Zero Dark Rommy

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 the final chapter of ZOMBIE & JULIET, Rommy and Jool fight to the death a swarm of zombies on the roof of a building under construction, as a news helicopter above tries to rescue them ...


IN THE AIR ABOVE
Is a News Four chopper.

It starts slowly descending.
A rope ladder comes down.

Jool races over to it.
GRABS it.

Starts to climb up, but it SNAPS --
and she HITS the roof. THWUNK.

ROMMY
Finishes ripping them apart.

Races over to Jool,
chainsaw in hand,
nail gun tucked in his belt.

THE CHOPPER
Hovers above them.
The PILOT comes over the loudspeaker.

PILOT (V.O.)
(electronic)
Grab onto the undercarriage.
I’m afraid if I land,
more will come and get on.

Rommy nods.
Drops the chainsaw.

Puts his hands together
in front of his knees.
Jool looks at him. Scared.

ROMMY
Climb up. HURRY --
(off her look)
C’mon, GO --

She nods.
Puts one foot onto his hands,
reaches up, and he BOOSTS
her up to the undercarriage.

She starts climbing up
to the cockpit, just as --

ANOTHER LATE-STAGE INFECTED PROFESSOR
Comes out onto the roof.
Starts coming toward Rommy.
He GRABS the chainsaw. Snarls --

ROMMY
I’m getting REALLY
fucking sick of you guys.

He YANKS the cord. Nothing.
YANKS it again. Nothing.

Yanks it AGAIN.
It ROARS to life.

Then SPUTTERS OUT.
He DROPS it.

Infected Professor starts getting closer.
Rommy pulls out the nail gun.

CHARGES at him.
JAMS it against his forehead.

Tries to NAIL him.
CLICK. CLICK. CLICK. Nothing.

ROMMY
God-DAMMIT.

He GRABS Professor’s head.
TWISTS his neck. CRACK.

Professor weaves a little,
then falls over. THWUMP.

Rommy JAMS the gun in his belt.
RACES over to the chopper.

Tries to JUMP UP and
GRAB the undercarriage --
but it’s too high.

He JUMPS again. GRABS IT.
His hand SLIPS, and he FALLS.

THWUMP. He gets back up.
JUMPS again. Misses --

JOOL
Comes out the door of the cockpit.
Starts climbing back down.

THE PILOT
Watches her.
Shakes his head in amazement.

PILOT
Now THAT’S true love.
ON THE CHOPPER

Jool hugs the bars
of the landing gear.

Reaches down.
Rommy JUMPS UP.

GRABS her hand.
Starts climbing up,
just as --

ANOTHER WAVE OF ZOMBIES
Flies out onto the roof.
CHATTERING. SCREAMING.

They RACE over toward Rommy
just as he works his legs
up over the bar.

Rommy YANKS out the nail gun
and starts SMASHING them
on the head with it --
as the helicopter starts slowly rising.

IN THE HELICOPTER
The pilot, a grizzled, old news pro
looks at Rommy and Jool climbing in.
Tips his baseball cap.

GRIZZLED PILOT
Bet you kids were shore
glad to see ME.

They nod, staring down below
at the zombies filling the roof.

Relieved.
Hugging each other tightly.

ROMMY
You could say that.

JOOL
Thanks, mister.

GRIZZLED PILOT
Funny thing.
First I was trying
to cover the story,
then I had to start
saving people like you
trapped on top
of the buildings.
Life sure is funny
sometimes, huh?

Rommy gazes at Jool.
A glimmer of a smile.

She wipes his face
with her sleeve.
Nuzzles him with her nose.

ROMMY
(softly)
Hilarious.

Jool sighs.
Runs her fingers
through Rommy’s hair.

GRIZZLED PILOT
So where do you want me to
drop you two lovebirds off?

ROMMY
(looks at Jool)
Where do you want to go?

She smiles faintly.
Shakes her head. Exhausted.

JOOL
You decide.

He thinks a moment.
Then brightens.

ROMMY
I hear Staten Island is
really nice this time of year --

She nods. Leans in.
And they kiss.

FADE TO BLACK