FADE IN TO:

EXT. PLANET EARTH. UNITED KINGDOM. ARCHIPELAGO ISLAND. MIDDAY. YEAR 2200.

Caption appears on the bottom of the screen: ‘PLANET EARTH, UNITED KINGDOM, ARCHIPELAGO ISLAND. YEAR 2200.’

The camera pans across a birds-eye view of a desert-looking land, dotted with small pools of murky, polluted water.

Complete silence.

A deep red haze stretches across the barren and decrepit looking island. Drooping remnants of what appeared to once be trees scatter across the vast expanse. The sky is distorted into a burnt red, foggy hue which glares down on the scorching ground.

A young woman is now seen attempting to slowly drag herself across the terrain. She stumbles across the ground in exhaustion, her body appearing extremely weak through its abnormally skinny frame.

The camera zooms into her face. Wild, matted curls of wispy mousy-brown hair cling to her head in perspiration. She is wearing a faded, long, Aztec dress which is very worn.

The only sound that can be heard is the woman’s shuffling across the ground, as her face scrunches up in pain with each step.

A low rumbling sounds from the far distance, getting gradually louder as an overpowering white spotlight begins to emerge across the vast terrain.

The woman stops moving and squints upwards towards the light as it beams down at her. She raises her arm to her forehead to try and identify the source of the spotlight, but it appears far too bright for her to see.

Through the polluted red smog, the outline of a round spaceship starts to appear. Its silver metallic exterior shines through the fog, the spotlight directs it towards the woman.

A high-pitched whirring noise rapidly sounds and the light glows brighter. Abruptly the sound stops and the light shoots back into the spaceship. There is a shadow of the spaceship amongst the red smog.

The woman has gone.

The screen goes black. TITLE appears.

 

EXT. PLANET EARTH. ANTARCTIC PENINSULA. DAY. FLASHBACK. YEAR 2160.

Caption appears on the bottom of the screen: ‘PLANET EARTH, ANTARCTIC PENINSULA, YEAR 2160.’

The sky envelops a smoggy grey sheet over the landscape of a single glacier that is sitting stubbornly on the water. The last soldier. All around it lies a span of sea, murky and still.

Complete silence.

A single crumble of ice breaks away from the glacier, falling slowly down it before making a splash into the murky waters. Another crumble of ice breaks off and does the same.

Bigger bits of ice now fall mercilessly into the sea, causing bigger splashes and waves each time.

The glacier finally corrodes away into two halves. The first half tears its way down, creating a colossal crash as it breaks into the water, cutting through the silence and stillness of the polluted ocean.

The last part of the glacier now falls, but slower, more reluctantly. A louder crash now sounds as the last piece of ice of the Antarctic Peninsula surrenders to the toxic grips of the water.

A foggy waveforms and sends remnants of the ice across the water, scattering it in different places as if they are ashes.

Camera pulls away from the surface of the water to show a birds-eye perspective of the vast expanse of sea which used to be covered in glaciers.

Silence falls again.

Camera zooms far up into the sky now as the sea below becomes mistier and mistier.

 

INT. POD ROOM OF SPACESHIP. TIME OF DAY UNKNOWN.

Caption appears on the bottom of the screen: ‘SPACESHIP, PRESENT DAY.’

An extremely large room full of murky green fog appears, dotted on each side of a long walkway which fades into the fog from each side are rows and rows of symmetrical pods, letting out a bright green glow coming from the interior.

The camera zooms towards and then into the interior of one of the pods.

The woman from the barren earth lies inside this pod, startling awake. The space is small and confined, the glowing green all around her. Her appearance is still dishevelled, her hair matted in wild curls around her head, her body dirty and her clothes torn. She is cold, rubbing her arms as she looks around. Despite her glances of fear, there is a sense of curiosity in her demeanour. She notices vents each side of her which are making a low buzzing noise and letting out cold air.

Cut to point of view angle from the woman. In front of her, the door of the pod is slightly ajar, and the misty light from outside beckons her to explore.

The woman slowly clambers out of the pod, wincing as her body is still in pain.

She looks around her, the camera zooms into her facial expression as a mixture of both fright and extreme awe appear on her face.

WOMAN

What on earth…

Camera pans out to reveal the rows of pods the woman is looking at.

All the other pods are tightly closed.

She hesitantly peers into one of them, but all that can be seen from the outside is the bright green light.

