He shook his head. “But don’t worry. Norman says it’s okay, you look good to go.”
We practiced standing on the edge of Crow Mountain and pretended that we were watching Pikesville burn.
Tyson was trying to get the walkie-talkies to work. He walked clear across the mountaintop, or at least to where we were.
“Come in, anyone. Come in, anyone. This is Tyson. Does anyone copy?” Tyson would press the button, talk, and then release it, waiting for someone, anyone, to reply.
Seeing him so worried was making me worried.
“This is Pyrotechnic Extraordinaire. Copy?” Skeet said.
“Got him!” Tyson said, running to the director.
The director took the walkie-talkie and pressed the button.
Director: “Norman for Skeet. Copy that?”
Skeet: “Go for Skeet.”
Director: “Are you ready? Copy?”
Skeet: “Ready to burn Pikesville. Hell, yeah.”
Director: “You’ll be on the walkie-talkie with Tyson. Copy?”
Tyson looked sick.
Skeet: “Ty Ty.”
Director: “Yes, Ty Ty.”
Skeet: “Totally stoked.”
Director: “How about a countdown? Copy?”
Skeet: “Copy that.”
Director: “Okay, stand by for Tyson.”
Skeet: “Standing by for Ty Ty.”
Tyson took the walkie-talkie from the director.
“Okay, we’ll have one more run-through, and then we’ll be ready to shoot,” the director said through his bullhorn.
We scrambled back into place.
Terrence had one line. He was proud of that one line. Had worked on that one line for a long time.
Skeet: “Skeet for Ty Ty. Copy that?”
Tyson: “Go for Tyson.”
Skeet: “We are ready to go. Copy?”
Tyson: “Copy that.”
“Skeet’s ready,” Tyson yelled.
“Then so are we,” the director said.
We got in position: “James,” “Helen,” “Hank,” and “Jackson,” aka Terrence.
Skeet: “Skeet for Ty Ty. Copy that?”
Tyson: “Go for Tyson.”
Skeet: “Sirens are blaring. Copy?”
Tyson: “Copy that.”
“The sirens are blaring,” Tyson said.
“Yes, they’re supposed to; we paid off the auxiliary,” the director said. “Tell Skeet we’re ready. Commence countdown.”
Tyson: “Tyson for Skeet. Copy that?”
Skeet: “Go for Skeet.”
Tyson: “Commence countdown. Copy that?”
Skeet: “Commencing countdown. Copy.”
We didn’t move. We were afraid to, actually. There was only one chance to get this right. Skeet had rigged the explosions to mimic a nuclear bomb. In the editing room, they would really make it look like a mushroom cloud.
Skeet: “Skeet to the survivors. Copy that?”
Tyson: “Copy.”
Dylan filmed, and we watched the sky, ready to play the part we were meant to play.
Skeet: “Commencing countdown. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One—”
“Okay, remember, one shot. We’re breaking ground here. Freddy and Terrence in one scene. Wow!” the director screamed. “And ACTION.”
EXT. PIKESVILLE MOUNTAIN—MORNING
JAMES, HELEN, HANK, and JACKSON stand on the mountaintop near the edge, watching the town undergo a Civil Defense drill.
The Radio Station plays a message.
RADIO MESSAGE
A Civil Defense test, to test the vulnerability of the cities across the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Canada, will occur at 10 a.m. today; normal activities of the city are to be suspended for ten minutes while the “bombing” takes place—
Sirens sound.
The Radio Station plays a message.
RADIO MESSAGE
Your attention, please. This is Neal Perkins, one of your official Civil Defense broadcasters, with a special message. Military authorities have advised us that an enemy attack by air is imminent. This is a Red Alert. You are advised to go to the nearest shelter in your area immediately. Find shelter. There is no time to leave the city. Your state Civil Defense director has just issued the following instructions: Please remain calm. Every precaution will be taken for your protection. Keep your radio turned to this place on the dial throughout the alert period for information. Telephone service to your home may be cut off to permit military and Civil Defense authorities to carry out vital operations. Do not attempt to join your family or your children if they are now separated from you. They will be cared for where they are. Obey your Civil Defense warden and find shelter now. Take shelter in your basement or in your nearest shelter area. If you can plug in your radio in a basement, take it with you. Use a portable radio set if you have one; otherwise turn up the volume on your radio so that you can hear it in the basement. Keep calm—don’t lose your head. If you are at work, obey your Civil Defense authorities. Go quickly and calmly to your designated shelter. If your children are at school, they are being directed to shelter by their teachers. If you are in an automobile, pull over to the curb and then go immediately to the nearest shelter area. Do not leave your car where it will block traffic. This station will continue to stay on the air throughout the alert period to bring you all authentic information and official instructions. Stay tuned to AM 640 or 1240 on your radio for official information. Refuse to listen to unauthorized rumors or broadcasts. This is your official Civil Defense Broadcast.
JAMES, HELEN, HANK, and JACKSON grab hands.
HANK
Nothing is going to happen.
HANK squeezes HELEN’s hand.
HELEN
I know.
JAMES
But what if it does?
JAMES turns to HELEN and looks at HANK.
JAMES (CONT’D)
This would be the perfect time for the Ruskies to attack.
HELEN
It would, wouldn’t it?
JAMES
It would.
HANK
But they won’t. No one will. It’s just a test, practice in case of the real thing.
JAMES
But what if it’s real? What if the government knows that the Ruskies are going to attack and this is one way to control panic?
HELEN
That’s a whole lot of what-ifs.
JAMES
I know.
HELEN shrugs and looks at HANK, biting her bottom lip.
HELEN
The government wouldn’t do that. It wouldn’t lie to us—
HELEN lets go of JAMES’s and HANK’s hands.
HELEN (CONT’D)
Would they?
JAMES
If it does happen, we have a front-row seat to Armageddon.
HANK
That’s a comforting thought.
JAMES
Well, the very existence of the USSR is not part of America’s plan—
HELEN
The same could be said about America not being a part of the USSR’s plan.
HANK
The next atomic war—
JAMES
When was the first one?
HANK
You’ve heard of that there World War II, eh?
JAMES
Yes, but World War II was ended with two atomic bombs being dropped. It was not an atomic war.