FADE IN:
SCENE 1: INT. NEWS-DESK – EVENING

NEWS ANCHOR JOHN REEVES IS SAT AT THE DESK, THE LIGHTS ARE ON AND THE CAMERA ROLLING. LIGHTS DANCE AROUND HIM AS HE SINGS

JOHN REEVES:
Good evening, my friends,
I’m here once again,
With news good and ba-ad, for you.
Unemployment is down,
Says Gordon Brown,
But Wayne Rooney has lo-ost, a shoe,
And it gets worse yet,
Unless you’re a vet,
For bird flu is coming to town

HE STANDS UP, AND REVEALS A CANE FOR THE FIRST TIME WHICH HE DANCES WITH. THE TEMPO INCREASES AS THE TUNE BECOMES MORE UPBEAT

Oh! The, most dangerous strain has,
Recently been found,
In poultry in Turkey, oh no!
It is, going to mutate,
And you’re gonna get it,
Oh what a way to go!

CUT TO:



SCENE 2: HOTEL ROOM – EVENING

THERE IS A FLASH IN THE ROOM AS LEE RIVERS PUSHES THE ‘OFF’ BUTTON ON A TV REMOTE FROM HIS RECLINED POSITION ON THE BED

LEE RIVERS:
Bird flu, shmird flu

HE APPROACHES THE BATHROOM DOOR AND KNOCKS ON IT

LEE RIVERS:
Hey sweetie, you nearly done in there?

CUT TO:



SCENE 3: INT. SHOWER – EVENING

JESSICA BABB IS IN THE SHOWER, LATHERING HER HAIR WITH SHAMPOO.

JESSICA BABB:
A, A, A, amino,
A, A, A, amino,
A, A, A, amino,
Strong hair in the making,

Act, act, act - oh, actirox,
Act, act, act - oh, actirox,
Act, act, act - oh, actirox,
stops my scalp from flaking

Eq, Eq, Eq, my equaderm,
Eq, Eq, Eq, my equaderm,
Eq, Eq, Eq, my equaderm,
Makes my head so healthy,

Neu, neu, neu – neutriilium,
Neu, neu, neu – neutriilium,
Neu, neu, neu – neutriilium,
makes me look so wealthy


JESSICA TURNS OFF THE SHOWER AND PLACES A TOWEL AROUND HERSELF. SHE WALKS THROUGH INTO THE BEDROOM, TO WHERE LEE IS WAITING

LEE:
That better?

JESSICA SHAKES HER HAIR

JESSICA:
Much better, I feel fantastic!

THEY DANCE AROUND THE ROOM TOGETHER, JESSICA GASPING WHEN HER TOWEL ALMOST FALLS FREE AND PULLING IT BACK AROUND HERSELF. EVENTUALLY THEY FALL ONTO THE BED

LEE:
I love you.

JESSICA:
I love you too.

LEE:
And you’re sure you want to do this?

JESSICA:
With you, I’d do anything.

THEY GIGGLE

CUT TO:



SCENE 4: INT. MEETING ROOM. DAY

A GROUP OF POLITICIANS SIT AROUND A LARGE TABLE, ALL MALE, ALL AT LEAST 50, AND SMARTLY DRESSED IN SUITS. COOPER AND COLLINS SIT AT ONE END ON OPPOSITE SIDES, HARPER AND HOWE ARE IN THE MIDDLE, OPPOSITE ONE ANOTHER, AND POWERS IS AT THE HEAD. OTHERS SIT BETWEEN THEM.

COOPER:
What can we do about –bird flu?

COLLINS:
Yes, what can we do about – bird flu?

POWERS:
I know what to do about bird flu.
I’ve got the anti-virus

HARPER:
How about –amantadine

HOWE:
And a little – rimantadine

COOPER:
Wash down with – a glass of wine

COLLINS:
Then we’ll all – be mighty fine

POWERS:
No we haven’t fin-ished

HARPER:
Take a dose of – oseltamivir

HOWE:
Chase it with – zanamivir

COOPER:
So it seems – we have no fear

COLLINS:
Let the flu - come over here

POWERS:
There’s not enough – for everyone
The scientist – won’t get it done

HARPER:
But of course – we mustn’t fuss

HOWE:
Because there is – enough for us

THEY BREAK INTO FITS OF GIGGLES, GET UP FROM THEIR SEATS AND SLAP EACH OTHER ON THE BACK AS THEY EXIT.

