Episode 19.0 - It’s a start
Episode Credits:
Episode 19 - It’s a Start. Hannah reunites with the Listener after fifty years and gives us a piece of her mind while Ashley, Billy and Mel set out on their journey to the place that was once Goldengate.
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Hannahpocalypse is intended for mature audiences on account of mature language, theme and violence and horror elements. Please be advised.
Episode Credits:
Amanda Hufford as Hannah
Abigail Turner as Cali
Jordan Rudolph as Mel
Will Handford as Jameson, Bogart, Ol' Blind Pete, Raider 1
Tom Schalk as Rictor, Charles
Ryan Hoyle as Reggie
Madeline Dorroh as Raider 2
Yenni Ann as Ashley
James Holyoake as Billy
Leslie Gideon as Morgan
Writing and Sound Design by Damian Szydlo
Sensitivity and Script Reading by Mak Shepard (where required)
Special thanks to Velvet Moon & Argle Bargle Studios for providing music for Hannahpocalypse! Listen to Velvet Moon on Spotify and find Argle Bargle Studios on Instagram.
Intro Song: A Florentine Story by Michele Nobler & Luis Berra
Outro Song: If it Matters (Instrumental) by Velvet Moon
TRANSCRIPT
[FADE IN]
[Scene starts with Hannah seated in her house. The sound of scribbling can be heard along with zombie noises.]
HANNAH
“Alright, Hannah. Concentrate. Be steady… Calm. You can do this.”
[The scribbling steadies. Sounds of the front door opening and closing.]
CALI
“Hannah, I’m home!”
HANNAH [determined]
“Just… one more second. Stay calm. You’ve got this.”
CALI
[Speaking before she enters the room]
“Wild day, today. Started off pretty normal. Fixed the leaking roof over at the Beckman place. Checked in on Old Maggie- yep, she’s still making those gross pies. As far as the mess there goes? I’m drawing the line at mopping up random gore. Even if it’s of the vermin variety. What else… Oh! Had to fight off Charles again. Same old, same old there. Hoping he’s gonna come around one day. That’s not the big news, though. We… had a visitor.”
[The sound of Cali’s footsteps approaching, then entering the room.]
“You’ll never guess who I brought home.”
HANNAH
[Surprised, losing her focus, emotional upon seeing the listener after so long]
“Hang on Cali, I’ve almost got this… Listener… It’s you.”
[Her concentration shatters, scribbling resumes erratically, intermixed with agitated zombie noises, spoiling her work.]
“OH! Darn it!”
CALI
“Were you…”
HANNAH [a bit dejected]
“Practicing? Yeah… I wanted to surprise you. I was so close! Ohhh, look!”
CALI
[Picks up the cue card Hannah was writing on]
[reading]
“Hi, I’m… Hann-s.”
“Hans. Well, if you’re Hans then I guess that makes me Franz. Cool. Are we going to pump the Listener up!?”
HANNAH
[upset but also thinking it’s kind of funny]
“Come on! It’s not funny!”
CALI
[best/worst Austrian Schwarzenegger accent]
“Oh, I’m sorry! Sorry I’m serious about the pump, yah!”
HANNAH
“I’m serious, too! Not about the pump… I mean, it’s embarrassing, Cali! I just… I can’t get this right! Can’t you write them for me? Also, how do you even know about… a niche SNL sketch from over two centuries ago? I feel that’s a super weird thing to know.”
CALI
“I’m not writing them for you. That kind of defeats the entire purpose, right? And why would knowing that be weird? We have boxes full of old videos from the old world in the theater.
Hold on, ‘sketch’? Mr. Randal, the historian, said they were meant to be inspirational. For workin’ out.”
HANNAH
“Oh, wow. No, it was SNL. Saturday Night Live. It was a late-night comedy thing. That was one of the skits they did. [laughs a bit, awkwardly] way before my time, actually. In the ‘80’s.”
CALI
“That… that explains the laugh track. We were honestly pretty confused about that part. Let’s forget about Hans and Franz for now. [urging her to focus on the Listener] We’ve got bigger fish to fry, right?”
HANNAH
“Right! Gotcha! Where do I even start, though? I mean I’ve thought about this a lot and I… I don’t even remember all the lines I practiced. Over and over again. In case you ever came back. Okay, it’s improv time, I guess.
