EXT. PARK (2005) - DAY
Alexander sits unnoticed in the Time Machine as he watches a
group of schoolchildren and their teacher gathering around
the informational kiosk. It is a public information booth
with a video screen showing the word VOX. A glowing red blip
within the "O".
The Vox kiosk is activated when the TEACHER steps in front of
a sensor eye.
VOX KIOSK (V.O.)
May I help you?
TEACHER
Yes, please... tell us about the
terraforming.
The children watch, delighted, as images of the moon and
renderings and videos of some massive engineering project
appear on the Vox screen.
VOX KIOSK (V.O.)
The joint United Nations/Microsoft
terraforming operation began nine
months ago with the Moon Base Alpha
landings. After establishing
Plymouth Center the terraformers
began colony construction. Can I
tell you more?
CHILD
What are they doing now?
Alexander watches, stunned. A machine that converses with
people.
VOX KIOSK (V.O.)
Currently, the terraformers are
preparing the first excavation
demolitions for the subterranean
chambers. It is projected that the
first lunar colonists should be
landing within the decade. Can I
tell you more?
Alexander gapes at the Vox kiosk. Magnificent renderings of
a vast underground metropolis. People living on the moon.
He must see this grand adventure out. He presses on...
TIME TRAVEL
But almost immediately the Time Machine is lurching and
buffeting -- a strange darkness spreading over it as air raid
sirens scream --
Alexander is alarmed -- he begins to pull back on the control
lever -- the date on the display clicks to: AUGUST 26, 2007.
And Alexander and the Time Machine suddenly topple over as
the ground lurches below them --
EXT. PARK (2007) - DAY
Alexander looks up from the grass...
Right into the eyes of a small albino alligator.
The alligator blinks at him and then slithers off, a brood of
other alligators with it.
Alexander glances to the street -- sees an enormous pack of
rats emerging from a sewer drain -- a thick, undulating
carpet of rats --
And Alexander feels the vibrations. The earth, a steady
rumble. His eye is drawn to a small puddle of water near
him. The water swirls around strangely and then -- whoosh --
forms into a vortex and spirals away into the sky --
Alexander follows the water with his eyes and finally sees
it...
The Moon.
Filling the sky as if it were falling toward the Earth.
Parts of the moon are beginning to sheer off -- violently
peeling away like the skin of an onion -- as it impacts the
gravitational Roche Limit, 7,300 miles above the Earth. (The
moon is currently 230,000 miles above the Earth.)
The people on the street race around, tense and desperate,
flowing along the streets and sidewalks. National Guard
soldiers are trying to retain order, urgent voices into
megaphones --
Alexander hauls himself up -- and races into the mob --
EXT. STREET (2007) - DAY
He grabs a man --
ALEXANDER
What's going on -- ?!
The Man pulls away from him, terrified -- Alexander is
bustled along the sidewalk in the mass of people -- He turns
to a woman:
ALEXANDER
Please tell me -- what's
happening?!
She ignores him -- he is buffeted along in the mob of people
-- then, a voice, remarkably calm in the chaos, a familiar
voice:
CALM VOICE
May I help you?... May I help
you?... May I help you?...
Alexander pushes his way through the frenzy of people toward
the voice. Finds himself at...
The front steps of the Fifth Avenue New York Public Library.
The twin stone lions looming over the chaos on the street.
The calm voice is coming from another Vox kiosk, an upgrade
of the one he saw previously. Alexander unintentionally
activates the unit by stepping in front of a red sensor eye.
VOX KIOSK (V.O.)
May I help you?
ALEXANDER
I -- what are you?!
VOX KIOSK (V.O.)
I am the Fifth Avenue Public
Library informational kiosk. VOX
registration NY-114. May I help
you?
ALEXANDER
What's happening to the moon?!
Informational videos appear on the screen, showing the cause
and horror of the moon's fall, as:
VOX KIOSK (V.O.)
The 2005 terraforming demolitions
for the lunar excavations sent the
moon into a diminishing retrograde
orbit resulting in global
gravitational fluctuations,
increased seismic activity and
tidal anomalies. Can I tell you
more?
ALEXANDER
No -- wait -- the moon's falling
out of orbit -- that's not
possible!
VOX KIOSK (V.O.)
Well, considering it is, in fact,
happening, I would assume it's
possible. The retrograde orbit
began in 2005 when the demolitions
for the lunar colonies --
ALEXANDER
Why is it -- breaking up?
VOX KIOSK (V.O.)
I was getting to that... The moon
has reached the gravitational Roche
Limit, 7,300 miles above the
surface of the Earth. This has
created pressure on the lunar
stratum beyond gravitational
tolerances. It might be helpful to
know that the nearest public
evacuation shelters can be found at
Grand Central Station, Madison
Square Garden --
Then -- behind Alexander -- the entire street EXPLODES up --
the asphalt twisting crazily -- people tossed through the
air --
And Hell has come to earth.