The woman stumbles along the walkway in between, trying to find something, anything. She stops for breath and leans against the railing at the side for support.

Muffled groaning noises are heard from further up the walkway. The woman listens attentively, and slowly makes her way towards the noise. The mumbling groans come from a break in the wall of pods, with a ladder extending down towards an illuminated door.

The woman makes her way down the ladder, the mumbling getting louder. She finds the door unlocked and gives it one great heave.

Overwhelming light as the woman enters the room. It is smaller than the previous room, a dome shape, every wall completely white.

All around the room control panels are lit up with different buttons, in different sizes, shapes and colours. Low beeping and buzzing is heard as the panels are in constant action.

Deep mumbling. On the far side of the room, two male aliens are moving, exchanging groaning sounds in a distressed manner. They stand in front of the longest panel, with a large silver lever right in the middle.

Both aliens look the same except from one is slightly shorter. Their bodies take on a similar shape to humans, but their skin is a dark, wrinkly mahogany colour, resembling leather but firm as stone. They are adorned in tight, white bodysuits, which let off that same green tinge around the sides that the pods do. Taller alien touches the panel, revealing his three long, pointy fingers and a thumb.

TALL ALIEN

Guhhhh.

SMALL ALIEN

Guhhhh.

Both aliens carry on exchanging these groans, which vary in tone and speed, suggesting a language of their own, and an engagement of fast conversation.

Taller alien looks around and his face is revealed. Its head is a large oval shape, a big forehead supporting the great bulge at the back. Intense black pupils sit strikingly against its yellow sclera. Hard, creased eyelids give it a stern and angry expression, with only two small nasal holes for its nose above its low-sitting mouth.

The woman falls into the wall in fright. Both aliens exchange a glance before the taller one comes bounding towards her.

The woman puts her hands over her face to shield herself and crouches back further.

 

WOMAN

My – my name is Delilah Poddlegrove, I don’t mean to intrude. Please don’t hurt me.

 

Taller alien stops in front of Delilah when she speaks, composing itself as it’s ready to speak, suddenly looking as frightened as Delilah.

Low groans escape the alien’s mouth as it attempts to speak in English.

TALL ALIEN

Guhhhhh. (The alien pauses in frustration). We. Have. Guhhhh. No. (Big pause). In – tention. Of. Harming you. Huuuuuuman.

 

The striking groans of English that force their way out of the tall alien’s mouth boom deeply around the control room. Yet a clear sense of purity and sincerity in the tall alien’s voice is held in the atmosphere, with an undertone of threatening superiority.

Delilah rises from the wall, moving her arms down, yet still having to peer up at the aliens who over-tower her.

Smaller alien shuffles its way over to Delilah and clears its throat, shielding itself slightly behind taller alien.

 

SMALL ALIEN

You. Must. (Pause). Excuseee. Us. It. Takes. Us. A few. Guhhhh. Moments. To adapt. To your… Mother tongue. (Bows his head slightly).

 

Smaller alien’s voice is less deep. Delilah stands up more, building confidence. Both aliens stare at Delilah with their piercing eyes, as Delilah stares back. It is difficult to tell who is more fascinated or bemused.

Camera swaps between Delilah’s face and the alien’s faces.

 

DELILAH

I – I believe you. Somehow. I have seen so much destruction and sorrow that I could believe anything. My whole life has been full of pollution, and survival. But this…

Delilah pauses to observe her surroundings again and then looks back towards the aliens. A glimmer of fear quickly crosses her face before composing herself again.

 

DELILAH

Where am I? Who are you?

 

Delilah leans in closer now and peers at the aliens, her eyes full of inquisitiveness as she observes their hard skin, full of a thousand stories.

The aliens exchange another glance. Taller alien is still frowning profusely, a cursed expression which stays constant on his face. Smaller alien has a constant expression of alarm and concern.

 

DELILAH

WHAT are you?

Delilah steps back now, again in fear, folding one arm across her chest, as if to protect herself from the foreign environment.

Taller alien looks at Delilah with a sense of defensive menace now and it speaks again in groans.

 

TALL ALIEN

It. Doesn’t. Matter. Who. We. Are.

 

Taller alien shakes its head from side to side, groaning in angry distress.

 

TALL ALIEN

Guhhh. Humans should never know. Guhhh. Who we are. Humans destroy. We are left to fix. Take to new planet. Guhhh.

 

Delilah takes another step back, alarmed at the anger and groans that come out of the taller alien as it speaks.

