It Stains the Sands Red 2017

As the undead hordes rampant in Las Vegas wreak havoc, a desperate pair, Molly and Nick (Dylan Playfair), armed with their weapons, traverse the barren landscape in a frantic bid to escape. Their journey is fraught with danger as the sandy wasteland threatens to swallow them, making them easy targets for the relentless onslaught of ravenous zombies. Trapped in their vehicle with a solitary zombie encroaching, its icy, calculating stare locked onto them, the situation quickly escalates. Despite Nick’s desperate attempts to eliminate the threat, their efforts merely prolong their agony until they are left to wait, praying the ghoul will lose interest. Yet, fate takes a grim turn—just as the undead creature disappears into the night, Nick meets his grisly fate, leaving Molly alone to confront the harsh desert.

With only her instincts and an unwavering determination to survive, Molly sets out on foot, pursued relentlessly by Smalls, her nickname for the slow but persistent zombie that shadows her every move. A fleeting encounter with a derelict house grants her a momentary reprieve from the horrors lurking in each corner, yet the unforgiving desert sun beats down as she presses onward, desperate to evade her undead stalker.

Behind her courageous façade, however, lies a turmoil of betrayal and deceit; she had leveraged Nick’s trust to orchestrate her escape from the devastation of the city. Smalls is ever-present, relentless in its pursuit with its cold, unwavering gaze.

At the brink of what she hoped might be a change in her fortunes, a catastrophic sandstorm engulfs her, plunging her into chaos. As the world spirals out of control, she awakens to find herself in the company of two strangers—Ted and Jason (Andrew Supanz). Their air-conditioned vehicle serves as a temporary sanctuary, but instinctively, Molly senses ulterior motives. The truck is not theirs; the previous owners have likely met a gruesome end. Nevertheless, Ted’s charismatic charm becomes difficult to resist, leaving her vulnerable to his dubious intentions.

Just as she feels the grip of darkness tightening around her, Smalls reemerges, its gaze still fixated on its predetermined target. In a twist of fate, it is Ted who falls victim to the zombie’s wrath, while Jason scampers away into the night—leaving Molly to grapple with the wreckage of her life.

As Molly and Smalls continue their precarious journey, a tentative alliance forms, one that she establishes with specific rules, including a no-biting agreement. Around a flickering campfire one evening, Molly divulges the heart-wrenching story of her son, Chase. This intimate moment nurtures a connection between her and the zombie, fostering a unique bond. Amidst the struggle for survival, she clings to the makeshift tin can phone she crafted—an echo of her lost life.

The following morning brings chaos as they encounter a convoy of soldiers. To safeguard Smalls, Molly fabricates a tale of marital bliss, playing her role until a soldier’s errant bullet grazes her finger, igniting a harrowing chain of events. As the infection begins to spread, Molly, driven by sheer survival instinct, resorts to performing a gruesome amputation to save herself.

With Smalls now ferrying their supplies in an inflatable raft, Molly embarks on the arduous trek toward the airfield, her bleeding finger a constant reminder of the stakes. When Smalls succumbs to his injuries, she faces an unimaginable dilemma: to either allow him to linger in pain or end his suffering with a heavy rock. This heavy decision weighs upon her conscience as she uncovers his true identity—a married man, mirroring her own previous life.

Upon reaching the airfield, she encounters Jimmy, Nick’s friend (Juan Riedinger), but their reunion is strained—his paranoia leads him to mistakenly see her as a threat. His ricochet of hostility stems from the chaos encircling him, evident in the fate of his companions, now caged within the undead nightmare. Despite this, Molly stands firm, opting to remain behind rather than escape on Jimmy’s flight to safety.

With a heavy heart, she makes a heartbreaking call to her sister Ali, discovering that Chase has been hiding at home, instigating her return to Las Vegas with renewed fervor to rescue her son from the undead menace. Before she can set off, however, she must first clear a path by confronting a herd of zombies and securing a convertible—a grim necessity in this desperate struggle for survival.

When Molly finally arrives in the hauntingly desolate suburb where Chase is hiding, the devastation is overwhelming. The once vibrant streets now echo with desolation and remnants of chaos—a chilling reminder of what once was. As silence envelops the area, she approaches only to confront the stark reality of loss, finding Ali and Blake lifeless, victims of the relentless chaos.

Yet, her determination courses through her veins as she ascends the staircase in search of her son. When she finally finds Chase, her heart swells with relief—his vulnerable gaze locks onto hers, punctuated by gratitude. In this intimate reunion, Molly pledges never to forsake him again, vowing to protect him with every ounce of strength left.

As they prepare to flee their once-shared home, a sudden onslaught of zombies disrupts their fragile peace. With a fierce resolve, Molly places herself between Chase and danger, wielding a shovel as her improvised weapon to carve a path through the unfolding horror. As the screen fades to black, the weight of their desperate struggle lingers, leaving viewers in suspense of what lies ahead.