MADDY'S POV, CU on the photos.

Her hand reaches out to brush the picture of Casey and Delilah. Delilah is nestled into Casey's shoulder, Casey's arm is around her, and they are both smiling.

MADDY: (off-screen) Have you been dating long?

CASEY: (off-screen) About nine months. (He changes the subject.) Ballroom dancing?

CUT TO: Shot of room.

Casey is now leaning against the desk. Maddy turns away from the wall to look at him.

MADDY: Yeah. It's stupid….

CASEY: I don't think so.

MADDY: (smiling) No?

CASEY: I'll be your partner, if you'd like.

MADDY: And Delilah will be okay with it?

Casey drops his head. Maddy frowns, steps forward.

MADDY: Are you okay?

There is a sudden, sharp, knock at the door. Both Casey and Maddy turn to look at the door.

CASEY: Come in.

CUT TO: Shot of the door.

Another loud, sharp knock. Maddy glances at Casey. He walks towards the door.

CASEY: (louder) The door's open.

Another loud knock. Casey flinches a little. He reaches the door, and touches the handle to open it…

Without warning the door suddenly flies inwards, hitting Casey in the face. He falls to the floor. Maddy yelps. Through the door come two figures. The first is a youngish man, in his late twenties, dressed in a pair of jeans and a checked shirt, clean-shaven, with glasses. Let's call him Bill. The second is a middle-aged woman with long black hair tied back, dressed in an ugly blouse and matching skirt. Her name is Caroline. She moves towards Maddy, whilst Bill shuts the door, then bends over Casey.

CUT TO: Shot of Maddy by the desk.

MADDY: Who -

Caroline says nothing, grabbing Maddy by the arm. Maddy tries to pull away, but Caroline has a tight grip, and pushes Maddy up against the desk easily.

CUT TO: Shot of Casey, slumped against the floor.

He moans slightly, raising a hand to his face. Bill lashes out with one hand, grabbing tight hold of Casey's wrist. Reacting to the touch, Casey's eyes suddenly open and stare at Bill.

Suddenly all sound is drowned out by one whispery voice.

V.O.: I know what you did.

Casey tries to pull his wrist away, but with no success - Bill has a tight hold. Bill starts to speak, his voice overlapping the whispery voice.

V.O./BILL: I know what you did, and you have to pay.

CASEY: (trying to back into the wall) What? What did I do?

V.O./BILL: You took her away from me. From us.

CASEY: Who?

CUT TO: Maddy and Caroline, continuing to struggle against the desk.

Caroline twists Maddy's arm up and behind her back, causing her to yelp. Having pushed Maddy against the desk and leaving her nowhere to go, Caroline leans forward, reducing the distance between her face and Maddy's…

CUT TO: Shot of the desktop.

Maddy's free arm fumbles behind her for something on the desk, her hand eventually closing on a glass jar full of tacks.

CUT TO: Shot of Maddy and Caroline pressed up against the desk.

Caroline moves her face even closer to Maddy's, their lips now less than a centimeter apart…

Suddenly Maddy brings her free hand up and strikes Caroline over the back of her head with the jar. Caroline yowls in pain and anger, releasing Maddy's arm. Taking her chance, Maddy pushes Caroline against the bed, then turns towards the window, reaching over the desk to fumble at the lock.

CUT TO: Casey and Bill.

Bill reaches out with his other hand to grab Casey around the neck. Slowly he lifts Casey from the floor, releasing his hold around Casey's wrist. Casey starts choking, his fingers scrabbling futilely against Bill's hands.

V.O./BILL: You don't even know what you did. What you cost us. Which makes it so much worse. So you're going to die. Slowly.

CUT TO: C.U. on Maddy's hands as she fumbles with the handle of the window.

CUT TO: Shot of Caroline, pushing herself up from the floor.

She touches the back of her head gingerly, winces, then growls softly. Maddy glances over her shoulder, then back to the window.

C.U. on Maddy's hands. She successfully pulls the handle upwards…

CUT TO: Maddy leaning over the desk.

… she opens the window, and leans out to scream.

MADDY: Help!

A hand clamps itself around her mouth. Caroline's hand. She is pulled backwards, struggling. Wrapping her other arm around Maddy's waist, Caroline drags her away from the window, then kicks the back of Maddy's knees to send her to the floor. Using her extra body weight, Caroline forces Maddy onto her stomach, then releases the hold on her mouth to push her over, straddling her.

MADDY: Casey!

CUT TO: Shot of Casey and Bill.

Casey continues to choke. His fingers continue to scrabble at Bill's, but after several seconds he weakens, his hands falling…

Suddenly the door flies open. Zeke bursts through, Stan and Stokely hot on his heels. In surprise, Bill releases his hold on Casey and drops him to the floor. Bill turns around…

…only to get punched across the jaw by Zeke.

ZEKE: You try picking on someone your own size, next time.

Stokely kneels beside Casey, touching his face gently. Stan runs past her, towards the camera…

CUT TO: Shot of Caroline and Maddy on the floor.

At the commotion, Caroline turns her head to see Stan run towards her. He stops, seeing she is a woman, an older woman, hesitates.

MADDY: Hit her!!

STAN: But -

MADDY: Hit -

Caroline looks back towards Maddy, then in one rushed movement pushes her body forward and over Maddy's, trying to kiss her. Maddy turns her face away.

C.U. on Maddy and Caroline's faces.

Suddenly Caroline is pulled backwards, her face disappearing off-screen.

CUT TO: Camera pulls back to show Caroline, Maddy and Stan.

Stan has an arm around Caroline's chest and is hauling her backwards, off Maddy. Finally free, Maddy rolls over and pushes herself upright.

CUT TO: The doorway, a shot of Zeke and Bill.

Bill has fallen back several steps from Zeke's punch, nursing his jaw. Zeke hovers, waiting for Bill to turn back so he can punch him again. Bill falls back against the wall.

ZEKE: (grinning) Maybe I should have taken up boxing, not football.

CUT TO: Stan and Caroline, Maddy rising from the floor beside them.

STAN: (struggling with Caroline, who is putting up a good fight) If you're such a good fighter Zeke, care to shut the hell up and give me a hand?

Maddy pulls herself to her feet, turning to Caroline, who is just beginning to wriggle out of Stan's loosening grip. Scooping the jar up from the floor, Maddy strikes her over the head. Caroline slumps, surprising Stan, who releases his hold and allows her to slump to the floor.

CUT TO: Shot of Stokely and Casey.

Stokely is still kneeling by Casey. He is beginning to come around, coughing, hand reaching up to rub his throat. Stokely brushes the side of his face gently.

STOKELY: Are you okay?

CASEY: (looking up, speaking in a rasp) We have to get out of here.

He starts to move, struggling to get to his feet. Stokely rises, helping Casey up.

CUT TO: Shot of Zeke and Bill.

Zeke moves forward, pressing Bill up against the wall, pressing his arm across Bill's throat. He glances at the others.

ZEKE: Let's go, people!

We see Stokely and Casey move past Zeke. Bill tries to struggle.

CUT TO: Shot of Stan and Maddy, Caroline on the floor behind them.

Stan snatches Casey's keys up from the desk. He and Maddy start to run towards the door, thinking that Caroline is unconscious. But suddenly the woman's hand lashes out, grabbing hold of Maddy's ankle.

C.U. on Caroline's hand around Maddy's ankle.

CUT TO: Shot of Maddy and Caroline.

MADDY: Help! Stan!

Stan turns back, kicking Caroline's hand away, grabbing hold of Maddy to pull her away. They rush to the door.

CUT TO: Doorway.

Bill is continuing to struggle against Zeke, and Zeke is obviously finding it difficult to restrain a man who is larger and bulkier than him. Maddy rushes past Zeke, through the open door, just as Bill gets the better of Zeke and knocks him away.

Rushing to Zeke's aid, Stan grabs Bill from behind and pulls him back into the center of the room. His balance momentarily lost, Bill takes several seconds to respond… and this gives Zeke and Stan time to rush out of the door, slamming it behind them.

EXT. CASEY'S ROOM.

Our five heroes stand outside in the corridor, breathless. The corridor is curiously empty. Stan locks the door quickly.

C.U. on the door handle. It turns several times in quick succession, then stills.

CUT TO: Shot of the corridor.

Stan moves back from the door. Zeke leans back against the wall, breathing heavily. Stokely stands with Casey, arm still around his waist. Maddy moves towards him.

MADDY: Are you okay?

CASEY: (nodding) Yeah.

He glances at Stokely, and she removes her arm.

STOKELY: You sure?

CASEY: (nods) You know what they were.

STOKELY: I know.

MADDY: (confused) What?

STAN: (turning away from the door) Alien.

ZEKE: (correcting him) Frikkin' aliens.

SETH'S VOICE: (off-screen) Aliens?!!

*

INT. CAFETERIA.

It is dusk, and the lights are out in the cafeteria. The only light comes from the corridor outside. All the chairs are stacked up on the tables, and the shutter is pulled down over the food counter. In the center of the room sit our heroes. Zeke is sat on a chair, leaning back, his feet on a table. Stokely sits on a table cross-legged. Seth is stood up and leaning against a table, and Emily is sat on a chair close to him. Casey sits sideways on a chair, resting his elbows on the back of the chair and resting his head on his arms. Maddy is sat on a table behind him. Stan stands by the door, facing the others but continually glancing through the door window to the corridor outside. He is look-out.

SETH: Aliens.

CUT TO: Shot of Zeke, leaning back in his chair.

ZEKE: Yup. Only explanation that fits.

CUT TO: Shot of Maddy and Casey.

MADDY: (looking down at Casey as she speaks) I knew you guys were involved in some weird stuff back at your high school. I mean, I read Time Magazine.

CASEY: (murmuring) And the local papers, the school paper. The New York Times, the Washington Post… (he trails off)

CUT TO: Shot of the group.

SETH: Can someone clue me in because I don't read the papers.

STOKELY: You ever read the Body Snatchers?

ZEKE: Not everyone is a sci-fi geek, Stokes.

CUT TO: Shot of Stan by the door.

STAN: (warningly) Zeke -

CUT TO: Shot of group.

ZEKE: Sorry. (He pushes his hand through his hair) It's just, man, I thought we'd killed her!

EMILY: Killed who?

CASEY: Mary-Beth.

STOKELY: That's the name she took when she was in her human form.

SETH: Human form?

ZEKE: Yeah. We all thought she was just another student, the new girl. Until she changed into a frikkin' tentacled monster!

EMILY: I don't understand. If there was just one of her, how did she take over the school?

MADDY: Time said something about mind control.

STOKELY: Yeah, something like that. Little alien parasites that she used to infect human hosts and control them. First the faculty members, then the students, and then the rest of the town.

ZEKE: Including the cops, so don't even think of running to them. It'd be pointless.

SETH: But you managed to stop her.

ZEKE: Yeah. Stokes had this theory; if we killed the queen then all the little alien bugs would die.

CUT TO: Stan, stood by the door, glancing back.

STAN: And she was right.

CUT BACK TO: Group shot.

ZEKE: Yeah. So we thought.

STOKELY: (raising her head to look at Zeke) Those little aliens died, Zeke. You think I've been under her control all this time? Maybe you dreamed up seeing Mary Beth's body, right?

MADDY: Under her control? You mean you -

STOKELY: (turning her attention back to the group) Yeah. Me, Stan, Delilah. She suckered all of us. If it wasn't for Casey, Mary Beth would have been in control of the entire state within a week.

ZEKE: Hey, he did have help, y'know.

STOKELY: I'm sure you were a big help, Zeke, what with the running and the falling over.

ZEKE: It was my scat, Stokes, or had you forgotten? If it wasn't for me none of you guys would have had a chance.

CASEY: (softly) Guys…

Zeke and Stokely back down, Zeke lounging back in his chair.

SETH: So what's scat?

STOKELY: Some fairy dust Zeke was peddling to all the school losers.

Maddy and Emily turn to look at Zeke, but he just shrugs.

SETH: What was in it?

ZEKE: Caffeine pills, mostly. It was a diuretic. Shoot some of this into your system, and it dries up the little bug inside. Bingo, you're back to normal.

MADDY: So you cured Stan and Stokely.

STOKELY: Doesn't work like that. You have to kill the queen or the other little aliens just keep going. We thought it had to be someone in power, like the Principle or the Coach. But Mary Beth…. (She pauses)

C.U. on Stokely

STOKELY: We thought she was one of us. Thought she was on our side. Until she turned.

CUT BACK TO: Group shot.

EMILY: This all sounds unbelievable. Aliens who took over your high school?

ZEKE: Not aliens. Alien. One.

EMILY: But what about the others, the hosts, couldn't you tell they were infected?

ZEKE: Nope. That's the worst thing, you don't know who's on your side and who's an enemy. You might be surrounded by the things and you'd never know it.

Silence suddenly descends. The camera PANS around the group as our heroes give each other nervous glances. Suddenly, breaking the silence:

STAN: (off-screen) Zeke, Delilah's in the corridor.

CUT TO: Head and shoulder shot of Zeke.

He looks towards the door, then across to Casey.

ZEKE: Case?

CUT TO: Shot of Casey.

He remains silent.

CUT TO: Shot of Zeke.

He turns once again to the door.

ZEKE: Get her in here. But be discrete.

CUT TO: Shot of the door.

Stan looks out through the window, then suddenly opens the door, reaches out, grabs hold of a figure outside and pulls her in. It's Delilah. She protests as she's dragged through the doorway, hitting Stan's hand ineffectually.

DELILAH: Stan, what the hell are you doing? Get off me!

STAN: Shush, will ya?

He pushes her into the room, releasing her arm, then turns to shut the door sharply.

DELILAH'S POV: GROUP SHOT

DELILAH: Well this looks like a lovely picnic, can anyone join?

CUT TO:  Shot of Stokely sat on the table, and Zeke sat on the chair near her.

Stokely turns to glare at Zeke.

STOKELY: Explain to me how inviting her is a good idea?

ZEKE: She's involved, Stokes. Delilah's one of us.

STOKELY: She was never one of us, Zeke.

DELILAH: (off-screen) Oh come now, Stokely…

CUT TO: TRACKING SHOT of Delilah as she walks towards the group. Her movements are confident, arrogant.

DELILAH: … Don't tell me you haven't missed me just an incy-little-bit, hmm? All the intellectual debates we have?

STAN: (behind her) Delilah -

DELILAH: (ignoring him) So does someone want to tell me why you're all sat in the dark in here like a bunch of broody goth losers?

GROUP SHOT.

ZEKE: Aliens, Delilah. They're back.

CUT TO: Full body shot of Delilah as she stops in her tracks.

DELILAH: Aliens.

CUT TO: Shot of Stokely.

STOKELY: Forgotten about Mary Beth?

CUT BACK TO DELILAH

DELILAH: It's not the sort of thing someone easily forgets. But what about it? No, let me guess, you've been out conspiracy hunting again?

GROUP SHOT. Delilah starts to walk towards Casey.

STOKELY: It isn't a conspiracy when we're proved right.

CUT TO: Wide shot of Casey. We can see Maddy sat behind him, in the background.

Delilah reaches where he is sat and stands next to him. She reaches down with one hand and takes several strands of his hair in her fingers, toys with it coyly.

DELILAH: Are you part of this, Casey?

FOCUS on the background, a shot of Maddy's reaction to Delilah's actions.

FOCUS BACK TO: foreground, and Casey.

Casey barely reacts, either to the question or the flirting.

CASEY: It's the truth, Delilah.

Her hand drops away from Casey's head, and Delilah turns slightly so she can face the group.

DELILAH: Look, I know college is a hell of a lot different to high school, but do you want to tell me how you leapt to the conclusion that aliens are running the show?

CUT TO: Group shot.

ZEKE: Oh, let me think, Delilah. Could it me that someone tried to kill me and Stokes when we were sat in the lounge waiting for Stan? Or that two people forced their way into Casey's room and tried to attack him? Oh, and then there's the weird sh*t in the library that Seth and Emily will have to explain.

CUT TO: Wide angle shot of Casey and Delilah.

DELILAH: (turning to Casey, suddenly concerned) Are you alright? Are you hurt?

Casey raises his head to look Delilah in the eyes. His expression is unreadable.

CASEY: I'm fine.

CUT TO: Shot of Stan by the door, but facing the group.

STAN: It's true, Delilah. There's something really weird going on and aliens is about the only explanation that makes sense.

CUT TO: Group shot.

DELILAH: They attacked you. These aliens. And nobody saw them do this?

ZEKE: They take on human form, remember? These guys were faculty members. I recognized the woman who attacked Casey. Caroline de Vere, some history lecturer.

STAN: It was creepy. Deja-vu.

DELILAH: And how did they get here, huh? Why this town? Is it Mary Beth or did some of her kids escape?

ZEKE: It doesn't matter how they got here, Delilah, the point is, they're here, and they know we're here. The ones who came after me and Stokes, they knew who we were. They came after us for a reason.

DELILAH: Oh please. What happened, Zeke? Some lecturer pick you out of the crowd?

STOKELY: We were attacked, Delilah. A lecturer tried to kill us.

ZEKE: And I've got the bump to prove it.

CUT TO: Close shot of Delilah.

DELILAH: (hesitating) So really…

CUT TO: Group shot.

MADDY: Really.

ZEKE: They know about what we did, killing Mary Beth.

CASEY: The man who attacked me, he said we took her away from him. That's why he was trying to kill us.

DELILAH: (looking at Seth and Emily) Then why did they attack you two?

CUT TO: Shot of Seth and Emily.

SETH: Wrong place, wrong time. Something was going on in that library that we interrupted.

EMILY: (shuddering as she recalls events) So they came after us. Tried to shut us up. Tried… (she stops, drops her head)

DELILAH: (off-screen) What?

