THE FACULTY
Scene 1
Setting: Outside on the football field Coach Willis screams at his football players as they do the plays he wrote up himself. However, on the field, nothing is going as he planned. Nothing is good for him. Nothing is perfect. He screams at them how they're going to die on Friday when they play the only team that can kick their ass. After the practice he yells at the star quarterback Stan on how he needs to open his eyes and play better. Stan's friend Gabe tells him to shake it off and the two head for the locker room. In a fit of rage, the coach heaves over the bench knocking down the huge tubs of water for the players. He kicks a sprinkler and it flickers on...he puts his foot over it and then kneels down and places his hand over it. A large shadow appears behind him. The coach turns around.
COACH: Yeah... what?
A few hours after school ended, a few teachers including Principal Drake, Mr. Tate, Mrs. Olson, and Mrs. Brummel, get together in the faculty lounge to have a faculty meeting.
DRAKE: Let me finish this quickly so we can go home...it's late. Mrs. Brummel, with all sadness, no new computers.
BRUMMEL: Oh but-
DRAKE: But get the service guy down here and get the old ones juiced. Mr. Tate, you're dreaming. Absolutely no field trip to New York City.
TATE: Look I don't think you understand...
DRAKE: You're not getting out of Ohio, re-think it...and finally, Mrs. Olson. There's just no money for a musical this year.
There's a moment of silence and all the teachers look sadly at each other. Mr. Tate lights up a cigarette.
TATE: But I bet the football team gets their new jerseys and their new equipment.
DRAKE: Have you seen the football stadium on a Friday night, Mr. Tate?
The entire town is here. (She starts to gather her things, ready to leave.)
DRAKE: This is a football town, let me remind you, and yes, the team will get new jerseys, new knee pads, new jock straps, and everything else they want in the name of education because that is what the school board wants. As well as what the parents in this town want. My frustrated hands are tied.
Scene 2
Setting: Outside the school, after the meeting, Mr. Tate and Mrs. Brummel walk down the stairs talking to vent their frustration.
BRUMMEL: You know I don't see why we can't have a few new computers so the children can learn a little something...
Mrs. Olson stands at the top of the stairs with Principal Drake as she searches her bag for her keys.
OLSON: Oh Ms. Drake, the Drama Club had their hearts set on ’Guys and Dolls’ this year.
DRAKE: Well... Maybe if they used last years set from ‘Our Town’... Shit, I forgot my keys. I gotta go back in. See you in the morning Mrs. Olson.
Scene 3
Setting: In the school again. Drake re-enters the pitch-dark school and walks towards her office, humming a little tune. She finds her keys and as she turns to leave she runs into Coach Willis, who blocked her exit from the office.
DRAKE (startled): Coach Willis...what can I do for you?
COACH (slurred voice): You look...very, very pretty tonight...Ms Drake.
DRAKE: Have you been drinking Coach?
Willis, obviously looking for an excuse, sees a set of pencils on Drake’s desk. He’s master of the situation now.
COACH: I'm sorry to bother you but I... can't seem to find a... pencil.
DRAKE: You don't need a pencil Coach...you need a good night's sleep.
Drake tries to walk past him. He blocks her path.
COACH: I really need a pencil.
DRAKE (irritated): Sleep it off coach!
Drake tries to move past him again, but again he blocks her path.
COACH: Do you have a pencil?
DRAKE: Jesus Christ! Yes I have a pencil! I have plenty of pencils!
She walks towards her desk and grabs a long, sharp pencil and gives it to the coach.
DRAKE: Look. Why don't you and your pencil go home? It's late.
Drake tries to move past him, but yet again he blocks her.
COACH: You look very, very pretty tonight.
Principal Drake is now, to say the least, upset.
DRAKE (threatening): Harassment has a very fine line coach. Haven't you read your handbook?
Suddenly, the coach grabs her hand and shoves the pencil all the way through. Drake cries out in pain. The coach rips the pencil from her hand and admires the blood on it.
COACH (half to himself): I always wanted to do that....
Drake rakes her keys against his face, making two large cuts that instantly begin to bleed. She accidently drops them, and runs out of the room. As she runs through the hallway the coach gets on the loud speaker.
COACH (Through PA System): Would Ms. Drake please report to the principal's office?
Drake runs into a Science room trying to find a hiding spot. The coach quickly spots her runs into the room and tries to grab her. Drake bashes him in the head with a large class beaker. She then runs out of the room and towards the main door of the school. Mrs. Olson stands there wondering what the confusion is about.
OLSON: I forgot my grade book!
DRAKE (frantically): Open the door, god damnit!
She tries to open the door, but notices the chain around the two handles. She is locked in.
OLSON: I don't have my keys! (panicking) Let me get help!
DRAKE: No, no! Don't leave me!
OLSON: Where are your keys?
DRAKE: In the office.
Drake looks toward her office which is only a few yards away.
DRAKE: I need to get my keys.
OLSON: Please let me get help!
DRAKE: No, just talk to me, okay?
She starts to walk towards her office cautiously, fully aware that a killer is in her vicinity, but not knowing where.
OLSON (Through closed door): Oh Ms. Drake, please be careful!
Drake fetches her keys nervously humming a tune and grabs a pair of scissors for protection. She then hears Mrs. Olson screaming for her.
OLSON (frantically): Ms Drake! He's coming! He's coming! Hurry!!
Drake darts out of her office noticing the coach, who is at the end of the hallway picking pieces of glass from his skull. He gives Ms. Drake an admiring look. She races towards the front door fumbling with her keys. The coach starts to walk towards her, Mrs. Olson panics, warning Ms Drake. The coach then starts to run towards Drake. Drake drops the keys and gets them up off the floor.
DRAKE: Help me!
She gets the lock opened and outside right as the coach reaches the door. She wraps the chain around and tries to lock it to trap the coach inside. She drops the scissors while attempting to close the lock. She kicks them behind her before the coach can get to them. Mrs. Olson picks them up. Ms. Drake gets the lock closed and pauses.
DRAKE: Prick!
She looks at Mrs. Olson, who stares at her in a deadly trance. Mrs. Olson holds the scissors high in her hand and starts to slash Drake to the ground. Every cut gives birth to a new wound, each bleeding continuously. Drake falls down. Coach Willis looks at Mrs. Olson in an approving waythrough the window of the door. She smiles sarcastically.
OLSON: I always wanted to do that.
Scene 4
Setting: Outside Herrington High School kids are just arriving to start the day. Friends meet up with friends, girls gossip on the latest news, busses arrive and are quickly emptied with kids; the typical morning madness. A girl carelessly slides her car into a parallel parking spot crashing into the person in front of her. The girl who owns the now smashed car gets out quickly and pulls the girl in the other car from behind the wheel onto the ground. The other girl reacts by pushing the first onto the hood of her car. The fight continues. All of a sudden a black 1970 Pontiac GTO with two broad, red stripes running over the hood, roof and trunk speeds into the school parking lot, making lots of noise, accompanied by some music, which can’t be heard clearly until Zeke, the high school bad boy, gets out. He pops open the trunk and takes a few pens filled with white powder. He quickly stuffs them in his pocket and walks toward the school. Casey, a nerdy photographer for the school paper, departs the school bus and almost immediately catches an elbow from some jock right in the nose. He falls. The frame freezes for a few seconds in the middle of his fall as the name “CASEY” is displayed. Then we see a loner gothic girl all dressed in black.
STOKELY: Crash and burn Casey.
Again the frame freezes for a few seconds as the name “STOKELY” is displayed.
Stokely walks towards the main entrance of the school trying to avoid the eyes that were upon her. She takes notice to a girl screaming vulgar language at her boyfriend to get out of the car. Without realizing it she bumps into Stan, the head quarterback of the school football team. Stan quickly makes sure she's okay but without listening Stokely gets cocky with him.
STOKELY: Walk much?
STAN: You ran into me, beast!
