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Description
Main Characters:
Malakai Mattison- Hero, well not hero but yeah, main character. He has mental issues.
Isabelle Montgomery- Malakai’s ex-lover and they’re kind of still in love.
The Cure- Not the Band. He turns people into faceless creatures with no mind. Trying to catch Malakai and kill him, that’s pretty much the plot (yeah nice plot Francis, it took many long nights to dream up that one huh?
Faceless- They have no face, go figure.
Dom the Bear- Not a main character but I want to mention him here anyway cos I like him.

Prologue:
(Boy runs down a city street at night, after a pause, we see that he is being followed by lots and lots of weird humanoid monsters. The boy is Malakai Mattison. The camera changes to a first-person view in Malakai. His thoughts are expressed by a voice-over.)

Malakai- Last night, I was lying in bed, wondering where my life was heading and whether I was ever going to get a girlfriend. Last night, I was a normal eighteen year old with normal stupid problems and a normal cynical perspective of the world. Last night, I was Malakai Mattison. Last night, I was safe. And now I'm going to die....

(Malakai stops running, bending over in exhaustion and awaits his doom.)

Last Night- A motion picture by Francis “Ford Coppola” Byrne (ha ha ha, that’ll attract the crowds)
(Music is playing, The Cranberries “Zombie”. Montage! Flicking through a diary of pictures and ramblings mixed with sequences of action scenes, memories of Malakai's childhood, assorted cliché movie scenes and great moments.)

Scene 1:
(Malakai awakes from his slumber and looks about his room. After a bit, he gets up and staggers into the bathroom, where he washes his face and takes a long, hard look at himself in the mirror. He smiles and turns the shower on. After this, Malakai is in his room, on the phone to Isabelle whilst doodling on a notepad on his desk. The notepad has some heartfelt love poem or suicide letter but he doesn't really care about that.)

Malakai: So, anyway, Isabelle, I thought we could like go down to the park for a picnic or something, you know, it’s such a beautiful day. (pause) Hehe yeah, I'll bring my umbrella just in case. (pause) Do you have Dom's number? I haven't seen that guy in ages. (pause) Wait let me get a pen. (puts down phone, looks at his hand realizing he is holding one, shakes his head and picks up phone again) Okay, (writes down number) 9314 2328, cool. I'll call him, you call Sam and Jenny. Are they still going out? (pause) Shit, really? What a bitch! (pause) Yeah, still, that's pretty harsh. (pause) Yeah, anyway, I'll come round at like twelve or something. See ya then. (pause) (playfully) Hehe, no (pause) no you hang up.

(Malakai hangs up the phone and laughs to himself, then looks down at the page and realizes that he's drawn a rather realistic-looking disfigured head on the notepad and he does not recall why. He writes underneath "Cure?" He shakes his head and opens his drawer, taking out a ripped half of a photo of Isabelle on the beach. He flips it over and reads some writing on the back of it that says “…ll last forever”. He puts the photo in his diary and closes it as someone knocks on the door. His father opens the door.)

Dad: Hey Malakai, if you’re going out can you get some milk?
Malakai: I’ll probably a while.
Dad: Fine… Have you chosen your Uni subjects yet?
Malakai: Na, not yet Dad. Don’t worry, I’ll do it later.
Dad: Ok, but do it soon ok?
Malakai: Yeah yeah yeah.

(Malakai’s dad leaves and he gets ready to go out.)

Scene 2:
(At the park, Dom and Sam are kicking the footy, Malakai and Isabelle are sitting on the grass watching them and talking. Don’t ask me why until you’ve read the whole script but Dom is actually a man dressed up in a bear suit, or maybe some other animal if we can’t find a bear suit. Nobody minds that he is not human.)

Malakai: I'm so glad it's all over. Last year was like the worst year of my life.
Isabelle: God, I know. I mean, I guess it was probably worse for you, but... yeah it was terrible. Like a bad dream.
Malakai: Hehe, yeah, that's exactly what it was like. (Malakai starts tearing grass out of the ground)
I don't really wanna go to uni. I'll probably just fail.
Isabelle: Don't be such a pessimist, Malakoli, at least it's better than school.
Malakai: Yeah. And we can go to Starbucks for lunch. (Isabelle, who is staring at Malakai's landscaping efforts, looks up at him and smiles without his acknowledgment then looks back down again)
I think I'll take up cross-country again.
Isabelle: I'm just glad that my love-life's finally sorted out. No more boring jocks or desperate romantics to worry about. (This time Malakai looks up with a wry smile and Isabelle smiles and looks away)
Malakai: Can I ask you a question, Isabelle?
Isabelle: Sure. In fact, why not ask another?
Malakai: (pauses) Why did you break up with Josh?
Isabelle: I dunno. It didn't feel like love. It was comfortable and he was nice, he was an angel, but it just wasn't intense enough. It didn't hurt when he wasn't there. It wasn't love, it was more like diet-love or something. (She looks down at what Malakai is doing again. Malakai accidentally flings some dirt and grass onto Isabelle's hand and brushes it off. She holds his hand and lies down so that they are lying next to one another's head with their legs pointing in opposite directions.)
Malakai: I had this dream last night...
Isabelle: Yeah?
Malakai: Never mind.

Scene 3:
(Malakai is sitting at his desk writing on his laptop and listening to music. After a while, his mind goes blank, he turns the volume down on his Discman and sits back, staring at his computer screen. His head falls to the side and he blinks a bit and closes his eyes. He has a brief dream of following a teenager on the street. He is suddenly woken by a loud guitar solo and looks around (but he is actually in a dream). After the solo, the music changes to some really odd childish or carnival music, with the other rock music playing very quietly in the background but it gradually gets louder before Malakai wakes up. When Malakai looks back at the screen, the words are all blurred and gibberish. He shakes his head, gets up from his chair and walks over to the bathroom in a kind of daze. He takes off his headphones but the music keeps playing. He washes his face and looks at himself in the mirror. Around the sink are littered hospital utensils that don’t belong there like needles, rubber gloves and maybe one of those basins or whatever else we can find. He opens his mouth and his teeth are really disgusting so he picks up a toothbrush, without paste, and starts brushing his teeth, but they just bleed profusely. After he washes his brush, staring down at the sink, he feels a strange presence behind him and slowly looks up at the bottom of the mirror where he sees the legs of someone standing behind him. He quickly looks around but no one is there. He blinks some more, shakes his head and returns to his room. As he enters the room he sees a chair in the middle of the room, facing the mirror in his room, that doesn’t belong there. He notices that in reflection in the mirror, Isabelle is sitting in the chair in a straight jacket. He walks over to the empty chair and sits in it. Someone calls “Isabelle” from behind him. He looks around and sees Cure standing at the door. Malakai drops his head and rubs his eyes. When he looks up, Cure is gone. The chair is gone. Malakai is standing up. He looks in the mirror, Isabelle is holding him from behind lovingly, with her straight jacket sleeves untied and thrown around him. He turns round and a really freaky looking man jumps up right in front of the camera. Then Malakai suddenly wakes up in front of his computer again to the loud finale of the album he was listening to. The screen is blurred still but soon focuses. The last thing written on the screen is "tImE tO tAkE yOuR mEdIcInE dArLiNg!!!”. He hears something outside his window (the curtains are closed). Extremely scared by now, he walks over to the curtains and hesitates before opening them sharply, but he cannot see outside. He walks over to the light switch and hesitates before turning them off, in true horror movie fashion. To his relief, there is no one outside. He gets changed and goes to bed. Lying in his bed, he looks over at his clock. It’s 1:30am. The numbers blur as Malakai falls asleep. He has a dream about watching someone being beaten up by a group of teenagers. One of them looks over at him and he runs away.)

