Viral
Episode 1 - Pilot
Written by Cedric Graham
Open:
Two girls standing in the back of a restaurant having a conversation about work.
GIRL 2
So are you getting off early tonight?
GIRL 1
No I'm closing I need the extra cash, you?
GIRL 2
No thank god, I'm getting out of here in a minute. I hate this place.
GIRL 1
Yeah, so what are you getting into tonight?
GIRL 2
Nothing much, probably going to hang around my place…maybe go out later. I'll give you a call later if I do anything; K?
GIRL 1
K, bye.
The girl walks off toward her car leaving the other girl standing there. A young guy waiter walks up to the remaining girl.
GUY WAITER
I thought you were out of here in a couple hours.
GIRL 1
I am.
GUY WAITER
So then why did you tell her you were closing?
GIRL 1
Because I think she's been hooking up with my boyfriend when she knows I'm working and won’t be able to catch them. So tonight I'm gonna get off early and try to catch them.
GUY WAITER
Damn that sucks. (Jokingly) You want me to kick his ass for you?
GIRL 1
Thanks, but if I catch those two together…he's DEAD!
INT: rest. dining room evening
One table has people still eating the rest of the dining room is empty with the exception of waitresses cleaning there stations. The girl is looking bored, waiting for the people to leave. The manager walks in.
GIRL 1
Can I please start tilling my silverware and get off the floor now it’s so dead in here.
Manager
Yeah go ahead so you can get out of here when they’re done.
GIRL 1
Thank you so much.
She turns and looks at the people just kinda killing time and sighs.
INT. car
As she is driving she tries to call her boy friend on the phone, she is visibly frustrated.
GIRL 1
You better answer the phone jerk
She sends the call; it rings to his voice mail.
GIRL 1
Bastard! (trying to calm herself) no maybe he's in the shower. I'll try to call her.
Her phone goes straight to voice mail. She slams her phone closed.
GIRL 1
This is BS I'm going to his house.
ex. wide shot of car driving into and through a neighborhood
Inside the car you see her pass an abandoned car ran into a ditch, she looks over at the car.
GIRL 1
Oh my god is that a wreck?
As she looks back ahead she sees the girl’s car in her boyfriend’s yard.
GIRL 1
You bastard! I knew it.
She picks up the phone again to call as she drives up to the house.
Cut to the inside of the house
You see a vibrating phone on a table. Off in the distance you see a guy standing with the girl they appear to be making out.
INT. CAR
In the car the girl is pissed off as she is closing the phone.
EXT. car wide shot
She gets out and walks up to the door and begins to beat on it. Impatiently she tries to rattle the doorknob. To her surprise it's unlocked, but she barges into the front room then turns to walk toward the bedrooms.
Side shot
She walks up to the door and starts to walk in but before she does, she puts her ear to the door to see what she can hear. She hears moaning and grunting then steps back with her hand over her mouth and looks like she is about to cry as she starts into the door.
Cut to inside of the room as she walks through the door
GIRL 1
I can't believe you would do this you asshole, after all the things we've been through. I hate you!
Cut behind her as she walks toward the guy
He pushes the lifeless girl to the side and begins to walk toward her.
GIRL 1
Stay away from me I don't want to hear anything you have to say.
He moves closer toward her and then grabs for her. She tries to fight him away but in the process of fighting him he bites her arm. As he does she shoves him away from her.
GIRL 1
What the hell is your problem.
She looks down to check out her arm.
Reveal of the arm
She sees the gash bitten out of her arm.
Female POV of the man
She looks back at him and sees the blood on his face and a strange look in his eyes.
Cut to her trying to crawling away
GIRL 1
What the hell is wrong with you!
She starts to pick herself up to escape the house.
GIRL 1
Help me!
As she is saying this he charges at her and she begins to run franticly out of the house away from him.
ext house as they exit
cut to camera following behind the girl
She runs through the neighborhood screaming for help and looking for anyone to save her. After a short while she sees a guy off in the distance waving his arms in an attempt to direct her toward him. She sees him and begins to run toward him. As she is closing on the distance to the guy she gets snatched off camera.
