EPISODE 2: VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH

GC-SERIEZ

presents.....

A survivor's tale written in bløød💌.....

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Fade in:

12 YEARS AGO...

[Location: Texaco Area - Ibadan - Oyo State – Nigeria – Night]

A community comes into view, a community filled with lots of buildings and people,an industrial and civilized area to be precise. Lots of people move about doing what matters to them. Cars and trucks travel the busy roads. Lots of small scale shops lie on each side of the road selling different commodities and products Life is definitely moving here. 

Among the several buildings that lie in this part of Nigeria, one particular one catches our attention. 

[The Mayowa's House…]

In the house, we spot a happy family of five about to settle to dinner. Two members of this family look familiar like we've seen them somewhere. Alas they are Kunle and Bayo, the two survivors of episode one. Kunle and Bayo are playing a video game. We spot an older sibling, one we haven't seen before, a girl way older than the two boys. She is Tumininu. The mother of the family yells in anger from the kitchen as she serves the plates.

MOTHER

Idiots…do you expect me to come and serve you your food where you are playing game? It is like you are not hungry at all. 

BAYO

We are coming…we are…ahhh ohhhhh no…you this boy you don win me again…

KUNLE

I may be young…but I ain't stupid. hahahahhahhahahhaha

Bayo bounces up from his seat dropping his game pad and pounces on Kunle as he begins to tickle him to laughter. They both rough handle themselves on the couch as Tumininu carries her plate of beans from the kitchen and settles on the dining table.

TUMININU

You two are truly not hungry. If you're hungry, you will go to the kitchen and grab your plate of beans.

The father appears from behind and sits on the chair facing the dinner table while Kunle and Bayo visit the kitchen to take their food. After a little riff raff, the whole family finally settles on the dinner table ready to eat.

FATHER

Tumininu, pray for us.

Tumininu stares at the rest of the family in disappointment as she closes her eyes. She isn't so happy about the idea of her praying for the whole family

TUMININU

Father…we thank you for your grace and mercy over our life. We thank you because you have always protected us and guides u…we thank you because you guided us throughout today like you always have. We thank you for guiding us through the valley of the shadow of death…we thank you for this food. Father, bless this food…amen.

The whole family chorus a sounding amen as they begin to eat. They eat in silence for a while before the father breaks the silence.

FATHER

Why did you pray like that?

Tumininu is confused at the question her father is asking. Her whole expression tells that she has no definite answer to the question being asked.

TUMININU

I…don't understand

FATHER

You spoke about the valley of the shadow of death…you said God has been protecting us from the valley of the shadow of death…

MOTHER

It is not a bad prayer…is it?

FATHER

The valley of the shadow of death…have you had any near death experiences Tumininu?

TUMININU

Nope…

Bayo and Kunle gobble up the beans and do not participate in the discussion. They listen carefully as things are getting tensed up between their sister and their father.

FATHER

That prayer triggered messages down my mind...

TUMININU

Ohh…

The father stands up leaving his food and walks up to the window. He spreads the cotton revealing the open window with the bright moon shining its borrowed light down on them all. 

FATHER

One day...the resilience of you three will be put to the test. The ultimate test of endurance…you all will have to go through the valley of the shadow of death…

TUMININU

You mean near death experiences?

FATHER

Not necessarily near death experiences…the valley of the shadow of death represents problems…it represents discomfort…pain…suffering and all bad things…You all will have to go through a lot to get what you want. Nothing comes easy in this accursed world…

BAYO

Why are you telling us this?

FATHER

I am telling you this because I want you to be there for each other when that challenging time comes…something tells me we might not be there for you as parents and I want to urge you to support each other…as one big super team…as one unstoppable superpower…Tumininu…I want you to be there for your brothers when you pass through the valley of the shadow of death…

[PRESENT DAY…]

[Location: ShopRite Mall – Osun State Branch – Osun State - Nigeria]

We see lots of zombies pushing through the flight of stairs trying their best to get the very first bite off Bayo and Kunle. They keep running towards an unknown destination until an authoritative voice from ahead turns the table.

UNKNOWN VOICE

Lie down flat now!!!

In an instant, Bayo and Kunle trace the voice to where it is coming from and spot an elite group of four survivors all armed to the teeth, like seriously to the teeth. They all carry ak47 rifles with several wounds of rounds hanged all over their bodies like rodeo ropes. The both parties cross eye and right there and then, the ulterior motive is discovered, and the super armed group is going to open fire. Bayo immediately lies to the ground dragging Kunle down with him. They both hit the floor and hurriedly crawl towards safety as the armed men open fire on the incoming zombies. All hell let loose in the mall as the deafening sound of gunshots echo throughout the whole area. 

The armed men are so professional and careful not to miss a shot. Every single shot is on target and hit its mark. They are very careful not to waste bullets. They keep shooting at the endless waves of zombies till one of the men, supposedly the leader of the team calls for a retreat.

