3 | The Last Shot

"We're gonna get it this time Grammy, I promise" Mike says as he gives his Grandma a kiss. She is very ill, old, eyes closed, motionless on a bed. Mike (14) and Carl (12), brothers, get up to leave. Mom: "You boys gonna do it without this?" as she holds a camera in the air. Mike takes the camera. The boys get out of the tent. They are completely dressed in black. It is dark outside. The four of them are living under a bridge. Homeless. Cold. Poor. Year 2078. The city has morphed into pure concrete, no living plant matter anywhere. The boys arrive at the Museum of Natural Sciences. Carl is mumbling to himself: "Left, left, right, left, right, right". Repeating the pattern over and over. Mike: "Carl, remember the lights this time, ok?". Carl: "Yeah, the lock, then the guard, the lights, then you shoot. I got it". Mike: "Ok, you ready?". Carl gives a scared but confident nod. They put their robber beanies on. They get to the side of the museum. Carl passes a grappling hook to Mike. Mike catapults the grappling hook with precision, right into an open window. Mike tests the rope, then starts climbing. Carl follows. Inside, they walk through the museum's many halls. Carl is repeating his left/right pattern softly. They reach a guard room. A fat, giant guard is sleeping in front of the security screens. There are three vicious dogs sleeping on the floor. Carl passes Mike three big pieces of meat. Mike tosses it inside the room. The three dogs wake and immediately focus on the feast. Mike and Carl pass. They pass a sign saying "The Last One". They enter an area surrounded by nature displays. Plants, leaves, drawings, seeds. All fake, all plastic. They reach a big arch. Lazer beams form a wall of mesh in front of them. Mike: "Ready?". Carl nods. Mike: "Remember the lights hey". Mike takes out his lock pick set. They nod to each other. Mike breathes in deep. Mike walks through the lazer beams. A loud alarm screams through the halls! The dogs drop the feast and start running. Their noses lead the way. The giant guard wakes from his slumber and tails the dogs. The guard's footsteps echo on the wooden floors like a marching elephant. Mike is busy picking the lock of a security gate just behind the lazer beams. The vicious dogs are getting closer and closer. Carl watches the hall behind them. Carl: "Mike...". The dogs make a turn. Mike: "Almost, almost!". Carl and the dogs are in sight of each other. Carl: "Mike! The dogs!". Mike cracks the lock! The brothers get through. Carl slams the gate closed behind them. Mike runs to the centre of the room and starts opening an extremely tall red, thick curtain. Carl runs to the side, searching behind the displays, against the wall. He sees it, a big electric box. He tries to open it. It's locked. Carl: "Mike, the lights, I can't, it's locked". Mike: "Just do something! Quick!". The guard reaches the gate. In a shaking rush, he starts trying multiple keys from his massive collection. Mike runs to Carl to help. No luck, the box is locked tight. Mike looks back at the guard. The guard's bright torch is lying on the floor, creating a bright beam. Mike: "Quickly! Follow me!". Mike drags Carl to the centre of the room. Mike: "Stand here. Just jump and scream. Trust me". Mike runs off to the side. He takes out the camera and points it right at the dark area behind Carl. Waiting. The guard unlocks the gate. Carl: "Over here!". Carl jumps up and down. The guard lifts his bright torch and lights up Carl. The light passing Carl lights up "The Last One" behind Carl. A gigantic tree. Alive. Real. Leaves of all shades of green. A wonder amongst wonders. Mike takes a shot of the gigantic tree with his camera. The dogs pin down Mike and Carl. Later, the boys are thrown out of the museum. They reach the tent. Mike: "Grandma, we got it!". Grandma turns around, barely alive. Mike, excitedly takes out the camera and shows Grandma: A photo of the only tree left in the world.