Smaller alien squints its eyes in suspicion, more gentle and inquisitive than taller alien.

 

SMALL ALIEN

How did you leave pod human?

 

Smaller alien suddenly grabs Delilah by the arm, pulling her out of the control room, leaving taller alien to continue groaning deeply.

Delilah struggles to hold back, despite the smaller size of the alien it pulls Delilah up the ladder with considerable ease.

 

DELILAH

What are you doing? Get off me!

 

Smaller alien continues to pull Delilah along the walkway. It observes each pod around it as it bounds up the walkway, abruptly stopping when it notices Delilah’s pod. The door of the pod now hangs completely open.

Smaller alien immediately lets go of Delilah and bangs its hard fist on the railings in frustration at this sight, groaning frantically at itself.

 

DELILAH

That’s how I got out! It was already open. It should have been shut, shouldn’t it? I shouldn’t be out. I should be in there, like the rest of them.

 

Delilah gestures to all the pods surrounding them. She scrunches her face in pain as the stretch of the gesture causes a tug in her side, as she clutches her left hip with both hands, the adrenaline now running out as weak hunger takes over her.

Smaller alien stops groaning now, noticing Delilah’s pain. It stands up straight, looking down at her.

 

SMALL ALIEN

Never meant to leave pod. Stuck here now. All humans frozen in pods, you not so. Guhhhhhhh.

 

Loud steps are heard from the distance as taller alien now bounds across the walkway to smaller alien and Delilah. Its expression has hardened even more under sudden composure.

Delilah has no time or energy to object as taller alien picks her up, slinging her over his shoulder and without a word bounds back towards the ladder. Smaller alien bounds behind.

Camera follows characters back through to the control room.

Taller alien clumsily places Delilah in the corner of the control room, where a metallic bowl full of a mashed potato – looking substance is beside her.

Taller alien leans down and addresses Delilah firmly, looking straight into her face. The composure and hard expression that has completely taken over his demeanour is now reflected in his English speech.

 

TALL ALIEN

Eat. You cannot enter pod again. You were last human we retrieved. In great hurry. Toxic Planet Twelve nearly too toxic. Even for our spaceship.

 

Taller alien looks down, shaking his head in disgust.

Smaller alien steps forward towards Delilah, hesitant now with a look of sadness on his face.

 

SMALL ALIEN

I did not close your pod. Once in transit, it is no longer able. You age now, human. Too fast. Guhhhh.

 Smaller alien groans now, a slow and sad sound.

 

SMALL ALIEN

Humans call it time dilation.

 

Delilah looks up now despite her pain, realising what is being said.

 

DELILAH

I… age? How much? Where are we going?

 

Delilah struggles to make sense of what is being said as hunger pains jab into her side. She leans down and begins to consume the mash with her hands. The metallic bowl clinks in response to her desperation for food.

Taller alien stands up now, looking down at Delilah, with a stance and expression of utter disgust.

 

TALL ALIEN

Humans. Would say our job is to… Guhhhh. Take out the trash.

 

With a last hard expression, taller alien returns to the control panel.

Smaller alien looks worryingly from taller alien to Delilah. Delilah’s eyes are widened, peering in fear at taller alien with her big green eyes which beam out against her skinny frame.

Cut to a close up of Delilah’s face.

The dirt and protruding cheekbones can be seen prominently now. Cut to even closer as Delilah whispers.

 

DELILAH

Time dilation…

 

EXT. PLANET EARTH. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. DAY. FLASHBACK. YEAR 2190.

Caption appears on the bottom of the screen: ‘PLANET EARTH, USA, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, YEAR 2190.’

Camera pans across parts of the park from a birds-eye view.

A low rumbling begins which gets gradually louder as the camera pans closer into the park. The rumbling is now persistently loud as an earthquake is in full force.

Hundreds of lodgepole pine trees huddle in groups, trembling madly from side to side. Around these huddles are several hot springs, with steam flailing aggressively into the air.

The dusty land of the park cracks and violently trembles under the force of the earthquake.

Threatening grey skies spread across the park, with flocks of birds hurriedly fleeing away in every direction. The dismal skies contrast strikingly against bright blue hot springs with equally bright orange exteriors, letting off an alarming amount of boiling steam, dancing in every direction.

Cut to Yellow Caldera.

