Full Version of Regulator - September 16th 2012

The Scene opens as ANDREW sits on the steps of THE SHACK, a building at the camp used for a variety of activities. He sits twiddling a gun in his hand, shaking it around as he thinks. As he sits, a friend, NICK, walks up behind him.

Nick (Coldly)
What's it going to be?

Andrew
(Distant)
I don't know. I really just... don't know.

Nick
Why not?

Andrew
It’s not exactly a situation where I have a lot of options... but its not like either of the two option are easy to take up.

Nick
We have to kill him, there is no other option.

Andrew
(Angrily)
How do we do that though? How do we take the life of.. of a kid who, just a couple of days ago would have been fine? He's thirteen for fucks sake! But your just willing too kill him, not give it a second thought!

Nick
(Annoyed)
He's been bit Andrew. You, me, we all know what happens when you get bit.

Andrew
(Standing and walking up to Nick, looking him right in his face)
So I just shoot him right? Without even a second thought? He's not dead yet, he's not one of them! He's just a sick person, maybe we can help him.

Nick
(Looking down, away from Andrew gaze)
We didn't help the others when they...

Andrew
(Interrupting Nick)
That's because the others died! From the beatings, or blood loss, or maybe just losing the will to live. They died, we couldn't help them. Other than that bite, Zach is fine, and alive, he needs help.

Nick
(More Sympathetically)
Andrew, you've seen him. He’s not “fine” by any definition of the word. No matter what we do, he just gets worse. The fevers burning him up, he screams if we touch him, and can barely speak.

ANDREW turns away, walking a couple steps to look out over the camps field

Nick
(Continued)
I'm not saying kill him because he's a threat. If we could help him, I'd be on board with it, you know that about me. I would be backing you up, just like old times. But we can't help him. This isn't about a potential threat, this is about sympathy.

ANDREW turns his head too look back at NICK

Nick
(Almost pleading)
Andrew... It’s a mercy killing, not a murder.

ANDREW pauses to think. He and NICK stand in silence.

Andrew
I'm gonna go ask him, it's his choice. Not ours.

Nick
Are you serious?

ANDREW wordlessly exits the Shack, walking off down a trail towards the back of the Campgrounds. Nick follows him.

Scene transitions to ANDREW walking along the trail as more and more of the survivors at the camp begin to follow him. As the ever-growing march expands, a little girl, GABI, walks up next to ANDREW

Gabi
What are you doing?

Andrew
Regulating.

GABI stops, ANDREW stops too and looks at her

Gabi
(Curiously)
Your going to kill him aren't you?

Andrew
(Looking away from her, coldly)
It hasn't been decided yet.

ANDREW starts walking again, GABI follows him

Gabi
Then what are you doing?

Andrew
Asking him.

Gabi
But... he's going to want to die! You can’t let him choose!

Andrew
So then he will, it's not my call or yours. It’s his choice. It’s his life.

Gabi
But...
ANDREW grabs GABI and pulls her off to the side of the trail. The crowd following him stops, and keep their distance.

Andrew
I know what your going to say, trust me I do. But I can't debate this with you. We have no say here, only he does.

GABI continues to look at ANDREW with disappointment.

Gabi
(Sternly)
He's a person.

Andrew
(Annoyed)
Do you think I don't know that or something? Because I know. I don't want to do this. I know he's going to want me to kill him, and I know I'm going to have to do it. One thing that's going to make it a lot easier for me though, is if you stop acting disappointed in me. You know I can't live with you thinking that.

Gabi
(Apologetically)
I'm sorry...

GABI hugs ANDREW ANDREW returns the hug, stands up and continues walking. NICK is seen in the background, looking as if he is disappointed in ANDREW. Scene transitions to The Medical Tent, illuminated only by the dying fire outside it. The camp nurse sits outside the tent by the fire. As ANDREW and the crowd approach. ANDREW turns to face the crowd.

Andrew
(Loudly, but Calmly)
Leave now, this isn’t a stage show for you to enjoy.

All of the crowd leaves except for GABI and NICK.

Andrew
(To Gabi and Nick)
Wait here.
(To Nurse)
He's inside?