Across the courtyard, Stan's girlfriend Delilah chatters with her fellow cheerleader friends.
DELILAH: Okay, now listen up. Let’s all wear the same uniforms and keep the hair the same. Okay? No hair spray no teasing, just...elegant. Simple. Great.
The frame again stops for a few seconds. The name “DELILAH” appears on screen.
Stan approaches Delilah and tries to kiss her. Delilah pulls away.
DELILAH: Whoa! Stan, watch it. These are Estee Lauder lips. They take 72 minutes to apply.
STAN: Sorrrrry (sarcastic)... Hey, can we talk?
DELILAH: Well, I can't right now. I need a new headline for the school paper. It's important.
They start to walk into the school.
STAN: So is this.
DELILAH: Sure you think so honey.
She tries to escape him.
STAN: In fact....it might be just the story you're looking for.
DELILAH: Do the words ‘editor in chief’ mean anything to you? Leave the news to me, okay? Later. (She walks away from him in a hurry.)
Back outside the school the jocks that ganged up on Casey ram him into the flagpole, legs open. A blond girl in a flowered dress named Mary-Beth watches the act cautiously as she walks toward the main building. Today is her first day of school. She just moved into Herrington, Ohio from Atlanta. She approaches two nose pierced and tattooed girls sitting by the main entrance of the school. One has a chain from her nose ring that connects to her earring. They are just staring ahead, ignoring the world around them.
MARY-BETH: Excuse me? Could you please tell me where the office is? It’s my first day here.
The girl with the chain doesn't answer for a moment but finally points her thumb into the school building.
MARY-BETH: Thank you. I'm Mary-Beth Louise Hutchinson. I love what you've done with you're nose ring. It really brings out the color in your eyes.
Yet again, the frame stops for a minute as the name “MARY-BETH” appears on-screen.
She quickly heads inside the school watching a girl cussing out her boyfriend, slapping him walking down the hallway until they both leave the building. This is a normal routine for this couple.
Scene 5
Setting: Inside the boys bathroom. Zeke walks in and hands fake ID's to two guys waiting for him.
CUSTOMER 1: Dude, that's not me. Doesn't even look like me.
CUSTOMER 2: That's 50 bucks right?
CUSTOMER 1: Does that look like me?!
Customer 1 shows his friend the fake ID which has a middle aged Chinese man on it. The costomer is a younger white guy.....
ZEKE: Uh, it's the new you.
CUSTOMER 1: I don't know man, how do we know these things are really gonna work?
ZEKE: Trust me man, I'm brilliant.
CUSTOMER 1: Then why are you repeating your senior year?
Zeke realizes he has to think fast to keep his customers satisfied.
ZEKE: Alright, look man...I'll throw in a couple hits of this.
He pulls out a pen full of white powder for each guy and holds it out to them.
ZEKE: Scat. My own recipe. Guaranteed to jack you up.
As he gives them the pens, the image freezes again. The name “ZEKE” is displayed.
The two customers take the drug and give Zeke his money. They exit the bathroom. Inside the handicap stall Casey nurses the bloody nose he recieved from the elbow incident earlier. The first bell rings and Zeke is already gone.
CASEY (under his breath): FUCK!
Scene 6
Setting: Inside the faculty lounge. The faculty is preparing for another long, hard day at school. Nurse Harper sits at a table in the center of the lounge and wraps up a custodian's wounded finger.
HARPER: You’ve got to remember: the projector’s got teeth. (coughs) Sharp ones.
She coughs again and blows her nose. She obviously has a cold. She reaches into her purse and pulls out some medication.
CUSTODIAN: We should get hazard pay for this sort of faulty equipment.
HARPER: Yeah right.
Mr. Furlong, the biology teacher, walks into the office.
FURLONG: Well good morning Nurse Harper...how's your cold?
HARPER (blows her nose): I can't get rid of it...
A young teacher named Ms. Burke is sitting at the table. She talks with another much older teacher named Mrs. Brummel. Brummel drops her book, and Ms.Burke helpfully reaches for it. Mr. Tate witnesses the scene.
TATE (under his breath): Can we say ‘retirement’?
Tate nods his head and sips from his coffee to which he has added some whisky. Ms. Burke gives Mr. Tate the evil eye for making such a snide remark.
FURLONG (to Harper): Maybe you should just go home?
HARPER: No thank you. I'm saving my sick days for when I feel better.
She takes some medicine. Furlong, who was coming on to Nurse Harper the whole time, realises the uselessness of his attempts.
FURLONG (under his breath): Why don’t I just stick a fucking pen in my eye?
Every one is suffering from the heat. The gym coach walks in the room and heads straight for the water dispenser, takes a cup and starts drinking water. Mr. Tate looks at the air conditioner with a sign saying "Don't Turn On, Ever" on it.
TATE: Why won't that bitch turn the air conditioning on?!
FURLONG: Hey, speaking of which, has anybody seen Principal Drake?
TATE: Maybe she had a sunstroke and died.
Coach Willis drinks glass after glass of water..barely stopping to breath. Mr. Furlong takes notice of how the coach is drinking so much water.
FURLONG (whispers to Tate): What's up with the coach? He thirsty...
TATE: Probably some pre-game ritual.
FURLONG: Just looking at him makes me want to take a piss.
Mrs. Olson walks in, with a completely new hairstyle. The coach takes a break from his water drinking and takes notice of her.
COACH: Well hello Mrs. Olson, you look very, very pretty today.
She smiles devilishly.
Scene 7
Setting: Inside a classroom. Ms. Burke tries desperately for her class to participate in the learning discussion. She writes the name Crusoe on the blackboard.
BURKE (very silently): Now, what was Crusoe’s greatest fear?
It is quiet in the classroom for about ten seconds.
BURKE (hesitating): Anyone... ?
Ms. Burke asked the question without expecting an answer, and she doesn’t get one. Finally, Zeke smiles and raises his hand to answer.
BURKE: Yes?
ZEKE: Crusoe was afraid he'd be stuck on that island forever...with nothing but calluses.
He grins and his fellow classmates giggle.
BURKE: That's not correct Zeke....Isolation was his greatest fear.
ZEKE: Yes, but, his external existence in no way compared to his internal agony of the loneliness he felt.
Ms. Burke is somewhat surprised to receive such an intelligent answer.
BURKE (gently): That’s very good, Zeke.
Zeke waits a moment, puts a pen in his mouth and grins.
ZEKE: Like I said...calluses.
The class laughs.
Scene 8
Setting: In the hall. Delilah is talking with a fellow member of the school paper, dodging people slamming their lockers as she walks to her next class.
GIRL: So Kathy gets one thing, then Melissa gets cover, and Jenny has her own story. So which one do you want me to print?
DELILAH: Print them all, he's a jerk.
Stan approaches Delilah and pulls her aside the chaos.
STAN: Hey, we need to talk.
DELILAH: No Stan, baby... I'm in a crisis... not now.
STAN: I'm quitting football.
DELILAH: You’re not playing tomorrow?
STAN: No, I'm not playing this year. Would you listen to me? I'm quitting the team, I'm not
playing ball anymore.
DELILAH (shocked): What brought this on?
STAN: Well, I've been weighing the importance of being a jock with my impending future and decided-
DELILAH: You just...decided?! Stan, what about college? Football scholarship is your only shot!
STAN: If I quit now I can work harder at studying...Maybe raise my grades a little? I'd rather go to college based on my brain.
DELILAH: You're not good at studying! Stan, you're good at football. You should stick with what you're good at!
STAN: Yeah, I've always been good at football, and basketball, and every other sport I’ve tried. Maybe I should try something I'm not so good at, something different.
DELILAH: Yeah and what am I supposed to do while you're on a yellow book quest for a brain?
STAN (disgusted): What?!
DELILAH: The excepted social order is that head cheerleader dates star quarterbacks, not academic wannabes!
STAN: Don't be so superficial...
