VIRUS

Written by Jafei Pollitt

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VIRUS - Person in a giant VIRUS suit...(COVID)

TOM

WENDY

WAITER

RESTAURANT GUESTS

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INT. RESTAURANT - DAY

TOM and WENDY sit inside a nice, Italian restaurant. They have no masks on and look over the menu.

TOM

Thank god we can do this again.

WENDY

All that fuss over a stupid flu.

A waiter arrives in a mask. He tries to stand back at least 6 feet.

WAITER

Hello, folks. Are we ready to order?

WENDY

What did you say?

WAITER

(louder)

Are you folks ready to order?

TOM

Geeze, can barely get through that thing, can ya? Take it off, we’re not dangerous.

TOM chuckles and looks at his wife who smirks.

WAITER

Thank you, but no thank you.

WENDY scowls at the WAITER's refusal to not comply.

WENDY

Right. Well then. Yes, I think we’re ready to order. Hon?

TOM

Yeah - I’ll have the steak. Medium-rare.

The waiter writes on his pad.

WENDY

And I’ll have the -

We hear a cough across the restaurant. The couple is oblivious, the waiter becomes worried.

WENDY

Hmm. I’ll have the Ceaser salad with light dressing, please.

WAITER

Fantastic, and anything to drink?

We hear a small, distant yelling. It sounds like it’s coming from where the man coughed earlier.

WENDY

Malbec.

TOM

Bourbon on the -

The yelling gets louder. We hear tables being crashed into and people shrieking.

TOM, WENDY, and the WAITER turn to see the ruckus. The VIRUS is bouncing around from table to table, slapping people hard across the face. VIRUS laughs maniacally. It gets closer and closer to the couple.

WAITER

Oh god! I knew it!

The WAITER runs out the door. TOM and WENDY look at each other.

TOM

Don’t worry, hon. It won’t touch us. Remember, we did our bleach shots this morning?

The VIRUS makes its way through the restaurant. People try to run from it, but it grabs them by the collar and pulls them back to slap.

Finally, the VIRUS comes bounding up to TOM and WENDY’s table. It stops and looks at them intently.

TOM

Nothing to fear dear. We’re safe-

The VIRUS hits TOM hard against the face. WENDY screams.

VIRUS turns to WENDY and she cowers in fear. The VIRUS stops. He leans in close to her face.

VIRUS

Shame, isn’t it? Should’ve stayed at home.

(it takes in a deep sniff of her hair)

Mmmm, I smell bleach.

VIRUS coughs onto her face and she falls over.

VIRUS continues to infect the restaurant and yell.

END