I am Legend

Feast on her. Let the blood give you strength.

Your brother's spirit will live within you. Go. Drink.

The ten move on the female like vultures to carrion. She SCREAMS and within moments, she is drained. The other Hemocytes link hands and surround the warriors. Cortman approaches the body of the female, a last glimmer of life in her eyes. He whispers...

CORTMAN

This is not a punishment. It is a gift.

His talons puncture her heart. The talons RECEDE and her blood forms a pool in the "cup' of Cortman's hand.

CORTMAN

You have been chosen on this night of

glorious darkness to do battle with an

anachronism. our nemesis. Say his name.

Together, the warriors chant, "Neville."

CORTMAN

Allow the blood to flow through you, allow

its power to strengthen your limbs,

your flesh, your soul. Feel its beauty.

Feel its immense force.

Fueled by the fresh blood, the bodies of the ten men and women seem to grow in mass and muscle. Their skin thickens, forming a kind of flesh armor. They open their eyes and they are red with ferocity, Cortman raises his own hand to his mouth, drinks, and kisses each warrior on the mouth.

CORTMAN

Feel the power.

He repeats this down the line, and when finished, the warriors are frighteningly pumped up, their bodies and spirits now adrenalized with terrible dark energy.

Everyone chants, "Ne-ville". Again and again - "Ne-ville". Cortman signals the DRUMMERS who begin an accelerated beat, an accompaniment to combat. Like magnificent predatory beasts, the TEN WARRIORS MOVE across the barren landscape and gather at the OUTSIDE FENCE. Cortman stands atop the promontory and points at the house.

CORTMAN

DESTROY THE DEVIL!

The warriors SCREAM.

EXT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - ROOF - NIGHT

A dark intensity in his eyes, Neville watches the perimeter. The HOWLING and DRUMMING of the Hemocytes echoes through the night sky. He does his best to block it out. Block it out.

IN THE DISTANCE, LONG POLES are RAISED against the outer fence. The TEN climb, reaching the razor-wired crest.

Neville looks through his INFRA-RED SIGHT, finds the CHEST of one warrior and FIRES three rounds--two find the heart. The warrior drops. NEVILLE SEARCHES for another target.

ATOP THE FENCE, the warriors struggle to avoid lacerating themselves with the razor wire. THREE STRONG HEMOCYTES LEAP OVER THE WIRE and land in the compound, avoiding the row of PIKES before the moat.

ON THE ROOF, Neville switches on SUPER BRIGHT LIGHTS aimed at the outer fence. (We notice a considerable DIMMING of other lights in and around the house--these lamps draw power).

ATOP THE FENCE, SIX HEMOCYTES are BLINDED by the light. One loses his footing and FALLS BACK onto the exterior PIKES, horribly impaled. Another BADLY CUTS HIMSELF on the razor wire. The blood loss is too great and the warrior nearest him--a BEAUTIFUL FEMALE--wills it to her, drawing the fuel into her mouth, into her system, and LEAPS into the compound.

IN THE CROW'S NEST, Neville removes the sight and uses the high-intensity lamps to seek out the THREE remaining Hemocytes on the fence. He SHOOTS. HITS one square in the chest, dropping him. SHOOTS. Bullets tear into the flesh of another, but they're off-center and the WOUNDS HEAL. This Hemocyte leaps, joining the others inside the compound.

The last of the three jumps down, but NEVILLE FIRES, catching her in mid-flight, spinning her off-balance. She tries to correct her fall, but lands on the INTERIOR PIKES. Her body is SPEARED in three different places, but she's still alive.

ON THE ROOF, Neville SHUTS OFF the high-intensity lamps (returning power to the other utilities). Inside the inner perimeter, the DOG BARKS, alerting Neville to the FIVE HEMOCYTES who made it into the compound.

NEVILLE

I know, I know.

He climbs through the hatch into the house.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Neville propels himself down the spiral staircase and moves to the MONITORING STATION- On the closed-circuit screens, we can see FOGGY IMAGES of Cortman and his followers outside the compound, IMAGES of the FIVE HEMOCYTES just inside the compound, and THE DOG patrolling the inner perimeter.

He checks the COMPUTER and we see an ELECTRONIC GRAPHIC--an OVERVIEW LAYOUT of the compound. Neville checks the VIDEO of the five within the compound, near the MOAT.

NEVILLE

You like surprises?

EXT. THE COMPOUND - NIGHT

The five Hemocytes gather around the warrior impaled on the inner pikes. She struggles to pull herself off the sharp poles, but the blood continues to seep out of her.

WARRIOR ONE--A muscular male--gently leans in...