DELILAH: Superficial...four syllables...that's really good Stan, you're on your way. Let me know how the cancer cure goes.
She rolls her eyes and walks away, leaving Stan standing alone in the now empty hallway.
STAN (sighs): I was hoping you'd be with me on this...
The second bell rings and he walks to his second class.
Scene 9
Setting: Inside Mr. Tate's history class. Mr. Tate takes a sip from his spiked coffee and wearily opens up the textbook.
TATE: Now if everyone would turn to Chapter 4: The Nation of the State. (reads from the book) Only through the conformity among the masses can the unified state offer the benefits of power, order and security-
STAN (interrupting): Actually, we covered that last week, Mr. Tate. We're on chapter 5.
TATE (sighs): Whatever. Now if you can all please join Stan on chapter 5: Individual Action in Society...
Stokely, who is also in the class, looks at Stan and runs her hand through her short hair, pushing it behind her ear. She then looks behind her at some girls including the new Mary-Beth and then turns her head back to the front of the class.
Scene 10
Setting: During lunch. Mary-Beth approaches Stokely who sits alone at a table reading a book.
MARY-BETH (happily): Whatcha reading?
Surprised, Stokely looks up from her book, pushing her hair behind her ear once again. She doesn't answer Mary-Beth so Mary-Beth takes a seat across from her and looks at the title of the book.
MARY-BETH: Double Star by Robert Heinlein...(smiles) Are you one of those science fiction people? Y'all believe in multiple universes and alien beings and stuff?
Stokely still doesn't answer. Instead she just looks down, avoiding Mary-Beth who won't give up.
MARY-BETH: I'm feeling very alien myself today. I'm Mary-Beth Louise Hutchinson. I just moved from Atlanta. I'm new here.
STOKELY: No shit.
MARY-BETH: What's your name?
STOKELY: Why do you want to know my name?
MARY-BETH: Cause I've got no friends. And correct me if I'm wrong but you seem to have one less that that. I just thought-
She is interrupted by Delilah who approaches them and puts her arm around Stokely, who quickly pushes it off her back.
DELILAH: Aww....Stokleeeey...Are you seducing the new students again?
Her attention goes to Mary-Beth.
DELILAH: Hi! I'm Delilah! Happy to have you at Herrington!
MARY-BETH: Thank you!
DELILAH: Hey, don't you just love the way Stokely accessorizes all the different shades of black in her outfit?
Stokely cringes at the put down Delilah just fired at her and turns her head towards her.
STOKELY: Fuck you, gutter slut.
DELILAH: Now I don't know why you insist on being such a bad example for your people...
MARY-BETH: What people?
DELILAH: Well I hope you're not a violent lesbian like your newfound friend here.
MARY-BETH: Uh, no...I'm not aware of any lesbianism in my leanage.
DELILAH: Aww, that's too bad...guess you'll just have to keep looking for Miss Right, Stokely!
Stokely quickly gathers up her bag and book and leaves the table.
STOKELY: Bi-poid bitch!
She gives Delilah the finger as she walks away.
DELILAH (to Mary-Beth, with an I-told-you-so-look): Violent…
MARY-BETH: Yeah...
Delilah walks away. Mary Beth sits alone at the table with still no friends.
Scene 11
Setting: Casey sits eating his lunch alone and far away from people in the top of the bleachers facing the football field. When he finishes he walks down the tall white bleachers and onto the football field, eyes to the ground. He notices a flesh-colored bug-like creature that appears dead on the ground and picks it up. He has never seen this type of insect before. A loud voice behind him makes him jump and he almost drops the insect. He turns around to face the coach.
COACH: What are you doing here?
CASEY (nervously): I was just eating my lunch, sir
COACH: Well, this ain't the cafeteria, son.
CASEY: I know, sir...sorry ‘bout that, sir.
Casey starts to walk away the Coach calls back to him and he turns back around to face him.
COACH: You're uh... I forget your name.
CASEY: Casey.
COACH: Right... I’ve seen ya around. You're not really into sports?
CASEY: I don't believe a person should run unless he's being chased.
COACH: Being chased eh? I like that.
He eyes Casey meanly. Casey is afraid.
COACH: Get outta here!
Casey turns and runs away.
Scene 12
Setting: In the hallway, Stokely walks in the school hiding from the world. She’s embarrassed from what had just happened with Delilah. She walks up to the water fountain just opposite the faculty lounge. Mrs. Olson enters the faculty lounge and asks Mrs. Brummel a question.
OLSON: Could I have a word with you, Mrs. Brummel?
Stokely and Mrs. Olson make eye contact. Mrs. Olson glared at Stokely in a "it’s-non-of-your-business" type of way and closed the door. Stokely takes a sip from the water fountain. She turns to walk further down the hall, but she bumps into Stan.
STOKELY: Man... get a fucking eye dog!
She pushes him aside and continues to stomp down the hallway.
STAN: Maybe if you didn't paint your fuckin’ eyes shut...
He gets a drink from the fountain..
Scene 13
Setting: Mr. Furlong's Room. Casey walks in his biology classroom a few minutes after Stokely.
CASEY: Mr. Furlong!
FURLONG: Present...
CASEY: I found something down on the football field. I thought you might like to take a look.
FURLONG: What is it?
He takes the body from Casey.
CASEY: I was hoping you could tell me.
Mary-Beth walks in, sees Stokely and sits beside her.
MARY-BETH (eagerly): Wanna be lab partners?
Stokely doesn't answer Mary-Beth and pushes her hair behind her ear like she always does.
MARY-BETH: I didn't know you were a lesbian. I don't think I've ever met one before. Been out long? You know I think it's very impressive that-
STOKELY: Look, I'm not a lesbian alright?
MARY-BETH: Be one...please - feel free.
STOKELY: You know, you were right about me. I don't have any friends and I like it that way. Being a lesbian is just my sense of security. (looks down at the desk)
MARY-BETH: Security against what?
STOKELY: People like you.
MARY-BETH (smiles): Complex!
FURLONG: It certainly has a zone that only exists in the kidney of certain squid and octupi. (examining the insect under a microscope as more students fill the room) Which doesn't make sense because...
CASEY: This is Ohio.
The students pile around Mr. Furlong trying to get a glimpse.
FURLONG: Right. It's a pelagic organism.
STUDENT: What's pelagic?
ZEKE: Sea-dwelling organism.
Zeke had just walked in, dropped his stuff off and walked over to the microscope to take a look.
FURLONG: Exactly. Zeke, I don't recognize this surface tissue at all. Casey I don't want to blow smoke but I think you found a new species here.
GABE: Yeah right!
FURLONG: Hey it could happen, new species are found every day!
Zeke states something about how scientists didn't find very many new species until the late 20th century. Mary-Beth overhears him and approaches him.
MARY-BETH: Wow you just know everything! (smiles)
ZEKE (looks up from microscope): I'm a contradiction.
FURLONG: Check the follicles on its underbelly...
Zeke takes a look.
CASEY: What does that mean?
FURLONG: It means we need to call the university. Let them take a look. Maybe even get in on some of their federal grant money. Our secret alright?
Gabe takes a look at it and then at Stokely.
GABE: Hey Stokely, maybe it's from your planet. (laughs)
STOKELY: Oh blow me you fucker!
She pushes him knocking over a beaker full of water. Some water gets on the body and it flickers alive.
CASEY: Whoa! Did you see that?
The specimen pulsates.
GABE: What's it doing?
Furlong grabs the creature and brings it over to an aquarium on the other side of the room.
ZEKE: So you think it's amphibian?
FURLONG: Well, the water resuscitated it...
Furlong picks it up and holds it above the water tank about to drop it in
CASEY: Hey couldn't that kill it?
GABE: Yeah you don't wanna drown it.
FURLONG: Only one way to find out...
He gently lets it fall into the water tank. It sinks a little bit then begins to swim. Long red feelers extend from its body. It makes a quick swerve. Some of the students gasp.
FURLONG: It's alright. It’s okay.
