ARE WE ALONE?
Page 3
(pause - looking down at his hand)
There was a bump that hadn't been there before.
Old Man sticks out his hand to Gina. OLD MAN (CONT’D) Go on, feel it.
Gina looks at the dirty hand and hesitates. OLD MAN (CONT’D) (sternly)
Go on, feel it.
Gina gently touches the Old Man's hand. OLD MAN (CONT'D)
Don't just touch it, feel it. Feel that bump?
Gina now applies a little more pressure, feeling the hand. Yes, I feel it. It's a bump. OLD MAN
When my son died, I drove back to Ohio for his funeral. A couple of nights, when I was driving, I'd see lights off to the side of the road. They were following me.
GINA
They? Oh, you mean... OLD MAN
From the spaceship. (rubbing his hand)
They put some kinda tracker in me, to keep tabs on me. Don't know why, but they did.
ANTHONY
Have you had a doctor look at it? At your hand?
OLD MAN
(slight smile)
Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna go to a doctor and tell him that some alien slipped a tracker into my hand and could he kindly take it out? Shit no, they'd lock me up.
Old Man rubs his hand, then looks at it. OLD MAN (CONT’D)
They must be a whole lot smarter than us. There's no cut, no scar, nothing.
(pause - slight tremor)
They so smart, why’d the hell didn’t they help my dear Martha, before cancer ate her body away? Tell me that.
(pause - looking up)
Yeah, well, I got to be getting back to hunting for those rocks.
(pause - looking at Gina) You gonna pay me? The twenty bucks?
Gina reaches into a pocket and takes out some money, handing it to Old Man, who quickly counts it and then stuffs it into a pocket.
The spaceship? Could you tell me the shape? How large was it?
Gina motions to Yasmine, who reaches down and picks up a book. GINA (CONT’D)
If I showed you some pictures, could you...
Old Man takes his shovel, puts it on top of the wheel barrel, and starts to push the wheel barrel away. He suddenly stops, still looking away from them.
OLD MAN
I told you, I’d tell my story, then MAYBE I’d answer some of your questions.
Old Man turns back around, looks at the students, then stops, looking at Chaz’ T-shirt. Old Man slightly shakes his head, “NO.”
OLD MAN (CONT’D)
I only went to the sixth grade. Not an educated man, but...
Old Man points at Chaz’ T-shirt. OLD MAN (CONT’D)
I’m smart enough to know not to make fun of things I don’t know nothing about. I’m smart enough to leave things alone. You keep pokin’ at a tiger and soon enough, it’ll bite you. Some things you don’t joke about, you just don’t.
Old Man turns and walks away, pushing the wheel barrel. CHAZ
If aliens are tracking that old coot, they have to have a sense of humor. What a joke.
Gina watches, as the Old Man slowly walks away and then disappears over a slight hill. Gina continues to look at the location, where the Old Man disappeared.
GINA Is the car fixed? SCENE DISSOLVES TO BLACK: CHAZ (V.O.) Touch it. FADE IN: INT. CAR
Chaz is holding his hand out to Christina, who looks down at his hand. CHAZ
There's something in my hand. I, I think it’s...alien.
CHRISTINA
Here, let Nurse Christina take a look.
Christina takes Chaz’ hand and softly caresses it. CHAZ
I, I think they did, did something...
Chaz moves his other hand closer to his crotch. CHAZ (CONT’D) Down here. Would you... Chaz practically SCREAMS, as he yanks his hand away from Christina and looks down, seeing fingernail marks on his hand. Christina and Yasmine look at each other, then slightly giggle, as Chaz massages his hand.
YASMINE
Whether they’re from Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or...Mars. Boys will always be boys.
Chaz turns and looks out of the window, seeing an approaching sign, as the CAR moves to the side of the road.
EXT. TOWN - DAY Anthony gets out of the CAR, which has stopped by the EXTRA TERRESTRIAL HIGHWAY SIGN. Yasmine, Christina, and Gina also get out. They move up to the sign, posing. They motion for Chaz to join them.
