The Walking Dead
Episode 1
(S1 E1)
“Days Gone By”
Screenplay by Taylor Spearman
Written by Robert Kirkman
Based on the characters appearing in the comic publishes by IDW.
The Walking Dead created by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore
Exterior—Day—Highway Road, Cynthiana, Kentucky
The camera opens on a long highway road near the city of Cynthiana, Kentucky. The road splits down through a vast farm land, with wooden fences on each side of the road. Cows and other livestock are seen grazing in the fields.
A police car sits parked horizontally in the middle of the road, blocking the way for any other cars to pass. A few dozen yards away sits a rusty old green pickup track that has had its windshield shot through.
A man, wearing a prison jumpsuit, squats behind the open door of the pickup truck. He is ugly, bald with a beard, missing a few teeth. A bad egg, all in all. He quickly reloads the shotgun he has stolen, but has trouble not fumbling the shells. He breathes heavily.
On the other side, where the police squad car is, Officers Rick Grimes and Shane Walsh squat down next to each other behind the safety of the car. Each is in uniform and each wields a standard issue pistol.
(Rick is a man in his early thirties, is in good shape with handsome features and blonde hair. His partner, and best friend, Shane, is more rugged and fit than Rick. Shane has a strong chin and pitch black hair.)
Rick takes a deep breath and peers behind him over the police car hood. As soon as he does, a shot from the escaped convict ricochets off the car hood just barely missing Rick.
Rick ducks back down behind the car with Shane.
Shane:This is not good.
Rick gives Shane a “are-you-kidding-me” look.
Shane:I don’t think he’s from around here.
Rick:I think that’s a safe bet. (Hits the side of the car in frustration) When
they opened the prison in Grant County I didn’t think we’d be getting their run-off!
Behind the door of the pickup truck, the Escaped Convict pumps out the used shell and reloads. He sticks his head up by the window and yells.
Escaped Convict:I AIN’T GOIN’ BACK! I’LL DIE FIRST!
CUT TO:
Behind the cop car, Rick and Shane sit helplessly behind their squad car.
Rick:DAMMIT! Our backup is probably more than ten miles away! We’re sitting ducks behind this car…Cover me…I’m going to try and make
it to that ditch so we can surround him.
Shane nods in agreement. Rick stays squatted down low as he moves away from the squad car and towards a nearby fence post large enough to cover him.
Shane uses the hood of the squad car to help aim his gun at the Escaped Convict. However, the gun is immediately shot out of Shane’s hands.
Rick hears the sound of Shane having his gun shot out of his hand, and turns around quickly.
Rick turns just in time to see the Escaped Convict aiming his shot gun at him.
SLOW DOWN FRAME TIME
Rick is shot in the left shoulder, being thrown backwards off his feet from the force of the blast.
Shane watches on in horror as his partner is shot before his eyes.
Shane:(Calling out) RICK!
Rick is thrown through the wooden fence post and crashes into the ground.
NORMAL FRAME TIME
Rick lies in a growing pool of his own blood as he breathes heavily, but his breathing slows.
The camera moves in to Rick’s eyes as they slowly close.
TIME JUMP
The camera stays in tight on Rick’s eyes. After a few seconds, they suddenly open wide.
Interior—Day—Hospital Room
The camera pulls back to a wide shot looking down from the ceiling on a hospital room. Rick gasps loudly as he awakes lying in the hospital bed. Rick is wearing a hospital gown, part of his body covered in a thin blanket, he was an IV in his hand and a breathing tube attached to his nostril. He has been lying in this bed unconscious for a while, shown by the beard that has started to grow on his face.
Rick sits up in the bed and looks around at his surroundings. He looks down at the IV in his hand. He winces aloud as he yanks the needle out of his skin.
Rick holds the IV needle in his hand and tosses it aside. He then removes the nostril hose from around his face.
Rick slowly moves his legs over the edge of the bed, and gently places them on the ground. The motion is labored, his legs not being used while sitting in his coma. He places his hand on the rail of the hospital bed to support his balance.
