The Cannibal Hordes. Cast: Joaquin Phoenix as Adam, Sienna Miller as Emma, and Michael Cera as Leo. Inspired by a real person who is a surgeon.
FADE IN: 2.
EXT. MOUNTAIN CAMPSITE - NIGHT
A middle-aged man (ADAM GRIFFIN) with a full not too long scruffy grey beard and a
distinguishing rugged look, sits around his campfire with a slight peaceful content feeling smile.
The licks of fire light against his face make him look almost angelic. His site is packed to the hilt with
survival supplies, and his SUV EV has a giant solar panel custom fitted on the roof of his car, Adam
seems to be prepared for the worst. He checks his phone, but there is no signal. He picks up a Ham
Radio with wires hanging out of the casing and shakes his head with a disappointed look on his face,
he drops it back on the ground. A shotgun can be seen leaning against a small table nearby.
A loud human yell of pain in the distance echoes through the trees reach Adam's campsite, he
grabs his shotgun faster than what you would expect and then pulls a pistol from his side holster
right after and points it in the direction of the yell. Adam while being on high alert happens to be
standing over his cell phone and looks down at it, then raises his eyes back up peering into the
darkness wondering if someone needs help. He relaxes, puts his weapons down while sitting back
in his camp chair in front of the fire, picks up his phone again to see if service is working.
CUT TO:
CLOSE ON phone face where we see the words NO SERVICE. PAN UP to Adam's face - we see
him looking all around, then looking toward where the yell came from, he gets his flashlight
and stands up and starts walking toward the mountain road next to his campsite, he stops and
turns on the flashlight.
ADAM
That can't be you babe, can it?
FADE OUT:
____________________________________________________________________________________ 3.
FLASHBACK:
BLACKSCREEN
TWO MONTHS EARLIER
FADE IN:
INT. MEDICAL ADMIN OFFICE ROOM - DAY
We see Adam sitting in a clinical couch across from Dr. GREG OLSON'S desk. Greg walks in, he's
at least 10 to 15 years younger than Adam, and looks like a typical medical professional, and carries
himself even more so.
GREG
Sorry to keep you waiting Dr. Griffin, ROSE said it was
important so I ended my meeting a little early. What's up?
ADAM
I'm retiring. The Rogers cervical discectomy and fusion next
week is my last one. I know your team will be shorthanded and
I'm sorry for that, but I have to go, I'm burnt out.
GREG
Does this have to do with being sued for malpractice?
ADAM
I wish it was that simple, but the truth is Dr. Olson, I'm
struggling with mental health and if I don't go and fix my personal
life...well I...
GREG
Emma?
ADAM
In part, but it's more about me. Twenty-five years Greg.
GREG
Everyone is scared Adam. I don't think anything will happen,
but God forbid if it does, we're going to need you for emergency
services.
CUT TO:
____________________________________________________________________________________ 4.
INT. ADAM AND EMMA'S HOUSE (SUBURBS) - NIGHT
EMMA, a handsome athletic middle-aged woman with sandy blonde hair walks out of the
main bedroom's bathroom in sleep wear and gets into bed with her husband Adam. She lays in
his arms while he scrolls his phone, her head on his chest, she caresses his chest for a few seconds.
EMMA
You on reddit again? I thought you quit, oh babe.
ADAM
Sorry. (beat) They're going to try and bomb it out of its
path - Apophis's little sister Nelly with a nuke.
EMMA
What? I thought it was supposed to miss us too.
ADAM
I wasn't on reddit, I was on NASA's site; they confirmed a direct hit.
EMMA
Will it work?
ADAM
They're one hundred percent certain it will, but there's a caveat.
Emma rolls off of Adam and stares at the ceiling.
EMMA
Caveat?
ADAM
The explosion is going to have an EMP effect over the entire
country. Power could be out for months.
EMMA
Oh god, that means you're going to your spot. I can't go
you know that. The station will be on generators, I'll have to be out
in the field reporting.
ADAM
I know, I know. If you feel the need, if things get bad, go to our
spot, but don't wait too long to leave.
EMMA
I think you're being a little paranoid, but yeah ok. Most people
are good Adam.
ADAM
History shows...
Emma turns toward Adam, then gets up and straddles him quickly - putting her index finger to his
lips.
EMMA
Shush.
Adam smiles.
FADE OUT:
____________________________________________________________________________________ 5.
FADE IN:
FLASHFORWARD TO ADAM'S PRESENT.
EXT. - MOUNTAIN CAMPSITE - NIGHT
We see Adam standing holding a powerful flashlight in the direction of the road and also panning it
back and forth, stopping the light at random spots on the tree line.
ADAM
Hello?! Someone there?!
