INT. BARBARA’S BEDROOM, MORNING

Barbara wakes up. Rabbit is full-sized asleep beside her. She looks at him a moment, looking vaguely perplexed. She runs her fingers over some of his exposed fur, still looking a little puzzled.

She gets up and goes over to the window. She hesitates for a moment and then opens the curtains.

The fog is still there, but it has pushed back more.

Barbara opens the window and leans out to see if the fog has pushed back in other directions. It doesn’t seem to have.

She can see some people out, walking towards the front of the estate.

Rabbit wakes up. He blinks at the light from the window.

RABBIT

What time is it?

Barbara looks up at the sky, looking for some indication. She turns around to him and shrugs.

RABBIT

Any plans?

Barbara shrugs again.

RABBIT

Yeah…

Barbara goes over to the wardrobe, opens it and riffles through the clothes that are there now.

BARBARA

I hate these clothes… Think Maura would lend me the use of a truck to pick up some stuff from home? I think I’d feel more at ease with more of my stuff here.

Rabbit doesn’t immediately respond. Barbara leans back and looks at him.

RABBIT

If zookeepers could understand animals and the animals asked to be allowed back home to get some stuff that made them feel more at ease, do you think the zookeepers would let them go?

BARBARA

That’s not how this is.

RABBIT

OK.

BARBARA

You really think that’s how this is?

RABBIT

I don’t think they’re going to let us leave. I think they might go and collect stuff for people. If you give them good directions. Maybe. But I think they’ll instead give us whatever we ask for and we won’t get to leave.

BARBARA

OK, so where’s Greg and Tammy? They’ve gone. They took your car.

RABBIT

It wasn’t our car.

BARBARA

They’ve gone. Maura’s never mentioned them. No search party went after them. They just left. And if we still had a car we could leave.

Rabbit takes a moment to think about this.

RABBIT

Yeah, I guess.

BARBARA

If I believed they saw us as zoo animals or we were imprisioned here, I’d be determined to get out. As a matter of urgency.

Rabbit is quietly mulling things over.

BARBARA

Look, Twimii’s matching every experience here to a different horror movie. But she’s … well, she’s Twimii. - This place is strange. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last couple of days it’s that just because something is strange doesn’t mean it isn’t good. - And ready to walk into the fog for you.

Rabbit looks at her and acknowledges the compliment with a half-smile.

RABBIT

Tammy and Greg said they’re coming back. So I guess you’ll have a car soon enough.

BARBARA

Oh they’re not coming back. This place is really really weird.

INT. HOUSE - Hallway

Rabbit is dressed and coming down the stairs as Twimii enters.

TWIMII

Hey! The new row of houses are all semi-d’s. You know what that means?

Rabbit just looks at her.

TWIMII

This is a social experiment.

Rabbit shrugs, puzzled by her logic.

TWIMII

Only Ireland might be like this.

Rabbit perks up a little.

TWIMII

We just have to get off this island!

Twimii heads off to the kitchen to share the good news.

Rabbit shrugs and shakes his head, but his mood has lifted.

He decides to head out.

EXT. HOUSING ESTATE

Maura is talking to some people who are standing outside the house where the medical exams are taking place. It’s a small group of people, some men, women and a few children.

Cian is standing across the road from the house, near the fog. He sort of freezes when he sees Rabbit. He was waiting to get a proper look at him.

Cian looks to the group of people who haven’t noticed Rabbit yet. Rabbit is walking over to Cian.

RABBIT

Hey! Don’t go in the fog. It’s not safe.

This attracts the attention of the group and a couple of men, TOM and BRENDAN, start walking over to them.

CIAN

Are you a robot?

TOM

What are you doing in that get up? Would you have some respect.

Rabbit quickly looks around at each of them and back at the house.

RABBIT

I was just telling this kid to stay out of the fog. It’s not safe.

BRENDAN

Why are in that get up?

TOM

Yeah.

CIAN

Are you a robot?

Rabbit takes a moment before answering.

RABBIT

It’s not a costume.

Tom and Brendan make noises of derision and disbelief.

Rabbit stands tall, which is taller than both of the men.

RABBIT

It’s not a costume. This is just me.

CIAN

Are - you - a - ro - bot?