Menacing bubbles of lava pour out of every corner uncontrollably. It twists as it pours like a writhing dragon and a harsh spitting noise rips through the air in conjunction to the trembling.

Rocks fly through the air and crash piteously back into the centre of the volcano. Hot magma underneath forces its way to the surface, the rumbling noise at its highest point now.

The volcano centre struggles for a few seconds to contain the contents before it surrenders.

Monstrous clouds of volcanic ash burst out of the volcano from every angle, forming one gigantic cloud which rises. Bits of splintered rock and glass can be seen flying through the atmosphere.

Camera follows volcanic ash quickly spreading its way across the park.

Lightning can be seen cutting its way through the heat of volcanic ash as it grows increasingly higher.

The camera pans upwards for a birds-eye view of volcanic ash spreading.

Only volcanic ash can be seen writhing and expanding. Sky is no longer visible.

 

INT. CONTROL ROOM. SPACESHIP. TIME OF DAY UNKNOWN.

Caption appears on the bottom of the screen: ‘SPACESHIP, PRESENT DAY.’

Cut to close up view of Delilah’s face.

Delilah looks visibly older. Her facial skin which was smooth and clear before, despite the protruding bones and dirt, is now wrinkled and bags hang under her eyes. The Aztec dress still hangs loosely on her frail body.

Her sharp green eyes, however, are still the same, looking anxiously around the control room.

Cut to the perspective of the whole room.

Taller alien is busily engaged in inspecting the beeping action taking place in a panel across the room, groaning quietly to himself as he does so. He shows no interest in Delilah.

Smaller alien stands by a panel close to Delilah, peering nervously at her as he takes in her ageing body.

Delilah’s eyes widen as she looks down at her wrinkled hands.

 

DELILAH

I don’t – I don’t understand. How quickly does time pass here? How long has it been?

 

SMALL ALIEN

Humans have to be frozen by our equipment to survive the time dilations. Your bodies are so sensitive, so –

 

Taller alien snaps his head round to finish the sentence bitterly.

 

 

TALL ALIEN

WEAK.

Smaller alien rolls his yellow eyes in response.

 

SMALL ALIEN

You aren’t supposed to be out, human. I am sorry for your misfortune. The time dilation will have already contaminated your pod. You can’t go back.

Delilah shakes her head in disbelief at this.

 

DELILAH

This is madness. I have suffered enough. WHERE are we going?

Smaller alien straightens himself up at this question. A glazed look comes over his face as if he is dreaming and talking to no one, as he stares into the distance.

 

SMALL ALIEN

They say there are rivers there so pure they sparkle in the night time. They say one breath of fresh air in the forests can give your body ten years more life.

Taller alien makes a deep groan now, so harsh it sounds like a growl as he jumps around again.

 

TALL ALIEN

Guhhh. And we are simply delivery persons. We don’t know. What’s there. Humans will only ruin planet again. I am assigned. Guhh. I do not get to choose missions of universe. I would not choose this task. Humans. Very bad.

At these last words, taller alien jabs a button at the main panel. Wall in front goes upwards and fades into the ceiling. Window to exterior of spaceship appears revealing multitude of stars which glimmer intrusively.

Speed of stars passing spaceship creates a magnificent white light which invades the control room before disappearing as quickly as it appears.

Delilah’s face lights up with extreme awe. Slowly, she gets up and walks straight past the aliens towards the spectacle.

Cut to close up of Delilah’s captivated face as flashing of stars can be seen flying past her pupils.

 

DELILAH

(Under her breath)

Beautiful.

Taller alien glares at Delilah.

 

TALL ALIEN

You can make yourself useful. Human. We approach black hole. Help us hold down lever for maximum light speed against black hole quasar.

Smaller alien looks alarmed at this and groans.

 

SMALL ALIEN

But you will age more human. Time dilation will get worse with black hole speed.

Delilah stands in thought for a moment, frowning as she makes a decision.

 

 

 

DELILAH

All I have ever known is survival and injustice. My ancestors destroyed earth. My generation were left to survive but I know no others in my area that did. I will help.

Taller alien makes a quick grunt, nods his head to smaller alien then both aliens grip the lever, smaller alien gesturing to Delilah to join in too.

All three of them grip the lever, and pull it down as much as possible.

The roar of the spaceship’s engine kicks into action, as it flies towards the black hole.

Cut to the window of the spaceship. A tunnel shape is formed as the spaceship tears through it.

