In this scripted excerpt from the 2012 YouTube short "White Elephant," a small group of survivors—Nate, Vil, Eli, and Z—confront each other in a bleak, post‑apocalyptic landscape. Nate possesses an ancient amulet that grants him over a century of life and extraordinary power, making him a target. Z, leader of a clan of about 100 people, demands the amulet to protect his community from "eaters" and other threats, pleading for the weapon despite its broken state. Vil and Eli provide cynical commentary on survival, hunting, and the futility of their situation, while also expressing hunger and frustration with the endless scavenging. The dialogue oscillates between desperate bargaining, threats, and philosophical musings about the unchanging nature of human conflict, culminating in a tense standoff where Nate refuses to relinquish the amulet, hinting that the artifact may finally have a purpose beyond his own survival.
Chapters
I don't know how long it took, but one day the amulet was finally mine. It chose me, and since then, no shortage of others have come for it. But what most don't expect is the extent of its power.
Oh!
It's that power that's let me see what the world has become. Because for over 100 years, it hasn't let me die. But even in this new world, some things never change.
Stop! Stop!
Stay where you are! Stop! There's nowhere left to go, and I can't miss at this distance. So give me that thing now!
You don't know what it is.
It can't be yours.
I don't know who you are, but I saw what that thing did to those Eaters back there, and I want it. My clan needs its protection.
This motherfucker's barely worth the ammo.
You don't take pride in your work, that's your problem. Strip the bugs out so it can rest and recover. I'm getting hungry. We're all hungry, Eli, my man, but we can't all think with our stomachs.
Food for thought.
All right, you are.
Just do it. Just do it.
Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play, where seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the sky is not ashen and gray.
I thought you said you knew where we could get some real game.
I think I know a way that we can never set another trap again and still have enough food to last us throughout the winter.
And not just scraps! I'm tired of the hunger, Vil. We gotta start getting them alive and keeping them in cages, or maybe make them work until we need them. I'm tired of tracking motherfuckers like this sack of shit with nothing to show for it.
That's what I'm talking about. We gotta make them come to us. We gotta put the advantage on our side.
We can hunt at night.
Yes, unfortunately, I like my head the way it is. It's all about averages, kid. You can't catch a white elephant.
Sick of your bullshit. I fucking told you there's nothing worth going after in this district.
You suggest we just stick to our shit-stained square mile of rubble our whole lives? Don't you want to see what's around? Don't you want to meet new and interesting people?
Not to mention he's blown to shit, burned all the meat right off the fucking bones. Who the fuck hunts with energy rifles?
The fuck did you get this?
Fry Eli. Why would you fry Eli? What are you doing out here?
My clan expects me by sundown.
They'll just have to wait.
If I don't show, they'll come back.
The fucking chitchat. Just write about one thing. Sun's going down soon. We gotta eat. You killed my entire fucking crew. For that, you're about to die. But if you hand that over first, I'll promise to at least eat them instead of you.
I guess we can call it even.
You see why I need your weapon? These savages get closer to us every day.
This is not a weapon, and that rifle seems to do the job just fine.
This is an ancient piece of crap that fries my hand in the rain, takes 3 days to charge, charge and can't shoot straight worth shit. I need that. We could use it to fend off eaters, to hide from the lights when we travel at night. There are over 100 of us in our camp and we need real protection. There are children in our camp.
I'm sorry. I'm glad you're safe, but you'll understand if I say I hope we We never meet again.
Wait, wait, wait. Look at me. What's your name?
Nate.
Nate, I'm Z. Nate, please, we need that thing. Look at my face, please.
It's called the amulet. It's only meant for me. I'm sorry, Z.
You saved my life. You shouldn't have. Give me the amulet now. Don't even fucking try it. I am not ending up like them. Take off your jacket and put it on the ground.
You don't know what you're asking. It won't allow it.
Shut the fuck up. Take off your jacket and drop it. Now back off!
100 people in her camp. 100 people that deserve it more than me. This must be what the amulet's been waiting for. Maybe at last.
Now I can't let you follow me.
I could be free. I thought I would juice her. But the power is still mine. Mine to use. Mine to bear. Until I find another.