Scene 4:
(Malakai and Isabelle are waiting for the bus. They are wearing school uniforms and look younger than they are in other scenes, Malakai has shorter hair. Isabelle looks at Malakai for a while, then starts fixing up his clothes to make him look cooler. She unbuttons his blazer, un-tucks his shirt and takes his tie off.)

Isabelle: Here, take your jumper off.
Malakai: Why?
Isabelle: Cos I said so. (Malakai takes his pullover off.) There, now you look cool.

(Isabelle kisses his forehead and ruffles his hair about. He smiles wryly and then looks to see if the bus is coming. She looks at his sleeves disdainfully. She leans against him and puts her arm over his shoulder in a guise of affection. Then she starts unbuttoning his cuffs and rolling up his sleeves. Malakai gets annoyed and pulls away.)

Malakai: Just quit it, ok?
Isabelle: But you’d look better with your sleeves rolled up. Tough, like a hoodlum.
Malakai: I don’t wanna look like a hoodlum.
Isabelle: Pleeeeeeease. Just do it for me?
Malakai: Fine.

(She gleefully rolls up his sleeves and he crosses his arms. She feels his biceps and raises her eyebrows mockingly. He gets annoyed and gets up to check the bus timetable. She sits back glumly and then remembers that she had something for him in her backpack. She rustles about and pulls out a bandana as he returns to the bench.)

Isabelle: Here, put this on.
Malakai: Nah, I’ll be right thanks.
Isabelle: Go on. It suits you.
Malakai: In case you didn’t notice, that’s a bandana. Do I look like a pirate? I’m sure it’d go great with my peg-leg and my eye-patch and that parrot perched upon my shoulder.

(Isabelle sits back and looks at Malakai like a wounded animal. He looks away, then looks back at her sympathetically and then subtly rolls his eyes as he looks to see if the bus is coming. Isabelle takes this opportunity to try and wrap the bandana around his head. Now he gets angry. He snatches the bandana away.)

Malakai: Look, I’m not putting it on!!! Just give it a rest, ok?
Isabelle: Fine, be that way….You don’t have to get so worked up about it.
Malakai: Isabelle, I’m not cool. I don’t care if I’m not popular. But it really pisses me off how bloody insecure you are about going out with me. If you don’t want to go out with a loser, why don’t you just go off with Josh guy who’s always calling you? I don’t fucking care! Just quit trying to make me look like one of those buffed-up, superficial fuckwits you used to go out with.
Isabelle: (hurt) You’re such an arsehole sometimes, Malakai.

(Isabelle gets up and leaves Malakai on the bench alone.)

Scene 5:
(Malakai wakes up and looks about. It is very dark. He looks at the clock, it's 10am. He gets up, turns on his desk lamp and gets dressed. For some reason he decides to put his shoes on as well. He turns back at his alarm clock realizing the absurdity of what is says, considering how dark it is. He opens his curtains and looks outside. The balcony light is on and three Faceless (Cure's goons, they have no face, go figure) stand outside. Horrified but somehow understanding, Malakai sprints out of his room and down the stairs. The stairs, however, are blocked by more Faceless. He double backs, running up stairs and into his mother's bedroom. A Faceless lies on her bed. Malakai runs to the window, opens it, climbs out and jumps onto the balcony, then onto the ground below. Another Faceless rushes out of the house so Malakai sprints up the driveway. As he runs out onto the street, a bunch of Faceless rush out of his house and other houses, chasing after him. He runs down the street for a while, then decides to steal a car. He tries the doors of a bunch of cars before finding an unlocked door. He jumps in and shakes his head, trying to get a grasp of the situation. Then he checks the ignition and opens the part under the steering wheel to hotwire it. He looks at all the wires and says, "Fuck, I wish I’d gotten my license!” Seeing all the Faceless in the rearview mirror, Malakai decides it's best to get out and just run. He runs further down the street, which winds right and then left and becomes a bridge passing over a freeway. As he runs across the bridge, he turns back to see the Faceless pursuing him and thinks, "Don't worry, Malakai, it's just a dream. This is just another fucked-up dream... It's a dream... shit.")

Scene 6:
(Malakai, Dom, Sam and Isabelle are walking across the oval after the picnic. Sam starts running ahead and then Dom starts chasing him, then Isabelle starts running too. Then Malakai starts running and quickly catches up with the others, soon he is striding ahead of them. When he gets to the car, he jumps onto the bonnet and waits for the others. Sam soon arrives huffing and puffing.)

Sam: That's totally not fair, Malakai, you've had so much training running away from all your enemies. (Isabelle arrives)
Dom: (he arrives last, cos people in bear suits aren’t generally very fast) Yeah, Malakai is great at running from his commitments.
Isabelle: No, Malakai just runs from reality, don't you Malakoli? (nudges Malakai)
Malakai: (bewildered by this sudden attack) Actually, when I run, I prefer to think that I'm heading towards something, that tends to make me go faster, you know?
Isabelle: Well, you're not a total pessimist after all.
Dom: Hey, chuck your stuff in the boot so we can go.
Isabelle: Na, it's cool. We'll just walk. C'mon Malakai.
Dom: Okay, cyaz.
Malakai: Bye.

Scene 7:
(Back to Malakai's flight from the Faceless. Filmed from afar, we see Malakai running alone over the bridge, then cut to a front shot of Malakai with the Faceless far behind him and all unfocussed. Malakai crosses the bridge and runs to the first house he sees. He approaches the house but fails to see a Faceless standing inside at the window. He knocks on the door and rings the doorbell a heap of times, then bends over panting in exhaustion from his sprint. A Faceless answers the door, Malakai just sighs, swears and runs around the back of the house, looks around, then vaults the back fence. Malakai runs through a few backyards and vaults the fences, followed by the Faceless pursuers, clambering over the fences after him. Cut to a shot of a motorbike leaning against a fence. Malakai leaps over the fence and trips over the bike, gets his leg caught on it and struggles to free himself. He pulls his leg free just as he sees a hand grab onto the top of the fence. He goes to jump the next fence but then gets a flash of brilliance (or just common sense) and jumps on the bike. He revs it and rides up the driveway and out onto the street. Seeing the Faceless pursuers falling away behind him, he laughs to himself and says, "Yeah, this one's mine, suckers." Looking back ahead, he suddenly sees something running across the road. He swerves the bike and crashes, the figure leaps out of the way. From his position now on the ground, Malakai watches the person, who is in fact Dom the Bear, get up and run down the street but suddenly be stopped by a man in a dark trench coat. The man is the creature from Malakai's dreams, Cure. Dom yells “No, please don’t, NO!!” Cure grabs him by the head and shoves a mask on him, pushing him to the ground. The Faceless have now crowded around behind Malakai and Cure approaches.)

Cure: Stop running, Malakai, it only makes the process more difficult.
Malakai: What the hell are you? What are they?
Cure: They are insanity. (Malakai looks over at Dom, now a Faceless, as he sits up and stares back at Malakai) And I… am the Cure.
Malakai: Well, I guess I'll just have to call my doctor or something, then, huh?
Cure: Oh don't worry, that won’t be necessary. Almost everyone is cured already. There’s only a few more left in here. Now, Malakai, you too must be cured.
Malakai: No...
Cure: Yes.
Malakai: Heh, you know, of all my dreams, this has gotta be the most poorly scripted.
Cure: I'm sorry, Malakai. This is real.
Malakai: Bullshit. This is just another dream. I’ve had a thousand nightmares like this.
Cure: I know, but this time you’re not going to wake up.
Malakai: Yeah? Bullshit.