PAUSE. Chaz runs up to them, with the STUDENTS posing. Chaz then runs back to the camera, mounted on a tripod, as the STUDENTS start back to the CAR. Chaz previews the photograph that was just taken and smiles, as he takes the camera off of the tripod and breaks down the tripod. Chaz puts the equipment back into the car and gets inside. The car then continues down the road, moving into a small town.
EXT. TOWN - DAY From inside the car, the students look at the small town, which predominately displays various UFO-type advertising and merchandising. Several of the PEOPLE walking down the sidewalks wear T-shirts emblazoned with UFO and ALIEN images and quotes. The scene is almost surreal, with such a heavy influence and display of UFO and ALIEN merchandising. They even pass a PERSON, who is dressed in an ALIEN costume. Anthony looks at the bizarre scene.
ANTHONY
(softly)
There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man it is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity it is the middle ground between light and shadow between science and
superstition and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge this is the dimension of imagination it is an area which we call...the Twilight Zone.
GINA
An original thought? ANTHONY
No, a quote from the old T-V series, the Twilight Zone. Seems fitting for...
Anthony turns and looks at Gina. ANTHONY (CONT’D) Our class project.
GINA
Never got into the Twilight Zone... (smiling)
Too twisted, too much focus on “what ifs” and mind games. Now, Star Trek and Alf, those shows were more attune to reality.
Reality? I think that...
GINA
As Doctor McCoy so dramatically put our existence into a realistic perspective: In this galaxy there’s a mathematical probability of three million Earth-type
planets. And in the universe, three million galaxies like this. And in all that, and perhaps more...only one of each of us.
ANTHONY Meaning? GINA
There’s a higher probability that aliens exist, then the probability that you’ll get accidently get dropped into some...twilight zone.
ANTHONY
What does a future C-E-O care about other galaxies?
GINA
Prospective consumers. Prospective markets. Now, where do I turn?
Anthony looks at Gina, then down at a map. ANTHONY
Left at the next corner. The car turns left at the next corner. ANTHONY (CONT’D) Now, make a right.
The car makes a right. ANTHONY (CONT’D)
The house should be the last house. The car moves a short distance and nears a dead end, with a small house at the very end, with no other houses nearby. ANTHONY (CONT’D) That’s it.
The car pulls up in front of the house and stops. GINA
This is it. Is everyone ready? CHAZ
Uh, we’re interviewing a crazy guy, not someone important, like...
YASMINE
The President of the United States? CHAZ
Uh, I said important. Anyway, everyone, please remember what I’ve told you. I’ll do the principle filming and you guys do side views. Got it?
CHRISTINA Yeah.
YASMINE Yeah. ANTHONY
Point the camera and shoot. Yeah, I got it.
EXT. HOUSE - DAY Chaz films, as the other STUDENTS get out of the car, gathering their equipment.
PERIODIC JUMP OF POV FROM ONE STUDENT TO THE OTHER, AS THEY APPROACH THE HOUSE. They walk up to the door. Just as Gina is starting to knock on the door, the door is jerked open, scaring the teenagers. They see AUTHOR (70’s), sipping a cup of coffee and looking at them.
AUTHOR
You don’t look like the normal media team, sent by corporate America to discount my claims. Perhaps, looking like college students is just a ruse, in order to win my confidence.
They look at Author, who then starts to smile. AUTHOR (CONT’D)
Sorry, a little cynical. Can I help you?
I’ve seen your picture before.
AUTHOR Really? Where? ANTHONY
On the jacket of your book. AUTHOR
Let me guess, you were using the book to prop up an old wobbly chair and saw my picture?
ANTHONY No, I read your book. AUTHOR
Really? Tell me, what did you think about my observations that Martians were on the moon, during the first moon walk?
ANTHONY
(slight smile)
I believe you referenced that it was travelers from Venus, not Mars.
Everyone, including Author, looks at Anthony, studying him. Author looks at the other STUDENTS, with POV moving from one STUDENT to the next, watching Author.