I’m mad at you. There, I said it. I also missed you too, Listener. We… missed you. It’s been… well, it feels like forever, and I thought… that maybe it was me. That I’d done something to send you away, I mean.”
[swallows her feelings, she’s clearly hurt]
“I’m getting emotional. [tries to gather her strength] Why… Why did you leave?”
CALI [warning, feeling Hannah’s control slip]
“Easy, Hannah.”
HANNAH
[Pauses as if waiting for an answer she knows she can’t receive before gathering her resolve]
“I know you can’t just tell me. Can’t really answer. I get that. I’ve been there. Spent a century and a half talking to myself. Remember? Then you came along, turned my world upside down, saved me and then… you left. You left us. Without a goodbye or even a sign. Like, what am I supposed to think? How am I supposed to feel about that?
I… I didn’t realize I was carrying that. Baggage, I mean. So yeah, I’m mad. At you. And relieved. And…”
CALI [picking up Hannah’s thoughts]
“And we’re wondering. Why you’re back.”
HANNAH
[realizing she accidentally influenced Cali to say that]
“Wondering… why you’re back… Oh… no. I’m sorry, Cali. I didn’t mean to!”
CALI [disoriented]
“It’s okay. Really, we’re okay. Don’t sweat it. I got caught up in your headspace a little. I can’t expect you to be in the zone right now. I’m… going to go chill for a bit. In the other room. Give you two some space to… hug it out.”
[Cali walks off a bit unevenly]
HANNAH
“So, that’s a thing that’s been happening. Still haven’t figured it out yet, not really. It’s part of the whole ‘influencing zombies’ thing I do. Apparently, it extends to others who’ve taken a zombie bite, like mutants. [nervous in explaining this] It’s honestly been a bit of a problem. Pretty hard to control. Especially when I get all emotional. I guess that’s not exactly unusual… or at least it hasn’t really changed from last time you were around. I still haven’t got my… ‘stuff’ together.
We’ve been practicing skills together. Like… writing, for example! It’s been helping, I think, in more ways than one. Cali says it’s practical. In case anything happens to her, so that I might survive out there if I can ‘show’ someone that there’s a girl up here, somewhere. I know that it’s a good idea. It could even work, too! Assuming they don’t just shoot on sight. [pauses, thinking about what she’s about to say]
She… Hasn’t been the same. She’s changed.
There, I said it. I’ve been trying not to even think about it. I mean, she’s amazing, right? Cali’s still Cali - strong and funny and... I care about her. So much. I know it’s more than a silly crush now. And it’s not just loneliness talking. We went and made it official, too, Listener! She girlfriend-ed me up! But it’s plain to see. She tries to act like it’s all fine. That we need to focus on my self-control for now, but... It’s not like you have to be a mind reader to see it. The toll that getting here has taken... that she’s been distracting herself from it. The ‘it’ being how ‘immortality’ made her feel more fragile than she’s ever felt before. Sure, we’ve talked about things. Near-death experiences are something I can relate to... having, you know, done some dying myself back in the day. It’s more than that, though.
[sighs] Fifty years and a happily ever after. It’s been wonderful. Beautiful, even. We’re making this place better. Giving these people a chance. It’s obviously not ideal, but it’s working. And still... she was sitting at the edge of the bridge again, wasn’t she? When you found her? No need to answer that. Not that you can, I guess. She’s been spending a lot of time out there.
Maybe that’s why you’re here? Or, just maybe that’s what you are. You’re hope. You’re back because we need you. Maybe more than ever.
I’m... I’m sorry I was mad at you. Sorry that I’ve stayed angry for so long, and... I’m really glad that you’re back. If you can; help it, I mean... maybe let me know before you vanish for another half-century? Don’t just leave your girl hanging.”
[FADE OUT]
[SCENE END]
[Sound of a trunk closing, footsteps in the dirt]
MEL
“Last chance to bail on this- Wait. You know what? I’m going to bite my tongue. Against my better judgment, I’ll choose not to say - for the umpteenth time - exactly what I think of this plan you’ve cooked. This stupid, stupid plan.”
ASHLEY
“That’s not biting your tongue at all. You literally just did what you said you weren’t doing. Directly. Even worse? You called it stupid.”
MEL [sarcastic]
“Oh, did I? Did I go and do that, Ashley? Silly me!”
