Links/Who is the Tall Man?

INT. CRANE DINING ROOM

MIKE and JAYSON sit at the table where they had a day before as REGGIE takes a seat in the corner as JODY stands by the door, leaning against it as LIZBETH wheels her GRANDMA into the room. 

MIKE

LIZBETH, what's going on?

LIZBETH

 I don't know, MIKE. Not enough anyways. GRANDMA say's that the evil one...the TALL MAN you spoke of, was weak, weak for centuries. But as he waited, he started growing stronger. And then that's when our links opened up. 

MIKE

What links? 

LIZBETH

You've been able to hear me right? When I speak to you..from my mind...

JODY

Cut the shit...you're trying to say you're a psychic? 

LIZBETH

(O.S.)

What do you believe, JODY? 

The FOUR look at her in shock as LIZBETH had said this without her mouth moving.

LIZBETH

The links have been established. Mine has grown stronger the more people have begun to disappear...if you all could hear me, then that mean's there's not a lot of people left...

REGGIE

Uh...no, the town...it's...gone. 

LIZBETH

GRANDMA feared that would happen soon. 

JAYSON

What is he? The TALL MAN...what is he? 

LIZBETH

GRANDMA say's something not from our world...In more SCI-FI terms, an alien. Some sort of overlord. 

JODY

Why here, in PERIGORD, NEBRASKA of all places? What's he doing taking people, turning them into little DWARFS? 

MIKE

Not all DWARFS. 

JODY

What? 

MIKE

When me and JAYSON went and checked out MOURNINGSIDE he had people too, normal looking people, one guy in particular, guy with a GAS MASK. Anyways, when I killed one of them...this...SPHERE came out of his head. 

LIZBETH

SENTINEL'S. 

REGGIE

What are they? 

LIZBETH

They're the reason why the TALL MAN is so strong now. He spent hundreds of years crafting them to fit his purpose. They're sentient machines, thoughts of their own, but all are controlled by the TALL MAN. They're meant for many things. Some are weapons, others are used to power the LURKER'S. But not the DWARF'S, the human ones. Makes them stronger, deadlier, but still easy to kill.

JAYSON

So what's their main use? 

LIZBETH

Information. 

JODY

How so? 

LIZBETH

They harvest your brains. They also harvest...your souls. 

REGGIE

That's not possible. 

MIKE

More impossible then what we've seen and ESP, REG? Come on. 

REGGIE

Sorry I said anything then. 

LIZBETH

That's why the TALL MAN was able to harvest the town so swiftly, the more souls and brains the SENTINEL'S extract for him...

MIKE

Stronger he gets. 

JODY

Great. With a whole town...

LIZBETH

He'll be strong enough to start powering his gateways. 

REGGIE

GATEWAYS? 

LIZBETH

His means of transportation, like a shortcut through time and space to appear wherever he needs. He'll start harvesting other towns, work his way up to CITIES. Then he'll wait till the last of man comes to him...and then he'll finish it. 

MIKE

Can we kill him?

LIZBETH looks unsure as she looks to her GRANDMA, who doesn't move or say anything, LIZBETH nodding. 

LIZBETH

She say's he can. 

MIKE

How? 

LIZBETH

I'm not sure.

JODY

How does she know all of this? 

LIZBETH

GRANDMA has been connected to the other side for many moons, JODY. It is one of the many reasons why she cannot speak, or move. She gave up those rights...to be connected to the other side. 

JODY

So this asshole is going around harvesting people, both to create some undead army, while using their souls and brains to power himself to start what? Pillaging the rest of the country? 

LIZBETH

In a nutshell. 

JODY

Then it's kinda clear what we gotta do then. 

REGGIE

Is it? JODY, this is...this is beyond us, we need to call the government, get the military, send in the troops. 

MIKE

Who's going to believe us, REGGIE? 

REGGIE

Well then we just need to snag that TALL dude...and stomp the shit out of him, and then we'll really know what the fuck is going on here...yeah, that's it...we'll lay that motherfucker out and drive a stake right through his goddamn heart!