Camera moves on past her onto the guy you see the terror on his face.
As the camera moves behind him you see why he is in terror. The girl in the distance is being attacked and eaten by her attacker. He turns and runs away.
int. apartment
Two guys inside the apartment sitting around playing video games and talking trash to each other. Out of nowhere the guy we just left in the street comes busting into the room. He is frantic and noticeably horrified. He says nothing to them and makes a bee line for his bedroom. The other guys kinda stop what and wait to see what’s going on. Then one of them gets up and goes to his room.
Vick
Hey man, what the hell you doing? What’s up?
Jay
We gotta get out of here…we gotta get the hell out of here.
He finds what he’s looking for it’s a gun.
VICK
Whoa when did you get a gun?
Jay starts past him with the gun in hand.
VICK
…and what the hell do you need that for? JAY! What up man?
Jay turns around.
JAY
Look; we've gotta get out of here. People are attacking each other in the streets. It’s like the whole world is going crazy. Haven't you guys been outside at all?
Andy who has still been sitting on the couch waiting to keep playing games now stands up.
Andy
Nah dude what do you mean crazy whats going on?
JAY
I don't know but I swear to god I just saw the guy from down the street tackle and bite a chick while she was running to me scared for her life.
Andy interrupts.
Andy
What?
JAY
And now people are getting crazy in the streets.
Andy starts toward the semi opened door to the apartment.
ANDY
Well then I say hell with that man…lets lock the doors, post up here with the gun and wait for the cops to settle this shit out.
Just as he reaches the door it burst open as a girl comes running into the house. She tackles Andy to the ground and starts trying to bite him. Andy is pushing her head up away from him and as he does you see it’s the girl from earlier
cut to close up reveal of the girls face
cut to jay standing with the gun
Jay points the gun at her you hear Vick in the background
VICK
Shoot it! Shoot it! Jay fucking shoot it!
cut behind jay revealing the girl on top of Andy
Jay hesitates to fire, as he does she bites Andy on the neck
cut to front of Jay
JAY
Shit!
He runs up and knocks the girl off of Andy with the butt of the gun. She falls to the side of Andy knocked out. Jay turns to see Andy holding his neck yelling in pain
ANDY
She bit me, what the hell she bit me.
JAY
Let me see it.
cut to reveal of Andy’s neck
Andy removes his hand to reveal the wound.
cut to jay and Vick
JAY
Oh my god! We have to get him to a hospital.
VICK
What!? That’s crazy, we can't go out there everyone’s gone nuts.
JAY
Well if we don't he's dead now help me get him to the car.
VICK
Dammit!
Vick is starting to freak out as they start to help him up and toward the car.
VICK
Hold on a second let’s check first.
cut to first person view of outside the door
They stop at the door to look out and round for anyone else who might be out there.
EXT HOUSE AS THEY EXIT
VICK
Alright let’s move.
As they move toward the car you see the figure of the girl stand up in the doorway. She screech's and the guys turn around to see the once downed girl up again and about to charge at them.
cut to close up of Vick and Jay
VICK
Shit!
JAY
Go close the door.
cut to camera following behind vick
Vick takes off to try to close the door before she makes it out. An intense race for the door ensues. At the last minute he reaches and slams the door.
cut to inside the apartment at the door
You see the girl on the other side of the door beating and screaming at the door.
cut to outside the door
On the other side of the door Vick is holding the door.
VICK
Go ahead and start the car. I'll hold the door till we can go.
JAY
OK!
He helps Andy into the backseat so he can lay down comfortably then he rushes around to the driver’s side and opens it.
fade to close up of vick camera starts to the side and a little above his head then moves down to reveal his eyes closed tight then move back.
Vick is still holding the door struggling to keep it closed. Finally he gives a little on the door, and then he slams the door shut hard using his body in a final attempt to knock her away from the door.
With the door still open jay cranks the car then yells back to Vick.
JAY
Let’s go! Come on.
He slams the door shut.
Vick takes off for the car the girl comes busting out the door.
CUT BACK TO JAYS POV AS YOU SEE VICK RUNNING TOWARD THE CAR
As he is getting into the car she reaches it barely missing him. Then she begins to beat on the car.