ASHLEY
“Ha-Ha. Hey, Billy. Did you know that Mel had two centuries to work on her skills but somehow missed the class on comedy? Real fascinating stuff, wouldn’t you say? Any guesses as to why that is?”
BILLY
“Oh please, Ms. Ashley. Spare me the crossfire of your petty disputes. It’s exhausting.”
ASHLEY
“Some wingman you are. [turning back to speak to Mel] And what’s so terrible about my plan, anyway? You keep saying it’s bad, so why don’t you go ahead and tell me exactly what’s so ‘stupid’ about it.”
MEL
“Not worth it. We should get on the road.”
ASHLEY
“No, let’s get into this.”
MEL
“Alright. For starters, you know being a mutant doesn’t make me the fuckin’ ‘Zombie Whisperer’, right? In fact, they actually loathe me. Some mutants get along with them, but for most of us? It’s hate. We’re not in the ‘Mutual Appreciation Society’ together. There’s no reasoning with them- it’s pure instinct. We can’t just get together for a beer at Reggies and hash out our differences, even if we knew what they were to begin with. As far as Me vs. zombies go, it’s pretty much ‘fight on sight’.”
ASHLEY
“Really? Wait, didn’t you mention… what was it… yesterday, that you could talk to them? I’m not dreaming that up, am I?”
MEL
“No. I never said that. They can talk, is what I said. That’s different.”
ASHLEY
“Right, they talk. So what’s the problem here?”
MEL
“Alright, give me a second to sit down and I’ll try to explain this in a way that makes some kind of sense.”
[sound of a truck door opening as Mel sits in the driver's seat, the door creaking to show it’s still open.]
“So, what you said about needing the proper ‘receiver’ was on the money. Annoyingly precise, actually. In a way I’m not thrilled about, but it’s doing work for me, so we’re gonna run with it.”
ASHLEY
“Oh… no, I think I get it. A receiver doesn’t imply that it works as a transmitter. You can’t necessarily send messages back to them. Is that what you’re saying?”
MEL
“Bingo.”
ASHLEY
“That’s… okay. That’s still something, though. I mean, at worst we establish that communication is possible. It’s a start.”
MEL
“Fine. So clue me in, then. How is that any different from what you were doing with the robots? Isn’t this little experiment of yours open and shut? Seems like an obvious conclusion to me.”
BILLY
“No. The distinction, I believe, lies in potential. The so-called artificial intelligence governing the Omnitech Overwatch System was engineered to carry out a specific set of functions. It would be an understandable mistake to assume, given the havoc it’s wrought, that it was an adaptive intelligence. In practice that couldn’t be further from the truth. The system runs on a set of parameters. Predefined conclusions to anticipated scenarios. The OOS ‘mistakes’ aren’t signs of creative interpretation, but rather one of lazy programming coupled with specific, misinterpreted directives. Additional damage and degradation caused by the passage of time only complicates the matter further… but, the limiting factor began what is commonly referred to as ‘human error’. A problem that forces a barrier to both expectation and possibility.”
ASHLEY
“In English, the robots don’t have the capability to ‘talk’, even if they can communicate. Basically.”
MEL
“And the zombies do?”
ASHLEY
“Dunno. But we’re about to find out.”
BILLY
“Your caution is well founded, Ms. Melony. There are… a number of ‘ifs’ in this equation that we shouldn’t overlook.”
ASHLEY
Which is exactly why this is an experiment. Look, we have one goal here. To establish contact and put it through a series of tests aimed at eliciting a specific response.”
BILLY
“Basic comprehension. Awareness. The bar is, admittedly, set much lower than it was for the robots.”
ASHLEY
“It’s a springboard. A jump point for future work.”
MEL
“That’s great and all, but every contact I’ve ever had with a zombie has been of the boot-to-face variety. What makes you think it’s going to be any different this time? I mean, I just told you- They hate me.”
BILLY
“I admit, I am curious as to why that is, Ms. Melony.”
MEL
“Ugh. Melony. Just call me Mel.
ASHLEY
“He’s not going to stop.”
BILLY
“Apologies. But adherence to formality is woven into my programming. It’s not intended to come off as antagonistic. If it were within my capabilities, I would certainly refrain.”
ASHLEY
“It’s ingrained… passed down. Programming… Maybe that’s why they don’t like you, Mel.”