He puts on a glove and dips his hand into the tank.
GABE: Mr. Furlong, what are you doing?
FURLONG: Just gonna check his prostate. Actually, the surface texture changed so...I wanna feel it.
He reaches in about to touch it. The creature makes a swift turn and produced another one like itself, exactly the same.
FURLONG: Jesus! It can replicate!
As Furlong’s hand gets closer to one of the creatures, teeth emerge from its front and bites him in the finger.
FURLONG: Ah! Fuck!
Furlong pulls his hand out sharply. His finger is bleeding fiercely.
FURLONG: God Damnit!
Aware that he is in the presence of students he calms down.
FURLONG: I'm okay.
CASEY: It has teeth...where did it get teeth?
FURLONG: I don't know...I'm gonna call the university right now.
Stokely presses her hand against the glass of the tank and gazed at the creature, mesmerized.
Scene 14
Setting: The poolroom. A whistle blows. Guys dive off the side of the pool and swim laps. Stan stands with the Coach.
STAN: You know, Coach, I've just been thinking ahead and...I've decided to quit the team to concentrate on my academics...
COACH (calmly): Okay. Stan, we'll miss you.
STAN: That's it?
COACH: Well what do you want me to say? My star quarterback comes to me the day before
we play the only team in the district that can kick our ass telling me he doesn't want to play. There's something up with that. You seem to be going through some life defining turning point
and I'm not going to stand in the way of the human condition. You do what you have to do.
STAN: Thanks for hearing, me coach.
COACH: What kind of human being would I be if I didn't?
Stan walks away and heads toward the boys' locker room.
Scene 15
Setting: Inside the boys' locker room. Gabe and another jock run through the aisles making the lives of various people miserable. Including Casey. Gabe bumps into him on purpose.
GABE: Hey yo piss wad, you're in my way.
CASEY (face to his locker): I'm sorry...I was breathing here.
GABE: Yeah that's the problem, you're occupying my air, anal probe.
He and his friend start laughing. Just as they were about to smash Casey, Stan walks in. Their attention quickly turns to him.
GABE: Hey yo Stan! Tomorrow night right?!
He gives him a high five.
GABE: That's right! We're gonna kill 'em! WOO HOO!
He and his friend run out of the locker room. Casey turns to Stan who is getting ready for a shower.
CASEY: It must really blow being you.
STAN (walking to shower): You have no idea.
Stan turns on the shower and lets the warm water drip over his body. There's a noise and Stan jumps. Ignoring it he rubs soap over his face and his eyes. Someone steps into the shower.
STAN: Yo Casey is that you?
There’s no answer. He can’t see because there was soap in his eyes. He washes the soap off his face and turns around to see Mrs. Brummel, half naked, walking towards him, reaching for him.
STAN: Mrs. Brummel, what the fuck?!
She peels off her shirt revealing her naked sagging breasts, gasping for air.
BRUMMEL: Help me I...can't....breathe! I don't know what's happening! They want everyone!
Casey enters to see what the yelling is about. Stan looks at Casey.
STAN: Get help!
He holds Mrs. Brummel against him and touched her matted hair. As he took his hand away a big clump of hair and flesh stuck to his hand. Disgusted he pushed her away and let the clot of hair fall to the ground.
Scene 16
Setting: Casey and Stan find themselves in the office telling Mrs. Olson what happened to Mrs. Brummel.
STAN: Is she gonna be okay?
OLSON: Stan, Mrs. Brummel was diagnosed with cancer and she's on a lot of medication at the moment and it causes disorientation. We were hoping she could make it through the school year but unfortunately...
Casey is looking at the window. He notices the sprinklers are running on the football field and the Coach is right in the middle of the spraying water arms crossed with a strangely enjoying expression on his face. Something weird is going on no doubt. Casey takes out his camera and zoomed in to make sure it’s him.
OLSON: You can understand the sensitive nature of the situation...
STAN: Yeah.
OLSON: Casey, you understand?
There is no answer as Casey is still fixated on the Coach.
OLSON: Casey, you understand? (louder) Casey?
CASEY: (finally realizing she was talking to him) Um yeah, sure...
He takes one last glance at the coach.
Scene 17
Setting: Outside in the student parking lot. Zeke is doing business.
GUY 1: It's Neve Campbell?
GUY 2: ...and Jennifer Love Hewitt right?
ZEKE: Yep...Party of Prettiness.
GUY 1: And they're naked?
ZEKE: Full frontal...
He pulls two videotapes out of the trunk of his car and hands them to two guys. They pay him. The two students scatter away. Ms Burke approaches him.
BURKE: Zeke. You cannot conduct personal business on school property.
Zeke sits down on the trunk of his car.
ZEKE: Well you see Ms Burke, we have a problem because I'm sitting on my car...which is my property.
BURKE: Well um, I've have complaints from several students who say you've sold them mind-altering substances. Now do you want to tell me about it or take it up with Principal Drake?
ZEKE: You're too tense, Ms Burke.
Zeke hops off his car and opens the trunk.
ZEKE: But I’ve got just the thing for ya.
BURKE: You know Zeke, I'm the authority figure here! It's time you realized that!
Zeke holds up a small white box.
ZEKE (playing commercial guy): For gentle relief of blockage... caused by stress. Chocolate flavored Laxatives.
BURKE: Ya know...If you applied just 5 percent of that intellect to your studies -
ZEKE: Not a chocolate lover huh?
He throws the container back into his trunk and searches for something else.
BURKE: You could have made up your finals last summer instead of repeating your senior year.
ZEKE (showing another box): How ‘bout these? Condoms. Magnum sized. And they're cherry flavored.
He holds them out for her to take. She doesn't.
ZEKE: Oh come on Ms Burke. They're on me.
Ms. Burke is obviously shocked by Zeke’s actions.
BURKE (sadly): That's so rude.
She walks away swiftly.
Scene 18
Setting: Delilah and Casey walk through the halls.
DELILAH: I need a lead story. I have no page one.
CASEY: We found a weird thing in biology today. Bizarre ... really bizarre. Mr. Furlong thinks it might be a new species!
DELILAH (not impressed): Oh, let’s just race to the stands for that issue.
CASEY (hurt): Why do you rag on me so much? What did I do?
DELILAH: Nothing! It's just your fate. You're just the geeky Stephen King kid. There's one in every school.
She starts to open the door to the faculty lounge, but Casey pulls her back.
CASEY: We can't go in here.
DELILAH (sighs): Come on, Casey you're with me...be brave.
The two of them enter the lounge.
CASEY: Okay...so...what are we looking for?
DELILAH: Anything.
She looks through someone's bag.
DELILAH: Hmm...Nurse Harper’s medicated. Big surprise.
Casey looks into a cupboard and pulls out a bottle of alcohol and shows it to Delilah.
DELILAH: No...I exposed Mr. Tate's alcohol problem last year....nobody cares. And his wife
certainly didn't when she ran off with the baby-sitter.
CASEY: God you can be such a....
DELILAH: What?!
CASEY: Pretty cool human being when you're not being a first class, grade A bitch.
DELILAH (smiles): Are you hitting on me Casey?
Casey quickly looks down.
CASEY: No... no... I just think you can be cool... sometimes... This not being one of them.
They look at each other longingly for a moment, until they hear Mrs. Olson and Coach Willis entering the office. They quickly rush into the faculty closet to hide, looking through the blinds to see what was going on. The two teachers head directly to the water dispenser. The Coach fills a paper cup and drinks from it. Mrs. Olson fills a cup also but just splashes it onto her face, hard.
OLSON: What happened to Mrs. Brummel?
COACH (heartless): She didn't make it...her body was too old. The heat got to her.
OLSON: Oh yeah, it can make your nerve system... pulsive.
COACH: Has the entire faculty been commuted?
OLSON: Almost.
COACH: what about the students?
OLSON: Soon.