Nurse
Yup, he's weak, very. He won't be around much longer.

ANDREW looks back at NICK and GABI one last time. NICK has a serious "get it over with" face while GABI gives ANDREW a look of "Have some sympathy for him" ANDREW walks inside the tent. ZACH lies on a cot in the far left corner of the tent. The 13 year old boy lies with a bag of ice over his head, breathing frantically.

Andrew
(With Pseudo-Optimism)
Hey, Zach. How ya feeling?

Zach
(Weakly)
Pain. Lot's of pain.

Andrew
Zach, I should have come here sooner. We both know what has happened to you, what is going to happen to you. I know your in pain, and I want to offer you a choice.

ANDREW steps closer to ZACH, ZACH opens his eyes and looks at ANDREW. ANDREW spins the barrel of his revolver and then locks it into place.

Andrew
(Continued)
Do you want to live as long as you can, or do you want me to kill you and stop you from coming back.

Zach
Well, I thought you’d never ask.

Andrew
(Confused)
What?

Zach
I’ve been lying in this bed for over two days now. My head hurts, i’m constantly hot and sweating. I can’t eat solid food and can only drink water. I know I’m going to die too, I saw what happened to the others, I know it’s going to be no different for me.

Andrew
Who knows, maybe you won’t die. Maybe you’ll be the first who pulls through this. You’ll get close to the brink of death, and then at the last second you’ll snap back.

ZACH smiles

Zach
I think we both know that’s not happening.

Andrew
Call it wishful thinking, but you need to keep hope alive.

The two sit in silence for awhile, and then ZACH turns to ANDREW

Zach
Kill me.

Andrew
(Surprised, with fear and sadness in his voice)
Now listen to me. Are you sure you want me to do that. There is no second chance.

Zach
Andrew, don't bullshit me, I’ve got enough people doing that. I don’t need it from you.... I'm just in too much pain... I'm not coming back from this, and everyone knows it. Just do it.

Andrew
Have you given it any thought at all? Have you considered all possibilities?

Zach
Andrew, I’ve known I was going to die from the start. At first it was sad. Sad beyond comprehension. But then there was this moment of realization. It’s a way out. It’s a way out of my pain and suffering. I don’t want to die anymore, I... just want to be dead. If that makes any sense.

Andrew
(Still unsure)
Yeah, it does.
ZACH sit’s up as much as he can in bed.

Zach
Andrew, listen. It’s mercy... not murder.

ANDREW sighs and puts his handgun to Zach’s head. He hesitates to fire.

Zach
Thank You...

Andrew
(Coldly and Sadly, a tear rolling down his cheek)
Your Welcome.

ANDREW fires, cut to black.

SCENE fade back into a view outside the Medical Tent. GABI and NICK stand outside in the glow of the fires embers, heads down. ANDREW emerges from the tent, and the two raise their heads. ANDREW looks at them, and then turns and walks away.

The Scene changes to ANDREW’s cabin where the kids that he has taken care of since before the Apocalypse, JAMES, IVAN, DANNY, and SETH sit on the porch waiting for him. ANDREW wordlessly approaches the cabin, GABI following behind him.

James
I think Andrew’s coming.

Ivan
You guy’s heard the gunshot right, he’s not going to be happy.

Seth
I don’t think anyone would have expected him too be.

Danny
We should probably just leave him alone when he get’s here.

ANDREW walks up to the Cabin, climbs the stairs, and goes right inside. IVAN runs in front of the door

Ivan
(Shouting)
Well hi!

Seth
(Slaps Ivan)
Jerk, leave him alone. He’s not happy.

Ivan
(Turning away from the door and too a chair on the corner of the deck)
Bet you a 100 bucks nobody is.

GABI approaches the boys and climbs the stairs to the cabin.

Gabi
You guys saw Andrew, right?

Ivan
Yeah, he didn’t seem too happy.

Gabi
You know what he had too do right?

Danny
Off that kid?

Gabi
That’s not exactly a polite way too put it, but yes. Andrew killed Zach out of mercy.

Seth
(Shocked)
Doesn’t sound like mercy to me.