Rick pulls the IV stand over to him and uses it as support as he stands up from the bed. His legs wobble from weakness but he stays up thanks to the IV stand.
Rick takes a few steps forward, but his legs give out from and he crashes to the ground.
Rick slowly lifts his upper body off the ground and calls out.
Rick:NURSE!!!
Rick crawls up the side of the hospital bed and grabs the button that calls for the nurse. He presses the button, which lights up red.
After hitting the button, Rick falls back to the floor and lies up against the bed. The camera slowly lowers down and focuses on Rick as he waits for the nurse to arrive.
Rick sits for several minutes as he waits, but the nurse never arrives. Rick raises his head to the door, expecting a nurse to walk in at any moment, but none arrives.
After no nurse comes, Rick slowly starts to pick himself back to his feet.
Rick pulls open a drawer set next to his hospital bed. Inside the drawer is a white shirt, a pair of khaki pants, a pair of black shoes, and Rick’s sheriff’s badge.
CUT TO:
Interior—Day—Hallway, Hospital
Rick, now dressed in his clothes, stumbles out of the doorway of his room and holds himself up against the wall. There is no one else in the hallway, save him. Rick looks around the deserted hallway.
Rick:Hello?
Rick starts to limp doing the empty hallway. He is forced to lean against the wall to keep himself from falling over. All the while he is calling out into the emptiness.
Rick:Hello?! Anybody?!
Rick reaches the nurses desk at the end of the hallway. While there are cups of coffee, papers, pencils, and other signs of work…but no sign of anybody having been there recently.
Rick:What the hell?! Did everyone just decide to take a break at the
same time?!
The camera looks through the open double doors in a part of the hallway. A wheelchair lies against the wall near the door. Rick walks past the door way, silently.
Rick continues down the hallway, the camera following behind him. As Rick slowly comes to a stop, the camera looks over his shoulder and sees that he is approaching an elevator.
Rick nearly collapses against the wall as he presses the button to summon the elevator.
There is a ding as the elevator door opens. Rick walks into the elevator and presses the down button. The elevator dings as the door closes.
CUT TO:
Interior—Day—Elevator, Hospital
Rick leans against the back wall of the elevator as it makes it’s descent. As the elevator comes to a halt, Rick steps towards the door.
The elevator dings. The doors slowly open and Rick gets ready to step off. As soon as the door opens, the decaying rotting mutilated body falls into the elevator right on top of Rick. Rick screams in terror.
Rick:(Screaming) AGH!
Rick pushes the rotting body off of him and scurries to the back of the elevator, his eyes never leaving the body.
Rick:(Screaming) HELP!!
Rick hugs the wall of the elevator and inches out of the elevator as quick as he can and tries to NOT touch the rotting corpse at his feet.
Rick:(Frantic) SOMEBODY HELP!
Rick escapes from the elevator and hurries down the new hallway, which is also empty of any life. As he does, he looks back over his shoulder at the body lying in the elevator door. The body has been torn in half, covering the ground in blood.
Rick:Anybody?
Rick turns the corner of the hallway, which is darkened from the lack of lights, and starts down it.
Rick brings his walk to a slow stop as he reaches a large set of double doors underneath a sign that reads: CAFETERIA. A large plank of wood, broken off from a nurse’s desk, is jammed between the handles of the doors to keep it locked from the outside.
Rick:What the hell?
Rick steps forward towards the door. He carefully removes the plank of wood from the door handles.
Rick:What happened here?
Rick throws the wooden plank across the hallway, where it lands with a thud on the ground.
Rick grabs the doors with both hands and slowly opens it.
The camera focus’s in on Rick’s face as he looks into the cafeteria and is horrified beyond belief.
The cafeteria is an absolute gore fest. The tables are thrown over and broken all over the room. Countless body parts as well as rotting corpses are scattered throughout the room. The dead bodies have practically been ripped apart. Let your imagination go on this one. Amongst the rotting bodies of the dead are a few zombies still on their feet.
