Dog Stars, The (2026)

[bunniefuu]

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

That's it. Nope.

Service to the whiskey, Delta. We are

gone.

All right. Too much wind.

Jasper!

Here. Sit.

Come on, Jeff.

I'm going.

Oh, you want to play?

That's different.

You mean-

You just don't know it yet.

It's not right.

Sure is that smoke across town.

You see that?

A bunch showed up out of Texas or Mexico

or some other f*cking bad place.

Reapers.

Some new tribe.

More feral than the others. k*lling

whoever's left.

Washington or Everton. Just like that.

f*cking fluted.

Is that blood here?

Hit me together, right?

With your b*ll*ts.

Hit me, know my way around.

We might survive them, right?

Huh?

I already got a partner.

They're going to catch you,

m*therf*cker. You and your f*cking nuts.

And you're going to hear me laugh when

they do.

Remember, kids, you've got to stay back.

Go ahead, boy.

I made a run into town.

The favorite.

Thank you, Hayden.

How's it going?

Get in there.

You need a hand with anything?

I hate to put you to work when you stop

by.

No, I have something to do.

In that case, we're having trouble with

the well.

It's connected to the solar, but it

ain't getting power.

All right.

Okay, stay glued.

Go on, Jess. Come on. Where are you

going? Where are you going? Where are

you going?

I didn't see Caleb when I came in. Where

is he?

Caleb passed last week.

Fear the children as well.

We think it was measles this time.

I'm sorry, Aaron.

It seems like that's the world we live

in.

If the virus didn't take care of

something else, well, we ran out of

vaccines years ago.

Just like that.

Well, I remember you saying your beans

didn't come in well this year, so...

Thank you.

Oh, what's this?

Ben's root for you. And I call it

Jasper's fur.

Jasper and I never look better.

Thank you.

You take care. I'll see you soon.

Jasper, come up.

Up,

up, up.

Good boy.

The thing's looking tense today.

See? It's quiet.

Not that quiet.

This is scavenger. I had to run him off.

Run him off or put him down.

Letting roaches scurry away is going to

come back and bite you one day.

He said there's a new bunch roaming

around burning the place.

I called them reapers.

I saw this in town.

It looks like they're going after

everything that's left.

f*ck them, as long as they stay away

from here.

Those Mormon beans?

Mennonites.

I sure didn't know that.

I thought we agreed, no more visits.

You're saying it doesn't make it an

agreement, Bangley. I keep telling you,

all it takes is one cough.

In your eye or open mouth.

You want to survive the f*cking plague

and just die all by yourself?

That's not how it works.

What are you, a f*cking doctor now?

You know, they're children.

They need our help.

All the years we've been out here, when

has offering goodwill to others ever

kept us alive?

You know, it's not the way people are

supposed to be.

The way people have always been.

Just pulling the mask off civilization

for you to see it.

You know,

I told you back before all this sh*t how

my doctor at OKC said I had

atherosclerosis, right? Mm-hmm. But you

keep bringing them to me. Yeah. By the

case. Yeah.

Yeah. I figured I'd make a good story.

You outlive in the rest of the world to

die from a coke.

Really? Yeah.

Would you like some?

Please. The witch who made this f*cking

film. f*ck you.

There's a

bear.

And, um, there's a turtle.

Right next to Elvis.

Big Jasper.

Right next to the girl.

Don't sh**t.

Come on. Here.

Wait. Just kids.

No a*mo.

It's a weapon. It does just as well.

It's rule number one. Don't bring

weapons onto someone else's land, not

unless you plan to use them. I doubt

they knew anyone lived here. They're

just being cautious.

So I should let some roach with a r*fle

get right up close before asking if they

plan on plugging us?

And it turns out that they're better

with theirs than I am with mine, and

then the whole balance of power just

tilts the wrong way.

Of course, the odds of them being better

are slim, but still.

Look, it's like...

It's like the old saying, sh**t first

and inquire afterwards.

f*ck you!

Holy...

We lost the fish.

What happened?

No fish for us, huh?

out there is going to be tough to spot

with thermal. I'll k*ll some time.

Not on the ground, I hope. No vest, no

r*fle.

Don't worry, I'll let you out first.

Sesna 2 Mike Mike Whiskey Delta Grand

Junction, do you copy?

Grand Junction, do you copy?

a few months ago.

It's like an old woman or something. I

heard it a few years back as well.

Some kind of loop.

And why don't I hear it more often?

I don't know how this sh*t works.