Electric orange lines of light come and go as the quasar comes into sight. Taller alien and smaller alien groan as they pull the lever, yet still standing upright.

Delilah’s arms pull back, all her strength left going into pulling the lever. Her wrinkled face is crumpled into extreme strain and agony and she lets out a scream.

This continues as they plummet through the black hole. Eerie blackness pulls them through the middle as the orange light flickers up the room between spells of darkness.

Complete darkness overwhelms the room for a few seconds.

Light slowly fades back to the control room.

Both aliens peer out the window in apprehension.

Delilah is crouched on the floor, forgotten about.

Close up view of Delilah. Slowly, her body warps into an extremely old and fragile woman.

Her matted curls of brown hair leak into a lifeless grey. Skin droops down into a saggy, old and worn position all over her body.

Her green eyes seep out of her haggard face determinedly, against her decrepit frame. Her sullen cheeks are white and drain the last remnants of life from her skin.

Delilah heaves out a small breath.

Camera zooms into Delilah’s left eye and a bright green tinge envelops the screen.

 

INT. PLANET EARTH. GREENHOUSE. UNITED KINGDOM. ARCHIPELAGO ISLAND. MORNING. YEAR 2200.

Caption appears on the bottom of the screen: ‘PLANET EARTH, UNITED KINGDOM, GREENHOUSE, ARCHIPELAGO ISLAND. YEAR 2200.’

Camera zooms out of green tinge, panning out of Delilah’s eye.

Delilah is young again. She is skinny and dirty, but her cheeks hold a redness of life contrasting the previous scene. She is still in the Aztec dress.

A shrivelled, tiny tomato is held in her hand. Delilah eats it sparingly.

A green glow surrounds Delilah.

Camera pans out further to reveal surroundings.

A greenhouse. Delilah sits at the back amongst two long shelves which support shrivelled up brown leaves, host to vegetables which are now gone. No other vegetables can be seen.

Most of the windows are smashed, but are patched up messily with planks of wood and tape, which appear to be leftovers of chairs and tables.

A single tear slides down Delilah’s cheek as she observes the dead plants around her.

Delilah strokes the nearest dead leaf.

 

DELILAH

(Whispers)

I’m sorry, I tried to keep you alive.

Delilah drags her body off the greenhouse floor and heaves herself towards the exit of the greenhouse.

INT. CONTROL ROOM. SPACESHIP. TIME OF DAY UNKNOWN.

Caption appears on the bottom of the screen: ‘SPACESHIP, PRESENT DAY.’

Delilah is laid on the floor in the same position, breathing heavily.

Smaller alien now rushes up to her.

 

SMALL ALIEN

Guhhhh. So sad. So sad. How old the black hole dilation has made you. Come human.

Smaller alien pulls Delilah by the shoulders and props her up in the corner of the room where she was previously.

Delilah clutches smaller alien’s arm, and stares vacantly into the distance with her rich green eyes.

 

DELILAH

I used to dream of a new planet. I used to dream of a rich and fruitful vegetable garden for all my plants. I used to imagine myself walking through a crop field that I’d seen in pictures from the past, catering to all the growing life.

Delilah pauses and looks up at smaller alien now.

 

DELILAH

But everything was dead. All my time I hung onto the last bit of life that remained. It was nurturing my greenhouse that kept me alive.

Smaller alien glances desperately at the taller alien who is still gazing out of the window, and groans deeply.

Taller alien strides towards them and kneels in front of Delilah, his face still stern.

 

TALL ALIEN

There is nothing. We can do for you now. You are old and sick. You only have moments. Left.

Delilah continues to breathe heavily.

 

SMALL ALIEN

There is one thing we can do.

Smaller alien picks Delilah up, carrying her over to the spaceship window.

 

SMALL ALIEN

Welcome to your new planet.

Camera turns to Delilah’s eyelid perspective.

She opens her heavy eyes. From Delilah’s blurry eyesight, the outline of a sparkling green planet can just be made out.

Delilah blinks twice, and her sight starts to get clearer. But not in time.

Screen goes black.

 

INT. DELILAH PODDLEGROVE’S EYES.

A black screen.

 

DELILAH

I helped you survive just like the Earth helped you live, but you played no part. Why should you get to see a new planet?

Bold green text in the middle of the screen: ‘EVEN WHEN YOU VIOLATE THE LAWS OF PHYSICS, IT MIGHT STILL NOT SAVE YOU FROM GLOBAL WARMING.’