One zombie is chewing on the meaty leg of a corpse when it stops and looks up at Rick and groans.
The rest of the zombies slowly turn around and notice Rick. The one closest to the door starts to move towards Rick.
The nearest zombie staggers towards Rick, flies nestled into an open wound on the back of its head oozing blood. Rick is terrified and backs away through the open double doors.
Rick:Uh. Uh. Uh.
While backing up, Rick trips over his own feet and falls to the ground.
Rick scurries backwards on the ground as several more zombies slowly drag themselves over towards him.
Rick, still scuffling backwards on the ground, grabs the wheelchair as he reaches it. He hurls it at the incoming horde of zombies.
Rick:STOP! Get away from me!
The wheelchair makes contact with the head of the zombie horde and knocks several zombies over. However, more zombies simply climb over the fallen ones and continue pursuing Rick.
Rick runs into the nearby exit door with a hard thud. He quickly climbs up onto his feet, his hands struggling to find the door handle.
Rick looks over his shoulders to see the first of the zombies reach him, grabbing and pulling at his shirt.
Rick:Can’t you understand?!
CUT TO:
Interior—Day—Stairway, Hospital
The doorway to the stairwell is forced upon as Rick stumbles through the doorway, the zombie attacking him falling with him.
Rick:Please!
Rick and the zombie fall down the first set of stairs, rolling over and under each other with each thud.
CLOSE-UP:
The zombie lands on his neck across the edge of one of the steps. The rotted flesh splits open, spilling blood and and entrails from the neck everywhere.
The camera pulls back. Rick lands hard on top of the zombie. Enough force is used that the tear in the zombie’s neck completely severs the head from the body, spilling even more blood.
Rick quickly crawls away from the rotting decapitated body, his white shirt now stained with blood.
Rick struggles to pick himself up onto his feet and looks up over his shoulder.
More and more zombies slowly pour through the open doorway and have started to make their way down the stairs towards Rick.
Rick leans against the rails of the stairs for support as he hurries away from the oncoming zombies.
Rick reaches the bottom of the stairs and pushes through the double door exit that sits there.
CUT TO:
Exterior—Day—Parking Garage, Hospital
Camera focuses on Rick. Rick uses his body weight to slam the door shut behind him. He presses against the door with his weight to keep any zombies that arrive out. With his hands he starts to undo the belt from around his waist.
CLOSE UP:
Rick wraps his belt in through the door handles tight then buckles it as tight as he possibly can. He pulls on the door handles to test the belt, which holds and keeps the door shut closed.
Rick steps away from the door, his eyes never leaving it. Shaken from the experience, he runs his hands over his head as a sign of exhaust.
Rick:What the hell was that?
Rick slowly turns around, his hands on the back of his head. He looks around and sees that he is now in a nearly abandoned parking garage attached to the hospital. Only one car sits in a parking space nearby.
Rick makes his way over to the abandoned car. He pulls the door handle on the driver’s side door, but it’s locked.
Rick:Damn.
Rick looks up and surveys the surrounding area. There are no signs of life, or any zombies. Rick takes a deep breath and exhales before walking towards the exit ramp of the garage.
CUT TO:
Exterior—Day—Harrison Memorial Hospital
Wide establishing shot. Rick walks down the driveway leading away from the Harrison Memorial Hospital.
As Rick walks away from the hospital, he looks around, taking in his surroundings. There is trash and litter almost everywhere, the grass is growing tall, wild and out of control. There is no other sign of any kind of life forms.
Rick reaches the end of the driveway, arriving at the sidewalk. Rick stops and looks around.
The camera pans across the road, abandoned cars parked everywhere and trash in the streets.
Rick sighs a deep breath and starts to walk down the sidewalk.
Rick slows to a stop as he approaches a car that has wrecked into a telephone pole. The car is totaled beyond repair. The driver side door is open, and the dead body of a man hangs out, the head lying on the ground.