The door opens and the two teachers turn to see Nurse Harper walk in. She blows her nose for what seems like the millionth time today and feels her head. Warm. When is this terrible cold going to pass? She goes to her bag to get her pills.
HARPER: What are you two still doing here? I thought I was the only one left?
She takes her medication out out of her purse.
HARPER: There's not enough drugs in this world.
Mrs. Olson nods to the Coach as Nurse Harper walks over to the fridge and gets her tomato juice and takes a sip. The coach walks up to Nurse Harper. He stands behind her, very close. When she turns around she bumps into him and is startled. She gives him a scared, avoiding smile.
NURSE: What?
COACH: I have a pain. (looks over to Mrs. Olson and back to Nurse Harper) I have a pain... right here.
He points to his neck then grabs the Nurse and flings her onto the sofa and gets on top of her. The Coach’s eyes turn totally white, and his face is covered by what look like very thick veins. He moves his face close to Nurse Harper’s ear. Casey and Delilah watch from behind the door of the closet in horror as something comes out of the coach's mouth and squirmed into the Nurse's ear. Some blood is sprayed onto Nurse Harper’s cheek, and her face is now also covered by the same ‘veins’ as the Coach’s. Mrs. Olson doesn't even try to help the Nurse. In the closet, Delilah backs into something causing the corpse of Mrs. Brummel to fall over on her. She yelps as she struggles to get the stinking body off her. The Coach looks up at the closet. Mrs. Olson motions for him to check the closet. As he opens the door Casey plunges a broom into the Coach's groin causing him to fall down. Delilah pushes Mrs. Olson onto the table and they both attempt to run out of the room and into the hallway when the commuted Nurse Harper grabs Delilah's leg. She calls for Casey and he returns to pull her free.
DELILAH: What the hell is going on?
In the hallway, Casey and Delilah nearly run into Principal Drake and Mr. Tate.
DRAKE: Hey, slow down there!
DELILAH: They killed Mrs. Brummel and they're after us!
DRAKE (calmly): Hey, hey, hey. Who killed who?
TATE: What's going on?
CASEY: The Coach and Mrs. Olson just attacked the Nurse!
DELILAH: Look, just ask Nurse Harper! Th-They attacked her.
TATE: Who attacked who? Mrs. Drake, what's going on?
DRAKE (calmly): I have no idea. I came in right in the middle of it.
CASEY: Mrs. Brummel wigged out in the shower and then we found her body in the faculty closet.
TATE: What were you doing in the faculty closet?
CASEY (clearly thinking ‘That’s not important’!): Look, the coach and Mrs. Olson attacked the Nurse!
DRAKE: Why would they do that?
Delilah spots the Nurse come out of the lounge along with the coach and Mrs. Olson, unscratched.
DELILAH: There’s Nurse Harper. You can just ask her... uh oh.
Drake eyes the two students evilly.
DRAKE: Now we can get to the bottom of this.
DELILAH (scared): Oh fuck...
CASEY:Delilah run!
They both take off down the hallway to the nearest exit. Casey falls down and calls for Delilah's help but she keeps going out the door. He gets up and runs all the way home to call his parents and the police.
Scene 19
Setting: A few minutes later Casey is back in the school with his parents and two cops. Principal Drake, Mrs. Olson and Coach Willis are also there, pretending to be innocence itself.
COP 1: In here?
CASEY: Yes. The body was in the closet.
DRAKE: And why would Mrs. Brummel be in the closet?
CASEY (looking toward the coach and Mrs. Olson): Because they killed her!
DRAKE (perkily): Oh, that's right.
COACH: Hey Casey! Sorry about that mix up today... didn't mean to scare you!
DRAKE (to cops): Apparently there's been a misunderstanding.
CASEY’S DAD: Still if we could just see inside the closet...
DRAKE: Certainly.
Principal Drake opens the closet for the cops to examine. Their flashlights search the closet and come across a life like doll face. Drake pulls out the life size doll and puts it on the table. Casey's eyes dart form the closet and back to the doll, confused.
COP 2: It's a doll...
DRAKE: Meet Resuscitation Annie. We use her to teach the kids CPR. Although I guess she does resemble Mrs. Brummel slightly. (laughs)
COP 1: You dialed 911 for a dead doll?!
CASEY: That wasn't there! They put that there!
Casey looks to the cops and his parents for help.
CASEY: Look, I'm not makin' this up! Call Delilah...she'll tell you!
COP 1: We called. She isn't home.
CASEY: She was here with me, she saw it too. They attacked Nurse Harper!
DRAKE: Nurse Harper is epileptic. She's prone to go off.
COACH: She was having an attack.
OLSON: Luckily she carries her medicine in her bag so we were able to help her!
Casey remembers Delilah finding medication in the nurses bag and replacing it.
DRAKE: We think it was brought on by this terrible cold she's had. I took her home myself, you can call her if you like.
COP 1: Well, it is procedure...
DRAKE: You can use the phone in my office.
Drake leads him into her office and shuts the door.
COACH: That was some fast running you did down the hall, son. We could sure use your speed. There's a lot of chasin' on the field.
CASEY’S DAD: Hear that Case? He said you got speed.
CASEY (quietly): Thank you.
There is a jolt from inside the principal's office and then the Cop and Drake come out.
DRAKE: We've just spoken with both Mrs. Brummel and Nurse Harper.
CASEY (stares at cop's emotionless face and whispers): They got 'em...
The cop smiles. Casey’s parents interpret it as plain friendlyness but Casey knows what it is: an evil grin that says “I know it, you know it. But what’re ya gonna do about it?”
COP 1: Nothing here. Just some kid looking for some attention. (glares at Casey) Let's go.
COP 2: Alright.
Both cops leave the office.
CASEY’S MOM: Evelyn knows someone downtown, a professional. I’m going to make an appointment.
CASEY’S DAD: He's a straight A student and now he needs a professional? Christ sakes...
CASEY: I don't need a shrink... I know what I saw.
CASEY’S MOM (to Ms. Drake): I am... so sorry, Ms. Drake.
DRAKE (motioning to Casey's mom): Maybe if we spoke privately in my office we could...
CASEY: No! No...Mom...uh, maybe you're right. Maybe I should she this woman, this doctor. Can we just go?
Casey’s mother looks at Casey then at the Principal.
CASEY’S MOM: We'll handle this at home Ms. Drake, and again, sorry for all this trouble.
DRAKE: I can see how it all got out of hand. It’s a pretty bizarre series of events.
CASEY’S DAD : Well it’s our fault and it won’t happen again. Good luck at the game tomarrow, coach.
The family starts to leave the room.
DRAKE: See ya tomorrow Casey.
She winks to him.
Scene 20
Setting: Back at Casey’s house. His mom and dad are destroying his room looking for drugs. His mom is standing at the door as his father rummages all around the room.
CASEY’S MOM: Check his school book. They hind the drugs in the spine of the book...I saw it on Dateline.
CASEY’S DAD: What are you on, son!?
CASEY: I’m not doing drugs...
Casey’s dad rips the book to shreds.
CASEY: Hey! That’s government property, dad!
CASEY’S DAD: Shit! (calms down) We love you son. We're only trying to help you.
CASEY: Then believe me. I’m telling the truth...look something weird is happening at school. The teachers - something's happened to them.
CASEY’S DAD: Don't push it! Alright? I’m bending this as far as I can but if you push it-
CASEY: Just let me call Delilah. Please!
Casey looks towards his wall dedicated to her with pictures of her all over.
CASEY’S DAD: Okay. That's it. Your privileges are now over. No phone...(he rips the phone jack out of the wall) Sorry, over! (he walks over to Casey’s computer) No Internet... (steals the external modem) You'll go to school, straight to school, and you'll come straight home. Got it?
CASEY: I’m not going back to that school. They're waiting for me.
CASEY’S DAD: Oh you'll go...if I have to tie you to the desk myself, you'll go.
Casey’s dad takes a stereo off a shelf.
