Alien |
"FINAL DESTINATION" Originally Called "FLIGHT 180" By James Wong and Glen Morgan January 15, 1999 Awaiting......each of us; a cold...dark...lonely place. The BLACK SILENT SCREEN senses this moment before a distant blues harp introduces a contemporary band's cover of Blood, Sweat, and Tears' campy, yet haunting, gospel, "And When I Die." As the Introduction closes, RESONATES... A FLASH OF LIGHTING! CUT TO: INT. ALEX'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - CLOSE - BED An airline ticket is tossed INTO FRAME beside a suitcase; "EURO-AIR. FLIGHT #180. New York City (JFK) - Paris, Charles de Gaulle (CDG.) Departure: Thursday 13May. 16H25 - Arrival: Friday 14May. 05H40." "And When I Die" Continues throughout the MAIN TITLES: AN OLD TABLE FAN swivels beside and open window. Outside, a humid spring THUNDER STORM drops warm, ominous rain. The figure of a seventeen year old boy, ALEX BROWNING, packing for a trip, passing the fan... THE BED A Paris guidebook is tossed atop the plane ticket. CAMERA PUSHES IN ON THE BOOK as the fan's breezes flip through the pages. THE TABLE FAN turns, head swiveling away from the bed. TIGHTER - THE GUIDEBOOK PAGES stop flipping, REVEALING A GULLOTINE from the Reign of Terror. THE TABLE FAN swivels, returning towards the guidebook on the bed. THE GUIDEBOOK PAGES FLIP. FLIP. FLIP. Alex's faint shadow continues moving about the room. The fan head swivels away, allowing the pages to settle... upon a Louvre masterpiece, Francisco de Zurbarans Lying-in-the State of St. Bonaventura. CAMERA CREEPS IN, teasingly on the dark faced corpse. The pages begin to turn once again. TIGHTER, OMINOUS ANGLE - THE DESK FAN There is more of a hint of conincidence as the blades whirl and head swivels. The boy's figure passes, blocking the breeze. THE GUIDEBOOK PAGES stop dead on... Jim Morrison's decorated tomb in the Cemetiere du Pere Lachaise. A pilgrim has spray painted "This is the End." Which in fact, it is... of the MAIN TITLE. BARBARA CAMERA ADJUSTS, to fully reveal Alex Browning as he turns toward the bedroom door. Alex is an average kid; handsome. A high school "everyman." One the wall amongst Yankee and Knicks posters, hangs a pennant; BARABRA (Cont'd) Barbara moves towards the suitcase to help him pack. Alex's father, KEN BROWNING, 48 appears, leaning against the door threshold, smiling enviously at his son.
Alex nods and buckles it. Barbara reaches in to tear off an airline baggage I.D. ticket attached from the previous flight. ALEX BARBARA
is torn away from the suitcase handle. RETURN As Barbara picks up the suitcase to place it on the floor... a dozen old baggage I.D. tickets spill from the outer compartment. She looks at Ken, as if "you?" The guilty party shrugs. KEN Barbara shakes her head as Alex smiles at his dad. KEN (Cont'd) CAMERA INCHES INTO KEN as he winks at his son... KEN (Cont'd) ALEX CAMERA CREEPS IN as, oddly, the words strike him portentously... CUT TO: INT. ALEX'S BEDROOM - LATER The storm has ceased. The room is QUIET. As if itself a presence, CAMERA CREEPS across the dark and motionless room TOWARD Alex, sleeping soundly. CAMERA CRANES DOWN to the level of the bed until Alex is in the f.g. and the room is visible behind him. On the rear wall, the Fighting Colonials pennant begins to flutter slightly, as if affected by the moving breeze. The path of which is continued toward the bed, rustling the sheets, subtly blowing Alex's hair and continuing OVER CAMERA. Even in his sleep, Alex shivers from the passing cold. His eyes open surprised to be suddenly awakened. He considers for a beat, then looks toward... THE WINDOWS which... are closed. ALEX puzzled, checks... THE TABLE FAN which is off. ALEX perplexed, rolls over toward his digital clock. It's 1:00 a.m., however... the middle digit bar in the first zero faintly flickers so this time appears to read... 1:80. AIRPORT P.A. (V.O.)