Rick covers his mouth to stop himself from vomiting as he approaches for closer observation. The body is covered in claw and bite marks, and the head has been splattered.
Rick:Jesus…
Rick starts to walk away backwards from the crashed car, shaking his head in disbelief.
Rick turns and walks down the street, trying to shake the image from his head.
Rick approaches a highway marker and speed limit (35) sign. Sitting at the base of the sign pole is an overturned bike.
The camera moves in and focuses on Rick as he raises his head. His eyes go wide in shock and he gasps loudly.
Lying next to the bike is the body of what appears to be a woman. The body is by now nothing but bones and muscle, almost all the skin gone.
The corpse suddenly starts moving but barely, clawing and gasping at Rick but not moving towards him.
Rick brings his hand to his mouth, in absolutely horror and shock from the decay of this body…and how it’s still moving.
The zombie turns its head towards Rick, and for a moment looks at him with curiosity. Then the zombie snaps its jaws and bites at him harmlessly.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP.
Rick’s eyes fill with tears of pity for this poor tortured creature, and tears of confusion of what is happening to the world.
CUT TO:
Several minutes later, Rick is walking down the road again, having left the rotting woman’s still living corpse behind. But he now has with him the bicycle, which he walks with by its side.
The severity of the situation comes crashing down on Rick. He stops walking and falls to his knees, the bike falling with him. He starts to sob.
Rick:Oh…God…
The camera slowly starts to pull back into the sky, always looking down on Rick as he begins to weep into his hands.
Rick continues to weep as the camera pulls further and further back.
Rick finally stops sobbing and, as the camera watches from afar, picks himself up off the ground.
The camera moves back in. Rick grabs the bike by the hammer and picks it back upright.
Camera moves in. Rick wipes the tears from his eyes and dries them.
Rick slowly climbs onto the bicycle.
The camera watches and stays put as Rick starts to pedal and ride away down the long empty road.
CUT TO:
Exterior—Day—Rick’s Neighborhood
The camera sets up an establishing shot of Rick’s neighborhood, which looks no better than the rest of the town so far. All the grass is growing out of control in length, all the trash cans have been knocked out and trash is littered all over the street and sidewalk. The house next to Rick’s has been burned down completely. Rick is seen pedaling down the sidewalk towards his house.
Rick pulls up onto the grassy lawn of his house, letting the bike fall from underneath him as shock overcomes him.
The camera pans across his house, showing the damage that has been done. The screen door is torn but closed, the wood door under it wide open. Almost all of his windows have been broken, and the porch swing lies in pieces on the porch.
Rick hurries towards the front door, walking with a limp due to the fall from the hospital earlier.
Rick:Son of a bitch…
Rick stops when he reaches the screen door. He runs his hand across the tear in the screen. He throws the door open and enters.
CUT TO:
Interior—Day—Living Room, Grimes Household
Rick slowly enters his house, pushing the already partially open door open further. The door creaks on its hinges.
The camera pans across the living room of the house, showing it had been scavenged at some point. The coffee table has been broken in half, the couch torn to shreds, the lamp broken against the wall, etc. Broken glass and other pieces of trash are scattered on the floor. The camera lands on Rick standing in the doorway. Rick starts towards the stairs (behind the camera).
The camera follows up beside Rick as he slowly walks up the stairs towards the second floor. The wooden stairs creek with almost every step. The camera stops following Rick as he passes a photograph.
The camera slowly moves in on a family photo of Rick (in uniform) and his beautiful black-haired wife Lori and their son, Carl.
CUT TO:
Interior—Day—Bedroom, Grimes Household
The room is in just as much bad shape as the rest of the house. The bed is intact, but the covers have been thrown off the bed. The dresser drawers have been yanked out with the clothes having been thrown about.
The door slowly opens and Rick peaks his head into the room. Seeing that no one is in there, Rick enters the room.
