A play by Cheng Jie
Narrator: The year is 2050. Humanity has been decimated to a mere hundred thousand people who have all gathered on the island of Singapore. The pandemic resulted in mass burnings of bodies and has adversely affected everyone. Thankfully, a vaccine was developed just before humanity was completely wiped out. Little did the humans know what awaited them…
Bill: (coughs)
Henry: Bill, are you alright? You don’t look too well.
Bill: What do you mean? I’m fine, it’s no big deal, probably just allergies or some other minor thing.
Henry: But your face looks pale. I think you should go to the doctor.
Bill: I said I’m fine, it’s no big deal. I don’t need to trouble the doctors.
Henry: But you’re unwell! You shouldn’t be so stubborn! What if it’s a deadly illness? Do you want history to repeat itself?
Bill: I said I’m fine! I don’t need to go to the doctor! (faints)
Henry: Bill! Bill! Are you alright? (Calls 995)
Hospital: Hello, this is ABC hospital. What is your emergency?
Henry: My friend Bill was coughing just now and then he suddenly fainted! Please send an ambulance!
Hospital: Sir, please don’t panic. Could you please tell us where you are?
Henry: We’re at the void deck of block 123. Please hurry!
Hospital: We have dispatched an ambulance and it is going to arrive in an estimated 5 minutes.
(The ambulance arrives. The paramedics put Bill onto the stroller and pushed him into the ambulance. Henry enters the ambulance as well.)
*In the ambulance*
Henry: Is he going to be alright?
Paramedics: Sir, don’t worry. He’s in good hands. We’re going to make sure he’s alright.
*At the hospital*
Doctor: Your friend probably just fainted because he was angry. However, we did discover something abnormal. His cough doesn’t seem to be normal. There’s a lump in his throat and it resembles the kind from the previous pandemic, but it looks mutated to a certain extent. As such, we will have to keep him here for close observation.
Bill: (Suddenly starts throbbing violently)
Doctor: (Pages nurse) This is an emergency! Patient 40 is having a seizure. I need you to bring the medication and equipment here!
Henry: I thought you said he was fine! What’s going on right now?
Doctor: I’m sorry, this was unprecedented. Please proceed out of the room right now. We’re going to try to stop the seizure.
Henry: (Steps out of the room)
Nurse: (Enters room and closes door)
*After ten minutes*
Doctor: (Steps out of room) I’m sorry. We tried our best. You can go in to see your friend for the last time.
Henry: (cries) I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have made you angry. This is all my fault. (Henry steps out of room)
(Bill gets wheeled to the mortuary)
Nurse: Is it just me or does it feel particularly chilly here (Shrugs and walks off)
*A day passes*
(The same nurse wheels another dead body into the mortuary)
Nurse: Why are all the body bags torn? (Sees Bill’s body bag open and his corpse missing) (She turns around to get help)
(A hand suddenly rests on her shoulder.)
Nurse: (screams) (She turns around to see Bill.)
Bill: (muffled noises)
Nurse: HELP!
Bill: gughgjgjtuth (grabs nurse’s arm)
Nurse: (Pushes his hand away) Someone help! There’s a zombie in here!
Bill: (Bites the nurse)
(Other nurses hear the commotion and come to check it out. They find the nurse lying on the floor, seemingly unconscious. They see the open body bag and start to panic.)
Nurses: There’s a zombie on the loose! Call the police and put the hospital on lockdown!
*In the alley near the hospital*
Sam: Do you hear that noise?
Manny: No, what are you talking about?
Sam: Listen! There’s a creaking noise nearby!
Manny: I hear it now.
(They see a figure moving in the darker part of the alley. They decide to check it out.)
Sam: This place gives me the chills.
Manny: Yeah. I’m starting to think this is a bad idea.
Sam: Let’s just keep moving. Maybe it’s just a wild animal?
(The only streetlight illuminating the alley suddenly turns off)
Sam: Manny, are you there?
(loud rustle) (sudden silence)
Sam: Manny… are you there? Why aren’t you responding?
(He hears footsteps beside him.)
Sam: Manny, why aren’t you speaking? Is this a prank of some sort?
(He hears a sound of liquid trickling down. He presses his arm against the wall of the alley and feels it.)
Sam(shocked): What is this? Don’t tell me it’s…
(The streetlight turns back on.)
Sam: (Turns to find Bill staring at him, blood dripping from his mouth. He surveys his surroundings and sees blood on the walls.) HELP!
(Bill pounces at Sam)
*We cut to black*
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