EMILY: (looking up) Tried to kiss me. I think. Maybe.

CUT TO: Group shot.

STOKELY: Definitely. Hamilton, the guy after us, did exactly the same thing to me.

MADDY: The history woman did the same thing to me. But Stan pulled her off me.

CUT TO: Shot of Stan by the door. He grins, lifting his shoulders proudly.

CUT BACK TO: Group shot.

CASEY: That's how Mary Beth infected people.

DELILAH: I remember watching the coach in the staff room, Casey. But the coach never kissed anyone.

ZEKE: Yeah, but he had to get pretty damn close. Or maybe this new alien has got a different way of doing things.

Delilah rises from her seat, starts pacing.

DELILAH: So what, there's more than one Mary Beth now?

STOKELY: Who knows how many of these freakin' things are here. Maybe it's just one.

DELILAH: And maybe there's a whole army!

CUT TO: Distance shot of the group.

Stan, in the foreground, takes several steps forwards until he's part of the group.

STAN: Yeah, well I say we find out.

ZEKE: Up for a little reconnaissance, Stan?

STOKELY: I'm up for going back to Casey's room, see if those two will give up any info.

MADDY: Do you think they'll talk?

STOKELY: I bet we can persuade them.

EMILY: What about the library? They're hiding something there.

SETH: Yeah, and remember the floor? They were doing something in the basement, something that generates a lot of heat.

STOKELY: I still think we should get some background info first.

ZEKE: Fine, let's put it to a vote. All those in favor of going to the library, raise your hand.

MONTAGE of quick C.U. on different hands raising.

CUT TO: Group shot.

Seth, Emily, Zeke and Casey have their hands raised. Zeke counts. Delilah stops pacing and stares at the group.

DELILAH: Are you all nuts? Why should we take these things on? I say we pile into a car and get the hell out of here.

ZEKE: (lowering his hand) What, so we can wait for them to catch up with us? What the hell sort of plan is that?

DELILAH: A better one than the suicidal plans you're all deciding between? Let's get out of town, cross the state border, find the first police station or something, call up the FBI.

STOKELY: And tell them what, we think we have aliens in our university?

DELILAH: We've done it before, they'd have to believe us -

ZEKE: You really think one little article in TIME is going to make the Feds believe in aliens?

SETH: Zeke has a point. We can't go running to anyone until we have more information.

EMILY: If we can even be sure of who it is we're talking to.

STAN: I say we head to Casey's room.

ZEKE: Chances are they've gone by now, I say we go to the source…

DELILAH (interrupting) Are you guys crazy? They'll be waiting! I'm not walking into the midst of an alien nest with you -

STOKELY: No one is asking you to, Delilah. You want to go tell the FBI? Fine, go ahead. Don't let the door hit your a** on the way out.

CUT TO: Shot of Delilah and Casey.

Casey sits with his head lowered, looking at his hands.

DELILAH: Suits me. (she turns to Casey) Are you coming?

C.U. on Casey's hands. They're faintly trembling.

CASEY: No.

CUT BACK TO: Group shot.

Delilah looks shocked - she wasn't expecting this.

DELILAH: What?

CASEY: (raising his head to look at her) I agree with Zeke. We need more information.

DELILAH: So what, you're going to walk into the mouth of hell with them, is that it? Tell me, Casey, if Zeke jumped off a cliff would you follow?

STOKELY: Shut the hell up, Delilah.

DELILAH: Bite me, Stokely. You can go to hell, for all I care.

Delilah turns away from Stokely, looks at Casey.

DELILAH: Why do you even hang out with her anymore, Casey? You're with more than that, more than her, more than this bunch of losers. I see that in you. Leave them behind, be something more.

CUT TO: Tight shot of Delilah and Casey.

CASEY: What if I don't want to be something more, Delilah? What if I'm happy the way I am? With these people, my friends?

DELILAH: You're not one of them, Casey, and they're not your friends. They're holding you back. All through high school you were the kid everybody picked on, and you've still not grown out of that! You could be better than that, I WANT you to be better -

CASEY: That's been the problem all along, hasn't in? You want me to be somebody else, someone different, your perfect partner. You don't love me, you never have.

DELILAH: How can you say that? I've never loved anyone else -

STOKELY: (off-camera) Unless they come with a jock strap and a jersey, right Delilah?

CUT TO: Group shot.

Delilah turns sharply to glare at Stokely.

DELILAH: What's that supposed to mean?

STOKELY: I knew you were slow, but I never thought I'd have to spell it out for you.
 
DELILAH: You little gutterslut…

STOKELY: (getting up off the table) Oh well if that isn't pot, kettle and black. When was the last time you had men in the single figures, Delilah? Third grade?

SETH: (off-screen) Guys…

He is ignored.

DELILAH: (taking a step towards Stokely) Yeah? And what about you, Stokely, you really think you're anything more than the little dog under the table, gobbling up all my scraps?

Stokely suddenly reaches out and slaps Delilah across the face. There is a stunned silence. Delilah raises one hand to her injured cheek, stares at Stokely in shock.

DELILAH: Why you little -

CUT TO: Shot of Casey, stood up from his chair.

CASEY: (yelling) Just stop it, please!

CUT TO: Group shot. We can see the various expressions of the background players: Zeke, bemused, Seth and Emily somewhat embarrassed, Maddy keeping her head low.

STOKELY: You're right, Casey. She doesn't love you. I don't think she's capable of loving anyone.

DELILAH: What makes you think you know me, Stokely?

STOKELY: I saw you. Over summer. Casey was away on a photography course, and you were here, trying to make do without him, right? Except I saw you. I saw you, Delilah, coming out of George Ford's place in the early hours. You were wearing his shirt.

There is a short, stunned pause.

ZEKE: Oh come on, Stokely you can't -

STAN: Are you sure?

STOKELY: I saw her, Stan. (She gives Casey an imploring glance) I would have told you sooner, Casey, but I thought it was a one time thing, I didn't want to hurt you -

DELILAH: Bull. You're making this up. (She turns to look at Casey) It's a lie, you can't believe her, she just wants to break us up -

STOKELY: Oh please, I saw you Delilah!

DELILAH: (ignoring her) You trust me, right?

C.U. on CASEY, reaction shot.

CASEY: I saw you in the kitchen. This afternoon. With the jock.

CUT TO: Wide angle shot of Delilah and Casey.

Delilah takes a step back.

DELILAH: Oh god.

CASEY: Did you ever care about me? Love me? Or has this been going on from the start?

DELILAH: No! It isn't like that. Casey, what you saw -

CASEY: I know what I saw. You were with someone else, Delilah. It seems like you've been spending most of your time with someone else.

DELILAH: He doesn't mean anything to me -

CASEY: And what about me? Do I mean anything to you?

DELILAH: I love you!

CASEY: Get out.

CUT TO: Group shot.

DELILAH: (shocked) What?

CASEY: Get out. Leave. You don't belong here, Delilah. You never did.

DELILAH: What, no! You said there were aliens out there, Casey, and for all I know you guys are the only people who aren't one of them. If I go out there I'll end up a host, or worse!

STOKELY: Let's hope for worse, shall we?

ZEKE: (getting up) You heard him, Dee. Get out of here.

DELILAH: No!

STAN: (stepping forward into the group) Leave now, Delilah. Or we'll drag you out.

DELILAH: (looking from one to the other) You can't be serious!

STAN: (placing a hand on her arm) Now.

Delilah shrugs him off angrily, then turns, starts to walk quickly towards the door. The rest of the group watch her go. Before she reaches the door she turns, sharply, looks directly at Casey.

DELILAH: You're right, Case. I never loved you. You were a trophy boyfriend, flavor of the month. Is it my fault if you lost your taste so quickly?

ZEKE: (angrily) Get OUT!

Delilah turns back to the door, opens it, and leaves, slamming the door behind her. Silence descends on the group.

CUT TO: Group shot.

Casey takes a step backwards to his seat, sinks down onto it. Behind him, Maddy reaches out and places a hand on his shoulder.

STOKELY: I'm sorry, Casey.

ZEKE: Yeah, me too.

STOKELY: B*tch. (pause) I'm sorry, Casey. I should have told you earlier…

Casey keeps his head lowered.

CASEY: It's over. Lets just get back to the aliens, right? They're a bigger problem.

*

FADE IN:

EXT. UNIVERSITY GROUNDS.

Our group of heroes are walking through the grassy area in the middle of the university campus. ZEKE, STOKELEY and STAN lead the way. Behind them walks EMILY and SETH. Behind them walk CASEY and MADDY. It is dark, but the area is well lit by street-like lamps above, which cast a spooky orange glow over the scene. There is no one around, and it is eerily quiet.

ARIEL SHOT of the group as they walk. We PUSH IN through the trees until the camera is focused on the backs of Casey and Maddy. We then PAN around the group until the camera holds Stan, Zeke and Stokely in frame.

TRACKING SHOT follows the three as they walk.

Stokely has an expression of grim determination, and her walk is quick, keeping in time with Zeke's more cheerful and confident stride. Stan, walking on Stokely's left, has a broadly confident and strong expression, but we can tell it is a sham.

STAN: So what's the plan? You do have one, right?

ZEKE: Sure. We stay low, keep quiet, and do a little reconnaissance. Figure out what we're up against.

STOKELY: And what are we up against, Zeke? Mary Beth? Or something else?

ZEKE: It was your theory last time, Stokes. You don't have another?

STOKELY: I don't know. Mary Beth is dead. We KNOW that, we SAW it. I thought that would be the end…

STAN: But how do we know there was just one alien? I mean, how do these things breed? Mary Beth said she came from a planet that dried up, right? So she came here.

ZEKE: Right.

STAN: Well, I'm guessing there wasn't just Mary Beth there. It takes two to, y'know, tango, even if you're an alien with tentacles.

ZEKE: Last time I checked, Stan, our bio books didn't include aliens in the sex ed section.

STOKELY: Stan has a point, Zeke. Mary Beth had to have come from somewhere. Who's to tell how many aliens are on earth? There could be hundreds, thousands even.

ZEKE: That's great. Thanks for bringing us down, Stokes.

STAN: We still have to decide how we're going to deal with these aliens. And is it just me, or do these ones seem different somehow?

STOKELY: They react differently. That one who attacked us, Hamilton, I've never seen anything like it. When you sprayed him with the foam…

ZEKE: Yeah, we got to remember that one. What ever is in those things, it doesn't do these creeps any good.

STAN: That's great, Zeke, but what happens if they attack us here? I don't see any fire extinguishers lying around now, do you?

We PUSH IN further, past the three leaders to Emily and Seth. We can still hear Stan, Zeke and Stokely talking, but their voices fade to the background until they are barely audible.

SETH: So this is a little weird, huh?

EMILY: You can say that again. It feels…

She hesitates. Seth glances at her.

SETH: You're feeling a little lost?

EMILY: Well, Zeke and Stokely and Stan, they've been through this before. I'm still trying to get to grips with the idea that there are aliens out there. That we met them.

SETH: Yeah. It's kind of…. Big. Like… really big.

EMILY: I keep thinking that it's a dream, you know? It can't be real. This sort of thing doesn't happen in real life.

SETH: Aliens aren't your run-of-the-mill kind of event. I figure this is pretty rare, you have every right to be freaked.

EMILY: No, it's not that. It's that I'm involved. It's an adventure, and I - we - we're part of it.

SETH: We're the good guys. The heroes.

EMILY: I don't think I'm comfortable with being any sort of hero.

SETH: It will be okay. Zeke and the others seem to know what they're doing. Plus you're in a group, you're not alone.

EMILY: (looking up at him) Yeah…

We PUSH IN again, past Emily and Seth to Casey and Maddy. Maddy has her head down, but keeps glancing up from the ground to look at Casey. He remains silent, and appears to have been as such for some while.

Just a BEAT UNDER and then:

MADDY: Are you okay?

CASEY: (looking up) Hmm?

MADDY: You've been very quiet since… (pause) since the cafeteria.

CASEY: Sorry.

MADDY: It's okay. You have stuff on your mind.

(beat)

CASEY: I thought I could trust her. Thought she'd changed. But I really had no reason to think that.

MADDY: You cared for her. It's understandable.

C.U. on Casey's expression, dark and brooding.

CASEY: I should never have let myself think I could be with someone like her.

C.U. on Maddy's reaction.

(off-screen)

ZEKE: Woah, hold it.

CUT TO:  MEDIUM SHOT of the group, Zeke, Stan and Stokely in the foreground.

ZEKE: We're almost there.

ANGLE ON THE LIBRARY

Several trees partially obscure the building from view, and the overhead lights cast strange shadows across the sidewalk separating the library from the park. Several floodlights illuminate the old building, highlighting the architecture, warping the style.

We see a sudden dark shadow fall across the building; hear the sound of distant voices.

CUT TO: GROUP SHOT.

ZEKE: (gesturing) Get down!

The group duck, hiding in the shadows of the trees and bushes.

GROUP'S POV.

Two people - a girl and a boy - ascend the steps to the library's front doors. We can tell from their attire that they are both students. The boy knocks on the front door, and a second later it opens, and they both disappear inside.

ZEKE: Sh*t.

SETH: What?

ZEKE: I was really hoping they'd just gotten to the faculty.

EMILY: Well, maybe they're just renting books?

STOKELY: At night?

MADDY: So what now?

STAN: We should split up. We'd cover more ground that way.

STOKELY: (glancing at him) And risk one of us getting turned?

ZEKE: Stokes is right, we don't want a repeat of last time.

EMILY: (looking relieved) So we stay as a group?

CASEY: Guys…

CUT TO: SHOT OF LIBRARY.

PUSH IN: until the camera is drawn to a basement window, from which a golden light emanates.

STAN: (OFF-SCREEN) What the hell are they doing down there?

C.U. ZEKE'S FACE.

ZEKE: I dunno. But let's find out.

WIDE ANGLE ON THE LIBRARY.

We see Zeke burst through the bushes and run to the side of the library. He drops back against the wall, disappearing into the shadows.

CUT TO: GROUP SHOT.

STOKELY: Crap. Zeke!

She beckons at the others, and together they follow Zeke, scurrying from beneath the trees to beside the library.

EXT. LIBRARY, SIDE WALL.

Zeke is knelt by the basement window, trying to peer in through the glass. The others reach him quickly, pushing against the wall for cover.

Stokely gestures at Seth, who takes up lookout.

STOKELY: Mind warning us next time, Zeke?

ZEKE: Jeezus, Stokely, have you seen what's down there?

C.U. on the window, ZEKE'S POV. We PUSH IN through the window to where a large group of people are milling around some formless shape that is hidden from view. There is a warm orange glow emanating from behind them.

STAN: What the hell is that?

C.U. on CASEY'S FACE.

All sound drains out of the scene.

WHISPERY V.O.: We can't stop now, we need more.

There is another voice, overlapping the first.

WHISPERY V.O.: Hotter, hotter, we need more, we must…

Another voice can be heard, and another, overlapping each other. Casey pales. Suddenly another voice, that of Maddy's, is heard above all the others, silences the other voices.

MADDY: Casey?

CUT TO: CLOSE SHOT of Casey, kneeling on the ground, and Maddy, crouching beside him close to the wall.

MADDY: (reaching out to touch his shoulder) Are you okay?

Casey nods but says nothing.

C.U. on Casey's right hand, stretched out against the ground for support. His hand clenches, fingers scrunching into the grass.

CUT TO: SHOT OF SETH.

He looks out over the parkland, around the front of the library. We hear the sound of footsteps, see a man come out of the dark and walk down the path towards where the group is hiding.

SETH: (turning around, hissing) Guys! Someone's coming!

The group cower against the wall, Seth falling to his knees and crouching next to Emily.

CUT TO: EXT. LIBRARY.

The man walks past the steps. His footsteps seem unnaturally loud in the silence. He walks past the alleyway in which our heroes are hiding… and continues past, into the darkness.

CUT TO: Group shot.

We see their reactions, mixed relief.

Suddenly a hand, from the shadows, reaches out and clamps down on Zeke's shoulder, pulls him backwards. He yells sharply. Crouching beside him, Stan rises and a fist comes out of the darkness to connect with his jaw. He falls back, smacking his head against the wall with a crack.

STOKELY: (rising) Stan!

Two men and one woman loom suddenly out of the shadows. MAN #1 is middle aged, a teacher, in his thirties, with thinly framed spectacles hiding his eyes, and the cropped hair of his beard flecked with premature white. MAN #2 is a student, several years older than our heroes, a fat guy with greasy hair. WOMAN #1 is also a student, dark ringlets of hair hiding a pretty face.

Man #1 punches Stan for a second time, cutting his lip. Stokely tries to grab his arm, throwing off the punch.

Man #2 lunges after Emily, but Seth pulls her out of the way. He grabs a branch from the ground and whacks Man #2 across the chest, temporarily pushing him back.

Woman #1 grabs Maddy by the hair and pulls her away from Casey. Maddy yells, clawing at the woman's hands with little success. Casey rises, about to go after Woman #1, but Man #2 suddenly whirls around and strikes him across the face. Using the distraction, Seth brings the branch crashing down over Man #2's head, knocking him unconscious.

Man #1 is still struggling with Stokely and Stan. Stokely clings to the man's arm, stamps on his foot and elicits a howl. Stan ducks out from under the man's hands and lets loose his own punch, catching Man #1 across the jaw. Man #1 staggers back, Stokely losing her grip.

CUT TO: Further into the alley.

Zeke is struggling with WOMAN #2. She is in her late twenties, with long auburn hair pulled tightly back from her pinched features. Woman #2 has a hold on Zeke's neck, has pushed him against the wall and is pressing her face forward.

C.U. ON WOMAN #2'S LIPS.

