FADE IN.
EXT. HIGHWAY - MIDDAY
On a lone highway, abandoned and rotting carcasses that were once cars sit still among the over growing plant life.
AIDEN jumps over the hood of a car, and stops in his tracks, looking at a small map.
AIDEN
Well, I suppose it could be this way. I'm not too great with maps.
Another person slides across the hood and stands next to Aiden. This is VALERY, his new traveling mate.
VALERY
Let me see.
She takes the map from him, peering at it.
VALERY
Yeah, well we're definitely going in the right direction. We're facing east here, and this grocery store up the road is right there.
She points on the map at the grocery store.
VALERY
Just keep moving this way on the highway.
She hands the map back to Aiden and begins down the highway, kicking a rock in the process.
Aiden watches her for a moment.
AIDEN (IM)
Not only is she helpful, she's good company too.
He begins following her.
AIDEN (vocally)
Hey, we should stop in at this grocery store. Might be somethings we could take.
VALERY
Yeah, sure.
They both make their way towards the abandoned store.
VALERY
Hey, why the ocean?
AIDEN
Huh?
VALERY
Well, you said that's you're going. Why the ocean?
AIDEN
I don't know. Why'd you want to come along?
VALERY
I've been alone for a long time. I didn't have any direction. Just survive and hide.
The two reach the doors, which are locked.
Aiden picks up a rock and smashes the glass door.
INT. STORE - CONT.
Aiden reaches through the hole in the glass and unlocks the door, opening it. The pair enters into the dark building.
Aiden turns on his flashlight and begins searching the desolate shelves.
AIDEN
Shout if you need any help, alright?
VALERY
You too.
They separate.
Aiden moves to the left side of the store, looking up and around the dusty shelves. He eventually finds a shelf full of canned foods.
AIDEN (IM)
I'm starving.
Valery moves to the right side and finds the frozen section, which hasn't been operational in a long time.
She opens one of the doors to be met with a horrid stench, bugs and flies bursting out. She quickly shuts it and moves on.
Aiden slowly moves into an aisle where bandages and medicine is. He picks through it, stuffing white gauze and bottle of pills into his bag.
Suddenly, a scream.
He throws the bag onto his back and swings the rifle back into his arms, loading a round into it.
He moves quick through the aisles, keeping low.
VALERY
Aiden!
He spots her through the security mirror, tussling with an INJURED. Valery grabs the Injured's arm and breaks it at the elbow, the bone protruding out and stabbing into her forearm. He kneels down and moves quietly down the aisle, turning the barrel of the rifle around the corner. He takes a shot.
YOU ARE READING
Aiden's World
General FictionAiden Blair survives on his own in a seemingly abandoned world. All he knows is he needs to reach the sea. ((At some points in the story, you will see "IM" next to Aiden's speaking parts. This is "Inner Monologue" a tool to see what Aiden's thinking...
