The Ladybug

INT. CAR - DAY
It’s DAWN. AVERY, 19, drives the car carefully around trash and other post apocalyptic things on the road. ELSIE, 16, has her feet out the window and her seat leaned back. FALLON, 18, is sleeping in the backseat.
ELSIE
Have anything I can throw at him? Maybe then he'll stop snoring.
Elsie gazes out the window. Glancing periodically at Avery.
AVERY
Give him a break he was prolly up all night with Gina.
Avery chuckles. Eyes still on the road never faltering. His knuckles are white from gripping the wheel.
ELSIE
Thank you for that picture in my head. I so needed that, Avery.
AVERY
No problem, Els, really anytime.
ELSIE
Are you scared about next month?
Elsie stares at Avery.
AVERY
Why would I be? It's gonna be the same as every other month.
ELSIE
August 20th? Your mom would be so disappointed. It's your birthday, idiot.
AVERY
Oh yeah. Well, nothing special everyone has them.
ELSIE
Yeah, I know that, but, dude it's your 20th birthday. Nobody has had one of those in the commune since The Event.
Elsie takes her feet out of the window and now is looking directly at Avery.
ELSIE
What do you think is gonna happen?
AVERY
I don't know, Elsie, I really don't.
Elsie and Avery fall silent.
AVERY (V.O.)
The Event happened 9 months ago. One morning no adults were there, no children. Only people aged 13-19 survived. Nobody knows what happened, but the town had become dangerous. Leave teenagers alone and they go crazy. So we went to the commune. We meaning my brother and I, Charlie. He's 13. He’s back at the commune.
ELSIE
Why are we even on this run anyways? What does Charlie need this time? If I die because of him he better-
AVERY
Shut up, Els, it doesn't matter what we're getting. We just need it okay?
Avery looks at Elsie. This is the first time we see Avery show true emotion.
ELSIE
Okay, whatever.
FALLON
Can y'all shut up, Jesus, can't somebody get sleep around here.
AVERY
Sorry, Sleeping Beauty. How about you sleep when you should, which is night, just in case you didn't understand.
FALLON
Oh yeah, mister "I'm old so I get to make decisions".
AVERY
Shut up. The only reason I’m leader of the commune is because I earned it.
Fallon gives a shrug and goes back to sleeping.
The car pulls up to an abandoned Convenience Store/ Pharmacy.
EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY
It was afternoon, the sun was beating down. It was eerily quiet.
AVERY
You guys ready? I wanna get what we need fast. We don’t need to be here very long.
Avery gets out of the car.
Avery looks around suspiciously as he opens the trunk.
A bag of weapons is revealed.
Fallon grabs the only gun.
FALLON
I’ll take this. Seen any drifters around?
AVERY
No. I still hope they’re recovering from a hangover this early in the morning.
ELSIE
Shut up and lets get this done idiots.
They approach the door.
Elsie and Avery do some type of hand signal and get ready to approach the door.
Fallon walks up, opens the door, and enters the building.
INT. STORE - DAY
The only lighting is from outside. It is dark and quiet, and the place looks like it was ransacked multiple times.
ELSIE
What was that about idiot? you know the drill.
FALLON
Yeah, and I walked in nothing happened.
AVERY
What if somebody had been in here? What would you have done?
Avery has a look of frustration on his face.
AVERY
Whatever just guard the place while I get what we need.
FALLON
I’m gonna go see if there any snacks here. The commune’s food is nasty.
Fallon walks into the dark.
ELSIE
He needs some work, why’d we even bring him?
AVERY
He volunteered and you know the rules.
ELSIE/AVERY
3 is the lucky number.
The lights flicker on. You can hear the buzz.
AVERY
Fallon, what the.. You know the rules.
FALLON (O.S.)
Have some fun.
Avery rolls his eyes. He walks to the pharmacy.
INT. PHARMACY - DAY
The lights flicker.
Avery enters the Pharmacy and starts looking through the shelves.