He kisses her. The OTHERS congregate and drink her blood. The Impaled Warrior dies. Again, we see the bodies of the Hemocytes grow stronger. They turn, hiss at Neville's house, hiss at the dog, move through the pikes, and toward THE MOAT.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT

Neville bounds upstairs, to a second story slit/window. He PUNCHES out the protective chicken wire with his fist and reaches for something on a table... A FLARE GUN.

NEVILLE

I like surprises.

EXT. COMPOUND - NIGHT

WARRIOR TWO AND WARRIOR THREE try to LEAP across the ditch, but don't make it. They slide into the WATERY MUD. WARRIOR ONE succeeds in jumping across. WARRIOR FOUR and the BEAUTIFUL FEMALE warrior approach the edge of the moat. Four is about to slide into the muck when Beautiful recognizes ODOR, INHALES DEEPLY and realizes something terrible.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT

Neville aims the flare pistol at the moat and FIRES.

NEVILLE

Happy birthday, Bobby.

EXT. COMPOUND - NIGHT

The FLARE sails from the bedroom window into the moat. it takes only a split second for the Hemocytes to realize the ditch is filled with GASOLINE. Warrior One is blasted back by the ERUPTION OF FLAME. Two and Three HOWL WITH DESPAIR as they are roasted alive. FIRE SPIRALS into the black sky. The Beautiful Female PULLS Warrior Four to safety.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT

Neville watches as the flames SPREAD around the moat, forming a CIRCLE OF FIRE. As the flames grow higher, the DRUMMING AND CHANTING of the Hemocytes abruptly ceases.

NEVILLE

Get your attention, Cortman?

EXT. SURROUNDING AREA - NIGHT

Cortman and his followers watch in horror. EVA is furious.

EVA

WE GO! NOW! ALL OF US!

CHRISTOPHER

When we send more, it simply means more

dead. Our dead.

EVA

He can't kill us all!

CORTMAN

He can. He would. Even if it meant

killing himself in the bargain.

EVA

COWARDS! We're cowards!

Cortman GRABS her by the throat and LIFTS her into the air.

CORTMAN

YOU CALL ME COWARD?

YOU QUESTION MY JUDGEMENT?

He HEAVES her away like a rag doll. Eva lands hard. Cortman intimidates the hell out of her --out of everyone.

CORTMAN

WHO ELSE CHALLENGES ME?

WHO AMONG YOU?

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM

Neville checks the screens, but SMOKE obscures the view. He looks at the computer. Moves his mouse to an area labeled MOTION DETECTORS / SENSORS and creates an ELECTRONIC "X" on the screen for each of the Hemocytes in the compound. Neville presses a button and an OVERLAY GRID appears.

EXT. COMPOUND - NIGHT

WARRIOR ONE--through the flames licking the moat--encourages Warrior Four and the Beautiful Female to press on. Warrior One looks to the inner fence. Beyond it is the DOG, BARKING fiercely. When the warrior approaches, the dog RUNS.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Neville observes the COMPUTER as one of the "X"s steps onto a RED quadrant of the grid. Neville PRESSES a button.

EXT. COMPOUND - NIGHT

We HEAR an ELECTRONIC "BEEP" before Warrior One steps on a REMOTE-CONTROLLED MINE. The CONCUSSIVE BLAST propels him up and back, into the fiery ditch. Across the moat, Warrior Four and the Beautiful Female look on in horror. Frightened, Warrior Four slinks back in the direction of the outer fence.

WARRIOR FOUR

We'll never get inside!

The Beautiful Female looks at him with disgust. She notices the blast has torn a HOLE in the fence, creating easy access to the HOUSE ITSELF. She turns to her cowardly comrade.

BEAUTIFUL FEMALE

I have a better idea.

She extends her RAZOR SHARP TALONS...

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM. - NIGHT

Neville's eyes watch the monitors He can barely make out TWO HAZY FIGURES beyond the moat. Suddenly, one drops from view. He checks the computer screen. The sensors only show the area between the outer fence and inner fence. (The area between the house and inner fence is unmonitored to allow for the dog's patrols.) There is still one "X" outside the moat.

EXT. COMPOUND - NIGHT

The Beautiful Female stands over the corpse of Warrior Four, his throat slashed, body pale and drained. RICH CRIMSON drips from her lips and her body GROWS in strength and energy. She sets her sights on the house.

In a MAGNIFICENT LEAP, she hurdles over the moat, through the flames, and LANDS on the other side. The DOG GROWLS. She HISSES and moves toward him, talons ready.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Neville reacts with surprise as the final "X" disappears from the screen. He adjusts the grid, fiddles with the mouse, checks the video screens --nothing. OUTSIDE, the dog WILDLY, then MANICALLY SCRATCHES at the "dog door." Neville rushes to it, but can't open it--it's stuck. The dog YELPS in fear. Neville tries to force open the hatch, but it won't budge. The dog BARKS a warning. Then SILENCE.

