Cole woke up in a sweat. He felt a dull sting at the base of his skull, and he recalled the man and his daughter. His pockets felt lighter, and he could tell from the tape that held him in place that his bike most likely wasn’t outside. He needed to get his stuff back.
CAST:
• Cole – the victim
• Harper – one of two survivors
• Dakota – one of two survivors
ACT II
DAKOTA: Mom, we need to stop, find a first aid kit or something.
HARPER: No— I can keep going. We need to keep going. We need to be as far away from that man as we can get before he wakes up.
DAKOTA: You really gonna argue with me? [The young boy ran into the nearest house, hoping his mom would follow.]
HARPER: Dakota [taking off after her compulsive son], get back here right now!
DAKOTA: [He reached into his backpack for a flashlight] There has to be a medicine in one of these houses.
THUD
DAKOTA: Who’s there?
THUD
DAKOTA: I have a gun.
HARPER: Don’t you EVER run off like that aga—
DAKOTA: SHHHH!!!
HARPER: DID YOU JUST SHUSH ME YOUNG MAN?
THUD
DAKOTA: I mean it; I will shoot to kill. Who’s there?
HARPER: There, on the bed. [Pointing to a bundle in the dark. Dakota shines the beam of light in the direction of the noise.]
DAKOTA: It’s… it’s a person. He’s been taped to the bed.
HARPER: [Skeptical about the stranger they just crossed paths with, she only removes the tape over the captive’s mouth] One wrong move and you’re dead.
COLE: Thank you kindly, Miss.
DAKOTA: Why the hell are you tied up like this?
COLE: I was tricked… Some ol’ whack job preacher conked me on the head, stole all ma personal items.
HARPER: Sounds like you and I are fresh off the same boat.
COLE: Could you be so kind as to remove these binds?
DAKOTA: [He looked at his mother, and when he saw a devilishly small nod, he spoke up] Now, it’s the same as before, mister; you try anything, and [he aimed at the stranger with a loaded pistol and clicked his tongue] off with your head… [He proceeded with cutting the tape using a file from his pocket.]
COLE: [Ignoring the young boy] You were sayin’?
HARPER: The man who owned the land we lived on went crazy, some say he was suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s and that his outbursts were symptoms. He started making all these wild rules; no one out past ten or they’ll be shot on sight; any dollar bills and coins found he wanted for himself (I don’t know why since money’s no good now); and he’d taken to killing people who publicly defied him. He killed my husband in a blind rage. As soon as I realized it wasn’t safe anymore, I knew I had to get me and my son out of there. We got wind of a sanctuary out in Maine. We’re headed there now.
COLE: [He turned toward the kid, who had a 9mm trained right at his abdomen.]
HARPER: Were you… were you a soldier? From before?
COLE: [Doesn’t say anything]
HARPER: I’m sorry, it’s just you carry yourself like maybe you were, at some point.
COLE: [Giving a small sigh, Cole gives in and tells his story] I was in D.C. when it fell. When the first few nukes made their way to good ol’ ‘Murka.
HARPER: … Sir, [she salutes his with an erect arm, hand on forehead] we thank you for all you’ve done for this country— I’ve got nothing but the utmost respect for you guys [she gestures for her son to lower the pistol and put it away.] If there’s anything we can do for you…
COLE: Know what? There is actually one thing; you help me find the bastard who stole from me, and I’ll help ya find this ‘sanctuary’. What d’ya say?
HARPER: I say, you’ve got yourself a deal.

Cole, and his new partners gather their bearings, and scavenge the house for food and supplies left by the con and his daughter. Nothing is found, save for the tape used to bind the vet. They then set out on their quest.
CAST:
• Cole – a man on a mission
• Harper – a determined mother/widow
• Dakota – a  protective son
• Marcel – a wanted man
• Abigail – a girl with a decision
• Nicholas – a father and former soldier (now deceased)
• Hunter - a vindictive leader
ACT III
HARPER: [Paying close attention to her son, who was walking ahead a good twenty feet] How long were you tied down?
COLE: Couldn’t of been more ‘n a day or two.
HARPER: You must be starving… [She digs into her pocket and pulls out a warm chocolate bar] Here.
COLE: No, ma’am, you keep it. I’m good here.
