Gravedigger is the eleventh episode of Roots of Decay the prequel series of Walking Dead the Survival.
Synnopsis[]
A growing group led by a future madman finds a powerhouse in a broken man who digs in a world overflowing with the dead..
Episode[]
We open with a low shot of a graveyard in the country side somewhere. In the distance the sound of screams, panic and chaos. There is also another sound, a rhythmic sound, that repeats in sequence. Its hard to make out what it is at first.
Tobias v.o: Tragedy demands a heavy price in a time of crisis.
We pan over a group of bodies drapped in sheets; eight in all. Three are children while the others are adults. The sheets are bloody from bite marks and head injuries that look like they were made by a blunt object. We soon relies what the sound is; the sound of someone digging graves.
Tobias v.o: Life, friends, sanity all are easy pickings when the world goes to Hell.
We pull upward to reveal the back of the digger to be Diego. His clothing is found overalls but his actual clothing lies in a bloody bundle near the bodies. It soon becomes apparent he has killed the bodies and from the blank stare of shock on his face and drying tears they were close to him.
Man: Now why the hell did we come this way again ?
Man 2: Dude we have to scout the path for Cole and the others remember.
Man: I know that, but its a cemetery for Christ sake! Walker central.
Man 2: Jay has fucked up as things are at the moment it aint night of the living dead, news said nothing about corpses crawling out of graves.
Jay: Well those things chowing down on anything with a pulse sure look like they came out of a Romero flick Roland.
His voice comes close to a shout and Roland clamps his hand over his mouth, eyes scanning the area in caution for anything unfriendly.
Roland: Will you keep it down; those pricks may not be big in the brains department but they hear well enough.
He releases his hold and the other man gives him an annoyed look.
Jay: Ass... wait what that ?
They have come close enough to hear the digging of Diego's shovel. The large man has dug a sizeable hole that could easily hold the eight bodies and perhaps some more. Aside from a light sheen of perspiration he does not even look eshausted.
Diego: Not long now.
He turns to pick up the nearest body of one of the children. He pauses, at the sound of a gun click.
Roland: Up slowly.
Diego looks up to a pair of feet before riseing slowly to face the two men.
Roland: What you doing with those bodies?
Diego does not say anything; only stares at the to men with blank eyes.
Jay: You deaf or something my friend asked you a question.
Still no response has things fade to black. A note appears that says 24 hours ago.
We come in to the sound of a radio and children laughing, we see Diego's point of view has he unloads canned goods into a warehouse like area. He pauses momentarily to rest and watch the children play.
Sister Angeline: Is that that the last of them Diego?
He turns to face the young nun who is dressed in normal clothing; only a cross around her neck and the fact Diego knows her lets you know she is a woman of faith.
Diego: Yes, I should have the van unloaded within the hour.
He turns to continue working only for the woman to place a hand on his shoulder.
Sister Angeline: Are you sure we cant convince you to stay the night at least? The roads have become dangerous these last few weeks.
Diego: I will be fine Sister, I have no intention of taking the main roads..... those will be a death trap now.
His face has a haunted look to it and the nun smile weakly.
Sister Angeline: You are good man Diego, God has watched over you your entire life.... even if it does not feel that way now.
Diego looks to the distance to a large city and smoke clouding around it.
Diego: Im not sure he's watching much of anyone these days.
Marco: Angeline, Angeline.....
A little boy of a bout ten runs up to the pair, panic and fear on his face.
Sister Angeline: Marco what is it... one of the creatures?
Marco: No, people.... they have Tara... they said we have to give them shelter or we cant have her back.
The two adults share a concerned glance between one another and hurry to follow the boy to the playground of what is revealed to be a small church and school. The rest of the children have either been picked up by parents, fled or are unkown. Only another girl of about six is vissable; hiding under a slide from a man holding an eight year old girl under his arm. In his other arm he has a shotgun and has a wild look about him and is bloody. Behind him is a small crowd of nervous and anxious people; not looters but they look scared and desperate.
Man: I said I want to speak to whose in charge here now! (points his gun at the girl's head) You think I'm joking here!
Sister Angeline: What.... put the girl down now.
The man turn to face Angeline and Diego.
Man: Finaly.
He drops the girl who scambles over to the adults and into the grip of the nun.
Diego: What's the meaning of this.
Man points his gun at Diego.
Man: The meaning... the meaning is your house is now our house.
Sister Angeline: What this is a church and a school. We are not a refuge.
Man: Ever heard the term Sanctuary for all?
He indicates Diego.
Man: We saw that one loading up the place with food, your planning on stick around.
Diego: Its just school food and a little for the sisters for the next month until things blow over.
Woman in the crowd: Your lieing, your planning to ride it out while those things rip us to bits.
The crowd rumbles in angry panic.
Sister Angeline: Please, there is no need for violence... we can give you supplies just let the children....
Before she can continue a shot rings out from the crowd forcing her back.
Woman in the crowd: No you stay there...
Man 2: There coming....
The angry roar of the crowd had been masking another more dangerous sound than that of panicked people... a walker heard. Diego can just make out the heard in the distance before a swath of desperate people surge him, the three children and Sister Angeline.
Everything fades to black but we get a quick succession of shots of Diego trying to defend the sister and the children, fighting men, walkers and the last shot of him bloody and enraged.
Cole v.o: My friend asked you a question.
Diego shakes his head to find Cole with a gun pointed at the unblinking Diego.
Diego: I did what I had to.
Cole grins.
Cole: I think I can use a man a like you.
End