CUT TO:
Interior—Day—Kitchen, Grimes Household
Rick stands in the front of the kitchen, which has also been ransacked. The corded phone lies in the phone, having been ripped off the wall. The fridge door is wide open, most of the food inside gone or on the floor, etc.
CUT TO:
Exterior—Day—Front Porch, Grimes Household
Rick steps out on the porch, having searched his house head to toe with no sign of his family.
Rick leans forward over the railing of his front porch, resting his arms and lowering his head in defeat.
Rick:Nothing.
A rustling sound is heard. Rick raises his head.
Rick looks to his left, towards the house that sits next to his. It looks much like his house in terms of the shape it’s in, plus a car is parked on its lawn. The sound came from this direction.
Rick walks down the steps of his porch and over to the lawn next door.
Rick runs his hand along the car parked in the front lawn. Unlike the other cars he has seen, this car is still in working order. A little dirty, but not wrecked like the others.
Rick raises his head and looks around for any signs of the owner or owners of the car.
CLOSE-UP:
A shovel, wielded by an unseen person, is raised in the air behind Rick, who does not notice it.
Rick is hit hard in the back of the head with the metal shovel with a loud and audible CLAN!
Rick collapses to the ground, revealing a small black boy standing behind him, shovel in hand. The young boy stares at Rick’s motionless body for a second before calling out.
Young Boy:DAD!
The rustling of grass is heard as someone rushes over. An older black man, the young boy’s father, arrives next to him. He looks down at Rick and realizes what happened right away. He kneels down and checks on Rick.
Boy’s Father:Jesus, shit!
The man looks up from Rick to his boy standing behind him.
Boy’s Father:Son…what did you do?
Young Boy:He was going to try and eat us, Dad.
The man stands up and takes the shovel from the boy, placing his other hand on his shoulder.
Boy’s Father:No, son…this man is alive.
Young Boy:Oh…
Boy’s Father:Grab his feet…get him inside.
The young boy does as his father says and rushes over to Rick’s feet.
The boy grabs hold of Rick’s feet as the dad grabs his arms and they pick him up off the ground.
CUT TO:
The camera is close on Rick as he lies unconscious on a purple couch. He stirs from his unconscious state and slowly opens his eyes.
Rick:(groggy) Huh?
Interior—Day—Morgan’s Home
Rick sits up on the couch. Directly across from him is the doorway to the kitchen, where the little boy is sitting, staring at him. The man walks in, carrying a bowl of food. He stops when he sees Rick is awake.
Boy’s Father:Oh, you’re awake. We’re just getting to ready to have dinner.
Would you care to join us?
Rick rubs the back of his head, where the shovel had hit him, and winces from the pain.
Rick:Wait. What the hell is going on?
CUT TO:
Interior—Day—Kitchen, Morgan’s Home
Rick slowly walks into the kitchen as the man sets the bowl down on the table. He helps Rick get a chair and sets him down gently.
Boy’s Father:Oh sorry about my boy. He hit you over the head with a shovel.
Rick:Huh? What are you talking about?
Boy’s Father:He thought you were one of those…things.
Rick looks at the boy’s father with extreme confusion while rubbing the back of his head.
Rick:“Things?” You mean those monsters that are at the hospital?! Who
are you people? What the hell is going on?
The boy’s father stands up and holds his hand out to calm Rick down.
Boy’s Father:Whoa, whoa…calm down there buddy. This was all just a
misunderstanding. My boy didn’t mean nothing.
Rick sits back in his chair. He takes a deep calming breath and exhales. He looks back up at the boy’s father.
Rick:How did it all happen? What went wrong?
The boy’s father sits back down into his seat, but throws Rick a look when he asks his question.
Boy’s Father:Wait a minute. Hold up. Damn, son…you don’t know about any of
it?
TIME CUT TO:
Interior—Night—Sitting Room, Morgan’s House
Rick sits in a wooden chair set next to the fireplace, which has a roaring fire going inside it. The boy’s father sits in a smoking chair across from him, and the young boy lies on his chest between them coloring a color book.