OJOGBON

The wave is a C wave…its only a matter of time before we are overrun !!!

MOROCCO

What do we do?

ICE KING

Plan Imole…we need to activate plan Imole…or we will die…

OJOGBON

We can't use the rocket now! Remember we only have one!

ICE KING

We use it or we die…guy I no wan die oh…

OJOGBON

Medina!!!!

A woman comes up from behind with an RPG and blasts a rocket missile into the incoming horde. Everything suddenly goes slow motion. Ojogbon and his gang are seen hurriedly retreating to the back exit as the rocket flies towards its destination. 

Bayo and Kunle are seen scrambling along with their saviors towards the exit, the look in their eyes, the look of fear, the expression of the ultimate fear of death, they grin and groan as the rocket hits the zombies sparking an enormous explosion which echoes a wave of telekinetical forces which pushes everyone out of balance.

BAYO(Voice Over)

Right there and then…I knew that this was an exact definition of the valley of the shadow of death…I knew that we all could die along with the zombies. I knew that our lives could end in an instant…a near death experience…Tumininu! I won't die now…I will find you no matter what…no matter what!!!!!!

The zombies explode into chunks of meat which fly around. Bayo, Kunle, and the other armed men are thrown off balance as they bash through the shiny exit door. Fortunately, everyone made it. They all struggle to get up as they grab their ears. The sound from the rocket bomb is definitely ringing bells in everyone's head. The leader of the group dusts his shirt and adjusts his polo. He walks up to Bayo and checks his whole body aggressively; he also walks up to kunle and aggressively checks his body too. He seems to be looking for bite marks. He is definitely an aggressive fellow with the look in his eyes taunting as that of a lion.

BAYO

We were not bitten…the only people we should check is you

OJOGBON

I wasn't checking for marks…

BAYO

Then why were you fiddling with our bodies?

OJOGBON

I was looking for a blood vessel…

BAYO

What…why?

OJOGBON

We need blood in our camp. Most of our fighters got sick and needed transfusion…most of the donors had pretty evasive veins…uneasy to spot…our doctors say that without having the right technology, we can't get blood from them…we needed people who had exposed veins…you fit that category…

KUNLE

Wait…you didn't need to explain the whole story…you could have just said you needed blood…period…

OJOGBON

That is me for you…I love to express myself to the fullest but I might be aggressive sometimes…I am Ojogbon…meet my team of scavengers…

Ojogbon points to the rest of the team one by one as he introduces them.

OJOGBON

Meet Morocco…he is the intelligent one…and also one of my best pals and he saved my life a couple of times…there can never be an Ojogbon without a Morocco

Ojogbon points to Morocco, and pats him on the shoulders as he smiles

OJOGBON

Also here is Ice King. As cold as Ice…as proud as king…he fears death more than he fears God. 

ICE KING

Yo…I love your vibes man…I saw you when you saved your brother…your shot was so on target…I am not so good at shooting…maybe you could give me some lesson sometimes…

BAYO

I'm not so good either…the only time I am ever good with a gun is when I am scared.

Ice King waves his rifle in the air and smiles

OJOGBON

And the most beautiful girl in the whole world…Medina. She has taken her liking to the RPG…

Bayo and Medina glare at each other like cat and mouse, these two definitely have hatred cooking. Medina hangs her RPG on her neck and looks away in disgust and arrogance as she walks over to a broken brick and sits her self down.

BAYO

What is with her?

OJOGBON

Uh…sorry about that…she is always like that…never talks to anyone…never does anything with anyone…she just works with us during lootings and battles.

BAYO

I am Bayo and my little brother here is Kunle…we have been looking for survivors ever since six months ago…I'm glad you saved us…

OJOGBON

Now it is time to return that favour…you have to follow us back to camp to donate your blood to charity…

BAYO

How many people are we talking about here?

OJOGBON

Ten at least…we have more but let's stick to ten

KUNLE

What!!!!

ICE KING

Boss…boss…if we don't move now…there will be no body left alive talk less of blood to give

Ice King points to the incoming horde of zombies from the highway leading to the mall. They are coming in hundreds. They are very fast and they bash through road block like butter. They leap from car to car, roof to roof, building to building, they are coming and they want to eat, they want to kill, they want blood.

BAYO

Oh no…oh no…the noise from the guns and stuff must have attracted them…

KUNLE

Those rotten fuck…they won't stop chasing us

OJOGBON

We have a working automobile nearby…follow us…if you wanna live…

Ojogbon and his gang turn around towards western car park. Kunle and Bayo are about to follow them when they remember that they have left something valuable behind.