Maybe the winds need to be just right.

Anyway, it pays you five grand.

And either way, it doesn't matter.

No, Grand Junction would be f*cking

France as far as you'll get on a full

tank in that Cessna. I'll take one, too.

What do you expect to find if you even

f*cking get there?

Oh.

You think Grand Junction is just going

to be jam-packed full of what was?

Happy people everywhere.

Children laughing and playing. Lovers

strolling hand in hand.

The world doesn't f*cking exist. The

world that you're in.

Has everything you need right here.

Power, food, water, weapons.

Perimeter you can defend. I mean,

shithead.

With what we have here, you and me, we

live in a f*cking American dream.

Well, I'm not sure I'd call it a f*cking

dream.

Call it what you want.

Beats the sh*t out of the flip side.

Cowboys over fives.

That's it?

Yeah. You got another 30 grand hidden

there. Okay, take it.

Come on.

You know, it was pretty bright when you

got back. You sure we're all clear?

Yeah.

There's nothing out there.

All right.

Now I'll sleep tight and dream about

Grand Junction.

f*cking Paris of the New World.

All right.

I needed to remind you that living feels

nicer than dying. And where the f*ck is

your night pits, huh?

How do

you

think those assholes got in here?

You f*cking missed them.

You're so sweaty over your Grand

Junction mystery voice and whatever

paradise is waiting out there for you

that you recon too early and you flew

right the f*ck over them. So yeah, I let

you clean up your own mess.

At least before I had to f*cking save

you.

Hi.

Hi.

Okay. Okay.

Okay. Hi. Hi.

It's been a big, big day.

Hi. Is that your mom?

That's your mom. Huh?

You taking a tour?

I'm going to try and get to Grand

Junction.

Just like that?

You're not even talking about it?

What's there to talk about?

I don't know, Hig. Maybe you just

decided to take off without a heads up.

How that affects me.

You're not here to recon. That makes me

vulnerable.

Told you for years I'd teach you how to

fly.

You don't need to teach me. It's your

bucket here to do it.

So suppose you make it to Junction, and

there's no guarantee, but let's just say

you do, and there's nothing.

Then what?

I guess I'll keep heading west.

g*dd*mn.

And if this is all because you're pissed

over what happened, there's nothing left

to say for me anymore.

sh*t, I got to sweep you.

I'm just saying I can't do this anymore.

You'd rather die someplace else?

That's how it goes, yeah. Well, that's

definitely how it's going to go.

You on your own in lands you don't know,

but others do.

You know, we have no idea what's out

there. We've not even f*cking looked

that way. Why would it be different?

To whoever's already there, you're just

a f*cking roach, and they'll deal with

you just like we do roaches.

This world fits you, babe.

Wake up.

Defend.

Survive.

Oh, sh*t, I think you were ready for it

ten years before I hit.

What?

You like this sh*t.

I was a f*cking mechanic.

I fix sh*t.

When I wasn't doing that, I was kissing

my wife.

You know, I'm wondering every day how I

got so f*cking lucky.

All that luck is spent.

You're not gonna find more of it out

there.

Want to tag along?

Rather stay alive.

There's a list on the fridge.

How to work the power, gardens, and how

to figure sh*t out.

from too high, though.

The flash will blind the sh*t out of

you.

Don't get goofy thinking about the past.

Let some f*ck blindside you.

I know we've bitched and moaned and

gotten on each other's nerves, but

you've been a good partner.

Yeah, you too.

Bye.

Thank you.

You put that f*cking thing down right

now.

Take it off. Put your hands up.

Keep your hands in the air.

What are you doing here?

I put my plane down in the middle.

I saw your donkey.

I haven't seen one of those in a long

time, so I got curious.

You okay?

Yeah.

Where are you flying from?

Erie.

South side of Denver. I know where that

is.

My dog died.

That's why you thought you'd come steal

mine.

I didn't even know you had a f*cking

dog.

I don't.

What are you doing here?

I'm heading to Grand Junction.

What you doing?

Sneaking around my property all weaponed

up.

Well, I don't know what I was going to

run into.

Maybe the wrong kind of roach.

What do you mean, roach?

Survivors.

The ones even the flu couldn't k*ll.

Yeah. What was your dog's name?

Jasper.

You must have really missed that dog.

He was a good f*cking dog.

You need to get out of here.

Empty that clip.

I got the phone number.

My name is Hig.

It don't matter to us what your name is.

I'm Seema.

My dad.

Pops.