AUTHOR
Please, why don’t we go inside. INT. AUTHOR’S HOUSE Author and Anthony are talking, as the others set up the equipment. Gina moves closed to Chaz. GINA
What the hell is he doing? I’m suppose to be doing the interview.
CHAZ
Maybe, Anthony’s just getting him warmed up.
Gina looks at Anthony and gives him a hard stare, as he continues talking with Author.
Our documentary is actually in response to one of my favorite quotes in your book. Let me see if I can get it right--
(pause)
It is my belief that if a change is to be implemented to make our neighbors welcome amongst us, the change will have to come from the people, never from our governments.
AUTHOR
It is by a fallacy and
misunderstanding of our monetary system that our cosmic neighbors go to our government to ask for permission to come. It is like asking---
ANTHONY
Caesar to relinquish his throne, and I do not think that Caesar will be too eager to do that.
Author smiles SFX: MUSIC BEGINS PLAYING.
Anthony and Author continue talking, with Author gradually becoming more agitated and looking around, as though someone is watching.
SFX: MUSIC CUTS. Author is still apparently agitated, as he gets up and motions for everyone to leave. He almost pushes the group out of the door. Anthony turns and looks at Author.
ANTHONY (CONT’D)
I’m sorry, if I said something to offend you, but...
AUTHOR
You’ll discover, when you talk to people, real people, not actors reading from a script, that the truth can’t be hidden.
(beat)
That space travelers not only exist, but they’ve visited us and will continue to visit us.
I have several more questions and Gina was actually suppose to be conducting the interview and...
Author frowns, looks around, then moves up to a shelf. He pulls out a piece of paper and returns to Anthony, holding out the paper. Author moves closer to Anthony and whispers.
AUTHOR
This is a map, which details some of the landing locations, as well as some eye witnesses, but...
Author turns and looks around the house, then stops, staring at a wall, as though he sees something. Author jerks back, with a frightened look on his face. He leans even closer towards Anthony and whispers.
AUTHOR (CONT’D)
They’re watching...they’re always watching...if, if they think you’re, you’re not...sincere, then, then...be careful...
Author moves and practically pushes Anthony and the others out of the house.
EXT. HOUSE - DAY POV is from Chaz, who is filming Anthony and Author, standing in the doorway.
CHAZ
What a weird, old guy... Suddenly, AUthor exits the house, looks around, then looks at the group. ANTHONY
On our way over here, we met an old man, out on the highway. He showed us a rock. Said it was from Aliens. He also told us a story of being inside a spaceship and having a...
AUTHOR
Track imbedded into his hand. That would be old man Hardt
Author looks towards the students. AUTHOR (CONT’D)
Old man Hardt lost his wife to cancer and, well, grief has made him believe in things that aren’t true.
ANTHONY
The existence of aliens? Author looks back towards Anthony. AUTHOR
The existence of aliens is a given, a documented truth, but people often attribute their experiences as being somehow connected to aliens and alien visitation, when it’s just life playing out the game.
ANTHONY What about the rocks? AUTHOR
Their monitoring devices often appear to us to be just rocks.
ANTHONY Monitoring?
Author looks around, then looks back at Anthony, shaking his head, “NO.” AUTHOR
I, I’ve said too much...read my book or...find out on your own...
Author turns and hurries back inside the house. SFX: HORN HONK.
They turn and look towards the car, seeing Gina in the driver’s seat and giving Anthony an impatient look. Anthony walks over to the car and gets inside, as Chaz also gets into the car, continuing to film Author, who stands, watching them.
INT. CAR GINA
Did you have a nice little chat? I asked him about the rocks. He said that the rocks could be like landing lights on a runway.
GINA Yeah, okay. Gina puts the car in reverse and almost spins the tires, as she backs away from the house. GINA (CONT’D)
We’re fucked. The bulk of our presentation was to be the interview and now...we have nothing.
ANTHONY He was right.
Gina looks at Anthony, with a hard look. ANTHONY (CONT’D) You are impatient.
Gina gives Anthony an even harder stare. GINA
We have a limited amount of time and the good Professor is a bastard in grading.