INT. JOHN F. KENNEDY AIRPORT - MORNING - TELEVISION MONITOR FLIGHT 180 departs 4:25. Gate 39. AIRPORT P.A. (V.O.) CAMERA ADJUSTS FROM the "Arrival-Departure Schedule" to REVEAL forty high school KIDS, four TEACHERS and several PARENTS are gathered inside the International terminal at J.F.K. Several of the students wear Fighting Colonial leterman's jackets or hats and shirts displaying "Mt. Abraham High, New York." AIRPORT P.A. (V.O.) (CONT'D) Alex gathers his bags, as does his best friend TOD WAGGNER and his older brother GEORGE WAGGNER, standing before their father, JERRY WAGGNER. For Alex, any psychic tension from the night before seems forgotten in the fun and excitement of the trip. MR. WAGGNER TOD MR. MURNAU, the French teacher (any further description necessary?) and leader of the class trip waves his arm. MR. MURNAU MR. WAGGNER Tod shrugs, "I guess" as he moves to his father and gives him a warm hug goodbye. Mr. Waggner then gives his older son a hug. AIRPORT P.A. (V.O. MR. WAGGNER Tod and George gives a wave, as does Alex, who is slapped on the back by Mr. Waggner. MR. WAGGNER ALEX The group begins down the airport toward the check-in counter. In the f.g., before the boys, strides a girl, CLEAR RIVERS, 17, reading the TROPIC OF CANCER. The loner in the group, Clear wears dark colors against the insecerity of her sex appeal. She appears aloof and more wordly then the other students. Readying his ticket and documents, Tod flips open his passport, checking out his photo. TOD GEORGE AIRPORT P.A. (V.O.) Mr. Murnau stops the group. Excited, he cups an ear with one hand while raising a finger toward the public address system. MR. MURNAU Everyone begrudgingly stops to listen. AIRPORT P.A. (O.S. CONT'D) CARTER HORTON is the class dickhead who mix and matches his role models in the most superficial manner. His hand is tucked into his girlfriend, TERRY CHANEY'S, waistband... CARTER Terry, hot now, but with no idea what time will do to her in just five years, smiles obsequiously and mouths "shh." P.A. SYSTEM (O.S., CONT'D) Mr. Murnau scans the group, his expression looking for an answer. Clear Rivers keeps her head in her book as... CLEAR MR. MURNAU She doesn't react. Her expression remains cool as Murnau leads
the ALEX A hand reaches out to gently detain Alex. He looks up to find a HARE KRISHANA, dressed in everyday clothes, but head shaved and a mark on his nose. HARE KRISHANA CAMARA PUSHES IN ON ALEX... unsettled by the soft spoken, yet ominous, "Solicitation." The Krishana offers a small book, REALITY BEYOND THE MATTER: VAISHNAVA PHILOSOPHY. As he hands the book to Alex, a female form ENTERS FRAME between them. The women is MISS VALERIE LEWTON, 30, a feisty English teacher whose figure inspires all the boys' fantasies. MS. LEWTON She places a hand on Alex's shoulder, herding him to the group. HARE KRISHANA Ms. Lewton turns and, while walking backward, flashes a smile... MS. LEWTON As she turns her back and continues down the terminal... CUT TO: INT. CHECK IN DESK - AIRPORT - DAY Alex's passport and ticket are set INTO FRAME and picked up by a female TICKET CLERK. Alex waits as she busily types into the computer and checks his passport... TICKET CLERK O.S., LOUD, EXAGGERATED plastic tiles rapidly CLICK and CLACK. TICKET CLERK (CONT'D) The CLACKING CONTINUES, demading Alex's attention. His eyes turn forward. ALEX'S POV - THE FLIGHT INFORMATION BOARD Plastic tabs CLACK rapidly, settling on the word... "CANCELLED." ALEX CAMARA CREEPS IN on his dawning paranoia... TICKET CLERK (CONT'D, O.S.) Alex absently nods. Again, O.S., CLACK CLACK CLACK. His eyes move to... ALEX'S POV - (TIGHTER) - FLIGHT