(Malakai jumps up and tries to run away but is stopped by Faceless who grab him and bring him to Cure.)

Cure: There can be only one, Malakai. You must die.
Malakai: Bullshit! (throws the two Faceless off himself as he jumps up) THIS JUST A FUCKING DREAM!!!

(Malakai knocks back a few Faceless, runs to his bike and rides away quickly before Cure, who is walking slowly towards him, is able to touch him. Malakai rides further down the road, in tears.)

Scene 8:
(Malakai and Isabelle are walking back from the park. In the background, there is a person in an animal suit, preferably crocodile but I’m flexible, eating his lunch on a park bench. Malakai is pensive, Isabelle is day-dreaming; she drops her shawl. She runs back to pick it up and Malakai walks for a bit before stopping to wait for her. She puts the shawl over the back of her neck and runs back to Malakai. He looks at her for a second and then throws the shawl around her neck. She smiles, holds his hand and they keep walking. Malakai starts to become depressive.)

Malakai: Isabelle, I am scared.
Isabelle: Don't worry, Malakai. They're just dreams, they can't kill you. You always wake up after.
Malakai: It's not like that. Some of them seem so real. And, I dunno, some of them are real, I think.
Isabelle: We'll get through this...
Malakai: There's no we.(pulls his arm away from Isabelle's grasp and walks faster, Isabelle has to almost run to keep up) In my dreams, there’s only me, ok? I have to fight them and I have to die!
Isabelle: That's not true, I'll always be there for you.
Malakai: No, you won't. Not forever.
Isabelle: I'll will, I’ll be there for you, Malakai, I promise.
Malakai: YOU CAN'T!

(They both go silent, Malakai keeps walking but Isabelle stops. Malakai stops and turns around after a few steps.)

Malakai: Sorry, I didn't mean to shout. I'm just stressed, okay? I feel like, I dunno, I feel kind of like I'm dying or something. It just hurts all the time.
Isabelle: (walks up to Malakai, and looks him in the eyes) You're not dying Malakai. Not anytime soon, anyway.

(They continue their walk. Malakai is still dismayed but after a while Isabelle starts smiling. She looks at Malakai, walks ahead of him a bit, stops and when he catches up she falls on him, wrapping her arms around him. He begins to smile. He wraps his arm around her back and they keep walking.)

Isabelle: Do you think they'll ever find a way to bring people back from being dead...

Scene 9:
(Malakai is riding down the road. His vision is blurred, because he was crying. A car passes by, he swerves out of the way. Then after he rides a bit further he realizes that it might be another person. He quickly stops and looks back, but there is nothing there. He keeps riding. Show a couple of shots of him riding along different roads. He rides down a main street, slows down and stops. There is nobody anywhere. He gets off his motorbike. He closes his eyes "This isn't happening, It's just a dream". He hears a tram bell and opens his eyes. It is daytime. People are walking around. Malakai, holding a paper bag and a coffee, walks onto the footpath and sits down on a bench. There is a shabby figure sitting beside him. He takes a sandwich out of the bag and goes to take a bite but sees that the guy sitting beside him, who is in fact his father, wants it more.)

Malakai: Here (gives him the sandwich)
Dad: Thanks. (ravenously gulfs the sandwich down) So then, what's up?
Malakai: Nothing. You know, Uni's fine, life's good.
Dad: Are you happy with where things are heading?
Malakai: I dunno.
Dad: Well, if your life just unravels the way it's heading now, will you be happy?
Malakai: Well, no. But it'll be different after uni, I'll start doing what I want.
Dad: What's that?
Malakai: I don't know. But I will then, you know.
Dad: What do you enjoy?
Malakai: I dunno. But I wanna do something creative, something original. Like make a movie or write a book or something.
Dad: You want to be remembered.
Malakai: Yeah. I'm gonna be remembered.
Dad: Are you?
Malakai: Yes. Cos that's what's I want to do. (gets up and walks off but the man follows after him)
Dad: And how will you be remembered? Are you a good writer?
Malakai: No.
Dad: Are you a good actor?
Malakai: (laughs) No!
Dad: Any bright ideas to revolutionize society?
Malakai: No! Jesus, I'm only 18.
Dad: Malakai, you're 20. And you're not going to be remembered as a famous accountant.
Malakai: Commerce is just for money, you know, to set me up for when...
Dad: For when you come up with this great idea that is gonna make you famous.
Malakai: I didn't say I wanted to be famous. I just want to be remembered. I want to… change the world!
Dad: Don't worry, Malakai, you will. But is that what you really want? Will that actually make you happy?
Malakai: It will make me satisfied. That's enough.
Dad: Because you're never going to be happy.
Malakai: Yeah.
Dad: But you were happy once.
Malakai: Yeah. But that's over.
Dad: Because of your head, right? And because you can't sleep anymore.
Malakai: Probably.
Dad: Why can't you sleep?
Malakai: Because, I just can't. I lie in bed and I can't stop thinking, I can't switch off my mind.
Dad: And what do you think about?
Malakai: Lots of things.
Dad: Lots of great revolutionary ideas.
Malakai: Yeah.
Dad: But mostly her, right?
Malakai: Yeah, what? Who?
Dad: You know, she's the one that keeps you awake.
Malakai: No, it's not that. I have mental issues.
Dad: Yeah, you have excrutiating mental issues... but she's all you think about, Malakai.
Malakai: (laughs) It's not like that. I mean, God, what's your problem?
Dad: Malakai, you can't escape the truth. This is why I'm here.
Malakai: But you're not here.

(Then the man disappears and Malakai keeps walking, but he sees a Faceless in the crowd and becomes scared, he starts to run. He runs into Isabelle.)

Malakai: Isabelle! (He hugs her) You're so cold. (He closes his eyes)

(When he opens his eyes he is back on the abandoned street at night, hugging a lamp post. He staggers back in a daze as he sees a Faceless approaches him. Malakai trips over his bike and scurries away. The Faceless chases after him. He runs down a side street and then remembers his bike, but there are now too many Faceless following him to turn back. He runs further down the street, through a tunnel under a train station. At the end of the tunnel, he stops and runs up the side onto the platform. He runs up and jumps the tracks, then jumps down over the start of the tunnel and runs back up the street to get his bike.)

Scene 10:
(Malakai is riding along a road out of town. Camera follows his bike)

Malakai: (Inner monologue) Okay, I'm just gonna ride out of town. Down to the docks. Get the boat. Sail away. Everything's gonna be fine. Find some uninhabited island. Tropical paradise. Live free and happy, and alone. (He passes a sign signalling a turn-off up ahead back to his suburb) No. What am I thinking? I'm not going back. No way. I mean, sure, I love her. But this is a life or death situation. Shit, she's probably already dead. Anyway, I don't care about her anymore. This isn't about her. (He passes the turn-off, camera stops as Malakai rides out of the shot) Yeah, this is the best thing to do. Life is more important than stupid teenage infatuations. (pause) Shit.What am I thinking?!? (Malakai rides back into the shot and turns off to go back to his suburb.) Fucking hell, the things I do for her!

Scene 11:
(Malakai slows his bike down as he approaches Isabelle’s house, which seems empty. He leaves the bike at the front gate and walks up the path leading to the door slowly. Along the way, he picks up a spade lying on the garden and leans against the house. He gets to the door and is about to knock but hesitates and hangs his head in contemplation.)