JAYSON

He's not a vampire, REG. He's like a uber alien. 

REGGIE

Least I'm thinking out loud here. 

JODY

No, we need weapons. We need gear. We need to storm that fucking MORTUARY and take this guy down. 

LIZBETH

Our weapons won't kill him...he's not a man, JODY. 

JODY

But our weapons can take out his little army of munchkins, and probably drop his walking zombie abominations, so we still could use them. For how we kill TALL dude, I don't know. We'll have to figure something out. 

LIZBETH

I...wish to go with you. 

MIKE

Why? 

LIZBETH

GRANDMA believes I can help you...And I don't want to stay hidden away while...while you go and risk your lives to stop this. I wanna help. 

JODY

Normally I would say no, just like I wouldn't dare put JAYSON and MIKE in the middle of this either...but it seems like we don't have a choice...and we need the manpower. 

LIZBETH

I won't be much help, the best I can do is help teach y'all to use your ESP. the TALL MAN has eyes and ears everywhere, but he cannot read our minds. It could be the best way to not give away what we have planned...

JODY

Sounds like you're invaluable to us then. We've got about 3 hours till daylight, think we can crash here before we go raid the town? 

LIZBETH

Uh...no, GRANDMA thinks it would be best if you all got some rest. There are rooms upstairs and a couch in the den. 

JODY nods and goes into the LIVING ROOM as REGGIE and JAYSON hesitate for a moment before going upstairs, LIZBETH looks at MIKE who looks back as she goes to her GRANDMA and wheels her away, as MIKE sits alone in the DINING ROOM. 

LATER THAT MORNING

JODY sleeps on the COUCH as REGGIE and JAYSON share a bed upstairs, MIKE still awake in his bed as he hears the door creek open, MIKE looking over at REGGIE and JAYSON but as he does LIZBETH crawls into the bed with him, LIZBETH wrapping her arms around MIKE as MIKE just looks at her confused. 

LIZBETH

I'm sorry I never called...

MIKE

Well I mean...you kinda were...

LIZBETH

I meant actually call, you know, like normal people do. 

MIKE

Don't sweat it, I wouldn't of been around to really answer anyways the last few days...things have been...kinda crazy. 

LIZBETH

I'm sorry...

MIKE

It's okay. 

LIZBETH kisses MIKE as MIKE kisses back, LIZBETH pulling away as she lays her head on his chest, MIKE looking up at the ceiling as he rubs her shoulders as she snuggles to him. 

LIZBETH

I'm scared, MIKE. GRANDMA has told me stories...stories of things so terrible that have happened all over the universe...but this...this is the scariest...because it's happening...because we're it...ground zero. 

MIKE

Yeah...little above our pay grade, huh? 

LIZBETH

You're brother is strong...REGGIE is too, he just hasn't shown it yet. JAYSON...how's he dealing with his family? 

MIKE

I don't know, honestly. I think he's just sorta...pushed down you know? But I mean, I think any of us would've...what's going on around us...it's too big. 

LIZBETH

Are you worried? Are you scared...?

MIKE kisses her forehead. 

MIKE

Hell yeah, I'm scared. That's why we're going to beat this. Didn't you say a few days ago...that fear is the true killer...

LIZBETH

Yes...

MIKE

So...don't fear. 

She looks at MIKE who just smiles, the TWO kissing as they lay their heads down and stare into each others eyes. 

A FEW HOURS LATER

MIKE is sound asleep as JODY and REGGIE look at him as he was wrapped up with a sleeping LIZBETH, JODY raising an eyebrow to REG who shrugs. 

REGGIE

Must've happened while I was asleep man, honest. 

JODY

Little brother all grown up. 

REGGIE

Yeah but with this going on...?

JODY

I know, REGGIE.

REGGIE

SO what's the plan?

JODY clears his voice loudly and MIKE and LIZBETH quickly sit up as the two look at the smiling JODY and REGGIE with sheepish grins and tired eyes. 

JODY

Up and dressed. We got a busy day. 

JODY walks out as JAYSON comes in. 

JAYSON

What I miss?