MEL
“Aaaand you’ve lost me. Slow down that hyper-smart brain of yours for a second. What are you talking about? Are you saying a zombie programmed me like this? I think you might be overestimating their capabilities. Just a little.”
ASHLEY
“No. Or, at least not on purpose. I’m saying that maybe the strain might be similar to code. And when it hits your blood, it’s like… like with the robots and the Overwatch System… your body answers to the virus in a series of yes and no questions. Or, maybe it’s the other way around- I’m not a doctor, I’m a mechanic. The point is, sometimes it doesn’t get everything right. Either that or maybe the zombie that bit you was some kind of a pendejo, or something? Left its mark on you.”
MEL
“Great, so they can smell ‘pendejo’ on me. Is that what you’re saying? You really know how to make a girl feel special, Ash.”
BILLY
“Imagine that, a ‘pendejo signature’… Charming.”
ASHLEY
“It’s a theory, okay!? Come on! I mean, it might need a little work, but I just came up with it. Cut me a little slack, will you?”
MEL [rolling her eyes]
“Whatever. Are you guys getting in the truck or what?”
ASHLEY
“Hear me out. I’m thinking we mount Billy to the hood, or maybe to a fender? Like the raiders do!”
BILLY
“Don’t you dare, Ms. Ashley.”
ASHLEY
“Come on, Billy! It’ll be super cool! YOU’LL be super cool! Besides, everyone else has skulls and spikes on their trucks.”
BILLY
“I am NOT some… accoutrement! [French inflection on accoutrement]. If you want to fit in with the locals, then you can do so with someone else's head!”
ASHLEY
“Fine. FINE! But when we’re not taken seriously in the Wasteland because we have a bland looking rust bucket-”
MEL
“Hey, watch it. This ‘rust bucket’ has been making the rounds for this settlement for years. It’s older than you are.”
BILLY
[sounds of discomfort from being unceremoniously tossed in the back seat.]
ASHLEY [climbing into the truck]
“To be fair, everything in the Wasteland is older than I am.”
MEL
“Don’t remind me. You alright back there, Bill?”
BILLY
“I’ve been tossed, unceremoniously I might add, into the crew cab of your vehicle. I believe my current state is self-explanatory, Ms. Melony.”
ASHLEY
“He’s fine! [hushed voice] Could you maybe not complain for once!?”
MEL
“Great. Buckle up, buttercup. This is going to be one hell of a trip. I don’t usually make it into California for supply runs. Before they went dark, I used to meet some asshole from Goldengate at the halfway point, so this is new…ish.
ASHLEY
“You’re excited! I don’t think I’ve seen you excited before!”
MEL
“Don’t push it. Maybe I just like getting out on the road, alright? But we’re playing it safe- we’ll steer clear of the killzones. I want to be out of robot proximity as much as humanly possible. Or, mutantly possible, I guess. Whatever it is, it’s going to add hours to our trip, but it’s hours well fucking spent. We’re not getting incinerated by asshole robots on my watch.”
BILLY
“Oh my.”
MEL
“Hey, it’s what you guys do.”
BILLY
“Rude. I share as little in common with those killers as you do with an ape, but you don’t hear me making such comparisons, do you?”
MEL [insincere]
“You know, I never really thought of it that way.”
ASHLEY [also insincere]
“Yeah, Billy. You’ve really opened our eyes about robots.”
BILLY
“Really?”
[leaving him hanging for a minute]
“Oh, I see. You’re amusing yourselves at my expense again, aren’t you?”
ASHLEY
“Well you did sort of compare us to monkeys.”
BILLY
“I did no such thing! What I meant was… You know, nevermind. You’ve proven me wrong. Perhaps humans are indeed more akin to primates than civilian robotic assistants are to those single minded killing machines out there. It’s little wonder why your species required our assistance in the first place.”
MEL
“Ho-ho, now who’s the rude one? Keep it up and you might just find yourself under a blanket, pal.”
ASHLEY
“Give you a little time-out.”
BILLY
“Oh, please. You can’t simply throw a blanket over the truth.”
MEL
“Try me.”
[The truck’s engine starts.]
ASHLEY
“Yee-haw! Let’s gooooo! Goldengate, here we come!”
[Scene ends as the truck roars away, fading into the distance]
[FADE OUT]