RABBIT

No. - I don’t think so.

BRENDAN

Ah here… (to the sky) I’VE HAD ENOUGH! D’YE HEAR?!

He walks off.

BRENDAN

TARA! PHELIM, TAISIE. COME ON! (to Maura) AND YOU CAN SHOVE YOUR MEDICAL.

Tara grabs two of the children and starts to walk away, all while mouthing SORRY to Maura and rolling her eyes.

Maura is a little taken aback by this turn of events.

Another woman, SARAH, nods her head decisively and gestures to her teenage son, BRIAN, to come along.

BRIAN

No. I want to get checked out.

She gives him a look and calls over to her husband for support.

SARAH

Tom!

Tom is walking back over to them.

TOM

I’m sorry Maura. It’s just … (to Rabbit) Could you just dress like a normal human being? People are freaked out enough as it is.

Rabbit looks around at the people. He sees no point arguing and walks off to explore the rest of the estate, followed at a short distance by Cian.

SARAH

Tom…

She signals to him they should go.

TOM

I’m getting checked out. There’s no way I’m having that … stroke or … whatever’s happening to people…

SARAH

Tom!

She gestures up at the sky and then over at the fog. He looks at her uncomprehendingly.

TOM

(to Maura)

I’m so sorry. After all you’re doing for us. - I don’t even know those people.

Sarah looks around at the others to see if anyone else is objecting. They are not. She resignedly half smiles at Maura.

Maura isn’t paying her any attention. She is watching Rabbit walking off into the rest of the estate.

EXT. HOUSING ESTATE

Rabbit walks down the row of new houses. On one side are the houses that were visible yesterday, detached houses, that look well, but they all look the same, they are built more closely together and they are more modest than the front row of houses, where Maura’s house is.

On the other side of the road there are more houses, groups of 2 semi-detached houses. Again they look well, but they are more modest than the houses across the road and have less space around them.

Brendan and the family are entering the second from last of the modest houses. He spots Rabbit looking around at the houses. He turns and starts to head toward him, as Tara tries to get him to calm down.

Rabbit raises his paws in a gesture of surrender, turns and walks away.

Cian watches this interaction. As Rabbit walks away he sees Brendan and Tara go into their house, arguing with each other. He then runs back following Rabbit.

INT. HOUSE HALL

Cian opens the door and enters the house. He looks all around him. He can hear people talking in the sitting room.

INT. HOUSE SITTING ROOM HOUSE SITTING ROOM

MAURA

Sure we’re really delighted to have you here. Really. And the fact that you came to us is … It’s just … I think it would … help? … everyone - if we understood more about you and your religion.

Cian opens the door and walks in. He sees Ted and is transfixed for a moment.

MAURA

Hello there. Cian isn’t it?

Cian breaks his gaze away from Ted and looks to Maura and briefly at Twimii who waves at him.

CIAN

(to Maura)

I … I want to go home.

TWIMII

Will we be going home Maura?

MAURA

Oh I don’t want you to go. Don’t misunderstand me, please. (to Cian) Don’t worry Cian. I’ll bring you home in just a couple of minutes, OK love?

Twimii and Ted exchange a look.

INT. KITCHEN

Ted walks into the kitchen with Cian. Rabbit and Barbara are drinking tea at the table and Cow is engrossed in rolling out cooking dough and cutting it into shapes.

TED

Maura’s finally realised we’re not normal.

RABBIT

Yeah I was there for the penny dropping moment.

TED

This is Cian.

RABBIT

Yes. Hello Cian. I am not a robot and I do not have superpowers.

BARBARA

If anyone asks though they are magical creatures and have super secret super powers.

COW

(Slightly agrieved)

We might be magical creatures.

CIAN

I know you’re toys. I thought he could stop this and … But you’re just big toys that can talk.

TED

We’re not toys. We’re … us. Not that different from anyone else. Just a bit …

BARBARA

Cuddlier?

RABBIT

(to Ted)

There may soon be a group of villagers with burning pitchforks outside the house, wanting to cuddle us to death.

Cian moves over to Rabbit and places a hand on his paw.

CIAN

Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.

RABBIT

Well … Good, that’s one less thing to worry about then.