She parts her lips and a bluish tentacle darts forth from between her teeth, brushes Zeke's mouth…

Suddenly her face is pulled backwards, out of shot.

NARROW ANGLE: on Zeke and Woman #2.

Emily has one hand clamped around Woman #2's arm, pulling her back. She kicks Woman #2 in the shins, prompting the woman to shriek in pain. Behind them we see Zeke recover, then run forward, punching the woman in the jaw. She drops immediately to the ground, unconscious.

ZEKE: I've never hit a woman before. But hey, that's what women's lib is for!

Off-screen, Maddy gives a strangled cry.

CUT TO: WIDE ANGLE GROUP SHOT.

Maddy is on her knees, Woman #1 stood in front of her, one hand grabbing Maddy's jaw and the other still with a tight hold in Maddy's hair, forcing her mouth open. Maddy struggles unsuccessfully. Woman #1 leans forward, her mouth parts…

And suddenly a foot connects with Woman #1's side, bowling her over. Casey reaches down and grabs Maddy's hand, pulling her up.

CASEY: Are you okay?

Maddy doesn't get a chance to respond. Zeke and Emily suddenly run past.

ZEKE: I'm calling a retreat, people!

Seth drops the branch and starts to run after Emily and Zeke. Behind him, Man #1 lies on the floor, propping himself up on his elbows, trying to get up. Stan stands above him, pulling back his arm to throw another punch, but Stokely grabs his arm, pulls him away.

STOKELY: Let's just get out of here!

Stan hesitates, then turns and together he and Stokely follow the others.

ARIEL SHOT: EXT. LIBRARY, PARKLANDS. We can see the figures of our heroes running through the trees. They are not pursued.

*

INT. HALLS OF RESIDENCE.

The group are hurrying down a corridor, Zeke and Stan in the lead, Stokely behind them, Emily and Seth behind her and Casey and Maddy bringing up the rear. The corridor is empty of other people.

CASEY: Where are we going?

ZEKE: Plan A flopped, so we're going with Plan B. Looks like you got your wish, Stan. We get to interrogate Casey's attackers after all.

STOKELY: Oh goody.

EMILY: What if those aliens are following us?

Zeke stops to pull a fire extinguisher from the wall.

ZEKE: Whatever is in these things, it plays havoc with those aliens. Maybe even kills the thing inside the host.

He hands the extinguisher to Emily, then continues walking.

C.U. on EMILY'S FACE as she reacts, startled, to the extinguisher.

CUT TO: EXT. CASEY'S ROOM. We now see that there is a fire extinguisher on the wall next to Casey's room.

Stan presses his ear against the door.

STAN: I don't hear anything.

EMILY: (hesitantly) Maybe the alien dies if the host has no contact with the other aliens?

STOKELY: Nah. They're tough. It'll take more than a bout of loneliness to get rid of these creeps.

Seth pulls the fire extinguisher from the wall.

MADDY: Do you really think that something in those things is like, a poison to these things?

STOKELY: It worked before.

CASEY: We should find out what goes into these things. If Mary Beth needed moisture survive, then this…

SETH: … must react to something these aliens need.

ZEKE: We don't need to know what's in them, we just know they work.

MADDY: But we only have a limited number of fire extinguishers. What happens when we run out?

EMILY: Shouldn't we have more weapons before we go face to face with these things?

STOKELY: We've already been face to face.

ZEKE: Yeah, this time we're taking the fight to them. There's only two of them and seven of us. The odds are in our favor.

STAN: (rubbing the back of his head) They were last time too, but my head still feels like I slammed it in a car door.

STOKELY: We're here now. We need info, right? This is the only way we're gonna get it.

Stan pulls Casey's room key from his pocket and hands it to Zeke. Zeke goes up to the door and puts the key to the lock.

C.U. on Casey's face. His expression begins to widen as we hear…

WHISPERY BILL V.O.: Down, you have to keep down…

WHISPERY CAROLINE V.O.: He's close, I can feel him, just a little longer…

CASEY: Guys, maybe we should…

C.U. on the lock as the key turns, and the door opens a fraction.

GROUP SHOT.

Zeke pushes through the open door, Stan and Stokely on his heels. The others follow, Seth and Emily carrying the fire extinguishers. Zeke yells loudly as he bursts through the doors:

ZEKE: Alright, we know you're in there…

Maddy, seeing Casey hesitate, reaches out to touch his hand. After a second, they run in after the others…

INT. CASEY'S ROOM. Caroline and Bill lie on the floor, Caroline by the desk in the same position as they left her, Bill in the center of the room, his head turned to face the door but his eyes closed.

Zeke's voice drops away as he comes to a halt, about a meter from where Bill is lying.

ZEKE: …hands up.

STOKELY: Nice moves, Sipowicz.
 
STAN: Yeah, your suspects are kind of…

EMILY: Dead?

SETH: Unconscious?

ZEKE: They're play-acting.

MADDY: They look fairly quiet.

ZEKE: No way.

He walks up to Bill cautiously, nudges him with one foot. Bill doesn't stir.

CASEY: (warningly) Zeke -

CLOSE SHOT OF ZEKE as he turns around.

ZEKE: Well this is weird…

C.U. ON ZEKE'S FOOT as Bill's hand shoots and grabs Zeke by the ankle. Bill pulls sharply, knocking Zeke to his knees. He yells, and the others scream.

ZEKE: Shi-

Caroline is up suddenly, on her feet, runs at Stokely who is stood closest. Stan sees her in time, and uses a football tackle to knock her away. Caroline staggers to the side, but with one hand swipes at the side of Stan's neck, dragging claws across his neck and through the top of his shirt. Stan yelps, falling back, pressing his hand to his injury. Caroline turns her attention to Emily, rushing at her. Seth runs at Caroline, using the extinguisher to strike her across the back. It doesn't work - Caroline stumbles, but rights herself and grabs the surprised Emily, knocking her to the floor. Emily struggles, to little avail, while Stokely grabs Caroline by the throat, attempting to throttle her.

Casey and Maddy attempt to help Zeke, who is on the floor, belly down, with Bill straddling him from above. Maddy picks up a heavy book from the desk and whacks Bill across the head with it. He slumps over Zeke's body. Maddy, off her guard, bends down to try and push Bill from off Zeke, but Bill's elbow comes up sharply and smacks her chin. She falls back with a cry, and is only just caught by Casey who prevents her head from hitting the desk.

Bill buries his hand into Zeke's hair and smacks his head against the floor, causing Zeke to emit a muffled yelp. Casey glances back.

MADDY: (has a cut lip) Go help him, I'm okay.

Casey rises, grabs Bill's arm and tries to pull him away from Zeke, unsuccessfully. Once more Bill smacks Zeke's head into the floor.

CASEY: Seth!

Seth turns away from trying to help Stokely pull Caroline off Emily.

STOKELY: Go! I can handle her.

Seth turns, unhooks the hose of the fire extinguisher and lets loose. A liberal flow of foam hits Bill over his head and shoulders.

CUT TO: Stokely and Emily, still struggling with Caroline. Stokely hooks Caroline around the stomach and manages to drag her off Emily, although Caroline is struggling. The extra weight causes Stokely to fall backwards, with Caroline on top of her. The alien rolls over sharply, so she is lying on her belly over Stokely. She pushes her head close to Stokely's…

C.U. ON STOKELY'S FACE. Her eyes widen as Caroline pushes her lips over Stokely's.

PUSH OUT. Stokely spasms, her hands reaching out and clawing the carpet. Blood trickles from the side of her mouth.

CUT TO: Bill, lying atop Zeke. His head and shoulders are now covered in foam, as is Zeke's face. Zeke splutters, struggling, but is still unable to push Bill from on top of him.

Then the foam starts to take effect. Bill starts to writhe, releasing his grip on Zeke. Seth and Casey push Bill's body from Zeke, dragging their friend from beneath the alien. Bill continues to writhe and spasm, the foam filling his throat. He utters no noise, apart from a slight choking.

C.U. ON CASEY

BILL V.O.: (Howls)

Casey staggers back, bumping against the table, his hands reaching to his ears.

CLOSE SHOT OF SETH, turning round. There is no noise, no howling from Bill, only Seth's voice. We realize the voice, the scream, is only in Casey's head.

SETH: You okay?

CLOSE SHOT OF CASEY.

BILL V.O.: (Continues to howl)

SHOT OF BILL as he writhes once, twice, thrice more, then stills. A thin, gooey, slug like creature falls from his open mouth onto the carpet, shrivels up amongst the foam. Seth, looking back towards Bill, takes a step back, as does Zeke.

C.U. ON CASEY.

The howling dies away. Casey gingerly drops his hands from his ears. There exists a brief moment of silence, before suddenly, without warning, another howling takes up.

CAROLINE V.O.: (howls)

CUT TO: Emily, spraying Caroline with foam from her own fire extinguisher. Stokely pushes Caroline from on top of her, rolls away. With her face out of sight from the others, we see her wipe her mouth clean of blood.

Caroline spasms, in the same manner as Bill, before falling still. A similar, silver slug creature falls from her mouth onto the carpet.

Emily drops the extinguisher, breathing heavily.

CUT TO: CASEY.

Caroline's howling dies away. Casey doesn't drop his hands, instead curling in slightly on himself as though in defense.

CUT TO: Stokely, pulling herself to her feet. She crosses over to Stan, starts to comfort him.

STOKELY: Let me see.

STAN: (lifting his hand) She really clawed me! That b*tch!

STOKELY: You're still beautiful. (She kisses him) Buck up.

She turns away from Stan to glance at Emily.

STOKELY: Thanks.

EMILY: (hesitantly, as though amazed at what she just did) Anytime.

CLOSE SHOT OF CASEY.

Maddy moves into frame. She touches Casey's hands gently.

MADDY: Are you okay? Are you hurt?

Slowly, Casey drops his hands, uncurls to look at her.

CASEY: I'm okay.

They have a lingering 'moment,' looking at each other earnestly.

SETH V.O.: Hey man, are you okay?

CUT TO: Zeke, coughing up foam.

ZEKE: (spluttering) Just peachy.

Seth reaches out and helps Zeke to his feet. Slowly our heroes gather in the center of the room, looking over the prone, foam covered bodies of Bill and Caroline.

ZEKE: Sorry about your room, Case.

CASEY: (surveying the damage) Do you think they'll give me my deposit check back?

EMILY: (looking down) Is that slimy thing…

STAN: That's the alien.

MADDY: It looks pretty dead.

CASEY: What about them? (indicating Bill and Caroline)

The group look at each other nervously, none of them eager to get too close. Stokely groans.

STOKELY: I'll do it.

She bends down and reaches out to Bill's neck, feels for a pulse.

ZEKE: Well?

STAN: (nervously) Be careful.

STOKELY: He's alive.

She taps Bill's cheek, then again, harder.

STOKELY: But I don't think he's waking up just yet.

EMILY: So are they… are they de-aliened?

SETH: Yeah. Wow.

STOKELY: (rising) We still don't know anything about their plans.

CASEY: His plan.

ZEKE: What?

CASEY: Sorry. Just… (He falls silent)

SETH: So what now? Back to the library?

EMILY: Why? If this foam works, can't we just spray everyone in school?

ZEKE: Individually? It'd never fly. As soon as we'd get one, ten more would become hosts. We need a better way.

STAN: Yeah, well, hate to point this out to you Zeke, but we've got zilch in the way of info on these guys or what they're doing in that library. And there are only so many fire extinguishers in the college.

MADDY: And far too many aliens.

ZEKE: We need to find the queen. Same as last time.

STAN: This isn't the same as last time, Zeke.

STOKELY: Look, you guys, we can work this all out later. I'm pretty sure that when the other aliens realize what we've done, they'll be on our tail.

SETH: You're right. We need to get out of here.

Stokely leads the way to the door, the group following her. Casey pauses to glance at Bill and Caroline, but quickly follows.

EXT. CASEY'S ROOM.

The group rush out into the corridor, almost falling over each other. Zeke pushes his way to the front, beckons to the others.

ZEKE: This way!

He starts to run down the corridor, to the left of Casey's room, but screeches to a halt. A group of at least a dozen people, some lecturers, some students, appear from around the corner. Their expressions are unreadable, frozen.

ZEKE: Oh fu…

*

He turns on his heel but slips, falls on his face. Casey and Stan run back to grab him by the arms and haul him to his feet, as the approaching group of aliens pick their pace up to a stride.

STOKELY: This way!

She gestures to the group to follow her, which they do, going to the right of Casey's room to the end of the corridor, then around the corner to the right again.

Casey, releasing his hold of Zeke, slows to a halt. He stares at Stokely's departing back, a look of horror spreading across his features.

CASEY: Wait…

Zeke grabs him and pulls him forward.

ZEKE: Come on, Casey!

CASEY: But, Stokely…

His protests go unheard as Zeke drags him in the direction of the others. Led by Stokely, the group run down another corridor.

STOKELY: The stairs!

They pile through into the staircase, Stokely first, Seth, Emily and Maddy behind, Stan, Zeke and Casey coming in last.

INT. STAIRCASE. A plain, unadorned affair, sterile and dark. There are two sets of stairs between each floor. Casey's room was on the first floor, but there are several other floors to which the stairs climb up to.

Stokely leads them downwards, towards the ground floor. Behind them, the aliens get closer, reaching the doors of the staircase.

Stokely reaches the bottom and darts through the door onto the ground floor.

STOKELY: Come on!

INT. CORRIDOR, GROUND FLOOR. Identical to all the other corridors.

Stokely leads the group to the left, down another corridor.

CASEY: (pulling on Zeke's arm) Zeke, wait -

ZEKE: Come ON Casey!

At the end of the corridor lies another door, which Stokely opens wide then stands next to, ushering her friends inside.

INT. ROOM. A common room: one sofa and two comfy chairs centered around a coffee table. Several empty beer bottles stand on the tabletop. A sink and fridge line one wall. There is a wide window looking out onto the dark night, and only one door. It's a dead end.

The group rush through the doors. Zeke runs up and slams the door shut, jamming a chair under the handle.

C.U. on handle. It turns frantically, but is jammed against the chair. After several rattles, it falls still.

Emily, Maddy and Seth, first through the door, come to a confused halt in the center of the room, Stan and Casey piling after them. They realize, too late, that there is no way out.

ZEKE: Damn, Stokely, this is a dead end! What the hell were you thinking?

STAN: Don't talk to her like that, Zeke.

ZEKE: But we're trapped!

CASEY: (dismally) That's the point.

Zeke and Stan glance at him, realization dawning.

STAN: (staggering back against the sofa) Oh god. She's one of them. Stokely…

EMILY: (stepping forward to reach out to Stokely) No… Stokely…

CASEY: No!

Stokely turns sharply, striking Emily across the face and knocking her to the floor, close to the door.

ZEKE: (stepping forward) Hey!

STOKELY: Shut up, Zeke.

In surprise, he does.

Stokely stalks into the center of the room, while the others watch her warily, backing off. Seth, keeping close to the wall, moves towards Emily, drops to his haunches to check on her.

SETH: (whispering) Are you okay?

EMILY: Yeah. I think. Just give me a minute.

CUT TO: STOKELY

STOKELY: You're such fools.

STAN: Stokes -

He reaches out to touch her, but she is too quick, grabbing his wrist and twisting sharply. Stan yelps with pain, but cannot resist as Stokely twists his arm further round, forcing him towards her. They are barely an inch apart, Stan gasping from the pain, Stokely still smiling malevolently.

STOKELY: Poor Stan. You're always the last to realize. Slow and stupid. Why I was with you I'll never know.

STAN: (gasping) No, Stokely…

STOKELY: Don't be sad, Stan. It's better this way. Everything is so much clearer now.

C.U. on Stokely and Stan's faces, side-view. Stokely leans forward, whispering in Stan's ear.

STOKELY: I see now that I should never have been dating you. You weren't worthy of me.

She gives his arm another sharp, savage twist, then releases her hold. Stan drops to his knees, cradling his injured arm.

Stokely now turns her attentions to Zeke. In the background we see Emily, edging closer to the door.

ZEKE: Don't listen to her, Stan. That isn't Stokely.

STOKELY: You're wrong, Zeke. Of course, you wouldn't know, you've never been given such a gift. But I *am* Stokely. Her thoughts, her fears, her regrets. And now she, I, are part of something bigger than you could imagine.

CASEY'S POV.

WHISPERY V.O. FEMALE: So close. So close. Then they'll pay.

CUT BACK TO: STOKES and ZEKE.

ZEKE: Bigger than us? Maybe you've forgotten how much we kicked alien ass last time some of you freaks were here.

Stokely walks - or rather, stalks - up to Zeke, while he grabs a bottle from the table behind him, raises it threateningly. She ignores the weapon.

STOKELY: Freaks? You have no idea. She was so beautiful, so fragile. You weren't worthy to be her children.

Emily continues to edge towards the door.

WHISPERY V.O. FEMALE: Just a little further. Closer. Make them hurt.

STOKELY: Our fearless leader. The loser. You can't save them.

ZEKE: Shut up. You don't know anything.

STOKELY: No? Look at you, Zeke. Life's little loser. You're not a son, not a jock, not a boyfriend, barely a student…

MADDY: (interrupting) Don't listen to her. It's not true.

Zeke says nothing, as Stokely moves closer, within inches.

STAN: Stop it.

STOKELY: (whispering) Failed again, Zeke.

Suddenly there is a disturbance by the door. Emily is by the door, and suddenly reaches out to the chair. She is about to knock it away from the handle, freeing the door, when Casey appears from off-screen, tackling her to the floor.

SETH: Emily!

CASEY: (struggling to pin Emily down) She's one of them, don't you see that?

EMILY: Get off me! Seth, help!