HARPER: Cole, I insist. It’s the least I can do.
COLE: Keep it. You got your kid, and I’m sure—
HARPER: JUST TAKE THE DAMN CHOCOLATE [shoving the candy into the man’s hands, she glances at Dakota to see if he’d heard her.]
COLE: …Thanks… [He noticed a slight limp, and subtle huffs of breath on looking at his travel companion.] You—you okay there?
HARPER: Oh, it’s nothing. Just a few bumps and bruises. Nothing I can’t handle.
COLE: Last I checked, bumps ‘n bruises ain’t never caused limpin’ like that. Plus, you’re huffin’ and puffin’ more than Aunt Candice, n’ she died of CF... So you gonna tell me what happened or what?
HARPER: [Showing hesitation, at first, she begins to tell her story]

FLASHBACK
HARPER: You monster! [Hunter pulls the gun on her, still smoky from her husband’s murder.]
HUNTER: Hey, Nicky Boy did this to himself. He tried to incite a mutiny, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!
HARPER: You’re crazy [starts to sob now].
HUNTER: Crazy? Nah, I’m just very protective of my things. If someone tries to break my things, I break them… I told your husband that when I first heard he wanted to ‘start a counsel’. Hell, I’m all the counsel this place needs. Maybe now, he’ll finally start to understand that [he starts to chuckle at his own joke].
HARPER: [Lunging for the gun in his hand, she notices Dakota opening her room door.] Get out of here, NOW!
A bullet whizzes inches from Dakota’s chest, cracking the picture frame on his dad’s desk. He sees a space grow in between his mom and Hunter, giving him enough elbow room to backhand her. He lifts the gun at Harper, and that’s when Dakota jumps into action. He punches Hunter, disorienting him to the point where he drops the gun, doubled over. Harper throws a punch, but Hunter dodges it with ease, wiping off the blood running down his chin and on his lip. He grabs her by the throat and pins her to the wall, lifting her slightly off the ground.
DAKOTA: [He hurries to the fallen weapon] Let her go!
HUNTER: [Noticing the missing gun in the boy’s hands, he sets Harper on her feet but doesn’t let go.] Kid, you don’t have the balls. I suggest you give me that thing before you make things worse for your mo—
[A gunshot rings true, and Hunter cringes, a steady stream of blood pouring from the hole in his ear.]
DAKOTA: Mom, let’s go.
HARPER: Run. [She runs to the front room of the house, closing the door of her husband’s study behind her, grabs Dakota’s backpack, and dumps what food she can find from the pantry and fridge into it. She grabs her husband’s hunting knife from the dresser drawer in the living room, and rushes out of the house with Dakota.]
HUNTER: [From inside the house] I’M COMING FOR YOU!
DAKOTA: Mom, come on. We need to go.
HARPER: I’m right behind you, kid. Go. [She trips up, and a red spot soaks the side of her leg.]
HUNTER: See you two real soon.
Minutes soon became hours, and neither rested, nor did they stop. Even, with her wound, Harper pushed on, creating a temporary fix by just stuffing a folded piece of cloth onto the wound inside her jeans. Eventually, though, they found a house, and someone was inside.
END OF FLASHBACK
COLE: Jesus H. Christ.
HARPER: Now you see why we need to find this sanctuary. Even if it’s just a pipe dream, it’s all we got right now.
COLE: My wife died.
HARPER: What?
COLE: When I met her, she loved her bike. I’s more of a pickup kinda guy myself… S’all I got left of ‘er.
HARPER: I’m sorry. If you don’t mind me asking, how did she… you know?
COLE: Suicide. When everything went to Hell, I couldn’t just hop on a plane and get back to her. D.C. was on lockdown after all the explosions. Had to tunnel ma way out, sewers and all, and even after jackin’ this Pontiac, full tank n’ everything, I just got there too late. She musta thought I done blew up with the rest of the capitol. Could be somethin else entirely, but that’s what I like to think. And that bike, well, that’s all that was left, cause when I got to the house, when I found her, everything else was with the wind. People musta looted that house ten times over before I got home. No one bothered to check the garage though.
HARPER: Guess we’re both victims of unfortunate circumstances, huh?