INFORMATION BOARD The plastic tabs FLIP and CLACK rapidly, stopping on... "DEPARTED." TICKET DESK Alex is still considering the "messages..." TICKET CLERK Alex quickly runs the day through his head and flashes her the REALITY BEYOND MATTER book. She smiles, then leans over toward the baggage scales. Alex's eyes turn toward... CLOSE - (MOTION SLOWED)- ALEX'S LUGGAGE a new airline I.D. marker is attached to his bag. RETURN Alex eyes the new tag hoping it's "good luck." As the clerk returns his ticket and passport... CLACK, CLACK, CLACK. TICKET CLERK Alex is puzzeled by the comment. He shakes his head if, "pardon me?" CAMERA INCHES INTO the ticket clerk gesturing pleasantly to the passport and ticket... TICKET CLERK (CONT'D) CLACK. CLACK. CLACK. Alex's eyes flash toward... ALEX'S POV - (FULL FRAME) - FLIGHT INFORMATION BOARD the title settles upon... "TERMINAL." CUT TO: INT. SECURITY AREA - AIRPORT - MONITOR The ghastly green and reds of the X-ray monitors flash as carry on bags flash through the machine. CAMERA MOVES COUNTER to the direction of the conveyor belt. The pace and excitement of the collective group escalates as departure approaches. Carter Horton and his girlfriend, Terry, take cuts in line with smug, bullying expressions. Unseen by the chaperones, no student, has the nerve to protest Carter's action. Alex, Tod, George and BILLY HITCHCOCK, heavyset with a New York Rangers jersey watches Carter and Terry with disgust. BILLY GEORGE Excited, Tod speaks in a convert tone over Alex's shoulder. TOD Alex looks up ahead of the metal detectors... ALEX'S POV - TWO GIRLS Attractive and they know it, CHRISTA MARSH and BLAKE DREYER appear clearly out of Alex and Tod's league. TOD (CONT'D) ALEX AND TOD The boys dump their change in a plastic bowl. TOD As Alex and Tod pass through the metal detector, their eyes performing reconnaissance on Christa and Blake, the opening drum BLASTS of Boingo's "No One Lives Forever" OVERLAPS... CUT TO: INT. AIRLINE GATE - AIRPORT - AFTERNOON - CLOSE - GATE 39 CAMERA ADJUSTS from the sign indicating GATE 39. The class is squirrely and excited. Mr. Murnau, Ms. Lewton, and the parent chaperones are allowing kids to burn off steam at the gate, hoping for a calm flight. CAMERA MOVES ALONG the awaiting passengers... Carter and Terry are making out, a step away from heavy petting... Blake and Christa are flipping through Parisian fashion magizines... Billy Hitchcock lays into a Burrito Supreme... CAMERA MOVES to an empty seat. Clear Rivers ENTERS FRAME and sits,
As she places her stuff on the unoccupied seat beside her, a Paris guidebook falls on the floor, opened but face down. A passing, unidentified, student reaches down and hands her the book, still open and face down. CLEAR The student continues down toward the observation deck. Clear looks at the opened guidebook. CLEAR'S POV - GUIDEBOOK Princess Di's Mercedes is totaled in a Paris tunnel. Besides the photo are two portraits of Diana and Dodi Al Fayed. CLEAR CAMERA INCHES IN as she shakes off a shiver down her spine. She looks up from the book toward the student who handed it to her, the identity of which is fully REVEALED to be Alex Browning. He stands at the gate window, looking out at the plane. ALEX'S POV - 747 It is raining. In the distance, MUFFLED THUNDER RUMBLES. CAMERA CREEPS AWAY from the plane... huge, seemingly incapable of flight and yet we unquestioningly trust our lives in this machine. Emotionless. Cold. Lifeless, and yet soon full of life. ALEX CAMERA inches in on him. TOD (O.S.) Tod MOVES INTO FRAME beside Alex... ALEX TOD Alex takes a beat to consider... CUT TO: INT. MEN'S ROOM - AIRPORT - OVERHEAD CAMERA LOOKS DOWN on two stalls. Alex sits in one, Tod sits in the other. O.S., OVER the airports P.A. SYSTEM John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High" begins... ALEX Upon the mention, CAMERA CRANES DOWN, TURNING, TWISTING UNTIL FINDING ALEX in a straight on CLOSE-UP. He listens, tense... JOHN DENVER (O.S.) ALEX A P.A. ANNOUNCMENT breaks into the song... P.A. SYSTEM Really for the first time, Alex appears a bit tentative and pale. It is intensified by the return of the song... JOHN DENVER (O.S.) CUT TO: INT. BOARDING AREA - GATE 39 - CLOSE - ALEX'S BOARDING PASS is torn along the perforated edge and handed back. ALEX looks down the paasenger ramp. ALEX'S POV - RAMP TUNNEL CAMERA CREEPS toward it... lit to cheat a feeling of no return. WIDER There is something more emotionally tense about the moment of boarding than take-off. CAMERA PICKS UP Ms. Lewton searching... MS. LEWTON Tod nudges Alex toward the tunnel, the three boys start down the ramp, passing Mr. Murnau who checks his list, counting heads... MR. MURNAU PASSENGER RAMP Alex, Tod, and George catch up to Christa and Blake, excited. As always, everyone becomes bottlenecked just at the point of entering the plane. Alex looks out the ramp's side porthole window toward the back of the plane. ALEX'S POV - THROUGH PORTHOLE The enormous engine. The expansive wings. Behind the tail, distant, a bolt of lightning FLASHES! ALEX looks away. Just ahead, in the plane, FLIGHT ATTENDANTS greet the
CLOSE - FLOOR a slice of opening from where the ramp meets the plane provides a sense of how high up one actually stands. ALEX CAMERA PUSHES INTO HIM as he takes his first step into the plane. CLOSE - AIRLINE CABIN FLOOR Alex's Nikes land on the carpet. INT. 747 - FIRST CLASS CABIN - AFTERNOON - CLOSE - BABY SCREAMS! Its parents desperately comfort the child. CAMERA ADJUSTS, LEADING George, Alex and Tod through the aisles. Alex and Tod wince at the screaming child. George, however feels comforted. GEORGE INT. ECONOMY CLASS CABIN - 747 - AFTERNOON In the first row slumps a young man with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. A cannula is set in his nostrils leading to an oxygon tank beside him. The kids sneak sympathetic yet anxious glances at the man while continuing in their seats. George whispers over his shoulder... GEORGE Alex's tension increases as he continues up the aisle. ALEX'S POV - OVERHEAD COMPARTMENTS CAMERA INCHES IN ON "Row 25. Seats H, I, and J." ALEX climbs into the row, carrying his backpack. He takes his window seat and reaches up to the air flow valve. CLOSE - AIR FLOW VALVE turns, HISSING, air streaming full blast. CAMERA INCHES IN ON HIM as he takes in deep breaths of the stale air. He presses his face to the window. ALEX'S POV - THE LEFT WING Rain falls. GEARS WHIR as the ailerons are tested. CLOSE - ALEX CAMERA CREEPS TOWARD HIM, face to the glass; eyes scanning the plane and outside area. CHRISTA (O.S.) He turns toward the aisle. ALEX'S POV - CHRISTA AND BLAKE Man, they look great and they're workin' the sex appeal. CHRISTA ALEX sneaks a quick check with Tod. ALEX'S POV - TOD shakes his head. "NO! NO! DON'T DO IT." ALEX AND THE GIRLS He looks to them and knows he is just plain overmatched. Alex shrugs, "Sure." In front of him Tod throws up his arms, disgusted. Alex climbs out of his seats. The girls are touchy-feely thankful, but only know guys dig that. CHRISTA AND BLAKE Alex crames up into the aisles, making his way to Tod, sitting two rows up in 22 H. Alex climbs over Tod to take the window seat. Clear Rivers sits in the seat directly behind Alex. TOD ALEX TOD As Alex