I Am Legend Part 1

I AM LEGEND

By Kiarosh Moeini

Some announcers are talking on TV.

DAVE
Here's Karen at the health desk.

Karen is interviewing Dr. Alice Krippin.

KAREN
The world of medicine has seen its share of miracle cures from the polio vaccine to heart transplants. But all past achievements may pale in comparison to the work of Dr. Alice Krippin.
Thank you so much for joining us this morning.

ALICE
Not at all.

KAREN
Dr. Krippin, give it to me in a nutshell.

ALICE
The premise is quite simple. Take something designed by nature ...
and reprogram it to make it work for the body rather than against it.

KAREN
You're talking about a virus?

ALICE
Indeed yes, in this case, the measles. A virus which has been engineered at a genetic level to be helpful rather than harmful. I find the best way to describe it is if you can imagine your body is a highway....and you picked the virus as a very fast car, being driven by a very bad man.
Imagine the damage that car can cause. But if you replace that man with a cop, then the picture changes. And that is essentially what we have done.

KAREN
And how many people have you treated so far?

ALICE
We have 10,009 clinical trials in humans so far.

KAREN
And how many are cancer free?

ALICE
10,009.

KAREN
So you have actually cured cancer?

ALICE
Yes, we have.

EXT. MANHATTAN
The streets are deserted. Robert and his dog Sam are hunting deer running in the streets. A lion kills the deer that Robert was aiming for.


ROBERT
What do you see? Damn. Let's go Sam.

Robert and Sam go home.

INT. ROBERT'S HOUSE
Robert is feeding his dog, Sam. Then he gives him a bath.

ROBERT
Here you go, just the way you like it....Disgusting. No, eat your vegetables. Don't just push 'em around, eat them. I'm not playing. Eat your vegetables. Or we'll sit down here all night.
What are you whining about? Why didn't you just eat your vegetables? Okay, look, look. We're gonna eat twice as many vegetables tomorrow night. Deal? That feels good. Ah Sam.

INT. ROBERT'S HOUSE (FLASHBACK)
It is night. Robert hurries home. He is escorted by two soldiers. His wife and daughter Marley are waiting for him. He rushes them into his car.

ROBERT'S WIFE
Robert, what is happening? I've been trying to reach you on the cell, I keep getting the recording.

ROBERT
The network is down.

MARLEY
Dad, where are we going?

ROBERT
You're going to Aunt Sarah's sweetie.

MARLEY
No, why?

ROBERT
Just strap yourself in, go.

SOLDIER
We're at 30 minutes Colonel.

ROBERT
Copy.

ROBERT'S WIFE
30 minutes to what?

ROBERT
They're sealing off the island.

ROBERT'S WIFE
Seal off the island? This island?

MARLEY
But I don't wanna go to Aunt Sarah's.

ROBERT
Did you bring all the money? How much?

ROBERT'S WIFE
600 dollars, why did you say you're going?

ROBERT
That is not enough.

ROBERT'S WIFE
Robert, you said "You're going", not "we're going".

ROBERT
When you get across, I need you to get to the ATM. Get as much cash as you can.

MARLEY
It's not even summer yet.

ROBERT
Take Sarah's car, go upstate. I'll meet you at the farm, bring enough food for 2 weeks.

ROBERT'S WIFE
Jesus, Robert. Did it jump? Is it airborne?

MARLEY
But we only go to Aunt Sarah's in the summer.

ROBERT
Maybe.

MARLEY
It's Christmas. What about my presents?

The president makes an announcement on the radio.

ROBERT
He's announcing it.

RADIO
Make no mistake my fellow Americans.

MARLEY
My gifts are still in the closet.

RADIO
The mutated virus is lethal.

ROBERT
Hush now Mar.

RADIO
The survival of not only our nation, but of every other nation on the planet.

MARLEY
Mom, look. A butterfly.

ROBERT'S WIFE
Marley, enough!

RADIO
So, I announce with great sadness, but even greater resolve that tonight I have signed an executive order, initiating a military quarantine of New York City. God be with us.

ROBERT
The window is still open, we find something in a week..or 2 weeks...we can reverse the spread.
I can still fix this.

ROBERT'S WIFE
Please, you can do the same work outside the city.

ROBERT
Ground zero, this is my site. We talked about this.

ROBERT'S WIFE
What are you doing?

ROBERT
What am I doing? I'm not gonna let this happen.

ROBERT'S WIFE
Let? This isn't up to you, you can't...How did you sleep?

Suddenly, a monster hits their car.

INT. ROBERT'S LABORATORY (PRESENT DAY)
Sam tries to follow Robert into the lab.

ROBERT
Now come on, you know better than that. I'll be back.

Robert is performing some tests and recording the results on video.

ROBERT
Dr. Robert Neville, September 5, 2012. GA series serum 391. Animal trials, streaming video.
The results appear typical. Compounds 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 ...14, 16 and 18 did not kill the virus.
Compounds 2, 5, 7, 12, 13, 15 and 17 ...All killed the host. Hold on a second. Compound 6 seems to be showing decreased aggression response. Partial pigmentation returned. Slight pupil constriction. GA series serum 391 compound 6 is the next candidate for human trials.
Hang in there number 6.

INT. MOVIE RENTAL STORE
Robert goes into a store. There are no people, only mannequins. He begins talking to the mannequins.

ROBERT
Good morning, Marge and Fred. What are you doing here so early? Nice sweatshirt there Fred. Don't fit it down anywhere. I see you inside. What's happening brother?

Robert chooses a DVD. He looks at one of the mannequin females. Then he goes to the cashier mannequin.

ROBERT
Good morning Hank. Getting through the G's. Who's the girl ...Nevermind, hey I'll see you in the morning.

Robert looks at Sam.

ROBERT
What am I supposed to say? Hello, wanna see some infected rats. Okay, tomorrow. I'm going to say hello tomorrow.

INT. SOMEONE'S HOUSE
Robert is exploring the house of an infected family. He finds some food, and a child's room that makes him sad.

ROBERT
You did so good. Yes, yes. Look at that, see that? Red salmon. Wow, actual Spam. No, you'll get some of that later. Let's go.

EXT. DOCK
Robert goes out to a dock and makes a radio announcement.

I am Robert Neville. I am a survivor living in New York City. I am broadcasting on all AM frequencies. I will be at the South Street seaport everyday at midday, when the sun is at its highest in the sky. If you are out there...if anyone is out there, I can provide food, I can provide shelter, I can provide security. If there is anybody out there, anybody... Please, you are not alone.

Robert practices his golf swing from the top of an aircraft carrier.

ROBERT
Keep your eye on this one for me. I'm getting good.

Robert sees a deer and they decide to hunt it. Sam runs into an abandoned building, chasing the deer. Robert is afraid, but follows him. It is dark inside.

INT. ABANDONED BUILDING
Call Sam. I gotta call him. I gotta call him.


Robert finds Sam. There are monsters inside the building. They chase Robert and Sam outside.

ROBERT
Sam, come on. We have to go.
What are you doing?
Sam, we gotta go!
Sam, go now, get out!

EXT. ABANDONED BUILDING
Robert is setting a trap for the monsters. He talks to Sam.

ROBERT
You need to pay attention, okay? Gotta pay attention.
Listen, I want you to stay here on this one, okay?
Because you can still get infected and I can't.
Listen, if I am not back by dark...
Just go.

Questions
1.  What has Dr. Krippin created?
2.  Why does Robert go to the seaport every day?
3.  Why does Robert go into the abandoned building?