Rick:I was shot…I woke up in the hospital and was attacked. I came home…my wife and kid were gone…the whole damn town was
deserted. I didn’t know what the hell was going on. You say nobody knows what caused it?
The boy’s father shakes his head and crosses his leg.
Boy’s Father:All media shut down after a few weeks. I haven’t heard anything
after that. If they found a way to stop it…they haven’t made it here yet. Those things are everywhere. A good blow to the head will take
‘em out. That’s why the boy whacked you with a shovel. Nothing much else seems to faze them. Anytime one wanders into the yard we take care of it. We try to keep quiet…they’d come after us if they
knew we were here.
Camera moves in to a close-up of the boy’s father.
Boy’s Father:Before they stopped broadcasting, they told us to relocate to the larger cities. They said they could protect us all there. I figured I’d
be better off taking my chances here.
Camera cuts back to focus on Rick. He realizes something and speaks up, leaning forward in his chair.
Rick:My in-laws live in Atlanta…that’s only a five-hour drive from here.
That’s probably where my wife went. Thank God…if they’re protecting the cities…man, I was so worried.
The boy’s father nods his head on agreement.
Boy’s Father:Oh yeah…I’m sure they’re fine.
Rick stands up from his chair and digs into the pockets of his jeans.
Rick:Well…I need a car if I’m going to get to Atlanta…
Rick pulls a set of keys from his pocket and jingles them for the boy and his father to see.
Rick:Want to go shopping?
CUT TO:
Exterior—Night—Cynthia Police Department
Rick leads the boy and his father towards the front door of the abandoned police department.
Boy’s Father:So you’re a cop, huh?
Rick nods his head as he takes the keys and unlocks the door to the department.
Rick:Yup.
Boy’s Father:I figured you for a hunter, after you said you got shot and all. You
being a cop…you don’t mind my boy and I taking residence in your neighbor’s place, do you?
Rick unlocks the door and cracks it open. He turns back towards the boy and his father before entering.
Rick:I’m not going to arrest you if that’s what you mean. Most of the
house on my street had been looted. You seemed to be fixing the place up. The Thompson’s will probably thank you when they get
back. As long as you don’t put up a fight over the place.
CUT TO:
Interior—Night—Police Department
Rick steps into the pitch black of the police department and searches the wall for the light switch while the boy and his father wait outside the door.
Boy’s Father:It’s not like we’re stealing the place…your neighborhood just
seemed safer. We don’t figure we’re hurting anybody by staying there…and in my book that makes it okay.
Rick:You don’t have to justify anything to me. You’re keeping your son
safe. I’m worried sick about mine. I understand.
Rick finds the light switch and turns on the lights to the department. Once the lights are on, the boy and his father enter the building.
Boy’s Father:I appreciate that. Y’know…I don’t think I got your name.
Rick turns from searching a nearby desk and steps towards the boy’s father.
Rick:Rick…Officer Rick Grimes at your service?
Rick holds out his hand to the boy’s father.
Rick:And you?
The boy’s father reaches his hand out as well and shakes hands with Rick.
Boy’s Father:Oh, Morgan Jones…and this here is little Duane.
Rick and Morgan shake hands. Rick turns away and goes to the nearby desk, his desk, and searches through its contents. Morgan stays near Duane as the young boy curiously looks around the station.
Rick:You’re a really good man, Morgan. I really appreciate you driving
me over here. You’ve helped me out a lot.
Morgan:It’s worth it just to get to talk to someone. If it ain’t about cartoons or
passing gas…my boy don’t want to talk about it.
CLOSE UP:
Rick starts to chuckle at the joke, the first smile seen on his face so far.
As Rick starts to chuckle, the laugh slowly starts to die away as the happiness in his eyes is filled with remorse. Rick lowers his head.
Rick:Damn. After everything I’ve seen today…I feel guilty for laughing.
CAMERA PULLS BACK OUT
Morgan places a sympathetic hand on Rick’s shoulder.
