Five Miles: Examining The Sky

Hello, everyone! It has been a long time since I posted here. I was finishing a story on another site, which was a long monster (71 chapters and over 450+ pages) and job searching (going horribly). I thought it was just be a few weeks, but it turned into a few months. I lost my beloved cat. I'm having burning pain and numbness in my limbs (both arms and legs). I'm not letting it stop me. I apologize for not uploading. I haven't forgotten about Vocal. I don't mind being a forgotten fart in the wind. I also left Vocal+, only returning once I have some stability again. Thanks for reading the script. To help with attention span, I only add a few scenes per act. Script format is being translated to suit Vocal's format.

I will get back to part two in the Below Zero series as soon as possible.

This script is based on a story I had written in 2014 (I was in middle school). Of course, I revised it to make it a better story. It's still a non-final draft. Mistakes and inaccuracies will still be present.

RATING: PG-13. Any content advisement will be said before the script.

-----

Prologue Scene

BLACK SCREEN.

TEXT APPEARS ON SCREEN: 03/29/2029

> FADE IN:

INT. WEATHER YOUTUBER'S PC

ONLY THE PC SCREEN IS SHOWN AS IF A YOUTUBER IS SCREEN SHARING ON THEIR COMPUTER.

The YouTuber has a few tabs opened up on his PC. The one he is on right now is a future cast of pressure, winds, temperatures, and storms, including tornadoes. He is speaking into the microphone.

YOUTUBER (O.C.): Good morning, everyone. I am here to review the impending forecast for the Easter weekend.

He shows the pressure and temperature changes.

YOUTUBER (O.C.) (CONT'D): There will be a heatwave for the south, potentially going up in the 90s with some humidity. As for now, it's almost average Easter weather. There's mixed rainfall and snow in the northeast while snow in the northwest.

[Beat.]

YOUTUBER (O.C.) (CONT'D): The wind shear will also change. Once the high-pressure systems move away, there's a possibility it will erupt storms.

He changes to the tornado probability.

YOUTUBER (O.C.) (CONT'D): For Friday and Saturday, tornado probability is basically nonexistent on the radar. Don't lose awareness. Sometimes, looking outside your window is better than seeing what's on radar. On Easter, there are going to be elevated changes in the south, especially in Mississippi and Alabama. These storms also have a chance to produce hail and damaging winds in the afternoon areas. If you're out collecting eggs, I suggest you do it in the morning, when it's still a bit cool and the weather is more fair.

He clicks on the Severe Weather Outlook.

YOUTUBER (O.C.) (CONT'D): As of now, Friday and Saturday only have a marginal risk. (audible breath) On Monday, there's an enhanced risk for Mississippi and Alabama. There are chances for supercells to fire off and move southeast. I have a feeling that the outlook for that area will change, either for the better or for the worse. Mostly, the latter. Therefore, I recommend checking for any rising severity because it does change when meteorologists and the National Weather Service do more checking because it's best to be sure of what's going to happen in the forest...

> FADE OUT WHILE HE IS STILL TALKING.

Scene 1: Reexaming the Sky

EXT. PIKEFIELD, ALABAMA- MONDAY

DATE: 04/01/2029 IS SHOWN ON SCREEN.

Meteorologists, JIM (57) and NORRA (37), are setting up the balloon instruments and Doppler radar (attached to the van) to recheck the results again before the storms blow up. Jim has a slightly round stomach. His hair is brown and a bit gray. Norra has short orange hair. Both of them are wearing plain short-sleeve shirts and short pants. It's sunny with barely any clouds.

NORRA: It's almost nice out.

Jim stops setting up the balloon and stares at her oddly, who is still working on the radar.

JIM: 'Nice'? Are you nuts?

NORRA: Sure, it's hot for a morning, but tolerable.

JIM: For now... It will heat up, melt the Easter Bunny, and fry the eggs. It will also be a perfect rod for storms. The humidity is bad. I'm surprised they didn't issue a heat advisory or something.

Jim resumes working.

NORRA: It's only going to be like this for a day. The following are going to be in the sixties or seventies.

The balloon launches, and they head back to the truck and wait for results.

JIM: Any plans for the Easter Holiday?

NORRA: (shakes her head while checking her phone) Not really.

JIM: Any family gatherings, parties, or even a barbecue?

NORRA: (still looking at her phone) No. (puts her phone away and looks at Jim) My family are in Europe. Mom and Dad are in Scotland, my brother is in Finland, and my aunt and uncle live in Sweden.

JIM: Any video calls?

NORRA: Perhaps.

JIM: What made you come to the States?

NORRA: College.

JIM: Do you like it here?

NORRA: Somewhat... Some of your civilization characteristics are crazy, but I'll live.

JIM: Weather borrows our craziness. The longer we stay here, the crazier it gets.

