Original subtitles

Stop!

Time's up, everybody.

Time's up, Sarah.

But I haven't finished.

Well, don't worry about it, we have to go on.

Now everybody turn to Section Five.

There are 20 statements, you are to check true or false after each one.

Any questions?

- Gary? - Is this an intelligence test?

No, this is an achievement test.

We're trying to find out how you compare with the other sixth grades in this district.

Steven?

What if we think a statement isn't true of false but in between.

Yes, well, I'm afraid there's no in between a check, you'll have to make a choice.

Hot soup on a day like this.

Nutritionists, never had anything but sandwiches for lunch

and I grew up healthy, didn't I.

Joel, do you feel like having hot soup for lunch today?

In this weather?

Wouldn't you rather have some ice cold lemonade?

Why not?

I like soup.

What are you doing in here anyway?

Just passing by.

You've been sent to the principal's office, haven't you?

Joel?

What for?

When you're in trouble it helps to have a cookie in your pocket.

I'm in trouble all right.

What is it, Joel?

Ms. Cooper sent me here.

What for?

Well, you must know what she sent you for.

To see Mr. Caulkins?

Why?

Well, didn't she say why?

What were you doing?

Nothing.

Now, Joe, Ms. Cooper must've had a reason for sending you here.

I don't know.

Well, Mr. Caulkins isn't in right now, you'll just have to wait.

- Morning, Ms. Maxton. - Seems a little strong today.

I can take it.

- Ah. - Morning, Mrs. Hayworth.

How are you this morning?

Never felt better in my life.

Oh, you're lucky, I had a terrible time with my first one.

- Hello, Joel. - Hi, Mrs. Hayworth.

What are you doing here?

Ms. Cooper sent me.

- Why? - Don't know.

Oh, dear, you're gonna miss your art period.

What were you doing?

Buzzy threw an eraser at me.

Why didn't Ms. Cooper send Buzzy?

That's what I wonder.

Probably test ring, I was at Rockford's school yesterday...

No, we had our test ring this morning at 9:30.

We have it at 9:30 every morning.

That's not the regular test pattern anyway, it always goes white, yellow, blue, red, white.

What does the yellow one mean?

Manual says, nuclear attack within one hour.

What's going on?

What's wrong with that thing anyway?

We don't know, it just started up.

- What's all the buzzing about? - Never mind, just get back in the other room.

It's splitting my eardrums all the way over in my kitchen.

Nerve-wracking sound, how long does it go on?

It's never done it before.

It sputtered on once last winter and then it went right out.

Darn mechanism, probably something's gone haywire somewhere.

Well, I've got to get back, I've got all my ice cream to put away.

You don't suppose it really means anything, do you?

The news has been so...

Well, not good.

According to the newspapers...

I better get Mr. Caulkins.

Have you all read Section Six?

- Yes. - Any questions?

Do we have to write enough to fill up the whole blank space?

Use as much as you need to.

Mr. Caulkins, may I see you for a moment.

Can it wait, Mrs. Forbes?

No, I'm afraid not.

Class, close your booklets, I don't want you to start writing until I come back.

I'm sorry to bother you but the yellow light's been flashing and buzzing.

For how long?

Two or three minutes.

I got worried, is there supposed to be another test ring?

Not that I know of.

Report it to the phone company and I'll be right in.

Boys and girls, we're going to put the test aside for now.

Don, will you collect the booklets?

Now I want you all to stay here quietly.

Mrs. Andrews will be right in.

Mrs. Andrews, would you go into the sixth grade room please and wait with the children?

I'm wanted in the office.

All right, yes, I'll hold on.

Telephone company's checking the equipment.

Joel, get back to your room.

Nothing wrong? But the equipment is...

Well, there must be something wrong.

Hello, this is the principal speaking.

Uh-huh.

But that's impossible.

What...

Well, keep checking and call us back.

They say seven things would have to go wrong before that alert would sound.

Then seven things must've gone wrong.

They insist that everything is operating properly.

But there hasn't been enough time to check everything.

Until further notice, they advise me to consider that the alert is real.

Well, now, wait a minute.

Hello, Mrs. Gram?

This is John Caulkins, I want to speak to Mr. Greenall...

Is that your yellow light alarm?

'Cause I can hear it.

So is ours.

What?

What? Speak louder please.

Oh, he is?

Well, we just talked to them.

Well, all right, I'll get off the line but check with me

the minute you can.

The high school too.

Greenall's is talking to the phone company.

Civil Defense.

The line is busy.

Uh, Mrs. Forbes, ring the yellow alert signal.

Mrs. Hayworth, you keep trying Civil Defense

and call the sheriff's office too and keep at it until you get someone.

I'll be on the playground.

All right, children, line up, two by two.

Brian.

Put your helmet away.

Why can't I wear it?

Put it away, Brian.

Jill, we're waiting for you.

Now when we get out on the playground

you're going to join your go-home groups.

Remember what your go-home groups are?

Yes.

Peggy, put back the mice.

No, he'll get burned up!

Dumbbell, it's a go-home drill not a fire drill.

Mary... Mary you're in Group Number Two.

Brian.

- What's going on, Stevie? - Come on, hurry up.

Oh, Betty?

Betty, where's Mrs. Hayworth?

You better get downstairs and see what's happening.

All right.

Checked every room, the building is clear.

Okay, Carl.

Better stand by the bus.

Can't get through, all the lines are still busy.

Tried the high school, busy.

All busy.

The signal's still buzzing.

I've got to send them home.

Mr. Caulkins!

I've got to.

Teachers.

Take your children home.

Teachers, take your children home.

He would decide to carry this drill to an end the day I wear high heels.

It may not be a drill.

We don't know yet for sure.

We can't get anyone on the phone.

Peter, go with your group.

He lives in Brookston, he doesn't have a group.

His father drives him back and forth.

Well, what does he do when there's a go home drill?

He just watches.

Would you take care of him, Mrs. Maxton.

And better check the gas, make sure it's turned off.

What do we do now?

I'm gonna get on that phone and stay on it until I get a hold of somebody.

I'm gonna find out what the hell's going on.

- Bye. - Bye!

- Bye! - Bye.

What are we supposed to do?

Go all the way home and then go right back to school again?

Nobody said we have to go back, Mr. Caulkins didn't.

Mrs. Andrews?

Mrs. Andrews.

- Mrs. Andrews! - What is it, Harriet?

Well, after we get home do we turn right around and go back to school again or what?

No.

I don't know.

That is, I don't think so.

No more school today?

Well, perhaps.

I really don't know.

We'll just have to wait and see.

She wouldn't tell me, old crank.

She's the best teacher in the whole school.

What do you know about it, you only came to this school last February.

If the teacher doesn't know what we're supposed to do

how are we supposed to know?

They should've gotten better organized.

Maybe they're timing it, just to see how long it takes.

I bet that's it, sure, it must be.

What's going on, Stevie?

It's just a drill, come on, sport, keep up.

You're walking too fast.

Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. Andrews?

Mrs. Andrews, should we look at the clock when we get home

to find out how long it took us?

Why, yes, yes, Garrett, that's a good idea.

Can we stay home for lunch?

I don't know yet.

You mean, maybe we can stay home for lunch?

We'll just have to wait and see.

She doesn't know anything, pretty dumb way to have a drill.

There's something scary about it.

- It could be real, you know. - Real?

The war could've started.

My father says there's got to be a showdown.

What if the bomb falls on us?

So what, we've got a bomb shelter.

I wish we had one.

Do you have bomb shelter?

Mother says we can use our basement.

Daddy says no basement is deep enough.

Do you think this is a drill?

We usually have drills on Fridays.

It may be sort of an extra one to make sure it works.

Sure, that's what I think.

If it wasn't for this drill, I'd be getting balled out by Mr. Caulkins right now.

What does he say to you?

The usual thing about cooperation.

Good manners.

And he'll give me one last chance.

That's not so bad.

So far, he's given me three last chances so I was kind of worried today.

Boy, was that a close shave.

Mrs. Andrews, Cathy and I live over there.

All right, both of you run straight home.

Okay, come on, everybody.

They'll probably use a one megaton surface burst over the Nike Base.

Brother, that's dangerous.

That's where my father works.

My father works at the hospital, he helps sick people.

Could a bomb blow up our shelter?

Not unless it's a direct hit.

They could be aiming at the Nike Base and make a mistake.

They're not that dumb.

Brother, a lot of people are going to get burned.

The moment it explodes there's a huge flash, a thousand times brighter than lightning

and then a great ball of fire and then everything around catches fire.

Oh, oh.

JoAnne, JoAnne!

Her house is just over that hill.

Daddy!

- Daddy! - What are you doing home?

The bomb, the bomb's coming!

What? What are you talking about?

They sent us all home, we'll all get burned up!

Are you nuts? what's the matter with you?

It's true, Pa, all the kids were sent home!

- Oh, for God's sake. - What do we do, what do we do?

Cut it out, JoAnne, don't you ever hit me like that, you hear!

Help me, help me, help me!

- Now you pipe down! - Help me!

- Now you pipe down, JoAnne! - Help me, I don't want to burn!

- I don't want to burn! - Never mind about burning,

you're just about to get a damn good licking, you hear me?

Now you get on out of here.

I got a lot of work to do.

Momma, Momma!

What are you home for, JoAnne, are you sick?

- The bomb, the bomb's coming! - What?

Pa won't believe me, they've started the war.

- Who has? - They're gonna blow us all up.

We'll blow them up first, don't you worry.

Mr. Caulkins, he sent us all home.

Okay, you're home now, go on back to school.

No, no, it's not a drill, it's real!

I know, all the kids know.

Shame on you, big girl like you scared over nothing.

We've got to go down in the basement.

No, you shut up a minute and listen to me.

Do you hear that radio?

Would that radio be playing like that if there was a war?

Would he be talking like that if there was a war?

He'd be announcing emergencies and what to do and all that.

Maybe he doesn't know!

Just a bunch of crazy school kids know.

I'm going down into the basement.

No, you don't, it's all damp and puddles down there.

You can't catch the flu, I ain't got time to nurse you.

I'm going down in the basement!

You hear what I said, JoAnne, don't you dare!

I mean it!

Don't you dare take one step down that basement!

What was the first dead thing you ever saw?

My canary.

One morning he was lying at the bottom of his cage.

I kept asking my mother where his voice went.

We found a dead pheasant in our woods.

After my canary died, I was afraid to go to sleep.

I'd lie in bed and hum to make sure my voice was all right,

that I wasn't dead.

I wonder how it feels to see a dead person.

- You'll see plenty if the bomb comes. - I don't want to hear about it.

You have to face facts.

It's not a fact, the bomb doesn't have to come.

So there, so shut up!

Watch out who you're telling to shut up!

Girls, girls!

Hey, look.

Then this is just a drill.

He wouldn't be out there if he knew a bomb was coming.

It's just a drill.

How would he know?

There's no siren out here.

Maybe we should run over and warn him?

No, we're not sure.

She's not going to tell him.

She doesn't know anymore than we do.

That's it, nothing left to fill.

Why do we need so much water?

Oh, regulations, part of the drill.

Why?

Well, you know, we might need drinking water.

Can't we use the fountain?

Sometimes they... they shut them off.

The drill? Why?

Peter, do you want a cookie or a pretzel or something?

No, thank you.

Well, I know what you can do for me.

Would you fill these up?

It's easy to pour.

It'd be a great help to me, Peter.

Uh, my home, busy too.

Maybe your wife's trying to...

Do you have a basement at your house?

I have a cellar.