Morgan:Hey man…it’s okay. You’ve seen some crazy shit out there…we all
have. You can’t let it get to you. You just gotta keep going, you can’t stop to think about it…or you’ll go crazy.
Rick reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out his standard issue revolver.
Rick:(Softly) Yeah.
Morgan:What’s up with that?
Rick opens the chamber of the gun and starts to load it with ammo in his desk drawer.
Rick:Oh, this? I figured I might as well bring a few along…just in case.
Speaking of which…
Rick finishes loading his gun and closes the chamber.
Rick:Follow me.
Rick leads Morgan and Duane to a steel door across the room. The door has a padlock on it. Rick searches through his key chain for the correct key.
Rick:I just need to find the right key…
Rick takes a key, examines it, and starts to unlock the padlock.
Rick:Here we are.
CUT TO:
Interior—Day—Weapons Storage Room, Police Department
Rick turns on the lights of the weapons storage room. As the lights come on, the room is filled with numerous shotguns lined against the walls, cabinet cages filled ammunition.
Camera focuses on Morgan as he looks around the room in awe at all the weapons.
Morgan:Wow.
Rick walks over to the cabinet cage and starts to unlock it with his keys.
Rick:Grab a couple for yourself. If whacking those things over the head
with a shovel does them in…I’m sure these things will work. Should save you some effort.
Rick walks to the doorway of the room and turns back around. He points towards the run rack holding the shot guns and rifles.
Rick:The shells are in the cabinet below the gun rack. Make sure you
save some for me. I’ll be right back.
Duane stands at eye-level with the cabinet below the gun rack and reaches towards the guns.
Duane:Can I--?
Morgan rushes over and slaps his son’s hand away from the gun before grabbing one for himself.
Morgan:No, dammit. Don’t touch anything.
Duane looks up with doe eyes as his dad grabs a box of ammunition from the cabinet.
Duane:But I’m old enough.
Morgan stuffs as many shells of ammo as he can into his jacket pockets before reaching for a second gun.
Morgan:Yes, you are…and I’m gonna teach you how to use one of them
tomorrow…but until then they’re off-limits.
(Camera focuses on) Rick walks back into the room, now wearing a sheriff’s cowboy hat on his head as well as a leather sheriff’s jacket on. Underneath the jacket, the white shirt has been replaced with his uniform and badge.
Rick:
Are there enough shells for both of us?
Morgan turns and sees Rick standing in the doorway in full uniform.
Morgan:Well…that getup certainly suits you.
Rick:I keep a spare uniform in my locker. I figured if I was going into a big city, and they’ve got a ton of people there…I could get around
easier as a cop so might as well look the part.
Rick grabs a rifle off the gun rack and slings it with the strap over his shoulder. He takes several boxes of ammo into his arms.
Rick:Grab what you’re getting and follow me out back. I got another
surprise for you.
CUT TO:
Exterior—Night—Police Department
The backdoor to the police station opens. Rick, carrying his load, leads Morgan and Duane out. Parked near the backdoor exit are two cruiser’s, a newer model and a slightly older one.
Rick:You take the one on the left. It doesn’t run as good as the one I’m taking but it’ll run better than that Hatchback you’re driving. If I’m
going to make it all the way to Atlanta I’m going to need the newer one.
Morgan:Wait…what?
Rick walks over to the older cruiser model and pats the trunk.
Rick:You’ll be safer in one of these things if you need to go anywhere.
Morgan:(OS) But I—
Rick takes out the keys to the older cruiser and tosses it to Morgan, who catches them.
Rick:Don’t sweat it, man. I’m just doing my job. I can’t think of a better
way to “protect and serve” under the circumstances.
Rick walks over to the passenger side of the new cruiser and opens the door. Morgan and Duane watch him, with the keys in Morgan’s open hand.
Rick:When things get back to normal…You’ll have to give it back…so try
not to bang it up or put too many miles on it.
Morgan looks down at the keys in his hand and clutches them tight. He looks up at Rick, trying to fight back tears of appreciation in his eyes.