Gabi
(Sarcastically)
Guess it doesn’t make since to an 8 year old.

Ivan
(Annoyed)
Oh so just because he’s eight he can’t understand what mercy is?

Gabi
That’s not what I’m saying, and you should no better too, your 11.

James
(Quietly)
Guys maybe this isn’t the time to fight...

Ivan
(To James)
Shut Up.
(To Gabi)
You to, you’re not in charge. You’re not my boss, plus you’re the same age as me. So I don’t know why you’re trying to talk down too me.

Gabi
Maybe if you would grow up I wouldn’t have too.

Danny
Maybe if you would leave us alone you wouldn’t have to either.

While the other four continue too bicker, JAMES slips off into the cabin to see ANDREW. He find ANDREW sitting on his bed, contemplating the empty bullet casing in the moonlight.

James
(Caring)
You alright?

Andrew
Can you believe it’s already October?

James
(Confused)
What?

Andrew
October. It’s already October. Camp’s normally done by September, than i’ve got a whole 7 months before I see this place again. But no... not this year. This year i’m still here. Battening down the hatches, fixing up all the cabins, getting as much supplies for the winter before it comes. Can you imagine that? A summer day camp having to prepare for a long, unheated winter... And that’s not too mention having too still take care of the kids.

James
Well, it’s because of the monsters right?

Andrew
Yup. Those damn monsters. The ones that come in, destroy everything by rarely touching anything. All they have too do is get close enough to a friend... or a loved one... or just a person in general. Then it’s all over, then theres no hope.

James
This is because of what you had to do today, isn’t?

Andrew
(Ashamed)
Yeah, yeah it is. I looked into his eyes as I held the gun to his head. There was no hope, no light. It was gone, anything that had been there before was gone. And in it’s place was just this thing, hanging between life or death just desperately trying to find a way out. And that’s what the world is now. Just something hanging their in the balance. It’s never gonna shift completely one way, something else has to destroy it first. We can’t save it, and the monsters can’t destroy it. Not totally, not without help.

James
(Hopeful)
Well, what if that help comes? What if it’s a simple as everyone learning too work together.

ANDREW laughs and looks down at the floor, then back at JAMES

Andrew
Look, I’ll make you a deal. If this “help”, no matter what it is, ever comes. Whether it be a permanent safe haven, everyone working together, or just a miracle from god. I promise to take you wherever you want in the world.

James
Wherever?

Andrew
Wherever.

ANDREW stands up and walks towards the door of the cabin, hearing the bickering outside, with intent to stop it. JAMES then speaks up, one more time.

James
Cape Cod, if help comes, I wanna go to Cape Cod.

Andrew
(Turns to James, smiling)
Okay.

ANDREW turns and pushes open the Cabin door, scene cuts too black.

The next Scene fades in. It is now morning and ANDREW is at another part of the camp, the BEACHSIDE TABLES. The area is a circle of tables on the edge of the FIRESIDE LAKE that the camp groups meet at in the mornings. ANDREW, NICK, and a couple other counselors walk to the tables, grabbing clipboards and reading over the information on them. ANDREW looks at his roster of campers, DANNY, JAMES, SETH, ANTHONY,  JOSHUA, and NIKO are the names printed on the sheet. IVAN and GABI’s names are handwritten at the bottom of the roster, indicating that  they have been recently added to the group.

ANDREW
Now, let’s see what’s on the Schedule today.

Another Counselor sitting at the table next to ANDREW’s, BRANDON, responds to ANDREW

Brandon
The usual amount of complicated, boring games we have to play.

Andrew
Come on man, it’s not that boring.

Brandon
(Chuckles)
You try playing kickball every day for five months, then we can talk about what’s boring.

Andrew
Well, you’ve got me there.

Children talking and laughing can be heard in the distance. ANDREW, NICK, BRANDON, and the other counselors poke their heads up.

Counselor
Here they come.

Girl Counselor
(Sarcastically)
Oh yay!

NICK walks over and quickly sits down next to ANDREW.

Nick
(To Andrew, contemplating)
How much longer do you think we can keep up the charade?

Andrew
That the world hasn’t ended?