CUT TO:



SCENE 5: EXT. HILL – DAY

LEE AND JESSICA ARE TAP-DANCING UP AN INCREASINGLY STEEP HILL WITH BIG SMILES ON THEIR FACES. THEY STOP AT THE OPENING TO A POTHOLE.

LEE:
Are you sure you want to do this?

JESSICA:
I’d follow you anywhere!

LEE:
Anywhere?

JESSICA
If you went to the moon…

LEE:
The moon?

JESSICA:
I’d follow.
If you left in a balloon…

LEE:
A balloon?

JESSICA:
I’d follow!
If you sailed out to sea…

LEE:
The sea?

JESSICA:
I’d follow.
If you climbed the highest tree

LEE:
A tree?

JESSICA:
I’d follow!

Over land and sea and air,
You will always find me there,
Where ever you may go,
There is one thing you should know…

LEE:
You’ll follow?

JESSICA:
I’ll follow

THEY HUG AND KISS

CUT TO:



SCENE 6: INT. BEDROOM – DAY

10 YEAR OLD DAISY IS IN BED, HER MOTHER, ROSE SITS ON THE END OF IT, FLICKING THROUGH A MEDICAL DICTIONARY. THE CHILD COUGHS WEEKLY

DAISY:
What’s wrong with me mamma?

ROSE:
I’m sorry, but I think you may have bird flu.

DAISY:
Bird flu?

ROSE JUMPS UP FROM THE END OF THE BED, SHE FINGERS THE PAGES OF THE BOOK, THEN TOSSES IT CARELESSLY INTO THE CORNER. AS SHE SINGS EACH LETTER, SHE SHAMES IT WITH HER BODY

ROSE:
B is for the burning as your temperature leaps
I is for infection as your left eye weeps
R is for respiratory distress
D is for diarrhoeary mess
F for the fever that struck today
L for the life that ebbs away
and U untruth that you’ll be okay

DAISY RISES FROM HER BED AND DANCES AROUND THE ROOM WITH HER MOTHER

DAISY:
I’m going down, I’m gonna die!
I’ll never love and laugh or run and jump and fly!
No more cake, no more pie!
I’m gonna cough and sweat and hurt and bleed and fry!

ROSE:
I’ll call for help, I’ll get some pills,
We’ll do what we can to sort out all your ills,
We’ll stops the aches, we’ll stop the chills,
And you can live a life that’s full of thrills!

CUT TO:



SCENE 7: INT. NEWSROOM DAY

JOHN REEVES IS SAT BEHIND THE NEWS DESK IN A SHARP SUIT

JOHN REEVES:
Throughout my career,
Year after year,
I’ve told some tales,
About some beached whales,
And comets in space,
And pop star disgrace,
But for all those reports,
I’d never have thought,
A parrot called Clive,
Who’s no longer alive,
Could make me so down,
But it’s with a frown,
That I have to say,
Bird-flu’s here to stay.
He was in quarantine,
Where it was seen,
That he had it bad,
And was looking quite sad,
He’ll be the dead of us all.
With this one parrot, we fall.

CUT TO:



SCENE 8. EXT. POTHOLE DAY

JESSICA AND LEE ARE CLIMBING DOWN A POTHOLE. THEIR MOVEMENTS, TOUCHING THE ROCKS CREATES A PACEY RHYTHM

LEE:
Exciting!

JESSICA:
Chaka, down, down!

LEE:
Delighting!

JESSICA:
Chaka, down, down!

LEE:
Exploring!

JESSICA:
Chaka, down, down!

LEE:
Adoring!

JESSICA:
Chaka, down, down!

JESSICA GRABS A ROCK WHICH CRUMBLES IN HER HANDS. SHE FALLS

JESSICA:
Fall down, down,
fall down, down.

LEE:
Noooooooooooo!

CUT TO:



SCENE 9. INT MEETING ROOM DAY

ROSE IS DRESSED SMARTLY AND SAT IN THE MEETING ROOM. ONE BY ONE THE POLITICIANS ENTER, THEY TAP DANCE AROUND THE ROOM, CIRCLING THE TABLE, UNTIL THEY COME TO THEIR SEAT, AND SIT

ROSE:
Thank you for agreeing to see me.