COLE: Widows [he spat the word out like it was the hardest thing to say].
DAKOTA: [He slowed down a bit to let the grownups catch up to him, then he stopped altogether and pointed] Look! [A set of tire tracks could be seen under the dim moonlight, and they lead to a bar in the distance. The neon light was on, and music could be heard from the distance.]
COLE: Nice job, kid.
DAKOTA: Thanks. Here [he reached out toward Cole, his hand flat with the gun on top. Cole took it carefully, checked the mag, turned off the safety, and nodded at the boy].
COLE: Thank you, kindly. Harper, I think maybe you two should just wait back here; it might get ugly.
HARPER: We’ll be right here. Hey. [She pointed to a small shack next to the building, leaning against it, something that resembled a motorcycle.]
DAKOTA: Is that yours?
COLE: Yep. That’s mine. I’ll be right back. [He set out to a fast jog, approaching the bar within minutes. Before he really knew she was there, he saw Abby leaning against the front door smoking. It was too late to try and sneak around her, cause she perked up when she saw him.]
ABIGAIL: You!? [She started for the door, but Cole lifted the gun, and she froze.]
COLE: I wouldn’t do that if I was you. That’s my bike? [She nodded] It ain’t yours. Where are the keys?
ABIGAIL: Daddy got ‘em. What you gonna do?
COLE: Right now, I think you know what I’m gonna do with him. Now, way I see it, you’s the only thing in ma way right now. You got two choices. You can try an warn that no good crook or you can go on about your business, and I may let you live. He ‘n I, though, got a score that needs settlin’.
ABIGAIL: He ain’t worth it.
COLE: Don’t tell me what’s worth it and what ain’t.
ABIGAIL: No! I’m talking to myself. All my life, he done pushed me around, talked down to me, and I hate him with the whole o’ ma heart. I ain’t ‘bout to die for him. He ain’t worth it.
COLE: Smart choice. [Lowering his gun some] Now step aside.
ABIGAIL: WAIT! When you leave here. Take me with you.
COLE: [Not sure how to tell her ‘no’, he just ignores her] Step aside [she does].
MARCEL: [From a distance, you can hear the drunken con artist synchronizing with the loud bar jukebox in the corner] If I could fall into the sky, do you thing time would pass me by? And you know I’d walk a thousand miles if I could just [hiccup] see [hiccup] you [hiccup] TONIGHT!!! [He started giggling like a toddler, drunk with stupidity. He hadn’t even noticed two of the lights Cole turned out during his little karaoke session.]
COLE: [He worked his way against the wall until he reached the jukebox, and ripped the cords from the wall. The music slowed down in distortion, until it eventually halted altogether.] Where’r the keys.
MARCEL: [Jumping from the eerie set of circumstances, he starts to turn around slowly] Pardon me for my unprofessional [hiccup] appearance, I’m quite inebriated… Ya know, ma little girl’s just outside; you let me go, and maybe you can [Fully facing Cole now, he gasps] — YOU! [He seems to have sobered up entirely.]
COLE: [He shoots into Marcel’s right foot, a huge chunk of meat flew out of the back of his leg] I ain’t plannin’ on askin’ a third time, so I sujjest you tell me where my goddamn keys are. [The broken man does his best to hold his tongue, then he limps to Cole, digs in his pocket and pulls out a set of keys. Dropping them into Cole’s hand, he looks at the trail of blood and tears he was leaving on the floor.]
MARCEL: There’s a quarter gallon in there now, but there be some gas over there under that bar counter.
COLE: Gee [He presses the mouth of the gun to Marcel’s temple and shoots twice, leaving nothing but neck on a falling body], thanks. [Cole takes the gas can behind the bar outside to his bike and empties it into the gas intake. He then starts his bike, looks back one last time at Harper and Dakota, and starts to roll in the opposite direction.]
ABIGAIL: WAIT! [She runs in front of him, hoping he’d stop. He does.] Ain’t you taking me with you?
COLE: [Smirking at the child] Hell, no. [He takes his gun and pointed it at the mother and son, who were yelling and running in his direction] They’s all you got now. Better not screw it up.

He revved his engine then sped off, climbing to a constant speed of 65 mph. He planned to keep driving like that long enough to reach the border of Maine.