INT. CAR
VICK
Shit! Go Jay go, go, go!
high ext. shot wide car
The car screeches out of the yard, the girl starts to run after it.
INT. CAR camera looking back at Vick and jay as you see the girl running behind the car then slowly fades back and out.
VICK
What the hell is going on?
JAY
I don't know.
As he is saying that Andy begins to cringe in pain. Jay looks into the rear view mirror then back at Andy.
JAY
Hold on man we're gonna get you to the hospital.
cut to Andy in the backseat
ANDY
Help me Jay, please god help me.
Vick reaches back to apply pressure on the wound.
VICK
Jay…man, what do we do? There’s blood everywhere.
JAY
I don't know just try and help him...keep pressure on it.
For the first time you notice that the radio is on, its the public service announcement.
Cut to slow push of the radio
“Beep Beep Beep, this is a broadcast of the emergency broadcast system. Attention the mayor has issued a state of emergency and is advising all residents to avoid all public establishments including the hospital and police station. The University has been converted into a public safe house and evacuation point. There has also been medical facility's set up there for any mildly injured persons however; if you are in contact or come in contact with anyone who is infected with this unknown virus promptly remove yourself from those persons and call for help. The known side effects include aggression, memory loss and an apparent return to primal instinct. These infected persons are very dangerous acting without logic or reason and should be cautioned. In the event you are attacked the only way to stop them is blunt acute trauma to the head. We will bring you further information as we receive it. Please stay tuned for further instruction.”
VICK
Shit Jay; man, what do we do? If he's infected he's gonna start flipping out.
Jay is noticeably afraid and bewildered
VICK
Jay man what do we...
Jay interrupts.
JAY
I DON'T KNOW! OK, Jesus Christ! All I know is he's bleeding to death and if we don't get him help soon we won’t have to worry about him freaking out.
Sudden realization
JAY
He'll die first.
Andy begins to pant violently and moan in pain.
JAY
Shit, shit, shit
VICK
This aint good man
Andy begins to scratch and claw at his own face and them he starts foaming at the mouth; then he appears to just die. Jay looks into the rear view mirror
JAY
Oh my god is he.....
Silence as the both look back at him.
VICK
Jay, give me the gun.
JAY
What!?
VICK
Give me the gun; if he starts to flip out we've got to knock him out.
JAY
Knock him out? Look at him he's dead.
VICK
We don't know that and you've seen and heard what infected people do. You've got to drive so give me the gun.
Jay reaches the gun
JAY
Be careful, that’s still Andy back there.
As he is saying this Andy awakens, he is possessed and he lunges at Vick.
VICK
Shit!
Andy is grabbing for him and he is pushing his head back by his forehead.
VICK
Shit…shit pull over, pull over.
He begins scrambling for the door handle and finally gets it as Jay is pulling the car over. He stumbles out and kicks the door closed. Jay comes around to that side of the car.
JAY
Are you OK, did he bite you?
VICK
No.
Andy is flipping out in the back of the car.
JAY
What are we gonna do?
VICK
We have to shoot him in the head.
Jay looks at him in disbelief.
JAY
What! Are you crazy? You’re talking about killing Andy.
VICK
We don't have a choice, what are we gonna do leave him here to be someone else's problem. What if he gets out and bites someone else. This thing will just spread! You heard the report…blunt trauma to the head, it’s the only way to stop this.
Open the back door and let him out. I'll do it when he charges me. If he's not completely gone he'll run from a gun in his face. Duck down when you open the door, ok?
JAY
This is crazy.
He reaches for the door knob, with caution her starts opening the door. As he opens the door the gun cocks.
VICK
I'm sorry man…
The door opens and jay ducks down. Then the Vick yells
Hey!
Andy turns toward the gun enraged then runs right at it.
cut to Andy’s behind shot and reveal
Behind Vick a car is revealed coming down the street.
cut to int. truck
From the view of the people in the SUV you see a man running at another man then Bang! He is shot in the head. They see it and start to freak.
Kelly
Oh my god he just killed that guy!
Black out
End Viral ep.1
Art by Andy Bonesteel