He rushes to the MONITORS, but can't see anything. Just smoke and dead Hemocytes. He frantically paces. Then grabs a FLASHLIGHT and heads to the basement.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - BASEMENT - NIGHT

Near the garage entrance, Neville removes a STEEL PLATE from the wall, revealing a TUNNEL--about two feet high, three feet wide--leading from the house, below the compound. He grabs two .45 AUTOMATICS from the Arsenal, tucks them in his belt and slithers into the tunnel, flashlight showing the way.

INT. TUNNEL - NIGHT

Neville reaches a specific section of the crawlspace. Directly above him is another HATCHWAY. He undoes a bolt, slides it back, shuts off the flashlight and sits for a few moments in darkness, listening for movement above. When he's satisfied with the level of quiet, he reaches for the hatch.

EXT. COMPOUND - NIGHT

The hatch, camouflaged by dirt and dry grass, FLIES UP from the ground. In a flash, Neville SPRINGS UP, .45s at the ready. Silhouetted against the gasoline flames in the moat, he surveys the area between the inner fence and the house...

Nothing. He silently moves to the HOLE in the barbed wire, inspects it. He follows FOOTPRINTS around the house, eyes moving side to side, behind, above. He rounds a corner ... MOVEMENT. Raises his weapons. And finds...

Nothing. MOVEMENT. He spins, ready to shoot... THE DOG. on the opposite side of the barbed wire fence, near the moat. Neville scolds the dog.

NEVILLE

What are you doing over there?

Neville points to the hole.

NEVILLE

Get inside.

The dog heads for the hole, then stops. He BARKS WILDLY. Neville spins, but the warning comes too late.

THE BEAUTIFUL FEMALE Hemocyte stands a few feet away from him. Completely nude. Her talons are sheathed, the blood wiped clean from her mouth and chin. Although her pallor is ghostly, there is no denying her body is comely, seductive, and magnificently shaped. Proud and calm, she extends her hand toward Neville, as if welcoming him.

He raises one of the weapons and aims at her heart. She pouts. And takes a step toward him. Neville's hand shakes. His face sweats. His finger cannot pull the trigger. The dog senses his master's dilemma and RUNS for the hole.

BEAUTIFUL FEMALE

Please don't hurt me. I want to...

The Beautiful Female steps within inches of him. Neville

hates himself for being unable to act.

BEAUTIFUL FEMALE

... touch you.

Her hands caress his face and she kisses his neck. Her hands move down his body, along his arms, pull the guns from his fingers, and drop them to the ground. She pulls Neville's hands to her breasts.

BEAUTIFUL FEMALE

Touch me.

As Neville becomes lost in her flesh, the Beautiful Female extends an arm. TALONS emerge from her fingers. Her eyes glow with hate, with blood lust.

BEAUTIFUL FEMALE

So easy.

As her razor-sharp fingers move to his throat, THE DOG TACKLES them both. Neville snaps out of his sexual reverie and PUSHES her away. She LASHES OUT, SLASHING his forearm. Neville scrambles for the guns. The dog jumps at the Hemocyte, but she bats him away, knocking him unconscious.

Neville aims the .45s. FIRES. Three-four-five-six shots from each gun. Protecting herself, the Beautiful Female turns SIDEWAYS and covers her chest with her arms. The SKIN

THICKENS an command, forming a protective shield. The bullets penetrate, but do not cause damage.

Neville drops the spent, smoking weapons to the ground. The

Beautiful Female stands and "commands" her skin to return to "normal." She looks the helpless Neville up and down and laughs. A superior, cruel laugh. She bares her teeth, hisses, and moves in for the kill.

Like lightning, Neville reaches into a boot sheath, pulls his COMBAT KNIFE, and drives it into his attacker's heart. The Beautiful Female SCREECHES WITH SHOCK. Neville TWISTS the blade. She falls to her knees and tries to summon her body to heal, but the damage is too great, the loss of blood immense. She hisses and dies.

As life drains from her, her eyes become soft, almost human Neville is haunted by the transformation. And cannot bear to watch. A WHIMPER. The dog is regaining consciousness. Neville lifts him in his arms and heads for the tunnel.

EXT. SURROUNDING AREA - NIGHT

Cortman kneels, deeply feeling. He rises. Stoic. Majestically raises his arms...

CORTMAN

Let them hear you. Tell their souls we

do not forget.