sits, the tray table falls from its upright position. He lifts the tray back up, but as he turns the latch, it BREAKS OFF in his hand. He briefly tries to jimmie the tray into postition, then gives up. CAMERA FOLLOWS ALEX'S HAND as it rises. CAMERA SWEEPS IN EXTREAMLY CLOSE to the ATTENDANT CALL BUTTON. As Alex's finger engages the button, it lights up orange. ALEX The jet lurches. He looks... OUT OF THE WINDOW - ALEX'S POV The 747 begins rolling out of the gate. ALEX As he looks back, searching for the nearst flight attendant... ALEX'S POV - THROUGH THE SEATS - CLEAR RIVERS reads her book. Another leans to look out the window. ALEX lifts a bit out of his seat, searching for any flight attendant O.S., A PING. CAPTAIN (V.O) Looking fore in the cabin... ALEX'S POV - NEAR THE FLIGHT DECK The flight attendants strap themselves in for take-off. ALEX O.S., the ENGINE VOLUME INCREASES in PITCH and INTENSITY as the jet begins to taxi. Alex sits back as the tray over his lap. He looks out the window. ALEX'S POV - THE RIGHT WING appears motionless in the f.g. as the tarmac and runway signs roll past the window. THE ENGINE PITCH RISES... ALEX The ENGINES WHIR as the jet gathers SPEED. He checks the window. ALEX'S POV- THE RUNWAY is a blur. The airport terminals in the b.g. streak past. The wings lift, angled as the jet leaves the ground. ALEX O.S., his classmates CHEER and "raise the roof." The trip has begun. CAMERA PULLS AWAY FROM ALEX, as if reflecting his easing of annoyance with the tray situation. He finally appears to notice the raucous reaction and settles back in his seat, slightly pushed by mild-g force. The upwarding angle increasing... The cabin buffets, as if passing mild turbulance. Then... The cabin sharply JOLTS! Everyone tenses, GASPS. CAMERA SWEEPS BACK TO ALEX. And just as he clenches his backpack... the cabin BANGS, ROCKS. THE ENGINES SPOOL TO A STALL. METAL TWISTS under extreme PRESSURE. The cabin dips, angles, sharply to the right. ALEX'S POV - THE CABIN Passengers SCREAM! Unrestrained personal belongings fly across the aircraft INTO CAMERA, which BUFFETS and SHAKES... OXYGEN MASKS deploy from the overhead compartments. A prerecorded message, like that recorded by the black box of the crash of JAL# 123 August 12, 1985, BLARES over the P.A., with erie calm... MESSAGE (V.O.) ALEX his hand trembles as he reaches for the oxygen mask and places it over his face. The ENGINES resuscitate. SCREAMING. WHINING. Alex checks out his window. ALEX'S POV - OUT OF WINDOW The plane is on its side, losing altitude. A slow, sick spin. ALEX breaths deep into his oxygen cup. The JET ENGINES GRIND AND WHIR, as if the craft were in the midst of a last-ditch effort to regain stability; the sounds DEAFENING over the PASSENGERS' cruelly hopeless SCREAMS. Then... KA-BOOM A DEVASTATING EXPLOSION ERUPTS across the cabin, blasting a five foot hole in the fuseluge. Human limbs and blood spray, craft and passengers torn to shreds. Dead students sit lifeless in their seats. Every unrestrained object on board flies to the hole and through the fire; paper, books, luggage, pillows. A PARENT and a STUDENT clutch their seat in terror, SCREAMING before they are pulled into the sky. Wind. Screams. Dying engines, a deafening blare. ALEX AND TOD SCREAM, pale, knowing there is no hope, no escape as the ENGINES DIE. The cabin begins to tilt downwards... then straight down. Debris tumbles toward the flight deck as if falling from a cliff. OUTSIDE... the sick familiar SOUND of an aircraft going down. ALEX is strapped to his seat, upper body facing downward toward the water. FIRE, WIND, AND BLOOD WHIP across him. A BUILDING