Is it deep?

I'm gonna have trouble with my grandma.

She doesn't like to play down there 'cause it's too dark.

What does she like to play?

Pirates or treasure hunt or olden times.

What's olden times?

When she was little she lived in a log cabin,

she saw a real Indian snake dance.

I'm afraid of snakes.

So am I.

And boy, am I afraid of bombs.

I'm tired, why couldn't we go on the bus?

Because we're on the second shift.

Abraham Lincoln had to walk eight miles to get home from school.

Was he on the second shift?

No, Steve, carry me.

Don't be a pain in the neck.

I've got an idea, let's play a game while we're walking.

Did you ever see a lassie a lassie, a lassie.

Did you ever see a lassie

go this way and that?

Go this way and that way,

go this way and that way.

Did you ever see a lassie go this way and that?

Did you ever see a lassie, a lassie, a lassie.

Did you ever see a lassie go this way and that?

Go this way and that way,

go this way and that way.

Did you ever see a lassie go this way and that?

Did you ever see a lassie, a lassie, a lassie.

Did you ever see a lassie go this way and that?

Go this way and that way,

go this way and that way.

Did you ever see a lassie go this way and that?

Did you ever see a lassie, a lassie, a lassie.

Did you ever see a lassie go this way and that?

Go this way and that way,

go this way and that way.

Did you ever see a lassie go this way and that?

Oh.

Wait a minute, children.

I never knew you had such a nice voice.

I'm a soprano.

Do you like to go to the opera?

Never been.

My parents took me when we lived in the city.

Gee, I wish you'd been at our school last year.

We put on The Mikado.

That's operatic?

I played Nanki-Poo.

Do you like to sing?

I'm not very good but I'm loud.

Going to join the Glee Club when you get to Junior High?

My voice will probably be changing next year.

That's something girls don't have to go through.

I hear the work is pretty hard in the seventh grade.

You mustn't let tests and things bother you.

Mostly, I'm worried about math.

Math is my favorite subject, I'll help you.

We'll be thirteen.

It sounds so old.

Come on now, everybody, on the double.

Mrs. Forbes, Mrs. Forbes?

They found the trouble, some kind of short circuit.

It's a false alarm.

Of course it is.

I didn't know where you'd gone.

Oh, I was just straightening things up.

I forgot all about the sink.

I poured the paint water out the window.

It's all right, it's good for the bushes.

Out the window.

Isn't that terrible?

It's all right, it's all right.

Now you come with me.

We've got a lot of things to do.

- My birthday party's tomorrow. - Oh?

- I'll tell my mother to invite you. - Okay.

You can bring me a game, not checkers, I have checkers.

Mrs. Andrews, that's my road!

Well, you run straight home, Luke.

Don't forget my birthday present tomorrow.

I won't, so long.

All right, let's start with the bus group

and then Group Three, right on down the list.

You can go out and play if you want to, Peter.

I don't want to.

The drill's all over, the children are coming back.

I want to stay here.

- You all right, Betty? - Yes.

Up to making some phone calls?

I've given Mrs. Maxton the list, you can relieve her.

But make your calls fast and short and keep going until you've reached everybody.

We'll get in our cars.

You take Group One.

I'll take Group Two and check back with me here

as soon as you've covered everybody.

And watch for the teachers on the road coming back.

All right.

Mrs. Andrews, we could take a short cut through that field?

- Are you sure? - It will save walking all the way around.

Does anybody live down this road?

No.

All right, Harriett.

Did you ever see a lassie, a lassie, a lassie.

Did you ever see a lassie go this way and that?

Go this way and that way.

Grandma!

Grandma.

Johnny, are you playing hooky today?

You're all mixed up again. I'm Luke, Grandma.

- I know, Honey. - Grandma, we gotta play a new game.

- Quick, right away! - Oh, not now, Honey.

- After school. - It is after school!

Where's Johnny?

He's at the gas station.

We don't drink even one bottle most times.

Oh, no, no, no. That's for Johnny's lunch.

When Daddy comes home he can eat with us.

Johnny don't like our kind of picnics, Lukey.

What do you need a lantern for?

What's the name of this game, Lukey?

It's called... it's called "hide from war game."

Where are we gonna play this game?

In the cellar.

That's not fair! You shouldn't have done that!

I gotta get my strawberries on the stove.

You're cheating! It's my turn to pick a game.

You picked yesterday!

I don't believe you ever even saw an Indian.

- I did, too! - You'd be so scared,

- you'd faint if you saw an Indian. - I would not!

I'm never gonna play with you again if you don't come down in the basement right now!

Why we gotta go down cellar, Lukey?

Because that's where we play this game.

- No. - It won't be dark.

- No. - You can make believe it's a tipi if you want to.

I don't mind tipis so much.

You sit down there.

What do we do now, Honey?

We wait for a while.

Then, what do we do?

We can eat pretty soon, maybe.

You should have let me hard-boil some eggs.

It's cozy down here.

Isn't it?

How do we play this game, Lukey?

We have to listen for a noise.

A noise?

A big, loud one.

And it can't hurt us though.

If we eat up all this stuff and we're still hungry,

we can eat that stuff.

We've got new green apples now.

Tomorrow, I'll put up some sauce.

Put lots of sugar in it.

What's a matter, Lukey?

They're gonna burn everything up.

Who?

Aw, who would burn up our apple trees?

What's our apple trees done to them?

What have we done to them, Grandma?

Why does there have to be a war?

It's just make believe, Honey.

We are just playing a game.

Let me see.

He's got spots.

All frogs got spots.

I want one. Will you give me that one?

I'm going to put him in a jar.

I gotta know about frogs, because I'm going to be a doctor.

Doctor that takes tonsils out?

Yep.

Mine are out.

If it's a real war, then what's Daddy going to do?

He'll know about it. There's an alert siren right outside his store.

Maybe Mother called him up. Maybe he's driving home.

She couldn't have. You're not supposed to use the telephone.

- Who says? - Civil defense says.

They want the lines clear for emergencies.

Hey!

Hey, that's our car!

- That's my mother. - She didn't see us.

She must be going shopping.

That means she hasn't heard anything about a war.

- She'd have heard it on the radio. - Maybe she didn't have her radio on.

Lots of times she doesn't.

I don't wanna go home if my mother isn't at home.

There's nobody home at our house either.

My parents are working.

I don't wanna be at home all alone.

You can come to our house.

So can you and Brian.

Mrs. Andrews.

Gary can come home with us.

So can Steve and Brian.

Yes, I...

I think that's a very good idea.

Gary,

I... I think that you oughta keep...

Keep trying to reach your mother on the phone.

Because she...

Well, 'cause...

My mother will tell us what to do.

She says we should go to the bomb shelter.

- They can come with us. - Yes... yes, Harriet, yes.

Do you know if your mother's home?

She should be. She usually is.

- Where's your house? - A lot farther on.

Hyatt Lane.

It's the last house before you get to Elmwood Drive.

Oh, I know.

If you'd like to come over some time,

I'll play our opera records for you.

- Okay. - You ever heard Renata Tebaldi?

She's the greatest soprano in the world.

How about this Saturday?

Okay.

Mrs. Andrews, that's my house over there.

- All right, Harriet. - Come on, everybody.

- See you Saturday. - See you...

...Saturday.

Come on, Brian.

Mother! Mother!

Mother! Mother!

- Mother! - I'll give you my penny jar for your frog.

Okay.

Mother! Mother!

Mother!

She's not home.

Let's go.

Hey, what's the matter with this radio?

It says, "On."

Battery's dead. Where are the extra ones?

- Somewhere. - Everybody look for batteries.

- Have to go to the bathroom? - No.

Well, that's where you go, in there.

I don't have to go. Anyway, there's no door.

- They must be here somewhere. - We should've turned on the radio in the house.

- Well, there wasn't time. - How will we know what's happening?

If it happens, we'll know about it. Don't worry about that.

First thing to do is get organized.

Everybody has to be in charge of something.

I'll be in charge of food and water.

What else is there to be in charge of?

Sleeping. There are four bunks,

and six of us. We'll just have to take turns.

One of us should stay awake all the time anyway,

- like on guard duty. - All right, you be in charge of beds and guard duty.

Here, make a chart.

- You're in charge of the air pump. - What's it for?

To pump air in here so we don't smother.

Hurry up, Steve. I can't breathe!

Don't be silly. There's plenty of air in here now.

It's for when we use it all up.

When will we use it all up?

Am I supposed to pump this all the time?

I'm not sure. Maybe you pump a half hour and rest a half hour.

- Didn't your father tell you? - No, he didn't.

Well, I think it's to clear the air after we've been in here for a while.

- Are you sure? - Anyway, you're in charge of air.

- I'm going back to the house. - So am I.

- What for? - Turn on the radio, find out something.

You can't, you'll get killed!

- I'll take that chance. - So will I.

Well, what about us? If a bomb explodes just as you open that door,

- the whole shelter will be contaminated. - Don't let 'em open the door! Don't let 'em!

- It'll only be open for two seconds. - That's long enough.

- I've got to find out what's happening. - I say you can't go!

It's my shelter!

You'll get us all killed! You'll get us all killed!

- Cut it out! - Bomb's coming! We're going to die!

We're going to die! We're going to die!

No, Pat, don't you do that!

- Why'd you do that? - You were going crazy, that's why.

It's all right, Pat. Steve's not going out.

Darn right he's not going out.

I'm the boss here.

- I'm hungry. - It's not time to eat yet.

I have to make a chart.

- What's that for? - To keep track.

Everybody has to eat the same. That's a rule.

You can have a drink three times a day. That's another rule.

What time is it?

- 10:38. - I want a cookie.

Nobody can eat till I say so. It's a rule.

How long are we going to stay here, Steve?

I don't know, Sport.

Too many rules down here.

Let's go up there and play with your frog.

Okay.

Shoe.

Dammit! Dammit!

No swearing.

Are you the boss of my vocabulary too?

It's my shelter!

- I'm thirsty. - Me too.

I'm gonna put down under your names that you've each had a drink,

and when the rest of us have drinks, you can't have any.

- Why not? - Because it wouldn't be fair.

He's going to get a drink every time I get a drink.

You know what I think?

I think we'll all have to live underground someday.

I don't wanna spend the rest of my life in a hole in the ground.

Wouldn't you rather be alive than dead,

no matter what?

I don't know.

I don't... know.

That's our road.

Don and Trudy's house is first, and that's mine on top of the hill.

You don't have to come any further.

Mrs. Andrews?

Yes?

What bothers me is,

we formed our go-home groups before,

but we never went home before.

Why did Mr. Calkins send us home today?

I don't know.

I truly don't know.

He must have had a reason.

Maybe the superintendent told him to,

so as they could see how the drill went.

Maybe.

Do you know if your boys were sent home from their school?

- I was wondering. - Are you going to telephone their school

- when you get back? - I'm gonna try.

If...

If it is a real alert,

will you have time to get back?

Oh, I hope so.

You could come home with me.

We have a good, strong basement.

That's very kind of you, Sarah.

But, if I...

If I could...

You know, I just hated my old school.

Teachers were always snapping at me.

I didn't do very good work.

You're doing splendidly in my class.

Your 6th grade is the best time I've ever had in school.

I'm so glad, Sarah.

Don? Trudy?

Hurry up.

You'll take them straight home?

Mrs. Andrews?

Yes?

I'll never forget you,

as long as I live.

Bye, Mrs. Andrews.

- Bye, Mrs. Andrews. - Bye, Mrs. Andrews.