ZEKE: What the f -

Stokely suddenly elbows him in the stomach. He doubles over, gasping, and she yanks his head up by the hair, pushes her face closer.

STOKELY: Don't worry. Soon you won't ever be alone again.

Maddy suddenly grabs Stokely from behind, wrapping an arm around her throat and pulling her backwards. In her shock, Stokely releases her hold of Zeke and tries to turn around, to fight off Maddy.

Casey is still sitting astride Emily as she struggles.

EMILY: What are you doing?

SETH: (taking several steps forward) Casey, leave her alone!

CASEY: (turning his head to plead) Seth, I'm sorry -

Emily suddenly yanks one of her arms free and scratches Casey across the cheek, scoring red gouge marks into his skin. He instinctively reaches up to protect his face, allowing Emily to knock him away, roll out from under him.

Suddenly a silhouette appear behind the glass in the door, that of a crowd of people. Hands reach up to the glass and start banging violently, with other hands banging against the walls, in synch.

Emily scrambles to her feet, reaches out for the door. Seth and Stan scramble after her, Stan reaching the door before Emily does and getting a fist in the face for his efforts. Seth grabs Emily around the upper chest, from behind.

EMILY: Seth, let me go, you're hurting me!

Stan, recovering, makes the last few feet to the door and leans against it. A few meters away, Casey is clambering to his feet, begins to move towards Stan.

STAN: (pressing his weight against the chair and door) That's not Emily!

SETH: (sadly) I know.

Emily suddenly ducks her head and bites down on Seth's arm. He yelps, releasing his grip, pushing Emily away into the center of the room. At the same time, Stokely stamps down on Maddy's foot. Maddy lets go, and Stokely takes a step forward, deflecting a strike from Zeke and moving into the center of the room. Surrounded by the others, they pace the small space warily watching their 'friends' - who warily watch them back. The banging stops abruptly, as though the aliens are waiting for something.

ZEKE: God, Stokely, Emily, I'm sorry.

EMILY: Don't be.

STOKELY: We've never been happier.

CASEY'S P.O.V.

EMILY WHISPERY V.O.: Whole, safe, secure.

STOKELY WHISPERY V.O.: Complete, surrounded, alive.

IN UNISON V.O.: So close. Take them, make the ours, leave the other for pain. (pause. Loudly) Casey.

Casey jumps, gasps, pressing one hand to his head. The others are too busy watching Emily and Stokely to notice, but Maddy does, watching him closely.

STAN: Stokes. Not you -

STOKELY: (bored) Shut up, Stan. One way or another we were never going to last. Get over it already.

C.U. on Seth. His expression is unreadable as he watches Emily. She sees him staring, smiles.

EMILY: Seth. Are you sorry for me too?

He says nothing. Emily turns to Stokely.

EMILY: He's not happy for me?

STOKELY: They never are. They don't understand.

EMILY: They will. (She looks Seth up and down before finally fixing her attention on his mouth. Smiles.) You all will.

ZEKE: Not gonna happen.

STOKELY: Oh please, Zeke, change the record. This false bravado of yours is getting *really* tiring.

ZEKE: Do the math, Stokes. There's five of us and only two of you.

STOKELY: Wrong. There are hundreds of us. And our numbers are growing. Shame the same can't be said for you.

Emily turns her attentions to Casey, tilts her head to one side.

EMILY WHISPERY V.O.: You'll be the last. Special. So close we can taste you.

Casey gasps again, closing his eyes. Maddy takes a step towards him, pauses when Emily speaks.

EMILY: (delightedly clapping her hands together) Oh! She left us a gift.

Stokely glances at Emily, follows her gaze to Casey. She smiles.

STOKELY: You're marked.

Casey's breathing hitches, his shoulders scrunching in defense. Maddy reaches out and takes his free hand, puts it in her own tightly.

EMILY: Listen. Hear.

EMILY WHISPERY V.O.: We'll make you feel such pain as you'll wish she'd killed you the first time.

Casey chokes, swaying. Maddy pulls him closer to her, supporting his weight.

MADDY: Stop it. Whatever you're doing, stop it.

The two aliens ignore her.

STOKELY: (to Emily) But he's still here.

EMILY: I wouldn't be. When he's finished with you you'll long for a place to hide. Except, of course, there isn't one.

Seth, unable to stay silent any longer, takes a step forward.

SETH: Emily -

Zeke puts a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

SETH: Who? When -

EMILY: The professor. Back in Casey's room.

ZEKE: Not your fault, Buddy.

EMILY: But it was. He looked away. His attention slipped for a minute, just like in the library. And then he lost me.

FOCUS on SETH and ZEKE, EMILY'S P.O.V., although she is directing her comments to Stokely.

EMILY: They always want to protect me. It's always for my own good. But don't worry, (she brushes her right hand from her neck to her waist seductively) it's the best thing that's ever happened to me.

A sudden, violent bang against the door shocks Stan into staggering away from it. There is a pause, and then another loud band as something heavy collides with the door, making the frame and chair rattle.

STOKELY: How long do you think you'll last, Zeke, when it's five against a hundred?

Behind Stokely and Emily, Stan sidles away from the door and starts giving various gestures to Zeke.

ZEKE'S P.O.V. as he turns and glances at the window behind him, and the stool that stands beside it.

STAN: You won't win. We beat you last time, we can do it again.

Emily and Stokely's attention turns to Stan, away from Zeke. He steps away from the circle. The bangs from the door continue.

STOKELY: We? Have you forgotten, Stan? You were one of us, last time. You were on our side.

EMILY: I don't understand. If he knows what its like, why doesn't he want it again? We're so free.

STAN: That's not freedom, Emily. It's the opposite.

The banging grows louder.

EMILY: (smiling) Well, we'll soon find out.

CUT TO: SLOW MOTION as Zeke picks up the stool and hurls it at the window. The glass shatters, spilling out onto the grass outside. Zeke runs to the window, yelling instructions as he sweeps the remaining glass away with his sleeve.

ZEKE: Time to leave, people!

Maddy pulls Casey, who is still stood as though in a trance, towards the window. Zeke helps her push him through the hole, and she then scrambles after him. Seth pauses briefly, glancing back at Emily, then follows. Stan shoves his way past the surprised Emily and Stokely. They react too late, reaching out for Stan but Zeke pulls him away. Together, they leap through the window and land on the grass outside.

In the room, the door finally breaks under the weight behind it, and dozens of alien-infected people swarm through into the room.

EXT. ROOM: As seen from outside. Stokely and Emily stand by the window, fellow aliens behind them, watching Zeke and the others flee across the grass.

STOKELY: Let them run.

EMILY: We have all the time in the world.

*

ESTABLISHING SHOT: EXT. SCHOOL SPORTS FIELD. A vast, green football pitch, surrounded by bleachers, lit by floodlights.

CUT TO: INT. BLEACHERS.

The group stand under the bleachers, huddled together. Zeke is pacing, Seth is impassive, Stan is leaning against the stands with one hand on the wood, and Casey and Maddy are stood near the end of the bleachers, close to each other, watching.

ZEKE: Sh*t. (yells) SH*T!

STAN: (raising his head) Shut up, Zeke, or do you want the whole freakin' college to hear you?

ZEKE: It's deja vu, Stan. The goddamn aliens are picking us off one by one!

CASEY: Stokely and Emily. (He looks at Seth) I'm sorry.

MADDY: We'll get them back.

SETH: I know we will.

Zeke stops pacing to walk up to Casey.

ZEKE: What the hell was going on back there, Casey? Between them and you?

STAN: Yeah, what the hell was that? What did Stokely call you?

CASEY: (taking a step backward) I don't know.

SETH: She said you were marked.

ZEKE: What did that mean, Case? What were they talking about?

MADDY: (taking Casey's hand, speaking quietly) Tell us.

Casey glances at her, then down at their clasped hands, and speaks without looking at the others.

CASEY: I can hear them. Their thoughts, their feelings. They're in my head.

BEAT.

ZEKE: (slowly) What do you mean?

CASEY: (breaking his handhold with Maddy, turning away) At first I thought I was imagining it. Then I thought maybe I was going crazy. That's why I couldn't - why I didn't say something earlier. But it's like they're in my head. (He raises one hand to his forehead.) Up here.

SETH: You're telepathic?

STAN: Huh?

ZEKE: Telepathic, Stan. As in can read someone else's thoughts. Is that what you're trying to tell us, Casey?

CASEY: Sort of. I don't know. It's hard to explain.

SETH: Try.

MADDY: When did it start?

CASEY: As soon as I arrived on campus. I heard a voice.

STAN: Whose?

CASEY: I don't know who the host was. I couldn't see them. But it must have been an alien. (He pauses, then rushes his words.) I always wondered how Mary Beth controlled everyone. I figured she had some telepathic link with her, uh -

ZEKE: Offspring?

CASEY: Yes. I think this new alien must work the same way, and I can pick up on it.

STAN: What, like a police radio?

CASEY: Sort of. I can listen in.

STAN: And how do we know they're not listening in on you?

MADDY: Stan -

ZEKE: No, it's a good question. Casey?

CASEY: No. I don't think so.

STAN: You don't *think* so?

MADDY: If the aliens could listen on his thoughts, don't you think they'd have caught us by now?

STAN: I dunno. Maybe they're leading us into a false sense of security, getting us nice and relaxed -

SETH: Who's relaxed?

CASEY: No! They can't hear me, I'm sure of it.

ZEKE: But they know you can hear them, right Casey? That's why Stokely said you were -

SETH: Marked.

CASEY: Yeah.

STAN: So back then, Stokes and Emily were talking to you, just in your head?

Casey nods.

STAN: How?

CASEY: I don't know.

ZEKE: But you've got some idea, right?

CASEY: A theory.

STAN: (angrily) You feel like telling us this theory, Case, or are you gonna be giving one sentence answers all night?

SETH: Stan -

STAN: Stokes and Emily are gone, Seth.

SETH: I know that.

STAN: Yeah? Well the only way we're getting them back is if we kill the queen. And right now our best lead is refusing to talk!

ZEKE: Hey, buddy, take it easy.

STAN: (turning to Zeke) It's Stokely.

ZEKE: I know.

BEAT.

CASEY: (abruptly) It was Mary Beth.

The other four turn to stare at him.

CASEY: When I told you about how I killed the thing that was Mary Beth, I sort of missed something out.

ZEKE: What?

CASEY: (staring at his feet) I had her trapped between the bleachers and the wall. The thing, it was just tentacles, thrashing, but it couldn't reach me. So I stuck Zeke's last stash of scat into its eye.

ZEKE: And then it died. So what aren't you telling us?

CASEY: It, it screamed. And then -

STAN: Then?

CASEY: I was infected. Mary Beth - the thing - spat out some of those little parasites and they sort of, ah, buried themselves into me. Into my face.

His gaze is still fixed on the floor. Maddy moves a step closer, but he pulls his hand away.

ZEKE: How many, Case?

CASEY: I don't know. As many as ten, maybe more. They weren't, y'know, in there, long. Mary Beth died only a few seconds later and then they all just dropped away, shriveled up and died like they did from Stokely.

STAN: How come you missed that bit out, huh? I was infected too, Case. I thought you were the clean one.

SETH: You think they did something to you?

CASEY: I couldn't work out whey Mary Beth did that. She must have known she was going to die, and that all her offspring would die too. There didn't seem any reason behind it. Eventually, I figured it was panic, y'know? Instinct.

ZEKE: But maybe it was more than that. Why didn't you tell us, Casey?

CASEY: Would it have mattered? It was over, Mary Beth was dead, you were all cured. I didn't see the need to share that bit of info around.

STAN: Well there's a need for it now.

CASEY: This new alien, I think it could be Mary Beth's mate. Maybe she left some sort of, uh, marker in me, so she could get -

SETH: Revenge.

STAN: And that's exactly where we've got our problem, isn't it? You're like a friggin' alarm call to these tings, telling them exactly where we are.

MADDY: You can't know that, it's just a guess.

STAN: I don't want to take the risk.

MADDY: So what? We abandon him? Make a run for it?

STAN: Maybe.

ZEKE: Hey. Let's work out what we know and what we're gonna do before we talk about abandoning people.

SETH: So what do we know?

ZEKE: I think Casey's right. This new alien, it sounds like it was Mary Beth's mate. That means it's male - and that gives a whole new set of rules to play by.

SETH: Like the fact that the spray from fire hydrants seems to harm them.

ZEKE: Exactly. But I don't think there's anything in those cans that's a diuretic. The make-up of these new guys must be different.

SETH: When Emily and I were in the library, the floor felt hot. Something was cooking in that basement.

CASEY: But Mary Beth liked the cold.

ZEKE: And the wet. That's why the scat did her so much damage. Sounds like maybe her mate likes the heat.

MADDY: And doesn't like what's in that spray.

STAN: And his kids are building something in the library basement.

SETH: Keeping him cozy.

STAN: Still doesn't explain what we're gonna do about Casey here.

Maddy takes a step towards Stan.

MADDY: (angrily) He's not just a thing, y'know.

ZEKE: Stan knows that, right?

STAN: Don't try and tell me what to think, Zeke. Fact is, Casey here is a liability. He's been listening in on these aliens since the very beginning, and decided not to tell us. He can't be trusted.

MADDY: Hey!

ZEKE: Stan's right, y'know. He should have told someone.

CASEY: I did tell someone. I told Delilah. (He pauses) She said I was nuts.

BEAT.

Seth, Zeke and Maddy shoot him sympathetic glances.

ZEKE: Sorry.

Stan is unmoved.

STAN: And how are we supposed to trust you, Casey? You could be working for them.

CASEY: I'm not!

SETH: You might not know you are.

ZEKE: Stan, have you thought that maybe Casey being telepathic is the best weapon we've got?

STAN: Weapon? More like a liability.

ZEKE: Maddy's got a point - if the aliens could hear Casey's thoughts then they'd have been all over us by now. Maybe Mary Beth screwed up, maybe she only meant to leave a marker in Casey to show her mate how to get revenge - this telepathy thing could be an accident.

STAN: Are you gonna take that risk, Zeke? Now Stokes and Emily are on the other side?

ZEKE: Don't you get it? If Casey can hear what these aliens are thinking then we can know how to hide from them, what their aims are, even how to fight them.

STAN: And if they can hear him, then they'll know exactly where we are, and exactly how powerless we are, and they can come finish the job. We're doomed.

SETH: We don't know that's true.

STAN: And we don't know it's not. Are you willing to take that chance, Seth?

MADDY'S P.O.V., watching the three boys argue. She realizes Casey is missing from the scene. Unnoticed by the others, she slips away and emerges from under the bleachers.

EXT. SPORTS FIELD. The floodlights provide plenty of room for shadows over the stands. Nothing can be seen beyond the field. Casey sits on the bleachers beneath which the others are arguing.

Maddy sees Casey and walks up to him, slowly.

MADDY: Mind if I sit down?

Casey doesn't respond, so she sits down anyway.

MADDY: This is a bit deja vu-y, isn't it?

CASEY: (pause) They're still arguing?

MADDY: Don't worry. We're not going to abandon you.

CASEY: But Stan could be right. You don't know I'm not on the side of the aliens. I could be one of them and not even know it.

MADDY: (looking Casey in the eye) I'd know it.

BEAT.

CASEY: (looking away) Thank you.

MADDY: For what?

CASEY: Sticking up for me. And for before. For not doubting. (pause) They're going to kill me.

MADDY: Who?

CASEY: The aliens. Zeke and the others, they want as hosts. But I know. I hear - they want to see me suffer for what I did.

Maddy hesitates, then speaks lightly.

MADDY: I told you. Not gonna happen.

Silence for a moment, and then Maddy returns to a serious tone, watching Casey closely.

MADDY: Does it hurt?

CASEY: A lot. (pause) But only for a second. The things died so quickly -

MADDY: (interrupting) Not getting infected. Hearing their thoughts.

Another pause, longer than the last.

CASEY: It's confusing. Their voices are so loud, I can hardly hear myself. Sometimes I don't know where they end and I begin.

Maddy takes his hand, forcing him to look her in the eye.

MADDY: It's going to be okay. You've fought them before, you'll fight them again. And win. You've got me to ground you.

BEAT.

OFFSCREEN we hear footsteps as Seth, Stan and Zeke emerge from the bleachers.

ZEKE V.O.: We've come to a decision.

MADDY and CASEY'S P.O.V., looking down on the three boys standing on the field below them.

ZEKE: We don't leave anyone behind.

STAN: And besides, we've got a plan.

*

INT. STORAGE ROOM/BASEMENT.

Although it's a large room, it's also dark and dingy, making it seem claustrophobic. The walls are lined with shelves containing a host of cleaning products; a few mops and buckets stand in one corner, and there's a stack of chairs in another. It is obvious that this is a storage room for the janitors of the university. On one wall there stands a shelving unit containing about a dozen fire hydrants. On the far wall, a set of steps lead up to a door - which now opens, shedding a small amount of light onto the scene and silhouetting ZEKE, stood in the doorway.

ZEKE: Here we are.

He walks onto the steps and flips the light switch, illuminating the whole room. He then descends the steps. STAN, SETH, CASEY and MADDY behind him.

MADDY: Where are we?

ZEKE: The janitors keep some of their supplies in here - bleach, chlorine, paint - the usual.

STAN: Staked this out already, Zeke?

ZEKE: (grinning) Hey, I might not be making scat anymore but that doesn't mean I can't eye up other areas of interest.

SETH: Old habits die hard?

ZEKE: Something like that.

Having reached the bottom of the steps, Zeke walks across to the fire hydrants. The others follow.

ZEKE: Pick a hydrant, any hydrant.

The others cluster around him.

CASEY: So now will you explain the plan?