Scene 12:
(Isabelle is at her desk, reading Malakai's diary at night. As she reads through the pages, his voice narrates over the things written in the diary, changing between desperate, scared, longing, loving, suicidal, angry, excited and calm tones as different parts are read out. She doesn't read entire passages, just small bits. She is on the verge of tears as she reads some parts. She gets to the final entry and decides to read this in full.)

Malakai: (narration) As I lay on the beach with you and Josh today, I realized something. I'm not angry anymore. I'm not sad or desperate or even anxious. I feel like this last year has just drained all emotions from me. I don't mind. At least I survived it. And I feel like I'm getting better. I just want to say sorry, for everything I've done to you, for all the ways I've hurt you. I'm sorry for the way I treated you when we were together and the way I acted when we broke up. And I want to thank you for the way you've treated me. You lived with me in my dreams and carried me through my nightmares. I hope that you find something more in Josh than you found in me, because I know he's a better guy than me. And I hope your life unfolds just as you want it to. You shouldn't have to sacrifice anything. But I thought about your question and I’ve changed my mind, I think I’ll die with you, because I can’t ever imagine living without you.

(Isabelle opens her drawer and takes out the ripped half of a photo of Malakai on the beach. Then she sees someone standing outside. She can't make out the face but it is very pale. After a brief moment, the figure disappears and there is a knock at the door. Isabelle's mother walks from the kitchen to answer it. Isabelle says "Mum, I don't think you should answer that", but she continues to the door and opens it. It is Malakai at the door, but now the house is empty and the lights are off. He steps inside and shuts the door behind him. He walks down the hallway, the house is dark. He enters Isabelle’s room and finds his diary on her desk. He picks it up and out falls the other half of the ripped photo, of Isabelle. He picks up the photo and pockets it. Then he sees the other half lying on the floor. He picks it up and smiles but notices that there is a dot of red on the corner. He turns the photo over and sees blood spattered on the side, but this is only for a fraction of a second as he is suddenly shocked by the bash of a hand against the bedroom window in front of him. He leaps backwards and stumbles through the doorway. In the hallway, there is a Faceless standing at the front door. Malakai clumsily rushes to the back door but finds he is unable to open it. Suddenly there is another Faceless standing directly in front of him. Malakai knocks this Faceless away in a panic and falls back into the room behind him. He quickly gets to his feet and shuts the door just as the two Faceless are trying to get to him. He grabs a chair and puts it in front of the door, under the handle and cowers back into the corner of the room. “Please, don’t let this be happening. I don’t want to die. How can she be dead? Please God, don’t let her be dead.” He mutters as he watches the door being thumped by the Faceless. Behind him, the window is opening and a Faceless is climbing in. “I can’t die. Please, not before I see her again. Please, please, please please please please please. Not dead not dead not dead. DON’T WANNA DIE!!!” Suddenly, the Faceless behind him is bashed on the head and knocked inside and Malakai is pulled outside as the door is bashed open. Malakai falls to the ground and sees Isabelle standing over him, wielding a spade.)

Isabelle: You didn’t think I’d just die like that, did you?

Scene 13:
(Malakai and Isabelle are walking home.)

Isabelle: Do you think they'll ever find a way to bring people back from being dead, like just recently dead. I reckon it's possible. And when they do, after a while, death'll be some minor inconvenience in our never-ending lives. And all the mysteries behind the afterlife will be revealed. And nothing will surprise us anymore, everything will just be boring... a boring, stagnant immortality.
Malakai: I don't think that they could bring people back, and even if they could, I don't think that they would. Maybe, you know, if there is something good after we die, people won't want to be brought back. And maybe then everyone will want to commit suicide, skip the trivialities and live in everlasting bliss.
Isabelle: Either way, if they ever do, it'll be the end of humanity.
Malakai: Yeah. (They reach Isabelle's house)
Isabelle: Well I guess this is goodbye.
Malakai: I guess it is. (Isabelle goes to leave)
Wait, Isabelle. (pauses) I don't know what's going to happen to me this year, with all my, you know, issues. But... you know, if it doesn't work out for me... I just want you to have this. (gives Isabelle a notebook) It's my diary, from last year. I wrote down any dreams I could remember and hallucinations and, you know, other things. I want you to have it because I don't want to keep anything from you, because... you know...
Isabelle: Thanks. Um, Malakai. You know I... I, I'll see you later.
Malakai: Goodbye Isabelle. (begins to walk off)
Isabelle: (shouts) I’ll see you soon!

(Now he is back on the ground outside Isabelle’s house. He gets up with Isabelle’s help and they run out the front and onto the road.)

Malakai: Wait, my bike.

(Malakai runs back for his bike, which a Faceless is inspecting. He boots the Faceless in the head and jumps on the bike. He starts the bike and rides out onto the road again. Isabelle jumps on behind him. Malakai rides away from the Faceless with Isabelle hugging him tightly and leaning over him so that their cheeks are almost touching.)

Malakai: This is how it’s supposed to be.

Scene 14:
(Footage of Malakai and Isabelle riding along is faded behind footage of Malakai tracing his finger along a map as he points out their escape plan.)

Malakai: Everything is gonna be alright, Isabelle, I’ve got this all worked out. We’ll ride along the Eastern Freeway and down along the Westgate Bridge into Williamstown. Then down to the dock. My grandad has an old boat on pier 17. Then we can go anywhere we want. We can just find some abandoned tropical island and live the rest of our lives peacefully together. It’ll all be just fine, Isabelle. We’re getting out of this alive, we’re getting out together.

Scene 15:
(Malakai and Isabelle ride slowly down a city street as the motorbike runs out of fuel. Eventually, the bike just stops. Isabelle jumps off the back and Malakai gets off it and lets it fall over. He kicks the bike in anger and swears.)

Isabelle: Well, what’s plan B?
Malakai: No plan B. We’re just gonna have to make it to the docks on foot.

(Malakai starts to jog away, while Isabelle just walks.)

Malakai: C’mon, we gotta run. Those things are probably right behind us.
Isabelle: What are those things?
Malakai: I don’t know. Right now, I don’t really care. We’ve just gotta keep moving.

(Malakai turns and continues to jog. Isabelle runs after him for a moment but then stops and sees a general store on the side of the road.)

Isabelle: Wait, Malakai. (Malakai stops and turns around.)
Malakai: Yeah? (Isabelle motions to the shop.) What?
Isabelle: If we’re going to survive on this tropical island of yours, we’re going to need some supplies.
Malakai: We don’t have time for this.
Isabelle: How do you suppose we’re going to live at sea without any food or water?
Malakai: Isabelle, please. We need to keep going.
Isabelle: Malakai, be sensible.
Malakai: Goddamit.

(From the top of a flight of stairs, the shattering of glass is heard, followed by a door opening. Malakai and Isabelle climb the stairs and look around the shop. Malakai quickly grabs a plastic bag from the checkouts and starts to fill it up with canned food and drink and supplies. Isabelle walks to the register, and looks through the till. Behind the checkouts, she finds a gun. She picks it up and checks to see if it’s loaded.)

Isabelle: Malakai. (Throws him the gun.)
Malakai: No way. Not a chance. I’m not a killer.
Isabelle: Just in case.
Malakai: No. (He puts the gun down.)
Isabelle: Malakai, I don’t think those things are human. Anyway, there could be thousands of them waiting for us at the docks. We’re going to need protection

(Show a shot of the gun.)

Malakai: This isn’t right, Isabelle. (He puts the gun down the back of his pants.) I need to take a piss.