We see empty pill bottles and broken glass.
Avery looks down at a bottle of pills. Testosterone. He picks it up and goes to put it back on the shelf.
AVERY
Charlotte. God, I’m an idiot.
Avery puts the bottle in his pocket. He continues looking for something.
FALLON (O.S.)
Wooo, guess who just found alcohol!
The moment is ruined.
AVERY
Idiot. God, is he trying to get us killed?
Avery is reading labels on boxes.
He finally finds the one he needs.
Avery slips it in his pocket.
INT. STORE - DAY
Avery goes to the front of the store.
He finds Elsie.
Elsie is guarding the door on high alert.
AVERY
BOO!
Elsie jumps around and swings her weapon at Avery.
Avery ducks before it hits him.
ELSIE
What are you doing? Trying to get killed?
AVERY
Just testing your reflexes. Where’s Fallon, we have what we need. Now, I just need that idiot.
ELSIE
He’ll be around he’s been checking up on me about every minute. It’s like a five year old breathing down my neck.
FALLON
Five year old? Excuse you I’m 18.
AVERY
There he is. Now lets get back to the commune.
FALLON
We are not going anywhere.
He brandishes his gun.
AVERY
Fallon? What are you doing?
FALLON
I’m taking what is rightfully mine. Your spot at the commune. You never deserved it anyway. We need a real leader and I can be it.
AVERY
Fallon? What are you gonna do?
FALLON
Have you not figured it out? I’m gonna kill you.
AVERY
The people at the commune will know. They’ll figure it out.
FALLON
No they won’t. They’re all gullible. I’ll tell them a drifter took you out. That you died in a good fight and your last wish was for me to be the new leader.
Fallon chuckles and points his gun at Avery.
AVERY
Please, don’t do this.
Avery puts his hands in the air.
Elsie sneaks up behind Fallon.
A large bat swings and hits Fallon on the head.
Fallon is unconscious on the floor.
ELSIE
Let’s go idiot.
Avery is dumb founded.
Elsie leaves and sprints to the car.
Avery also leaves and sprints to the car.
INT. CAR - DAY
ELSIE
Told you we shouldn’t have brought him.
Elsie chuckles.
AVERY
Yeah, you did.
Avery’s eyes dart back and forth as he pulls out of the parking lot.
AVERY
Do you hear that?
There is a thumping coming from the car.
ELSIE
The tire’s out. We must’ve hit something or maybe a drifter came by, who knows.
AVERY
It’s not gonna make it to the commune.
ELSIE
Stop the car.
The car screeches to a halt.
ELSIE
Go to the commune. Run.
AVERY
What?
ELSIE
You’re right the car won’t make it. I can fix a tire pretty quick but Charlie is waiting for you.
AVERY
What do you mean?
ELSIE
My limp isn’t gonna run that far, but I remember you, star track athlete.
AVERY
Elsie, I can’t leave you alone. It’s too dangerous.
ELSIE
Please, I saw you slip that insulin in your pocket. By the looks of you this morning Charlie should’ve gotten it hours ago. Go.
Elsie gets out of the car.
Avery gets out of the car.
AVERY
Thank you.
Avery looks behind them.
ELSIE
I’ll be okay idiot. Now go.
Avery starts running. We see him go in the distance.
Elsie sits cross legged next to the car her back leaning on the door.
We see a ladybug land on her knee.
Elsie talks to it.
ELSIE
Convincing huh?
Elsie pulls up her shirt to reveal a bullet wound. It’s in her rib cage.
She clutches the bullet hole and doubles over in pain.
She drops her shirt.
ELSIE
I never would have made.
She looks at the tire. It’s in perfect shape, except for a nail stuck in it.
ELSIE
Do you think I did good work? Wow, this is what it comes to. Talking to a ladybug.
The ladybug flys away.
Elsie looks at the spot where we last saw Avery running.
She sighs.
We see her eyes slowly close. Fluttering, until they shut and she falls.