A man between 30 to 40 years old stumbles off the road into the campsite and stops like a deer
in headlights in Adam's flashlight beam. Adam draws a pistol from his waist band and holds it pointed
at the man in police fashion, flashlight in one hand crossed under his gun holding hand. The man (LEO)
in shorts can be seen in the light bleeding from his right leg. Leo limps forward a couple steps.
LEO
Help, I slipped on the trail after my headlamp died and
I had to leave my backpack; it was too heavy to carry hurt. Are you
pointing a gun at me? Please, I'm not a threat, my leg.
ADAM
I see that. You're lucky I'm the one you found, I happen to be a
doctor.
LEO
A doctor? Oh, thank God.
CUT TO:
We see Adam finishing medically dressing Leo's leg. Adam opens another camp chair and Leo
carefully sits down with a little assistance, Leo winces. They sit staring at the campfire for a moment.
Leo turns to Adam and explains himself.
LEO
I don't usually come up here unprepared, but I left in a hurry.
ADAM
What's your name again?
LEO
Leo. Leo Aloysius. My last name throws people off.
ADAM
Leo, how are things since the lights went out? My ham radio
is broken and obviously no cell reception.
LEO
It's bad.
ADAM
Bad? How Bad?
CUT TO:
____________________________________________________________________________________ 6.
A FEW HOURS EARLIER
EXT.- MOUNTAIN ROAD - DUSK
We see a bobbing headlamp from someone hiking up the mountain road. ZOOM - It's Emma fully
loaded with a backpack huffing it, the rocky badly potted dirt road is illuminated at her feet with
each earned step. She suddenly notices Leo in front of her and is slightly jump scared.
EMMA
Holy shit, you scared me.
She gets into a defensive pose.
LEO
Sorry, my headlamp died. I stopped to take a rest.
EMMA
Where's all your gear? My husband is just around the corner at
our campsite. Do you need help or something? You lost?
LEO
No, I have a hidden underground shelter nearby, I live up here.
Emma looks into his eyes and her intuition kicks in along with a boost of adrenaline and she turns and
runs. Before she can scream, he jumps on her back clinging to her backpack and brings her down
in an animalistic way. They roll and struggle intertwined, and he slashes his leg on a rock. Emma
escapes on the road in the down direction away from Adam. Leo yells out in pain and anger
simultaneously, he clasps his wound as blood gushes from it. He looks to see where she is, but she's
long gone. He starts to limp up the road toward Adam, he stops looks up above the trees and notices the
stream of smoke against the clear star filled moonlit sky.
LEO
She wasn't lying.
CUT TO:
____________________________________________________________________________________ 7.
EXT. - MOUNTAIN CAMPSITE - DAY
THE NEXT MORNING
Adam and Leo are gathered around the remade fire, a stainless-steel coffee pot heats up on it.
The skies are still clear, and the sunrise give the site a wonderful orange glow.
ADAM
How's your leg?
LEO
Thanks to the pain meds, good. Appreciate you doc.
ADAM
I can't get a hold of my wife, but considering all the chaos after only
a few days I'm hoping she'll make her way up here sooner than later.
LEO
Why did she delay? Why not go with you right away, I mean you're
obviously well prepared for all of this so why stay where it's
dangerous?
ADAM
Reporter for KTCV.
LEO
Ok, that makes sense. Still, it's too bad she didn't go with you.
No one is safe out there anymore; you can't trust anyone. Once
the food runs out in a few weeks people might turn to cannibalism.
ADAM
Yeah. My wife is tough though, and she'll leave before that.
LEO
She is tough.
The coffee pot boils over, Adam ignores it and locks eyes with Leo.
ADAM
What did you say?
LEO
Oops, Freudian slip.
Leo pulls a large knife from a sheath hidden on the back of his cargo shorts covered by his shirt,
then leaps at Adam trying to stab him, but he runs just in time to avoid the tip of the blade. While
comically running in circles around the camp with Leo closing in, Adam fumbles with his holster
trying to grab his gun, but it's not there, he looks over at his sleeping bag while almost at a full sprint
and goes for it. Leo keeps up with Adam despite his wounded leg.
ADAM
(out of breath exasperated still running)
The pain meds really worked!
Adam dives on his sleeping bag and quickly searches for his gun but finds the shot gun in its stead.
He whips around with uncanny speed - the barrel perfectly lined up with Leo's face, Adam pulls
the trigger, Leo raises his arm hitting the tip of the barrel slightly off the mark just as the rifle goes off.
CUT TO:
We see Leo on the ground laying on his back with eyes wide open staring up, blood everywhere and
a part of the edge of his neck is missing. Adam suddenly comes into frame leaning over Leo, and
he starts to frantically wrap Leo's neck with a large roll of gauze. Adam feels for a pulse, then does
CPR and after only a few seconds Leo takes a gurgled breath, Adam gently turns Leo's head sideways
so, he can cough out the blood from his throat.