Scene 16:
(The toilet flushes. A fly is zipped up. Malakai exits the cubicle and washes his hands, close up on his hands. Malakai looks at himself in the mirror. Suddenly he senses something behind him. He turns around and there is a Faceless standing in front of him. He makes for the exit but the Faceless mimics his step so he stops. Malakai stares at the Faceless for a moment, motions to the right, then grabs the Faceless by the shoulders and knees him in the guts until the Faceless keels over onto the floor. Then Malakai runs to the door and opens it. There is another Faceless in front of him. The Faceless shoves Malakai back into the arms of the other Faceless, who has gotten to his feet by now. The first Faceless holds Malakai and the second limps towards Malakai with outstretched arms. Malakai lifts himself up and pushes the approaching Faceless backwards with his legs. The Faceless falls over and Malakai trips the Faceless holding him up and rolls backwards. Then he jumps up and runs for the door. But when he opens it, there is another Faceless waiting for him. The Faceless on the floor in front of the door grabs Malakai’s leg and the Faceless at the door grabs Malakai’s neck. Malakai uses his elbows to lock the Faceless’s arms that are strangling him and then turns him round and throws him onto the Faceless grabbing his leg. He turns back to the door and there is another Faceless. Malakai swears and punches the Faceless square in the face, flooring him. The other three Faceless behind Malakai grab him at once while two more Faceless enter the room and start pummeling him. The Faceless bring Malakai to the ground and pile on top of him. Suddenly there is a gunshot. Malakai blows a hole through one of the Faceless on top of him and knocks the others aside. He leaps up aiming the gun at them as he backs away. The Faceless that Malakai shot sits up, with a bullet hole in his head, and the others start to move towards Malakai. Malakai turns and sees another Faceless at the door. This time, he just rams into the Faceless, knocking it aside, and runs away. He gets back to the main part of the shop and calls to Isabelle, “C’mon, we gotta get outta here!” But there is no answer. “Isabelle?” He calls. Bewildered, Malakai runs out of the shop.)

Scene 17:
(Back on the street, he looks around. Out of the corner of eye, Malakai sees a figure slip around the corner of the next street. He calls to Isabelle and runs after her. When he gets to the corner, he sees her run into the train station. He’s not quite sure if it’s her but he follows her anyway. Malakai is walking down a switched-off escalator and the camera is following him. As he descends to the underground, the camera goes black. When Malakai comes back into view, it is daytime and hundreds of busy people are bustling about the platform. Malakai stops, “Wait, I know this. This is…” He looks down and sees himself embracing Isabelle on the platform as a train is departing. The two of them lean their heads against each other. As Isabelle’s lips move, the real Malakai dubs her voice, “Tell me that you’ll love me forever.” To this Malakai responds, “Isabelle, I’ll die in love with you.” She kisses him and gets onto the train with all her luggage. She walks down the train and dream Malakai follows her along the train. The camera view from the real Malakai’s eyes follows the dream Malakai. The real Malakai comes to his senses and runs onto the train. The train is empty; it is nighttime once again. A single figure, who may or may not be Isabelle, sits down the end of the train facing away from Malakai. Malakai walks down to her cautiously and touches her shoulder. Suddenly Malakai hears the train beeping and turns around as the doors close and the carriage begins to move. The figure, who is in fact Cure, grabs Malakai and flings him into the seat facing him.)

Cure: (handing Malakai a white, expressionless mask) Put this on.
Malakai: (declining) Nah, I’ll be right thanks.
Cure: Go on. It suits you.
Malakai: In case you didn’t notice, I already have a perfectly good face to wear, okay?
Cure: No you don’t, you need this.
Malakai: Why?
Cure: Because I said so, you wouldn’t understand the details.
Malakai: Thanks, I’ll pass.
Cure: JUST PUT THE DAMN THING ON!
Malakai: (knocking the mask to the floor) NO, I’M NOT PUTTING IT ON! Just give it a rest, ok?
Cure: Fine, be like that.

(Malakai is suddenly surrounded by Faceless who restrain him as Cure removes the glove on his right hand and grabs Malakai’s forehead. Malakai reels in pain, his body flexing as though it is being electrocuted. From Malakai’s view, his vision is covered by Cure’s hand, but soon it becomes blurred white. )

Scene 18:
Now, Malakai flashes to different times in his life: playing in the sand with Isabelle as a child, walking to school with her, in the park where they kissed for the first time, in the hospital with her after he was diagnosed with some mental illness, fainting at a party, stressing over exams, 83.45 ENTER. Each memory blurs out then, at the end, the screen fades white. Malakai, Isabelle and Josh are lying on the beach together.)

Isabelle: Mmmmm, this is bliss.
Josh: I kinda feel like I should be doing work or something, but… I don’t have to, it’s all finished, you know?
Isabelle: Yeah, it’s a good feeling.
Josh: Damn straight. (He leans over and kisses Isabelle, then grabs his body board and runs to the shore, leaving Malakai and Isabelle alone.)
Isabelle: What a hunk. I wander where he gets all that energy from.
Malakai: Might have something to do with his perfectly chiseled figure, proper diet and healthy amount of exercise.
Isabelle: Mmmmyeah, he’s perfect, isn’t he?
Malakai: He sure is…(pause) Hey Isabelle, do want to know why I let him have you?
Isabelle: It wouldn’t have had anything to do with the fact that I rejected you, like, a thousand times.
Malakai: Yeah, well there was that. But, when me and him got into that fight and I gave him that big black eye…
Isabelle: …And he beat the living shit out of you.
Malakai: Yeah, after that. He asked me why I kept trying to win you back and I said that I couldn’t let you go, that I still loved you. He said that he knew that he loved you more because as much as he wanted to be with you, he said he was willing to let you go if you didn’t want him anymore. And then I realized that I was just infatuated with you, I wasn’t really in love, you know, just obsessed.
Isabelle: (after a pause) That’s beautiful Malakai.
Malakai: No it’s not, it’s just a hard lesson in life.
Isabelle: You should so be a writer. You’d finally get the recognition you so eagerly crave.
Malakai: Nah, I don’t have the patience. I can only ever write little jots of insight and beauty; anything more than a few pages and I go blank.
Isabelle: Well, I’m sure you’ll find some way to harness your beautiful, creative mind. God created everyone with a purpose and I’m sure yours will be apocalyptic.
Malakai: (smiles and takes Isabelle’s hand, lying back on the sand and examining it closely for a while.) What will your purpose be then?
Isabelle: Stand by my man.

(Malakai looks up at her, she smiles and gently takes her hand back. The two of them lie on the sand for a while in silence, listening to the waves.)

Isabelle: Do you think you’ll die alone, Malakai?
Malakai: (after a pause) Everyone dies alone, Isabelle.

Scene 19:
(Camera view from his eyes, Malakai comes to in a padded room that looks like a prison cell. The walls are white and padded. There is a small window on the door and two doctors are discussing something outside. One of them says “…This isn’t looking good she’s gone completely blank, possibly coma.” Everything blurs as he looks down at the ground. The train doors beep and Malakai is back on the train. Isabelle is standing on the platform. Malakai screams and tears Cure’s hand off his head. He pushes the Faceless off and runs for the doors. He tries to open them but is grabbed by the Faceless.)

Cure: Malakai, everyone has to die some time.
Malakai: Sure. (He wrestles the Faceless off himself, opens the door and jumps out. He holds the doors closed until they lock.) But not tonight, you twisted freak!

(The train pulls away and Malakai turns to Isabelle, panting. Isabelle is staring into space.)