CASEY’S DAD: No music.
CASEY’S MOM (whispering and pointing to under the bed mattress): His porno.
CASEY’S DAD: His porno? Oh ho ho ho...
Casey’s Dad looks at him and then goes to get the magazines.
CASEY’S DAD: Sorry pal...no more floggin’ the bishop.
CASEY’S MOM: We're gonna get you help. Don’t worry.
CASEY’S DAD: Get your room cleaned up.
They both leave... after a moment Casey messes with his computer to make some noise then sneaks out the window to go to Delilah. As soon as he's on the roof he sees the faculty outside on the sidewalk. Losing his balance, Casey falls off the roof and into a bush. The teachers swarm around him. Getting to his feet he runs into his dad.
CASEY’S DAD: What the hell do you think you're doing?
CASEY: Dad! They're here! The faculty!
He turns around seeing no one.
CASEY’S DAD: Get in the house.
Casey's dad looks around in disbelief. A silhouette or a woman closing a shade in the house window.
Scene 21
Setting: The next morning Casey’s Dad drives him to school.
CASEY’S DAD: Go on, son.
CASEY: Dad, I’m begging you. Please.
CASEY’S DAD: Come home right after school, your mom's looking into a doctor.
Casey slowly gets out of the car and walks towards the school. He looks back and notices the coach talking to his dad. The coach waves to him and Casey keeps walking. He walks through the busy halls and runs into Delilah who's normally styled hair is up in a pony tail and isn't hair-sprayed at all today...and she actually has glasses on.
CASEY: Whoa! Delilah! Wow, you look...
DELILAH: Don't. Come on...
She leads him into the bathroom and into a stall. They listen to an announcement calling for three students, including Delilah to report to the office.
DELILAH: This is all your fault! Do you think I am used to being called to the office?! They're after me!
CASEY: Did you tell your parents?
DELILAH: My mom...didn't believe me. She drinks...it’s a nightmare. Look, we've got to go to the police.
CASEY: No, I'm telling you they got the police!
DELILAH: We don't know what they've got.
CASEY: Look, you saw it. Mrs. Brummel was dead. They attacked Nurse Harper!
DELILAH: They? Who are THEY, Casey? We don't even know who THEY are! I'm
gonna check if everything's okay.
CASEY: Its a devil's cult or something. Maybe they worship comets. Who the fuck knows?
DELILAH: Well I’m not going to stay in the handicapped bathroom for the rest of my life.
Delilah walks out. Casey follows.
CASEY: Where are you going?
DELILAH: I'm going to find Stan.
CASEY: Stan?! Why Stan?!
He follows her.
Scene 22
Setting: In the faculty lounge. Every one is drinking water. The usual coffee isn’t brewing. The custodian is bringing in dozens of large water dispensers. The cabinets once filled with files are now filled with hundreds of bottles of water.
Scene 23
Setting: In history class, students are gathering to their seats. Mary-Beth and Stokely walk together. Stokely gazes at Stan who was getting his assignments out, ready for class.
MARY-BETH: You should just go talk to him.
STOKELY: No way.
As they pass him, Mary-Beth pushes Stokely lightly causing her to fall into Stan's lap. She quickly gets up, embarrassed.
STOKELY: Um, sorry. So you, are you uh, ready for the big game?
STAN: Quit the team.
STOKELY: Are you serious?!
STAN: Yeah.
Stokely takes a seat in the chair in front of Stan, while talking to him.
STOKELY: Why?
STAN: Just tired of everyone kissing my ass cause I’m captain of the football team. Ya know? The coach, the students, even the teachers. Last year after we won the two way conference...
STOKELY: That was thanks to you and your competent passes.
STAN: You follow our games? (smiles) I wouldn't have guessed that...
Stokely smiles back.
STAN: I made a D on a biology test, right, and then Furlong changed it to an A. He said I deserved it for having such a strong arm. That really bugged me ya know? I worked hard for that D, that was my D, I deserved that D. I just wish people would let me be...
STOKELY (slightly sceptic but supportive all the same): A D student?
STAN :Yeah. (smiles)
The bell ring and Mr. Tate walks in. He looked tired and it’s obvious he won’t take any shit. Seeing a student listen to music through head phones, he yanked them out of his ear and smashed a large file of papers onto his desk. The students gasp, turn around, and pay close attention.
TATE: Okay, class. Listen up! Today we are going to write a living family history.
Students wonder what’s going on.
TATE: Everybody take out a piece of paper and write down every name of every living member of your family. Begin with your immediate family, those living with you, then include the name of your nearest living relatives.
Tate takes a noisy swig from a bottle of water that has replaced his usual drink.
STAN (raises hand): Is this going to be on the test?
TATE (smiles evilly): This is the test!
Scene 24
Setting: During passing period. Mary-Beth sees Zeke get pen looking containers of white powder out of his locker and putting them into his pant pocket. Curious, she approaches him.
MARY-BETH: What is that?
ZEKE: It's magic dust. Want some?
MARY-BETH: Nah. I have low tolerance, but thank you.
ZEKE: You sure?
MARY-BETH: I'm allergic to Aspirin so that...(she points to the white powder) would probably kill me. (laughs)
ZEKE: Well we don't want to do that then.
MARY-BETH: No... I'm Mary-Beth Louise Hutchinson I'm from-
ZEKE: Atlanta. I know.
MARY-BETH: That's right... (smiles) you know everything...
ZEKE: I'm Zeke.
MARY-BETH: I know.
ZEKE: It's a pleasure.
MARY-BETH: Pleasure's all mine!
Scene 25
Setting: Stan and Stokely walk out of their class and look at the long line of students leading into the Nurse's office.
STAN: Weird, isn't it?
STOKELY: What do you think it is?
STAN: Locker search, maybe?
STOKELY: Something weird's going on here.
Gabe, dressed in his football gear, sees Stan and greets him.
GABE: Whoa! Stan!
STAN: Hey Gabe.
GABE: Hey you're not pissed are ya?
STAN: No, why?
GABE: Well, I’m the new team captain.
They start to walk down the hall, the line grows.
STAN: What's going on here?
GABE: Nurse Harper is giving an ear exam or some shit like that.
They look into the office where Nurse Harper inserts a strange-looking instrument into a student’s ears. Before we see the effect, Principal Drake shuts the door. Stan notices a couple of police officers following Ms. Olson into the school halls.
STAN: And that takes the police?
Delilah finally spots Stan and grabs a hold of him.
DELILAH: Stan, I need to talk to you.
STAN: I didn't know you wear glasses...
DELILAH: Contacts...Come on it's important.
They walk away, leaving Stokely alone. Casey sees her and approaches her.
CASEY: Stokely...got a second? I need your help.
Scene 26
Setting: Outside. Mary-Beth and Zeke walk the courtyard dodging people.
MARY-BETH: So after the accident I came to live here with relatives, my cousins and well, here I am.
They spot a girl and her boyfriend sitting on a bench. The girl is yelling and smacking her boyfriend. He does absolutely nothing. Just sits there as she smacks the shit out of him. Zeke notices that a lot of students are acting weird. There is a large line for the water fountain and everyone seems zonked out.
ZEKE: Yeah, my mom and dad are dead too.
MARY-BETH: Really?
ZEKE: Yeah, they're still breathing but for all intents and purposes they're very much dead.
MARY-BETH: Well you and I have a lot in common then.
ZEKE: Yeah...you notice anything off here today at school?
MARY-BETH: I’m from the South, you’re all off.
The two guys that Zeke sold fake IDs to come up to the two of them.
CUSTOMER 1: Dude we need some scat.
CUSTOMER 2: We can’t deal with this, there’s some weird shit going down here.
ZEKE (routined): Five bucks a pop.
They pay him and he gives them each three pen containers full of Scat.
ZEKE: Hey man how's the new you workin' out?
CUSTOMER 1: Workin' out just fine. Hey, ya got any more?
ZEKE (suspicious): Sure, man.
