EXT. ESTATE 1ST ROW

The trucks used to collect people now have makeshift frames over the backs of them. Paddy and JJ are going in and out of one of the houses on the first row, carrying sheets which they then attach to the trucks over the frames.

Barbara is trying to speak to Paddy but he is paying her little attention and carrying on with what he is doing.

When he carries out a sheet and starts putting it on the truck she goes over to him and makes her case.

BARBARA

I would really like to help out Paddy. I’m sure you could find some good use for me. I could keep inventory of items[]

PADDY

Sure, you’ve been a great help already.

BARBARA

I haven’t done anything.

PADDY

Well, we always tell people, don’t go out into the fog like that Barbara.

He starts laughing. Barbara looks around at the people standing around. Only one man is looking back at her. The expression on his face is both questioning and disappointed. Barbara is embarrassed, but determined.

BARBARA

Paddy, I’m sure there’s something[]

PADDY

(to JJ)

Get us another box of those pegs, will ya?

JJ nods and heads back into the house. Barbara tries again to engage his attention.

BARBARA

Paddy I []

Paddy ignores her and seeing he need more things, heads back into the house.

The man, John, who has been watching Barbara goes up to her and places his hand gently on her shoulder.

JOHN

What are you doing?

BARBARA

I just want to be useful. I’m really not like[]

JOHN

(very quietly)

Don’t help them.

He gives her a meaningful look. Paddy comes out of the house. John immediately takes his hand off Barbara’s shoulder and walks away.

Barbara stands back a moment and takes a better look at the people around her.

It looks like many of the people who are standing around are new arrivals. They seem more suspicious than the earlier arrivals. And while Paddy is still acting like his jovial self, there is something more serious and commanding in his air.

BARBARA

Why are you covering the trucks?

PADDY

We should have done this from day one.

JJ

Yeah.

Barbara notices some looks being exchanged by the onlookers. She walks away off towards the end of the road where there are unfinished houses.

EXT. OUTSIDE LARGE UNFINISHED HOUSE AT THE END OF THE ROAD

The workman who told Twimii she couldn’t use the truck is telling some man, DAVID, they don’t need his help and he can’t take a look inside the building because only people working on a building are allowed inside.

The windows of this unfinished house are covered with sheets of plastic. The plastic looks like it was once see through but dust and dirt has now made it opaque. The front door area is covered in strips of this same plastic. As workers walk in and out of the building it’s possible to catch a glimpses of the interior.

As Barbara is walking up towards this house, David walks away from the front door and the workman after a moment turns and walks back into the house, allowing Barbara get a glimpse of the interior.

The interior is fairly typical of an unfinished house, bare concrete floor and walls, exposed beams. But halfway down the hallway there seems to be a phone on a desk, like the one in Maura’s house. A workman is standing with his back to the door and he has the receiver to his ear.

Barbara sees just a glimpse before the strips of plastic once again completely obscure the view.

David is walking slowly away, looking disappointed, and looking regretfully at a truck nearby. Barbara walks up to him.

BARBARA

Hi.

DAVID

Oh hi. I was just … looking to help out?

BARBARA

I’m no use to you. They won’t let me do anything. … Did you get a look inside?

DAVID

No. - I wasn’t looking to[]

BARBARA

I came here the first day. I’m not … one of the people who were here beforehand. Did you just arrive last night?

David nods. He glances around back at the house and at the now covered trucks.

BARBARA

I’m Barbara.

DAVID

David.

BARBARA

Welcome to the neighbourhood.

David nods with a half-smile and then he suddenly remembers something and looks at Barbara.

DAVID

Wait, are you the Barbara? The one who got high and walked into the fog?

BARBARA

I was not high.

DAVID

No judgement here.

A different workman walks out of the house with a half filled bag of cement over one shoulder. Barbara looks past David trying to see through the front door. The workman drops the bag on the ground and heads back inside. Barbara is watching closely trying to see the phone again, but there is now a ladder or something inside the door and it’s impossible to see far in.

BARBARA

Did you see a phone in the hallway?

DAVID

I didn’t see anything.

BARBARA

I’d love to have some idea of what’s going on.

David nods. The workman comes out with another bag and drops it on the ground and heads back inside.

DAVID

I was offering to help out, hoping to get access to their tools, maybe one of the trucks.

Barbara looks back at the covered truck.

DAVID

Not those trucks.

BARBARA

Did something happen last night? Why are they covering them?

David looks back at the house and motions to Barbara to follow him as he walks away.

The covered trucks start up and are heading out.

DAVID

Two people climbed out. While it was moving. We couldn’t see what happened to them. But by the sounds … It wasn’t anything good.

BARBARA

Why climb out when it was moving? Why get on board in the first place?

DAVID

It felt like the fog kinda pushed us into the trucks. Like some of us had arranged things so we felt we could ride out whatever the hell this is. I had ropes set up that I could use to get around and I had lights. Something destroyed all that just a short time before the trucks rolled in. And a lot of people had similar things happen. In the truck I was in we were swapping stories, guessing what’s happening. And these two lads, I think they were brothers, I don’t know, they just decided to get off the truck.

David goes quiet for a moment.

DAVID

They didn’t stop. They didn’t even slow down. Even though some people were screaming at them to. - And when we got here that JJ went up to Paddy, you know the big fella?

Barbara nods.

DAVID

He says “We lost two.” He hadn’t checked the truck. He hadn’t spoken to us. The other fella, Danny?, he hadn’t counted us or anything. Neither of them said anything. They knew two people got off. They heard the screams. They didn’t stop. They didn’t do anything. … They act like they’re rescuing us. But they don’t care if we live or die.

BARBARA

He must have seen them in the mirror or something. - And maybe stopping would have put everyone in danger.

David shakes his head, unconvinced.

BARBARA

Danny came here with me the first day. He’s an intern where I work. He couldn’t be part of what’s going on here.