COOPER:
No, no, thank you.

COLLINS:
You look blue…

ROSE:
It’s bird flu!

POWERS:
Well there’s nothing we can do.

ROSE:
It’s my daughter

HARPER:
Perhaps you oughta

HOWE:
Try barley water

POWERS:
Because there’s nothing we can do.

ROSE:
She’s gonna die though!

COOPER:
And we’re so sad, you know

COLLINS:
We all feel so low.

POWERS:
But there’s nothing we can do.

ROSE:
No medication?

HARPER:
Not at this station.

HOWE:
No salvation.

POWERS:
So there’s nothing we can do.

ROSE RUNS FROM THE ROOM, TEARS POURING DOWN HER FACE. ONCE SHE IS CLEAR THE POLITICIANS LAUGH AND START TO THROW PILLS AT EACH OTHER

CUT TO:



SCENE 10 EXT HILLSIDE EVENING

LEE STANDS OVER THE HOLE, LOOKING DOWN.

LEE:
Never fear, my dear,
Help will soon be here!

TWO GROUPS OF FOUR RESCUERS APPEAR FROM EITHER SIDE. THEY STOP. ONE FROM EACH SIDE CARTWHEELS ACROSS TO LEE, ANOTHER FROM EACH SIDE WALKS OVER ON THEIR HANDS. THE REMAINING TWO ONE EACH SIDE ‘TOWER-UP’, ONE CLIMBING ON THE OTHERS SHOULDER, THEN THEY MOVE OVER TO LEE AND SPEAK IN PAIRS

RESCUER 1 & 5:
Sorry Sir, you’ve got to go.

LEE:
No.

RESCUER 2 & 6:
The virus is coming.

LEE:
No.

RESCUER 3 & 7:
Leave her and get to safety!

LEE:
No

RESCUER 4 & 8:
Then you leave us with no choice.

THE RESCUERS FORM AROUND LEE, AND GRAB AT HIS LIMBS. HE GRABS ONTO A ROOT THAT EMERGES FROM THE HILLSIDE.

JESSICA:
Lee! Don’t leave me!

LEE:
It’s gonna take the lot to drag me away from you!
There’s nothing that 100 men or more could ever do!

THE RESCUERS PULL AT LEE'S TORSO.

LEE:
It’s gonna take the lot to drag me away from you!
There’s nothing that 100 men or more could ever do!

THE RESCUERS LET HIM GO AND LEAVE ACROBATICALLY.

CUT TO:



SCENE 11 INT. BEDROOM -NIGHT

ROSE ENTERS TO SEE DAISY ON THE BED. DAISY COUGHS.

DAISY:
Did you get them?

ROSE:
I’m sorry.

DAISY COUGHS AGAIN. SHE SITS UP COUGHS TWICE THEN SLUMPS DOWN, DEAD. AN EERIE WHITE LIGHT SHINES ON HER AS SHE GRACEFULLY RISES FROM THE BED

DAISY:
Mother?

ROSE IS SLUMPED OVER THE DEAD BODY, WEEPING, UNAWARE THAT DAISY’S SPIRIT HAS RISEN.

DAISY:
Into the light I go,
But you need to know,
That you are not to blame,
You tried to win their game,
Don’t let them get away,
Have the final say,
Go avenge my death,
Hear my final breath

AS THE SPIRIT OF DAISY DISAPPEARS HER DEAD BODY SURGES FORWARD. ROSE MOVES OVER TO HER AND HUGS THE BODY. IT SLUMPS DOWN AGAIN, AND, WIDE-EYES ROSE LEAVES THE ROOM.

CUT TO:



SCENE 12 INT. NEWSROOM - DAY

JOHN REEVES LOOKS TIRED AND STRAINED BEHIND THE NEWS-DESK, BUT HE’S AS PROFESSIONAL AS EVER, AND CONTINUES TO GIVE UPDATES

JOHN REEVES:
And the US,
Is a helluva mess,
blood running down the streets,
In Mexico City,
They set up a committee,
To hand out cyanide sweets,
In the whole of Taiwan,
There’s not one single man,
Able to stand on his feet,
But over in France,
They’re having a dance,
About the birds that go tweet

CUT TO:



SCENE 13. EXT PARIS

THE EIFFEL TOWER LOOMS IN THE BACKGROUND AS A GROUP OF PEOPLE GATHER TOGETHER

PIERRE:
Listen to me! Who has ze bird flu?

NO ONE IS LISTENING, SO HE STARTS TO SING.

PIERRE:
Poulet vous?

WOMAN 1:
Uh ha!

WOMAN 2:
Uh ha!

PIERRE:
Have you got it now?

WOMAN 3:
Uh ha!

WOMAN 4:
Uh ha!

PIERRE:
Now it’s all you get.

WOMAN 5:
Uh ha!

WOMAN 6:
Uh ha!

THEY ALL COLLAPSE TO THE FLOOR, DEAD.

CUT TO:



SCENE 14: EXT. HILLSIDE – NIGHT

LEE HAS MADE A ROPE FROM LONG ROOTS HE HAS DUG UP HE TIES IT TO A TREE STUMP, AND BEGINS TO DESCEND DOWN INTO THE HOLE.

LEE:
Jessie can you hear me?
Those men they tried to spear me!
But I wouldn’t let them near me.
I couldn’t leave you here!

JESSICA:
Oh Lee you are my hero!
You didn’t disappear-O!
You mustn’t show no fear-O!
You cannot leave me here!

LEE:
I would never leave you!
But don’t let me deceive you,
I may have to heave you!
I will not leave you here!

JESSICA:
What happened to the rescue?
Left me in distress-cue!
Why’s it such a mess-cue?
Why did they leave me here?

LEE:
They say that it’s the bird-flu,
That it’s gonna get you,
But there’s one thing I knew,
I couldn’t leave you here!

LEE REACHES THE BOTTOM OF THE HOLE AND TAKES JESSICA IN HIS ARMS

CUT TO:



SCENE 15: INT. MEETING ROOM DAY

THE POLITICIANS ARE SAT AROUND THE TABLE, A HEAP OF MEDICATION IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE. ROSE BURSTS IN WITH HER FACE STREAKED WITH CAMOUFLAGE PAINT.

ROSE:
Pills, pills, pills.
For all your ills, ills, ills.
Drills, drills, drills,
For all my kills, kills, kills

ROSE PULLS A HUGE DRILL FROM BEHIND HER BACK, AND STARTS IT UP

COOPER:
Take what you need, go, go!

COLLINS:
And get out with speed, go, go!

HARPER:
We’ve had our feed, go, go!

HOWE:
We’re all agreed, go, go!

POWERS:
Don’t make us bleed, no, no!

ROSE MOVES FOR THE POLITICIANS AND ONE MY ONE DRILLS THROUGH THEIR HEADS

CUT TO:



SCENE 16: INT, NEWS ROOM DAY

JOHN REEVES LOOKS WORSE THAN EVER

JOHN REEVES:
I’m the last one here,
There’s no one near,
I’ve had no reports,
From any ports,
No one alive,
No one survived,
My song is sung,
Here comes my lung!

JOHN COUGHS UP A STREAM OF BLOOD AND COLLAPSES FORWARD

CUT TO:



SCENE 17: EXT. STREET – EVENING

LEE AND JESSICA WALK THROUGH THE STREETS, DEAD BODIES ALL AROUND THEM

LEE:
It got them, it killed them all!

JESSICA:
The bird-flu? But…?

LEE:
Whilst in that pit,
It didn’t hit,
The two of us,
We missed the fuss

JESSICA:
Because I fell,
We missed the knell,
Just me and you,
Till time is through

LEE & JESSICA:
You know we belong together!
You and I forever and ever!
No matter where you are!
You’re my guiding star!

THE CORPSES RISE FROM THE STREET TO JOIN IN THE SINGING

ALL:
And from the very first moment I saw you I've never felt such emotion.
I'm walking on air.
Just to know you are there.
Hold me in your arms, don't let me go.
I want to stay forever.



LEE AND JESSICA KISS AS THE CORPES COLLAPSE. THEY HOLD HANDS AND WALK OFF INTO THE NIGHT

END: