Khalid looks around. The gas station is surrounded by forest and feels isolated. Behind the station, two other cars are parked.

INT. GAS STATION – DUSK

Nola enters. No one behind the counter.

She grabs a bottle of water, searches the fridge for Mezzo Mix.

The back door opens. LINA, the cashier (mid-20s), steps out, closing it behind her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Nola catches movement inside the back room. She sniffs — something sharp hits her senses, throwing her off for a moment.

LINA

Evening.

NOLA

Evening.

Nola glances from Lina to the closed backdoor, then back. Lina looks tense.

Nola sets the bottles on the counter.

NOLA (CONT'D)

And two coffees, please.

Lina makes two coffees with the machine.

LINA

For here or to go?

NOLA

To go, please.

Lina sets cups on the counter, eyes lowered.

LINA

(quietly)

Milk? Sugar?

(before Nola can answer)

It's over there.

She gestures toward a small tray with sugar packets and creamer pods.

Through the window behind Nola, Khalid is visible, finishing up at pump 2.

Nola gives Lina an encouraging smile. Lina, shy, returns it.

Lina types into the register.

CLOSE ON: Nola notices a bruise on Lina's neck. Older, yellowing marks on her wrist.

LINA (CONT'D)

Is that all?

Nola studies her face. Lina types again.

LINA (CONT'D)

Card?

NOLA

Cash, please.

LINA

Eighty two.

Nola pays. Her smile fades slightly as her perception shifts.

The sounds in the room grow louder: Lina's bruises in sharp detail. Nola's POV: the closed door to the back room. The receipt printing, rattling loud.

NOLA

(kindly)

Take care.

Nola exits, glancing back — Lina watches her leave.

EXT. GAS STATION – DUSK

On her way back to the car, Nola lets the cups slip from her hands. The coffee hits the asphalt with a wet splat. Nola keeps walking as if nothing happened and gets back into the car with Khalid.

INT. NOLA'S CAR – DUSK

Nola slides the key into the ignition but doesn't turn it. She looks at Khalid. He's unwell. But her mind drifts elsewhere — her gaze turning glassy.

Khalid immediately senses something is wrong.

KHALID

What's up?

NOLA

Someone bad is in there.

Instinctively, Khalid turns, scanning the surroundings. Nola's skin grows feverish, blotchy.

KHALID

Nola! Please. Not now.

A car drives past. No immediate danger — but this could go bad fast.

Nola shifts in her seat, restless, trembling.

NOLA

I'm sorry. I can't… it's so strong.

(intense)

So strong...

Another car passes. She's fighting it. Hard.

KHALID

Fuck. Wait!

But his words no longer reach her.

Nola's face breaks into a dreamy smile. She leans over and kisses him.

Then she's out, slamming the door.

KHALID (CONT'D)

Fuck.

Normally, he's prepared. Now he has to improvise — but something inside him lights up: the madness, the danger. He hates it. He loves it.

He yanks open the glove compartment.

EXT. GAS STATION – NIGHT

Nola pulls up the hood of her hoodie. We follow as she walks toward the gas station.

Lina is no longer behind the counter.

Nola steps inside, moves past the register, and pushes open the back room door.

Inside: BECK (35) towers over Lina, who looks visibly intimidated. He turns, spotting Nola.

BECK

You're not allowed to—

But when he sees Nola's skin shifting color, his expression changes — anger giving way to realization.

NOLA

What's that stench on you?

BECK

Wait!

Beck carefully steps back. He takes a hammer from a toolbox — as if he already knew what she might become. With his other hand, he pulls out his phone and dials.

NOLA

Put it down.

She turns to Lina.

NOLA (CONT'D)

Leave.

Lina bolts.

Nola's body begins to change — limbs elongating, her skin whitening, taking on a scaly texture.

Beck slowly raises the phone to his ear —

CLOSE: the phone hits the floor with a sharp crack.

INT. CAR – NIGHT

Khalid hurries to the trunk of the BMW, pulls out a canister. He's already disguised — baseball cap, disposable gloves, scarf across his face.

He fills the canister at the pump.

Then he removes his hearing aids. With a crackle and faint whine, we slip into his auditory perspective.

Silence. Absolute silence.

A car approaches, headlights sweeping. It passes. Khalid exhales, relieved.

He's in pain, but pushes through, shaking it off. Then heads toward the gas station, gas can in hand.

Suddenly — LINA bursts out of the building.

For a moment, their eyes lock. She runs toward her car — but freezes, stunned, rooted to the spot.

KHALID

Leave! Go!

But Lina doesn't move.

Khalid has no time for her. He strides on, gas can in hand. As he walks, he begins pouring fuel — leaving a trail behind him.

INT. GAS STATION – NIGHT

Khalid steps inside. The first thing he notices: a surveillance camera.

He grabs a wrench from a shelf — smashes the camera. Then the lights. Darkness.

The back room door is ajar. Through the gap, shadows flicker across the wall. No sound.

Khalid doesn't feel good. This is less thrill than the bowling alley. He waits.

Headlights sweep through the front windows as a car passes outside.

Through the gap: blood splatters across the wall.

Khalid glances out the large window — Lina is still there, frozen. He doesn't like it.

He checks his watch. Waits a moment longer. Pops some painkillers and downs them with a soda from a shelf.

The shadows in the back room go still.

Slowly, Khalid straightens. He pushes the door open with his foot.

Inside: BECK lies dead in a pool of blood. The hammer he raised as a weapon is now buried in his forehead.

Khalid slips his hearing aids back in.

In the corner, huddled and trembling: NOLA. She has transformed back. Vulnerable. Weak. Breathing heavy. Beautiful.

She looks up at Khalid — wide-eyed, dazed, blissfully happy.

Khalid pours the last of the gasoline over Beck's corpse. Then he gently lifts Nola, wraps her arm around his neck, and carries her outside.

EXT. GAS STATION – NIGHT

Khalid staggers out of the station, Nola in his arms. She's completely dazed, drained even more than after the bowling alley. She can barely stand.

He struggles toward the BMW. Lina is still there, watching — nervous, intent.

Khalid fumbles with the keys, trying to open the back door without dropping Nola. She slips from his grasp. His scarf falls away from his face.

Lina steps forward, helps him. Together, they ease Nola onto the back seat.

Khalid acknowledges her help, uneasy — she's a witness.

Lina holds out a torn magazine page. She presses it toward him, manic energy in her eyes.

LINA

There is one like her.

(looks to Nola)

They have her. They do terrible things to her.

KHALID

What?

She taps the paper hard with her finger.

Khalid reaches for it — but she won't let go. She locks eyes with him.

LINA

(creepy, intense)

They are devils.

Khalid, unsettled, yanks the page free. An address is scrawled on it. He stuffs it into his pocket.

KHALID

Okay. Now go!

Lina hesitates — then, softer, turns back.

LINA

(from the bottom of her heart)

Thank you!

Khalid nods. She runs to her car and drives off.

Khalid looks around — no other cars, no one in sight.

He pulls a pack of matches from his jacket. Strikes one. Holds it.

Then tosses it onto the gasoline trail.

WHOOSH — flames race toward the station. The fire catches fast, spreading everywhere.

Khalid stands motionless, sick, adrenaline keeping him upright. He stares into the flames, transfixed by the apocalyptic sight. It's destruction. It's cleansing.

Then he snaps out of it. Jumps behind the wheel. Tires screech as he speeds away.

INT. KHALID'S CAR – NIGHT

Khalid drives fast down the country road. Behind him, with a loud boom, a fireball erupts into the night sky. The gas station has exploded.