Malakai: Thanks for the help. (She doesn’t move) Okay…. Hey Isabelle! (She wakes up and looks over at him) What happened?
Isabelle: Yeah, okay. (Suddenly going back into character) Oh god, Malakai. It was terrible, there were those things everywhere. They chased me into the train station and then you found me.
Malakai: (unconvinced) Okay… let’s get out of here. (Walking past Isabelle)
Isabelle: (grabbing Malakai’s arm) Don’t ever leave me, okay?
Malakai: No worries babe. (Gives her a fake smile)

(They hold hands and run up the escalator. As they turn a corner, a boy leaps out and stabs Malakai with a pocket knife.)

Malakai: Jesus!
Kid: Shit, I’m so sorry. I thought you were one of them!
Isabelle: Zach?!? What are you doing here?
Zach: Isabelle, you’re alive! I looked for you but you must have already left the house. Everyone’s dead: Mum, Dad. This is insane!
Malakai: Isabelle, who the hell is this guy?
Isabelle: It’s my brother, Malakai! You know, Zach?
Malakai: Oh.
Isabelle: Well, Zachary. I think you have something to say to Malakai…
Zach: Oh yeah, sorry dude. It’s just… those things, you know. I thought… I haven’t seen any other, you know… humans, tonight.
Malakai: Yeah, that’s alright…Zach. (He lifts his hand to shake Zach’s but flinches in pain.)
Isabelle: We’ve gotta get out of here right now Zach. They’re right behind us.
Zach: Okay sis.

(Isabelle takes Zach’s hand and they rush off. Malakai is left bewildered and in pain. After hesitating, he follows them out of the station.)

Scene 20:
(From Malakai’s view, he can see Isabelle and Zach running up the street together. He is trying to keep up but he keeps looking down to check his wound and looking back to see Faceless trying to hide behind stuff and chasing them. Eventually his view blurs as he looks at his bloody hands. He awakes in a hospital bed. He feels calm. A doctor walks in and starts checking his chart. The doctor is actually Malakai’s dad and the bum who Malakai gave his sandwich to in a previous hallucination.)

Dad: How are you feeling Malakai?
Malakai: Yeah, I’m alright, I guess.
Dad: Are you really?
Malakai: I said, I guess.
Dad: Have you thought about what you want to be yet?
Malakai: No, but then, that’s why I’m here isn’t it?
Dad: No, you’re here because you’re sick.
Malakai: Well, are you going to cure me then?
Dad: I can’t cure you until you admit that you’re not right. Tell me Malakai, are you making sense of this situation?
Malakai: Well, no. I don’t get any of it.
Dad: Did you ever think that perhaps none of it is real?
Malakai: I know it’s not real. It’s just a dream.
Dad: You know that’s not what I mean, Malakai.
Malakai: What do you mean?
Dad: Dig deeper. Take a good look at yourself. (flash to an image of Malakai looking at himself in the mirror at night.) What do you see?
Malakai: I don’t get it. I don’t get what you’re saying. Please just be simple.
Dad: This isn’t a simple matter.
Malakai: I KNOW! But please…
Dad: You know, Malakai… I have to admit. I always liked you best, out of all of you. I would have liked my son to have grown up into a man. What man he would have been. You’re a fine young man, Malakai.
Malakai: Thanks.
Dad: I wish it didn’t have to happen this way. (He reveals a needle and flicks it, preparing to put it in Malakai.)
Malakai: What are you doing? (as he puts it in, from Malakai’s view) Dad? (everything blurs)

Scene 21:
(On the beach, the three friends, Josh, Malakai and Isabelle, are fidgeting about with a camera. From Josh’s view, he gets the camera ready. Malakai and Isabelle pose and Josh takes the photo as they talk.)

Isabelle: Okay, now take one of me and Malakai.
Josh: Malakai and I.
Isabelle: Quiet you. We don’t pay you to correct grammar. We pay you to take photos.
Josh: Actually you don’t pay me at all, speaking of which, I still kinda need petrol money for the trip up here, Say “Cheese”!

(Isabelle pokes her tongue out as he takes the photo. Now from a third person view, Josh gets the photo {it’s a Polaroid} and shakes it out. Then he grabs a pen from his bag, writes on the back of it and gives it to Isabelle. Isabelle looks at Malakai, smiles and rips the photo in half.)

Isabelle: (giving Malakai half) So you’ll have something to remember me by when you go off to uni.
Malakai: Aw shucks.

(Josh is looking at Isabelle awkwardly. Isabelle smiles at him reassuringly.)

Isabelle: Don’t worry, Josh. Malakai wouldn’t do anything seedy with it, would you Malakai?

(Malakai shakes his head semi-seriously, going along with the joke.)

Isabelle: See. He’s a good boy.
Malakai: (looking at the photo) Although this bikini is pretty skimpy. And I dunno, university life could get pretty lonely…
Isabelle: Malakai!

(The three of them laugh. Malakai stops first and looks solemnly back at the ocean. Then he looks at Isabelle. Blur.)

Scene 22:
(Back on the run. Start blurred, then focus on the photo of Isabelle that Malakai has taken out of his pocket. Shoving it back in his pocket, Malakai makes an effort to catch up with Isabelle and Zach.)

Malakai: Isabelle, wait!
Isabelle: (Stopping for him to catch up) Come on slow coach.

(They are now standing next to a park in the city. Isabelle leans against a tree.)

Malakai: Well, I did just get stabbed.
Zach: It wasn’t sharp.
Malakai: (shoots a quick venomous glance at Zach) Isabelle, do you still have that photo… of us on the beach. You know, your half?
Isabelle: (smiling as she takes it out of her breast pocket and gives it to Malakai) I keep it close to my heart.
Malakai: (laughing a little) I was thinking. You see, this just doesn’t make sense. I saw…
Zach: Isabelle, look out!

(A Faceless leaps from behind the tree with a knife and slashes at Isabelle. Isabelle grabs its arm trying to hold it back. Malakai rushes over to help her. A whole bunch of Faceless suddenly appear and run up to grab the three of them.)

Isabelle: Run Zach! Go to the dock just up the road! Pier 17, there’s an old boat.

(Malakai punches the Faceless with the knife and he falls back, dropping the knife. Two other Faceless grab Isabelle and Malakai and try to hold them against the tree. Malakai manages to get hold of the knife and slash the one holding him. He stabs the one holding Isabelle. The other Faceless gather round them. Malakai stands in front of Isabelle waving around the knife menacingly.)

Malakai: C’mon you Faceless bastards. Want some of this? (None of them move.) Yeah. Yeah that’s right. (A Faceless standing behind them knocks the knife out of Malakai’s hand.) Shit. (Malakai punches the Faceless as the others swarm them.) Run!!!

(Isabelle runs and Malakai tries to as well but is grabbed by a number of Faceless. He wrestles with them and breaks free. He runs for a bit and yells “Isabelle!”. Isabelle turns around only to see another Faceless, who is actually Dom the Bear in Faceless form, coming for Malakai from his left. She calls out but it is too late. Dom spear tackles Malakai onto the grass in the park. Isabelle shrinks in empathy. Malakai and Dom wrestle for a bit. Malakai gets on top of him and repetitively bashes him in the head. More Faceless come over and pull Malakai off and hold him as Faceless Dom gets up, picks up a stick on the ground and walks towards Malakai menacingly. Malakai struggles but Dom knocks him in the side of the kneecaps very hard with the stick. Then, Isabelle pulls one of the Faceless holding Malakai off and Malakai throws the other one holding him into Dom. Malakai collapses but Isabelle helps him up and they hurry away as quickly as they can. Malakai takes his arm from over Isabelle’s shoulder and walks on his own.)