WHINE CRESCENDOES before a second EXPLOSION RIPS ACROSS FRAME... CUT TO: CLOSE - ALEX'S TERRIFIED EYES dilating rapidly, as the shock of what appears to be happening before him washes over his very psyche. CHRISTA (O.S.) ALEX Drenched with sweat, trembling in his seat, his eyes dart toward Christa and Blake. They look great and they're workin' the sex appeal. CHRISTA Alex turns sickeningly disoriented. His eyes dart about, searching for evidnece of the catastrophe. There are none to be found. Alex blots from his seat, startling the two girls. He scrambles toward Tod, who looks at his friend, concerned. TOD Frenzied, Alex climbs over his friend, on top of the seat. Alex's panic has alerted the other students and a MALE FLIGHT ATTENDANT who makes his way to the row. ALEX grabs the tray table latch before the vacent seat. IT BREAKS OFF, JUST AS BEFORE. CAMERA PUSHES INTO ALEX, terrified. He begins to hyperventilate. FLIGHT ATTENDANT Alex's wild eyes and expression convey "no fucking kidding there's a problem." The flight attendant realizes this passenger is experiencing a serious episode. Directly across the aisle, Carter Horton and Terry look at him with severe expressions. CARTER Mr. Murnau and Ms. Lewton unfasten their seat belts and rush toward Alex. MR. MURNAU ALEX Obviously, no one ever wants to ever hear that. The students tense. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT immediately turns to other attendants, signaling for assistance with a quick definite gesture. In the b.g., attendants hustle toward the economy class cabin. CARTER AND TERRY CARTER TERRY ALEX frenzied, begins moving toward the aisle. ALEX This frightens everyone. Not the "prophecy," but his panicky, irrational behavior. ALEX (CONT'D) CLEAR RIVERS CAMERA PUSHES INTO HER, hearing Alex's declaration. ALEX (CONT'D) RETURN Alex is desperately climbing over Tod, who is trying to calmly restrain his friend. Across the aisle, Carter Horton stands ready to quiet Alex, with force. CARTER TOD FLIGHT ATTENDANT The flight attendant restrains Carter with an extended forearm. ALEX Ms. Lewton and Mr. Murnau move to the seats. Flight attendants
try MS. LEWTON MR. MURNAU ALEX FLIGHT ATTENDANT CARTER ALEX Carter reaches for Alex, who pushes back, trying to get out. Carter responds aggressivly and now the flight attendant, Tod, and the two teachers are in the midst of the melee. The Co-Pilot arrives to secure the situation. He grabs Alex and begins forcibly ushering him up the aisle. A male flight attendant choke holds Carter from the back. Carter struggles but the attendant's postioning has the advantage. He begins removing Carter from the plane as well. TERRY She follows the attendant, hitting him to help her boyfriend. Just arriving in the cabin, Billy Hitchcock tries to fight past
a FLIGHT ATTENDANT BILLY Under protest, Billy gets pushed back off the plane. Mr. Murnau and Ms. Lewton follow the pack of students and airline personnel as they move toward the exit, calling out to seated teachers and parents while hustling up the aisles. MS. LEWTON MR. MURNAU Tod watches, amazed and concerned for his friend. He looks across the cabin to... TOD'S POV - GEORGE his brother gestures, mouths... "you should go with him." TOD starts off down the aisles. CAMERA COUNTERS... ADJUSTING TO CLEAR RIVERS. Amongst the chaos, she considers for a beat, then grabs her backpack, stands and moves into the aisle to exit the plane. CUT TO: INT. BOARDING AREA/TUNNEL - GATE 39 - DAY Alex, the co-pilot, Carter, the attendant, Mr. Murnau, Ms, Lewton, Terry, Tod and Billy proceed down the tunnel. Billy is confused by the chaos. BILLY Arriving SECURITY