ZEKE: Sure. Just wanted to check these beauties were still here first. Otherwise we'd have gone for Plan B.

SETH: You had a plan B?

ZEKE: (shrugging) I'd have thought of something.

He pats one of the hydrants.

ZEKE: We know these things kill the alien parasites in people, right? Same as the scat did, but in a different way.

STAN: So we've gotta douse Papa alien in the stuff and hope that killing him has the same effect as killing Mary Beth - it kills all the parasites in one go.

MADDY: Sure. But how do we get close enough to Papa to use it?

SETH: We don't need to get close.

ZEKE: All the buildings in this place are equipped with two things - a fire alarm, and a sprinkler system. Now we've already sussed that this big alien loves the heat, and hates the cold. If we hook the hydrants up to the sprinklers, and flip the fire alarm back on -

CASEY: Then maybe the spray will be enough to kill the alien.

MADDY: Maybe.

ZEKE: You've got a better plan?

MADDY: No. It's a good plan. I'm just wondering, what happens if we're wrong. If the hydrants have no effect on daddy, or if we kill him, but it doesn't harm the parasites?

STAN: Then we hack the f*cker to pieces and hunt every infected person down one by one.

MADDY: Oh, okay. Good. As long as this is a rational plan.

SETH: We don't have a better plan, but this one makes sense.

CASEY: You're making a lot of assumptions.

STAN: (stepping towards Casey threateningly) Yeah, well there's one assumption that I'm happy to override. You hearing any voices now, Case?

ZEKE: Stop it, Stan. We agreed. Besides, you Casey, you're the most important part.

MADDY: And what's that?

SETH: Bait.

CASEY: What?

ZEKE: There aren't any sprinklers in the basement, Casey. That's where they keep all the really old books, the archived stuff.

STAN: You actually went to the library, Zeke?

ZEKE: I read stuff.

STAN: Playboy?

ZEKE: TV Guide, mostly. But I admit, the erotic art had me interested. (He grins.) Look, if we want to kill the head alien, we're gonna have to lure him out of the basement and into the main library. That's the only way we'll have a chance at stopping him.

MADDY: So you'll use Casey? Why not someone else?

CASEY: Because it's me he wants. He'll risk coming out of the basement if he thinks he can catch me.

MADDY: You can't be serious.

SETH: It's the only way.

MADDY: No. we need a new plan. A better plan. One that doesn't involve giving up Casey!

ZEKE: We're not giving him up. I won't let anything happen him. To anyone.

MADDY: Because you've done a great job of that so far.

Silence. Zeke looks as though he's about to say something, then turns away.

MADDY: God, Zeke, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that.

ZEKE: (shrugging, but still looking away) It's a fair point.

CASEY: Zeke, you're right. This is the only plan we have. And it's a good plan. (Maddy glances at him, and he takes her hand.) I'll be fine. I've got you guys to back me up.

STAN: Besides, if this doesn't work, we'll probably all end up as hosts anyway.

ZEKE: (turning back) Nice morale boost, Stan.

STAN: Anytime.

SETH: (picking up one of the hydrants) So we should get going.

They begin to pick up their 'weapons' - one under each arm.

STAN: Lock and load.

*

EXT. COLLEGE - the grassy area between the buildings.

ARIEL SHOT over the library and the grass. Our five heroes can be seen as small figures making their way towards the building. PUSH IN on the group. ZEKE and STAN are leading the way, striding out confidently. SETH, CASEY and MADDY follow. The group winds their way through the shadows of the trees, keeping close to the darkness. Light comes from surrounding street lamps, and the library is floodlit.

STAN: (in a low voice) Look, Zeke, I'm sorry about before, back under the bleachers. I was upset over Stokes.

ZEKE: Hey, I understand. And I'm worried about her too.

STAN: It's just, I love her, you know?

ZEKE: (grinning) Stan, I think the entire universe knows. It's pretty obvious.

STAN: I dunno if Stokely knew. I never told her.

ZEKE: You'll get your chance.

STAN: Still, I shouldn't have said all that.

ZEKE: Stan, I'm not the one you should be apologizing to.

STAN: (glancing over his shoulder to look at Casey) Yeah. I know.

PUSH THROUGH TO: Casey and Seth. Maddy is lagging behind, struggling with the two fire hydrants. She stumbles, and almost drops one, pulling it against her body to stop its descent. Casey turns to help her.

CASEY: (speaking quietly) Are you alright?

MADDY: Yeah. These things are pretty unwieldy.

CASEY: They're the only weapons we have.

He helps Maddy maneuver the hydrants into a better position under her arms.

CASEY: We don't have to carry them far.

He stops, suddenly, paling.

MADDY: Thanks. (Seeing Casey) Casey?

Casey opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted.

ZEKE (OFF-SCREEN): Get down!

CUT TO: GROUP.

Stan pushes Casey down to his knees, Maddy similarly being pushed to the ground by Seth. The group cower in the grass, hydrants beside them.

SETH: (whispering) I think we've got a problem.

CUT TO: EXT. LIBRARY. The building is surrounded by a line of people, standing a few meters away from the exterior wall. The line arcs around and behind the building, forming a complete circle that encompasses the library. Its members face outwards, their backs to the building.

C.U. PAN across the line. We see their faces are cold, impassive, alien.

ZEKE V.O.: Well this makes things interesting.

MADDY: That's one way of putting it.

SETH: Casey, are you okay?

CASEY: Peachy. (He closes his eyes briefly, then opens them when Stan speaks)

STAN: Do you think they know we're here?

CASEY: Do you mean, do they know I'm here?

STAN: I didn't say that.

MADDY: You didn't have to.

SETH: Now really isn't a good time, guys.

STAN: Right.

MADDY: Sorry.

STAN: So?

Zeke looks pointedly at Casey, who returns his gaze. A look of understanding passes between them.

CASEY: I'm the bait, right?

MADDY: What? Not yet! Not against all those people!

ZEKE: If we can't get past that line, Maddy, then we haven't got a hope anyway. We might as well hand ourselves over to be hosts.

MADDY: It's not that simple. Casey -

CASEY: (interrupting) Maddy.

He reaches out to take her hand. They look at each other for a moment, Maddy struggling to keep Casey's secret.

SETH: It sure doesn't look like they know we're here.

STAN: Yeah. You'd almost think we could walk past them and they wouldn't do a thing.

ZEKE: Almost.

SETH: So what do we do?

CASEY: I'm the distraction. Bait, right? If they see me, they'll desert their posts and you and Stan can walk straight in.

STAN: How do you know they'll do that? They could see right through you. Ignore you, or take you as a host straight away.

CASEY: They won't. Trust me.

STAN: That's just it, Casey. I'm not sure I can.

MADDY: Then we think of a different plan. A safer one.

ZEKE: There isn't one.

MADDY: I knew you'd say that.

SETH: Assuming Stan and I can get to the library, what then?

ZEKE: We go ahead with the plan as normal. You guys get in there, you figure out the layout, and you go fix those sprinklers. We'll be in after you. You don't switch those sprinklers on until Papa Alien is right underneath them.

STAN: You sure this is a bright idea? There's a hell of a lot of them, Zeke. Can you take them all on?

ZEKE: Sure. I'm the hero, remember?

MADDY: Our leader.

Zeke glances at her, but she says nothing else, simply giving him a tight smile.

SETH: Right.

He hesitates, exchanging glances with Stan.

STAN: We're gonna do this.

SETH: Right.

MADDY: I still don't like this.

Suddenly, all the floodlights and lamplights are extinguished. The scene descends into darkness, lit only by dim moonlight.

CASEY: It's too late. They know we're here.

CUT TO: shot of the library, surrounded by the line of aliens. As one body, they start to walk forward, their faces expressionless, closing in on our heroes' position.

CUT BACK TO: group shot.

CASEY: There's no time left.

Suddenly, he gets to his feet and bolts out from the shadows.

MADDY: Casey!

Casey stands in the center of a clearing, directly in front of the aliens.

CASEY: (waving) Hey! Over here! I give up!

The group of aliens all turn their heads at the same time, stare at Casey.

Zeke breaks off from watching Casey, snaps at Seth and Stan.

ZEKE: Go!

Seth and Stan disappear into the shadows, taking several fire hydrants with them.

Casey continues to wave at the aliens, but his confidence wavers, and after several seconds, his hand drops to his side.

WHISPERY V.O. OF ALIENS: (loudly) We see you.

Casey turns and starts to run, and after a slight pause, the aliens follow, increasing their speed to match Casey's. Still watching, Zeke grabs Maddy by the hand and pulls her to her feet; together they run after Casey. He weaves his way through the trees, stumbling occasionally, the aliens coming closer. The library now stands abandoned.

CASEY: (breathlessly muttering to himself as he runs) Oh yeah, great plan. Why am I always the one being chased?

He heads for the tree closest to him, and doesn't see the person standing beneath it until an arm suddenly snaps out and slams into his face. Casey drops backwards onto the floor, pressing the heel of his palm against his now bloody nose.

DELILAH emerges into the light, smiling.

DELILAH: Oh Casey. You've never learnt to look where you're going. (yelling) He's here!

The lamplight closest to them suddenly bursts into illumination, casting a harsh, bright light over the scene.

WHISPERY V.O.: (getting louder) Keep him there. We want to see him.

Casey gasps, wriggling backwards futilely. Delilah grins, taking several paces forward until she is stood with her feet either side of Casey's body.

CASEY: I'm sorry, Delilah.

DELILAH: Feeling guilty, because you pushed me out alone?

CASEY: I still care about you.

DELILAH: You always were life's doormat. After everything, you keep bleating out that phrase like it will make everything better.

CASEY: It's true.

DELILAH: I know. And that's the really sad thing. You care about me, you care about your parents, and we keep treating you like sh*t. But maybe that's what you want.

Delilah settles onto her haunches, sitting on Casey's chest. He struggles, vainly.

DELILAH: I never loved you, Casey. Why the hell would I? You're pathetic. Of course I was going to play around. God, look at me! You never deserved me.

CASEY: I thought you had changed.

DELILAH: I have, Casey. Problem is, you haven't. And now you're going to die before you ever get a chance.

WHISPERY V.O.: Make him suffer.

Delilah leans forward, increasing her weight on Casey's ribcage. He wheezes, struggling to take a breath, as she pushes her face closer to his.

C.U. on DELILAH and CASEY'S faces.

DELILAH: You've never known such pain as you'll feel from us.

Suddenly something whacks Delilah across the back of her head. She collapses over Casey.

OFF-SCREEN MADDY: You're right about one thing, Delilah. Casey never deserved you. He deserves much better than a selfish, shallow, self-centered bitch who will only end up alone.

With a growl, Delilah pushes herself up onto her elbows, then twists around to glare up at her attacker.

DELILAH'S P.O.V. We see Maddy, clutching a hydrant by one end, glaring at Delilah.

*
INT. LIBRARY, ARIEL SHOT. We see the destruction - bookshelves torn down, smashed up, books gone, a few errant pages scattered across the floor, blown by the breeze caused by SETH and STAN'S arrival. They enter via the same fire exit Seth and Emily used to escape earlier. It is almost entirely dark in the building. A little illumination comes from the floodlights outside, and casts strange shadows on the floor.

PUSH IN until we can clearly see Seth and Stan creeping through the exit.

SETH: (whispering) I hope Casey and the others will be okay.

STAN: Zeke will make sure of it. Don't think he's gonna allow anyone else to get turned now.

SETH: The numbers out there, he may not have a choice.

STAN: Then it's up to us to finish this.

They start picking their way through what remains of the library, trying to stay low, moving towards one end of the hall.

STAN: It's quiet. I was expecting a welcoming committee.

SETH: It's like they're too busy to even consider anything else.

STAN: Or else they think they've turned everyone into hosts already.

BEAT.

SETH: I think this might be a good time to mention that I have no idea what a sprinkler system even looks like, let alone how to hook up one of these (indicating the fire extinguisher) to it.

STAN: That's alright, I do. (off Seth's surprise) Pulled a small stunt back in high school. The cheerleaders were practicing their moves in the gym hall, ready for the big game that weekend. Me and a friend, Gabe, climb up into the roof space, rig the sprinklers to go off mid-session.

SETH: What happened?

SETH: We got busted, almost go kicked out of school - would have been, if I wasn't on the football team. I was grounded for a month. Still, it was the greatest wet t-shirt contest I've ever seen, man.

They've reached the far end of the library. If this was still a church, this would be the nave end of the building, the far end of where the congregation sit. This is the entrance to the church, where reception is, the end at which Seth and Emily first entered. To the right is a small staircase, which disappears into the stone. It leads up through the exterior wall of the building to the tower above. The ceiling of the library is fake, a corkboard type, office-style surface hiding the church rafters above. It is to this space, between the fake ceiling and the roof, that Seth and Stan are heading.

They walk towards the staircase. Stan hesitates, glancing up through the darkness.

STAN'S POV: We see the stairs, spiraling up into the dark. The space is empty.

Slowly, Stan and Seth begin to ascend.

STAN: (whispering) That's how I hooked up with Delilah.

SETH: You and Delilah?

STAN: Yeah. This was way before Casey. Delilah just railed at me for the stunt. I thought she was gonna rip me to shreds. Instead, she said we should date. Head cheerleader, star quarterback. She said people expected it.

SETH: And you?

STAN: I just wanted to brag. Delilah's beautiful. And plus, yeah, I guess back then I was all about what people expected of me. But Delilah, she doesn't see people as people, y'know? They're just accessories. I probably had about as much worth as her Gucci purse. Less, even.

SETH: She doesn't seem like Casey's type.

STAN: Yeah, well that's the weird thing about Delilah. Sometimes the things she says, or does, it makes you think that, I dunno, that there's this great person in there. I saw it, Casey saw it too. Guess he thought he could bring it out of her. But truth is, there's nothing there.

They reach a break in the stairs. Here there is a small passing space, and a narrow wooden door that leads to the roof space. The stairs continue into the tower above. Stan pushes at the door handle, but it's locked. He jiggles it for several seconds, then resorts to violence - pushing the door in with the force of his shoulder. Seth stands back to watch as the door caves in under Stan's efforts.

SETH: (makes an impressed noise)

STAN: Being a quarterback had its plus points.

He steps through the doorway cautiously. Beyond him we can see a large attic space, disappearing into the dark. The church roof is pointed, so whilst in the middle area the height between the ceiling tiles and the real roof is tall, this becomes less when the roof drops to meet the fake ceiling, along the outside walls. It's a triangle shaped effect. Opposite to the door is a fake partition, creating a rectangular space whose floor is covered with wires, pipes, and beams. Most of these are gathered at the edges, where the boys are forced to crawl to access.

The area is empty, dimly lit by shards of light coming from outside.

Stan steps through, testing his weight on the ceiling tiles, then on the beams which divide them.

STAN: Keep to the beams. They'll hold your weight better.

He leads the way inside, Seth following after him. Stan casts about, trying to spot the sprinkler system.

SETH: Won't the sprinklers be in the middle?

STAN: The heads will be. The tanks are usually - there.

He heads over to a medium sized tank, sat at the far left hand edge of the attic space.

STAN: This thing sort of moderates the flow of water going from the pipes to the heads. So the water pressure doesn't just blow the sprinklers out of the ceiling. I figure if I can hook this thing up to our hydrants, we should be good to go.

SETH: If?

STAN: Trust me.

He settles on his haunches to fix the tank, Seth stood almost bent double behind him.

STAN: Have you ever been in love?

SETH: (hesitating) I, no. Not yet.

STAN: I never used to believe in all that cr*p. Thought it was just for poetry geeks and Hallmark. Delilah and me, we could have fun, but there wasn't anything there. And then Stokely… (pause)… Stokely's the first person to make me think I could be someone, y'know? Not famous or anything, but important. As me, not as a quarterback or anything like that. Me being me.

SETH: You really love her.

STAN: Yeah. Heart and soul. Don't know what I'd do without her.

SETH: We'll get her back.

BEAT.

Stan doesn't respond, concentrating on the equipment in front of him. He chooses to change the subject.

STAN: What about you and Emily?

SETH: Me and Emily?

STAN: Don't try and give me that.

SETH: We've barely had chance to talk. The whole alien invasion put an end to that.

STAN: It's obvious she likes you, man.

SETH: (unsure) She does? (Trying to be assertive) She does.

STAN: Yeah. You should ask her out. Y'know, if we get through this.

SETH: All about the confidence, huh?

STAN: Look, last time, I was the one taken as a host, and Stokely was the hero, right up until the end anyway. This time, I turn my back for a second, and I lose her. And you don't know what it's like, with one of those things in your head. It's like a bad dream, a nightmare, except you know you're dreaming, you know what's happening, but you can't wake up. And Stokely's trapped like that, right now, and I can't -

He cuts off, knocks the hydrant against the tank angrily. The resulting clang echoes around the attic space.

SETH: Stan -

STAN: Sorry. Sh*t. Sorry.

He drops the hydrant slowly to the floor.

STAN: It's done.

SETH: That quick?

STAN: I told you man. Best wet t-shirt contest ever.

SETH: I guess that's incentive.

STAN: All you gotta do is flip the handle on the hydrant. It's hooked up to the tank, the stuff will flow straight in there.

C.U. on Stan's hands as he points to the various points on the sprinkler system.

STAN: The sprinklers are basically hooked up all the time, but they're only switched on when they sense a fire. All you have to do is act as the smoke alarm, knocking this switch to release the water. Got it?

SETH: Seems simple.

STAN: It is. No worries. (He rises to a half-standing position, bent over in the dark.) You good to leave here?

SETH: In the dark, with nothing but silence for company and aliens beneath us? Yeah.

STAN: Good man. Look, if Casey and Zeke can get that leader alien under these, we've got nothing to worry about.