Malakai: Isabelle, this doesn’t make sense.
Isabelle: Thanks Captain Obvious. I thought this happened every Tuesday.
Malakai: That’s not what I mean. I mean, this photo. How did you get this, your half?
Isabelle: Malakai, we don’t have time for this.
Malakai: Yes we do. I need to know. In the house, I saw this half on your desk. You couldn’t have gotten in after I saw it. Where you get it?
Isabelle: The Docks!!!

(Malakai looks up and sees the docks just ahead.)

Malakai: Isabelle…
Isabelle: Wait till we get onto the sea, away from these things, okay?

Scene 23:
(Isabelle and Malakai come running down onto the pier. There is only one boat there. Zach is standing next to it.)

Malakai: (Shouting) Get it started, Zach. It’s gotta get warmed up.

(Suddenly more Faceless climb up onto the pier and grab Isabelle and Malakai. Some of them run towards the boat. Panicking, Zach pulls the ropes off, jumps in the boat and pushes off. Isabelle screams out “NO!!” and wrestles herself free, running down the dock only to see the boat pulling away. Zach looks back at Isabelle despairingly as the Cure rises suddenly behind him, smiling. Isabelle screams again as Malakai runs down and leaps off the pier. He swims up and grabs onto the edge of the boat, calling out to Zach with a mouth full of salty water. Zach goes to help him up but the Cure puts a hand on Zach’s shoulder and, with the other, throws Malakai off the boat. Now the Cure sits Zach down on the side of the boat.)

Cure: (revealing a needle) Now young Zachary Montgomery, it’s time for your medication. (He flicks the needle as Zach shrinks back in horror.)

Scene 24:
(Malakai is underwater; he writhes about then blanks out. Cut to a young Isabelle waiting for her parents after school. She hears calls coming from behind a classroom and goes to investigate. She finds a group of boys teasing and beating up another boy. She hides behind the corner of the classroom and thinks for a moment, then she impersonates a teacher’s voice and yells “What do you think you boys are doing?” The boys panic and run away. Isabelle helps the boy up.)

Isabelle: Are you alright?
Boy: (bleeding from the lip and a bit surly, as you would be) Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.
Isabelle: No problem at all. My name’s Isabelle.
Boy: Okay. (Starts picking his things up.)
Isabelle: What’s your name?
Boy: Malakai.
Isabelle: Hi Malakai.
Malakai: Yeah, hi Isabelle.
Isabelle: You’re bleeding, you know. You should get a teacher.
Malakai: I’ll be fine. It happens all the time.
Isabelle: Really? (She frowns jokingly) That’s not good.
Malakai: Nah.
Isabelle: Are you sure you’re alright?
Malakai: Yes!

(Isabelle looks away sort of hurt, then she smiles and as Malakai finishes picking his things up she falls sideways onto him, wrapping her arms around him. He laughs.)

Isabelle: (Looking up at Malakai longingly) Will you marry?
Malakai: (Smiling) Sure.

(Isabelle nestles herself in Malakai’s chest. The scene blurs.)

Scene 25:
(Back in the real world, Isabelle is crying on the shore next to the pier. The Faceless are gone. Malakai emerges from the water soaking, obviously. He is not happy.)

Isabelle: Oh God! *sob* Zach! *sob sob* He’s dead! *sob sob sob*
Malakai: Come on, Isabelle. We’ve gotta keep moving. (starts walking off)
Isabelle: But…But…. He’s dead! *sob sob sob sob*
Malakai: (looking around) Isabelle, where did all the creatures go?
Isabelle: Oh God, ZACH!!! WHY?!? They should have taken me!
Malakai: (turning round to face Isabelle) Isabelle, where are they?
Isabelle: I don’t know. They left after you dived into the sea. I hid under the pier.
Malakai: Isabelle. That’s ridiculous. This doesn’t make any fucking sense!
Isabelle: Yeah, what do want with Zach? He’s just a kid!
Malakai: (walks over to the wall that elevates the road above the beach and whacks it with his hand) Listen to me Isabelle!!! (starts walking back to Isabelle) This chase, those Faceless things, the Cure, it’s not right, I know. But it’s not just that. None of this makes sense. Isabelle, how did you get the other half of this photo?
Isabelle: How can you think about something like that at a time like this?
Malakai: Tell me.
Isabelle: Malakai, my brother just died!
Malakai: Isabelle, your brother died thirteen years ago!!! I’ve never even met him.
Isabelle: What are you talking about?
Malakai: He suffered SIDS just after he was born. I remember your eyes were full of tears when you told me (cut briefly to a shot of young Isabelle with tears in her eyes then to the two of them sitting on a bench after.) You said you couldn’t believe it, like it was a bad dream. I didn’t know what to say so I just held your hand (Young Isabelle says “I can’t believe it, it’s like a bad dream” at the same time as Malakai’s voice over, then as he says that he held her hand, Young Malakai holds her hand).
Isabelle: (Back to now) No, that’s not possible Malakai. I know my brother’s alive, was alive. I remember it.
Malakai: (looks away from Isabelle) The photo, your brother, those things. This has gotta be a dream. There’s no other explanation.
Isabelle: I wish it was a dream Malakai, but it’s not.
Malakai: You’re right, this is too real. But it just doesn’t make sense, Isabelle. I can’t work it out. I just can’t think. I’m so tired…
Isabelle: Malakai… They’re here!

(As they were speaking, more Faceless appeared on the pier and on the road. Now they jump down; Malakai grabs Isabelle who waits for a moment and they run away along the beach. After a bit, Malakai vaults onto the road and helps Isabelle up and they run on the road. Focus on Malakai, he holds his wounded side as he runs…)

Malakai: (Muttering) No faces… They don’t know what the… I can’t remember…I think… wait I remember something like… Faceless… No memories… (thinking, switch to a first-person view) I just wish I could stop and think for a second… (Malakai looks at Isabelle) At the station, (cut to Isabelle’s blank face after Malakai got off the train) it was like she just shut off. And then she came back to life when I spoke to her. Like she doesn’t really exist when I’m not around. But I guess I’ve never seen her when I’m not around. (Now Malakai looks down at the road) Shit, this is too complicated. I don’t know if I can keep going. Hurts so much… But I can’t stop. I have to keep going. Can’t die. Must live. Never die. Too young. We’ll live forever!!!

(Malakai starts to speed up and passes Isabelle. He runs supernaturally fast. The surroundings blur. Suddenly, from a bird’s eye view, Malakai is alone. He turns around and Isabelle is miles away. He starts turns back to the road and keeps running. Suddenly he hears Isabelle calling him. When he turns his head, she is only a few metres away, slowing down. She stops. Malakai runs back.)

Malakai: Come on, we’ve gotta keep moving.
Isabelle: Why? Where are we going?
Malakai: I don’t know. I haven’t worked it out yet.
Isabelle: We’re going nowhere, Malakai. This is pointless.
Malakai: Well, I for one don’t want to stand here and wait for those things to catch up with us. (He grabs her arm and starts to run but she pulls away.)
Isabelle: Well I do. (Malakai stops) I can’t do this anymore, Malakai. I don’t understand anything anymore. My mind hurts from everything that’s going on. I don’t know what’s real and I just can’t cope. Malakai I’m not strong enough. I’m weak and I’m sick… and I want to be cured.
Malakai: But Isabelle…
Isabelle: No Malakai, this is it. We have to face the music. This is where it ends.
Malakai: No…
Isabelle: One way or the other, it’s over for us.
Malakai: NOOOO!!!!

(Malakai turns and runs away. Isabelle stands and waits for the Faceless.)