Morgan:Thank you, Rick. I can’t tell you how much this will help us.
Rick opens the passenger door to his new model cruiser. He places the rifle along with the boxes of ammo into the front seat.
Rick:Look, you’ve already helped—
Rick is interrupted by the sound of something rattling the chain fence the cars are parked in front of.
Rick’s head shoots up out of the car quickly at the sound of the rattling chain fence.
Rick:What was that?!
A zombie (hereby known as walkers) stands on the other side of the chained fenced. The walker presses against it, trying to get to Rick, Morgan and Duane but to no avail. The walker grunts repeatedly as it tries to reach its rotting hand through the chains.
Rick:(Yells out) LOOK OUT!
Rick’s hand grabs for his pistol, his hands fumbling to pull it from it’s holster.
CLOSE-UP:
The walker groans and bites at the fence, running its tongue along the chain of the fence.
Walker 1:Ruh! Ruoaugh!
Rick holds his pistol out in front of him, his nervousness apparent as he takes aim at the walker. Just before he pulls the trigger, Morgan’s hand gently lowers the pistol down.
Morgan:No.
Rick turns his head. He lowers the gun. He looks at Morgan confused as to why he stopped him.
Morgan:Leave it be. It can’t get to us in here…you may need that bullet
later.
Rick looks back at the walker. He realizes Morgan is life as he reholsters his gun.
Rick:Yeah, you’re right. We better get these cars out of here before it
makes its way around the gate.
Morgan leads Duane to their older model cruiser. At the same time, Rick opens the driver’s side door of his newer model cruiser.
Morgan:I’ll see you around?
Rick:Of course…we’re neighbors. Keep an eye on my house for me.
Morgan:Will do.
CUT TO:
Rick stands at the entrance to the cruiser parking area holding the barbed wire fence open. Morgan drives his patrol car slowly through the opening while Duane sits in the front seat.
CLOSE UP:
Morgan nods and gently waves a farewell to Rick.
CLOSE UP:
Rick smiles a little and nods to Morgan as he passes.
CUT TO:
The camera watches from behind the cruiser as Rick climbs into the driver’s seat. As he starts the engine, the brake lights turn on and then off. Rick drives away through the fence away from the camera.
The camera stays the same shot. Rick stops the car just outside the gate. He climbs out and approaches the gate.
Rick closes the fence opening to the cruiser parking area and locks it.
Rick climbs back into the cruiser and drives away. As the cruiser drives off in the distance, the camera pans over to the fence walker from earlier as it approaches where the opening was.
Fence Walker:Uhh.
CUT TO:
Exterior—Night—Downtown
Rick drives the cruiser through the downtown area, which has been damaged beyond any repair. The stores have all been ransacked, it looks as if the strongest hurricane ripped through the area.
As Rick drives by, several walkers stop what they’re doing and turn towards the passing cruiser.
CUT TO:
Exterior—Night—Highway
Rick’s cruiser approaches the highway marker from where he found the bicycle from earlier that day. The cruiser comes to a slow halt next to the sign.
Same shot. The cruiser door opens and Rick climbs out of the driver’s seat. He closes the door and walks behind the cruiser towards the grassy area next to the sign.
The rotting walker woman from before still lies in the same position still trying to move but unable to. The walker looks up as Rick’s shadow falls over it.
The camera looks up at Rick as he calmly removes his gun from it’s holster, aims at the walker, and fires.
CLOSE UP:
Rick looks down at the female walker with a calm coldness over his face.
CLOSE UP:
Smoke rises from the bullet hole in the forehead of the female walker, whose eyes have rolled back in death.
CLOSE UP:
Rick continues to look down at the walker as a few tears roll down his cheek. Rick uses his jacket sleeve to wipe his tears away.
Rick walks back around the back of the cruiser, away from the grass. Rick opens the driver’s side door of the cruiser and climbs back in. The engine starts up before Rick drives away down the highway.