BAYO

We can't just go…we can't…do we trust these guys…

KUNLE

We came here for shopping, got trapped by zombies and the only reason why we are standing here alive is because of this guys…

BAYO

They want us to donate blood to people…what if that's what they need us for and then pew!! They kill us and dump our bodies for the zombies to eat?

KUNLE

Don't reason that way…we can't survive out here alone without them…

BAYO

Our truck…we can't leave our truck…

Ojogbon stops in his tracks and looks behind him to discover that Bayo and Kunle are still discussing silently.

OJOGBON

It is like you people are not willing to live…

BAYO

I forgot to tell you…I have a truck and I can't ditch it for anything…

Ojogbon is disappointed. He rubs his hands all over his face in pity and disgust. 

OJOGBON

Your truck or your life bros…

BAYO

I am sorry but that truck was given to me by my father. I have to go back and get it…Kunle can go with you…

KUNLE

What!!!

Bayo draws Kunle close to him and embraces him. He pets him on his shoulders and whispers some things to his ear.

BAYO

Go with them…I'll meet you guys on the road…that truck will be a last resort if these fucks decide to ditch us…I don't believe in friendship Kunle…not this time…not after what happened last time we stopped…Trust made us loose Tumininu…I can't lose you to those fucks…

KUNLE

Are you sure you will be able to get the truck out of the infested zone?

BAYO

I will with the right steps and organized thinking…you have your pistol with you…if those guys try to harm you…don't hesitate to shoot them in the fucking head…like I taught you.

Ojogbon is waiting and he is getting impatient minute by minute. He is losing it.

OJOGBON

I am waiting.

Kunle hurriedly follows Ojogbon and his gang while Bayo goes back to the mall. The final retribution. Bayo smiles as he corks his shotgun and turns his face away from hope and life. He definitely knows he may not survive the whole ordeal. He know what he is signing up for, he is signing up for death.

BAYO(Voice Over)

I knew deep down…deep deep down within my soul that I intentionally ditched my brother…I knew pretty well that I may not survive the horde…I knew he was safer with those guys than he was with me…I trusted them…I only lied so my brother could go with them. All well and good…I might better still just ride to victory in the valley of the shadow of death. 

Bayo's pace increases as he makes his way to the front of the mall. He sees the truck and notices the horde of zombies surrounding it. They see him too and then they stand there staring at him just like that. They study him for some seconds before.....BOOM!!...they lash out at him from different locations like fiery dragons. He opens fire on at incoming threat.

[LOCATION: Western Car Park]

Ojogbon and the others finally reach the car park on foot. Kunle is mesmerized by the humongous buggy standing before him. A gallant tank like car with six wheels and two machine guns mounted on each side. He looks up and spots two RPG missiles attached to the top and also a periscope too. The whole car is sealed from up to down with no breathing space at all. The only place to see through is the wind shield which also has a metal burglary protecting it. Right at the front is a big rotator saw blade to saw through obstacles and walls. The car is built to survive and to be victorious.

Ojogbon presses a button on his gun and immediately, the car beeps as the strong bulletproof metallic doors slide open. They enter, right there and then, Kunle is more mesmerized. The interiors looks like that of an airplane. Several levers, several controls, it looks like it was built like NASA. Several seats.

OJOGBON

Take a seat and fasten your seat belt kid.

KUNLE

Holy mother of molly…where did you get this?

OJOGBON

I wasn't joking when I told you we had a camp. We call this big guy here the beast.

MOROCCO

I designed it…

ICE KING

Ojogbon and I worked on the skeleton and scavenged for materials all over Nigeria for the engineers in camp to build with.

OJOGBON

Take a seat Kunle and fasten your seat belt…it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

The doors hisses and closes as Ojogbon takes the driver's seat. Morocco climbs a ladder up to the roof of the car and takes the machine gun seat. Ice King takes a seat next to the RPG launch control. Medina fastens her seat belt as she faces the monitors that control the flow of bullets out of the side machine guns. Everything is set. Kunle just sits on the single passengers seat left and observes the moment as Ojogbon 

[LOCATION: ShopRIte Mall]

Back at the mall, we spot Bayo killing off the last of the zombies surrounding his truck. He blasts the head of the last one off with his last round and heaves a sigh of relief. We see him struggle towards the door as he pulls it open. He sits down on the driver's seat as he breathes heavily. He looks down on his chest and sees a wound, not a bite wound but a stab wound, a very big one across his chest. What stabbed him? He switches the ignition and the truck roars to life.

BAYO

It's show time....

Episode Summary: After Bayo and Kunle are saved from being eaten by some armed men led by a man called Ojogbon, they demand that Bayo and Kunle return the favour by donating blood to their sick camp members. Bayo is not feeling easy about this but is given little time to decide due to zombies approaching them.----Kunle is separated from Bayo when Bayo decides to go for their truck and plans to collaborate with Ojogbon to escape the incoming horde using the truck.