Real pleasure.

Get out of here!

We're gonna need more runway, Jasper.

Smell like real coffee.

My

dad makes this

Holly and Ruth coffee.

This is really good.

Thank you.

You don't have any banana nut muffins,

do you?

We sold out five minutes ago.

Right. Yeah.

So

what'd

you do before the world ended?

I was a mechanic, mostly.

I did some construction here and there.

Odd little jobs, you know.

Enough to pay the bills and still enjoy

life.

A dream?

I suppose.

For a while, anyway.

You and your husband, you have any

children?

No, never got that far.

You?

Um, my wife.

Melissa. She, um... She was pregnant,

but we lost the baby about a year before

she died.

All right.

It's okay.

It's not your fault.

I miss music.

With...

in the car and listening to music.

Singing on the way to the grocery store.

I miss the f*cking grocery store.

Yeah. And traffic.

Being stuck in traffic.

Sima, where are you?

I'm already out of the canyon, Dad.

Close your eyes.

No, wait. Close your eyes.

Trust me. Just close them.

Trust me.

What are we doing here?

Just helping him get on his way.

He's an unknown.

We've survived because we have rules

about how to deal with unknowns.

I know he has real coffee.

And a whole sleigh of these.

Yeah, I've known plenty of bad men with

this in their pocket.

I'm gonna get an ax and a saw and I hope

he'll be able to get out of here.

I just need to clear a few trees, I'll

be gone. I would appreciate the axe

being brought back sharpened.

Of course.

You

got

some help?

Yeah.

I love you

Let's get this sh*t clear and have you

on your way.

You want some coffee?

No. No?

How about a cigarette?

You got a cigarette?

Okay, ready?

Okay.

Tell me when.

Three, two, one.

Come on, you got this.

We got to keep it level.

With the saw? Yeah, you got to keep it

level. I put your hand on the top of the

handle. All right.

Come on. I'm not doing all the pushing.

I'm not doing all the pushing. I'm

trying to pull when you have to push.

All right.

What if Grand Junction turns out to be

like Erie, Denver, any other place like

that?

Yeah, I've heard that one before.

Because it might.

What would you do?

Where would you go?

There's this mountain in Telluride,

about 12,000 feet high,

and one side of it's basically just

straight up.

I used to go there with my wife, hiking

in the summer days, skiing

in the winters.

Wow.

So you'd head there?

Yeah.

I'm playing right at the side of that

f*cking mountain.

You're going to have to move the bigger

rocks.

Huh? The bigger ones. Otherwise, I can't

go.

All right.

Maybe you want to concentrate on the

film.

All right.

But if I can lift up before the first

line of trees, I think it's going to be

okay. Oh, thank Christ, because my back

is shot to sh*t.

Yeah.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Yeah.

I'll push harder, you push less hard.

Oh, that's it.

Okay. You good? Yeah.

Nice.

So you grew up here?

I grew up here, but I moved to New York.

I went to college there and worked in a

hospital there with my husband.

How come you're here?

My mom had stage four breast cancer, so

I came back to help my dad.

And then Tom went to New York, but they

shut down travel and I couldn't get

back.

And then he died.

I'm sorry.

You gotta have something to haunt you,

right?

Otherwise, you might get lonely.

All right.

We gotta spin around.

Come on.

Yeah.

Come on, muscles.

There's a storm coming.

Where do you sleep if it's raining?

In your plane.

Oh, it's a little tight in there.

Usually it's under the wing.

There's a shelter at the far end of the

pond, if you need.

Why don't you get in the sick before you

leave?

Thanks.

Is he just nice to me?

I don't know. I've never seen him be

nice before.

Yeah.

Did you golf? Not a day in my life.

I used to say, if you ever catch me

playing golf, sh**t me in the head.

Okay. I have an

idea.

Yeah.

What's that?

What if you stay?

I can't.

I'm sorry.

Steven, I'm sorry.

No, it's okay.

Seema, stop.

Just wait.

Seema.

You don't think I think about Tom every

single f*cking day, do I? I know you do.

Just like you do, Melissa.

I understand. I know.

I know.

You don't have a f*cking monopoly on

grief, do you? I know.

to suffer anymore.

Bad time m*therf*cker.

I don't know, 10, 20, maybe.

Three with g*ns, some bows, some axes.

Someone horseback.

I've not seen you yet.

You got a r*fle?

No, it's just a GL*CK.

If he would have lost it earlier, he

wouldn't be stuck with us.

Grand Junction, this is Cessna 2, Mike,

Mike, Whiskey, Delta, D, copy.

Grand Junction,

this is Cessna 2, Mike, Mike, Whiskey,

Delta, D, copy.

Duncan, do you copy? This is Cessna 2,

Mike Mike, Whiskey, Delta. Do you copy?

Copy that, Cessna.

Are you real?

Yeah.

Well, I'll be damned.

It's been two years since the aircraft

responded. I didn't think there were any

more of you up there.

Likewise.

We're out of Erie, just near Denver.

We've come a long ways.

We were thinking we might stop by.

There's three of us.

conversation, but we prefer you move

along.

We haven't been lucky with visitors.

It won't cause any trouble.

It won't mean any harm.

Well, no offense, but who would say

different?

Understood.

There used to be a hell of a pancake

store downtown.

Sandy's, I think it was called.

I was a little partial to the blueberry.

She used to sprinkle something on top.

I can't remember what it was. It was

fantastic.

Sandy would chop up marshmallows real

fine and shake them over.

Yeah. Yeah.

That's it.

Best ever.

Keep your approach, Cessna.

We'll see you folks when you get here.

You're welcome.

Copy you.

I'll see you soon.

And this is 2 Whiskey Delta, southeast

of 3,000 feet, inbound landing.

I see you, Cessa. 2 Whiskey Delta, make

a straightened approach, runway 22.

You're cleared to land.

Copy that, Grand Dungeon.

Welcome to Grand Dungeon, Cessa. A

couple of our folks are going to meet

you. And no weapons, please, if you're

carrying.

It's the only real role we've got.

I'll do with respect.

You're as unknown to us as we are to

you.

Understood. And you are free to keep

along with friendly skies if you're not

comfortable. What do we think?

It's not that.

Yeah. It depends how much we tricked.

We tricked a little.

Thanks, man.

What are we doing in this piece of sh*t?

How are you doing?

Welcome.

I'm John. This is Logan.

Hi.

I'm Egg.

And this is Pop and Seema.

Any illnesses we should know of?

I'm sorry.

Logan likes to get to the point.

No.

No, no illnesses.

Well, if you wouldn't mind.

That's a green.

Yep.

Ah, beautiful.

Thank you.

Follow me.

It's me, Darlene.

I don't blame you, Cessna.

It's understandable.

New place, new faces.

It takes a lot of faith, especially in

this world.

But rules are rules.

We'll get it back to you.

Follow me.

for our guests.

Let's go.

I'll keep it waiting.

Cessna.

In the flesh.

Do you mind? I want to commemorate this

moment.

Say cheese.

A fine-looking little trio to boot.

Hick, Seema, Pops.

It's Jack, actually.

Hick, there's the pilot. This is

Darlene.

Darlene?

Fly me to the moon.

And let me play among the stars.

Once a stewardess, always a stewardess.

Thank you.

Drink up.

Thank you.

So, darling, do you ever speak or are

you just window dressing?

Occasionally.

And what do you think of our little spot

here?

It's interesting.

Almost like you flew through a time

warp, right?

Drink up.

There's more. Now, I've got something

stronger if you'd like.

I wouldn't say no to something with a

little more kick to it.

How about 160 proof worth, Jack?

Just like my grandpa taught me.

This ain't no vodka or gin.

Mm-hmm.

Tell me how you like that.

There you go.

Well, now, you haven't touched yours.

I'm good, thanks. I'll just give you a

talk. Oh, yeah.

Right? Yeah, that's the kick I'm talking

about. I told you, if we're going to

start over, you might as well do it

right.

No fancy c*ck with umbrellas and

fruit.

So, tell me about your trip.

You spot much life between Erie and us?

There's a few pockets here and there,

but nothing nearby.

Good to know.

Have you had a lot of trouble here?

No. Look at Psalms 121. The Lord will

protect people from all evil and guard

them as they go about their lives.

Praise God.

Amen.

This is where he's been hiding for the

last few years.

So, Doc.

You and Big Hig. Your hands always this

rough before the world turned upside

down?

I've been a rancher all my life, so...

Yeah.

What about you?

I was a mechanic, mostly.

Darling, do you mind if I, uh, might

have a smoke?

Smoke it up.

Fellas, hard work, and laborers. I

respect that.

And you?

Medical resident.

My, oh, my.

John?

A doctor.

I don't think I'm one of those around.

No, we haven't.

You should have told me what valuable

cargo you were carrying, Big Hig. I had

no idea.

