Week 10, Day 68 - “The Machine Also Rises”

“The Machine Also Rises”
Written by Joe Janes
3/27/09
68 of 365

CAST:
John, teens
Reese, 30s
Terminator
Old man with rifle

(In the dark, we hear gunshots and a truck squealing to a halt. Lights up on John, winded. Reese is in a truck that has pulled up next to him. He swings open the passenger door.)

REESE

Come with me if you want to live.

(More gunshots are heard offstage.)

JOHN

Okay.

(John hops in the truck and they take off.)

JOHN (continuing)
Who are you?

REESE

My name is Reese. I’m from the future.

JOHN

The future?

REESE

That’s right. I was sent here to save your life.

JOHN

Who sent you?

REESE

You did.

JOHN

But I don’t even know you.

REESE

Future you sent me.

JOHN

But if I’m alive in the future, then I must not die. So, I’m going to be okay.

REESE

Not necessarily. They sent an assassin back in time to kill you in order to change the future.

JOHN

Why not just kill me in the future?

REESE

Well, you cause a lot of problems. You lead a whole rebellion against all the machines.

JOHN

The machines. Toasters try to oppress us?

REESE

Yeah. Okay. Let me back up. Machines take over the world. Super computers. There are a group of humans that resist. You’re our leader.

JOHN

Are we winning?

REESE

Not really.

JOHN

Then what does it matter? Why did machines send some guy back in time to kill me?

REESE

They’re just trying to be efficient. And it’s not a guy. He’s a machine, too. A terminator.

JOHN
A terminator?

REESE

Yes. He won’t stop until he’s completed his mission. He’s unstoppable.

JOHN

O-kay. If I’m such a great leader, why didn’t I send you back in time, like, oh, YESTERDAY, before this unstoppable machine guy started taking shots at me?

REESE

Uh – I don’t know. That probably would have been a good idea. You should have thought of that.

JOHN

And why now? Why not before I was born? Kill my mother or something.

REESE

They tried that. In fact, my brother is your father.

JOHN

I sent some guy back in time and he binked my mother?

REESE

Yeah. You were pissed, but also not pissed, because of he hadn’t, you wouldn’t have been born. Hey, I’m your uncle! How about that? Do you have any orders for me?

JOHN

Yeah, stay off my mother.

REESE

I’ll try. But your mom is hot.

JOHN

Stop the truck.

REESE

What?

JOHN

Stop the truck! That’s an order.

(Reese stops the truck and John steps out. Reese does, too.)

REESE

We can’t just stop. That thing is right on our tail.

JOHN

Good. He can kill me. The future sucks. Future me is an idiot. My mom’s a slut.

(An armed terminator, classic Arnold in leather jacket and sunglasses, enters.)

TERMINATOR

Are you John Connor?

JOHN

Yes. Shoot me already.

TERMINATOR

Come with me, if you want to live.

REESE

Too late, metal head. I’m already here saving his ass.

JOHN

Who sent you here to save me?

TERMINATOR

You did. About a week after you sent this man.

JOHN

Why did I do that?

TERMINATOR

He sleeps with your mom. It pisses you off.

JOHN

Don’t they have any poontang in the future?

REESE

We do, but, man, if a guy gets a chance to nail John Connor’s mom…that’s like laying history. It’s patriotic.

TERMINATOR

I agree. I plan on nailing her myself.

JOHN

But you’re a machine.

TERMINATOR

Yah. A sex machine. Would you put in a good word with your mom?

JOHN

If you’re here to save me, then who was shooting at me?

(Old Man with gun enters.)

OLD MAN

I was.

(Old Man points a rifle at John. Both Terminator and Reese fill him with bullets. Old Man drops the gun and stumbles into John’s arms. )

JOHN

You’re not a machine. Who are you?

OLD MAN

I’m you in the future.

JOHN

Why did you try to kill me?

OLD MAN

Tired…of…all…the bullshit. I used to be a lone orphan. I’ve sent so many people back in time; I now have eight brothers and some weird cyborg vacuum cleaner thing thanks to this jerk.

JOHN

Why not just kill yourself in the future?

OLD MAN

Oh. Damn. I didn’t think of that.

(He dies. Blackout.)