NORRA: Even random lightning?

JIM: Yes, mainly from a parent thunderstorm ten miles away. The rest are people turning into giants.

It takes a bit before it finally clicks for Norra.

NORRA: Funny. That's been finished for a couple of years now--still a legend.

Fifteen minutes went by. Norra checks the laptops to see if the results arrived.

NORRA (CONT'D): (gently flicking the screen) For 2029, you expect technology to be working very fast. We usually get them by now, especially if work is important.

JIM: We are living in a ghost town, so maybe ghosts are hogging up the service.

NORRA: We should start charging them.

JIM: (chuckles) We can't. They have an unbeatable VPN.

NORRA: Hell's bells...

The results finally come in, and they check them.

JIM: Looks like it's going to be a long day. Let's see how exciting it will be when the balloon results kick in.

NORRA: By the looks of it, there is an elevated risk of damaging winds, large hail, and strong tornadoes. Tornado outbreak is possible.

Norra starts typing away at the keyboard.

NORRA (CONT'D): Paging our findings to our colleagues. Moderate to high risk is on the table.

JIM: We didn't have an EF5 since the Moore one in 2013. I guess the time has come for another one.

NORRA: The storm chasers will have a field day on this one, including us.

JIM: More like F around and find out.

>CUT TO:

Scene 3: The Nadoheads

LOCATION: COVINGTON, LOUISIANA.

The Nadoheads' truck is pristine looking. In the back, there are small glass globe probes. The license plate reveals that they are from Texas. They traveled to another state to get closer to higher-risk areas.

The team, JORDON (23) and PAULINE (21), sit inside the truck at a gas station. Jordon has short, dark, thick hair and is wearing summer casual clothing with a grey color-scale. Pauline wears an orange short-sleeved shirt and short jeans. She has straight, brown hair. Their partner, HAYDEN (29), stands outside the open car door on Pauline's side, staring at the radar and the warnings. He is wearing a baseball t-shirt with a white-blue striped flannel and long-sleeve pants.

JORDON: (pointing at the laptop) There's a high-risk majority in Alabama and some parts of Mississippi, too.

PAULINE: The scales suggest these storms will be high-precipitation supercells.

[Beat.]

PAULINE (CONT'D): Once the cap breaks, the storms will fire off like a rocket, giving them a head start before the front. Supercells are possible. National Weather Service informed us that the squall line will also include tornadoes.

HAYDEN: (hesitant) What would we do if there was a large tornado? Should we nope out?

Pauline and Jordon look at Hayden. The expressions vary: Pauline expects this from him, and Jordon's face reads that he better be joking.

PAULINE: Only when the situation gets too dangerous. We will observe our current position and find escape routes to avoid the tornado's path.

HAYDEN: But Jordon often turns back into the tornado.

Jordon glare darkens at Hayden.

HAYDEN: We got hit by the outer winds of the tornado when we charged at it rain-wrapped last year. You even saw on the radar, Paulie, that there was rotation, and you didn't say anything.

JORDON: (annoyed) I was trying to escape-

HAYDEN: You never mentioned you were.

JORDON: (raises his hand at him) Let me finish... You forgot to take into account that if we headed north, we would hit large hail. West and east are part of the tornado's proximity, so the only way--

HAYDEN: Hail is not as dangerous as getting hit by a tornado. We are inside the vehicle. (picks up eye-protection glasses) And, we got glasses and helmets.

JORDON: Even with my car insurance, I still have to pay a lot to fix it. Hail has more range than a tornado. (carelessly shrugs) It was just an EF1.

Hayden's face shows he doesn't believe him.

HAYDEN: Every time you try to stray, you end up going closer to it. There were many escape routes. You do like taking very close shots of tornadoes.

Jordon doesn't say anything, probably because Hayden is right.

HAYDEN: With storms like today, we shouldn't risk using that escape route or dangerously approaching one for better footage.

JORDON: Fine, Hay, whatever.

[Beat.]

HAYDEN: What time are they supposed to start?

PAULINE: (glimpses back at radar) After one in the afternoon.

HAYDEN: Where are we going?

JORDON: Alabama.

HAYDEN: I mean the exact location.

JORDON: (groans) Anywhere with a nearby storm cell. We will drive through the state to catch storms.

[Beat.]

JORDON (CONT'D): You're in the backseat. Pauline is in the front. You're also on camera holding duty. No backseat driving!

PAULINE: Jordon, we are two hours away. I suggest you will have to start driving.

JORDON: (to Hayden) Get back in the truck. We're moving!

HAYDEN: (shutting Pauline's door and hurrying into the backseat) Alright.

THE SHOT NOW SHOWS THE EXTERIOR OF THE TRUCK AS JORDON STARTS THE TRUCK AND DRIVES AWAY.

HAYDEN (CONT'D): Let's go.