SETH: And they can do it.

STAN: They've done it before. (He pauses, allowing himself to be hesitant.) We can do this.

*

EXT. LIBRARY, MIDDLE OF THE PARK. MADDY stands over the fallen body of DELILAH, panting, still holding the hydrant. Casey lies a few meters away. Maddy gives a smug, desperate smile and, taking the hose of the hydrant, points it straight at Delilah.

MADDY: Not so clever now, huh?

Delilah touches one hand to the wound at the back of her head.

DELILAH: That hurt.

MADDY: Well duh.

DELILAH: You really think you can stop us?

MADDY: Strangely, I'm not in the mood for talking.

She takes several steps towards Delilah, targeting the hydrant hose at Delilah's chest.

CASEY: Maddy!

She turns, too late to duck. A woman emerges from the shadows and strikes Maddy across the face. Maddy reels backwards, dropping the hydrant onto the grass. It rolls several meters before coming to rest against a nearby tree. Two men join Woman #1 and try to grab Maddy by the arms. She pulls away quickly, attempts to run, but Woman #1 blocks her path. Suddenly the scene is filled with people, completely surrounding Casey and Maddy. Trapped, Maddy starts to back away, only to find herself caught by the two men. They grab her by her arms, and though she struggles, she's held tight. Woman #1 raises her hand and hits Maddy across the face a second time. She doesn't cry out, but when Maddy raises her head she reveals a bloodied lip and bruised cheek.

DELILAH: (getting to her feet) Again.

CASEY: (as Woman #1 raises her hand) No!

Delilah turns around to stare at him. The other aliens stand looking on impassively - at least outwardly. A voice speaks - dozens of voices, speaking simultaneously, with great volume.

W.V.O.: Why?

Casey gasps, hunching over, pressing his hands against the sides of his head.

W.V.O.: Why do you protect her?

Delilah says nothing, but she gives Woman #1 a slight nod. Upon this bidding, Woman #1 hits Maddy for a third time.

CASEY: Stop it!

W.V.O.: Why? What is she to you?

DELILAH: What am I, Casey?

Casey lifts his head, every movement an obvious struggle.

W.V.O.: What are we to you?

MADDY: Casey -

DELILAH: Can you give up on me so easily? For her?

CASEY: (gasping) Easily.

DELILAH: You said you loved me, but you don't even know what it means. To love someone. To lose them.

CASEY: I loved you.

DELILAH: How could you? As though you knew me.

CASEY: I thought I did.

DELILAH: Not well enough, anyway. You never saw what was coming, did you? You never do. Ultimately, that will be your end.

CASEY: You keep saying that. But I killed Mary Beth, your mate.

DELILAH: Our lover.

CASEY: You think Mary Beth saw what was coming? You think she saw the bleachers when they crushed her body, or do you think she saw me stick that pen in her eye? Did she see me coming?

The W.V.O. gives an angry howl, loud and inhuman, that prompts Casey to double over in pain. He struggles to speak.

CASEY: She was stupid! She underestimated us, me and my friends, and now she's dead, and you're going to make the same mistake.

W.V.O.: Never!

Casey gasps, pushing his hands forcefully against his head, fingers curling into his hair.

W.V.O. We loved her. She and I were the only ones left. We were going to start a new world, a new future.

CASEY: Get out.

W.V.O.: We'd be together, just like before, but better. Not forced apart by the changing seasons of our world, but for always. But you ended that. You took her from us.

CASEY: (screaming) Get out!

MADDY: Please!

Woman #1 whirls round and smacks Maddy again, hard. She slumps down unconscious, still held between the two men.

CASEY: Delilah!

Delilah smiles, doesn't even look at Maddy. Her attention is held completely by Casey.

DELILAH: Here's the interesting thing about blending. The host and I? We're as one. I share Delilah's memories, thoughts, emotions.

Casey says nothing, looking up at Delilah, breathing heavily.

DELILAH: We're not used to individuality, Casey. It makes things a little confusing. Take Maddy here.

Woman #1 grabs Maddy's head by the hair, yanks upwards.

DELILAH: We should just take her as a host. But strangely, that wouldn't be as satisfying.

CASEY: Then what do you want?

W.V.O.: Revenge.

DELILAH: You killed our love, Casey. And we loved her, our mate, as one being. And now, as one being, we hate. We hate you. We hate your friends. And I, the being that was once Delilah, we hate her. (She walks over to Maddy - who is just beginning to wake up - during this speech, reaches out to touch her cheek.) There are so many voices in my head, and one of them cries out for me to hurt her.

CASEY: You're wasting your time. Getting distracted by human emotions.

DELILAH: That's what she is. She's a distraction. Both to you and to me. She'll be better off as a host.

She moves closer to Maddy, lifting the other girl's chin to bring her mouth to meet her own.

A sudden disturbance off-camera, the angry cries of several aliens. Delilah lifts her head, closing her mouth over the tentacles which dart from between her lips. Suddenly the man nearest to her staggers forwards, trying to claw at his back, which has been sprayed with foam. Both Delilah and the two men holding Maddy leap back in an effort to avoid their co-alien's struggles, dropping their charge onto the ground. The woman who hit Maddy moves back as well, but is too slow, and gets a face full of foam.

ZEKE appears on camera, cutting a path through the aliens with the hydrant he clutches. He is wild, and unrestrained, whooping enthusiastically as he fells every person in his way.

ZEKE: Cavalry's arrived, Case!

Maddy has moved to Casey's side, helping him stand. They walk unsteadily towards Zeke, the aliens reluctant to come into the radius of Zeke's hydrant.

CASEY (to Zeke): Have I ever told you, you've got great timing?"

ZEKE: Not nearly enough, man.

He starts to move backwards, aiming the hydrant hose like a gun, while Casey and Maddy stay close to his side. The crowd part before them, Delilah at their head, watching Zeke warily.

DELILAH: Zeke.

ZEKE: Nice of you to come, Delilah.

MADDY: That's not Delilah.

CU on CASEY: (quietly) Part of her is.

Shot of the hydrant Maddy dropped lying against a tree. Zeke points at it, and Maddy picks it up.

DELILAH (unimpressed): You think you can stop us?

ZEKE'S POV, shot of library in the distance, behind them.

ZEKE: I think we're going to try.

VCU on DELILAH. She is smiling.

W.V.O.: They'll both die. Painfully and slowly. They will beg for the end.

VCU on CASEY.

CASEY: I know it's not worth much, but Delilah - I am sorry for you.

CU on DELILAH. Her smile falters.

ZEKE: Now!

He releases a spray of foam in a wide arc, high into the air. As the aliens panic, ducking and jumping out of the way, Zeke, Casey and Maddy take off at a run, heading towards the library.

*

INT. LIBRARY. ZEKE, CASEY and MADDY are picking their way through the scene of devastation.

ZEKE (panting): That was fun.

MADDY: And they didn't follow us?

CASEY: No. Not yet. They're waiting.

ZEKE: For what?

Casey doesn't reply.

WIDE SHOT of the three in the library, looking very small and vulnerable in the ruins of the building.

The threesome pause beside an overturned bookshelf, using it as cover. Zeke remains standing, as guard. Maddy kneels beside Casey.

MADDY (whispering): Are you alright?

CASEY: I'm okay.

It's clear from both their faces that he's lying.

Zeke drops down beside them.

ZEKE: I can't see Seth or Stan. I gotta figure they're up by the sprinklers, waiting for us. (to Casey) Can you sense anything?

CASEY (strained): Something old. Really old. And angry.

ZEKE: Yeah, well, I could have guessed that. Anything else?

Casey shakes his head.

ZEKE: Look, I'm gonna head down to the basement, have a scout around.

MADDY: Are you serious?

ZEKE: We still don't know exactly where this beast is, right? No good luring it out if we don't know where it's gonna come from.

MADDY: Have I mentioned this is a stupendously terrible idea?

ZEKE: Stupid, probably. But Case, you said that the alien knows you're here, right?

CASEY: Yes.

ZEKE: But it hasn't come out. Seems to me if it's that angry, it would have tried to kill us by now, but it's staying down in the heat. Must be something keeping it down there.

MADDY: Maybe it's just waiting until Delilah and the rest of her group come find us!

CASEY: He's right. There's something else.

MADDY: What about Seth and Stan?

ZEKE: They're safe where they are. Maddy, I know this sounds crazy and believe me, doing the stupidly heroic thing is not my favorite pastime but we gotta be careful. If we rush things…

MADDY: I know, I know.

ZEKE: Then come on.

He stands, slowly, and leads Maddy and Casey away from the bookcase. Towards their left is a clearing amidst the wreckage, and the dim light reveals a large, square hole surrounded by ornate stone, and a series of steps leading down into darkness. The three head towards this cautiously, Zeke leading the way and Maddy at the back.

INT. BASEMENT STAIRWELL. This is the old entrance to what were once church catacombs. The ceilings are low and the spaces narrow. Small lights are set into the wall. Several statutes of religious icons stand on plinths in corners. Two wooden doors lead away from the stairwell, heading deeper into the basement.

MADDY (whispering): Bad idea. Bad, bad idea.

ZEKE: Casey, you know which way I should go?

CU on CASEY.

BEAT.

CASEY (pointing to the left door): That one.

ZEKE: You sure?

CASEY: That one feels right.

ZEKE: Right.

BEAT.

MADDY: Be careful.

ZEKE: Always am.

He grins, then disappears through the left hand doorway.

Casey sinks against the wall.

MADDY: It'll be okay. Zeke will figure out where Papa is, we'll get him out, under the sprinklers, and then it'll be over.

Casey doesn't reply.

BEAT.

MADDY: You think Zeke's going to be alright?

VCU on CASEY.

CASEY (whispers): I don't know anymore.

*

INT. LIBRARY, EXT. SHOT of ALTAR. Here the original features of the church have been left largely untouched. An altar runs up into the ceiling - an ugly, gold gilded affair, Gothic in style and covered in gargoyles. There are two levels to the structure - the ground floor, sheltering what once had been a computer station, and the second floor. It has not been converted into school use and remains as testament to the days when the building was still used as a church. Heavy red curtains are tucked on either side, a gold book stand sits in a corner, and a stone statue of Christ is set into a central alcove. The top of the altar is hidden, built into the false ceiling.

VCU ON CEILING. Several sprinkler heads form a line leading out from the altar.

CUT TO: INT. ALTAR. STAN is at the top of a narrow winding staircase that leads up from the second floor of the altar into a suspended ceiling. A square hatch separates the two and Stan pushes it open, climbing through it.

INT. CEILING CHAMBER. It is nearly identical to the one Stan left Seth in, minutes earlier. A tank sits at one end, and several pipes run across the floor.

We hear a sudden, very quiet whisper, the words a mumble. Stan hears it too and pauses, staring at the space ahead of him. It's empty.

STAN (whispering): Okay. I am totally fine about this. Not freaking out at all.

He crawls across the floor carefully. A cross section of wooden beams provide the only solid surface, the ceiling tiles filling in the gaps appearing weak and flimsy. The wood creaks under his weight but he reaches the tank without trauma.

STAN: Just like the wet t-shirt competition.

Another whisper interrupts the silence, louder than the last but still unclear.

STAN'S POV as he looks around the small room. The corners are filled with shadows, the room only dimly lit by the light from below, but he seems to be the only occupant.

STAN: Not freaking out.

He starts to hook up the hydrant to the tank, but it's clear he's nervous and jumpy.

OS STOKELY: Stan.

He drops the hydrant and turns around.

VCU on STOKELEY, bent over Stan.

STOKELY: What are you doing?

He tries to hide the hydrant.

STAN: Nothing.

STOKELY: Trying to be a hero?

STAN: No, I was just…

STOKELY: It's not your style, Stan. Isn't it Zeke's job?

She moves around and sits down on the beam in front of him, leaning forward on her hands.

STOKELY: He's the one who leads the group, right?

STAN (defensively): Hey, he doesn't work alone.

STOKELY: No? Then why are you here, hiding in the dark?

He has no answer.

STOKELY: Casey's the artist. I'm the one with the plan. Zeke's our great protector. So where do you fit?

STAN: I… I fit.

STOKELY: Do you remember last time, Stan? The last time you were a leader?

STAN: You know why I quit football.

STOKELY: Not football.

She leans forward, closing in on him.

STOKELY: I know you remember how it felt. The strength, the power. It's beauty, Stan.

STAN: Way I remember it, it's anything but.

STOKELY: Don't lie to me. I know you. You're scared. You think you're not good enough, you think Stokely could do better.

VCU as Stokely whispers in his ear.

STOKELY: How many times have you thought about leaving her?

She pulls back.

STOKELY: You're right.

STAN: What?

STOKELY: Stokely has more potential than even you realize. You've been holding her back, and eventually, she would have realized this.

STAN (clearly doubtful) : That's not true.

STOKELY: But we can make it better. We can change you, Stan. The knowledge we could give you, the person you'd become…

STAN: I'm quite happy being who I am, thanks.

STOKELY: Liar.

She starts to touch him, her hands on his chest and shoulders.

STOKELY: Tell me the truth. Tell me how you feel.

STAN: I…

STOKELY: Tell me.

STAN: At high school…

STOKELY: You were the quarterback. Everybody loved you.

STAN: It's not the same.

STOKELY: No. Because you're nobody. Stuck in a rut.

STAN: Classes were never my thing.

STOKELY: You worked, and you struggled, and you knew - this is all you'll ever be.

STAN: You're worth more than that.

STOKELY: I love you, Stan. I want to be with you.

STAN: I love you too.

STOKELY: But I want you as my equal. You'll be good enough. You'll be a leader, like you've always wanted. And I'll be with you. We'll be intimate in a way you could never imagine.

STAN: No.

STOKELY: On your own you're nothing. A waste, a failure. You're worthless.

VCU as Stokely presses her face against his.

STOKELY: We can make you more. And you'll finally be worth something.

*
INT. LIBRARY BASEMENT. CASEY and MADDY sit outside in the stairwell, their backs to the wall. Casey has his eyes closed. We can hear the whir of machinery from the room behind them. They talk in whispers.

MADDY: I hope Zeke's okay.

CASEY: I'd know if he wasn't.

Maddy glances at him. She reaches out to take his hand, but he pulls back.

MADDY: Sorry.

CASEY: No, I - I didn't mean - (pause). Don't.

Maddy stares at her hands.

MADDY: Sorry.

CASEY: It's just, I can't.

MADDY: It's okay. I mean, you know, if this is what Delilah said, I'd like to point, evil.

CASEY: She was right about some things. About me.

MADDY: Again, evil.

CASEY: You deserve better.

MADDY: You think that maybe that's up to me to decide? I care about you.

CASEY: You don't even know me.

MADDY: Well, I kinda think the whole 'life-death' scenario beats first date hands down.

Casey smiles. Maddy takes this as encouragement.

MADDY: I mean, I know how you handle yourself in a crisis. I know you wouldn't run away from a situation, especially if your friends were in danger.

CASEY: (blushing) Yes, but what about the important things? Like - I alphabetize things. I'm a picky eater.

MADDY: I bite my nails.

CASEY: So do I. And I leave the bits in the bed.

MADDY: Okay, that's gross.

Casey takes her hand. There is a 'moment' as they share eye contact - a moment which is broken when Casey gasps, pulling his hand back to cover his ears.

DEEP, ECHO-Y V.O.: I see you.

MADDY: What is it? Is it Zeke?

CASEY: He knows we're here.

He drops his hand, staring at the left hand doorway through which Zeke exited.

CASEY: I thought it was right.

MADDY (confused): What? I don't understand.

CASEY: I was trying to keep him safe.

MADDY: What are you talking about?

CASEY'S POV, CU on the right hand door.

CASEY: He went the wrong way.

MADDY: You said…

CASEY: I lied.

Abruptly he scrambles to his feet, running towards the right hand door. Maddy quickly gets to her feet, ready to run after him, but Casey is ahead of her, calling out over his shoulder.

CASEY: I'm sorry! I let my guard down!

MADDY: Casey!

He's gone, through the door into the room beyond. Maddy runs after him.

MADDY's POV as she runs through the door. MEDIUM PUSH IN through the open doorway into the darkness inside.

Maddy's speed drops to a hesitant pace, and then stops altogether as she stands before two archways.

MADDY: (speaking level) Casey?

*

INT. CATACOMBS. The basement is a maze of dark, badly lit tunnels and shadowy rooms, stone walls and floors that are dripping with condensation. The area has been used for storage by the library - several overturned metal bookshelves, a couple of filing cabinets. And here, like upstairs, the books are gone and only a few torn and crumpled pages remain.

ZEKE is creeping through a dark corridor. There is some limited lighting in the form of small watt lamps on the side of the wall, but there are plenty of shadows and short periods/flashes of complete darkness.

ZEKE: (whispering to himself) Okay, think Zeke. Next time you're tracking aliens in an underground maze - bring a torch!

He continues down the corridor for a few yards, then suddenly stumbles. Grabbing to the wall for support, he pauses, listens to the silence to see if he was heard. Nothing, save for a distant mechanical humming noise. Slowly, Zeke bends down and gropes for whatever made him lose his footing.

ZEKE'S POV: SHORT PAN from the darkness at Zeke's feet, following the shadows to a patch of ground illuminated by an overhead lamp. The light reveals a tangle of thick cables, stretching the length of the corridor.

ZEKE: Now we're getting somewhere.

With one hand feeling the cables, he starts to crawl the length of the corridor, following several left and right turns into deeper darkness. He pauses briefly to wipe sweat from his forehead - it's getting hotter as he goes in deeper, and he's also increasingly covered in dirt.

There are noises in the background - the hum, louder, and some strange squelching type noises that are slightly muffled. Hesitantly, Zeke returns to feeling his way down the corridor, but after another few meters the wires part.