OFFICERS quickly have control of the situation. Alex is taken to a seat at the gate and dropped there by the co-pilot, who, winded, eyes the officers. CO-PILOT The officers nod. One moves toward Carter as he dropped in a seat away from Alex. Terry sits behind Carter. The co-pilot and attendants start back toward the plane. Ms. Lewton hustles over to them and an airline representitive. CO-PILOT MS. LEWTON During these negotiations... CAMERA MOVES PAST Ms. Lewton and the Co-Pilot to the boarding ramp door... Clear Rivers exits and takes a seat away from the others, aware she is unnoticed in the confusion. CAMERA INCHES IN as she looks up toward... ALEX CAMERA MATCHES THE MOVE TO HIM AS TOD and Mr. Murnau attempt to calm him down. TOD Rattled, Alex attempts to compose himself. Ms. Lewton appears, hurriedly pulling aside Mr. Murnau. MS. LEWTON MR. MURNAU MS. LEWTON Murnau understands this point and takes off toward the boarding ramp door. Pleading his case, Billy follows Murnau. BILLY Hustling toward the door. Mr. Murnau gestures toward Ms. Lewton as if "talk to her." He disappears down the ramp. CAMERA PUSHES IN as airline personnel CLOSE THE DOOR...with an ominous THUD. EXT. GATE 39 - AFTERNOON - CARTER, TERRY & BILLY'S POV Flight 180 pulls out of the gate, taxiing toward the runway. INT. GATE 39 - OBSERVATION WINDOW - AFTERNOON Carter turns over his shoulder, looking back angrily towards Alex. Terry wraps a calming/restraining arm around Carter's shoulder, but he starts towards Alex, seated with Ms. Lewton. MENS ROOM ACROSS FROM GATE 39 Tod races out of the bathroom with a dampened paper towel. CAMERA FOLLOWS as he hands it to Ms. Lewton seated next to Alex. The teacher places it on Alex's forehead. TOD MS. LEWTON Alex looks at Tod, who nods. His friend's expression is soothing and open. With lowered tense tone, meant for only the two people beside him... ALEX Ms. Lewton and Tod exchange concered glances. ALEX (CONT'D) TOD Good point. Alex looks away. MS. LEWTON CARTER TOD MS. LEWTON A raw nerve, Alex stands. ALEX Carter scoffs while moving aggressively toward Alex. Carter makes a quick move and grabs Alex. The two security guards rush in to break it up. Chaos erupts agian as the two boys wrestle in the terminal. OBSERVATION DECK CAMERA PUSHES INTO Billy Hitchcock, depressed as he watches the plane take off... BILLY AIRPORT TERMINAL One guard restrains Alex; another Carter. In the b.g. out of the observation deck window... Flight 180 lifts off the runway. CARTER ALEX In the b.g. the 747 head and taillights suddenly, violently, ERUPT into a gigantic fireball of flame. It takes a few seconds for the CONCUSSION to hit the terminal, but when it does... BOOM! A window SHATTERS! Chairs rock! People are knocked off their feet. CAMERA SWEEPS INTO ALEX... stunned as he turns to the window... ALEX'S POV - FLIGHT 180 The unceremonious speed of obliteration of hundreds of lives is cruel as flaming debris plummets from the early evening sky. CLEAR RIVERS CAMERA PUSHES IN ON HER, rattled, afraid, but aware of Alex as she is first to turn her eyes toward him. GATE 39 Billy Hitchcock walks backward from the window, shocked by shocked step. Ms. Lewton drops to her chair as her legs give out. O.S., ALARMS BEGIN. The two security guards tear off toward more urgent duties. O.S., OUTSIDE, SIRENS WAIL as emergency vehicles race to the tragedy. CAMERA BEGINS TO MOVE toward ALEX... as Tod's head turns toward him, then Terry's... then Carter's. In the chair, beginning to cry, Ms. Lewton eyes Alex, as if afraid of him. CAMERA CONTINUES. SIRENS PIERCING. The emergency vehicles' strobing red lights reflect in