The Ultimate Wingman

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In Chapter 4 of ZOMBIE & JULIET, Jool leaves the uptown red zone and travels to the downtown blue zone to see the Greenwich Village street fair. Meanwhile, blue zone hipster Merk reveals to his friend Rommy that he's developed a vaccine for the zombie virus ... but Rommy is distracted when he sees Jool ...


EXT. FIFTH AVENUE - NIGHT
A PEDAL-RICKSHAW CAB cruises
south down Fifth Avenue,
passes giant mansions.

Airbrushed office buildings.
Tony boutiques.

We see other pedal-cabs,
and also tons of PEOPLE ON BICYCLES.

INT. RICKSHAW CAB - MOVING - NIGHT
Jool looks out the window,
full of anticipation.

THE RICKSHAW CAB
Gets to the border of midtown.
Starts passing through --

EXT. TIMES SQUARE - NIGHT
Once gentrified, the infamous avenue
has returned to it’s previous squalor.

All of the fancy stores and restaurants
are now home to peep shows, strip clubs,
bars and whore houses.

The Gap sign now reads THE GASH.
We see signs for CRATE AND ASSHOLE.
STARFUCKS. JAMBA COOZE. S&M’S. HOOTERS.

JOOL
Looks out the window. Silently gasps
at the motley crew of STREET TRASH milling about.

THE RICKSHAW CAB
Continues on downtown. The streets now
lined with ancient BROWNSTONES.

A STREET VENDOR hawks his wares.
The people look young, hip.

A bohemian kid plays
a guitar on the corner.

JOOL
Smiles. Likes what she sees.

JOOL
He’s cute.

EXT. GREENWICH VILLAGE - BLEECKER STREET - NIGHT
A STREET FAIR in full-swing.
Rows of booths and stalls filled
with food from around the world.

A ROCK BAND plays on a raised platform.
A throng of SMILING PARTIERS mill about.

CAMERA finds two YOUNG GUYS (17)
walking through the fair.
Deep in conversation.

YOUNG GUY
I’m not ready yet, Merk.
It’s too soon.

Meet ROMMY MONT. Nice guy, but awkward.
Shy. Always deep in thought. Looks wounded.
Haunted. One of those borderline types.
Could transcend ‘nerd’ -- if he’d only try.

Think Ryan Gosling.
Divided by Jessie Eisenberg.
With a dash of Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Dressed a bit too geeky in
pressed jeans and a sweater vest.
Longish hair in search of a style.

MERK
Too soon? It’s been over a year.
You need to move on.
You’ve elevated the grieving
process into an art form.
You need to get laid, my good man.
(waves his hand at the throng)
I mean, look at this sea of female flesh.
All you need to do is dive in.

Meet MERK ROWE, Rommy’s best friend,
already pre-med. Smart. Funny.
The ultimate wing-man.

Tall and thin, with eyes
that twinkle with mischief.
Rakish in a vintage Ramones T.

ROMMY
I don’t see the point. Why even try?
We’ll never get off this island,
and until there’s a cure for the virus --
(gestures)
You’re just setting yourself up
for disappointment.

MERK
(low)
Can you keep a secret?

ROMMY
What?

MERK
I was working at the school
lab last night --
(looks around)
And I think I discovered something.

ROMMY
What?

MERK
A cure.

ROMMY
For the VIRUS?

MERK
Shhhh --
(beat)
Yeah. I just need to try it
on someone who’s infected.

ROMMY
You’re not shitting me?

MERK
I shit you not, my lord.

Rommy stops in his tracks.
Sees something. Stares.

MERK (CONT'D)
This is the part where
you call me a genius.
(sees him staring)
What are you looking at?
(beat)
Hello, Earth to Rommy,
Earth to Rommy.
Come in, come in.
We’ve lost your signal.
(beat)
HELLO.

IN THE CROWD

We see JOOL, drifting down
the street toward them.

In complete delight with all the
sights, sounds and smells of the fair.

Taking pictures with her camera.
In her element.