Two Winters Past

EXT. CAMP SITE. NIGHT.

FADE FROM BLACK.

A camp sight has been cleared between a few thick trees. A small fire is lit in the center. DOAN lays beside it, eyes closed. VALENTINE and CHLOE ISIS sit opposite each other. VALENTINE is already speaking.

VALENTINE: The night the power went out was great. Everyone barbecued and drank beer. We didn't have any TV or phones, we didn't know how far it went. There was rioting Downtown, but most of the suburbs were secure. We figured it would turn back on eventually. Not many people turned into killers until after the it was gone.

CHLOE ISIS: Chris believed he was going to find the answer in Parlor City. 

VALENTINE: There are no answers in Parlor City. It's overrun now.

CHLOE ISIS: He said there were two rivers...

VALENTINE: The Confluence? 

CHLOE ISIS: Yeah! Did Chris find anything there?

VALENTINE: I don't know. I don't think he ever mentioned it. Why did he think it was interesting?

CHLOE ISIS: He didn't talk to you about it?

VALENTINE: No. What was interesting?

CHLOE ISIS: Do you know if he ever went there?

VALENTINE: (Stern) Why did he think it was interesting?

CHLOE ISIS: (Hesitates.) Why do you think it's interesting?

VALENTINE: That was the first place I saw one of those monsters. This bum attacked a couple kids at that park. Police had to shoot him. Two days later some dude started attacking people right by City Hall. A couple people got the whole thing on their cell phones. 

CHLOE ISIS: How did they get a video without power?

VALENTINE: This was before. 

CHLOE ISIS: There were no monsters before.

VALENTINE: I remember it...

CHLOE ISIS: It's not possible, they were connected. 

VALENTINE: There is no other way I’d remember, it was all over the news. I wasn’t the only one who remembered. This one old dude that slept under the bridge started attacking joggers. Cops had to shoot him five times before he went down. Someone got it on their cell phone. How far do the radios go?

CHLOE ISIS: All that’s working last I knew were old transistor radios on battery power. More may have come on since we left Syracuse.

POPPER joins them.

POPPER: I don't think we been followed. Doan still alive?

CHLOE ISIS: If we try to cauterize the wound, he’ll still find strength to scream loud enough for every zombie on the hill. Carrying him around is just making him suffer more for less time.

VALENTINE: You’re not saying we kill him.

CHLOE ISIS: It’s not execution, it’s mercy. Look at him, he's already dead.

POPPER: Kid has a conscience. It’s going to get us killed.

REMMY (OS): Popper! Popper, sit back down, I got five guns on you!

REMMY enters. He looks like Cole, but grizzly. He is dirty and unshaven.

REMMY: We saw your fire a mile away.

POPPER: What do you want, Remmy?