CUSTOMER 1: Really? Why don't you just give us all you got?
He hands out the money and Zeke gives him another handful of pens.
ZEKE: Alright. Dope.
CUSTOMER 2: Got any more?
ZEKE: Not on me, man.
CUSTOMER 1: What about in your locker?
CUSTOMER 2: Or your car? Got any in there?
ZEKE: Use with moderation, boys...
CUSTOMER 1: Come on Zeke, hook us up....
STUDENT: Whoa! Check out Ms. Burke!
Ms. Burke strolls up to Zeke looking like a super model instead of the dorky teacher she normally was.
ZEKE: Ahh man...I'm really not in the mood Ms. Burke... I'm clean.
Ms. Burke pushes him and students circle around them to see the action.
ZEKE: Not today. It's too damn hot and I’ve got zero fucking tolerance.
BURKE: Eat me you asshole! I’m the one with no tolerance, you pathetic little runt!
CUSTOMER 1: Ouch... good comeback...
Both Zeke’s customers walk away.
ZEKE: What are you going to do, call my mother? (laughs)
BURKE: Now how am I supposed to do that little Zekey boy? Do you even know where she is? Europe? Sri Lanka? Japan? I wonder what remote location she went to this week to hide from her great big bastard mistake. I’ve taken your shit for too fuckin' long! Dickless, drugged induced excuse for a human being!
ZEKE: Oh, woman, what are you on?!
BURKE: Woman?!
She pushes him.
BURKE: Did you just say woman?! I’m sick of you, little boy. And if I have to see you peddling your little wonder dust again, I’m gonna shove my foot so far up your ass
you'll be sucking my toes till graduation.
She pushes him aside and stomps off. Every student makes sure not to get in her way.
ZEKE: She got some bad shit...
Scene 27
Setting: Casey and Stokely are sitting at a table in the library.
CASEY: ....And then they chased us but we got away.
STOKELY: So all of this started when Mrs. Brummel did a wet and wild in the boys' locker room?
CASEY: I think so. Everybody's been acting really strange. Especially the faculty.
STOKELY: Tell me about it. It's like they all turned us into fuckin pod people or something.
CASEY: To what people?
STOKELY: Invasion of the Body Snatchers... a small town gets taken over by aliens... that was a joke.
CASEY: Well, what if it really happened?
STOKELY: What if what really happened?
CASEY: Maybe something’s taken over our school.
STOKELY: The Body Snatchers is just a story somebody made up dingus... It’s located in the fiction section of the library.
CASEY: Yeah and so is Schindler's List... look, all fiction is based on some sort of truth right? What does Ms. Burke teach us in English 101? Write what you know. How do you know this writer guy...
STOKELY: Jack Finney.
CASEY: .......didn't encounter aliens in high school, which led him to write a story about an alien invasion?
STOKELY: Your conspiracy theory is flawed.
CASEY: How so?
STOKELY: Well Jack Finney's Body Snatchers is a blatant rip off of The Puppet Masters by Robert Heinlein, so you can completely disregard your statement...
CASEY: Whatever...the point is they're here, they've been here, and they'll be here again.
STOKELY: You know Casey, I think you’ve been racked into the flag pole one too many times.
CASEY: How do you know there’s not a conspiracy?! Like maybe the X-Files is right. Where do all these movies come from anyway? How do we know Spielberg, Lucas, Sonnenfeld, Emmerich haven't been visited by aliens? Maybe they're aliens themselves...maybe they’re simply preparing us for what’s to come.
STOKELY: You know Casey, it's fiction. Okay? It's science fiction.
CASEY: Exactly! Everyone is getting hung up on the science part which has nothing to do with it - they’re really getting us with the fiction.
STOKELY: So...aliens just have been setting us up over the years, creating this happy, make-believe, little existence with their E.T. and their Men in Black movies just so nobody would believe it if it really happened?
CASEY: I think so. Yeah....you're not buying this are you?
STOKELY: No. I'm not. But... (smiles) it's kinda cool.
CASEY: Okay, so what's missing?
STOKELY: Well in the Body Snatchers they were pods but where are they? Where are the pods?
CASEY: There are no pods... There’s got to be something else...
STOKELY: In Puppet Masters they were... parasites...
They both look at each other and know what they’ve got to do.
Scene 28
Setting: In the hall. Stokely and Casey meet up with Delilah and Stan.
DELILAH: I filled Stan in.
CASEY: Come with us... Stokely is on to something.
DELILAH (crosses arms over chest and glares at Stokely): Really?
They enter Mr. Furlong's biology lab where the creature Casey had found was. Unfortunately the water tank is now empty. There’s still water, but no creature.
STOKELY: Furlong must have sent it up to the university...
CASEY: Doubtful.
STOKELY: Where else could it be?
DELILAH: What? What is it?
STAN: Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?
CASEY: Okay it all started yesterday when I found this thing, this new species...
STOKELY: ...which is now missing.
CASEY: We think aliens are taking over our school.
STAN (laughs): What? Come on...
CASEY: You saw what Brummel did in the shower.
DELILAH: And I saw her dead body in the closet.
STOKELY: They've been calling students into the office all day. Students with the most influence on them. Including the new team captain.
DELILAH: Looks like you chose the right time to quit football.
STAN: You think aliens have infested our school?
DELILAH: That would explain their weird behavior, wouldn't it?
STAN: Give me a fucking break!
Scene 29
Setting: Storage room. Mary-Beth and Zeke sneak in.
MARY-BETH: So what are we doing here?
ZEKE: Shopping. I’ve got a very large grocery list
MARY-BETH: What are ya talkin' about?
ZEKE: This is where I get my equipment.
MARY-BETH: You borrow it from science labs?
ZEKE: I like to think of it as stealing actually.
Zeke takes some tubes and other stuff he needs.
ZEKE: I'm just doing my part in the deconstruction of America.
Zeke walks towards Mary-Beth and touches her chin lightly.
ZEKE: So if anybody finds us in here...just grab a hold of me and pretend we're making out. Punishment will be less severe.
Their lips meet into a soft kiss. Zeke hears voices through the vent to the next room.
VOICE 1: You have a better explanation Stan? Great.
Mary-Beth giggles.
VOICE 2: I mean, just listen to yourselves... Teachers are aliens?
ZEKE: Shh...
They get closer to the vent to listen realizing the voices belonged to Casey and Stan.
STAN: That's not just idiotic, that’s fuckin psychotic!
Scene 30
Setting: Back in the biology lab.
STAN: Come on guys...this is nuts!
DELILAH: Then why don’t you leave Stan? Why are you hanging around? Go to study hall or something.
STAN: Oh blow me, Delilah, cause I’m sick of your shit!
DELILAH: Well then get the fuck out of here and take your little freak dyke here (points to Stokely) with you!
STOKELY: Fuck you, tit bags!
CASEY: Will everybody calm down?! Please?
STAN (mocking): Alright Casey...lets go alien for a second...Why here? Why Ohio?
CASEY: If you were going to take over the world, would you blow up the White House, Independence Day style, or sneak in through the back door?
Suddenly there’s a scream causing the 4 students to jump as Zeke staggers in holding his chest. Then he laughs followed by Mary-Beth and swaggers over to Casey.
ZEKE: Casey. Man the only person in this school that’s an alien... is you.
CASEY: Fuck you, Zeke.
Zeke pretends to look hurt. Mr. Furlong walks in.
FURLONG: What’s going on here? Shouldn't you people be in class?
ZEKE: Well, its like this Mr. Ferlone...Casey, here, thinks you’re an alien.
FURLONG (laughs): Is that true Casey?
STAN: The whole faculty actually.
Mr. Furlong goes from amused to grim and pulls down the shade over the door window.
FURLONG: Is that true... Casey?
CASEY: The uh - the thing I found yesterday...where is it?
FURLONG: I sent it to the university.
STOKELY: Do they know what it is?
Furlong shrugs his shoulders.