Nick
That, yes. But what about the fact that you run the camp. You ever going to tell the campers, or the counselors for that matter, that Monica handed over control of the camp to you?

Andrew
Now’s not really the time to talk about that. But let’s just say this. I’m gonna keep the charade that we are still running a summer camp going as long as I have too, or at least can. And Monica posing as leader of the camp is just another part of that plan. Now get back with your group, we’ve got kids to deal with.

NICK gets up and walks away, while ANDREW’s group of campers approach him. Most of them wear long sleeved shirts and jeans or sweatpants, though a few try to stay in the camp spirit and wear t-shirts and shorts.

Andrew
Good morning guys! How was breakfast?

Danny
Terrible, it was even smaller than yesterdays!

Seth
We only got like, a tiny bowl of cereal!

Andrew
I’m sorry guys, but we have 500 mouths to feed. It’s hard to ration the food sometimes. We’ll probably have to get more soon.

Danny
Probably.

ANDREW begins checking off the names of kids on his lists, he stops at JOSHUA’s name and looks around for him. He sees him standing farther down the trail, paused, looking at something.

Andrew
Niko, can you go get Josh?

Niko
No, he’s being weird again.

Seth
He’s always being weird.

Some of the other boy’s giggle, but ANDREW gets up and starts walking down towards JOSHUA.

Andrew
(Arriving, bends down on one knee next to JOSH)
Hey, Josh. What’s up?

JOSH just looks off into the forest. ANDREW looks to see what he’s looking at. Off in the distance, ANDREW see’s a deer

Andrew
(Continued)
The deer?

JOSH turns to Andrew and smiles.

Andrew
(Cont.)
The Deer is pretty cool huh? What do you like about it?

Josh
Nice

Andrew
Yeah, Deer are nice. Nicer than most thins are in this world now.

ANDREW and JOSH look back towards the Deer, it sees them and suddenly bounds away.

Andrew
(cont.)
Hey, let’s go back to the table and play with the other kids for a little while, okay?

JOSH’s face drops from a smile to a look of indifference.

Andrew
(Cont.)
Oh come on, it’ll be fun. You always have fun with them. They’re your friends!

JOSH shakes his head in resistance, and then Andrew sees, out of the corner of his eye, someone standing next to him.

James
Come on Josh, we are gonna go play with worms and then build a worm highway in the woodchips!

JAMES extends his hand for JOSH’s, JOSH seems at first reluctant, but eventually takes it and walks off with JAMES.

ANDREW starts walking back towards his table, but then stops. He looks over to his group, and see’s everybody but JAMES appear to be avoiding JOSH. Andrew stands still for a moment

Andrew
(Loudly)
Hey guys, come over here real quick. James and Josh, you two can stay, everyone else over here.

DANNY, SETH, ANTHONY,  JOSHUA, NIKO, IVAN, and GABI walk over to ANDREW, clustering in front of him.

Andrew
(Leaning in, trying to be meaningful)
I want to make something straight here. Things are tough, the world we live in now... it’s a tough world. We aren’t going to be able to survive in it if we can’t learn to get along.

Anthony
What do you mean?

ANDREW points to NIKO
Andrew
Anthony, Niko is your brother in this world.

ANDREW points to DANNY
Andrew
Niko, Danny is yours.

ANDREW points to IVAN
Danny, Ivan is your brother. We are all brothers here. We are not divided. We work, sleep, survive together as Brothers...

ANDREW looks at GABI
Andrew
(cont.)
And Sister. I guarantee you we wont get anywhere if we don’t become a family.

Seth
But we aren’t a family. We are just a bunch of kids and your a teenager.

Andrew
(Smiles)
See, you missed the point. We are not blood related, yes. In the technical term, we are just a group of 10 people all stuck in the same situation. We need to be more than that. We aren’t a family now, but we need to become one.

ANDREW stops, he can see the kids contemplating his statement

Andrew
(Continues, Points at Josh)
Josh is your brother, no more acting like he’s weird or out of place. He is your brother, you stand by him and help him. And that goes for everyone of us. Understood?

All Kids
Yes, Andrew.

Andrew
Good to hear. But no more serious talk, let’s go play a game.