Know what? When the bomb explodes,

it sounds like a million firecrackers.

Gee, my cat hates loud noises.

Bang!

Bang! One million dead.

Bang! Two million dead.

- Would you stop that? - Bang! Three million dead.

Cut that out!

Do you know how many people a million people is?

1,000 times 1,000.

Shut up and play dominoes.

They're just kids. They didn't mean it.

Anyway, when there's a war, somebody has to drop the bombs.

Would you rather be dropping bombs or have them dropped on you?

I wouldn't wanna drop bombs.

- Well, nobody wants to, but... - But what?

Well, if I was in the Air Force, and the President of the United States

- ordered me to... - If you didn't, you'd be a traitor.

- You'd get shot! - And it wouldn't be my fault if it was an order.

How would you feel though?

Well, I figure the leaders of my country must know what they're doing.

Well, they certainly know better than you!

You're only 12 years old!

You're only a child.

What if they took a vote,

say, all the children between 6 and 15,

about whether there should be a war?

I vote: No.

No.

No.

No.

No.

It's all silly.

Who's going to ask us?

- Mommy! - Mom!

- Mom, they sent us all home from school, Mom. - We've got to hide. The bomb's coming.

What do you mean? What are you talking about?

We don't know if it's a drill or if it's real.

- It's a war. Everybody thinks it's a war. - What? What's real?

- Who sent you home? - Mr. Calkins, the principal.

Well, what did he say? Didn't he tell you why?

They rang the go-home drill bell, and Mrs. Andrews took our group.

- Who's Mrs. Andrews? - 6th grade teacher.

All the kids say the bomb's coming.

Well, what did Mrs. Andrews say?

She thinks it is. I could tell by the way she acted.

Oh my God. Get home. Hurry!

My God.

I told your father to build a bomb shelter.

Now what are we gonna do?

It's his fault, it's all his fault.

No, he didn't wanna spend the money.

Neighbors might talk now.

They... take this.

He'll be sorry.

Noise.

Listen to me. Why didn't he listen to me?

Come on. Get down on your knees.

We're gonna pray... Pray to God to save us.

Yeah, here.

Now.

"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy Name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven."

Mother!

Mother!

Mother!

Mother!

Mother.

Mother.

Almighty God,

I beseech you in your infinite mercy,

save us. Don't let them kill us.

Save my children.

Save my children.

- Don isn't praying. - My knees hurt.

Pray to God. Ask God to save us.

Momma, did God make the bomb?

- I beseech you... - God made everything in the whole world.

But, did God make the bomb?

- Bad men made the bomb. - Who made the bad men?

God did.

Can God see us?

He can see everything and do everything.

Can he stop the bomb from hitting us?

- If he wants to. - Doesn't he want to?

Momma, is God going to drop the bomb on us?

No, it's not God.

- It's not God. - I told you before, it's the bad men.

We are all bad.

We're all bad.

We're all bad.

Mercy.

Have sore feet, huh?

You ain't dressed for a long hike, are ya?

Uh, you mind my asking,

what are you doing way out here?

I'm a teacher in the elementary school.

I had to take some children home.

Oh.

We had a bomb drill.

Oh, I see. Yeah.

Our yellow light alert went off.

That means nuclear attack within the hour.

Oh boy, oh boy. That'll be the day, huh?

Well, we're supposed to take the children home if it ever really happened.

Hey, you pick up a paper nowadays...

It's spooky, ya know?

Here.

Hey, you're all shook up.

Would you please turn on the radio?

Yeah, sure.

Da-da-da-da-da. They call that music.

That's enough.

Why can't we eat some of that other stuff?

This keeps you alive longer.

"Multi-purpose food. Contains soy grits."

- Yuck. - Soy grits?

- What's that? - Shelter food.

- I don't like it. - How do you know until you try it?

- I don't like what it sounds like. - You eat what you get. It's a rule.

What kind of birthday cake are you going to have?

Chocolate, with eight candles, one for each year, and one to grow on.

