Nation Undead ‘Blink’ By Travis Olson

Int. Hospital: Waiting Room- Night

Waiting Room is chaotic; sick people fill the chairs, the floors, and some gurneys are parked near the chairs; Orderlies, Nurses and Doctors rush about but there are too many people and they are frazzled. Betsy, wearing a mask, holds the hand of Eric who looks extremely deathly ill lying on a gurney near the ER Hallway entrance as though he were next in line. Eric has labored breathing; a tear falls from his eye as he looks into the exhausted eyes of Betsy; she knows he is going quickly.

Eric: …You should go…

Betsy: Why? So you can try and pick up a Nurse?

Eric gives a weak smile; tears begin to fall from Betsy’s eyes.

Eric: …I don’t want you to get sick… from waiting around… That’s all we’re doing now, you know, just waiting…

Betsy: I’m not going to abandon you…

Eric begins convulsing; Betsy falls backward startled. Eric thrashes about as Betsy watches from the ground.

Betsy: Help!

Several Nurses rush over to hold Eric down; they eye each other knowing what’s happening and that this won’t last long. Betsy stands and watches in horror a few feet back. The door to the ER Hallway bursts open and a Resperin Patient tackling a Doctor come flying to the ground near the gurney. The nurses holding Eric let go and rush to the doctor’s aid; they pull the Resperin Patient off of the doctor and hold him down. The Doctor stands up holding the wound on his forehead.

Doctor: Goddammit! Restrain him and get him in the cooler with the others…

The Doctor makes eye contact with Betsy before he turns and walks back to the ER Hallway. Betsy looks down the hallway as the doors are closing and she sees Security Guards and Orderlies fighting with patients; distraction over Betsy looks back to Eric and sees that he has finished convulsing, his body is motionless. Betsy walks over to Eric and she holds his hand; she pulls her mask down and leans over about to kiss him on the forehead, she stops suddenly as a gunshot is heard directly behind her. Betsy turns to see what is happening; the patients and medical staff rush at her to get away from the gunshots being fired by the Entrance Doors, the people try to get close to the walls and in their frenzy knock Betsy down as well as upend Eric’s gurney spilling him to the ground. Betsy looks up as Four Gang Members are having a shoot out with Two Soteria Security Guards; one Gang Member is dropped and the two Soteria Security Guards are killed. A, daring, Nurse rushes for the “Toxicil” labeled duffle bag that one of the Soteria Guards was carrying; she gets shot in the leg as a Gang Member takes the duffle bag and flees with the remaining two Gang Members. The Patients and Medical Staff begin their frenzy as they swarm the bodies to help and pursue the “Toxicil” duffle bag. Some remain behind feeling shock but safety knowing the shoot out has finished. Distraction over; Betsy, sprawled out on the ground, looks over at Eric, also sprawled out; he is a few feet away with doll eyes staring into hers. Betsy, teary eyed, and Eric, dead eyed, maintain their moment in time; Eric’s arm is outstretched toward Betsy and she reaches out to take it, she holds his hand. Eric’s eyes do a quick blink and Betsy is instantly in shock; she raises her head and stares more intently at Eric. Eric’s eyes do a long blink.

Int. Eric’s Bedroom- Night

Eric is in bed; he has a pillowed folded to prop his head up as he watches the television sitting on his dresser, Jack Dayton is on the television. The bathroom door opens and Betsy enters in a big T-shirt, Eric stays focused on the television; she gets in bed and glances at the television with disdain.

Betsy: I can’t stand that guy…

Eric looks over to Betsy.

Eric: Why?

Betsy: He doesn’t tell us anything new… Resperin Flu is sweeping the nation and there is no cure. He’s been saying the same thing over and over and over… And they replay his broadcasts so that we can find out nothing 24 hours a day…

Eric: But that’s just how the news cycle works. It’s not his fault they don’t have any new information, he can only tell us what’s happening now…

Betsy: Well it’s been a whole lot of nothing… The only thing that he does change is the number of people that have the Flu…

Eric: One of the people in shipping got it.

Betsy sits up suddenly.

Betsy: At your work?

Eric: Yep.

Betsy: Why didn’t you tell me?

Eric: I kept forgetting…

Betsy: Well how close is Shipping from your department?

Eric: They’re across the building… The guy never came in, he called in sick…

Betsy lies back down staring at the ceiling.

Betsy: Oh my god… That’s scary…

Eric rolls on his side to face Betsy.

Eric: Don’t worry… Everybody else is fine.

Betsy: If anybody else gets sick, you’re staying home, understand?

Eric: Yeah right, I got bills to pay…

Betsy rolls onto her side to face Eric.

Betsy: Well then, I should tell you now, I’m not the kind of girl that’s going to hold your hand in a hospital… Call me Germ-o-phobe or whatever, hospitals and sick people freak me the hell out.

Eric: Really?

Betsy: That’s why I really hate Dayton’s show, they have the stock footage of the people in hospitals… Ewww…

Betsy shutters and Eric smiles.

Eric: I didn’t know that.

Betsy: All I’m saying is don’t get sick.

Eric: What else haven’t you told me?

Betsy smiles at the subject change in play.

Betsy: Nope, your turn.

Eric: Fair enough…

Eric thinks for a second.

Eric: …I can’t wink.

Betsy: You can’t wink?

Eric: Nope.

Betsy: I thought everybody could wink?

Eric: I can’t.

Betsy: Try it?

Eric: What? You think I’m lying?

Betsy: No… Maybe you’re just lazy… Come on, give it a try?

Eric makes a goofy face but blinks instead of winking and Betsy giggles at this.

Eric: I can’t do it.

Betsy winks at Eric.

Eric: You’re showing off now?

Betsy giggles.

Eric: Alright, well here’s what I can do…

Eric closes his eyes for a few seconds and then opens them.

Betsy: What was that?

Eric: It was a double wink.

Betsy giggles at this; Eric smiles cocky as the two lock eyes. Betsy winks at Eric and Eric replies with a blink, the two lean forward and begins kissing playfully between winks and blinks.

Int. Hospital: Waiting Room- Night

Betsy stays on the ground and holding Eric’s hand; she turns her body and pushes her self to Eric’s side, she stares into his eyes as they blink again. Betsy smiles with elation as she takes her other hand to take Eric’s pulse. Her smile begins to fade but Eric blinks again; she looks away from Eric to find a nurse for help. Eric’s hand grips Betsy’s hand tightly and she turns back to look at him with miraculous euphoria; Eric lifts his head slightly and stares at Betsy for a few seconds; Betsy laughs with glee. Eric stares; Betsy smiles; Eric takes a long blink; Betsy smiles; Eric’s eyes open and then he lunges for Betsy’s neck. Betsy screams as Eric crawls on top of her ripping and clawing at her. The Patients and Medical Staff rush away from the attack; Betsy’s eyes flicker about and she goes limp. Eric stands swiftly with an unnatural posture and looks about the Waiting Room occupants; two police officers emerge from the crowd with weapons drawn. Eric looks at the police officers; he blinks and then rushes them. -Fade to Black- Gunshots are heard.