C.U. on Zeke's hands, feeling out the diverging cables. The camera follows his hands as they move from the cables to the floor, and then the wall. Slowly Zeke gets to his feet.

In the dim light we can see Zeke is stood in a stone archway leading to a larger room. Inside we can see little but shadows, and a vague, patchy glow. Very slowly Zeke makes his way into the room, careful not to bump in to anything. He looks across the room, but can see nothing clearly beyond the shadows. Whatever is in the room is what is producing the squelching noise. There are several patches of fuzzy orange light, and its towards one of these that Zeke heads.

We hear something metallic wobble against the stone floor, and see Zeke has knocked a large gas canister. He grabs it quickly, stills its movement. Panicking slightly, he stops to watch the room for any movement, but nothing changes. After a moment he continues to the orange glow - which turns out to be an old electric heater, turned on full blast. Zeke accidentally brushes against the bars, and leaps back from the burn.

ZEKE: Sh*t!

He steps back and feels his leg brush against something else.

C.U. on Zeke's leg - we can't see what it is he's brushed against, but we can see the sticky residue that remains, clinging to his trousers and the heater. Instinctively Zeke pulls back.

ZEKE: Oh, not good. Not good at all.

He looks around himself, clearly trying to see more clearly what it is he's surrounded by. Near his feet, illuminated by the flow from the heater, is a broken chair leg and the torn remains of a book. He picks up the book and turns back towards the heater, using his teeth to pull his jacket sleeve over his left hand. He then uses this to grip the protective grill and yank it away from the heater.

With the element exposed, Zeke stretches out his right hand and touches the book to the center of the heater. It ignites immediately, and he quickly grabs the chair leg and thrusts it into the flames.

ZEKE (dropping the book): And dad never said I'd make a Boy Scout.

He lifts the makeshift torch into the air, illuminating the chamber.

ZEKE: Holy f*ck.

WIDE SHOT of chamber. It is filled, from corner to corner, with a seething mass of white, fleshy pods. In the light of the torch they seem to pulsate with a dim blue light, and inside each something with long, thin arms twists and curls restlessly. Eggs, incubated by the warmth from several electric heaters, a couple of contained fires, and protected by the thick stone walls.

Zeke is silent for a moment, clearly taking it all in.

ZEKE'S POV: CU on gas canister.

VCU ON ZEKE. He grins.

*

SETH is left alone. He sits by the network of pipes, hand on the extinguisher handle. There is a period of silence. A distant thud prompts him to look up. After a moment he gets up, creeps to the edge of the ceiling tiles, and looks over the edge.

SETH'S P.O.V.: The library is empty and still, save for a few scattered papers blown by the breeze.

CUT TO: M.S. SHOT OF SETH'S BACK. PUSH IN TO C.U. OF SETH'S HEAD AND SHOULDERS.

A hand comes from off-screen and brushes the back of Seth's neck. He turns sharply, but the hand pulls back.

SETH'S P.O.V. The attic is empty.

Hesitantly, Seth starts to make his way across the floor, back to the sprinkler head. The floor creaks from behind him; he turns, but there's nothing there.

EMILY V.O.: Miss me?

Seth turns round to see EMILY stood in the shadows. She steps out into the light, revealing a change of costume. Tight, low-slung leather pants hug her legs, high heeled boots ride up her calves, and a loose top sends folds of red material across her breasts, revealing plenty of skin. Her hair is sleek, parted at the side: one half tucked neatly behind her ear, the rest falling across her face.

Seth says nothing, watching silently as Emily draws closer. One hand slips down her body, the other reaches out to Seth.

EMILY: Like it?

SETH: (floundering) I, um, I - do you own that outfit?

EMILY: It's on loan. I thought the owner wouldn't mind.

SETH: I guess they're busy.

EMILY: You could say that.

She crouches down in front of Seth, exuding sexuality, looking up through her hair at him.

EMILY: I missed you, you know. I never meant for it to be this way.

SETH: You stole the body of my friend.

EMILY: Is that all I am?

She moves forward, pushing her knees between his thighs. Seth can't back away, caught trying to hide the pipes with his body.

EMILY: After everything?

SETH: You're not her.

EMILY: Are you so sure?

SETH: Positive. Emily wouldn't want this.

EMILY: How do you know what she'd want? You never asked her. (She puts her hand on his thigh.) How can you know anything? How much she wanted to touch you, to be with you. But you - you can't even admit to yourself how you feel.

SETH: (picking up Emily's hand and pushing it off his thigh) Don't presume to know how I feel.

EMILY: I love it when you're defensive.

She sits back a little, and for a moment regains the persona of Emily - a little awkward, her shoulders curving inwards, her voice hesitant.

EMILY: I'm falling in love with you. And you - you're falling for me? Right?

Seth looks up at her, for a moment willing to believe that this is Emily before him.

SETH: I - I think I might be.

EMILY: We could be together. I want to be with you.

SETH: You - I - You're not her.

EMILY: But I am. That's what the blending is, Seth. Please! I have Emily's memories, her thoughts, her feelings. Her feelings for you. And I want you.

SETH: As a host.

EMILY: As you.

SETH: I can't. I can't trust you.

EMILY: Seth, please.

She reaches out to gently touch his face, then pulls back, nervous.

EMILY: I want to make you happy.

SETH: Then give her back to me.

EMILY: I can't.

SETH: Then there's no point in talking.

EMILY: (desperate) Seth… look, maybe, maybe if I explain… I don't want you as a host. I know that's the point, that's why we're here, but being human? It's confusing. I never understood individuality before this, but I do now, I know what it means. I know that I want you, the way you are now.

She moves forward throughout this speech, forcing Seth to sidle backwards, trying to hide the extinguisher with his body. But he's distracted by Emily's words, by her physical closeness.

EMILY: Don't you want that? To be together?

SETH: Yes, but not -

EMILY: Have faith in me.

SETH: Yeah. Not so much with the faith, right now.

EMILY: Because I'm not the meek, quiet little girl you first me?

SETH: Actually, the wormy alien inside your head has more to do with it.

EMILY: You don't understand. But that's alright. I'll show you.

She pushes her body forward in one fluid movement, catlike, on all fours, pressing in on Seth.

EMILY: I want you.

Seth tries to move away, but can't, trapped between Emily and the pipes he is still trying to hide behind him.

EMILY: I'm more than Emily. I'm her, without her inhibitions, her shyness, her insecurities.

She pushes her face against his, whispers in his ear.

EMILY: I'm brave enough to go for what I want. Are you?

She pulls back. There is a long, lingering moment, and then kisses him, powerfully. Seth reaches up with his left hand and pushes his fingers into her hair, seeming to lose himself in the kiss.

It's a trick. His right hand suddenly swings around from behind his back, hydrant clutched in it, and strikes Emily across the back of her head, hard. She crumples instantly, Seth catching her body and pulling her into his lap.

BEAT.

SETH (panting): Yeah. I am.

*

INT. CATACOMBS.

CASEY is moving through the tunnels, seemingly drawn onwards by an invisible force. He frequently stumbles, and his eyes appear sightless, near blind, but his half-run is purposeful and heads in a specific direction. He knows where he's going.

PUSH IN to VCU on Casey. We see that he is speaking to himself, mumbling.

CASEY: We can feel him, so close, so close. Need him. Need.

The W.V.O. of the aliens begins, Casey and the W.V.O. speaking as one.

CASEY/W.V.O.: Can he feel us? Sorrow, grief, hate. Hate him. Hate. Kill him. Death and blood and gone. Take him, we'll take him and tear him apart.

Casey gasps and staggers, reaching out to the wall for support. The alien voice in his head is now a physical weight on him, grinding him down. He can barely breathe, barely stand, dragging himself forward through the dark and dirty corridors.

W.V.O.: Take, take. Sorrow. Swallow him up, rip, tear, flesh. Rot and decay. Grief. Empty hole, space, void, grief. Kill him.

The tunnel suddenly opens up. PUSH OUT until the camera just makes out the edges of a great hall built of stone.

Casey collapses to his knees.

CASEY (whispers): I'm here. I'm here. (screams) Do you see me now?

The W.V.O. cuts off, and there is silence.

PAN around Casey as he kneels in the dark.

LOUD W.V.O.: We see you.

CASEY: Who are you?

W.V.O.: Don't you know? We are the ones you seek to destroy.

CASEY: Not your slaves, not those things you put in people's heads! You! Mary Beth's mate!

W.V.O.: I was her mate. I was more.

The shadows around Casey start to move, silhouettes of tentacles appearing on the walls.

W.V.O.: She was dark and I was light, I was her warmth and she my cold. We were as one, until our world tore us apart. I search the skies for her, traversed the emptiness until I found this place.

CASEY: But you were too late.

W.V.O.: You took her. Ended her. She died alone, and now, so will I. But not before I've taken your world.

CASEY: With the people whose lives you've stolen.

W.V.O.: So stupid. Not with them. With the gift she gave me, the gift she left with me, on our world. Our home.

PAN around Casey. VCU on Casey's leg, as a grey tentacle creeps out of the darkness and latches around his leg.

W.V.O.: Our children will rule this world long after your bones have turned to ash.

The tentacle whips back, yanking Casey off his sitting position and onto the floor. It tries to drag him deeper into the cavern but he manages to grab the wall and clings onto the soft brickwork with his fingers. Further tentacles wrap themselves around his legs, creep up towards his waist.

W.V.O.: She shall have revenge.

VCU on Casey. The cuts on his face, inflicted on him by Mary Beth, suddenly reopen. He screams.

*

INT. CATACOMB TUNNEL. MADDY is walking through the darkness, clearly nervous and with no real idea as to where she is going.

OS CASEY screams.

MADDY (whispering): Casey?

OS ZEKE: Nope.

Maddy screams, but is cut off when Zeke's hand clamps around her mouth.

CU on ZEKE, lit by a flaming torch.

ZEKE: Shush, will ya?

Maddy doesn't respond, staying quiet until Zeke removes his hand.

MADDY: Casey.

ZEKE: I know. Come on.

He grabs her by the wrist and they both start running through the tunnel, Zeke leading the way.

ZEKE: I went back to the stairs but you were both gone.

MADDY: Casey just ran in there, I couldn't stop him.

ZEKE: Nice of him to let me know his plan.

MADDY: What is it? What's happened?

ZEKE: Well, I'm guessing Mary Beth's biology worked a little differently to ours. Papa alien isn't alone. He's got a whole room full of juniors waiting to hatch.

MADDY: Oh god.

ZEKE: It's being taken care of. But we've got to get out of here. Now.

OS Casey screams, for a second time.

ZEKE: This way.

PUSH PAST Zeke and into the tunnel system. The camera moves quickly through the catacombs. The view is dizzying, flashes of light intermingled with shadow. PUSH THROUGH until we reach the chamber in which Casey is. We don't see the alien yet, but we get glimpses of blue, luminous tentacles, thrashing around the room.

PUSH IN to CU on CASEY, suspended in mid-air by a tentacle wrapped around his ankle. The cuts on his face have opened up further, and blood is pouring profusely down his face. Suddenly the tentacle releases him and he screams for a third time, as the alien tosses him to the floor.

He pushes himself onto his hands and knees, but further tentacles are creeping out of the shadows.

W.V.O.: Where are your companions? Your friends? Abandoned you.

Casey says nothing. A tentacle wraps itself around his waist, twisting him over. He is now lying on his back in the rubble, arms above his head, his feet trying to push himself away but only succeeding in injuring him further.

W.V.O.: You want to protect them, but you can't. You will fail them.

Another tentacle wraps itself around his ribcage and squeezes tight. He starts to struggle, his back trying to arch but restrained by the first tentacle.

W.V.O.: Tell me where they are.

CASEY (gasping): Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you!

W.V.O.: Your feelings for the girl won't help. As you crushed the spirit from mine, so I'll rip the tongue fro yours.

CASEY (screaming): No!

He brings his arms down suddenly and we catch glimpse of a sharp piece of stone clutched in his bloodied right hand. It cuts cleanly through the two tentacles around his chest and as they flail against the ground Casey pulls himself onto his feet and starts to run. Dozens of tentacles come shooting out from the shadows, in every direction, and it is clear he will not be able to outrun them. He tries anyway, diving for the chamber's exit when two arms suddenly appear from out of the darkness and yank him to the side.

CU on ZEKE, with MADDY just over his shoulder. By this point all three are covered in dirt, Casey is covered in blood, Maddy has a bust lip and black eye and Zeke is covered in scratches and bruises.

ZEKE: You've looked better Casey, man.

CASEY (smiling): You too, Zeke.

A tentacle suddenly spears the darkness and shoots past them, making all three scream.

ZEKE: Come on!

The three start to run, back down the tunnel towards the catacombs. The camera stays in front of them, pulling back, so we can see Zeke in the front, Casey partially behind and Maddy at the back. Behind them tentacles dart and whip about in the air, blindly seeking them. The PULL OUT is quick and jerky, twisting around corners, tracking the three as they run, stumble, pull themselves up and continue.

Behind them masonry begins to crumble, ripped apart by the alien as it tries to chase after them. With Papa slowed down by the tomb, the group are able to gain a little distance and they emerge from the tunnels several seconds ahead of the alien. They haul ass up the stairs, Casey slipping and Zeke pulling him upright.

INT. LIBRARY, TOP OF BASEMENT STAIRS. Our heroes dash up the final steps and arrive on the floor gasping. We can hear a great crashing and groaning coming from the catacombs beneath them.

MADDY (to Zeke): You said you had a plan?

Zeke grins, and waves the torch in his hand idly. Then he drops it down the stairwell.

BEAT.

CUT TO: INT. STAIRWELL. We see an empty can of gas, lying on the floor. There is a puddle of liquid beside it, leading from the left hand doorway. The audience is allowed a second to register these things before Zeke's torch drops down from the stairwell. It ignites the gas puddle immediately. Flames shoot up and race along the trickle of gas, heading deep into the darkness of the tunnels.

CUT TO: INT. LIBRARY.

Zeke takes several steps back from the stairwell, gesturing for the others to do the same. A second later an enormous explosion rips up from the stairwell, a sign that the gas canister has blown up. The ground shakes, and there is a series of small explosions, muffled by the stone. Without warning a fireball bursts forth from the basement, knocking our heroes to the floor. Smoke fills the room, the scattered pages of books are alight and floating about the floor, and flames can be heard crackling.

ZEKE: Hell yeah!

CASEY (staring at him): What did you do?

ZEKE: Won the war, Casey, won the frikkin'…

A terrible, deafening shriek fills the air, like that of a thousand inhuman voices as one, twisted with pain and grief and horror. It is so loud that it causes even Maddy and Zeke to cover their ears, whilst Casey screams and rolls over, curling into a ball, trying to claw himself away from the stairwell.

Maddy, seeing him, drops her hands and pushes herself towards him, Zeke following. When she tries to touch Casey he recoils, moaning, clearly in great pain.

MADDY: Casey…

CASEY: Get them out, get them out, get them out. (Screaming, hysterical) Out, out, OUT!

ZEKE: What is it? What's going on?

CASEY and the W.V.O. start speaking simultaneously, Casey staring at Zeke.

CASEY/W.V.O.: Murderer!

MADDY: What? What do you mean?

ZEKE: There were babies. Lots of little Mary Beths.

CASEY/W.V.O.: Kill them! Dead, dead, all gone, burning…

ZEKE: I killed them.

CASEY/W.V.O.: Dead and burning…

The W.V.O. cuts off and suddenly it is only Casey speaking.

CASEY (pleading): Oh, god, please, make it stop, make it STOP!

ZEKE (to Maddy): What's happening?

MADDY: Don't you get it? They're in his head. He can feel everything!

Zeke looks horrified.

The shriek abruptly cuts off. Casey immediately stills, slumping into the floor.

CU on stairwell. SLOW PUSH IN. The library is silent, except for the sounds of Casey gasping, and the crackling of flames.

BEAT.

Papa alien bursts through the stairwell in one impressive, terrifying move, smashing through the stonework. This is the first time we see Papa as a whole- a great, tentacles monster, similar to Mary Beth's true form but bigger and uglier. This thing is like a nightmare, translucent, its organs pulsing beneath its skin, dripping with slime. Its tentacles, of which there are many, rip apart the stones of the library floor and lash out indiscriminately. Parts of the alien are ablaze, and in turn ignite the roof, walls, and remaining contents of the library.

ZEKE (to Maddy): Get away from here, get under the sprinklers.

Supporting Casey, Maddy pulls them both upright and they start to stagger towards Stan's end of the library. Behind them, Zeke snatches up one of the hydrants and starts spraying the tentacles. The alien howls, but the foam does little to slow its desperate, uncontrolled movements.

CUT TO: Maddy and Casey, running down towards the far end of the library. Casey is barely able to remain upright, leaning heavily on Maddy and seeming to rely on her for a sense of balance and direction.

CASEY (whispering, barely coherent): Death and fire and blood. Screaming. Oh god. Screaming and dying…

MADDY: It's okay.

CASEY: I felt them. I felt them die.

MADDY: I know. Just a little further. We're almost there.

CASEY (gasping): I can't.

He pushes himself off Maddy and drops to the floor beside an overturned desk. Maddy stops and drops to her knees beside him, trying to force Casey back onto his feet, but failing.

CASEY: Go!

MADDY: Not gonna happen.

CASEY: I'm the bait, he wants me.

MADDY: And you think he's gonna let me and Zeke go?

CASEY: No, no, but listen…

MADDY: Casey…

CASEY: He wants revenge, Maddy, for what I did to Mary Beth. He'll tear you apart, just to punish me! And he'll enjoy it, he just wants pleasure…

MADDY: He won't get it! I still think I joined the right team here, Casey, even if you don't. And besides, like Zeke said, we don't leave people behind.