Scene 26:
Malakai: I had this dream last night…
Isabelle: Yeah?
Malakai: Never mind.
Isabelle: What? Seriously?
Malakai: Last night, I had this really strange dream
Isabelle: You mean like your others, like before?
Malakai: No, not one of those. It was just... different.
Isabelle: What happened?
Malakai: Um, it was like, pretty realistic. Ah, I think there was like this hospital in my bedroom. And you were there, in this straight jacket. And there was this other guy standing at my door. He said... he said he was the Cure and that I could run but he’d still cure me tonight. There was other stuff too, but I can't remember. I was running, and I knew I was going to die.
Isabelle: Hmmmm.... Yeah I reckon you’ll die too if you don’t stop listening to Robert Smith.
Malakai: I'm serious, Isabelle, it was pretty scary. And it felt like, like my insides were collapsing, like everything was caving in on itself. I wanted to hide but I couldn't move.
Isabelle: It'll be alright, Malakai. The doctor said that the episodes would get better gradually, right? Then you'll just have to wait. And I'll wait with you. (And she shuffles closer to Malakai so that their cheeks are touching, then suddenly she speaks in such a serious tone that it sounds like she isn't the same person) You don't have to be scared because I'll always be with you, Malakai. Always.
Malakai: I know. I'm not scared.

Scene 27:
(A car drives up alongside Malakai. Malakai’s dad is sitting in it.)

Dad: You thought she’d stay forever didn’t you, Malakai?
Malakai: Yeah, I did.
Dad: You can’t live without her.
Malakai: No, I don’t think so.
Dad: That’s understandable. That’s the nature of mental illness.
Malakai: I’m not insane, Dad.
Dad: It’s funny. The symptoms of insanity and love are really quite similar. But I’m afraid in this case you’re just ill.
Malakai: I don’t understand. I mean, what’s actually wrong with me.
Dad: Nothing really. The problem is schizophrenia, split personalities.
Malakai: Shit. (He stops. The car stops just ahead and Malakai’s father gets out and walks over to him.) I had a feeling, you know. I think I kinda knew from the start.
Dad: Well, that’s not entirely surprising.
Malakai: Everything’s just become so illogical recently, like my memories just don’t make sense. Nothing seems real, you know?
Dad: That tends to be the case… when it’s not real.
Malakai: Even Isabelle, she’s not real?
Dad: (laughs) I don’t think you really understand this, do you Malakai? Try and think back, think back to the earliest memories of your life.

(Malakai and his dad, who were looking at the ocean, are now standing in a room looking at memories flash by: the sand pit, first kiss, walking to school, in the park, waiting for the bus_____)

Dad: They’re all so illogical and disjointed. But one thing remains constant in every one of them.
Malakai: Isabelle.
Dad: Don’t you think it’s kind of strange that you can’t remember anything without her? And when you’re not with her, she has no personality?
Malakai: You mean, all this, all these people, they’re just her? This is just her mind?
Dad: I’m afraid so.

(The memories change. Where Malakai was in them originally, now Isabelle is.)

Isabelle always had a very vivid imagination. But when she was a young girl, her brother suffered the terrible tragedy of Sudden Infant Death. She didn’t seem to deal well with the death. We bought her this little doll because it looked sort of like her little brother and we thought it was touching that she named it Zach and started talking to it like it was her brother. Then she started making new friends; her little teddy bear Dom began to follow her everywhere. We didn’t mind at first, but when she grew older we became aware of the fact that she wasn’t making any real friends so we decided that it would be best to confiscate her toys. It was alright at first, but then she began talking to herself when nobody was around. Later, she started doing it when there were people around. People teased her at school and this only made it worse. We tried to make it stop. We told her not to. We punished her. We bribed her. We had her counseled. We tried everything. Eventually we got into a fight and I… I hit her. After that, she stopped talking at all; she just sat up in her room and lived in her own little world. You’re, uh, her mother and I are having her treated, clinically, but you have to help us, Malakai. You need to accept what you are and give yourself in to the healing process.
Malakai: (laughs) I guess I really can’t live without her then, huh?
Dad: I’m afraid not. Now, I think it’s time for you to go back where you belong, Malakai.
Malakai: You mean, you’re going to kill me?
Dad: No, you belong with her. Now go.
Malakai: But what happens to me after he cures me, Dad? Am I dead? Like, do I go beyond?
Dad: I’m not sure, but you’ll find out soon enough.
Malakai: Okay. (Starts to walk away, but stops for a moment) Hey Dad, I know what I want to be now.
Dad: What’s that, son?
Malakai: I want to be real.

(He turns around but his father is gone. From a bird’s eye view, the car is still there with the door open but it’s empty. Malakai walks back for a bit and then starts to run. After he has left the scene, a heap of Faceless appear from their hiding places and follow him.)

Scene 28:
(This scene starts with a rerun of the prologue of the film, except that he only says “Last night, I was Malakai Mattison. Last night, I was safe. And now I’m going to die…” He stops and looks up. Cure, Isabelle and all the Faceless are waiting for him on the beach. He climbs down onto the beach and walks up to the crowd that forms a semi-circle around him. Cure approaches him. Isabelle watches with tears in her eyes. Dom the Bear has his hand on Isabelle’s shoulder.)

Cure: Are you ready?
Malakai: I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready. But I don’t think I can run anymore.
Cure: (taking a mask out of his coat and walking towards Malakai) It’s kind of funny. I would have thought that Zach would have been the last one to go, considering how entrenched he was in her psyche, and because it was his death that caused all this trauma. But you just clung on that little bit longer, didn’t you? Why is that?
Malakai: I guess I just didn’t want to accept my fate. I just wanted to hang on a little longer. (looking at Isabelle) But then I never was best at running away.
Cure: (putting mask on Malakai) There, that fits nicely. I’m proud of you Malakai. You didn’t have to be forced into it like the rest of them. And I meant what I said: out of all of you, I liked you the best. Now, it is done. The healing is complete. (Holding his arm out) Come here, Isabelle.
Isabelle: (crying as Dom brings her to Cure) I’m so sorry Malakai. I just wanted to be cured. I didn’t want you to die. I love you. I’ve always loved you.
Malakai: I love you too Isabelle.

(Isabelle looks at the ground for a moment, then suddenly lunges out and snatches Malakai’s mask from his face. Faithful Dom the Bear grabs Cure and Isabelle runs away.)

Isabelle: I’ll give you something to run for, Malakoli!

(Malakai stands blankly for a while until Isabelle is gone. Then he looks around and sees Cure being held back. He walks up and puts his hand on his Cure’s face.)

Malakai: Sorry, father. I’m afraid I can’t leave her just yet. (Malakai turns around, takes a deep breath and barges through the Faceless to chase after Isabelle.) (shouting) I need a little more time!

Scene 29:
(When Malakai catches up with Isabelle, she has stopped. She is panting and in tears, holding the mask in her hand.)

Isabelle: (seeing Malakai arrive) I couldn’t let them take you. Not yet. I just need a little more time.
Malakai: I’m glad. (stopping beside her) You know, it kind of makes sense now. I mean, I didn’t want to mention anything earlier but did you realize that you’re friends with a bear?
Isabelle: (laughs) I’m going to miss you so much. I don’t know whether I can live without you.
Malakai: At least you’ll be sane. I’m sure you’ll meet some handsome sophisticated socialite in the real world who’ll appreciate every little perfect detail about you and who’ll probably treat you better than I did.
Isabelle: But… (starts sobbing) I only want you.
Malakai: Don’t cry. (Holds her face up and wipes her tears away) Come on Isabelle. This is how it’s got to be. I