Will you make a wish before you blow them out?

Tell it to me.

Haven't thought it up yet.

You could wish for a magic wand.

- What for? - To change people into anything you wanted.

Yeah, I'd...

I'd change your sister Harriet into a speckled guinea pig.

I wouldn't give her anything to eat but soggy old soy grits,

and if she said she didn't like it, I'd say, "Too bad. It's a rule."

Come on, everybody. Lunch is ready.

You've had your water.

So have you.

I don't even want any.

Well, we can save his for Mother and Daddy,

for when they get here.

It needs sugar or salt, or something.

We haven't got any.

Best thing I ever ate was when I was camping with my father in Montana.

We fried some fish we caught in bacon fat.

Boy. Montana's a pretty safe state if you're worried about bombs.

Is your father a fisherman?

No, my father's an engineer. That's what I'm gonna be when I grow up.

- I'm going to be a mother. - I'm gonna be a model.

You wear brand new dresses and have your picture taken all day.

What are you gonna be when you grow up?

- Grow up? - There he goes again.

- Can I have your water, Steve? - No, he can't.

I don't like the way you don't cooperate, and I don't like the way you talk.

You talk like a stinking coward.

Lots of people have lived through wars and you know it.

- What about Washington at Valley Forge? - What about world War II?

We dropped a bomb on Japan and there's still plenty of Japanese left.

What about the early Christians that were thrown to the lions?

If they had just given up, there wouldn't be any Christians alive today.

My father says it's people who talk like you that'll make us lose the war.

If there is a war, there won't be any winners or losers!

Can't you get that through your thick head?

Well, don't forget: I'm saving your life!

It's Mother and Daddy!

What do you want?

- What do you want? - Let me in.

Please. Please!

No, there's no room.

- Let her in! - No.

Mother and Daddy are coming, and well, maybe they'll bring my grandmother

and my grandfather, and my aunt, and...

Well, that's five more people.

- There won't be room! - We can make room!

- We have to make room! - Get too many people down here,

we're all goners! There's not enough oxygen.

- Come on in, Sarah. - No! If she comes in we'll suffocate to death.

- Close the door. - No!

Let her in! Let her in!

Steve! Steve! Let me in!

Steve! Steve!

Steve!

Steve! Let me in! Steve! Let me in!

Steve! Steve!

Just be a little while.

I'll get back as fast as I can.

- Where are you going? - To find Sarah.

- Why? - She's all alone.

You'd be scared stiff if you were out there all alone, wouldn't you?

I wanna go with you.

I've got to run fast.

I can run fast.

No, Sport, you're too little.

I'll be right back.

They won't let Sarah in.

Yes, they will.

Will there really be nothing left, Steve?

What do ya mean?

You said before. After the bomb.

Oh.

I was just feeling worried.

I shouldn't have said that.

Will we all get killed?

- No. - will we all have to live in a hole

- under the ground? - No.

What if the bomb falls on the hospital?

- It won't. - But, what if it does?

If anything happens to Mom and Dad, I'll...

I'll always take care of you.

What if the bomb falls on our house?

It won't. But, if it does, we'll build a new one.

I'll have to start a new bug collection, and a new butterfly collection.

- That's easy. - What about my rocks?

I'll help you find new ones.

- I've got to go now. - No.

I'll be back in 10 minutes.

You won't. No, you won't.

Have I ever lied to you? Have I?

Shake hands?

Come on. I don't want to go without shaking hands.

Where do you think you're going?

- To find Sarah. - You're not bringing her back in.

Okay, it's your shelter.

I'm in charge of... protecting all of us.

If you knew anything about oxygen, you'd know I had to hit you.

Get out of the way.

Please don't go, Steve.

Please don't.

I said, "Get out of the way"!

If you go now, you're not getting back in.

Stop.

Stop!

Stop!

Stop!

Stop! Stop!

Stop!

Stop! Stop!

Stop!

Stop!