ANTHONY
Take it easy. We do some
interviews of random people, maybe some who claim to have witnessed aliens and U-F-O’s, and then we do another interview, where we present him with the substance of the interviews. I think it will make a more compelling presentation, then just having him recite from his book.
GINA I think... YASMINE
Anthony’s right. Some candid interviews will add that personal, unscripted touch.
CHRISTINA
Like that old man.
(smiling)
With a tracker in his finger. CHAZ
It would also lengthen the
presentation and would definitely be more interesting, then listening to some crazy guy, who’s only written a book.
GINA I think...
Gina stops and looks at Anthony, then Christina, then Yasmine, and finally Chaz. GINA (CONT’D)
We’ll do some interviews and look at some of the locations, where spaceships reportedly landed. THEN, do another interview with that...crazy author.
Anthony looks at Author, whose mouth moves. Anthony begins to softly speak, as though he’s translating what the Author is saying.
ANTHONY
(softly)
Instead of trying to prove the reality that aliens have
visited...You should be trying to ascertain WHY they visit. Not all aliens have noble reasons for visiting earth.
EXT. TOWN - DAY The car parks, with the students getting out with their cameras. They look around, trying to find a person to interview. They see MAN (30), who is spinning a thin sign, reading “FAMOUS ALIENS.” They walk up to the Man, with the POV alternating between the four cameras.
GINA
Who’s the most famous alien? MAN (big smile) Elvis.
Man spins the sign and then plays the sign, as though it was a guitar. He does some signature Elvis moves and then spins the sign back around.
MAN (CONT’D)
Little known fact that Elvis came from a small planet on the dark side of Venus. Being close to Venus, gave Elvis an understand
ing of what females...
Man oogles Gina, Yasmine, and then Christina. MAN (CONT’D) From ALL worlds want. GINA Which is?
MAN
Sex and rock and roll. GINA
Have you seen any aliens? Man frowns at Gina, as he takes out a pamphlet, handing the pamphlet to Gina. MAN
Lots. Elvis, of course. You’ll find the entire list of famous aliens.
Gina grips the pamphlet, but Man continues to hold it. MAN (CONT’D) It costs just five dollars. Gina looks at Chaz. GINA Pay him.
CHAZ Me? Why me? GINA
I’ll pay you back. Chaz hesitates, then takes out a five dollar bill and hands it to Man, who looks at the bill, then quickly puts it into his pocket, as he releases the pamphlet.
GINA (CONT’D)
Have you seen any aliens... Man starts to answer, but Gina quickly adds. GINA (CONT’D) Around here?
Man frowns and then nervously looks around. He looks back at Gina and nods his head, “YES.” GINA (CONT’D)
Where? When? What did they look like? Did you talk with them?
Man shakes his head, “NO” and then grabs the pamphlet back from Gina, takes out a pen, and quickly draws on the back of the pamphlet. He looks at the pamphlet, then nervously looks around the area. He hands the pamphlet back to Gina.
MAN
That’s a map, but... Man nervously looks around. MAN (CONT’D)
I wouldn’t go there. Aliens, they don’t like to be found. They like to do the finding.
Man sees an approaching car and moves a short distance away, spinning the sign, trying to get their attention. GINA
This is going to be a waste of time.
WOMAN (80) is hurriedly walking up towards them. Anthony quickly moves to the Woman. ANTHONY
Excuse me, we’re doing a class project on aliens. Mind if I ask you some questions?
Woman looks at Anthony, then the other students. She looks back at Anthony.
WOMAN How did you know? Anthony looks at the other students, then back at Woman. ANTHONY How did I know what? WOMAN
That they came to my house last night.
GINA
Really? You saw aliens? WOMAN
No, I didn’t see them, I just saw what they did. If you want to see, follow me.
Woman doesn’t waste any time and starts to walk away. The students look at each other, then quickly start after Woman. As they follow the Woman through the small town, POV periodically switches from student to student. They finally reach a small house, with Woman quickly moving towards the back, which is a large area, enclosed by a fence. Woman points towards the middle of the area.