Is he labored like you two?

They eat the same amount as the rest.

And so we've already got more than

enough for that kind of work, but now a

real-life doctor, that is worth a share.

You got me wrong. I'm actually not a

real doctor. I was just studying, and I

honestly barely remember anything. Oh,

I'm sure. It's like riding a bike.

Yes, ma'am.

Logan, how'd you like to marry a doctor?

What the f*ck?

Oh, I'd like that, Darlene.

I'd like that, too.

I think maybe the time for our

conversation is over. Don't be rude,

Jack. Jack?

Being rude? Jack,

sit down.

Jack, you remind me of men I used to

know.

You always figure it's your job to say

when the conversation starts or stops.

Or grope my a*s or spread my... Hey, I

appreciate your loyalty. I do.

I do. See, I used to defend my daddy

that same way when he'd yell too loud or

swing too hard.

But the truth is, Jack is right.

You know why?

There's nothing more left to say except

to thank Big Hig for...

answering our call and bringing Seema

here to us so that we might bless our

family. Shall we take Seema now?

And you and all the rest, you're all

just so desperate for something better.

You'll follow a voice just around

anywhere.

Listen to me.

This case right here.

This is what it is.

I don't think so, darling.

Pops, is it back? Behind me, pull the

grenade.

Pull the page and hold the hill.

Love, Daddy.

That's right.

I'm really sorry.

Where to now?

You're not thinking about any mountains

in Telluride, are you?

No.

We're going back to Erie, okay?

Bangley, Bruce, Bangley, we are two

miles out. This is Desna, Mike, Mike,

Whiskey, Delta, Friendly, please do not

sh**t.

Bangley, do you copy?

It's okay.

It's okay.

Okay, tough guy.

Almost there.

I hear your Grand Junction fantasy was a

total sh*t show, just like I said it'd

be.

Yeah, it didn't go according to plan.

Maybe it did, man. I don't know.

I'm sorry I left you alone.

No, it's fine.

I can end 50 assholes without your help.

I counted 31 bodies. Oh, sh*t, Higg. I

had to blow a bunch of them up. At least

give me credit for the pieces.

Mm-hmm.

Too bad about Grand Junction.

At least we got fifth out of it.

Ow! Son of a... Okay, okay.

If we built it once, it'd be easier this

time. We'll know what the hell we're

doing. Then what?

This place has always been too exposed.

It's a hell of a lot f*cking harder to

defend now. We figured it out before.

What's the f*cking alternative?

Families aren't contagious.

Oh, Christ.

No, they got f*cking power, water.

You can only see them from the air. It's

the safest place.

g*dd*mn Mormons. I wake up every

morning, them trying to convert me. Last

thing I need is extra wives.

Meta-nice, but you already f*cking knew

that.

You? You gonna stay there or you gonna

keep trying to find something else?

Not sure yet.

You're a consistently stupid f*ck.

I'll give you that.

I knew this as*h*le once.

Back in the OKC. He was in the Corps.

He had a wife.

Two daughters.

When the virus took him, just about

broke him.

But it wasn't just that they were gone.

It was all the years before that he

could have been with them, but he

wasn't. He was just off, doing anything

else.

That's what stuck in his frog.

Yet he always knew that death was coming

for us all.

But he still couldn't enjoy what he had.

Up until it did.

Do you feel tired a lot?

Think that's your plan?

So what is it?

Something that's probably caused by

their body's defense response to the

virus.

How many kids are born after the virus?

Right. It would be passed down

genetically.

So that's why it's probably not

contagious.

Wow. Can we help?

Yeah.

I'll need some things.

Some...

Immune suppressants and corticosteroids.

Wow.

You call these?

Nope.

Who are you sneaking off to?

I was just heading into town.

I want to get some supplies.

You want me to tag along?

No, that's okay.

You're coming back, right? You're not

going to leave me alone with all these

warnings.

I'll see you.

See that big bright star there?

Mm-hmm.

That's the big jasper.

And then if you come home, see that

cluster right there?

Yeah. That's the Elvis constellation.

And these are the official astronomical

names, of course.

Yeah. And as far as I know.

I don't like the feeling of wondering

whether or not you're gonna come back.

You just left and you didn't say

anything.

We should just kiss like real people.

Why you were creeping in some sad way, I

already know.

So I would not ask you where you came

from. I would

not ask, neither would you.

Honey, just watch and sleep. Sometimes,

we should just live like this.

We could just get by.