Alex's eyes, now in TIGHT as he looks out, frozen with shock... upon the doomed FLIGHT 180. CUT TO: INT. JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - PRESS ROOM #10 - NIGHT SILENCE A pair of Airline REPRESENTATIVES sit with the seven survivors, each numb with shock. Everyone is too raw with residual fear to show any emotion. They sit on folding metal chairs in an empty room, too bright from the fluorescent lights. Beneath their obvious trauma resulting from the catastrophe... each feels uneasy by Alex's presance. The others sit away from Alex and Tod. Alex appears wrought with guilt. He checks the others out of the corner of his eye. ALEX'S POV - THE ROOM Ms. Lewton, Carter and Billy glare at Alex. Terry averts her eyes from Alex to bury her face in Carter's shoulder. ALEX frightened as anyone over what has happened, tenses, defensive and scared. With softspoken strength... ALEX LEWTON, CARTER, TERRY, AND BILLY maintain their uncertain expressions. With strained apprehansion, as if not wanting to "dabble in the occult," but needing an immediate answer. MS. LEWTON WIDER Alex is taken aback by the question, yet even his best friend looks at him for an answer. ALEX CLEAR CAMERA PUSHES IN ON Alex, relieved and thankful, as he turns to her... CLEAR RIVERS - ALEX'S POV CAMERA MATCHES the move INTO HER as she looks up at Alex, not with fear or repulsion... but with knowledge of an unwanted but irrefutable connection. WIDER Causing a startle, the DOOR OPENS. Everyone's head whips reflexively toward the entrance. The strange event of the flickering lights is quickly forgotten. A half dozen MEN and WOMEN enter the room, displaying official badges and passes. All but two are dressed in casual clothing, having been called in from home; the pair being F.B.I. Special Agents WEINE and SCHRECK. HOWARD SEIGEL and DON HAWKS are representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board. EILEEN WHALE and JACK ARNOLD are members of the Euro-Air "Trauma Team." The officials are sympathetic and calm, exuding the confidence and security trauma victims look for at this time. SEIGEL Although the words are comforting, being in the position of having to hear them macabre. Ms. Lewton reacts, snapping... MS. LEWTON Seigel is calm, yet honest... carefully honest. SEIGEL He gestures... "and that's all we know." The group slips deeper into despair. WEINE The survivors dread the thought of recounting the horrible experience, yet collectively are ready to co-operate. WEINE The agents, F.B.I. badges displayed in their pockets, turn their eyes, suspicioulsy, toward Alex. ALEX reacts, puzzled, as he realizes the Agents are focused on him... CUT TO: INT. A ROOM - AIRPORT - NIGHT - CLOSE - SCHRECK & WEINE are direct and professional, with no hidden agenda in searching for the truth. Seigel and Hawks from the NTSB are behind them taking notes... SCHRECK ALEX CAMERA PUSHES IN as he looks up, nervous... not about suspicion toward him, but trying to explain what even he doesn't understand. ALEX WEINE ALEX Tears well as he grows frustrated trying to convey the unique experience. Being trained, veteran officers, Schreck and Weine obsereve; allow him to talk. ALEX The officers remain quiet, gauging his explanation. ALEX (CONT'D) The officers study him, unsure yet carefully... SCHRECK Alex looks up, stunned. He didn't even recall this until now. ALEX SCHRECK He considers, owing them an explanation. The he realizes... ALEX Weine leans foward... WEINE CAMERA INCHES IN as Alex considers, confused, emotional... CUT TO: INT. A ROOM - AIRPORT - NIGHT - TOD CAMERA CONTINUES THE MOVE on Tod... as if just realizing... |