BEAT.

MADDY: Nothing Delilah said is true. You can do this.

ZEKE OS: (screams)

CUT TO: ZEKE, as he is knocked through the air by a tentacle. He hits the floor awkwardly, but pushes himself up just as quickly and grabs the hydrant he had dropped. The fall has done some damage - his leg gives out under him and he falls back into a sitting position.

ZEKE'S POV: The alien rears up, ready to plunge down over Zeke.

Zeke pulls down hard on the hydrant and release a spray of foam. The alien pulls its tentacles around itself in protection, recoiling, and shrieking. Whatever part the foam touches sizzles and boils away.

ZEKE (shouting): Is that as good as you've got?

He prepares to release another spray, but when he depresses the handle the hose sputters, releasing a fine mist of white before dying completely. Throwing the empty hydrant to one side, Zeke rolls onto his front and pushes himself upright, staggering as his injured leg takes his weight. He is not fast enough to prevent Papa from grabbing him and lifting him high into the air, throwing him across the room. Zeke hits the wall and slumps to the floor, unconscious.

CUT TO: MADDY and CASEY, running, Maddy supporting Casey. They have finally reached the far end of the library, where the altar stands.

Maddy pulls Casey beneath it.

MADDY: See, we're here. (to the ceiling) Stan! Seth!

BEAT.

MADDY: Stan!

CASEY: I don't think they're coming.

He slumps against Maddy.

CASEY: We're done.

MADDY: No. They have to be up there. Or maybe I can go up there, if you…

CASEY: It's too late. Stan, Seth, Zeke - they're all gone. (Whispering) I'm sorry I dragged you into this.

MADDY: I'm not. (to the ceiling) Stan!

INT. CEILING SPACE. STAN and STOKELY. Stokely is pressed against Stan's body.

STOKELY: Ready?

VCU on Stokely's lips as she pushes forward, ready to kiss Stan. A bluish tentacle darts forth from between her teeth.

VCU on Stan's eyes, closing tight.

VCU on their lips meeting.

The kiss is passionate, but grows more powerful. Stokely rakes her hand through Stan's hair, clawing at him, and Stan's hands move from cupping Stokely's face to trying to push her away. We see something wriggle within Stan's cheek, moving through his body, down his neck, his skin bulging. His body starts to spasm, and with one last effort Stan pushes himself and Stokely off the beam they are sat on and onto the flimsy ceiling tiles. The tiles instantly collapse under their weight, and both Stan and Stokely plunge through the ceiling.

CUT TO: MADDY'S POV, staring up at the altar. The ceiling above the altar crumples and Stokely and Stan drop through, falling half a dozen meters before crashing onto the second floor of the altar.

BEAT.

ARIEL VIEW of STAN and STOKELY lying on the floor of the altar, unconscious. Bits of ceiling tiles drift through the air.

CUT TO: MADDY and CASEY.

MADDY: Oh sh*t.

OS: ALIEN SCREAMS.

Casey crumples, almost pulling Maddy down with him. She manages to keep them both upright and starts pulling him towards the edge of the library.

CASEY: What are you doing?

MADDY: Change of plan. Seth's got to be down the other end, right? We just picked the wrong one.

CASEY: Stan…

MADDY: We've got to move, Casey.

CUT TO: PAPA ALIEN, moving quickly down the central aisle of the library. Its tentacles lash out at the ruins around it and grab hold of bookshelves and tables, tossing them into the air. This discarded furniture lands at either side of the library, forming a long, narrow assault course of filing cabinets and desks. Maddy pushes Casey towards this.

MADDY: I'll distract Papa, you get down the other end. If Seth's been taken, you'll have to do the sprinkler yourself. He'll come after you whatever, right?

CASEY: Yes, but…

She interrupts him by leaning over and kissing him on the lips.

MADDY: I'll be okay.

Before Casey can stop her, Maddy presses the remaining hydrant into his hands and dashes into the central aisle, directly into the alien's path.

*

INT. CEILING SPACE. SETH is knelt beside the sprinkler tank, struggling to reattach the hydrant to the pipes. EMILY lies in a crumpled heap on the beam beside him, still unconscious.

SETH: Simple, right? It looked simple.

He tries to fix the end of an open pipe to the hydrant but the two sides don't meet.

SETH: Next time you're going to knock out the girl you like, don't use part of your only weapon against the creature controlling her. Right.

OS: ZEKE screams.

Seth looks up. He leans over the beam and starts to prise a ceiling panel away, moving the material an inch to give him a glimpse into the library below him.

SETH'S POV: INT. LIBRARY. PAPA cannot be seen, but on the edge of the camera we can see tentacles thrashing, throwing furniture around.

CUT TO: VCU on SETH.

SETH: Huh.

SETH'S POV: the hydrant sits next to the tank. Emily continues to lie motionless beside it.

SETH: I hope this works.

*

PAN THROUGH CEILING GAP TO INT. LIBRARY.

MADDY is running down the central aisle of the library. PAPA is about twenty meters away, seeming not to have seen her, its tentacles reaching out blindly around it, seeking something.

MADDY: Here! Over here! I'm what you want, right?

PAPA rears up and turns to face her. In one quick, fluid movement he plunges down, seething through the aisle like a tidal wave. Maddy darts to the outer wall of the library, weaving around the debris on the floor. Her slight frame is able to gain speed and maneuverability that the alien, held back by its size and the library floor, does not have. She uses this to her advantage, doubling back on herself, circling the alien while it lashes out her.

MADDY: What does it feel like, to be all alone? Your mate dead, your children burning?

The alien picks up a desk and throws it at her. It hits the wall above her head, raining debris and forcing her to leap backwards.

MADDY: It must be getting to you - it's affecting your aim!

Suddenly a tentacle lashes out from Papa and catches her across the face. She falls backwards into a bookshelf and just manages to pull herself away before a chair comes crashing down through the air.

CUT TO: CASEY, about two thirds of the way down the library. He is almost crawling, keeping low to the ground and hiding behind the overturned furniture and rubble. The air is increasingly thick with smoke. He is passing the stairs to the catacombs, which now lie ruined, flames rising from the basement.

CU on ZEKE, lying slumped amidst the wreckage, blood seeping from a head wound.

CUT TO: VCU on CASEY'S reaction as he sees his friend, clearly assuming he is dead.

FLASH TO: INT. CATACOMBS, Casey trapped by Papa's tentacles.

W.V.O.: You want to protect them, but you can't. You will fail them.

CUT BACK TO CASEY, INT. LIBRARY.

OS: MADDY screams.

Casey staggers upright, resuming his run through the library.

CASEY'S POV: The far end of the library is only a short distance away.

CASEY: Please be there, please.

CUT TO: MADDY, suspended in air by a tentacle. Papa throws her to the floor, then immediately scoops her back up again. Tentacles wrap around her arms and legs, tugging at her body. She fights against them but their grip only tightens, one tentacle creeping up and around her neck. She starts to suffocate, her struggles weakening.

OS CASEY: Maddy!

PAPA rears up, still carrying Maddy, turning. Casey stands at the far end of the library, looking defiant.

CASEY: You want me, right?

W.V.O.: We will take you.

CASEY: Then come on! I'm tired of this!

Papa still doesn't release Maddy but the tentacles loosen slightly, as though distracted.

W.V.O.: Alone. Alone and gone. Dead, death, blood.

Casey staggers slightly but remains standing.

CASEY: I killed Mary Beth! I watched her wither and die!

Papa shrieks. Again Casey stumbles. Blood drips from the wounds on his face.

CASEY: Your children are dead. You're all alone!

W.V.O.: Alone and gone.

Papa moves towards him.

CUT TO rear of Papa. The tentacles release Maddy completely and drop her to the ground. She falls to the floor just a few meters from where Zeke lies.

CUT TO: Casey, not moving as Papa draws closer. Tentacles lash around him, a seething mass of blue and gray, but they don't touch him.

CASEY: So do it! Take your revenge!

CUT TO: Maddy, crawling over to Zeke and trying to shake him awake.

MADDY: Zeke, please. Wake up. Please.

CUT TO: INT. CEILING SPACE. SETH is still fumbling with the hydrant.

SETH: Come on, come on.

Behind him, we see EMILY start to stir.

CUT TO: CASEY and alien.

W.V.O.: Insignificant, weak.

CASEY: Weak? I killed Mary Beth and I can kill you!

Tentacles start to creep up around his legs. Casey doesn't try to fight them, but he is shaking violently.

W.V.O.: Rip you apart. Tear you, devour you. Blood and decay.

CASEY: No.

He looks up towards the ceiling, pressing his hands to his ears, as the tentacles creep higher up his body, covering him in a great, seething mass.

W.V.O.: Revenge.

CUT TO: MADDY and ZEKE. Zeke is beginning to stir, groggily.

ZEKE: What? Where's the truck?

MADDY: No truck. Wake up, Zeke.

ZEKE: Maddy? What's going on?

MADDY: Casey. I think…

OS CASEY, his voice mingled with that of Papa, distorted and loud.

OS CASEY/PAPA: It is too late.

CUT TO: CASEY, almost entirely submerged beneath tentacles, the alien wrapping itself around him. Only Casey's face remains untouched, but when he speaks it is with the voice and words of Papa.

CASEY/PAPA: Death no longer matters. Without her. Take this world, and destroy it.

CUT TO: ZEKE and MADDY, supporting each other as they struggle towards Casey.

ZEKE (screaming): Seth! Now!

CUT TO: INT. CEILING CHAMBER.

CU on SETH as he finally makes the connection between the hydrant and the pipe. He plunges the handle down and grabs at the tank's switch, just as EMILY sits up behind him and grabs him by the throat.

INT. LIBRARY.

VCU on the sprinkler heads, bursting into life. Water pours down onto Papa, a fast shower that covers every inch of its surface. The alien starts to wail, its skin hissing and burning where it is touched by the tainted water.

CASEY (screams).

He falls, swallowed up completely by the tentacles around him.

MADDY: Casey!

The alien continues to burn and boil, writhing uncontrollably and lashing out at its surroundings. Maddy and Zeke are forced to draw back as furniture and rubble is thrown about the library, Zeke pulling Maddy beneath a heavy wooden desk to protect her.

CUT TO: INT. CEILING SPACE. Seth is struggling with Emily, who has her hands around his throat. Suddenly she stiffens, then pushes herself away from Seth and doubles over, gagging. A gooey, bluish substance drips from her mouth and hits the floor where it fizzles and evaporates.

SETH: Emily?

Emily turns. She looks scared, and confused - but back to normal.

EMILY: Seth? What's going on?

CUT TO: INT. LIBRARY. The alien is continuing to writhe and shriek, but its movements are growing more sluggish. It is beginning to melt, its skin and tentacles and organs merging into one, fleshy mass. Around it the building continues to burn, the sprinklers unable to extinguish the fire consuming the walls and ceiling. Smoke fills the air.

CUT TO: ALTAR. STOKELY is awake and on her knees, trying to rouse an unconscious STAN.

STOKELY: Stan. Wake up.

STAN (slowly, waking): W-huh? Stokes?

STOKELY: Yeah. It's me.

CUT TO: INT. LIBRARY. The sprinklers sputter, and die, finally running out of water. The screams of the alien fade, its body now a gooey, gray colored liquid seeping across the floor. As it spreads and thins, CASEY is revealed, lying apparently unconscious in the middle of it.

OS ZEKE: Case!

CUT TO: MADDY and ZEKE. Zeke ducks out from beneath the table and runs towards his friend, Maddy following.

MADDY: Oh god.

ZEKE: He's still breathing.

With difficulty, he picks Casey up and puts him over his shoulder, Maddy providing support.

ZEKE: We've gotta get out of here.

MADDY: Seth, Stan…

There is a large creaking sound as one of the supporting timbers of the library threatens to collapse.

ZEKE: Now!

OS SETH: Zeke!

CUT TO: Shot of staircase, leading down from ceiling. SETH and EMILY run down the stairs into the library. They are holding hands.

ZEKE: Good timing. This place is gonna come down on us.

The ceiling gives another creak, and with a great crash a timber falls from the roof and hits the ground, still aflame.

Our heroes start to run towards the nearest exit, a fire door in the eastern wall. Seth takes over from Maddy in helping Zeke carry Casey, while Maddy and Emily run towards the door and open it.

EXT. LIBRARY, EASTERN EXIT. A number of steps lead down from the door to the field outside. The five stumble out through the door and down the stairs, managing to get a little way across the grass before collapsing, coughing from the smoke. Zeke lies Casey down and Maddy leans over him.

CU ON CASEY. Maddy wipes the blood from his face. We see that the cuts have closed and faded.

CASEY (waking, opening his eyes): Hi.

MADDY: Hi.

ZEKE: Casey, you okay?

CASEY: I think so. You?

ZEKE: Hell, no. Think I will be, though.

MADDY: Is it…

BEAT.

CASEY: I felt it.

ZEKE: It's dead.

CASEY: I know.

Maddy and Zeke help him sit up, Maddy pulling him close to her, supporting him.

OS STOKELY: Guys?

CUT TO: STOKELY, supporting a wobbly STAN, stood beside the group.

ZEKE: You made it!

STAN: Wouldn't miss it, Zeke.

STOKELY: Sorry for that whole, trying to kill you thing.

ZEKE: Bridge, water. Pull up some grass.

Stokely and Stan sit down. The group, injured, battered but surviving, watch the library.

CUT TO: GROUP POV, EXT. LIBRARY. The roof collapses, the stone walls licked by flames, thick black smoke rising into the air.

CUT TO: WIDE SHOT of GROUP.

MADDY: Think they'll suspend us for this?

ZEKE: They haven't in the past.

There is a loud crack and a bang as something else collapses within the library. More flames shoot up into the sky.

CASEY: I never wanted that degree anyway.

FADE TO BLACK.

*

BLACK.

OS STAN: You ready?

OS STOKELY: This isn't right.

OS STAN: It's easy.

OS STOKELY: It's going to hurt.

OS STAN: You'll be fine.

OS STOKELY: I mean it's going to hurt you, not me.

FADE IN.

VCU on STAN and STOKELY. They stand face to face, almost touching.

STAN: I trust you.

STOKELY: I know you do. But I don't trust me.

PULL OUT TO SHOW: INT. UNIVERSITY HALL. There is a stage at one end, and colored banners hang from the ceiling. Tables, covered in cloth, are positioned in a circle around the dance floor. Couples fill the space, including Stan and Stokely, CASEY and MADDY, and EMILY and SETH. They are dressed in casual clothes.

STAN: You won't learn to waltz if you won't try.

STOKELY: Dancing just isn't my thing. And since when was it yours?

STAN: Since I found the right partner.

He puts his hands on her hips, adjusting her stance.

STAN: Just, think of it like football? It's only moves. Step forward, step left, then together. Forward, left, then together.

They begin to waltz, slowly and awkwardly.

STOKELY: Face it. I'm terrible.

STAN: Stokes, it's alright. Just let me lead you.

STOKELY: I can do that.

PAN TO: EMILY and SETH,

EMILY: I like this. It's nice. Pretty.

SETH: Definitely pretty.

EMILY: And girly.

SETH: Uh-huh.

EMILY: I don't normally - I mean, I like girly. I just don't get to do it a lot.

SETH: I get that.

EMILY: You know I have a tendency to babble, right?

SETH: I know.

EMILY: Only, ah, I'd babble less, if you were, y'know, well, if you talked and…

Seth leans forward and kisses her for a long moment, before pulling away.

EMILY: Oh.

SETH: Yup.

EMILY: Pretty.

SETH: Definitely.

PAN TO: ZEKE, sat at a table, looking slightly lost. He is reading a student newspaper, clearly trying to ignore the couples. The headline reads: "Mass blackout affects college. Spiked casserole suspected." A smaller headline says: "Frat prank burns library."

OS CASEY: Zeke?

PULL OUT. CASEY and MADDY stand next to the table, watching Zeke as he puts down the paper.

CASEY: You don't have to stay if you don't want to.

ZEKE: Hey, you suggested this, Casey. Besides, I'm happy to watch.

He grins suggestively.

MADDY: Shame.

She and Casey move aside to reveal ALYSSA - brunette, beautiful, and a little nervous.

ALYSSA: Hi.

MADDY: This is Alyssa. Alyssa, Zeke.

CASEY: She's in my photography class.

ALYSSA: I've always wanted to learn to dance.

CASEY: I told her you were a great teacher.

ZEKE (shocked): You did?

CASEY: I did.

ZEKE: Oh. (recovering) Sure. I'm a great teacher.

He stands up and takes Alyssa's arm, leading her to the dance floor.

ZEKE: Did Casey tell you I led my high school salsa class in my senior year?

ALYSSA: No, he didn't.

ZEKE: Yeah. Casey was a student. He could remember the moves but had no passion, y'know? Salsa is all about passion.

CUT TO: Casey and Maddy, still stood at the table.

MADDY: You think she'll be alright?

CASEY: I told her not to believe anything that came out of Zeke's mouth. She'll be fine.

MADDY'S POV: VCU on the newspaper, lying on the table.

OS MADDY: And you?

CUT TO: CU CASEY. He pulls Maddy close and kisses her.

CASEY: Yes.

The music starts - a record of something old, from the forties. In the background we can see the two TEACHERS start to beckon people forward.

TEACHER (shouting): Come on! Let's have you down here, so we can start!

Casey leads Maddy onto the dance floor, slipping his arms around her as though they fit together, completely.

PULL OUT. A HIGH SHOT of the hall, filled with couples, standing close together and holding each other.

TEACHER: Ready? Then lets begin.

FADE TO BLACK.

END TITLES.