Script 06: Reverse Reproach

Logline

A security guard with low self-esteem has to put that aside as he leads civilians, police, and the army in fighting 7 foot roaches that cause humans to shrink to 1 foot tall because of a roach spray mistake.

Synopsis

Michael comes in his house and turns the light as roaches scatter all over the place. He falls asleep and the phone rings. Helen reminds him of their date. He takes her to the movies. There is a roach on her that must have followed him from home which she kills while he is getting food. He takes a phone number from the girl (Sarah) behind the counter. There is a commercial on the screen about this new roach spray coming out tomorrow. Michael puts his arm around her checking his clothes for roaches.

In another part of the city, Mr. and Mrs. Dobbins are on the couch eating.  Mrs. Dobbins complains about how messy he and her son are because they have roaches. Michael takes Helen back to his place, but he has trouble hiding from her the fact that he has roaches, so he takes her to her home. She lets him stay there. A commercial come on tv about the new roach spray.

In another area, Mr. and Mrs. Goode are eating and watching TV.  A roach is on his food. She knocks his food on the floor and steps on it. Somewhere else, Mrs. Harris comes into the kitchen and sees a mess everywhere. She sprays roaches with windex. Darryl comes in and picks up the cat after the cat eats a roach. Mr. Harris promises to buy the new roach spray.

The next day, Michael and Helen go to buy the roach spray. The thing is the first 15 are on sale. After that, it is full price. Michael goes to a store to buy the roach spray, but he is number 17. He goes to another store, and he is number 21. He goes to another store, but he is too late. He blames Helen for not having enough money to buy the roach spray at regular price. He drops her at the bus stop.

Pamela Fenton pours cereal for herself. Their dog comes through the dog door, sees a roach, barks, and steps on it. He then eats it. He then licks Patrick.

 Michael goes to Sarah’s house. He walks in and calls out to her. He goes into the kitchen and sees no one. He sees the new roach spray on the counter. The cabinet door slowly opens. It’s a 7 foot roach. He grabs a knife and fights with the roach finally killing it. He sees another roach growing. He hears someone yelling. Sarah is 1 foot tall! He grabs her, runs out the house, tosses her into the car, and drives off. There are 7 foot roaches everywhere.

Michael drives to a TV station but they don’t believe him. Michael goes to another TV station, but they didn’t believe him either until Mrs. Scoop, the anchorwoman, gets a phone call. She goes on the air with her story without her studio’s blessing. Helen is about to use the roach spray when Mrs. Scoop comes on the TV with a warning. For others, it was too late. 7 foot roaches are wreaking havoc in houses all over the city.

Mrs. Scoop is fired, but that doesn’t stop her from stealing the helicopter and flying across the city reporting the news and filming the roach infested city.

 Michael takes Sarah to his house where the roaches are normal and leaves. “He has to save the city.”

Police Commander is having a meeting with his officers and warns them so keep their sunglasses on. Sunglasses are the only way to keep people from shrinking. Michael goes to the roach spray company. They don’t let him by, so he crashes the gate to inside. Cashiers are taking the roach spray off the shelves.

 Unaware of the news, a trucker picks up the roach spray cans, stacks them on his truck, and drives off.

 Police are all over the city shooting at roaches. Some 1 foot families are unsuccessfully trying to survive 7 foot roaches. Helen has normal roaches in her house because she did not use the spray. She kills those roaches but 7 foot roaches hear this and come to their rescue. They can communicate with each other. Sarah, now a foot tall, struggles to kill the normal size roaches in the house.

The police car carrying Michael, who was arrested for breaking in the spray company, are surrounded by roaches. The cop shrinks from viewing the roach without glasses. Michael gets some of the policeman’s guns and shoots them to get away.

 1 foot Darryl Harris and Pamela Fenton find each other while surviving their personal attacks.

The roach spray manager and president put their heads together to see if they can come up with a new roach spray that can clean up this mess. In the Dobbins’ house, they are 1 foot tall. Mr. Stewart comes in from next door with his dog to help them but not before he shrinks. Mrs. Goode is normal while Mr. Goode has shrunk. They think it is over and start to eat. They encounter roaches and she shrinks.

Police and S. W. A. T. are trying to defend the city, but they are losing. But with the choppers, the police are finally starting to get the upper hand.  They go about shooting and blowing up the roaches.

The truck carrying the roach spray cans crashes into a building. Roach spray goes everywhere. Roaches all over the building start to grow.

Helen is hiding in her attic. The bigger roaches break the door and hold her down. A small roach climbs on her. Michael burst through the door and shoots them. She gets up and stomps the little roach. “Pick on a roach your own size.”

A police from earlier goes home and sees 7 foot roaches carrying roach spray can boxes. He calls it in. A chopper comes over and shoots them. The roaches are getting ready to make their next big stand as roaches start to grow again. The police commander asks the fire chief who is in the area for help.

 The fireman and chief help the police kill roaches in the area. A policeman runs away with the boxes while the fireman holds off the roaches, but he doesn’t get far before he shrinks. However, he does find a place where the main 7 foot roaches have gathered and calls it in. The chopper blows up the roaches but there are still boxes that have not been destroyed. Choppers are shooting and blowing up roaches but they go down as roaches are being slung into the choppers. Upon hearing that the chemist of the spray company has finally created a new spray to fight the giant roaches, the choppers are redirected.

The choppers are reloaded with new roach spray . 7 foot roaches walk around the city with the last roach cans. The choppers spray the roach spray until they run out. Nothing yet. 1 foot Sarah goes to step on a roach and it just dies. 7 foot and regular size roaches die all over the city. The next day, there are dead roaches all over the city. Normal sized and 1 foot people are cleaning up roaches inside and outside. The tv producer reports the news in spite of firing the anchorwoman. Others take pictures and selfies with the roaches. Michael helps Sarah clean up her apartment.