ADAM
Just missed your artery, you might live. Can you speak?
CUT TO:
____________________________________________________________________________________ 8.
EXT. - MOUNTAIN ROAD - DAY
We see Emma in a local Sheriffs vehicle sitting in the back and two officers in the front seat,
they're driving faster than normal for a rough dirt road. PAN to reveal two more Ranger trucks
following behind the Sheriff's.
CUT TO:
EXT. - MOUNTAIN CAMPSITE - CONTINUOUS
Leo sits propped up against a log near the fire, barely awake hands tied behind his back, the bandages
around his neck wound soaked in blood. Adam sips on coffee, shot gun rests on his lap, and his side
arm on the ready.
LEO
(soft and slightly gurgled)
You should kill me. I'll only try to kill you again.
ADAM
I should, I would be justified. If society survives this black out,
prefer you rot in prison; you deserve to suffer.
Leo laughs and blood drips from his mouth.
LEO
You're going to heal me so you can turn me in? Not to bright
for a doctor.
ADAM
What kind of childhood did you have to turn you evil.
LEO
Loving parents who sheltered me.
ADAM
So, you're just a sick fuck. Is your name even Leo?
LEO
(smiling)
I'm a serial killer not a liar. I didn't tell you what caused me
to fall and hurt my leg.
Adam angrily jumps up and points his shotgun square in the face of Leo and holds it there.
ADAM
What do you mean?!
LEO
Blonde hair, fit. Nice, loaded backpack must've been pretty
heavy.
Adam screams out, points the shotgun in Leo's face, then the air and fires it, the loud blast echoes
through the mountain range. He falls backward to the ground looking around dazed, then gets back up
confronting Leo.
ADAM
So, you did see my wife, what did you do?!
LEO
She escaped, first one too, but chances are the world down there
won't care under the circumstances. They're all no better than me.
You're no better than me, the world falls apart at the slightest adversity.
So called empathetic people would kill each other over toilet paper.
You know I'm right, that's why you're up here hiding right? Everyone
is capable of evil, even doctors who take oaths. And you think there's
still hope to put me in jail with society tearing itself apart right now.
ADAM
I went down the rabbit hole and lost myself, but you know what?
You fucking woke me up, because you're an outlier, a fucking
anomaly of the worst kind you psycho! You fucking Psycho!!
CUT TO:
____________________________________________________________________________________ 9.
CONTINUOUS.
The SHERIFF'S SUV and the two Rangers trucks pull into Adam's campsite halting to a stop one
next to the other in a row. The police, Emma, and the rangers run up to where Adam and Leo are
situated, their guns drawn.
SHERIFF 1
Do you know who you captured?
ADAM
He said his name is Leo Aloysius. He admitted to me he's a serial
killer. Almost got me too, I'm a lucky bastard.
SHERIFF 2
You and your wife both.
The police pick Leo up off the ground, cuff him, read him his rights then slam his head while
shoving him in the back of the police car with the rangers assisting. Emma hugs her husband.
EMMA
I'm glad you're safe my God you left to escape chaos and almost
got murdered by a serial killer instead.
ADAM
Is the power grid up and running?
EMMA
Yeah, came back within four days. Communities pulled together
Adam, they were there for each other, strangers helping strangers. I
didn't expect that would happen, but no one panicked. I have to
admit I bought into your post-apocalyptic bullshit a little bit, but
people surprised me.
ADAM
I'm glad I was wrong, let's go home. I still want to take time off from
work though.
EMMA
Of course.
CUT TO:
Adam and Emma drive away in their SUV EV and on to the dirt mountain road.
CUT TO:
POV of inside Adam and Emma's car looking over their front hood, trees and mountain scenery
fill the windshield, suddenly a MAN and WOMAN dressed in torn hiking clothes and covered in what
looks like might be dried blood - jumps out in front of their vehicle, Adam slams on the brakes.
The man and woman tap on the driver's side window pleading.
MAN AND WOMAN
Help us! Help! Please! Help!
MAN
(pointing behind into the forest)
We escaped an underground shelter right down there!
WOMAN
A maniac is on the loose, help us please!
CUT TO:
____________________________________________________________________________________ 10.
EXT. - MOUNTAIN ROAD - CONTINUOUS
Adam, Emma, and the rescued man and woman travel slowly down the dirt road toward home.
MAN
Are you preppers?
ADAM
Was.
WOMAN
Was?
EMMA
(looks back)
You don't know?
ADAM
That maniac that imprisoned you two, Leo - he tried to kill me too.
He failed and the cops have him now.
The woman bursts out in tears. Emma reaches back and gently holds the woman's hand.
EMMA
Society didn't fall apart either.
The man cries, then smiles. He turns to look at nature's beauty outside the backseat window.
THE END.
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