SOUND RISES: military drums, a massive crowd cheering, and:
309 EXT. RED SQUARE - MOSCOW - DAY [FILE FOOTAGE] 309
FILE FOOTAGE - A bright, sunny days. Thousands of people. Red flags everywhere. Children in uniforms. Soldiers marching in formation. Trucks display nuclear missiles.
TITLE:
MAY 1, 1986 INTERNATIONAL LABOUR DAY
5 DAYS AFTER THE EXPLOSION
310 INT. GARANIN'S OFFICE - MINSK - SAME 310
Garanin is on the phone. Through the window, we hear the cheering of PEOPLE on the street.
GARANIN
Yes, the parade's already begun. All of Minsk is out on the street, which is why I felt it was-- (beat)
Of course not-- but the wind has been blowing in from the southeast since early morning. From Kiev. From Cherno— no, no... but if we were to cancel now, just as a precaution— I understand, but then perhaps we should issue iodine tablets to--
He's been cut off again. Then, defeated:
GARANIN
Yes. Certainly you're right. It was foolish of me to call. I apologize. Thank you for your wisdom, Minister. Please-- enjoy the 100th anniversary of International Workers' Day.
Garanin places the phone receiver back on the cradle. Then walks to the window. We can't see the parade. We can only see him watching helplessly.
He picks up his jacket, which is covered in civilian MEDALS-- the ceremonial finery of a Party leader. He puts it on, buttons it, straightens it, takes a breath--
—and heads out to join the parade.
311 OMITTED 311
312 INT. MILITARY HELICOPTER - DAY 312
Mid-flight. A RADIOMETRIC CREW is in the back. Full protective suits. The door is open, and they're holding RADIOMETERS out to sample the smoky air.
We hear the telltale CRACKLE of a GEIGER COUNTER... and as the helicopter washes through a PLUME OF SMOKE, the clicking suddenly explodes into DEAFENING STATIC...
313 EXT. REACTOR SITE - SAME 313
The helicopter is CIRCLING above the destroyed reactor. TITLE:
MAY 2, 1986
314 EXT. REACTOR SITE - LATER 314
Trailers have been set up near the site as mobile offices. A web of FIRE HOSES extend out from the ruins toward Pikalov's specialized military fire trucks, each with pumps running.
FLOOD LIGHTS have been set up to illuminate the work area. Men move back and forth, some wearing gas masks. Others not.
PIKALOV - talks with one of the radiometrists who was on the helicopter. Then walks back to:
LEGASOV and SHCHERBINA - who stand over a workbench covered in maps. They're mid-argument.
LEGASOV
How did this happen? Who gave them this idea?
SHCHERBINA Are you suggesting I did?
LEGASOV
Well someone decided the evacuation zone should be thirty kilometers, when we know--
(points to the map) Here! Caesium-137 in Gomel District. Two HUNDRED kilometers away!
Pikalov waits. Uncomfortable. Clearly has information to share, but doesn't want to interrupt.
SHCHERBINA It was decided.
LEGASOV Based on WHAT?
SHCHERBINA I don't know.
LEGASOV (disbelief) Forgive me. Maybe I've spent too much time in my lab. Or maybe I'm stupid. But is this really how it all works? An uninformed, arbitrary decision that will cost who knows how many lives is made by some apparatchik? Some career Party man?
SHCHERBINA (angered)
I am a career Party man. You should mind your tone, Comrade Legasov.
Legasov stares oddly at Shcherbina. Wasn't expecting that defense. It almost seemed... calculated.
PIKALOV
(ahem) Comrades.
They turn to him. He's holding a piece of paper in his hand.
PIKALOV
We have visual confirmation that the fire is nearly extinguished. There has also been a reduction in iodine- 131 and caesium-137 emissions.
SHCHERBINA
Good.
(to Legasov)
Yes?
PIKALOV
But the temperature is rising. And--
He trails off. Then simply hands the paper to Legasov. It's a SPECTROGRAPH. Legasov stares at the chart for a moment.
LEGASOV
There's a spike in zirconium-95. It's from the cladding on the fuel rods.
SHCHERBINA Which means what?
LEGASOV
We use zirconium to contain the uranium because its melting point is so high.
(MORE)
LEGASOV (cont'd) A graphite fire alone isn't hot enough to vaporise it. It's the fuel itself.
(beat)
The meltdown has begun.
The sound of a HELICOPTER buzzing by. The air churns up DUST from the ground, and we DISSOLVE TO:
315 INT. THE REACTOR - NOW 315
AN EMPTY WATER BASIN - puddles of dark water, rust marks on the walls, and extending down from the ceiling, a large DRAINAGE PIPE, like an upside-down T.
We hold for a moment. Then a thin line of dark MAGMA drips out of drain... dangles in the air, then hits the ground with a SIZZLE.
Another line from the other opening. And then, without warning:
A HUGE MASS of CORIUM POURS OUT AND DOWN - from both sides of the drainpipe - thick, deadly lava, bubbling and POOLING with a SIZZLE on the concrete below...
We're watching a nuclear reactor core melting down. This is what it looks like. Hypnotic, and almost beautiful.
Almost.
We hear the concrete CRACKLING, and we cut to:
316 INT. HALLWAY - RADIATION WING -HOSPITAL NO.6 - NIGHT 316
Drip... drip... drip...
A small, rusty DRINKING FOUNTAIN drips. Each drip echoing slightly in the:
EMPTY HOSPITAL HALLWAY - where Lyudmilla sits in a chair. Sleeping. No sound but the low buzz of the fluorescent lights, and drip... drip... drip...
And then a low moan from off screen.
Lyudmilla shifts a bit. Troubled sleep.
Another moan. Another. Then a man SCREAMING in pain.
Lyudmilla instantly wakes. It's silent in the hallway again. Was that a dream?
Another SCREAM. Louder. She leaps to her feet, and:
317 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM 15 / HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER 317
Lyudmilla enters the room. Two nurses are attending to Vasily, blocking Lyudmilla's view of him.
The other two beds are EMPTY, save for BLOOD STAINS on both of them.
The nurses are clearly struggling.
HOSPITAL 6 NURSE You have to stop moving. We can't get the needle in if you don't stop moving.
His screaming is terrible. Lyudmilla moves towards the nurses, panicked.
LYUDMILLA You're hurting him!
She pulls at one of the nurses, and sees:
VASILY - covered in LESIONS. His face, his arms, his neck... everywhere there is skin, there are tiny open SORES, some bleeding, some coated in weeping pus.
Vasily writhes in AGONY as the other nurse attempts to hold him down by his burning skin in order to inject morphine.
Lyudmilla can only stare in horror.
HOSPITAL 6 NURSE You can't be in here.
LYUDMILLA What's happening to him...?
Vasily SCREAMS again.
HOSPITAL 6 NURSE YOU CAN'T BE IN HERE!
The nurse PUSHES Lyudmilla out of the room, and then heads back to help her colleague.
Lyudmilla stands alone in the hallway, helpless, listening to her husband screaming... as if he's been set on fire...
We hold on her listening until it's too much to bear, and:
318 INT. KREMLIN CONF. ROOM / INT. COMMAND ROOM - NIGHT 318
Gorbachev's grim face.
ON HIS DESK in the corner of the room - seven newspapers from major Western nations. On each one, a stapled translation. They're all about the same thing. Chernobyl.