Christopher and his Clerics lead the tribe in a MOURNFUL

CHANT. The DRUMMERS provide haunting accompaniment. There is something disturbing, yet beautiful about the sound.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - MEDICAL FACILITY - NIGHT

Neville is shirtless, tending to the laceration on his forearm. He disinfects, bandages, then looks to the DOG who lies on an exam table, stunned, but conscious. Neville examines his pelt for cuts, checks his bones for breaks.

NEVILLE

You okay?

The dog looks up at him with sad eyes, then licks his face.

NEVILLE

You're okay.

The dog REACTS to the distant MOURNFUL SOUND generated by the Hemocytes.

Neville too can't seem to deny its power. He LIFTS the dog in his arms.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Neville huddles in a corner, cradling the dog in his arms, needing the contact with another living thing. The MOURNFUL CHANTING INTENSIFIES. And Neville fights back tears. He desperately holds the dog, burying his face in his fur.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

EXT. SURROUNDING AREA - DAWN

The Hemocytes are long gone. The bodies of the warriors who never made it past the outer fence have been taken away.

EXT. COMPOUND - DAWN

However, the bodies of the Hemocytes who died within the compound remain, smoldering in the early morning light. The gasoline fire has died and black acrid smoke forms a fine mist over the compound.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAWN

Neville and the dog slumber in the corner. An ALARM sounds from the upstairs bedroom and Neville BOLTS AWAKE, reaching for a gun that isn't there. The dog springs away. Body aching, Neville initiates his daily routine.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - VARIOUS - MORNING

CLASSICAL MUSIC--upbeat (Vivaldi?)--plays over the following.

Neville works out in the EXERCISE ROOM. SHOWERS. Applies a new bandage in the MEDICAL FACILITY. He selects a VIDEO-another past episode of the "Today Show"--and a TAPE of "Morning Edition." The sounds of "normalcy." He removes STEEL SHUTTERS from the roof of the GREENHOUSE. And picks fruits and vegetables for today's meals. He stops near a section of FLOWERS, taken by their simple beauty.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - MORNING

He surprises himself by further depleting his supply of meat and giving the dc>g another STEAK. The dog, too, is shocked, but delighted. Neville sits at the small table, barely touches his oatmeal and strawberries, and watches the dog.

NEVILLE

You saved my ass last night, you son

of a bitch. (re the steak)

For what it's worth... Enjoy.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - MORNING

Neville DRESSES. He finds himself staring at the PHOTOGRAPH on his bedside table. His wife and daughter. Both beautiful. Smiling. Neville's eyes are cold. Almost blank.

INT. NEVILLE'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - MORNING

Neville addresses the VIDEO CAMERA. His daily journal.

NEVILLE

My name is Robert Neville. I was born in

Des Moines, Iowa, October 17th, 1960.

My father was Bill, my mother Charlotte.

I had a daughter Grace. My wife... Ellen.

He stops. Continues...

NEVILLE

Ten last night, there were ten. Tonight, they

will mourn and there'll be no attack. I'll have

"peace." But tomorrow it'll start all over again.

Why doesn't he give up? Why not, Cortman ?

Thinks.

NEVILLE

Why don't you, Bob? Why don't you?

He stares into the camera.

EXT. COMPOUND - MORNING - LATER

The Land Rover waits near the inner fence. The dog observes Neville's bleak task--the carting away of dead Hemocytes. Three corpses lay piled on the roof of the vehicle and Neville drags two more out of the moat. He wears gloves and a bandana covers his mouth and nose to block out the stench.

He tends to the sun-ravaged body of the Beautiful Female, but can't bear to look at her face. LIFTS her in his arms.

EXT. PRESIDIO - DAY

The Land Rover turns off California Street just below Highway 1, onto the grounds of the Presidio. It looks as though, at one time, a small war was fought here. Neville steers the vehicle onto what once was the Army Golf Course. No links here. Only DEEP PITS dug far, far into the earth. An old sign reads: U.S. GOVERNMENT CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL EMERGENCY CREMATION CENTER. The Land Rover stops.

EXT. PRESIDIO - CREMATION PIT - DAY - MINUTES LATER

The dog stays inside the Rover, hating the smell of this place. Neville lines the Hemocyte corpses along the edge of the pit, douses them with gasoline and pushes them over the side. The Beautiful Female is the last to go. He lights a MOLOTOV COCKTAIL and LOBS it into the pit. A BURST OF FLAME rises into the air.

CAMERA CRANES to reveal the expanse and awful nature of this place. THREE DEEP CRATERS filled with the bones and ashes of human beings. It is a disturbing, unforgettable image.

Neville takes something from, the Rover and walks to the edge of another pit. He kneels and we see a small bouquet of FLOWERS in his hand. He whispers...

NEVILLE

I love you, Gracie.