Sean Lawrence
The dramatic narrative synopsis of the opening scene:
In fall classes on the campus of Louisiana state university, DEAN hear over the intercom system that “classes are canceled” for the rest of the week, due to the approaching storm heading towards them. Dean is on campus working on an upcoming project for a fall class. DAVID is working at the Herbert Law Center with his classmates. Dean runs to see what his brother is doing in his law studies class. As the two brothers move towards the campus parking lot they start discussing whether or not to call their parents to see if they need help getting ready for the storm. David calls their father who encourages the boys to get to their place and not to worry about him or their mother.
Summarizing the action of Act I:
As they head home from the hardware store they start the process of preparing for the storm. They bring supplies in from the truck and start boarding windows and doors. David is downstairs watching the local news; the weatherman reports what the weather models predict where the storm will hit and how much rain will fall state-wide. Dean is on the side deck of the house boarding the upstairs windows with plywood and nails.
The two call their other siblings to find out where everyone is headed to bypass the storm. David goes outside to speak with a neighbor to find out where she and other roommates will be evacuating to she tells him, “to Atlanta”. Once again the boys call home to see if their parents need any help and their father tells the boys “Stop worrying everything will be okay” the boys hang up and like many other frat boys there age head to a party down fraternity row.
The dramatic narrative synopsis of Plot point I:
It’s another late Friday night but the boys make it home safely as they look at the answering machine they see numerous messages on the device. David tells Dean to come into the living room to hear something he has found. “Listen to this” David says. It’s their older brother William calling from Detroit “Guys you need to go and get mom and dad tonight” he goes on to state that he’s been watching the news and thinks that getting mom and dad out of harm’s way is the best thing for everyone. The boys wait till morning to get dress, pack a bag, and head for home to New Orleans.
As the boys hit the road leaving from Baton Rouge to New Orleans they find that the roads coming into New Orleans are clear but the roads leaving are packed. Dean decides to take a short cut into town but runs into troops of the Air National Guard and reservist who have blocked the roads into town. The troops tell them that there are no passageways into New Orleans and that the governor has placed the city under Marshall Law for fear of rioting and looting during and after the storm.
Summarizing the Obstacles:
Once into the city Dean and David are met by Troops and are not allowed to go any further and forced back out due to mandatory evacuation. Once back in Baton Rouge they decided to hold up in a shelter over night to ride out the storm. They call friends and family and report they were unable to contact their mother and father. They have found out their oldest brother William is flying out as soon as the weather clears and suggests the boy’s head out at first light. It’s Sunday night and the storm is in the Gulf of Mexico and headed right at New Orleans and the boys are going to ride out the storm for the night.
As daylight emerges the boys rise to a new day like no other. They talk to Mom and Dad and both of them are unwilling to leave home to meet them. The roads are packed and full of people. It’s almost 6:00am and Hurricane Katrina is still in the Gulf and about to make land fall. The boys explain that they are stuck in a shelter and unable to leave due to the Marshall Law that has been imposed and the National Guards, but as soon as the troops leave they’ll head for home.
David tells Dean that it’s a good idea to back track west to find another way into the city. They decides to go to a supply store to purchase some supplies, a backup generator, water , flares and other survival gear and they load the truck and are back on the road. They head back to home in fear of coming under the troop’s patrol in the city and decide to find out where the storm is and put up for the night.
At day break they head back to New Orleans.
The dramatic narrative synopsis of Plot Point 2:
Katrina makes land fall causing major flooding, when it reaches New Orleans its an Category 3 hurricane and has strengthen from a Category 1 since leaving South Florida. It’s Monday morning August 29 as Dean looks out the roads are gone and all that remains is water. New Orleans is lost to the rising water whole neighborhoods are underwater and the boys need to find another way into New Orleans. David takes the boat that has been left behind it is an air boat and able push into town under its own power, the supplies they have brought with them all pile into the boat. Dean is on the cell phone with his brother William who is on the next flight going into Houston but will drive to New Orleans once has landed in Texas. The boys make their way towards the city, they see people standing and treading water, people on roofs tops of homes waving for help.
As they make their way through the heart of the city they are stop by troop’s. This time they are ready the boys explain they are a part of the rescue effort that has been underway. They tell the troops that they are part of a group from LSU and are in the area going door to door looking for survivors.
Summarizing Act 3:
Once in town all land has given way to the storm surge. David is able to find local information on his phone and GPS coordinates. They make their way to St. Bernard Parrish to find that local militia has taken over the streets and are not letting people in or out. Dean tells David to back track and see if they can go to the sheriff’s office. Once there the boys are able to access the roof of the office only to find a saw-off shotgun in their face and a group of the sheriff’s men held up in side. One of the men recognizes Dean from their high school days and says “Aren’t you one of the Tale boys the pitcher who broke all those records” Dean replies “Yes Sir, but right now I’m attempting to get home and can’t get there”. The sheriff’s men explain that they haven’t had power for most of the days and that the Mill’s Creek militias has taken over the whole Parrish, stopping people in the streets and not letting people into St. Bernard Parrish. One of the sheriff’s men agrees to go with them to show them the best rout around the militia’s territory. As the men set off Dean ask has anyone heard from their Mom and Dad. The deputy explains that the storm as knock all communications in the area and people without boats are hadn’t been leaving their homes due to fear of the militias.
The deputy who has agreed to show Dean and David around point’s out markers that different people have places around the St. Bernard Parrish to mark the territory controlled by the militias. Dean can almost see the street they live off, he become’s happy to see the familiar area. Once they start near their street is when they see part of the militias on airboats. They turn down a side street to hide that’s when they first hear the loud engine noise behind them. The water starts to move in a circular pattern all around them. Then they hear over a loud intercom “THIS IS THE UNITED STATES ARMY”. Above them is a large Blackhawk type helicopter and they are completely surrounded on all sides.
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