ZEKE: Look, sorry to impose and disrupt, Mr. Furlong
Zeke walks toward the door but science teacher takes his arm and holds tight.
FURLONG: If you would kindly take your seats, this will be over quite quickly. Now sit down!
Furlong pushes Zeke to the ground and starts to get the other people. When he tries to get Delilah, Casey runs up to push the science teacher but instead he grabs Casey by the throat with one hand, in a strangle-hold. Zeke rushes to the paper cutter, puts his foot on it and pulls the blade off, sending bolts flying around the room. Holding it like a baseball bat he approaches the teacher who still has Casey by the throat.
ZEKE: Put him the fuck down, Furlong!
FURLONG (still holding Casey): This is for the best, Zeke.
Furlong throws Casey backwards in to the grasp of Stan who gladly catches his fall. Zeke swings the blade cutting off the teacher's fingers. The teacher screams in pain. Red feelers quirm from the wound. His fingers start to move on the ground and chase the remaining students. Stokely and Delilah scream as the fingers squirm up their legs. The science teacher starts to fight Zeke, knocking the large blade out of his hand. Zeke reached into his pocket and pulls out the pen full of his home-made drug, scat and plunges it deep into the eye of the teacher. Furlong heaves Zeke into the water tank, shattering it to a million pieces. Zeke arms another scat pen. White foam squirts out of the eye and eventually the teacher falls down, dead. The students gather around him, to confirm what they’ve just seen and to make sure he’s really dead.
STOKELY: Isn’t this usually the point where someone says 'Let's get the fuck outta here’?
STAN: Let’s get the fuck outta here!
They head to the door and Casey gets a jar and puts one of Mr. Ferlone's fingers inside which now looked morelike the thing he found the day before.
STAN: Aliens are takin' over the fucking school.
CASEY: Gotta have proof.
STAN: Alright everybody, here's the deal: Run straight to the parking lot. We'll all go together and try to stay calm.
They open the science door and walk out into the hallway. The kids all stare at them oddly whispering their names. They are all drinking water bottle after bottle. They get to the parking lot and to Zeke's car.
ZEKE: My car.
CASEY: Where are we going?
DELILAH: Anywhere but here.
They all get in and just as Stan is about to get in, Gabe and some other members of the football team call to him.
GABE: Hey Stan! Where ya going to buddy?
STAN: We're uh...
ZEKE: Come on Stan. Jesus Christ, just get in the fucking car.
GABE: You sure you don't want to play with us?
STAN: Nah, Gabe...
Stan gets in the car and Zeke starts to peel away.
STAN (to Gabe) ...but thanks. (to Zeke) What the fuck is going on?
ZEKE: (lights a cigarette) I dunno. Let’s see if anyone's talkin’.
Zeke turns on the radio and tries to find a channel. There is only static.
STAN: (Sees a police road block ahead) What the fuck is this all about
ZEKE: (Thinking the cops are infecting people they stop...) Fuck this shit! (He floors the car and swerves off to the road to the right.)
They speed down the road.
Scene 31
Setting: Zeke's house. They walk into Zeke's garage. There's a table covered with test tubes full of gold-colored and green liquid. Next to it are a few dozen capsules. Beside that is a cage with a white experiment rat named Oscar. On the table is a gun.
CASEY: Where's your mom and dad?
ZEKE: Europe... I think.
He starts to mess with the test tubes. The others admire the hundreds of test tubes, full of experimental fluids.
STAN: This is some serious shit.
Mary-Beth takes notice to the capsules and some boxes. On the boxes are the words “NO SLEEP” and an image of a truck. They are merely caffeine pills.
MARY-BETH: Is this your big secret? Caffiene pills?
ZEKE: (covers up the pills) You didn't see that.
DELILAH: What are we going to do? (looks to Stan) With the police
not being an option?
STAN: I can call my dad, he'd know what to do.
CASEY: Yeah, if he's even your dad anymore.
Stan looks down. Casey spots the gun and looks at it suspiciously.
ZEKE: It's called a gun, man...
Zeke takes the bottle that Casey put one of the teacher’s finger in. Now it looked more like the thing Casey found on the field, instead of a finger.
CASEY: What is it?
ZEKE: We're gonna find out.
He cuts off a small piece of the organism and places it in the rat's cage.
ZEKE: Hey, come here, Oscar...
He drips a bit of water on it. The rat approaches it and the thing sucks itself into the rats ear. The rat squeals, is fazed for a minute and then proceeds to the other side of its cage to drink water.
ZEKE: Geez!
Zeke puts his hand in the cage and grabs the rat.
ZEKE: I'm sorry buddy...
Zeke uses two fingers to break the rat’s neck, killing it. A few minutes later, the rat is cut open. Zeke takes the creature out of the rat's body and places it under a microscope.
ZEKE: See it’s a parasite. It attaches itself to a host and then it controls it.
He slits the side of the creature open with a scalpel revealing body parts.
ZEKE: It's incomplete...
STOKELY: What do you mean?
ZEKE: It can survive on its own, but it’s really part of a greater organism. It has the ability to replicate but it needs a host.... something moist. (pointing to the rat) See what it did to Oscar's insides? It dried them out.
STAN: Isn't a human's body composed mainly of water?
STOKELY: They're using us...drying us out.
STAN: Like Mrs. Brummel-
CASEY: I heard the coach say her body was too old - she couldn't take the heat..
Zeke opens a scat pen and covers the creature with it. It shrivels up to nothing.
ZEKE: The drugs are diuretic. Dries it out. Kills it.
STOKELY: They're using us as hosts. They're just turning us into mindless slaves they can control.
ZEKE: How do you know that?
DELILAH: She doesn't! She's a trekky sci-fi freak.
STAN: Yeah, who's been right so far.
MARY-BETH: How can we stop it?
She looks to Stokely for answers.
CASEY: Yeah Stokely....this is your area.
STOKELY: In theory they're all connected. If we kill the master we can get them all.
DELILAH: In theory...
STAN: What happens to everybody else? The ones that have been taken over. Do they just die?
STOKELY: No. They don't. They'd all, th-they'd become human again. But that is in theory so... (glares at Delilah)
CASEY: So if we found the leader, and killed it, we'd beat it.
DELILAH: What are we even talking about? I say we get the fuck out of town.
CASEY: And go where?! Don't you see? We gotta stop it or its gonna spread. It took the high school in a day and a half - give it a week and we'll never outrun it...we have to fight.
STAN: Fight what?! We don't even know who's alien and who's not. What if one of us was an alien right now? How would we know?
STOKELY: He's right. How do I really know you're really Casey?
CASEY: How do I really know you're you?
STOKELY: Well, in Body Snatchers humans became emotionless. They completely lost
their identities.
STAN: The coach had emotion. I mean he's usually a real hard ass but he's different somehow.
His behavior's slightly odd.
DELILAH: Like a star quarterback who mysteriously quits the football team?
STAN: What are you doing Delilah?
DELILAH: I'm just pointing out your slightly odd behavior Stan, you've been acting really weird the past couple of days.
STAN: I'm not an alien. I'm discontent.
DELILAH: There's another big word.
STAN: You wanna talk slightly odd?! What about you?! You haven't been without your contacts or hair spray since... birth?!
DELILAH: I'm incognito.
STOKELY: We just have to trust each other.
DELILAH: And I'm supposed to trust you? (evilly eyes her) Tell me something Miss Lesbian, when did you start liking boys?
STOKELY: What the fuck are you talkin about?
DELILAH: I’ve seen the way you look at Stan? So when did you stop muff diving?
MARY-BETH: She's not a lesbian alright? That was a hoax.
DELILAH: (wondering about Mary-Beth) Really?
MARY-BETH: Yeah.
DELILAH: And what about you, Miss Atlanta? It’s just really convenient you showed up the
second all these things started happening...what are you doing in Ohio anyway?
MARY-BETH: It’s not my fault.
ZEKE: