Happy Thursday, crime slicksters. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where the girls are hot, the drinks are cold, and the hardboiled-pulp-noir action is non-stop, right here, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.
In Chapter 9 of ZOMBIE & JULIET, Merk scales the wall of the Republic of Manhattan to find his infected sister Gaga in the hinterlands of bombed-out New Jersey. Meanwhile, our star-crossed lovers finally reconnect when Rommy defies his father's orders and travels uptown to Jool's mansion to see her. But there's just one catch -- first he's gotta climb up the wall ...
EXT. DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN - THE WALL - NIGHT
A three-story-high wall of cinder blocks
now surrounds the city-state.
Coils of barbed wire on top.
A sentry station at each block
with armed guards.
Searchlights sweep the area.
All is quiet.
It’s past curfew.
Merk walks west toward
the end of Christopher Street.
Backpack loaded with supplies.
smeared with green makeup
for that ‘infected’ look.
He gets near the wall. Stops.
Looks up at the sentry box.
MERK
Oh, great soldier of the Republic,
what say you?
A spotlight WHOOSHES
the dark sky.
Lands on Merk,
illuminating him in its bright light.
NASTY GUARD (O.C.)
HALT. Who goes there?
MERK
It is I, Merk Rowe, here to give myself up.
I have become infected with the virus
and wish to leave, sire.
I simply wish a safe exit
without harm.
A giant net FLIES DOWN, trapping Merk.
The rope YANKS UP, and he’s
lifted into the air.
MERK
Thank you, my lord.
EXT. NEW JERSEY WATERFRONT - STREET CORNER - NIGHT
We recognize the area as the same place
where Gaga ended up earlier in the story.
Deserted. Ominously quiet.
Merk comes around a corner,
looking bruised and battered.
But okay.
He holds a lantern.
Picks his way through the rubble.
MERK
Okay, now if I were newly-infected
seventeen-year-old-girl,
where would I go?
EXT. CARLING’S MANSION - NIGHT
Rommy climbs up the drainpipe
on the exterior wall of the house.
He pulls himself up.
Feet search for a resting place.
They find it, on a narrow ledge.
He rests a moment. Winded.
ROMMY
This is great, Rommy. Just great.
You’re gonna get yourself killed.
I should have my head examined.
He takes a deep breath.
Starts climbing.
Goes up, up, up -- until he’s
just below Jool’s balcony.
He carefully grips the pipe.
Keeps climbing. Sees her window.
ROMMY
Thank god.
Light from her yonder window --
(calls out)
JOOL.
Jool rushes out onto the balcony.
Sees him.
JOOL
ROMMY?
Rommy climbs over.
Goes to her.
Takes her hands in his.
ROMMY
Hey, there. Miss me?
JOOL
You -- climbed up the building.
ROMMY
You are the sun, and the moon is --
really pissed off.
I don’t know.
Something like that.
JOOL
Rommy, oh Rommy.
Wherefor art thou --
(beat)
At two in the morning.
ROMMY
My bike had a flat and I had to walk.
(beat)
And running away from home
is a big decision, you know?
Kinda stressful.
JOOL
I can’t believe you’re here.
ROMMY
Neither can I.
That was SOME climb.
JOOL
Wait a minute.
You said 'running way from home?'
ROMMY
Okay, look. Here’s the deal.
Our families have forbidden us
from seeing each other.
Well, I say screw them.
Why do we have to do what THEY say?
We can still be together.
JOOL
You mean --
ROMMY
Come away with me.
I’ve got some money saved up --
(off her look)
I know it’s really sudden.
If you need time to think about it,
I totally understand.
JOOL
YES. YES. I will --
ROMMY
Really?
NIN (O.C.)
Jool, what are you doing out there?
You’ll catch your death of cold.
JOOL
Hold that thought.
I’ll be right back.
INT. JOOL’S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Jool dashes over to Nin excitedly.
JOOL
It’s Rommy. He’s HERE.
He climbed up THE BUILDING.
NIN
Really?
JOOL
YES. Guard the door.
If Uncle Carling comes by,
him I’m asleep.
NIN
You got it.
JOOL
Thanks.
She DASHES back out onto --
THE BALCONY
Where Rommy stands waiting.
ROMMY
Everything okay?
JOOL
Yeah. That was my -- Nin.
She watches out for me.
But you better get out of here.
my uncle finds you,
he’ll KILL you.
ROMMY
Okay.
What time should we meet tomorrow?
JOOL
How about -- nine-AM?
ROMMY
(nods)
Nine-AM.
JOOL
Where should we meet?
ROMMY
Times Square.
We’ll be safe there --
we can disappear in the crowd.
Meet me in front of the
old Disney store ruins.
JOOL
Isn’t that -- kinda hokey?
ROMMY
(sings, off-key)
Can you feel the love tonight --
JOOL
Okay, okay --
(grabs him)
Kiss me, you fool.
And they embrace.
Kiss passionately. Pull apart.
Rommy smiles.
Then suddenly looks freaked out.
JOOL
What’s wrong?
ROMMY
I just realized.
Now I’ve gotta climb back down --
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